Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is involved in the regulation of essential reproductive processes such as gametogenesis and follicular growth. There are presently no immunoassays for measuring FSH ...in turtles. Recently we produced green sea turtle (
Chelonia mydas
) recombinant (r) FSH as a single-chain polypeptide using the methylotrophic yeast
Pichia pastoris
expression system, and polyclonal antibodies for the recombinant FSH. In this work we developed a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the measurement of FSH concentrations in plasma samples from green sea turtles. We used the rFSHβα for standard, rFSHβ for coating and a cmFSHβ antibody. The sensitivity of the assay was 0.13 ng/ml and the intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 5.54% and 13.52% respectively. Parallelism was observed between the linearized FSH standard curves and the corresponding serial dilutions of green sea turtle plasma samples. We also observed parallelism between the linearized standard and serial dilutions of plasma samples from the loggerhead sea turtle (
Caretta caretta
), hawksbill sea turtle (
Eretmochelys imbricate
), and African softshell turtle (
Trionyx triunguis
). The ELISA was used to study the FSH plasma concentrations during the reproductive cycles and was compared to hormonal steroid concentrations (Testosterone, Estradiol and Progesterone). This revealed a positive correlation between FSH and estradiol concentrations in females; estradiol concentrations were increased immediately after FSH elevation. In addition, nested females presented an increase in FSH concentrations prior to progesterone elevation in January to April, slightly before egg laying. This ELISA will increase our understanding of gonadotropin functions, and their effects on reproduction in the green sea turtle.
Circulating estradiol (E2), testosterone (T) and progesterone (P4) concentrations, and blood chemistry were monitored in the female green turtle
Chelonia mydas
over continuous seasons at the Israel ...sea turtle breeding facility. The tested factors were analyzed with regard to the female`s nesting activity in the subsequent nesting season: Future nesters (FN) and Non-nesters (NN). Our analysis showed significant changes in all three sex steroids, E2, T, P4, and in 13 blood biochemical parameters between the two females` groups. All females presented consistent E2 profiles from year to year, with a single elevation in September in FN females. P4 concentrations in nesting females were high in April (mating) and higher towards the beginning of June due to oviposition, females that presented concentrations above 1ng/ml had successful oviposition (8 females: 1 female in 2018, 5 in 2019 and 2 in 2020). T profiles were high at the onset of vitellogenesis towards November and again high during April. We were able to predict which females would undergo oviposition with a specific profile seen only in FN females - elevated P4 concentrations from February to June and the elevation of metabolites electrolytes and Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) concentrations toward November. This will facilitate selectively choice mating pairs to ensure that the Mediterranean population genetic variability is maintained. Clutches per female were between 2 and 6, with 25 in total. Females laid an average of 91 ± 7 eggs (range 39-139 eggs) per nest with emergence rate of ~10% (0-58%). Overall, the same trend in circulating steroid concentrations was revealed over the years in the females reaching oviposition only when a certain threshold was achieved. In this study all the factors mentioned above can indicate an upcoming oviposition at least 6 months prior to nesting as seen in the PCA analysis. This information can contribute to the success of green sea turtle breeding programs in captivity and will hopefully help the Israeli Rescue Center predict and prepare for nesting activities in the years ahead.
Patients with acute myocardial infarctions (AMIs) present as persistent ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or as non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). In some patients with ...STEMI, ST elevations are transient and resolve before coronary intervention (transient ST-elevation myocardial infarction TSTEMI). We analyzed our registry comprising all consecutive patients with AMI admitted during 2009 to 2014, and compared the characteristics, management, and outcome of patients with TSTEMI with those of patients with STEMI and NSTEMI. Of 1,847 patients with AMI included in the registry, 1,073 patients sustained a STEMI (58%), 649 had a NSTEMI (35%), and 126 presented with TSTEMI (6.9%). Patients with TSTEMI were younger than patients with NSTEMI and STEMI (56.5 vs 62.8, p <0.001, and 59.5 years, p <0.02, respectively), smoked more (77.8 vs 54.0, p <0.001, and 62.1%, p <0.0005), and fewer were hypertensive (52.4 vs 74.2% and 58.8%, both p <0.001) and diabetic (26.2% vs 47.7%, p <0.0001, and 36.9%, p <0.02). The extent of coronary artery disease in patients with TSTEMI was similar to that of patients with STEMI except for less involvement of the left anterior descending artery (p <0.001), but less extensive than in NSTEMI patients. TSTEMI involved less myocardial damage by troponin-T level (p <0.005) with better cardiac function (LVEF 61% vs 55% and 49%, both p <0.0001). Mortality was lower among TSTEMI both in-hospital (0 vs 2.3% p = NS and 4.2% p <0.01) and long-term (4.8% vs 14.7% and 14.2%, both p <0.003) at a median of 36 months. In conclusion, TSTEMI is an acute coronary syndrome distinct from NSTEMI and STEMI, characterized by fewer risk factors, a similar extent of coronary artery disease to STEMI, but is associated with less myocardial damage and portends a better outcome.
