PeerJ
type: channel
link: https://peerj.com/articles/
description: Articles published in PeerJ
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
publication name: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359
items: Snapshot recordings provide a first description of the acoustic signatures of deeper habitats adjacent to coral reefs of Moorea
items: Attribute amnesia is greatly reduced with novel stimuli
items: Bed site selection by a subordinate predator: an example with the cougar (Puma concolor) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
items: Colour change of twig-mimicking peppered moth larvae is a continuous reaction norm that increases camouflage against avian predators
items: Grassland habitat restoration: lessons learnt from long term monitoring of Swanworth Quarry, UK, 1997–2014
items: Supradapedon revisited: geological explorations in the Triassic of southern Tanzania
items: Generation and characterization of cross neutralizing human monoclonal antibody against 4 serotypes of dengue virus without enhancing activity
items: Assessing Mongolian gerbil emotional behavior: effects of two shock intensities and response-independent shocks during an extended inhibitory-avoidance task
items: Microbial agents in macroscopically healthy mammary gland tissues of small ruminants
items: Vegetation structure of plantain-based agrosystems determines numerical dominance in community of ground-dwelling ants

Snapshot recordings provide a first description of the acoustic signatures of deeper habitats adjacent to coral reefs of Moorea
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Acoustic recording has been recognized as a valuable tool for non-intrusive monitoring of the marine environment, complementing traditional visual surveys. Acoustic surveys conducted on coral ecosystems have so far been restricted to barrier reefs and to shallow depths (10–30 m). Since they may provide refuge for coral reef organisms, the monitoring of outer reef slopes and describing of the soundscapes of deeper environment could provide insights into the characteristics of different biotopes of coral ecosystems. In this study, the acoustic features of four different habitats, with different topographies and substrates, located at different depths from 10 to 100 m, were recorded during day-time on the outer reef slope of the north Coast of Moorea Island (French Polynesia). Barrier reefs appeared to be the noisiest habitats whereas the average sound levels at other habitats decreased with their distance from the reef and with increasing depth. However, sound levels were higher than expected by propagation models, supporting that these habitats possess their own sound sources. While reef sounds are known to attract marine larvae, sounds from deeper habitats may then also have a non-negligible attractive potential, coming into play before the reef itself.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Frédéric Bertucci
creator: Eric Parmentier
creator: Cécile Berthe
creator: Marc Besson
creator: Anthony D. Hawkins
creator: Thierry Aubin
creator: David Lecchini
subject: Biodiversity
subject: Ecology
subject: Marine Biology
subject: Natural Resource Management
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4019
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Bertucci et al.
abstract: Acoustic recording has been recognized as a valuable tool for non-intrusive monitoring of the marine environment, complementing traditional visual surveys. Acoustic surveys conducted on coral ecosystems have so far been restricted to barrier reefs and to shallow depths (10–30 m). Since they may provide refuge for coral reef organisms, the monitoring of outer reef slopes and describing of the soundscapes of deeper environment could provide insights into the characteristics of different biotopes of coral ecosystems. In this study, the acoustic features of four different habitats, with different topographies and substrates, located at different depths from 10 to 100 m, were recorded during day-time on the outer reef slope of the north Coast of Moorea Island (French Polynesia). Barrier reefs appeared to be the noisiest habitats whereas the average sound levels at other habitats decreased with their distance from the reef and with increasing depth. However, sound levels were higher than expected by propagation models, supporting that these habitats possess their own sound sources. While reef sounds are known to attract marine larvae, sounds from deeper habitats may then also have a non-negligible attractive potential, coming into play before the reef itself.
bibliographic citation: Bertucci et al. (2017) Snapshot recordings provide a first description of the acoustic signatures of deeper habitats adjacent to coral reefs of Moorea. PeerJ 5:e4019 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4019
date submitted: 2017-07-18
date accepted: 2017-10-20
issued: 2017-11-14
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Bertucci
  given name: Frédéric
author list: Agent
  family name: Parmentier
  given name: Eric
author list: Agent
  family name: Berthe
  given name: Cécile
author list: Agent
  family name: Besson
  given name: Marc
author list: Agent
  family name: Hawkins
  given name: Anthony D.
author list: Agent
  family name: Aubin
  given name: Thierry
author list: Agent
  family name: Lecchini
  given name: David
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4019
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-11-14
copyright: ©2017 Bertucci et al.
attribution name: Bertucci et al.

