PeerJ
type: channel
link: https://peerj.com/articles/
description: Articles published in PeerJ
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
publication name: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359
items: Phylogenomic analysis of the Chilean clade of Liolaemus lizards (Squamata: Liolaemidae) based on sequence capture data
items: Erwinia amylovora psychrotrophic adaptations: evidence of pathogenic potential and survival at temperate and low environmental temperatures
items: Evaluation of genetic variability among “Early Mature” Juglans regia using microsatellite markers and morphological traits
items: Knowledge and beliefs regarding cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination among urban and rural women in León, Nicaragua
items: Diversity of fish sound types in the Pearl River Estuary, China
items: Norwegian honey bees surviving Varroa destructor mite infestations by means of natural selection
items: A massive update of non-indigenous species records in Mediterranean marinas
items: Statins: antimicrobial resistance breakers or makers?
items: Measuring language lateralisation with different language tasks: a systematic review
items: The head turn paradigm to assess auditory laterality in cats: influence of ear position and repeated sound presentation

Phylogenomic analysis of the Chilean clade of Liolaemus lizards (Squamata: Liolaemidae) based on sequence capture data
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The genus Liolaemus is one of the most ecologically diverse and species-rich genera of lizards worldwide. It currently includes more than 250 recognized species, which have been subject to many ecological and evolutionary studies. Nevertheless, Liolaemus lizards have a complex taxonomic history, mainly due to the incongruence between morphological and genetic data, incomplete taxon sampling, incomplete lineage sorting and hybridization. In addition, as many species have restricted and remote distributions, this has hampered their examination and inclusion in molecular systematic studies. The aims of this study are to infer a robust phylogeny for a subsample of lizards representing the Chilean clade (subgenus Liolaemus sensu stricto), and to test the monophyly of several of the major species groups. We use a phylogenomic approach, targeting 541 ultra-conserved elements (UCEs) and 44 protein-coding genes for 16 taxa. We conduct a comparison of phylogenetic analyses using maximum-likelihood and several species tree inference methods. The UCEs provide stronger support for phylogenetic relationships compared to the protein-coding genes; however, the UCEs outnumber the protein-coding genes by 10-fold. On average, the protein-coding genes contain over twice the number of informative sites. Based on our phylogenomic analyses, all the groups sampled are polyphyletic. Liolaemus tenuis tenuis is difficult to place in the phylogeny, because only a few loci (nine) were recovered for this species. Topologies or support values did not change dramatically upon exclusion of L. t. tenuis from analyses, suggesting that missing data did not had a significant impact on phylogenetic inference in this data set. The phylogenomic analyses provide strong support for sister group relationships between L. fuscus, L. monticola, L. nigroviridis and L. nitidus, and L. platei and L. velosoi. Despite our limited taxon sampling, we have provided a reliable starting hypothesis for the relationships a…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Alejandra Panzera
creator: Adam D. Leaché
creator: Guillermo D’Elía
creator: Pedro F. Victoriano
subject: Evolutionary Studies
subject: Genomics
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.3941
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Panzera et al.
abstract: The genus Liolaemus is one of the most ecologically diverse and species-rich genera of lizards worldwide. It currently includes more than 250 recognized species, which have been subject to many ecological and evolutionary studies. Nevertheless, Liolaemus lizards have a complex taxonomic history, mainly due to the incongruence between morphological and genetic data, incomplete taxon sampling, incomplete lineage sorting and hybridization. In addition, as many species have restricted and remote distributions, this has hampered their examination and inclusion in molecular systematic studies. The aims of this study are to infer a robust phylogeny for a subsample of lizards representing the Chilean clade (subgenus Liolaemus sensu stricto), and to test the monophyly of several of the major species groups. We use a phylogenomic approach, targeting 541 ultra-conserved elements (UCEs) and 44 protein-coding genes for 16 taxa. We conduct a comparison of phylogenetic analyses using maximum-likelihood and several species tree inference methods. The UCEs provide stronger support for phylogenetic relationships compared to the protein-coding genes; however, the UCEs outnumber the protein-coding genes by 10-fold. On average, the protein-coding genes contain over twice the number of informative sites. Based on our phylogenomic analyses, all the groups sampled are polyphyletic. Liolaemus tenuis tenuis is difficult to place in the phylogeny, because only a few loci (nine) were recovered for this species. Topologies or support values did not change dramatically upon exclusion of L. t. tenuis from analyses, suggesting that missing data did not had a significant impact on phylogenetic inference in this data set. The phylogenomic analyses provide strong support for sister group relationships between L. fuscus, L. monticola, L. nigroviridis and L. nitidus, and L. platei and L. velosoi. Despite our limited taxon sampling, we have provided a reliable starting hypothesis for the relationships a…
bibliographic citation: Panzera et al. (2017) Phylogenomic analysis of the Chilean clade of Liolaemus lizards (Squamata: Liolaemidae) based on sequence capture data. PeerJ 5:e3941 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3941
date submitted: 2017-05-05
date accepted: 2017-09-27
issued: 2017-10-26
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Panzera
  given name: Alejandra
author list: Agent
  family name: Leaché
  given name: Adam D.
author list: Agent
  family name: D’Elía
  given name: Guillermo
author list: Agent
  family name: Victoriano
  given name: Pedro F.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.3941
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-10-26
copyright: ©2017 Panzera et al.
attribution name: Panzera et al.

