Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Various Species (various + species)
Selected AbstractsThe life history of Salicaceae living in the active zone of floodplainsFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2002S. KARRENBERG 1.,Exposed riverine sediments are difficult substrata for seedling establishment because of extremes in the microclimate, poor soil conditions and frequent habitat turnover. Various species of willows and poplars (Salicaceae) appear to be particularly successful in colonising such sediments and are often dominant in floodplain habitats throughout the northern temperate zone. 2.,In many Salicaceae regeneration seems to be adapted to regular disturbance by flooding. Efficient seed dispersal is achieved by the production of abundant seed in spring and early summer, which are dispersed by air and water. Seeds are short-lived and germinate immediately on moist surfaces. Seedling establishment is only possible if these surfaces stay moist and undisturbed for a sufficient period of time. 3.,Larger plants of Salicaceae have exceptional mechanical properties, such as high bending stability, which enable them to withstand moderate floods. If uprooted, washed away or fragmented by more powerful floods these plants re-sprout vigorously. 4.,While these life characteristics can be interpreted as adaptations to the floodplain environment, they may also cause a high genetic variability in populations of Salicaceae and predispose Salicaceae to hybridization. Thus, a feed back between adaptive life history characteristics and the evolutionary process is proposed. [source] Identification of Bacillus spp. from Bikalga, fermented seeds of Hibiscus sabdariffa: phenotypic and genotypic characterizationJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2008L.I.I. Ouoba Abstract Aims:, To identify Bacillus spp. responsible of the fermentation of Hibiscus sabdariffa for production of Bikalga, an alkaline fermented food used as a condiment in Burkina Faso. Methods and Results:, Seventy bacteria were isolated from Bikalga produced in different regions of Burkina Faso and identified by phenotyping and genotyping using PCR amplification of the 16S-23S rDNA intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS-PCR), repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) and DNA sequencing. The isolates were characterized as motile, rod-shaped, endospore forming, catalase positive, Gram-positive bacteria. ITS-PCR allowed typing mainly at species level. Rep-PCR was more discriminative and allowed a typing at ssp. level. The DNA sequencing combined with the Blast search program and fermentation profiles using API 50CHB system allowed an identification of the bacteria as Bacillus subtilis, B. licheniformis, B. cereus, B. pumilus, B. badius, Brevibacillus bortelensis, B. sphaericus and B. fusiformis. B. subtilis were the predominant bacterium (42) followed by B. licheniformis (16). Conclusions:, Various species and ssp. of Bacillus are involved in fermentation of H. sabdariffa for production of Bikalga. Significance and Impact of the study:, Selection of starter cultures of Bacillus for controlled production of Bikalga, selection of probiotic bacteria. [source] Polyphenolic composition of roots and petioles of Rheum rhaponticum L.PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS, Issue 2 2009Tõnu Püssa Abstract Introduction Various species of the genus Rheum (Polygonaceae) are known for their high content of medicinally important hydroxyanthraquinones. However, little information is available concerning the polyphenolic composition of garden or dietary rhubarb Rheum rhaponticum L. (R. rhaponticum). Objective Determination of further polyphenols in the roots and petioles of R. rhaponticum. Methodology The dried plant material was extracted with 10-fold excess (v/w) of methanol and subsequently diluted five times with methanol,water (1:1) and analysed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography using tandem UV-photodiode array and mass selective detection (RP-HPLC-UV-ESI/MS2). Polyphenols were identified using either HPLC-ESI/MS2 data obtained for respective commercial standards or by comparison of a parent ion fragmentation picture with the respective MS2 spectrum from the literature. Results The roots of R. rhaponticum were very rich in various hydroxystilbenes and contained four main substance groups ,derivatives of trans -piceatannol, trans -resveratrol, trans -rhapontigenin and trans -deoxyrhapontigenin. Additionally, pterostilbene acetylglucosides and a number of hydroxyanthraquinones and their glycosides were identified in the root samples. The profile of polyphenols in the petioles of R. rhaponticum was similar to that of the roots but the content of individual substances was remarkably lower. The petioles of the R. rhaponticum additionally contained significant amounts of derivatives of flavonol quercetin, which is a good antioxidant. Conclusion The study has shown that roots of R. rhaponticum contain a wide variety of hydroxystilbenes and deserve further consideration as a source of medicinally interesting compounds. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic, size exclusion chromatographic and polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic studies of glycinin: evidence for molecular species and their association,dissociationBIOMEDICAL CHROMATOGRAPHY, Issue 12 2007Ravi Bhushan Abstract Isolation and purification of glycinin and its molecular species from an Indian soybean variety (JS-335) was achieved using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Glycinin was found to have two molecular species (glycinin I and II), and only glycinin I underwent reversible dissociation,association system into , and , species. Glycinin I and II were not found to constitute a dissociation,association system. Glycinin II also did not dissociate under varying conditions of time, pH and ionic strength of buffer. Various species so dissociated were isolated, purified and characterized. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] TSC-box is essential for the nuclear localization and antiproliferative effect of XTSC-22DEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION, Issue 3 2007Akiko Hashiguchi Transforming growth factor- ,1-stimulated clone 22 (TSC-22) encodes a leucine zipper-containing protein that is highly conserved among various species. Mammalian TSC-22 is a potential tumor suppressor gene. It translocates into nuclei and suppresses cell division upon antiproliferative stimuli. In human colon carcinoma cells, TSC-22 inhibits cell growth by upregulating expression of the p21 gene, a cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor. We previously showed that the Xenopus laevis homologue of the TSC-22 gene (XTSC-22) is required for cell movement during gastrulation through cell cycle regulation. In this report, we investigated the molecular mechanism of the antiproliferative effect of XTSC-22. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis suggested that XTSC-22 did not affect the expression levels of the p21 family of Cdk inhibitors or other cell cycle regulators. Analysis of deletion mutants of XTSC-22 revealed that nuclear localization of the N-terminal TSC-box is necessary for cell cycle inhibition by XTSC-22. Further experiments suggested that p27Xic1, a key Cdk inhibitor in Xenopus, interacts with XTSC-22. Because p27Xic1 is a cell cycle inhibitor with a nuclear localization signal, it is possible that XTSC-22 suppresses cell division by translocating into the nucleus with p27Xic1, where it may potentiate the intranuclear action of p27Xic1. [source] Effects of forest harvesting on the occurrence of landslides and debris flows in steep terrain of central JapanEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 6 2008Fumitoshi Imaizumi Abstract Landslides and debris flows associated with forest harvesting can cause much destruction and the influence of the timing of harvesting on these mass wasting processes therefore needs to be assessed in order to protect aquatic ecosystems and develop improved strategies for disaster prevention. We examined the effects of forest harvesting on the frequency of landslides and debris flows in the Sanko catchment (central Japan) using nine aerial photo periods covering 1964 to 2003. These photographs showed a mosaic of different forest ages attributable to the rotational management in this area since 1912. Geology and slope gradient are rather uniformly distributed in the Sanko catchment, facilitating assessment of forest harvesting effects on mass wasting without complication of other factors. Trends of new landslides and debris flows correspond to changes in slope stability explained by root strength decay and recovery; the direct impact of clearcutting on landslide occurrence was greatest in forest stands that were clearcut 1 to 10 yr earlier with progressively lesser impacts continuing up to 25 yr after harvesting. Sediment supply rate from landslides in forests clearcut 1 to 10 yr earlier was about 10-fold higher than in control sites. Total landslide volume in forest stands clearcut 0 to 25 yr earlier was 5·8 × 103 m3 km,2 compared with 1·3 × 103 m3 km,2 in clearcuts >25 yr, indicating a fourfold increase compared with control sites during the period when harvesting affected slope stability. Because landslide scars continue to produce sediment after initial failure, sediment supply from landslides continues for 45 yr in the Sanko catchment. To estimate the effect of forest harvesting and subsequent regeneration on the occurrence of mass wasting in other regions, changes in root strength caused by decay and recovery of roots should be investigated for various species and environmental conditions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Benefits of communal breeding in burying beetles: a field experimentECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 3 2000Anne-Katrin Eggert Summary 1. The ultimate causes of communal breeding and joint parental care in various species of Nicrophorus burying beetles have not been resolved satisfactorily. One hypothesis suggests that females remain on the carcass for extended periods of time because joint defence affords them improved probabilities of retaining the carcass successfully in the face of intense competition from intra-generic competitors. 2. In a field experiment designed to test this hypothesis in N. defodiens (Mannerheim), breeding associations of two females and a male were no more successful at retaining their carcass than were monogamous pairs, lending no support to the hypothesis. 3. Intra-generic intruders that usurped already-buried carcasses were typically much larger than the original residents. 4. The body size of original residents affected both the burial depth and the probability of a takeover. Larger beetles buried the carcass deeper and were more likely to retain possession of the carcass. Group composition also did not affect the depth at which carcasses were buried. 5. Severe and even fatal injuries incurred by some residents indicated the occurrence of violent and damaging fights between competitors over carcasses in the field. [source] Development of a daphnia magna DNA microarray for evaluating the toxicity of environmental chemicalsENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 4 2007Hajime Watanabe Abstract Toxic chemical contaminants have a variety of detrimental effects on various species, and the impact of pollutants on ecosystems has become an urgent issue. However, the majority of studies regarding the effects of chemical contaminants have focused on vertebrates. Among aquatic organisms, Daphnia magna has been used extensively to evaluate organism- and populationlevel responses of invertebrates to pollutants in acute toxicity or reproductive toxicity tests. Although these types of tests can provide information concerning hazardous concentrations of chemicals, they provide