Attribute amnesia is greatly reduced with novel stimuli
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Attribute amnesia is the counterintuitive phenomenon where observers are unable to report a salient aspect of a stimulus (e.g., its colour or its identity) immediately after the stimulus was presented, despite both attending to and processing the stimulus. Almost all previous attribute amnesia studies used highly familiar stimuli. Our study investigated whether attribute amnesia would also occur for unfamiliar stimuli. We conducted four experiments using stimuli that were highly familiar (colours or repeated animal images) or that were unfamiliar to the observers (unique animal images). Our results revealed that attribute amnesia was present for both sets of familiar stimuli, colour (p < .001) and repeated animals (p = .001); but was greatly attenuated, and possibly eliminated, when the stimuli were unique animals (p = .02). Our data shows that attribute amnesia is greatly reduced for novel stimuli.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Weijia Chen
creator: Piers D.L. Howe
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4016
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Chen and Howe
abstract: Attribute amnesia is the counterintuitive phenomenon where observers are unable to report a salient aspect of a stimulus (e.g., its colour or its identity) immediately after the stimulus was presented, despite both attending to and processing the stimulus. Almost all previous attribute amnesia studies used highly familiar stimuli. Our study investigated whether attribute amnesia would also occur for unfamiliar stimuli. We conducted four experiments using stimuli that were highly familiar (colours or repeated animal images) or that were unfamiliar to the observers (unique animal images). Our results revealed that attribute amnesia was present for both sets of familiar stimuli, colour (p < .001) and repeated animals (p = .001); but was greatly attenuated, and possibly eliminated, when the stimuli were unique animals (p = .02). Our data shows that attribute amnesia is greatly reduced for novel stimuli.
bibliographic citation: Chen et al. (2017) Attribute amnesia is greatly reduced with novel stimuli. PeerJ 5:e4016 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4016
date submitted: 2017-05-27
date accepted: 2017-10-20
issued: 2017-11-14
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Weijia
author list: Agent
  family name: Howe
  given name: Piers D.L.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4016
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-11-14
copyright: ©2017 Chen and Howe
attribution name: Chen and Howe

Bed site selection by a subordinate predator: an example with the cougar (Puma concolor) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: As technology has improved, our ability to study cryptic animal behavior has increased. Bed site selection is one such example. Among prey species, bed site selection provides thermoregulatory benefits and mitigates predation risk, and may directly influence survival. We conducted research to test whether a subordinate carnivore also selected beds with similar characteristics in an ecosystem supporting a multi-species guild of competing predators. We employed a model comparison approach in which we tested whether cougar (Puma concolor) bed site attributes supported the thermoregulatory versus the predator avoidance hypotheses, or exhibited characteristics supporting both hypotheses. Between 2012–2016, we investigated 599 cougar bed sites in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and examined attributes at two scales: the landscape (second-order, n = 599) and the microsite (fourth order, n = 140). At the landscape scale, cougars selected bed sites in winter that supported both the thermoregulatory and predator avoidance hypotheses: bed sites were on steeper slopes but at lower elevations, closer to the forest edge, away from sagebrush and meadow habitat types, and on southern, eastern, and western-facing slopes. In the summer, bed attributes supported the predator avoidance hypothesis over the thermoregulation hypothesis: beds were closer to forest edges, away from sagebrush and meadow habitat classes, and on steeper slopes. At the microsite scale, cougar bed attributes in both the winter and summer supported both the predator avoidance and thermoregulatory hypotheses: they selected bed sites with high canopy cover, high vegetative concealment, and in a rugged habitat class characterized by cliff bands and talus fields. We found that just like prey species, a subordinate predator selected bed sites that facilitated both thermoregulatory and anti-predator functions. In conclusion, we believe that measuring bed site attributes may provide a novel means of measuring the use …
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Anna Kusler
creator: L. Mark Elbroch
creator: Howard Quigley
creator: Melissa Grigione
subject: Animal Behavior
subject: Ecology
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4010
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Kusler et al.
abstract: As technology has improved, our ability to study cryptic animal behavior has increased. Bed site selection is one such example. Among prey species, bed site selection provides thermoregulatory benefits and mitigates predation risk, and may directly influence survival. We conducted research to test whether a subordinate carnivore also selected beds with similar characteristics in an ecosystem supporting a multi-species guild of competing predators. We employed a model comparison approach in which we tested whether cougar (Puma concolor) bed site attributes supported the thermoregulatory versus the predator avoidance hypotheses, or exhibited characteristics supporting both hypotheses. Between 2012–2016, we investigated 599 cougar bed sites in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and examined attributes at two scales: the landscape (second-order, n = 599) and the microsite (fourth order, n = 140). At the landscape scale, cougars selected bed sites in winter that supported both the thermoregulatory and predator avoidance hypotheses: bed sites were on steeper slopes but at lower elevations, closer to the forest edge, away from sagebrush and meadow habitat types, and on southern, eastern, and western-facing slopes. In the summer, bed attributes supported the predator avoidance hypothesis over the thermoregulation hypothesis: beds were closer to forest edges, away from sagebrush and meadow habitat classes, and on steeper slopes. At the microsite scale, cougar bed attributes in both the winter and summer supported both the predator avoidance and thermoregulatory hypotheses: they selected bed sites with high canopy cover, high vegetative concealment, and in a rugged habitat class characterized by cliff bands and talus fields. We found that just like prey species, a subordinate predator selected bed sites that facilitated both thermoregulatory and anti-predator functions. In conclusion, we believe that measuring bed site attributes may provide a novel means of measuring the use …
bibliographic citation: Kusler et al. (2017) Bed site selection by a subordinate predator: an example with the cougar (Puma concolor) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. PeerJ 5:e4010 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4010
date submitted: 2017-04-28
date accepted: 2017-10-18
issued: 2017-11-14
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Kusler
  given name: Anna
author list: Agent
  family name: Elbroch
  given name: L. Mark
author list: Agent
  family name: Quigley
  given name: Howard
author list: Agent
  family name: Grigione
  given name: Melissa
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4010
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-11-14
copyright: ©2017 Kusler et al.
