Priority modeling for public urban park development in feasible locations using GIS, Intuitionistic Fuzzy AHP, and Fuzzy TOPSIS

As feasible locations of public urban park in Bogor Municipality have been acquired in a previous study, decision makers are urgently needed to be informed on which locations should be prioritized for public urban park (PUP) development. Therefore, this study aggregates four multi-spatial criteria for PUP development priority modeling, namely distance to slum neighborhood, accessibility, slope, and land value. These four criteria in form of vector datasets were weighted using intuitionistic fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (IF-AHP) to consider the hesitancy, vagueness, and fuzziness might arise from experts’ judgement as well as from multi-spatial data processing. Resulted criteria weights from IF-AHP show that accessibility weight 0.261, land value weight 0.259, distance to slum weight 0.255, and slope weight 0.225, respectively. Criteria weights were inputted into fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution (TOPSIS) and geographic information system (GIS) to rank location priority. Results from fuzzy TOPSIS show that very high priority class which has the biggest CCi values range (0.654-0.76) provides 0.14 km2 area of feasible PUP development scattered in 10 locations. The biggest area for feasible PUP development is generated by medium priority class (CCi values 0.439-0.546) in 26 locations and approximately area of 0.38 km2.

Effects of Ethanol Exposure during Lactation on Ultrasonic Vocalizations of Rat Pups upon Their Isolation: Increase in Pup Distress Calls

Recording ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) is a highly sensitive tool to study the dam–pup social relationships, and USV recordings have been used to study the effects of ethanol on pups. Gestational effects of ethanol on the emission of USVs in rat pups have been studied in our previous research. In the present study, the effects of ethanol given to dams during lactation on the acoustic parameters of USVs emitted by isolated pups were examined. Ethanol was administered to dams from postnatal days (PNDs) 5–21. From PNDs 11–21, the high- and low-ethanol-treated dams were exposed to ethanol-containing water (v/v) at concentrations of 30% and 15%, respectively. Tap water without ethanol (0%) was provided to the control dams. The pups in all three ethanol-treated groups were separated from the dam and littermates on PNDs 4, 8, 12, and 16, and USVs produced by the pups were recorded for 5 min. It was found that elevated distress USVs with longer duration and higher percentage of frequency modulations were displayed by the pups from the high-ethanol dams. Alterations in USVs were particularly evident in the pups with a reduced body weight at PND 12. This effect might be because high-ethanol dams showed significantly lower intake of higher ethanol-containing water, and consequently, produced lower amount of milk, as well as exhibited poor maternal care. Insufficient maternal care and malnutrition resulted in pup growth retardation and increased mortality rate in the high-ethanol group, which were not observed in the low-ethanol or control pups. Accordingly, the pups in the high-ethanol group experienced elevated negative emotionality during isolation from their dam and increased emission of USVs. Longer duration and increased frequency modulation of pup USVs are expected to be noticed by the dam and to initiate/increase proper maternal care. It is concluded that ethanol given to lactating mothers has more serious consequences on pup development than the gestational ethanol exposure, and has more harmful effects on pups.

Stable Isotope Values in South American Fur Seal Pup Whiskers as Proxies of Year-round Maternal Foraging Ecology

Natural selection should favour strategies that maximise reproductive success. Females may use different resources during progressive stages of reproduction according to energetic demands, behavioural constraints and prey availability. We used South American fur seal, Arctocephalus australis australis, pup whisker isotope values as proxies for maternal diet and habitat use to determine how resource use (1) changes throughout pup development from in utero growth to mid-end of lactation and (2) how it differs among individuals. The longest whisker was cut from 5 male and 5 female fur seal pups (of approximately 8 months of age) at Bird Island, Falkland Islands, in 2018, and δ15N values and δ13C values were analysed every 5 mm along the length of each whisker. Patterns in δ13C values indicated that mothers used different habitats during the annual cycle, likely coinciding with seasonal shifts in prey availability or distribution. The individual specialisation index based on δ13C values was 0.34, indicating that adult females used different habitats, which could reduce intra-specific competition and ultimately enhance pup growth and survival. An increase in δ15N values occurred along every pup whisker from pup birth to mid-end of lactation, which likely reflected trophic enrichment related to suckling and fasting by pups, overriding the maternal isotopic signature. Pup whisker stable isotopes are useful proxies of maternal foraging ecology. However, physiological processes complicate interpretations by altering δ15N values. Interpreting these values therefore requires additional knowledge of the species’ ecology and physiology.