no information about their mode of action. Recent advances in molecular genetic techniques have provided tools to better understand the responses of aquatic organisms to pollutants. In the present study, we adapted some of the techniques of molecular genetics to develop new tools, which form the basis for an ecotoxicogenomic assessment of D. magna. Based on a Daphnia expressed sequence tag database, we developed an oligonucleotide-based DNA microarray with high reproducibility. The DNA microarray was used to evaluate gene expression profiles of neonatal daphnids exposed to several different chemicals: Copper sulfate, hydrogen peroxide, pentachlorophenol, or ,-naphthoflavone. Exposure to these chemicals resulted in characteristic patterns of gene expression that were chemical-specific, indicating that the Daphnia DNA microarray can be used for classification of toxic chemicals and for development of a mechanistic understanding of chemical toxicity on a common freshwater organism. [source] Experimental epileptology before 1900EPILEPSIA, Issue 3 2009Mervyn J. Eadie Summary The available English and other major Western European language literature was reviewed to assess the stage of development of experimental epileptology prior to the end of the 19th Century. The relevant investigations had been carried out in animals of various species employing a number of methods of evoking convulsive seizures, mainly mechanical, electrical or chemical stimulation or surgical removal of parts of the cerebral cortex. The studies had produced some conflicting data but (i) allowed the development of a number of reasonably satisfactory experimental models of convulsive epileptic seizures (ii) confirmed that such epileptic seizures arose from the cerebral cortex, and (iii) suggested that for local onset epileptic seizures to become generalised tonic-clonic ones, the opposite motor cortex and probably a brain stem, possibly pontine, centre needed to be involved. No generally acceptable animal model of chronic epilepsy had been developed, and the non-motor manifestations of epileptic seizures were still largely unexplored experimentally. Nevertheless, the pre-1900 investigations not only laid the foundations for the 20th Century expansion of experimental studies on epileptogenesis but also advanced the understanding of epileptic seizure production. [source] Variation and Repeatability of Female Choice in a Chorusing Katydid, Ephippiger ephippiger: an Experimental Exploration of the Precedence EffectETHOLOGY, Issue 4 2004Michael D. Greenfield Female choice in various species of acoustic insects and anurans entails a psychoacoustic preference for male calls that lead their neighbors by a brief time interval. This discrimination, which can be termed a precedence effect, may select for various mechanisms with which males adjust call rhythm and thus reduce their incidence of ineffective following calls. At a collective level, alternating and synchronous choruses may emerge from these call timing mechanisms. Using playback experiments, we characterized the precedence effect in females of the katydid Ephippiger ephippiger, an alternating choruser in which males use a rhythm adjustment mechanism that prevents calling during brief intervals following their neighbors' calls. E. ephippiger females oriented toward leading male calls in >75% of trials when relatively young (<40 d old) and when playbacks were timed so that following calls began within 100,250 ms of the leading ones. However, this preference declined to below 60% as females aged and the interval separating leading and following call onsets increased. The strength of this precedence effect varied greatly between females, but within broad age classes the effect in a given female was statistically repeatable. Such repeatability indicates the possibility that additive genetic variance could be a significant component of variation in the precedence effect. We discuss the implications of our findings and inference on genetic variance for evolution of the precedence effect and for chorusing. [source] THE FITNESS EFFECT OF MUTATIONS ACROSS ENVIRONMENTS: A SURVEY IN LIGHT OF FITNESS LANDSCAPE MODELSEVOLUTION, Issue 12 2006Guillaume Martin Abstract The fitness effects of mutations on a given genotype are rarely constant across environments to which this genotype is more or less adapted, that is, between more or less stressful conditions. This can have important implications, especially on the evolution of ecological specialization. Stress is thought to increase the variance of mutations' fitness effects, their average, or the number of expressed mutations. Although empirical evidence is available for these three mechanisms, their relative magnitude is poorly understood. In this paper, we propose a simple approach to discriminate between these mechanisms, using a survey of empirical measures of mutation effects in contrasted environments. This survey, across various species and environments, shows that stress mainly increases the variance of mutations effects on fitness, with a much more limited impact on their average effect or on the number of expressed mutations. This pattern is consistent with a simple model in which fitness is a Gaussian function of phenotypes around an environmentally determined optimum. These results suggest that a simple, mathematically tractable landscape model may not be quantitatively as unrealistic as previously suggested. They also suggest that mutation parameter estimates may be strongly biased when measured in stressful environments. [source] Protein tandem repeats , the more perfect, the less structuredFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 12 2010Julien Jorda We analysed the structural properties of protein regions containing arrays of perfect and nearly perfect tandem repeats. Naturally occurring proteins with perfect repeats are practically absent among the proteins with known 3D structures. The great majority of such regions in the Protein