attribution name: Kusler et al.

Colour change of twig-mimicking peppered moth larvae is a continuous reaction norm that increases camouflage against avian predators
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Camouflage, and in particular background-matching, is one of the most common anti-predator strategies observed in nature. Animals can improve their match to the colour/pattern of their surroundings through background selection, and/or by plastic colour change. Colour change can occur rapidly (a few seconds), or it may be slow, taking hours to days. Many studies have explored the cues and mechanisms behind rapid colour change, but there is a considerable lack of information about slow colour change in the context of predation: the cues that initiate it, and the range of phenotypes that are produced. Here we show that peppered moth (Biston betularia) larvae respond to colour and luminance of the twigs they rest on, and exhibit a continuous reaction norm of phenotypes. When presented with a heterogeneous environment of mixed twig colours, individual larvae specialise crypsis towards one colour rather than developing an intermediate colour. Flexible colour change in this species has likely evolved in association with wind dispersal and polyphagy, which result in caterpillars settling and feeding in a diverse range of visual environments. This is the first example of visually induced slow colour change in Lepidoptera that has been objectively quantified and measured from the visual perspective of natural predators.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Amy Eacock
creator: Hannah M. Rowland
creator: Nicola Edmonds
creator: Ilik J. Saccheri
subject: Animal Behavior
subject: Ecology
subject: Evolutionary Studies
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.3999
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Eacock et al.
abstract: Camouflage, and in particular background-matching, is one of the most common anti-predator strategies observed in nature. Animals can improve their match to the colour/pattern of their surroundings through background selection, and/or by plastic colour change. Colour change can occur rapidly (a few seconds), or it may be slow, taking hours to days. Many studies have explored the cues and mechanisms behind rapid colour change, but there is a considerable lack of information about slow colour change in the context of predation: the cues that initiate it, and the range of phenotypes that are produced. Here we show that peppered moth (Biston betularia) larvae respond to colour and luminance of the twigs they rest on, and exhibit a continuous reaction norm of phenotypes. When presented with a heterogeneous environment of mixed twig colours, individual larvae specialise crypsis towards one colour rather than developing an intermediate colour. Flexible colour change in this species has likely evolved in association with wind dispersal and polyphagy, which result in caterpillars settling and feeding in a diverse range of visual environments. This is the first example of visually induced slow colour change in Lepidoptera that has been objectively quantified and measured from the visual perspective of natural predators.
bibliographic citation: Eacock et al. (2017) Colour change of twig-mimicking peppered moth larvae is a continuous reaction norm that increases camouflage against avian predators. PeerJ 5:e3999 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3999
date submitted: 2017-07-28
date accepted: 2017-10-17
issued: 2017-11-14
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Eacock
  given name: Amy
author list: Agent
  family name: Rowland
  given name: Hannah M.
author list: Agent
  family name: Edmonds
  given name: Nicola
author list: Agent
  family name: Saccheri
  given name: Ilik J.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.3999
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-11-14
copyright: ©2017 Eacock et al.
attribution name: Eacock et al.

Grassland habitat restoration: lessons learnt from long term monitoring of Swanworth Quarry, UK, 1997–2014
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Habitat restoration projects are often conducted when prior use or extraction of natural resources results in land degradation. The success of restoration programmes, however, is variable, and studies that provide evidence of long term outcomes are valuable for evaluation purposes. This study focused on the restoration of vegetation within a limestone quarry in Dorset, UK between 1997 and 2014. Using a randomised block design, the effect of seed mix and seed rate on the development of community assemblage was investigated in comparison to a nearby target calcareous grassland site. We hypothesised that seed mix composition and sowing rate would influence both the trajectory of the grassland assemblage and final community composition. We found that species composition (in relation to both richness and community assemblage) was strongly influenced by time and to some extent by seed rate and seed mix. However, no treatments achieved strong resemblance to the calcareous grassland target vegetation; rather they resembled mesotrophic communities. We conclude that (as with previous studies) there is no “quick fix” for the establishment of a grassland community; long-term monitoring provides useful information on the trajectory of community development; sowing gets you something (in our case mesotrophic grassland), but, it may not be the target vegetation (e.g., calcicolous grassland) you want that is difficult to establish and regenerate; it is important to sow a diverse mix as subsequent recruitment opportunities are probably limited; post-establishment management should be explored further and carefully considered as part of a restoration project.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Barbara Maria Smith
creator: Anita Diaz
creator: Linton Winder
subject: Conservation Biology
subject: Ecology
subject: Ecosystem Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.3942
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Smith et al.