Erwinia amylovora psychrotrophic adaptations: evidence of pathogenic potential and survival at temperate and low environmental temperatures
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora can be considered a psychrotrophic bacterial species since it can grow at temperatures ranging from 4 °C to 37 °C, with an optimum of 28 °C. In many plant pathogens the expression of virulence determinants is restricted to a certain range of temperatures. In the case of E. amylovora, temperatures above 18 °C are required for blossom blight epidemics under field conditions. Moreover, this bacterium is able to infect a variety of host tissues/organs apart from flowers, but it is still unknown how environmental temperatures, especially those below 18 °C, affect the pathogen ability to cause fire blight disease symptoms in such tissues/organs. There is also scarce information on how temperatures below 18 °C affect the E. amylovora starvation-survival responses, which might determine its persistence in the environment and probably contribute to the seasonal development of fire blight disease, as occurs in other pathogens. To characterize the virulence and survival of E. amylovora at temperate and low temperatures, we evaluated the effect of three temperatures (4 °C, 14 °C, 28 °C) on symptom development, and on different parameters linked to starvation and virulence. E. amylovora was pathogenic at the three assayed temperatures, with a slow-down of symptom development correlating with colder temperatures and slower growth rates. Siderophore secretion and motility also decreased in parallel to incubation temperatures. However, production of the exopolysaccharides amylovoran and levan was enhanced at 4 °C and 14 °C, respectively. Similarly, biofilm formation, and oxidative stress resistance were improved at 14 °C, with this temperature also favoring the maintenance of culturability, together with a reduction in cell size and the acquisition of rounded shapes in E. amylovora cells subjected to long-term starvation. However, starvation at 28 °C and 4 °C induced an enhanced viable but nonculturable (VBNC) response (to a lesser extent …
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Ricardo D. Santander
creator: Elena G. Biosca
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Ecology
subject: Microbiology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.3931
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Santander and Biosca
abstract: The fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora can be considered a psychrotrophic bacterial species since it can grow at temperatures ranging from 4 °C to 37 °C, with an optimum of 28 °C. In many plant pathogens the expression of virulence determinants is restricted to a certain range of temperatures. In the case of E. amylovora, temperatures above 18 °C are required for blossom blight epidemics under field conditions. Moreover, this bacterium is able to infect a variety of host tissues/organs apart from flowers, but it is still unknown how environmental temperatures, especially those below 18 °C, affect the pathogen ability to cause fire blight disease symptoms in such tissues/organs. There is also scarce information on how temperatures below 18 °C affect the E. amylovora starvation-survival responses, which might determine its persistence in the environment and probably contribute to the seasonal development of fire blight disease, as occurs in other pathogens. To characterize the virulence and survival of E. amylovora at temperate and low temperatures, we evaluated the effect of three temperatures (4 °C, 14 °C, 28 °C) on symptom development, and on different parameters linked to starvation and virulence. E. amylovora was pathogenic at the three assayed temperatures, with a slow-down of symptom development correlating with colder temperatures and slower growth rates. Siderophore secretion and motility also decreased in parallel to incubation temperatures. However, production of the exopolysaccharides amylovoran and levan was enhanced at 4 °C and 14 °C, respectively. Similarly, biofilm formation, and oxidative stress resistance were improved at 14 °C, with this temperature also favoring the maintenance of culturability, together with a reduction in cell size and the acquisition of rounded shapes in E. amylovora cells subjected to long-term starvation. However, starvation at 28 °C and 4 °C induced an enhanced viable but nonculturable (VBNC) response (to a lesser extent …
bibliographic citation: Santander et al. (2017) Erwinia amylovora psychrotrophic adaptations: evidence of pathogenic potential and survival at temperate and low environmental temperatures. PeerJ 5:e3931 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3931
date submitted: 2017-03-26
date accepted: 2017-09-26
issued: 2017-10-26
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Santander
  given name: Ricardo D.
author list: Agent
  family name: Biosca
  given name: Elena G.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.3931
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-10-26
copyright: ©2017 Santander and Biosca
attribution name: Santander and Biosca

Evaluation of genetic variability among “Early Mature” Juglans regia using microsatellite markers and morphological traits
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Limiting the juvenile phase and reducing tree size are the two main challenges for breeders to improve most fruit crops. Early maturation and dwarf cultivars have been reported for many fruit species. “Early mature” and low vigor walnut genotypes were found among seedlings of Persian walnut. Nine microsatellite markers were used to evaluate genetic diversity among “Early Mature” Persian walnut accessions and provide a comparison with “normal growth” accessions. Six maturation related characteristics were also measured in “Early Mature” samples. Phenotypic traits and diversity indices showed relatively high levels of genetic diversity in “Early Mature” seedlings and indicated high differentiation between individuals. Seedling height, the most diverse phenotypic trait, has an important role in the clustering of “Early Mature” accessions. The “Early Mature” type had higher number of alleles, number of effective allele, and Shannon index compared to the “Normal Growth” group. The two types of studied walnuts had different alleles, with more than half of produced alleles specific to a specific group. “Early Mature” and “Normal Growth” walnuts had 27 and 17 private alleles, respectively. Grouping with different methods separated “Early Mature” and “Normal Growth” samples entirely. The presence of moderate to high genetic diversity in “Early Mature” walnuts and high genetic differentiation with “Normal Growth” walnuts, indicated that “Early Mature” walnuts were more diverse and distinct from “Normal Growth” samples. Moreover, our results showed SSR markers were useful for differentiating between “Early Mature” and “Normal Growth” walnuts. A number of identified loci have potential in breeding programs for identification of “Early Mature” walnuts at the germination phase.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Aziz Ebrahimi
creator: Abdolkarim Zarei
creator: Mojtaba Zamani Fardadonbeh
creator: Shaneka Lawson
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Biodiversity
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.3834
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Ebrahimi et al.