Data Bank are found in the proteins designed de novo. The abundance of natural structured proteins with tandem repeats is inversely correlated with the repeat perfection: the chance of finding natural structured proteins in the Protein Data Bank increases with a decrease in the level of repeat perfection. Prediction of intrinsic disorder within the tandem repeats in the SwissProt proteins supports the conclusion that the level of repeat perfection correlates with their tendency to be unstructured. This correlation is valid across the various species and subcellular localizations, although the level of disordered tandem repeats varies significantly between these datasets. On average, in prokaryotes, tandem repeats of cytoplasmic proteins were predicted to be the most structured, whereas in eukaryotes, the most structured portion of the repeats was found in the membrane proteins. Our study supports the hypothesis that, in general, the repeat perfection is a sign of recent evolutionary events rather than of exceptional structural and (or) functional importance of the repeat residues. [source] Cross-talk between olfactory second messenger pathwaysFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 14 2000Alexander Vogl The second messengers 3,-5,-cyclic-monophosphate (cAMP) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) have been implicated in olfactory signal transduction in various species. The results of the present study provide evidence that the two olfactory second messenger pathways in rat olfactory neurons do not work independently but rather show a functional antagonism: whereas inhibition of phospholipase C (PLC) in isolated olfactory cilia by U-73122 led to an augmentation of odor-induced cAMP signaling, activation of the phosphoinositol pathway resulted in attenuation of odor-induced cAMP formation. Furthermore, this study indicates that elevated cAMP levels cause suppression of odor-induced InsP3 signaling, whereas inhibition of adenylate cyclase (AC) by cisN -(2-phenylcyclopentyl)azacylotridec-1-en-2-amine (MDL-12,330 A) results in potentiation of odor-induced InsP3 formation. Concerning the molecular mechanism involved in cross-interaction, the experimental data indicate that the observed antagonism of elevated cAMP is based on inhibition of PLC activation rather than on stimulation of InsP3 degradation. As blockage of the endogenous protein kinase A (PKA) prevented the inhibitory effect of cAMP, the suppression of odor-induced InsP3 signaling by cAMP may be mediated by a PKA-controlled reaction. [source] Substrate specificity of a maize ribosome-inactivating protein differs across diverse taxaFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 7 2000Julie E. Krawetz The superfamily of ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) consists of toxins that catalytically inactivate ribosomes at a universally conserved region of the large ribosomal RNA. RIPs carry out a single N-glycosidation event that alters the binding site of the translational elongational factor eEF1A and causes a cessation of protein synthesis that leads to subsequent cell death. Maize RIP1 is a kernel-specific RIP with the unusual property of being produced as a zymogen, proRIP1. ProRIP1 accumulates during seed development and becomes active during germination when cellular proteases remove acidic residues from a central domain and both termini. These deletions also result in RIP activation in vitro. However, the effectiveness of RIP1 activity against target ribosomes remains species-dependent. To determine the potential efficiency of maize RIP1 as a plant defense protein, we used quantitative RNA gel blots to detect products of RIP activity against intact ribosomal substrates from various species. We determined the enzyme specificity of recombinant maize proRIP1 (rproRIP1), papain-activated rproRIP1 and MOD1 (an active deletion mutant of rproRIP1) against ribosomal substrates with differing levels of RIP sensitivity. The rproRIP1 had no detectable enzymatic activity against ribosomes from any of the species assayed. The papain-activated rproRIP1 was more active than MOD1 against ribosomes from either rabbit or the corn pathogen, Aspergillus flavus, but the difference was much more marked when rabbit ribosomes were used as a substrate. The papain-activated rproRIP1 was much more active against rabbit ribosomes than homologous Zea mays ribosomes and had no detectable effect on Escherichia coli ribosomes. [source] Molecular basis of bacterial resistance to chloramphenicol and florfenicolFEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS, Issue 5 2004Stefan Schwarz Abstract Chloramphenicol (Cm) and its fluorinated derivative florfenicol (Ff) represent highly potent inhibitors of bacterial protein biosynthesis. As a consequence of the use of Cm in human and veterinary medicine, bacterial pathogens of various species and genera have developed and/or acquired Cm resistance. Ff is solely used in veterinary medicine and has been introduced into clinical use in the mid-1990s. Of the Cm resistance genes known to date, only a small number also mediates resistance to Ff. In this review, we present an overview of the different mechanisms responsible for resistance to Cm and Ff with particular focus on the two different types of chloramphenicol acetyltransferases (CATs), specific exporters and multidrug transporters. Phylogenetic trees of the different CAT proteins and exporter proteins were constructed on the basis of a multisequence alignment. Moreover, information is provided on the mobile genetic elements carrying Cm or Cm/Ff resistance genes to provide a basis for the understanding of the distribution and the spread of Cm resistance , even in the absence of a selective pressure imposed by the use of Cm or Ff. [source] The GTP binding protein Obg homolog ObgE is involved in ribosome maturationGENES TO CELLS, Issue 5 2005Aya Sato Obg proteins belong to a subfamily of GTP binding proteins, which are highly conserved