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Repertoire
Kinds of Repertoire Terms modified by Repertoire Selected AbstractsBUBBLESTREAM WHISTLES ARE NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF A BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN'S VOCAL REPERTOIREMARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2005Deborah Fripp Abstract Whistling bottlenose dolphins sometimes identify themselves with a concurrent bubblestream, and some researchers use these bubblestream whistles as their sole whistle sample. However, bubblestream whistles are not known to be representative of the entire repertoire. Bubblestreams and whistles were recorded from three captive female dolphins and their newborn calves. Bubblestreams were rare (0.13/min), with calves producing ten times as many as adults. Overall, 79% of bubblestreams were associated with whistles, but only 1 % of whistles were associated with bubblestreams. Bubblestream whistles were not independent: 49% occurred within 1 sec of another bubblestream, and 72% of these had the same contour as other bubblestream whistles in the bout. Bubblestream use was context-dependent: adults were more likely to bubblestream when caring for a calf (P < 0.001), and calves were more likely to bubblestream when other calves were present (P < 0.001). Bubblestreams were not associated with all whistle types. Bubblestream whistles were not evenly distributed across the clusters of a hierarchical cluster analysis of contour parameters using 300 randomly selected non-bubblestream whistles and 92 independent bubblestream whistles (10 clusters, P= 0.003). In conclusion, bubblestreams are rare visual cues that dolphins produce in association with certain whistles in certain contexts and are not representative of the dolphin's repertoire. [source] ,Sympathetic Song': the Silent and the Overt Vocal Repertoire, Exemplified with a Dueting Pair of the African Slate-Coloured Boubou, Laniarius funebrisETHOLOGY, Issue 9 2000Uta Seibt In many bird species the total song repertoire consists of an overt repertoire normally uttered, and a silent repertoire produced only under special circumstances. A silent repertoire can be inferred from specific vocal responses of an individual to hearing parts of its own silent repertoire uttered by another bird (,sympathetic song'). The silent repertoire plays a prominent role in dueting birds, in particular those with sex-specific overt song repertoires, where the overt repertoire of one partner is the silent repertoire of the other. This is here exemplified with a pair of the slate-coloured boubou L. funebris. Silent repertoires should be taken into consideration when relating the complexity of birds' vocal behaviour to the size or structure of their forebrain vocal control areas. [source] Finding Meaning in First Episode Psychosis: Experience, Agency, and the Cultural RepertoireMEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY QUARTERLY, Issue 4 2004JOHN AGGERGAARD LARSEN The article examines individuals' attempts to generate meaning following their experiences with psychosis. The inquiry is based on a person-centered ethnographic study of a Danish mental health community program for early intervention in schizophrenia and involves longitudinal interviews with 15 of its participants. The article takes an existential anthropological perspective emphasizing agency and cultural phenomenology to investigate how individuals draw on resources from the cultural repertoire to make sense of personally disturbing experiences during their psychosis. It is suggested that the concept of "system of explanation" has advantages over, for example, "illness narrative" and "explanatory model" when demonstrating how some individuals engage in the creative analytic and theory-building work of bricolage, selecting, adding, and combining various systems of explanation. Delusions are equally derived from the cultural repertoire but are constructed as dogmatic explanations that are idiosyncratic to the individual who holds them. [source] Employment Status, Depressive Symptoms, and the Mediating/Moderating Effects of Single Mothers' Coping RepertoirePUBLIC HEALTH NURSING, Issue 6 2007Joan Samuels-Dennis ABSTRACT Objective: Single mothers, especially those on social assistance, report significantly more depressive symptoms than the general public. This article examines the relationships among employment status, stressful life events, and depressive symptoms among single mothers, with a special focus on the potential mediating and moderating roles of coping repertoire. Design: Cross-sectional survey design. Sample: Ninety-six single mothers (48 employed and 48 single mothers on social assistance) who were the primary caregiver for at least 1 child 4,18 years old. Measurements: Mailed questionnaires that included an adapted version of the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, the Coping Strategy Inventory, and the Beck Depression Inventory, 2nd ed. were completed by study participants. Results: Coping repertoire did not mediate the relationship between either employment status or stress exposure and depressive symptoms. Coping had an antagonistic and differential moderating effect on the association between employment status and depressive symptoms for employed single mothers and mothers receiving social assistance. Conclusion: Effective strategies aimed at promoting single mothers' mental health need to address both the severity of depressive symptoms found among single mothers, and the social-system factors that threaten single mothers' psychological well-being. The implications for practice and policy are discussed. [source] Multistep Phase-Switch Synthesis by Using Liquid,Liquid Partitioning of Boronic Acids: Productive Tags with an Expanded Repertoire of Compatible Reactions,ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE, Issue 16 2010Sam Mothana Eine Phasentransfersynthese mit der Boronsäuregruppe als Phasenmarker wurde entwickelt. Der Marker koordiniert an Sorbit und erleichtert bei hohem pH-Wert den Stofftransfer von einem organischen Lösungsmittel in die Wasserphase. Die Methode ermöglicht die gezielte Produktsynthese und macht die Aufreinigung durch Kieselgelchromatographie überflüssig. [source] Proteinbiochips in der Biomedizin und BiotechnologieANGEWANDTE CHEMIE, Issue 42 2009Dirk Weinrich Dipl.