abstract: Limiting the juvenile phase and reducing tree size are the two main challenges for breeders to improve most fruit crops. Early maturation and dwarf cultivars have been reported for many fruit species. “Early mature” and low vigor walnut genotypes were found among seedlings of Persian walnut. Nine microsatellite markers were used to evaluate genetic diversity among “Early Mature” Persian walnut accessions and provide a comparison with “normal growth” accessions. Six maturation related characteristics were also measured in “Early Mature” samples. Phenotypic traits and diversity indices showed relatively high levels of genetic diversity in “Early Mature” seedlings and indicated high differentiation between individuals. Seedling height, the most diverse phenotypic trait, has an important role in the clustering of “Early Mature” accessions. The “Early Mature” type had higher number of alleles, number of effective allele, and Shannon index compared to the “Normal Growth” group. The two types of studied walnuts had different alleles, with more than half of produced alleles specific to a specific group. “Early Mature” and “Normal Growth” walnuts had 27 and 17 private alleles, respectively. Grouping with different methods separated “Early Mature” and “Normal Growth” samples entirely. The presence of moderate to high genetic diversity in “Early Mature” walnuts and high genetic differentiation with “Normal Growth” walnuts, indicated that “Early Mature” walnuts were more diverse and distinct from “Normal Growth” samples. Moreover, our results showed SSR markers were useful for differentiating between “Early Mature” and “Normal Growth” walnuts. A number of identified loci have potential in breeding programs for identification of “Early Mature” walnuts at the germination phase.
bibliographic citation: Ebrahimi et al. (2017) Evaluation of genetic variability among “Early Mature” Juglans regia using microsatellite markers and morphological traits. PeerJ 5:e3834 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3834
date submitted: 2017-07-14
date accepted: 2017-08-30
issued: 2017-10-26
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Ebrahimi
  given name: Aziz
author list: Agent
  family name: Zarei
  given name: Abdolkarim
author list: Agent
  family name: Zamani Fardadonbeh
  given name: Mojtaba
author list: Agent
  family name: Lawson
  given name: Shaneka
doi: 10.7717/peerj.3834
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-10-26
copyright: ©2017 Ebrahimi et al.
attribution name: Ebrahimi et al.

Knowledge and beliefs regarding cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination among urban and rural women in León, Nicaragua
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background In Nicaragua, cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death for women ages 15–44, yet access to the HPV vaccine is limited to those with financial resources to pay for it. Cervical cytology is provided free of charge in public clinics; however, only 10% of women receive Pap smears at the nationally recommended frequency. Previous studies have not investigated how beliefs regarding cervical cancer screening may differ for urban and rural populations in Nicaragua. Furthermore, no investigation has assessed Nicaraguan women’s beliefs about a potential HPV immunization campaign. Given beliefs’ influence on health behavior, we investigated the structural, sociocultural, and knowledge-based factors influencing women’s beliefs regarding cervical cancer screening among urban and rural women in León, Nicaragua, and assessed acceptance of a potential HPV immunization program. Methods Our sequential explanatory mixed-methods study consisted of two phases: (1) a close-ended questionnaire, followed by (2) a qualitative, in-depth interview. Our quantitative sample contained 117 urban and 112 rural participants aged 18–49. We assessed beliefs regarding cervical cancer screening using a 22-item scale, with higher scores indicating screening-promoting beliefs in simple linear and multiple linear regressions. Twenty qualitative interviews, exploring the sociocultural dimensions of knowledge and attitudes indicated by our quantitative findings, were conducted with a sample of 13 urban and 7 rural women aged 19–46. Results The multiple linear regression indicates that greater knowledge of Pap smears, HPV, and cervical cancer is significantly associated with screening-promoting beliefs after adjusting for other relevant factors. There was no significant difference in screening knowledge and beliefs for urban and rural women. Four recurrent themes representing determinants of knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes regarding cervical cancer screening arose from interv…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Hannah D. Rees
creator: Alexandra R. Lombardo
creator: Caroline G. Tangoren
creator: Sara J. Meyers
creator: Vishnu R. Muppala
creator: Linda M. Niccolai
subject: Global Health
subject: Oncology
subject: Public Health
subject: Women's Health
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.3871
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Rees et al.