Molecular phylogenetic analysis of coronuloid taxa using the maximum likelihood estimation. Based on 12S, 16S, 18S, 28S and H3 genes (total 4705 bp). At each node, the number before the slash ...indicates the percentage of ML bootstrap support (1000 replicates) from RAxML analysis, number following the slash at each node indicates the Bayesian posterior probability, using MrBayes. The outgroup is Verruca stroemia, Taxonomic units are linked with doted line, hosts of barnacles are indicated. Display omitted
• Coronuloidea and Tetraclitoidea are monophyletic sister groups. • Position of Austrobalanus as the last common ancestor of these groups is unresolved. • Cylindrical bowl or cup shape shells are homoplasious traits in the Coronuloidea. • Most coronuloids genera diverged during the Miocene.
Barnacles of the superfamily Coronuloidea are obligate epibionts of various marine mammals, marine reptiles and large crustaceans. We used five molecular markers: 12S rDNA, 16S rDNA, 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA and Histone 3 to infer phylogenetic relationships among sixteen coronuloids, representing most of the recent genera of barnacles of this superfamily. Our analyses confirm the monophyly of Coronuloidea and that this superfamily and Tetraclitoidea are sister groups. The six-plated Austrobalanus clusters with these two superfamilies. Based on BEAST and ML trees, Austrobalanus is basal and sister to the Coronuloidea, but the NJ tree places Austrobalanus within the Tetraclitoidae, and in the MP tree it is sister to both Coronuloidea and Tetraclitoidae. Hence the position of Austrobalanus remains unresolved. Within the Coronuloidea we identified four clades. Chelonibia occupies a basal position within the Coronuloidea which is in agreement with previous studies. The grouping of the other clades does not conform to previous studies. Divergence time analyses show that some of the time estimates are congruent with the fossil record while some others are older, suggesting the possibility of gaps in the fossil record.
Spirorchiid blood flukes are widespread in sea turtles, causing disease and mortality in their populations, with high prevalence in several ocean basins. Besides being leading parasitic causes of sea ...turtle strandings in several parts of the world, these infectious agents can cause endocarditis, vasculitis, thrombosis, miliary egg granulomas, and aneurysms, which ultimately may compromise the survival of green sea turtles. More severe cases may also result in multifocal granulomatous meningitis or pneumonia, both of which can be fatal. Herein, we report the first case of severe trematode infection, Caused by
Learedius learedi
, in a green sea turtle in the northern Red Sea; this infection is associated with bilateral blindness. Necropsy revealed multiple granulomas with intralesional trematode eggs in the optic nerve, eyes, spleen, heart, and lungs. The parasite was identified as
Learedius learedi
through specific primers of the ribosomal genome and COI sequences obtained from GenBank. Altogether, these findings emphasize the importance of recognizing the systemic nature of this particular fluke infection to ultimately protect the lives of these marine animals and ensure the sustainability of these species in the wild.
The populations of the endangered mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella), which inhabit large parts of Israel, across various ecosystems and climatic conditions, shrunk drastically over the last decades. ...To date, data on gazelle nutrition, how these relate with individual characteristics and respond to seasonal and environmental changes, have not been available. We analyzed 110 samples from gazelle rumen contents collected throughout the country from occasional fatalities, mainly roadkills, and tested the feasibility of using them for near-infrared spectrometry (NIRS) calibrations. Although NIR calibrations for crude protein, in vitro dry matter digestibility, and ash were reasonable, we found that using calibrations based on local forage and feed plant species performed better, and used these to estimate several nutritional constituents in gazelle rumens, using NIRS. We tested how constituents relate to the sex, age-class, and weight of the individual gazelle, and to season and ecosystem type, and found that season plays a major role in gazelle nutrition. Winter is the most propitious season, when crude protein, ash and digestibility are highest, and acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and the carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio are lowest. Autumn, being the harshest season, mirrors winter conditions, and summer and spring show intermediate levels. Yet the relative changes between seasons were mild: about 30%, for crude protein, digestibility, and ash, and 14–22% for ADF, NDF, and C:N ratio. Ecosystem type affected several constituents, and nutrition was slightly better in Mediterranean than in dry ecosystems. Gazelle sex, weight, and age-class had minor effects on nutrition. Overall, it seems that the adaptation of gazelles to their environment is germane to keeping relatively steady nutrition throughout the year. Our results, which do not show a dramatic decline in the quality of gazelle nutrition during any season or among the climatic regions that were studied, suggest that nutrition is not a major driver of the survival of gazelles in the populations surveyed.