abstract: Habitat restoration projects are often conducted when prior use or extraction of natural resources results in land degradation. The success of restoration programmes, however, is variable, and studies that provide evidence of long term outcomes are valuable for evaluation purposes. This study focused on the restoration of vegetation within a limestone quarry in Dorset, UK between 1997 and 2014. Using a randomised block design, the effect of seed mix and seed rate on the development of community assemblage was investigated in comparison to a nearby target calcareous grassland site. We hypothesised that seed mix composition and sowing rate would influence both the trajectory of the grassland assemblage and final community composition. We found that species composition (in relation to both richness and community assemblage) was strongly influenced by time and to some extent by seed rate and seed mix. However, no treatments achieved strong resemblance to the calcareous grassland target vegetation; rather they resembled mesotrophic communities. We conclude that (as with previous studies) there is no “quick fix” for the establishment of a grassland community; long-term monitoring provides useful information on the trajectory of community development; sowing gets you something (in our case mesotrophic grassland), but, it may not be the target vegetation (e.g., calcicolous grassland) you want that is difficult to establish and regenerate; it is important to sow a diverse mix as subsequent recruitment opportunities are probably limited; post-establishment management should be explored further and carefully considered as part of a restoration project.
bibliographic citation: Smith et al. (2017) Grassland habitat restoration: lessons learnt from long term monitoring of Swanworth Quarry, UK, 1997–2014. PeerJ 5:e3942 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3942
date submitted: 2017-06-19
date accepted: 2017-09-27
issued: 2017-11-14
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Smith
  given name: Barbara Maria
author list: Agent
  family name: Diaz
  given name: Anita
author list: Agent
  family name: Winder
  given name: Linton
doi: 10.7717/peerj.3942
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-11-14
copyright: ©2017 Smith et al.
attribution name: Smith et al.

Supradapedon revisited: geological explorations in the Triassic of southern Tanzania
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The upper Triassic deposits of the Selous Basin in south Tanzania have not been prospected for fossil tetrapods since the middle of last century, when Gordon M. Stockley collected two rhynchosaur bone fragments from the so called “Tunduru beds”. Here we present the results of a field trip conducted in July 2015 to the vicinities of Tunduru and Msamara, Ruvuma Region, Tanzania, in search for similar remains. Even if unsuccessful in terms of fossil discoveries, the geological mapping conducted during the trip improved our knowledge of the deposition systems of the southern margin of the Selous Basin during the Triassic, allowing tentative correlations to its central part and to neighbouring basins. Moreover, we reviewed the fossil material previously collected by Gordon M. Stockley, confirming that the remains correspond to a valid species, Supradapedon stockleyi, which was incorporated into a comprehensive phylogeny of rhynchosaurs and found to represent an Hyperodapedontinae with a set of mostly plesiomorphic traits for the group. Data gathered form the revision and phylogenetic placement of Su. stockleyi helps understanding the acquisition of the typical dental traits of Late Triassic rhynchosaurs, corroborating the potential of hyperodapedontines as index fossils of the Carnian-earliest Norian.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Max C. Langer
creator: Átila A.S. da Rosa
creator: Felipe C. Montefeltro
subject: Paleontology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4038
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Langer et al.
abstract: The upper Triassic deposits of the Selous Basin in south Tanzania have not been prospected for fossil tetrapods since the middle of last century, when Gordon M. Stockley collected two rhynchosaur bone fragments from the so called “Tunduru beds”. Here we present the results of a field trip conducted in July 2015 to the vicinities of Tunduru and Msamara, Ruvuma Region, Tanzania, in search for similar remains. Even if unsuccessful in terms of fossil discoveries, the geological mapping conducted during the trip improved our knowledge of the deposition systems of the southern margin of the Selous Basin during the Triassic, allowing tentative correlations to its central part and to neighbouring basins. Moreover, we reviewed the fossil material previously collected by Gordon M. Stockley, confirming that the remains correspond to a valid species, Supradapedon stockleyi, which was incorporated into a comprehensive phylogeny of rhynchosaurs and found to represent an Hyperodapedontinae with a set of mostly plesiomorphic traits for the group. Data gathered form the revision and phylogenetic placement of Su. stockleyi helps understanding the acquisition of the typical dental traits of Late Triassic rhynchosaurs, corroborating the potential of hyperodapedontines as index fossils of the Carnian-earliest Norian.