abstract: Background In Nicaragua, cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death for women ages 15–44, yet access to the HPV vaccine is limited to those with financial resources to pay for it. Cervical cytology is provided free of charge in public clinics; however, only 10% of women receive Pap smears at the nationally recommended frequency. Previous studies have not investigated how beliefs regarding cervical cancer screening may differ for urban and rural populations in Nicaragua. Furthermore, no investigation has assessed Nicaraguan women’s beliefs about a potential HPV immunization campaign. Given beliefs’ influence on health behavior, we investigated the structural, sociocultural, and knowledge-based factors influencing women’s beliefs regarding cervical cancer screening among urban and rural women in León, Nicaragua, and assessed acceptance of a potential HPV immunization program. Methods Our sequential explanatory mixed-methods study consisted of two phases: (1) a close-ended questionnaire, followed by (2) a qualitative, in-depth interview. Our quantitative sample contained 117 urban and 112 rural participants aged 18–49. We assessed beliefs regarding cervical cancer screening using a 22-item scale, with higher scores indicating screening-promoting beliefs in simple linear and multiple linear regressions. Twenty qualitative interviews, exploring the sociocultural dimensions of knowledge and attitudes indicated by our quantitative findings, were conducted with a sample of 13 urban and 7 rural women aged 19–46. Results The multiple linear regression indicates that greater knowledge of Pap smears, HPV, and cervical cancer is significantly associated with screening-promoting beliefs after adjusting for other relevant factors. There was no significant difference in screening knowledge and beliefs for urban and rural women. Four recurrent themes representing determinants of knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes regarding cervical cancer screening arose from interv…
bibliographic citation: Rees et al. (2017) Knowledge and beliefs regarding cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination among urban and rural women in León, Nicaragua. PeerJ 5:e3871 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3871
date submitted: 2017-05-26
date accepted: 2017-09-08
issued: 2017-10-25
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Rees
  given name: Hannah D.
author list: Agent
  family name: Lombardo
  given name: Alexandra R.
author list: Agent
  family name: Tangoren
  given name: Caroline G.
author list: Agent
  family name: Meyers
  given name: Sara J.
author list: Agent
  family name: Muppala
  given name: Vishnu R.
author list: Agent
  family name: Niccolai
  given name: Linda M.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.3871
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-10-25
copyright: ©2017 Rees et al.
attribution name: Rees et al.

Diversity of fish sound types in the Pearl River Estuary, China
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Repetitive species-specific sound enables the identification of the presence and behavior of soniferous species by acoustic means. Passive acoustic monitoring has been widely applied to monitor the spatial and temporal occurrence and behavior of calling species. Methods Underwater biological sounds in the Pearl River Estuary, China, were collected using passive acoustic monitoring, with special attention paid to fish sounds. A total of 1,408 suspected fish calls comprising 18,942 pulses were qualitatively analyzed using a customized acoustic analysis routine. Results We identified a diversity of 66 types of fish sounds. In addition to single pulse, the sounds tended to have a pulse train structure. The pulses were characterized by an approximate 8 ms duration, with a peak frequency from 500 to 2,600 Hz and a majority of the energy below 4,000 Hz. The median inter-pulsepeak interval (IPPI) of most call types was 9 or 10 ms. Most call types with median IPPIs of 9 ms and 10 ms were observed at times that were exclusive from each other, suggesting that they might be produced by different species. According to the literature, the two section signal types of 1 + 1 and 1 + N10 might belong to big-snout croaker (Johnius macrorhynus), and 1 + N19 might be produced by Belanger’s croaker (J. belangerii). Discussion Categorization of the baseline ambient biological sound is an important first step in mapping the spatial and temporal patterns of soniferous fishes. The next step is the identification of the species producing each sound. The distribution pattern of soniferous fishes will be helpful for the protection and management of local fishery resources and in marine environmental impact assessment. Since the local vulnerable Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) mainly preys on soniferous fishes, the fine-scale distribution pattern of soniferous fishes can aid in the conservation of this species. Additionally, prey and predator relationships can be obser…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Zhi-Tao Wang
creator: Douglas P. Nowacek
creator: Tomonari Akamatsu
creator: Ke-Xiong Wang
creator: Jian-Chang Liu
creator: Guo-Qin Duan
creator: Han-Jiang Cao
creator: Ding Wang
subject: Aquaculture, Fisheries and Fish Science
subject: Conservation Biology
subject: Marine Biology
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.3924
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Wang et al.
abstract: Background Repetitive species-specific sound enables the identification of the presence and behavior of soniferous species by acoustic means. Passive acoustic monitoring has been widely applied to monitor the spatial and temporal occurrence and behavior of calling species. Methods Underwater biological sounds in the Pearl River Estuary, China, were collected using passive acoustic monitoring, with special attention paid to fish sounds. A total of 1,408 suspected fish calls comprising 18,942 pulses were qualitatively analyzed using a customized acoustic analysis routine. Results We identified a diversity of 66 types of fish sounds. In addition to single pulse, the sounds tended to have a pulse train structure. The pulses were characterized by an approximate 8 ms duration, with a peak frequency from 500 to 2,600 Hz and a majority of the energy below 4,000 Hz. The median inter-pulsepeak interval (IPPI) of most call types was 9 or 10 ms. Most call types with median IPPIs of 9 ms and 10 ms were observed at times that were exclusive from each other, suggesting that they might be produced by different species. According to the literature, the two section signal types of 1 + 1 and 1 + N10 might belong to big-snout croaker (Johnius macrorhynus), and 1 + N19 might be produced by Belanger’s croaker (J. belangerii). Discussion Categorization of the baseline ambient biological sound is an important first step in mapping the spatial and temporal patterns of soniferous fishes. The next step is the identification of the species producing each sound. The distribution pattern of soniferous fishes will be helpful for the protection and management of local fishery resources and in marine environmental impact assessment. Since the local vulnerable Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) mainly preys on soniferous fishes, the fine-scale distribution pattern of soniferous fishes can aid in the conservation of this species. Additionally, prey and predator relationships can be obser…
bibliographic citation: Wang et al. (2017) Diversity of fish sound types in the Pearl River Estuary, China. PeerJ 5:e3924 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3924
date submitted: 2017-05-23
date accepted: 2017-09-23
issued: 2017-10-24
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Zhi-Tao
author list: Agent
  family name: Nowacek
  given name: Douglas P.
author list: Agent
  family name: Akamatsu
  given name: Tomonari
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Ke-Xiong
author list: Agent
  family name: Liu
  given name: Jian-Chang
author list: Agent
  family name: Duan
  given name: Guo-Qin
author list: Agent
  family name: Cao
  given name: Han-Jiang
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Ding
doi: 10.7717/peerj.3924
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-10-24
copyright: ©2017 Wang et al.
attribution name: Wang et al.

