The cerebellar cortex is implicated in the learning of complex motor skills. This learning may require synaptic remodeling of Purkinje cell inputs. An extracellular serine protease, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), is involved in remodeling various nonneural tissues and is associated with developing and regenerating neurons. In situ hybridization showed that expression of tPA messenger RNA was increased in the Purkinje neurons of rats within an hour of their being trained for a complex motor task. Antibody to tPA also showed the induction of tPA protein associated with cerebellar Purkinje cells. Thus, the induction of tPA during motor learning may play a role in activity-dependent synaptic plasticity.

Despite the efforts of many natural resource professionals, wild pig (Sus scrofa) populations are expanding in many areas of the world. Although many creative techniques for controlling pig populations are being explored, trapping has been and still is the most commonly used method of population control for many public and private land managers. We conducted an observational study to examine the efficiency of 2 frequently used trap styles: a small, portable box-style trap and a larger, semi-permanent, corral-style trap. We used game cameras to examine patterns of trap entry by wild pigs around each style of trap, and we conducted a trapping session to compare trapping success between trap styles. Adult female and juvenile wild pigs entered both styles of trap more readily than did adult males, and adult males seemed particularly averse to entering box traps. Less than 10% of adult male visits to box traps resulted in entries, easily the least percentage of any class at any style of trap. Adult females entered corral traps approximately 2.2 times more often per visit than box traps and re-entered corral traps >2 times more frequently. Juveniles entered and reentered both box and corral traps at similar rates. Overall (all-class) entry-per-visit rates at corral traps (0.71) were nearly double that of box traps (0.37). Subsequent trapping data supported these preliminary entry data; the capture rate for corral traps was >4 times that of box traps. Our data suggest that corral traps are temporally and economically superior to box traps with respect to efficiency; that is, corral traps effectively trap more pigs per trap night at a lower cost per pig than do box traps. ß 2011 The Wildlife Society.

Human cytidine deaminase is an enzyme of the pyrimidine salvage pathways that metabolizes several cytosine nucleoside analogs used as prodrugs in chemotherapy. We carried out a characterization of the cytidine deaminase 79A>C and 208G>A Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, in order to highlight their functional role and provide data that could help fine-tune the chemotherapic use of cytosine nucleosides in patients carrying the above mentioned SNPs. The 79A>C SNP results in a K27Q change in a protein region not involved in the catalytic event. The 208G>A SNP produces an alanine to threonine substitution (A70T) within the conserved catalytic domain. Q27 variant is endowed with a greater catalytic efficiency toward the natural substrates and the antileukemic agent cytarabine (Ara-C), when compared to K27 variant. Molecular modeling, protein stability experiments and site-directed mutagenesis suggest that K27 variant may have an increased stability with respect to Q27 due to an ionic interaction between a lysine residue at position 27 and a glutamate residue at position 24. The T70 variant has a lower catalytic efficiency toward the analyzed substrates when compared to the A70 variant, suggesting that patients carrying the 208G>A SNP may have a greater exposure to cytosine based pro drugs, with possible toxicity consequences.

Growing concerns surrounding established and expanding populations of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) have created the need for rapid and accurate surveys of these populations. We conducted surveys of a portion of the wild pig population on Fort Benning, Georgia, to determine if a longer time‐lapse interval than had been previously used in surveys of wild pigs would generate similar detection results. We concurrently examined whether use of soured corn at camera sites affected the time necessary for pigs to locate a new camera site or the time pigs remained at a site. Our results suggest that a 9‐min time‐lapse interval generated dependable detection results for pigs and that soured corn neither attracted pigs to a site any quicker than plain, dry, whole‐kernel corn, nor held them at a site longer. Maximization of time‐lapse interval should decrease data and processing loads, and use of a simple, available bait should decrease cost and effort associated with more complicated baits; combination of these concepts should increase efficiency of wild pig surveys. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.

Bounty programs have been historically implemented as a means of controlling invasive or pest species. Although bounty programs are generally considered to be ineffective, they are still proposed as management tools in situations where other management strategies have been unsuccessful. The wild pig (Sus scrofa) is an invasive large mammal in North America and most management strategies have proven to be ineffective at reducing or eliminating its populations, resulting in population expansion in recent decades. Fort Benning Army Infantry Training Center, Georgia, USA, had been inhabited by wild pigs since the mid‐1900s. In response to increasing negative impacts on flora, fauna, and military training activities and equipment, Fort Benning began offering a bounty on pigs in June 2007 to reduce the population and eventually eradicate wild pigs from the installation. To gauge the effectiveness of the program, we evaluated the population response of wild pigs within 2 study areas on the installation from June 2007 to February 2008. During the study, 1,138 pigs were harvested throughout the installation at a total cost (bounties paid and administration) of US$57,296. Surveys indicated that pig density and occupancy rates increased 23–130% and 12–19%, respectively, during the course of the bounty program. Additionally, sounder size and number of juveniles per adult female increased 144–233% and 191–219%, respectively. These data suggest that the wild pig population was increasing during the period when the bounty program was in effect. We hypothesize that this was due to increased food availability and reproduction associated with baiting wild pigs during the program, and because efforts of program participants were focused on eliminating the segment of the pig population that would maximize return on effort and “trophy” quality of animals rather than on the segment of the population that would most greatly influence population growth. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.

Wild pig (Sus scrofa) eradication in demographically open populations has seemed an impossible feat for managers, but more recently, whole sounder removal (WSR) has been proposed as a trapping strategy that has the potential to be successful in eradicating wild pigs from an area. However, little empirical data exist concerning implementation of whole sounder removal strategies. Our objective was to implement and describe wild pig management using WSR. We established a 27‐km2 area (northwest section) where sounders were removed using WSR and a 29‐km2 area (southeast section) where GPS collars were deployed on Lowndes Wildlife Management Area in Alabama. Prior to implementing WSR, we used game cameras over bait at a density of one camera/km2 in November 2014 and counted 65 and 100 individuals in our northwest and southeast sections, respectively. We began WSR July 2015 and by May 2016, we reduced the estimated population by 90%. However, due to births and seasonal movements of pigs in the periphery of the study area, the population fluctuated between 10–20 individuals from May 2016 to December 2017. In December 2017, we removed the last known remaining sounder, and using game cameras, observed no sounders in the northwest section for the following 7 months, the remaining length of the study. We determined that using the WSR approach can lead to a delay before inevitable recolonization. Therefore, WSR can be a successful tool to significantly reduce a wild pig population and potentially provide managers a pig‐free area.

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