Conclusions:

Bacterioneuston isolates were less sensitive and recovered more rapidly from UV-B stress than bacterioplankton isolates, showing enhanced reduction in their metabolism during the irradiation period and decreased culturability during the recovery process compared see more to bacterioplankton.

Significance and Impact of

the Study:

UV exposure can affect the diversity and activity of microbial communities by selecting UV-resistant strains and alter their metabolic activity towards protective strategies.”
“Songbirds sing at high rates within multiple contexts, suggesting that they are highly motivated to communicate and that the act of singing itself may be rewarding. Little is known about the neural regulation of the motivation to communicate. Dopamine and opioid neuropeptides play a primary role in reward seeking and sensory pleasure. In songbirds, these neurochemicals are found within brain regions implicated in both motivation

and reward, including the medial preoptic nucleus (mPOA) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Several lines of research indicate click here that dopamine and opioids in these regions play a role in birdsong that differs depending upon whether song is used to attract females (female-directed song) or is not directed towards other individuals (undirected song). Evidence is reviewed supporting the hypotheses: (1) that distinct patterns of dopamine activity influence the motivation science to produce undirected and female-directed song, (2) that undirected communication is intrinsically reinforced by immediate release of opioids induced by the act of singing, and (3) that directed communication is socially reinforced by opioids released as part of social interactions. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Aims:

Studies of pigeon-borne yeasts have tended to focus on species,

such as Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans, with scant attention to feral pigeons in Korea. We studied the prevalence of yeasts from faecal samples of feral pigeons obtained in various public places in Seoul, Korea, and assessed their potential capacity as human pathogens.

Methods and Results:

Three hundred and six pigeon faeces samples were collected at city squares and parks in 21 localities in Seoul and Seoul Grand Park and analysed for yeast with conventional methods. Of the 306 samples, 126 (41 center dot 2%) were positive for yeast. Seventeen species of yeast were identified. The most frequent species were Candida glabrata (34 center dot 1%), Candida famata (12 center dot 7%), Cryptococcus albidus (14 center dot 3%) and Cryptococcus laurentii (7 center dot 9%). The yeast isolates were tested for virulence. Of the 116 isolates (ten isolates missing), 70 center dot 7% (n = 82) grew at 37 degrees C. All the Cryptococcus spp.