Norwegian honey bees surviving Varroa destructor mite infestations by means of natural selection
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Managed, feral and wild populations of European honey bee subspecies, Apis mellifera, are currently facing severe colony losses globally. There is consensus that the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor, that switched hosts from the Eastern honey bee Apis cerana to the Western honey bee A. mellifera, is a key factor driving these losses. For >20 years, breeding efforts have not produced European honey bee colonies that can survive infestations without the need for mite control. However, at least three populations of European honey bees have developed this ability by means of natural selection and have been surviving for >10 years without mite treatments. Reduced mite reproductive success has been suggested as a key factor explaining this natural survival. Here, we report a managed A. mellifera population in Norway, that has been naturally surviving consistent V. destructor infestations for >17 years. Methods Surviving colonies and local susceptible controls were evaluated for mite infestation levels, mite reproductive success and two potential mechanisms explaining colony survival: grooming of adult worker bees and Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH): adult workers specifically detecting and removing mite-infested brood. Results Mite infestation levels were significantly lower in surviving colonies and mite reproductive success was reduced by 30% when compared to the controls. No significant differences were found between surviving and control colonies for either grooming or VSH. Discussion Our data confirm that reduced mite reproductive success seems to be a key factor for natural survival of infested A. mellifera colonies. However, neither grooming nor VSH seem to explain colony survival. Instead, other behaviors of the adult bees seem to be sufficient to hinder mite reproductive success, because brood for this experiment was taken from susceptible donor colonies only. To mitigate the global impact of V. destructor, we suggest learning more from nature, i.e.…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Melissa A.Y. Oddie
creator: Bjørn Dahle
creator: Peter Neumann
subject: Ecology
subject: Entomology
subject: Evolutionary Studies
subject: Parasitology
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.3956
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Oddie et al.
abstract: Background Managed, feral and wild populations of European honey bee subspecies, Apis mellifera, are currently facing severe colony losses globally. There is consensus that the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor, that switched hosts from the Eastern honey bee Apis cerana to the Western honey bee A. mellifera, is a key factor driving these losses. For >20 years, breeding efforts have not produced European honey bee colonies that can survive infestations without the need for mite control. However, at least three populations of European honey bees have developed this ability by means of natural selection and have been surviving for >10 years without mite treatments. Reduced mite reproductive success has been suggested as a key factor explaining this natural survival. Here, we report a managed A. mellifera population in Norway, that has been naturally surviving consistent V. destructor infestations for >17 years. Methods Surviving colonies and local susceptible controls were evaluated for mite infestation levels, mite reproductive success and two potential mechanisms explaining colony survival: grooming of adult worker bees and Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH): adult workers specifically detecting and removing mite-infested brood. Results Mite infestation levels were significantly lower in surviving colonies and mite reproductive success was reduced by 30% when compared to the controls. No significant differences were found between surviving and control colonies for either grooming or VSH. Discussion Our data confirm that reduced mite reproductive success seems to be a key factor for natural survival of infested A. mellifera colonies. However, neither grooming nor VSH seem to explain colony survival. Instead, other behaviors of the adult bees seem to be sufficient to hinder mite reproductive success, because brood for this experiment was taken from susceptible donor colonies only. To mitigate the global impact of V. destructor, we suggest learning more from nature, i.e.…
bibliographic citation: Oddie et al. (2017) Norwegian honey bees surviving Varroa destructor mite infestations by means of natural selection. PeerJ 5:e3956 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3956
date submitted: 2017-05-11
date accepted: 2017-10-03
issued: 2017-10-24
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Oddie
  given name: Melissa A.Y.
author list: Agent
  family name: Dahle
  given name: Bjørn
author list: Agent
  family name: Neumann
  given name: Peter
doi: 10.7717/peerj.3956
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-10-24
copyright: ©2017 Oddie et al.
attribution name: Oddie et al.