bibliographic citation: Langer et al. (2017) Supradapedon revisited: geological explorations in the Triassic of southern Tanzania. PeerJ 5:e4038 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4038
date submitted: 2017-10-04
date accepted: 2017-10-24
issued: 2017-11-13
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Langer
  given name: Max C.
author list: Agent
  family name: da Rosa
  given name: Átila A.S.
author list: Agent
  family name: Montefeltro
  given name: Felipe C.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4038
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-11-13
copyright: ©2017 Langer et al.
attribution name: Langer et al.

Generation and characterization of cross neutralizing human monoclonal antibody against 4 serotypes of dengue virus without enhancing activity
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Dengue disease is a leading cause of illness and death in the tropics and subtropics. Most severe cases occur among patients secondarily infected with a different dengue virus (DENV) serotype compared with that from the first infection, resulting in antibody-dependent enhancement activity (ADE). Our previous study generated the neutralizing human monoclonal antibody, D23-1B3B9 (B3B9), targeting the first domain II of E protein, which showed strong neutralizing activity (NT) against all four DENV serotypes. However, at sub-neutralizing concentrations, it showed ADE activity in vitro. Methods In this study, we constructed a new expression plasmid using the existing IgG heavy chain plasmid as a template for Fc modification at position N297Q by site-directed mutagenesis. The resulting plasmid was then co-transfected with a light chain plasmid to produce full recombinant IgG (rIgG) in mammalian cells (N297Q-B3B9). This rIgG was characterized for neutralizing and enhancing activity by using different FcγR bearing cells. To produce sufficient quantities of B3B9 rIgG for further characterization, CHO-K1 cells stably secreting N297Q-B3B9 rIgG were then established. Results The generated N297Q-B3B9 rIgG which targets the conserved N-terminal fusion loop of DENV envelope protein showed the same cross-neutralizing activity to all four DENV serotypes as those of wild type rIgG. In both FcγRI- and RII-bearing THP-1 cells and FcγRII-bearing K562 cells, N297Q-B3B9 rIgG lacked ADE activity against all DENV serotypes at sub-neutralizing concentrations. Fortunately, the N297Q-B3B9 rIgG secreted from stable cells showed the same patterns of NT and ADE activities as those of the N297Q-B3B9 rIgG obtained from transient expression against DENV2. Thus, the CHO-K1 stably expressing N297Q-B3B9 HuMAb can be developed as high producer stable cells and used to produce sufficient amounts of antibody for further characterization as a promising dengue therapeutic candidate. Discussion H…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Subenya Injampa
creator: Nataya Muenngern
creator: Chonlatip Pipattanaboon
creator: Surachet Benjathummarak
creator: Khwanchit Boonha
creator: Hathairad Hananantachai
creator: Waranya Wongwit
creator: Pongrama Ramasoota
creator: Pannamthip Pitaksajjakul
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Virology
subject: Infectious Diseases
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4021
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Injampa et al.
abstract: Background Dengue disease is a leading cause of illness and death in the tropics and subtropics. Most severe cases occur among patients secondarily infected with a different dengue virus (DENV) serotype compared with that from the first infection, resulting in antibody-dependent enhancement activity (ADE). Our previous study generated the neutralizing human monoclonal antibody, D23-1B3B9 (B3B9), targeting the first domain II of E protein, which showed strong neutralizing activity (NT) against all four DENV serotypes. However, at sub-neutralizing concentrations, it showed ADE activity in vitro. Methods In this study, we constructed a new expression plasmid using the existing IgG heavy chain plasmid as a template for Fc modification at position N297Q by site-directed mutagenesis. The resulting plasmid was then co-transfected with a light chain plasmid to produce full recombinant IgG (rIgG) in mammalian cells (N297Q-B3B9). This rIgG was characterized for neutralizing and enhancing activity by using different FcγR bearing cells. To produce sufficient quantities of B3B9 rIgG for further characterization, CHO-K1 cells stably secreting N297Q-B3B9 rIgG were then established. Results The generated N297Q-B3B9 rIgG which targets the conserved N-terminal fusion loop of DENV envelope protein showed the same cross-neutralizing activity to all four DENV serotypes as those of wild type rIgG. In both FcγRI- and RII-bearing THP-1 cells and FcγRII-bearing K562 cells, N297Q-B3B9 rIgG lacked ADE activity against all DENV serotypes at sub-neutralizing concentrations. Fortunately, the N297Q-B3B9 rIgG secreted from stable cells showed the same patterns of NT and ADE activities as those of the N297Q-B3B9 rIgG obtained from transient expression against DENV2. Thus, the CHO-K1 stably expressing N297Q-B3B9 HuMAb can be developed as high producer stable cells and used to produce sufficient amounts of antibody for further characterization as a promising dengue therapeutic candidate. Discussion H…
bibliographic citation: Injampa et al. (2017) Generation and characterization of cross neutralizing human monoclonal antibody against 4 serotypes of dengue virus without enhancing activity. PeerJ 5:e4021 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4021
date submitted: 2017-05-27
date accepted: 2017-10-20
issued: 2017-11-13
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Injampa
  given name: Subenya
author list: Agent
  family name: Muenngern
  given name: Nataya
author list: Agent
  family name: Pipattanaboon
  given name: Chonlatip
author list: Agent
  family name: Benjathummarak
  given name: Surachet
author list: Agent
  family name: Boonha
  given name: Khwanchit
author list: Agent
  family name: Hananantachai
  given name: Hathairad
author list: Agent
  family name: Wongwit
  given name: Waranya
author list: Agent
  family name: Ramasoota
  given name: Pongrama
author list: Agent
  family name: Pitaksajjakul
  given name: Pannamthip
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4021
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-11-13
copyright: ©2017 Injampa et al.