Abundant in coastal areas, sea turtles are affected by high-intensity acoustic anthropogenic sounds. In this article, we offer a pattern-analysis-based detection approach to serve as a warning system ...for the existence of nearby sea turtles. We focus on the challenge of overcoming the low signal-to-clutter ratio (SCR) caused by reverberations. Assuming that, owing to low SCR, target reflections within the point cloud are received in groups, our detector searches for patterns through clustering to identify possible "blobs" in the point cloud of reflections, and to classify them as either clutter or a target. Our unsupervised clustering is based on geometrical and spectral constraints over the blob's member relations. In turn, the classification of identified blobs as either a target or clutter is based on features extracted from the reflection pattern. To this end, assuming that reflections from a sea turtle are stable but include spectral diversity due to distortions within the turtle's body, we quantify the stability of the blob's members and the entropy of their reflection spectrum. We test our detector in both the modeled simulations, and at sea, for the detection of sea turtles released after rehabilitation. The results show robustness to highly fluctuating target intensity and ability to detect at low SCR.
► We used satellite derived night lights to explore sea turtle nesting distribution. ► Night light intensity had a negative relationship with sea turtle nests. ► Our GLM predicted 32% of the ...variation in sea turtle nesting distribution. ► Night lights are an important variable to help predict sea turtle nesting activity.
Artificial night lights pose a major threat to multiple species. However, this threat is often disregarded in conservation management and action because it is difficult to quantify its effect. Increasing availability of high spatial-resolution satellite images may enable us to better incorporate this threat into future work, particularly in highly modified ecosystems such as the coastal zone. In this study we examine the potential of satellite night light imagery to predict the distribution of the endangered loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtle nests in the eastern Mediterranean coastline. Using remote sensing tools and high resolution data derived from the SAC-C satellite and the International Space Station, we examined the relationship between the long term spatial patterns of sea turtle nests and the intensity of night lights along Israel’s entire Mediterranean coastline. We found that sea turtles nests are negatively related to night light intensity and are concentrated in darker sections along the coast. Our resulting GLMs showed that night lights were a significant factor for explaining the distribution of sea turtle nests. Other significant variables included: cliff presence, human population density and infrastructure. This study is one of the first to show that night lights estimated with satellite-based imagery can be used to help explain sea turtle nesting activity at a detailed resolution over large areas. This approach can facilitate the management of species affected by night lights, and will be particularly useful in areas that are inaccessible or where broad-scale prioritization of conservation action is required.
Understanding the spatiotemporal abundance of loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtles is crucial for marine conservation. In Israel, at the south-eastern Levant Sea, 10 ...loggerhead (8 females, 2 males) and 5 green (3 females, 2 males) sea turtles were tracked via satellite telemetry tags. Turtles were tagged post nesting (n = 8) or prior to their release following rehabilitation (n = 7, 3 females and 4 males, all sub-adults to adults). Tracked sea turtles spent their time foraging in a median of 137 km² core home range (50% kernel density estimation). Home range size increased to a median of 464 km² during the inter-nesting season. Migration varied widely, ranging from 87 km from the tagging site in 1 turtle (near residency) to >3000 km in 2 other turtles. Most turtles migrated short distances within the south-eastern Levant Sea, which seems to be a multifunctional habitat for reproduction, migration and foraging. A large proportion of the migrations (72%) occurred along the coastline and the rest were in open waters. These new insights regarding the spatial distribution of sea turtles over the course of the year may potentially be translated into conservation guidelines, such as seasonal fishing restrictions, and management and planning of marine protected areas in the south-eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Marine turtles have been traditionally considered model organisms to study sex-biased behaviour and dispersal. Although female philopatry has been identified in the loggerhead turtle, with adult ...females returning to specific locations to nest, studies on the philopatry and breeding migrations of males remain limited. In this study we analysed 152 hatchlings using 15 microsatellite markers. Each individual came from a different nest from samples taken at 8 nesting grounds in the Mediterranean. Our results revealed the existence of 5 genetically differentiated units, mostly due to restricted gene flow for both sexes. This supports existing satellite tracking studies that suggest that mating occurs close to nesting grounds in this region. The 5 management units identified within the Mediterranean included nesting grounds from (1) Libya and Cyprus, (2) Israel, (3) Lebanon, (4) Turkey and (5) Greece. The genetic similarity between distant nesting areas (i.e. Libya and Cyprus) suggests the presence of a more complex pattern of breeding behaviour. Three possible hypotheses, that remain to be tested in future studies, could explain this result: (1) mating might take place in common foraging grounds; (2) mating could occur en route while migrating to/from the breeding grounds; or (3) recent colonisation events could connect the 2 nesting grounds. Overall, our work suggests that widespread male-mediated gene flow between loggerhead nesting grounds is likely to have been previously overstated although opportunistic breeding patterns might connect some widely separated areas.
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