Effects of maternal protein restriction during pregnancy and lactation on milk composition and offspring development

Before weaning, breast milk is the physiological form of neonatal nutrition, providing pups with all nutrient requirements. Maternal low-protein diet (LPD) during pregnancy and lactation induces adverse changes in key maternal organs, which have negative effects on pup development. We studied the effects of maternal LPD on liver weight, mammary gland (MG) cell differentiation, milk composition and production and pup development throughout lactation. We fed rats with control (C) or LPD (R) during pregnancy and lactation. At 7 d early, 14 d mid and 21 d late lactation stages, maternal biochemical parameters, body, liver and MG weights were analysed. MG cell differentiation was analysed by haematoxylin and eosin staining; milk nutrient composition and production were studied; pup body, liver and brain weights, hippocampal arachidonic acid (AA) and DHA were quantified. Results showed lower body and liver weights, minor MG cell differentiation and lower serum insulin and TAG in R compared with C. R milk contained less protein and higher AA at early and mid stages compared with C. R pup milk and fat intake were lower at all stages. R protein intake at early and mid stages and DHA intake at mid and late stages were lower compared with C. In R pups, lower body, liver and brain weights were associated with decreased hippocampal AA and DHA. We conclude that maternal LPD impairs liver and MG function and induces significant changes in maternal milk composition, pup milk intake and organ development.

Olfactory Bulbectomy in Methamphetamine-Treated Rat Mothers Induces Impairment in Somatic and Functional Development of Their Offspring

Olfactory bulbectomy in rodents is considered a putative model of depression. Depression is often associated with drug addiction. Our previous studies demonstrated that methamphetamine (MA) administration to rat mothers affects both, mothers and their pups. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of bulbectomy, as a model of depression, and MA administration on behavior of rat mothers and postnatal development of their pups. Adult female Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: bulbectomized (OBX) and sham-operated (SH). A period of 20 days was allowed for the development of the depressive-like phenotype. Animals were tested in the motor activity test and 2 % sucrose preference for anhedonia and hyperactive locomotor response to a novel environment, respectively. After then females were impregnated. Pregnant females were exposed to daily subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of MA (5 mg/kg) or saline (SA) during the entire gestation period. Postnatally, maternal behavior and pup development was examined. The effect of a challenge dose of MA (1 mg/kg, s.c.) on behavior was further examined in adult male offspring. Our results showed no differences in the maternal behavior as a matter of bulbectomy, only OBX rats slept more than all the SH controls. Pups from OBX mothers were born with lower birthweight and gained less weight during the postnatal development than pups from SH controls. Both, bulbectomy and MA administration, delayed the eyes opening. As a matter of functional development of the pups, maternal OBX procedure impaired the performance in the Bar-holding test, but only in saline group. OBX/SA group was the worst in the Bar-holding test relative to all the other groups. In addition, pups from OBX mothers dropped more boluses during the Bar-holding test, suggesting that they were more stressed. In adult male offspring, bulbectomy increased immobility only in the SA/SA group. Prenatal MA exposure increased locomotion, while decreasing immobility. In addition, challenge dose of MA in adulthood increased distance traveled, locomotion, rearing, and average and maximal velocity, while decreasing immobility and grooming. In conclusion, our results suggest that depressive-like phenotype of rat mothers induces impairment in somatic and functional development of their male offspring.