from bacteria to human. Mutations of obgE genes cause pleiotropic defects in various species but the function remained unclear. Here we examine the function of ObgE, the Obg homolog in Escherichia coli. The growth rate correlates with the amount of ObgE in cells. Co-fractionation experiments further suggest that ObgE binds to 30S and 50S ribosomal subunits, but not to 70S ribosome. Pull-down assays suggest that ObgE associates with several specific ribosomal proteins of 30S and 50S subunits, as well as RNA helicase CsdA. Purified ObgE cosediments with 16S and 23S ribosomal RNAs in vitro in the presence of GTP. Finally, mutation of ObgE affects pre-16Sr-RNA processing, ribosomal protein levels, and ribosomal protein modification, thereby significantly reducing 70S ribosome levels. This evidence implicates that ObgE functions in ribosomal biogenesis, presumably through the binding to rRNAs and/or rRNA-ribosomal protein complexes, perhaps as an rRNA/ribosomal protein folding chaperone or scaffold protein. [source] Molecular characterization of a peroxiredoxin from the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornisINSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2001N. Tsuji Abstract Antioxidant enzymes in eukaryotes play an important role in protection against the oxygen radicals generated during aerobic metabolism. Here we report the cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding the antioxidant enzyme peroxiredoxin from the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis (HlPrx). HlPrx is 939 bp long and contains a 101 bp non-translated sequence at the 5, end and a polyadenylation singnal followed by a poly(A) tail at the 3, end. HlPrx encodes a full-length protein with a predicted molecular mass of 26 kDa that possesses one cysteine residue at amino acid 49 that is conserved among Prx proteins of various species. GenBankÔ analysis showed that the deduced amino acid sequence had significant similarity to mammalian and plant Prxs at the amino acid level. A DNA-nicking assay revealed that Escherichia coli,expressed recombinant HlPrx (rHlPrx) inhibited oxidative-nicking of supercoiled plasmid DNA. Two-dimensional immunoblot analysis with mouse antirHlPrx serum showed reaction with a major constituent protein spot in extracts of adult ticks. In addition, immunoblot analysis showed that rHlPrx was immunoreacted with serum from rabbits repeatedly infested with H. longicornis. Localization analysis using mouse antirHlPrx serum revealed that native HlPrx was highly expressed in the salivary gland of the tick. Moreover, Northern blot analysis showed that the level of HlPrx transcripts was increased during blood sucking. The present results indicate that HlPrx may be an important detoxifying enzyme during the normal life span as well as during blood sucking in ticks. [source] Equilibrium and kinetic investigation of the interaction of model palladium(II) complex with biorelevant ligandsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL KINETICS, Issue 10 2010Mohamed M. Shoukry Pd(DME)Cl2 complex was synthesized and characterized, where DME is 2-{[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-methylamino}ethanol. Stoichiometry and stability constants of the complexes formed between various biologically relevant ligands (amino acids, peptides, DNA constituents, and dicarboxylic acids) and [Pd(DME)(H2O)2]2+ are investigated at 25°C and at constant 0.1 M ionic strength. The effect of dielectric constant of the medium on the stability constant of Pd(DME)-CBDCA complex, where CBDCA is cyclobutanedicarboxylate, is also reported. The concentration distribution diagrams of the various species formed are evaluated. The kinetics of base hydrolysis of amino acid esters coordinated to Pd(DME)2+ complex is investigated. The effect of the temperature on the kinetics of base hydrolysis of glycine methyl ester complex is studied. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 42: 608,618, 2010 [source] Theoretical studies on the mechanism and kinetics of the reaction of F atom with NCO radicalINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL KINETICS, Issue 2 2003Zheng-Yu Zhou The reaction of a F atom with an NCO radical was studied at 6-311+g* level, using DFT methods. All geometries, vibrational frequencies, and energies of different stationary points were calculated by HF, UMP2, and DFT methods, and the results agreed with the experimental values. The vibrational frequencies and vibrational modes of the reactant, intermediates, transition states, and products were calculated and the changes of these frequencies and modes were analyzed. Simultaneously, the vibrational modes of various species were assigned. The relationship and the change among these confirmed the mechanism of the reaction and the process of electron transfer. The major channel for the reaction was found to be the cis-channel. At the same time the rate constant was estimated. A new method of analyzing reaction mechanism is also presented. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 52,60, 2003 [source] Stochastic models for chemically reacting systems using polynomial stochastic hybrid systemsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ROBUST AND NONLINEAR CONTROL, Issue 15 2005João Pedro Hespanha Abstract A stochastic model for chemical reactions is presented, which represents the population of various species involved in a chemical reaction as the continuous state of a polynomial stochastic hybrid system (pSHS). pSHSs correspond to stochastic hybrid systems with polynomial continuous vector fields, reset maps, and transition intensities. We show that for pSHSs, the dynamics of the statistical moments of its continuous states, evolves according to infinite-dimensional linear ordinary differential equations (ODEs), which can be approximated by finite-dimensional nonlinear ODEs with arbitrary precision. Based on this result, a procedure to build this types of approximation is provided. This procedure is used to construct approximate stochastic models for a variety of chemical reactions that have appeared in literature. These reactions include a simple bimolecular reaction, for which one can solve the Master equation; a decaying,dimerizing reaction set which exhibits two distinct time scales; a reaction for which the chemical rate equations have a continuum of equilibrium points; and the bistable Schögl reaction. The accuracy of the approximate models is investigated by comparing with Monte Carlo simulations or the solution to the Master equation, when available. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide immunoreactivity in the human cerebellum: qualitative and quantitative analysesJOURNAL OF ANATOMY, Issue 3 2009Vincenzo Benagiano Abstract Although autoradiographic, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical studies have demonstrated receptors for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the cerebellum of various species, immunohistochemistry has never shown immunoreactivity for VIP within cerebellar neuronal bodies and processes. The present study aimed to ascertain whether VIP immunoreactivity really does exist in the human cerebellum by making a systematic analysis of samples removed post-mortem from all of the cerebellar lobes. The study was carried out using light microscopy immunohistochemical techniques based on a set of four different antibodies (three polyclonal and one monoclonal) against VIP, carefully selected on the basis of control tests performed on human colon. All of the antibodies used showed VIP-immunoreactive neuronal bodies and processes distributed in the cerebellar cortex and subjacent white matter of all of the cerebellum lobes, having similar qualitative patterns of distribution. Immunoreactive neurons included subpopulations of the main neuron types of the cortex. Statistical analysis of the quantitative data on the VIP immunoreactivity revealed by the different antibodies in the different cerebellar lobes did not demonstrate any significant differences. In conclusion, using four different anti-VIP antibodies, the first evidence of VIP immunoreactivity is herein supplied in the human post-mortem cerebellum, with similar qualitative/quantitative patterns of distribution among the different cerebellum lobes. Owing to the function performed by VIP as a neurotransmitter/neuromodulator, it is a candidate for a role in intrinsic and extrinsic (projective) circuits of the cerebellum, in agreement with previous demonstrations of receptors for VIP in the cerebellar cortex and nuclei. As VIP signalling pathways are implicated in the regulation of cognitive and psychic functions, cerebral blood flow and metabolism, processes of histomorphogenesis, differentiation and outgrowth of nervous tissues, the results of this study could be applied to clinical neurology and psychiatry, opening new perspectives for the interpretation of neurodevelopment disorders and development of new therapeutic strategies in cerebellar diseases. [source] Peptidase activity in various species of dairy thermophilic lactobacilliJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2004M. Gatti Abstract Aims:, The aim of the present work was to evaluate the enzymatic potential manifested by aminopeptidase activity of different thermophilic Lactobacillus biotypes and to measure the influence of cell growth phase on enzyme expression. Methods and Results:, The activities were evaluated by the hydrolysis of , -naphthylamide substrates for both whole and mechanically disrupted cells of L. helveticus, L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis strains, collected from both the exponential and the stationary growth phase. In general, activities were higher for cells in the exponential rather than in the stationary phase and the disrupted cells showed higher activities than the whole cells. The highest activity expressed by all strains corresponded to X-prolyl-dipeptidyl aminopeptidase while a moderate activity was observed towards Arg- ,Na, Lys- ,Na and Leu- ,Na. The lowest activity was observed for Pro- ,Na. Conclusions:, It may be inferred that the cell structure and the cell physiology are crucial to define the level of efficiency of expression for aminopeptidase activity. The two species may be characterized by a different enzymatic system that hydrolyses N-terminal leucine. Significance and Impact of the Study:, The differences of peptidase activities in L. helveticus and L. delbrueckii species acquires an importance to comprehend their role in the biochemical events occurring in cheese ripening. [source] The relationship between leadership and gregariousness in mixed-species bird flocksJOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Eben Goodale Among the various species that form mixed-species bird flocks, "nuclear species" are thought to be important in flock formation and maintaining flock cohesion. Such nuclear species have been noted to occur in large groups on their own and to lead flocks, but the relationship between leadership and intraspecific group size has not been quantitatively tested at a large scale. Using a dataset of descriptive studies of terrestrial flock systems collected over 75,y, we found that intraspecific group size was significantly larger in flock leaders than in species that attend the same flocks but do not lead. The relationship held in a reduced dataset with phylogenetically-independent flock systems. We discuss a framework for explaining the connection between leadership and intraspecific group size, contrasting between those hypotheses that emphasize that gregariousness serves to attract the attention of other species, and those hypotheses that suggest that gregariousness leads to kin-selected behavior from which other species can also benefit. [source] An investigation into the composition, complexity and functioning of snake communities in the mangroves of south-eastern NigeriaAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2002Luca