A massive update of non-indigenous species records in Mediterranean marinas
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The Mediterranean Sea is home to over 2/3 of the world’s charter boat traffic and hosts an estimated 1.5 million recreational boats. Studies elsewhere have demonstrated marinas as important hubs for the stepping-stone transfer of non-indigenous species (NIS), but these unique anthropogenic, and typically artificial habitats have largely gone overlooked in the Mediterranean as sources of NIS hot-spots. From April 2015 to November 2016, 34 marinas were sampled across the following Mediterranean countries: Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus to investigate the NIS presence and richness in the specialized hard substrate material of these marina habitats. All macroinvertebrate taxa were collected and identified. Additionally, fouling samples were collected from approximately 600 boat-hulls from 25 of these marinas to determine if boats host diverse NIS not present in the marina. Here, we present data revealing that Mediterranean marinas indeed act as major hubs for the transfer of marine NIS, and we also provide evidence that recreational boats act as effective vectors of spread. From this wide-ranging geographical study, we report here numerous new NIS records at the basin, subregional, country and locality level. At the basin level, we report three NIS new to the Mediterranean Sea (Achelia sawayai sensu lato, Aorides longimerus, Cymodoce aff. fuscina), and the re-appearance of two NIS previously known but currently considered extinct in the Mediterranean (Bemlos leptocheirus, Saccostrea glomerata). We also compellingly update the distributions of many NIS in the Mediterranean Sea showing some recent spreading; we provide details for 11 new subregional records for NIS (Watersipora arcuata, Hydroides brachyacantha sensu lato and Saccostrea glomerata now present in the Western Mediterranean; Symplegma brakenhielmi, Stenothoe georgiana, Spirobranchus tertaceros sensu lato, Dendostrea folium sensu lato and Parasmittina egyptiaca now present in the Central…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Aylin Ulman
creator: Jasmine Ferrario
creator: Anna Occhpinti-Ambrogi
creator: Christos Arvanitidis
creator: Ada Bandi
creator: Marco Bertolino
creator: Cesare Bogi
creator: Giorgos Chatzigeorgiou
creator: Burak Ali Çiçek
creator: Alan Deidun
creator: Alfonso Ramos-Esplá
creator: Cengiz Koçak
creator: Maurizio Lorenti
creator: Gemma Martinez-Laiz
creator: Guenda Merlo
creator: Elisa Princisgh
creator: Giovanni Scribano
creator: Agnese Marchini
subject: Biodiversity
subject: Conservation Biology
subject: Ecology
subject: Marine Biology
subject: Taxonomy
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.3954
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Ulman et al.
abstract: The Mediterranean Sea is home to over 2/3 of the world’s charter boat traffic and hosts an estimated 1.5 million recreational boats. Studies elsewhere have demonstrated marinas as important hubs for the stepping-stone transfer of non-indigenous species (NIS), but these unique anthropogenic, and typically artificial habitats have largely gone overlooked in the Mediterranean as sources of NIS hot-spots. From April 2015 to November 2016, 34 marinas were sampled across the following Mediterranean countries: Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus to investigate the NIS presence and richness in the specialized hard substrate material of these marina habitats. All macroinvertebrate taxa were collected and identified. Additionally, fouling samples were collected from approximately 600 boat-hulls from 25 of these marinas to determine if boats host diverse NIS not present in the marina. Here, we present data revealing that Mediterranean marinas indeed act as major hubs for the transfer of marine NIS, and we also provide evidence that recreational boats act as effective vectors of spread. From this wide-ranging geographical study, we report here numerous new NIS records at the basin, subregional, country and locality level. At the basin level, we report three NIS new to the Mediterranean Sea (Achelia sawayai sensu lato, Aorides longimerus, Cymodoce aff. fuscina), and the re-appearance of two NIS previously known but currently considered extinct in the Mediterranean (Bemlos leptocheirus, Saccostrea glomerata). We also compellingly update the distributions of many NIS in the Mediterranean Sea showing some recent spreading; we provide details for 11 new subregional records for NIS (Watersipora arcuata, Hydroides brachyacantha sensu lato and Saccostrea glomerata now present in the Western Mediterranean; Symplegma brakenhielmi, Stenothoe georgiana, Spirobranchus tertaceros sensu lato, Dendostrea folium sensu lato and Parasmittina egyptiaca now present in the Central…
bibliographic citation: Ulman et al. (2017) A massive update of non-indigenous species records in Mediterranean marinas. PeerJ 5:e3954 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3954
date submitted: 2017-08-09
date accepted: 2017-10-03
issued: 2017-10-24
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Ulman
  given name: Aylin
author list: Agent
  family name: Ferrario
  given name: Jasmine
author list: Agent
  family name: Occhpinti-Ambrogi
  given name: Anna
author list: Agent
  family name: Arvanitidis
  given name: Christos
author list: Agent
  family name: Bandi
  given name: Ada
author list: Agent
  family name: Bertolino
  given name: Marco
author list: Agent
  family name: Bogi
  given name: Cesare
author list: Agent
  family name: Chatzigeorgiou
  given name: Giorgos
author list: Agent
  family name: Çiçek
  given name: Burak Ali
author list: Agent
  family name: Deidun
  given name: Alan
author list: Agent
  family name: Ramos-Esplá
  given name: Alfonso
author list: Agent
  family name: Koçak
  given name: Cengiz
author list: Agent
  family name: Lorenti
  given name: Maurizio
author list: Agent
  family name: Martinez-Laiz
  given name: Gemma
author list: Agent
  family name: Merlo
  given name: Guenda
author list: Agent
  family name: Princisgh
  given name: Elisa
author list: Agent
  family name: Scribano
  given name: Giovanni
author list: Agent
  family name: Marchini
  given name: Agnese
doi: 10.7717/peerj.3954
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-10-24
copyright: © 2017 Ulman et al.
attribution name: Ulman et al.

Statins: antimicrobial resistance breakers or makers?