attribution name: Injampa et al.

Assessing Mongolian gerbil emotional behavior: effects of two shock intensities and response-independent shocks during an extended inhibitory-avoidance task
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Despite step-down inhibitory avoidance procedures that have been widely implemented in rats and mice to study learning and emotion phenomena, performance of other species in these tasks has received less attention. The case of the Mongolian gerbil is of relevance considering the discrepancies in the parameters of the step-down protocols implemented, especially the wide range of foot-shock intensities (i.e., 0.4–4.0 mA), and the lack of information on long-term performance, extinction effects, and behavioral patterning during these tasks. Experiment 1 aimed to (a) characterize gerbils’ acquisition, extinction, and steady-state performance during a multisession (i.e., extended) step-down protocol adapted for implementation in a commercially-available behavioral package (Video Fear Conditioning System—MED Associates Fairfax, VT, USA), and (b) compare gerbils’ performance in this task with two shock intensities – 0.5 vs. 1.0 mA—considered in the low-to-mid range. Results indicated that the 1.0 mA protocol produced more reliable and clear evidence of avoidance learning, extinction, and reacquisition in terms of increments in freezing and on-platform time as well as suppression of platform descent. Experiment 2 aimed to (a) assess whether an alternate protocol consisting of a random delivery of foot shocks could replicate the effects of Experiment 1 and (b) characterize gerbils’ exploratory behavior during the step-down task (jumping, digging, rearing, and probing). Random shocks did not reproduce the effects observed with the first protocol. The data also indicated that a change from random to response-dependent shocks affects (a) the length of each visit to the platform, but not the frequency of platform descends or freezing time, and (b) the patterns of exploratory behavior, namely, suppression of digging and rearing, as well as increments in probing and jumping. Overall, the study demonstrated the feasibility of the extended step-down protocol for studying steady perf…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Camilo Hurtado-Parrado
creator: Camilo González-León
creator: Mónica A. Arias-Higuera
creator: Angelo Cardona
creator: Lucia G. Medina
creator: Laura García-Muñoz
creator: Christian Sánchez
creator: Julián Cifuentes
creator: Juan Carlos Forigua
creator: Andrea Ortiz
creator: Cesar A. Acevedo-Triana
creator: Javier L. Rico
subject: Animal Behavior
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4009
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Hurtado-Parrado et al.
abstract: Despite step-down inhibitory avoidance procedures that have been widely implemented in rats and mice to study learning and emotion phenomena, performance of other species in these tasks has received less attention. The case of the Mongolian gerbil is of relevance considering the discrepancies in the parameters of the step-down protocols implemented, especially the wide range of foot-shock intensities (i.e., 0.4–4.0 mA), and the lack of information on long-term performance, extinction effects, and behavioral patterning during these tasks. Experiment 1 aimed to (a) characterize gerbils’ acquisition, extinction, and steady-state performance during a multisession (i.e., extended) step-down protocol adapted for implementation in a commercially-available behavioral package (Video Fear Conditioning System—MED Associates Fairfax, VT, USA), and (b) compare gerbils’ performance in this task with two shock intensities – 0.5 vs. 1.0 mA—considered in the low-to-mid range. Results indicated that the 1.0 mA protocol produced more reliable and clear evidence of avoidance learning, extinction, and reacquisition in terms of increments in freezing and on-platform time as well as suppression of platform descent. Experiment 2 aimed to (a) assess whether an alternate protocol consisting of a random delivery of foot shocks could replicate the effects of Experiment 1 and (b) characterize gerbils’ exploratory behavior during the step-down task (jumping, digging, rearing, and probing). Random shocks did not reproduce the effects observed with the first protocol. The data also indicated that a change from random to response-dependent shocks affects (a) the length of each visit to the platform, but not the frequency of platform descends or freezing time, and (b) the patterns of exploratory behavior, namely, suppression of digging and rearing, as well as increments in probing and jumping. Overall, the study demonstrated the feasibility of the extended step-down protocol for studying steady perf…
bibliographic citation: Hurtado-Parrado et al. (2017) Assessing Mongolian gerbil emotional behavior: effects of two shock intensities and response-independent shocks during an extended inhibitory-avoidance task. PeerJ 5:e4009 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4009
date submitted: 2017-07-24
date accepted: 2017-10-18
issued: 2017-11-13
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Hurtado-Parrado
  given name: Camilo
author list: Agent
  family name: González-León
  given name: Camilo
author list: Agent
  family name: Arias-Higuera
  given name: Mónica A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Cardona
  given name: Angelo
author list: Agent
  family name: Medina
  given name: Lucia G.