Luiselli Abstract The structure of the snake community was studied between 1996 and 2000 on a transect in the mangrove ecological zone of southern Nigeria, West Africa. In three major habitats, both taxonomical diversity and frequency of observations in relation to sampling effort were investigated. In general terms, the complexity of the snake community appeared less than in other habitats of the same geographic region (i.e. swamp forest and forest,plantation mosaics). In fact, only eighteen species were recorded, whereas 43 species are known to inhabit neighbouring habitats. A Principal Component Analysis allowed arrangement of the various species into two main groups in relation to the habitats of capture: (1) a group of species of rainforest biota (i.e. Toxicodryas blandingii, Thelotornis kirtlandii, Thrasops flavigularis, Rhamnophis aethiopissa, Gastropyxis smaragdina, Grayia smythii, Pseudohaje goldii, Python sebae), and (2) a group of species that, at least in Niger Delta, are typically linked to altered habitats, including derived savannas, plantations and suburbia (i.e. Psammophis cf. phillipsi, Philothamnus cf. nitidus, Hapsidophrys lineatus, Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia, Boaedon lineatus, Naja nigricollis, Python regius). The community structure in terms of food habits and body sizes appeared similar to those of other snake assemblages from different habitats of southern Nigeria. The conservation implications of our results are also discussed. Résumé On a étudié entre 1996 et 2000 la structure de la communauté des serpents dans un transect de la zone écologique de mangroves du sud du Nigeria, en Afrique de l'Ouest. On a étudié, dans trois habitats importants, la diversité taxonomique et la fréquence des observations par rapport à l'importance des échantillonnages. En termes généraux, la communauté des serpents y semblait moins complexe que dans d'autres habitats de la même région géographique (c.-à-d. la forêt marécageuse et une mosaïque de plantations forestières). En fait, on n'a rapporté que 18 espèces, alors qu'on sait que 43 espèces vivent dans les habitats voisins. Une Analyse du Composant Principal a permis de ranger les différentes espèces en deux groupes principaux, liés aux habitats où se sont faites les captures : (1) un groupe avec les espèces des biotes de forêt pluviale (Toxicodryas blandingii, Thelotornis kirtlandii, Thrasops flavigularis, Rhamnophis aethiopissa, Gastropyxis smaragdina, Grayia smythii, Pseudohaje goldii, Python sebae) et (2) un groupe d'espèces qui, au moins dans le delta du Niger, sont typiquement liées à des habitats dégradés, y compris des savanes dérivées, des plantations et des faubourgs urbains (Psammophis phillipsi, Philothamnus cf. nitidus, Hapsidophrys lineatus, Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia, Boaedon lineatus, Naja nigricollis, Python regius). La structure de la communauté, en ce qui concerne les habitudes alimentaires et la taille corporelle, était semblable à celle des autres groupes de serpents dans différents habitats du sud du Nigeria. On discute de l'implication de nos résultats pour la conservation. [source] Subcutaneous dirofilariasis caused by Dirofilaria repens in Greece: a case reportJOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY, Issue 8 2009Konstantina Tzanetou Dirofilaria repens (formerly Dirofilaria conjunctiva) is a natural parasite of the subcutaneous tissues of dogs, cats and wild carnivores in Europe, Africa and Asia. Microfilariae are transmitted to humans by various species of mosquito. An autochthonous case of subcutaneous dirofilariasis is reported in a Greek patient from the island of Corfu. The clinical manifestation of the infection was a palpable, painless, subcutaneous nodule in the region of the groin, which 2 days before the patient consulted the doctor developed symptoms and signs of inflammation (pain, edema and redness). The entire lesion was surgically removed, and the nematode worm D. repens was identified on histological sections of biopsy material. The aim of this report was (a) to describe the microscopic morphological features of D. repens that enable identification of the parasite on histological examination and (b) to emphasize the importance of consideration of subcutaneous dirofilariasis in the differential diagnosis of subcutaneous nodules with inflammatory eosinophilic infiltration in countries where the infection is endemic. [source] Calorie restriction reduces rDNA recombination independently of rDNA silencingAGING CELL, Issue 6 2009Michèle Riesen Summary Calorie restriction (CR) extends lifespan in yeast, worms, flies and mammals, suggesting that it acts via a conserved mechanism. In yeast, activation of the NAD-dependent histone deacetylase, Sir2, by CR is thought to increase silencing at the ribosomal DNA, thereby reducing the recombination-induced generation of extrachromosomal rDNA circles, hence increasing replicative lifespan. Although accumulation of extrachromosomal rDNA circles is specific to yeast aging, it is thought that Sirtuin activation represents a conserved longevity mechanism through which the beneficial effects of CR are mediated in various species. We show here that growing yeast on 0.05 or 0.5% glucose (severe and moderate CR, respectively) does not increase silencing at either sub-telomeric or rDNA loci compared with standard (2% glucose) media. Furthermore, rDNA silencing was unaffected in the hxk2,, sch9, and tor1, genetic mimics of CR, but inhibited by FOB1 deletion. All these interventions extend lifespan in multiple yeast backgrounds, revealing a poor correlation between rDNA silencing and longevity. In contrast, CR and deletion of the FOB1, HXK2, SCH9 and TOR1 genes, all significantly reduced rDNA recombination. This silencing-independent mechanism for suppressing rDNA recombination may therefore contribute to CR-mediated lifespan extension. [source] Mitochondrial DNA mutations as a fundamental mechanism