Project description:An emaciated white-tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) from Western Norway was found and nursed briefly before it died. The necropsy revealed that the principal cause of death was an inflammation and occlusion of the bile ducts. A secondary finding was the presence in the intestinal mucosa of numerous sporulated Sarcocystis oocysts measuring 21.8-22.8 × 16.0-17.0 μm. The aim of this study was to identify these oocysts to species level using molecular methods. Genomic DNA was extracted from 10 mucosal scrapings containing oocysts and subjected to PCR amplification and sequencing of four DNA regions: the 18S and 28S rRNA genes, the ITS1 region and the cox1 gene. DNA of three previously known Sarcocystis spp. was identified, but only two of these, Sarcocystis halieti n. sp. and Sarcocystis lari, both employing sea birds as intermediate hosts, were considered to have used the sea eagle as a definitive host and to have formed oocysts in its intestine. The third species found, Sarcocystis truncata, employs red deer as intermediate hosts and seems to use felids as definitive hosts based on its phylogenetic position and prevalence. The sea eagle had probably recently ingested portions of one of the latter hosts (red deer or cat/lynx) containing stages (sarcocysts/oocysts) and thus DNA of S. truncata. The species S. halieti and S. lari could only be unambiguously separated from their most closely related congeners on the basis of their ITS1 sequences. This is the first report of Sarcocystis oocysts in sea eagles and the first identification to species level of Sarcocystis oocysts in any type of eagle. The sea eagle also acted as intermediate host of an unidentified Sarcocystis spp. as evidenced by the finding of six thin-walled sarcocysts in a histological section of cardiac muscle.
Project description:The EAGLE (Environmental and Genetic Lung Cancer Etiology) gene expression study is case-control study of lung cancer conducted in Milan, Italy, designed to identify molecular alteration, particularly gene expression variation induced by smoking in lung carcinoma in this data set. The study is initiated by the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG).
Project description:We describe eight, mostly complete white-tailed eagle (Haliaëtus [Haliaeetus] albicilla) talons from the Krapina Neandertal site in present-day Croatia, dating to approximately 130 kyrs ago. Four talons bear multiple, edge-smoothed cut marks; eight show polishing facets and/or abrasion. Three of the largest talons have small notches at roughly the same place along the plantar surface, interrupting the proximal margin of the talon blade. These features suggest they were part of a jewelry assemblage, --- the manipulations a consequence of mounting the talons in a necklace or bracelet. An associated phalanx articulates with one of the talons and has numerous cut marks, some of which are smoothed. These white-tailed eagle bones, discovered more than 100 years ago, all derive from a single level at Krapina and represent more talons than found in the entire European Mousterian period. Presence of eight talons indicates that the Krapina Neandertals acquired and curated eagle talons for some kind of symbolic purpose. Some have argued that Neandertals lacked symbolic ability or copied this behavior from modern humans. These remains clearly show that the Krapina Neandertals made jewelry well before the appearance of modern humans in Europe, extending ornament production and symbolic activity early into the European Mousterian.
Project description:BACKGROUND:Capillary electrophoresis of plasma proteins has shown great potential as a complementary diagnostic tool for avian species. However, reference intervals for plasma proteins are sparse or lacking for several free-living avian species. The current study reports electrophoretic patterns and concentrations of plasma proteins determined for 70 free-living white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) nestlings from two locations in Norway (Steigen and Smøla) in order to establish reference values for this subpopulation using capillary electrophoresis. The nestlings were between 44 and 87 days of age, and the plasma protein concentrations were investigated for age, sex, year (2015 and 2016) and location differences. To our knowledge, this is the first report of reference intervals of plasma proteins analysed by capillary electrophoresis in free-living white-tailed eagle nestlings. RESULTS:The plasma protein concentrations (% of total protein, mean ± SE) were determined for prealbumin (13.7%, 4.34 ± 0.15 g/L), albumin (46.7%, 14.81 ± 0.24 g/L), α1-globulin (2.4%, 0.74 ± 0.03 g/L), α2-globulin (11.7%, 3.72 ± 0.06 g/L), β-globulin (15.9%, 5.06 ± 0.08 g/L) and γ-globulin (9.6%, 3.05 ± 0.09 g/L). Significant differences were found between the two locations for prealbumin, α2- and γ-globulins. No significant differences were found between the two sampling years or sexes, and no effect of age was found for any of the plasma proteins. However, prealbumin levels were several folds higher than previously reported from adults of closely related birds of prey species. There were no other studies on capillary electrophoresis of nestling plasma available for comparison. CONCLUSION:Significant differences were found between sampling locations for prealbumin, α2- and γ-globulins, which may indicate differences in inflammatory or infectious status between nestlings at the two locations. Sampling year, sex or age had no significant effect on the plasma protein concentrations. These results provide novel data on plasma protein concentrations by capillary electrophoresis and may be useful for evaluation of health status in free-living white-tailed eagle nestlings.
Project description:In contrast to previous incursions of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAIV) H5 viruses, H5N8 clade 2.3.4.4b viruses caused numerous cases of lethal infections in white-tailed sea eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) affecting mainly young eagles (younger than five years of age) in Germany during winter 2016/2017. Until April 2017, 17 HPAIV H5N8-positive white-tailed sea eagles had been detected (three found alive and 14 carcasses) by real-time RT-PCR and partial nucleotide sequence analyses. Severe neurological clinical signs were noticed which were corroborated by immunohistopathology revealing mild to moderate, oligo- to multifocal necrotizing virus-induced polioencephalitis. Lethal lead (Pb) concentrations, a main factor of mortality in sea eagles in previous years, could be ruled out by atomic absorption spectrometry. HPAIV H5 clade 2.3.4.4b reportedly is the first highly pathogenic influenza virus known to induce fatal disease in European white-tailed see eagles. This virus strain may become a new health threat to a highly protected species across its distribution range in Eurasia. Positive cloacal swabs suggest that eagles can spread the virus with their faeces.
Project description:Prey-specialised spiders are adapted to capture specific prey items, including dangerous prey such as ants, termites or other spiders. It has been observed that the venoms of specialists are often prey-specific and less complex than those of generalists, but venom composition has not been studied in detail in prey-specialised spiders. Here, we investigated the venom of the prey-specialised white-tailed spider (Lamponidae: Lampona sp.), which utilises specialised morphological and behavioural adaptations to capture spider prey. We hypothesised Lampona spiders also possess venomic adaptations, specifically, its venom is more effective to focal spider prey due to the presence of prey-specific toxins. We analysed the venom composition using proteo-transcriptomics and taxon-specific toxicity using venom bioassays. Our analysis identified 208 putative toxin sequences, comprising 103 peptides <10 kDa and 105 proteins >10 kDa. Most peptides belonged to one of two families characterised by scaffolds containing eight or ten cysteine residues. Protein toxins showed similarity to galectins, leucine-rich repeat proteins, trypsins and neprilysins. The venom of Lampona was shown to be spider-specific, as it was more potent against the preferred spider prey than against alternative prey represented by a cricket. In contrast, the venom of a related generalist (Gnaphosidae: Gnaphosa sp.) was similarly potent against both prey types. Prey-specific Lampona toxins were found to form part of the protein (>10 kDa) fraction of the venom. These data provide insights into the molecular adaptations of venoms produced by prey-specialised spiders.