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Introduction The repurposing of non-antibiotic drugs as adjuvant antibiotics may help break antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Statins are commonly prescribed worldwide to lower cholesterol. They also possess qualities of AMR “breakers”, namely direct antibacterial activity, synergism with antibiotics, and ability to stimulate the host immune system. However, statins’ role as AMR breakers may be limited. Their current extensive use for cardiovascular protection might result in selective pressures for resistance, ironically causing statins to be AMR “makers” instead. This review examines statins’ potential as AMR breakers, probable AMR makers, and identifies knowledge gaps in a statin-bacteria-human-environment continuum. The most suitable statin for repurposing is identified, and a mechanism of antibacterial action is postulated based on structure-activity relationship analysis. Methods A literature search using keywords “statin” or “statins” combined with “minimum inhibitory concentration” (MIC) was performed in six databases on 7th April 2017. After screening 793 abstracts, 16 relevant studies were identified. Unrelated studies on drug interactions; antifungal or antiviral properties of statins; and antibacterial properties of mevastatin, cerivastatin, antibiotics, or natural products were excluded. Studies involving only statins currently registered for human use were included. Results Against Gram-positive bacteria, simvastatin generally exerted the greatest antibacterial activity (lowest MIC) compared to atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, and fluvastatin. Against Gram-negative bacteria, atorvastatin generally exhibited similar or slightly better activity compared to simvastatin, but both were more potent than rosuvastatin and fluvastatin. Discussion Statins may serve as AMR breakers by working synergistically with existing topical antibiotics, attenuating virulence factors, boosting human immunity, or aiding in wound healing. It is probable that statins’ mechanism of ant…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Humphrey H.T. Ko
creator: Ricky R. Lareu
creator: Brett R. Dix
creator: Jeffery D. Hughes
subject: Microbiology
subject: Drugs and Devices
subject: Global Health
subject: Infectious Diseases
subject: Pharmacology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.3952
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Ko et al.
abstract: Introduction The repurposing of non-antibiotic drugs as adjuvant antibiotics may help break antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Statins are commonly prescribed worldwide to lower cholesterol. They also possess qualities of AMR “breakers”, namely direct antibacterial activity, synergism with antibiotics, and ability to stimulate the host immune system. However, statins’ role as AMR breakers may be limited. Their current extensive use for cardiovascular protection might result in selective pressures for resistance, ironically causing statins to be AMR “makers” instead. This review examines statins’ potential as AMR breakers, probable AMR makers, and identifies knowledge gaps in a statin-bacteria-human-environment continuum. The most suitable statin for repurposing is identified, and a mechanism of antibacterial action is postulated based on structure-activity relationship analysis. Methods A literature search using keywords “statin” or “statins” combined with “minimum inhibitory concentration” (MIC) was performed in six databases on 7th April 2017. After screening 793 abstracts, 16 relevant studies were identified. Unrelated studies on drug interactions; antifungal or antiviral properties of statins; and antibacterial properties of mevastatin, cerivastatin, antibiotics, or natural products were excluded. Studies involving only statins currently registered for human use were included. Results Against Gram-positive bacteria, simvastatin generally exerted the greatest antibacterial activity (lowest MIC) compared to atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, and fluvastatin. Against Gram-negative bacteria, atorvastatin generally exhibited similar or slightly better activity compared to simvastatin, but both were more potent than rosuvastatin and fluvastatin. Discussion Statins may serve as AMR breakers by working synergistically with existing topical antibiotics, attenuating virulence factors, boosting human immunity, or aiding in wound healing. It is probable that statins’ mechanism of ant…
bibliographic citation: Ko et al. (2017) Statins: antimicrobial resistance breakers or makers?. PeerJ 5:e3952 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3952
date submitted: 2017-05-19
date accepted: 2017-10-02
issued: 2017-10-24
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Ko
  given name: Humphrey H.T.
author list: Agent
  family name: Lareu
  given name: Ricky R.
author list: Agent
  family name: Dix
  given name: Brett R.
author list: Agent
  family name: Hughes
  given name: Jeffery D.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.3952
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-10-24
copyright: ©2017 Ko et al.
attribution name: Ko et al.

Measuring language lateralisation with different language tasks: a systematic review
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Language lateralisation refers to the phenomenon in which one hemisphere (typically the left) shows greater involvement in language functions than the other. Measurement of laterality is of interest both to researchers investigating the neural organisation of the language system and to clinicians needing to establish an individual’s hemispheric dominance for language prior to surgery, as in patients with intractable epilepsy. Recently, there has been increasing awareness of the possibility that different language processes may develop hemispheric lateralisation independently, and to varying degrees. However, it is not always clear whether differences in laterality across language tasks with fMRI are reflective of meaningful variation in hemispheric lateralisation, or simply of trivial methodological differences between paradigms. This systematic review aims to assess different language tasks in terms of the strength, reliability and robustness of the laterality measurements they yield with fMRI, to look at variability that is both dependent and independent of aspects of study design, such as the baseline task, region of interest, and modality of the stimuli. Recommendations are made that can be used to guide task design; however, this review predominantly highlights that the current high level of methodological variability in language paradigms prevents conclusions as to how different language functions may lateralise independently. We conclude with suggestions for future research using tasks that engage distinct aspects of language functioning, whilst being closely matched on non-linguistic aspects of task design (e.g., stimuli, task timings etc); such research could produce more reliable and conclusive insights into language lateralisation. This systematic review was registered as a protocol on Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/5vmpt/.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Abigail R. Bradshaw
creator: Paul A. Thompson
creator: Alexander C. Wilson
creator: Dorothy V.M. Bishop
creator: Zoe V.J. Woodhead
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Neurology
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
subject: Radiology and Medical Imaging
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.3929
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Bradshaw et al.
