Record of the deep marine Clinocythereis australis Ayress and Swanson, 1991 (Ostracoda) from the upper Miocene Tambo River Formation, Gippsland Basin, Australia : Palaeo-oceanographic and biostratigraphic implications

Fossils of the deep marine ostracod, Clinocythereis australis Ayress & Swanson, 1991 occur within the Tambo River Formation, Gippsland Basin, southeastern Australia and record an approximately 6 Ma phase of late Miocene coastal ocean upwelling within this region. The presence of deep marine faunal elements within late Miocene Mitchellian strata is in contrast to the absence of such faunal elements in latest Miocene Cheltenhamian and younger marine strata of the Bass Strait hinterland. The absence of deep marine faunal elements in post-Mitchellian onshore strata is due to the Kosciusko Uplift, which transformed Bass Strait into a wholly shallow seaway placing adjacent coastal regions beyond the reach of ocean upwelling influences.

Rangelands, conflicts, and society in the Upper Mustang Region, Nepal

Rangelands are considered critical ecosystems in the Nepal Himalayas and provide multiple ecosystem services that support local livelihoods. However, these rangelands are under threat from various anthropogenic stresses. This study analyzes an example of conflict over the use of rangeland, involving two villages in the Mustang district of Nepal. This prolonged conflict over the use of rangeland rests on how use rights are defined by the parties, that is, whether they are based on traditional use or property ownership. Traditionally, such conflicts in remote areas were managed under the Mukhiya (village chief) system, but this became dysfunctional after the political change of 1990. The continuing conflict suggests that excessive demand for limited rangelands motivates local villagers to gain absolute control of the resources. In such contexts, external support should focus on enhancing the management and production of forage resources locally, which requires the establishment of local common property institutions to facilitate sustainable rangeland management.

Metabolite profiles in the anterior cingulate cortex of depressed patients differentiate those taking N-acetyl-cysteine versus placebo

Background: Increased oxidative stress is thought to contribute to the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD), which is in part due to diminished levels of glutathione, the primary anti-oxidant of the brain. Oral administration of N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) replenishes glutathione and has therefore been shown to reduce depressive symptoms. Proton magnetic spectroscopy (1H-MRS) that allows quantification of brain metabolites pertinent to both MDD and oxidative biology may provide some novel insights into the neurobiological effects of NAC, and in particular metabolite concentrations within the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) are likely to be important given the key role of this region in the regulation of affect.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether the metabolite profile of the ACC in MDD patients predicts treatment with adjunctive NAC versus placebo.

Methods: This study was nested within a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of MDD participants treated with adjunctive NAC. Participants (n = 76) from one site completed the spectroscopy component at the end of treatment (12 weeks). Spectra from a single-voxel in the ACC were acquired and absolute concentrations of glutamate (Glu), glutamate-glutamine (Glx), N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) and myo-inositol (mI) were obtained. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine whether metabolite profiles could predict NAC versus placebo group membership.

Results: When predicting group outcome (NAC or placebo), Glx, NAA and mI were a significant model, and had 75% accuracy, while controlling for depression severity and sex. However, the Glu, NAA and mI profile was only predictive at a trend level, with 68.3% accuracy. For both models, the log of the odds of a participant being in the NAC group was positively related to NAA, Glx and Glu levels and negatively related to mI levels.

Conclusion: The finding of higher Glx and NAA levels being predictive of the NAC group provides preliminary support for the putative anti-oxidative role of NAC in MDD.

Seasons of the Upper Yarra Valley : a report to the Museum Victoria

This report has been prepared on commission for the Museum Victoria to provide cultural and ethno-ecological advice in proposing theoretical principles to enable the design of a section of the Climate-Seasons zone of the Gallery of Life in the new Melbourne Museum complex

Different current intensities of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation do not differentially modulate motor cortex plasticity

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive technique that modulates the excitability of neurons within the motor cortex (M1). Although the aftereffects of anodal tDCS on modulating cortical excitability have been described, there is limited data describing the outcomes of different tDCS intensities on intracortical circuits. To further elucidate the mechanisms underlying the aftereffects of M1 excitability following anodal tDCS, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to examine the effect of different intensities on cortical excitability and short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI). Using a randomized, counterbalanced, crossover design, with a one-week wash-out period, 14 participants (6 females and 8 males, 22–45 years) were exposed to 10 minutes of anodal tDCS at 0.8, 1.0, and 1.2 mA. TMS was used to measure M1 excitability and SICI of the contralateral wrist extensor muscle at baseline, immediately after and 15 and 30 minutes following cessation of anodal tDCS. Cortical excitability increased, whilst SICI was reduced at all time points following anodal tDCS. Interestingly, there were no differences between the three intensities of anodal tDCS on modulating cortical excitability or SICI. These results suggest that the aftereffect of anodal tDCS on facilitating cortical excitability is due to the modulation of synaptic mechanisms associated with long-term potentiation and is not influenced by different tDCS intensities.

Global patterns for upper ceilings on migration distance in sea turtles and comparisons with fish, birds and mammals

1. Some animals migrate huge distances in search of resources with locomotory mode (flying/swimming/walking) thought to drive the upper ceilings on migration distance. Yet in cross-taxa comparisons, upper ceilings on migration distance have been ignored for one important group, sea turtles. 2. Using migration distances recorded for 407 adult and 4715 juvenile sea turtles across five species, we show that for adult cheloniid turtles, the upper ceiling on species migration distances between breeding and foraging habitats (1050–2850 km across species) is similar to that predicted for equivalent-sized marine mammals and fish. 3. In contrast, by feeding in the open ocean, adult leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) and juveniles of all turtle species can travel around 12 000 km from their natal regions, travelling across the widest ocean basins. For juvenile turtles, this puts their maximum migration distances well beyond those expected for equivalent-sized marine mammals and fish, but not those found in some similar sized birds. 4. Post-hatchling turtles perform these long-distance migrations to juvenile foraging sites only once in their lifetime, while adult turtles return to their breeding sites every few (generally ?2) years. Our results highlight the important roles migration periodicity and foraging mode can play in driving the longest migrations, and the implications for Marine Protected Area planning are considered in terms of sea turtle conservation.

Distribution of Gaba in the nerve ganglia of haliotis asinina linnaeus

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a major neurotransmitter and effective settlement inducer in abalone aquaculture. This study aimed to explore the distribution of GABA within neural tissues of Haliotis asinina. Gamma-aminobutyric acid was found in neuronal cell type 1 of 3 major ganglia (i.e., cerebral, pleuropedal, and visceral ganglia) of both sexes. The distribution of GABA-immunoreactive (-ir) cells in the cerebral ganglion was concentrated mostly in the cortex region of the dorsal horn, whereas it was scattered throughout the pleuropedal ganglion, with more in the upper half. Gamma-aminobutyric acid-ir nerve fibers were found throughout the neuropils of the ganglia. The visceral ganglion had the least numbers of GABA-ir neurons compared with the other 2 ganglia. The cells were distributed mainly in the dorsal horn. We also observed GABA to be colocalized with 2 other neurotransmitters: serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA). In the cerebral ganglion, fluorescence double staining of GABA and 5-HT, and GABA and DA showed immunoreactivity in separate cells and was also colocalized in the same cells. In the pleuropedal ganglion, the staining pattern was similar to the cerebral ganglion, but positive-staining cells were less numerous. In the visceral ganglion, GABA and DA, and GABA and 5-HT were colocalized in the same cell types. Overall, we found that GABAergic cells were most numerous in the cerebral ganglion of H. asinina. Further studies are required to determine the functions of these neurotransmitters in relation to their distribution.