author list: Agent
  family name: García-Muñoz
  given name: Laura
author list: Agent
  family name: Sánchez
  given name: Christian
author list: Agent
  family name: Cifuentes
  given name: Julián
author list: Agent
  family name: Forigua
  given name: Juan Carlos
author list: Agent
  family name: Ortiz
  given name: Andrea
author list: Agent
  family name: Acevedo-Triana
  given name: Cesar A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Rico
  given name: Javier L.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4009
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-11-13
copyright: ©2017 Hurtado-Parrado et al.
attribution name: Hurtado-Parrado et al.

Microbial agents in macroscopically healthy mammary gland tissues of small ruminants
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Health of mammary glands is fundamental for milk and dairy products hygiene and quality, with huge impacts on consumers welfare. Methods This study aims to investigate the microbial agents (bacteria, fungi and lentiviruses) isolated from 89 macroscopically healthy udders of regularly slaughtered small ruminants (41 sheep, 48 goats), also correlating their presence with the histological findings. Multinomial logistic regression was applied to evaluate the association between lesions and positivity for different microbial isolates, animal age and bacteria. Results Twenty-five samples were microbiologically negative; 138 different bacteria were isolated in 64 positive udders. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most prevalent bacteria isolated (46.42%), followed by environmental opportunists (34.76%), others (10.14%) and pathogens (8.68%). Most mammary glands showed coinfections (75%). Lentiviruses were detected in 39.3% of samples. Histologically, chronic non-suppurative mastitis was observed in 45/89 glands, followed by chronic mixed mastitis (12/89) and acute suppurative mastitis (4/89). Only 28 udders were normal. Histological lesions were significantly associated with the animal species and lentiviruses and coagulase-negative staphylococci infections. Goats had significantly higher risk to show chronic mixed mastitis compared to sheep. Goats showed a significantly lower risk (OR = 0.26; 95% CI [0.06–0.71]) of being infected by environmental opportunists compared to sheep, but higher risk (OR = 10.87; 95% CI [3.69–37.77]) of being infected with lentiviruses. Discussion The results of the present study suggest that macroscopically healthy glands of small ruminants could act as a reservoir of microbial agents for susceptible animals, representing a potential risk factor for the widespread of acute or chronic infection in the flock.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Liliana Spuria
creator: Elena Biasibetti
creator: Donal Bisanzio
creator: Ilaria Biasato
creator: Daniele De Meneghi
creator: Patrizia Nebbia
creator: Patrizia Robino
creator: Paolo Bianco
creator: Michele Lamberti
creator: Claudio Caruso
creator: Alessia Di Blasio
creator: Simone Peletto
creator: Loretta Masoero
creator: Alessandro Dondo
creator: Maria Teresa Capucchio
subject: Microbiology
subject: Veterinary Medicine
subject: Histology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.3994
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Spuria et al.
abstract: Background Health of mammary glands is fundamental for milk and dairy products hygiene and quality, with huge impacts on consumers welfare. Methods This study aims to investigate the microbial agents (bacteria, fungi and lentiviruses) isolated from 89 macroscopically healthy udders of regularly slaughtered small ruminants (41 sheep, 48 goats), also correlating their presence with the histological findings. Multinomial logistic regression was applied to evaluate the association between lesions and positivity for different microbial isolates, animal age and bacteria. Results Twenty-five samples were microbiologically negative; 138 different bacteria were isolated in 64 positive udders. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most prevalent bacteria isolated (46.42%), followed by environmental opportunists (34.76%), others (10.14%) and pathogens (8.68%). Most mammary glands showed coinfections (75%). Lentiviruses were detected in 39.3% of samples. Histologically, chronic non-suppurative mastitis was observed in 45/89 glands, followed by chronic mixed mastitis (12/89) and acute suppurative mastitis (4/89). Only 28 udders were normal. Histological lesions were significantly associated with the animal species and lentiviruses and coagulase-negative staphylococci infections. Goats had significantly higher risk to show chronic mixed mastitis compared to sheep. Goats showed a significantly lower risk (OR = 0.26; 95% CI [0.06–0.71]) of being infected by environmental opportunists compared to sheep, but higher risk (OR = 10.87; 95% CI [3.69–37.77]) of being infected with lentiviruses. Discussion The results of the present study suggest that macroscopically healthy glands of small ruminants could act as a reservoir of microbial agents for susceptible animals, representing a potential risk factor for the widespread of acute or chronic infection in the flock.