abstract: Language lateralisation refers to the phenomenon in which one hemisphere (typically the left) shows greater involvement in language functions than the other. Measurement of laterality is of interest both to researchers investigating the neural organisation of the language system and to clinicians needing to establish an individual’s hemispheric dominance for language prior to surgery, as in patients with intractable epilepsy. Recently, there has been increasing awareness of the possibility that different language processes may develop hemispheric lateralisation independently, and to varying degrees. However, it is not always clear whether differences in laterality across language tasks with fMRI are reflective of meaningful variation in hemispheric lateralisation, or simply of trivial methodological differences between paradigms. This systematic review aims to assess different language tasks in terms of the strength, reliability and robustness of the laterality measurements they yield with fMRI, to look at variability that is both dependent and independent of aspects of study design, such as the baseline task, region of interest, and modality of the stimuli. Recommendations are made that can be used to guide task design; however, this review predominantly highlights that the current high level of methodological variability in language paradigms prevents conclusions as to how different language functions may lateralise independently. We conclude with suggestions for future research using tasks that engage distinct aspects of language functioning, whilst being closely matched on non-linguistic aspects of task design (e.g., stimuli, task timings etc); such research could produce more reliable and conclusive insights into language lateralisation. This systematic review was registered as a protocol on Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/5vmpt/.
bibliographic citation: Bradshaw et al. (2017) Measuring language lateralisation with different language tasks: a systematic review. PeerJ 5:e3929 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3929
date submitted: 2017-07-25
date accepted: 2017-09-26
issued: 2017-10-24
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Bradshaw
  given name: Abigail R.
author list: Agent
  family name: Thompson
  given name: Paul A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Wilson
  given name: Alexander C.
author list: Agent
  family name: Bishop
  given name: Dorothy V.M.
author list: Agent
  family name: Woodhead
  given name: Zoe V.J.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.3929
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-10-24
copyright: ©2017 Bradshaw et al.
attribution name: Bradshaw et al.

The head turn paradigm to assess auditory laterality in cats: influence of ear position and repeated sound presentation
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: In most humans, speech is predominantly processed by the left hemisphere. This auditory laterality was formerly thought to be an exclusive human characteristic, but is now suggested to have pre-human origins. In studies on auditory laterality in nonhuman animals, the head turn paradigm has become very popular due to its non-invasive character. Although there are implications that the head turn direction indicates functional dominance of the contralateral hemisphere in processing a given sound, the validity of the paradigm is under debate. To validate the paradigm via comparison with imaging or electrophysiological methods, it is first necessary to establish turning biases at the individual level. Recently, the domestic cat, a common model in hearing research, has been found to show turning biases at the group level. To assess individual turning asymmetries in cats, we repeatedly presented kitten isolation calls and assessed whether differences in conveyed arousal changed the previously described left-wards lateralisation of conspecific vocalizations. Based on responses to 50 playback presentations (25 of high and 25 of low arousal), we calculated individual head turn indices. Based on the total data set, we found no consistent individual turning bias, irrespective of call category or sex of the receiver. Although the playback paradigm was chosen carefully to reduce any effects of lateralized loudness perception or changes in motivation due to habituation, individual head turn biases changed significantly in concordance with habituation to repeated playback-presentations and was predictable by small deflections in ear position prior to listening. When splitting the data set according to a decline in responsiveness after seven playback presentations, we revealed an initial left turning bias for most of our subjects (i.e., significant at the group level). We propose that this left turning bias is related to right hemisphere dominance in processes like vigilance behavio…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Wiebke S. Konerding
creator: Elke Zimmermann
creator: Eva Bleich
creator: Hans-Jürgen Hedrich
creator: Marina Scheumann
subject: Animal Behavior
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.3925
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Konerding et al.
abstract: In most humans, speech is predominantly processed by the left hemisphere. This auditory laterality was formerly thought to be an exclusive human characteristic, but is now suggested to have pre-human origins. In studies on auditory laterality in nonhuman animals, the head turn paradigm has become very popular due to its non-invasive character. Although there are implications that the head turn direction indicates functional dominance of the contralateral hemisphere in processing a given sound, the validity of the paradigm is under debate. To validate the paradigm via comparison with imaging or electrophysiological methods, it is first necessary to establish turning biases at the individual level. Recently, the domestic cat, a common model in hearing research, has been found to show turning biases at the group level. To assess individual turning asymmetries in cats, we repeatedly presented kitten isolation calls and assessed whether differences in conveyed arousal changed the previously described left-wards lateralisation of conspecific vocalizations. Based on responses to 50 playback presentations (25 of high and 25 of low arousal), we calculated individual head turn indices. Based on the total data set, we found no consistent individual turning bias, irrespective of call category or sex of the receiver. Although the playback paradigm was chosen carefully to reduce any effects of lateralized loudness perception or changes in motivation due to habituation, individual head turn biases changed significantly in concordance with habituation to repeated playback-presentations and was predictable by small deflections in ear position prior to listening. When splitting the data set according to a decline in responsiveness after seven playback presentations, we revealed an initial left turning bias for most of our subjects (i.e., significant at the group level). We propose that this left turning bias is related to right hemisphere dominance in processes like vigilance behavio…
bibliographic citation: Konerding et al. (2017) The head turn paradigm to assess auditory laterality in cats: influence of ear position and repeated sound presentation. PeerJ 5:e3925 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3925
date submitted: 2017-08-30
date accepted: 2017-09-23
issued: 2017-10-24
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Konerding
  given name: Wiebke S.
author list: Agent
  family name: Zimmermann
  given name: Elke
author list: Agent
  family name: Bleich
  given name: Eva
author list: Agent
  family name: Hedrich
  given name: Hans-Jürgen
author list: Agent
  family name: Scheumann
  given name: Marina
doi: 10.7717/peerj.3925
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-10-24
copyright: ©2017 Konerding et al.
attribution name: Konerding et al.

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