-Chem. Abstract Dank Fortschritten bei Immobilisierungsstrategien für Proteine sind Proteinbiochips in den letzten Jahren immer besser verfügbar geworden. Durch die Integration dieser Assay- und Analyseplattformen in die biomedizinische und biotechnologische Forschung konnte das Repertoire an Methoden für die Proteomik, die Biomarkerforschung und die Wirkstoffentwicklung deutlich vergrößert werden. In diesem Kurzaufsatz werden ausgewählte Entwicklungen bei der Anwendung von Proteinbiochips auf diesen Forschungsgebieten beleuchtet. [source] Anticarbohydrate Antibody Repertoires in Patients Transplanted with Fetal Pig Islets Revealed by Glycan ArraysAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 1 2009O. Blixt Ten patients with type I diabetes were transplanted with porcine fetal islet-like cell clusters (ICC) between 1990 and 1993. A significant rise in the anti-,-Gal antibody titers was seen posttransplant, but also non-,-Gal-specific antibodies were detected in some patients. We have reanalyzed the carbohydrate specificity of antibodies in the sera from seven of these patients taken before transplantation, 1, 6 and 12 months posttransplantation using a glycan array with 200 structurally defined glycans. The main findings were: (i) prepig ICC transplantation patients had antibodies reactive with terminal ,-GalNAc (e.g. the Forssman antigen, but not the blood group A determinant in blood group A patients), ,-Gal (except blood group B determinants in B individuals), ,3-linked Gal especially Gal,1,3GlcNAc even if terminally sulfated or sialylated, ,-GlcNAc except if ,1,3-linked and oligomannosyl compounds; (ii) the titers of all carbohydrate-specific antibodies detected before transplantation rose after transplantation; (iii) the kinetics of the antibody responses differed between patients; (iv) in some patients antibodies reacting with Gal,1,3Lex and several structures terminated with Neu5Gc appeared after transplantation. In conclusion, anti-,-Gal antibodies are the predominant anticarbohydrate antibodies detected after porcine ICC transplantation, with some patients also developing Neu5Gc-specific antibodies. Their clinical significance needs to be established. [source] Evaluation of T-Cell Receptor Repertoires in Patients with Long-Term Renal Allograft SurvivalAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 4 2005Cristiam M. Alvarez The mechanisms underlying long-term acceptance of kidney allografts in humans under minimal or no maintenance immunosuppression are poorly understood. We analyzed the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoires in circulating T cells of patients with long-term (,9 years) renal allograft survival with (LTS-IS) and without immunosuppression (LTS-NoIS). T cells of LTS patients exhibited strongly altered TCR Vß usage, including an increased frequency of oligoclonality and a decreased frequency of polyclonality. All 3 LTS-NoIS and 12 of 16 LTS-IS patients demonstrated oligoclonality in at least three or more TCR Vß families, and the frequency of oligoclonality in these patients was significantly higher as compared to patients with well-functioning grafts at 3 years (p < 0.005 both), an uncomplicated course during the first year (p < 0.0001, both), acute rejection (p < 0.0001, both), chronic allograft nephropathy at 7 (p < 0.0001, both) or 13 years (p < 0.0001, both), dialysis patients (p < 0.0001, both) or healthy controls (p < 0.0001, both). In contrast to LTS patients, all other studied patient groups exhibited a polyclonal TCR repertoire. Our data indicate that TCR alteration is a common feature of long-term allograft outcome, which might be explained by clonal deletion, exhaustion of alloreactive T cells or predominant expression of particular T-cell subpopulations, such as regulatory T cells. [source] Automatic Conversion of Mesh Animations into Skeleton-based AnimationsCOMPUTER GRAPHICS FORUM, Issue 2 2008Edilson De Aguiar Abstract Recently, it has become increasingly popular to represent animations not by means of a classical skeleton-based model, but in the form of deforming mesh sequences. The reason for this new trend is that novel mesh deformation methods as well as new surface based scene capture techniques offer a great level of flexibility during animation creation. Unfortunately, the resulting scene representation is less compact than skeletal ones and there is not yet a rich toolbox available which enables easy post-processing and modification of mesh animations. To bridge this gap between the mesh-based and the skeletal paradigm, we propose a new method that automatically extracts a plausible kinematic skeleton, skeletal motion parameters, as well as surface skinning weights from arbitrary mesh animations. By this means, deforming mesh sequences can be fully-automatically transformed into fullyrigged virtual subjects. The original input can then be quickly rendered based on the new compact bone and skin representation, and it can be easily modified using the full repertoire of already existing animation tools. [source] Improved synthesis of DOTA tetraamide ligands for lanthanide(III) ions: A tool for increasing the repertoire of potential PARACEST contrast agents for MRI and/or fluorescent sensorsCONTRAST MEDIA & MOLECULAR IMAGING, Issue 3 2010Luis M. De León-Rodríguez Abstract The synthesis of new DOTA tetraamide (DOTAMR4) compounds is of great interest given their application in the formation of Ln(III) complexes as potential PARACEST contrast agents in MRI or fluorescent molecular probes. In this context amino acid and peptide DOTAMR4 derivatives are particularly attractive since the amino-acid and/or peptide moiety can show responsive properties dependent on a given stimuli which might translate to changes in water exchange rates of the