bibliographic citation: Spuria et al. (2017) Microbial agents in macroscopically healthy mammary gland tissues of small ruminants. PeerJ 5:e3994 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3994
date submitted: 2017-06-21
date accepted: 2017-10-16
issued: 2017-11-13
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Spuria
  given name: Liliana
author list: Agent
  family name: Biasibetti
  given name: Elena
author list: Agent
  family name: Bisanzio
  given name: Donal
author list: Agent
  family name: Biasato
  given name: Ilaria
author list: Agent
  family name: De Meneghi
  given name: Daniele
author list: Agent
  family name: Nebbia
  given name: Patrizia
author list: Agent
  family name: Robino
  given name: Patrizia
author list: Agent
  family name: Bianco
  given name: Paolo
author list: Agent
  family name: Lamberti
  given name: Michele
author list: Agent
  family name: Caruso
  given name: Claudio
author list: Agent
  family name: Di Blasio
  given name: Alessia
author list: Agent
  family name: Peletto
  given name: Simone
author list: Agent
  family name: Masoero
  given name: Loretta
author list: Agent
  family name: Dondo
  given name: Alessandro
author list: Agent
  family name: Capucchio
  given name: Maria Teresa
doi: 10.7717/peerj.3994
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-11-13
copyright: ©2017 Spuria et al.
attribution name: Spuria et al.

Vegetation structure of plantain-based agrosystems determines numerical dominance in community of ground-dwelling ants
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: In tropics, ants can represent an important part of animal biomass and are known to be involved in ecosystem services, such as pest regulation. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the structuring of local ant communities is therefore important in agroecology. In the humid tropics of Africa, plantains are cropped in association with many other annual and perennial crops. Such agrosystems differ greatly in vegetation diversity and structure and are well-suited for studying how habitat-related factors affect the ant community. We analysed abundance data for the six numerically dominant ant taxa in 500 subplots located in 20 diversified, plantain-based fields. We found that the density of crops with foliage at intermediate and high canopy strata determined the numerical dominance of species. We found no relationship between the numerical dominance of each ant taxon with the crop diversity. Our results indicate that the manipulation of the densities of crops with leaves in the intermediate and high strata may help maintain the coexistence of ant species by providing different habitat patches. Further research in such agrosystems should be performed to assess if the effect of vegetation structure on ant abundance could result in efficient pest regulation.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Anicet Gbéblonoudo Dassou
creator: Philippe Tixier
creator: Sylvain Dépigny
creator: Dominique Carval
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Ecology
subject: Entomology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.3917
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Dassou et al.
abstract: In tropics, ants can represent an important part of animal biomass and are known to be involved in ecosystem services, such as pest regulation. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the structuring of local ant communities is therefore important in agroecology. In the humid tropics of Africa, plantains are cropped in association with many other annual and perennial crops. Such agrosystems differ greatly in vegetation diversity and structure and are well-suited for studying how habitat-related factors affect the ant community. We analysed abundance data for the six numerically dominant ant taxa in 500 subplots located in 20 diversified, plantain-based fields. We found that the density of crops with foliage at intermediate and high canopy strata determined the numerical dominance of species. We found no relationship between the numerical dominance of each ant taxon with the crop diversity. Our results indicate that the manipulation of the densities of crops with leaves in the intermediate and high strata may help maintain the coexistence of ant species by providing different habitat patches. Further research in such agrosystems should be performed to assess if the effect of vegetation structure on ant abundance could result in efficient pest regulation.
bibliographic citation: Dassou et al. (2017) Vegetation structure of plantain-based agrosystems determines numerical dominance in community of ground-dwelling ants. PeerJ 5:e3917 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3917
date submitted: 2017-05-23
date accepted: 2017-09-22
issued: 2017-11-13
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Dassou
  given name: Anicet Gbéblonoudo
author list: Agent
  family name: Tixier
  given name: Philippe
author list: Agent
  family name: Dépigny
  given name: Sylvain
author list: Agent
  family name: Carval
  given name: Dominique
doi: 10.7717/peerj.3917
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-11-13
copyright: ©2017 Dassou et al.
attribution name: Dassou et al.

PeerJ
type: Periodical
uri: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359