in physiological declines associated with agingAGING CELL, Issue 1 2003Jeong W. Pak Summary The hypothesis that mitochondrial DNA damage accumulates and contributes to aging was proposed decades ago. Only recently have technological advancements, which facilitate microanalysis of single cells or portions of cells, revealed that mtDNA deletion mutations and, perhaps, single nucleotide mutations accumulate to physiologically relevant levels in the tissues of various species with age. Although a link between single nucleotide mutations and physiological consequences in aging tissue has not been established, the accumulation of deletion mutations in skeletal muscle fibres has been associated with sarcopenia. Different, and apparently random, deletion mutations are specific to individual fibres. However, the mtDNA deletion mutation within a phenotypically abnormal region of a fibre is the same, suggesting a selection, amplification and clonal expansion of the initial deletion mutation. mtDNA deletion mutations within a muscle fibre are associated with specific electron transport system abnormalities, muscle fibre atrophy and fibre breakage. These data point to a causal relationship between mitochondrial DNA mutations and the age-related loss of muscle mass. [source] Comparative morphology and cytology of the male sperm-transmission organs in viviparous species of clinid fishes (Clinidae: Teleostei, Perciformes)JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY, Issue 12 2006Lev Fishelson Abstract This work comprises the first comparative study of the morphology and cytology of the sperm transmission organs in males of 14 species of viviparous clinid fishes (Clinidae, Blennioidei, Teleostei). The form and dimensions of these organs differ among the various species studied. The organs are composed of intra-abdominal ampullae, into which the sperm ducts and urinary bladder anchor, and an external protruding intromittent papilla used for insemination. The form of the ampullae differs among the various species, from pear-shaped to horseshoe-shaped. It increases in dimensions with increasing length of the male. In all the species this organ is covered by a connective-tissue tunic that encompasses both circular and longitudinal striated muscle bundles. The lumina of the ampullae harbor the epididymis, a strongly convoluted and plicated duct, which becomes filled with spermatozeugmata during reproduction. From here, the epididymis continues into the protruding intromittent papillae, where its folds gradually straighten at the apical part of the intromittent organ. The form and dimensions of this copulatory organ also differ in the various species. Papillae bearing taste buds are found on the apical parts of the intromittent organ, and it is probable that these, together with the difference in forms of the organ, help to prevent interspecific copulation. J. Morphol., 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Gene Expression Profiles of Intracellular and Membrane Progesterone Receptor Isoforms in the Mediobasal Hypothalamus During Pro-OestrusJOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 12 2009B. Liu Progesterone action is mediated by its binding to specific receptors. Two progesterone receptor (PR) isoforms (PRA and PRB), three membrane progesterone receptor (mPR) subtypes (mPR,, mPR, and mPR,) and at least one progesterone membrane-binding protein [PR membrane component 1 (PRmc1)] have been identified in reproductive tissues and brain of various species. In the present study, we examined gene expression patterns for PR isoforms, mPR subtypes and PRmc1 in the rat mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) during pro-oestrus. The mRNA level for each receptor subtype was quantified by a real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at the time points: 13.00 h on dioestrous day 2; 09.00, 13.00, 17.00 and 22.00 h on pro-oestrus; and 13.00 h on oestrus. For PR, one primer set amplified PRA+PRB, whereas a second primer set amplified PRB. As expected, PRA+PRB mRNA expression was greater than PRB in MBH tissue. PRB mRNA levels increased throughout the day on pro-oestrus, with the highest levels being observed at 17.00 h. PRB mRNA levels in the MBH were increased by 2.4- and 3.0-fold at 13.00 and 17.00 h, respectively, on pro-oestrus compared to 13.00 h on dioestrous day 2. There were differential mRNA expression levels for mPRs and PRmc1 in the MBH, with the highest expression for PRmc1 and the lowest for mPR,. The mPR, mRNA contents at 13.00 and 17.00 h on pro-oestrus were increased by 1.5-fold compared to that at 13.00 h on dioestrous day 2. The mPR, mRNA levels at 13.00 and 17.00 h on pro-oestrus were 2.5- and 2.4-fold higher compared to that at 13.00 h on dioestrous day 2, respectively. PRA+PRB, mPR, and PRmc1 mRNA levels did not vary on pro-oestrus. These findings suggest that the higher expression of PRB, mPR, and mPR, in the MBH on pro-oestrous afternoon may influence both genomic and nongenomic mechanisms of progesterone action during the critical pre-ovulatory period. [source] Elevated KiSS-1 Expression in the Arcuate Nucleus Prior to the Cyclic Preovulatory Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone/Lutenising Hormone Surge in the Ewe Suggests a Stimulatory Role for Kisspeptin in Oestrogen-Positive FeedbackJOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 10 2006K. M. Estrada Kisspeptins are encoded by the gene KiSS-1 and regulate gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and gonadotrophin secretion in various species, including humans. Here, we quantify gene expression of KiSS-1 in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) across the ovine oestrous cycle and demonstrate an increase in the caudal division of the ARC during the preovulatory period. These data strongly suggest that kisspeptins are involved in the generation of the preovulatory GnRH and luteinising hormone surge. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||