corresponding Ln(III) complex. Current synthesis of DOTAMR4 derivatives is typically carried out by reacting haloacetamide intermediates with cyclen. However, this method fails to generate the tetra-substituted products when bulky substituents are present in the haloacetamide and in some cases this intermediate cannot be prepared by conventional acylation procedures limiting the number of DOTAMR4 compounds available for study. As a solution to these limitations, an improved methodology for the synthesis of DOTAMR4 by coupling DOTA to an appropriate amine containing reagent (i.e. protected amino-acids with the , -amino group free) is presented in this work. Several DOTAMR4 derivatives which are difficult or impossible to prepare with the traditional methodologies were easily obtained starting with DOTA. A new protocol was derived using this methodology for the solution-phase synthesis of DOTA peptide derivatives. With this methodology, many other DOTAMR4 peptide and non-peptide derivatives have been prepared in our laboratories with several of these new compounds showing interesting properties for molecular imaging. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Myosin diversity in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum,CYTOSKELETON, Issue 3 2010Matthew B. Heintzelman Abstract This report describes the domain architecture of ten myosins cloned from the pennate diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Several of the P. tricornutum myosins show similarity to myosins from the centric diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana as well as to one myosin from the oomycete Phytophthora ramorum. The P. tricornutum myosins, ranging in size from 126 kDa to over 250 kDa, all possess the canonical head, neck and tail domains common to most myosins, though variations in each of these domains is evident. Among the features distinguishing several of the diatom myosin head domains are N-terminal SH3-like domains, variations in or near the P-loop and Loop 1 regions close to the nucleotide binding pocket, and extended converter domains. Variations in the length of the neck domain or lever arm, defined by the light chain-binding IQ motifs, are apparent with the different diatom myosins predicted to contain from one to nine IQ motifs. Protein domains found within the P. tricornutum myosin tails include regions of coiled-coil structure, ankyrin repeats, CBS domain pairs, a PB1 domain, a kinase domain and a FYVE-finger motif. As many of these features have never before been characterized in myosins of any type, it is likely that these new diatom myosins will expand the repertoire of known myosin behaviors. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Muscle fiber differentiation in fish embryos as shown by in situ hybridization of a large repertoire of muscle-specific transcriptsDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 2 2005F. Chauvigné Abstract Skeletal muscles are composed of different fiber types, largely defined by differential expression of protein isoforms involved in myofibrillogenesis or metabolism. To learn more about the gene activations that underlie the differentiation and the diversification of embryonic fish myotomal fibers, we investigated the developmental expression of 25 muscle genes in trout embryos by in situ hybridization of muscle-specific transcripts. The earliest event of muscle differentiation, at approximately the 25-somite stage, was the expression of a variety of muscle-specific genes, including slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle isoforms. The activation of these muscle genes started in the deep somitic domain, where the slow muscle precursors (the adaxial cells) were initially located, and progressively spread laterally throughout the width of the myotome. This mediolateral progression of gene expression was coordinated with the lateral migration of slow adaxial cells, which specifically expressed the slow myosin light chain 1 and the SLIM1/FHL1 genes. Subsequently, the fast and slow skeletal muscle isoforms precociously expressed in the course of the mediolateral wave of muscle gene activation became down-regulated in the superficial slow fibers and the deep fast fibers, respectively. Finally, several muscle-specific genes, including troponins, a slow myosin-binding protein C, tropomodulins, and parvalbumin started their transcription only in late embryos. Taken together, these findings show in fish embryos that a common myogenic program is triggered in a mediolateral progression in all muscle cells. The acquisition of the slow phenotype involves the additional activation of several slow-specific genes in migrating adaxial muscle cells. These events are followed by sequential gene activations and repressions in fast and slow muscle cells. Developmental Dynamics 233:659,666, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Early motor repertoire is related to level of self-mobility in children with cerebral palsy at school ageDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 11 2009JANNEKE LM BRUGGINK MD Aim, To determine the predictive value of the early motor repertoire for the level of self-mobility in children with cerebral palsy (CP) at school age. Method, Video recordings were made at 11 to 17 weeks post-term of 37 preterm infants (20 males, 17 females) who later developed CP. The early motor repertoire was assessed by obtaining a motor optimality score. At 6 to 12 years, children were classified according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Results, Of 37 children (mean gestational age 29.1wks, SD 1.9; mean birthweight 1273g, SD 324), nine had unilateral and 28 had bilateral spastic CP. Twelve children were in GMFCS level I, three level II, 10 level III, four level IV, and eight level V. The absence of the age-adequate motor repertoire, a cramped motor repertoire, an abnormal kicking pattern, and a non-flat supine posture were associated with lower levels of self-mobility (,2 for trend test, p<0.05). Predictive for a low level of self-mobility was a cramped motor repertoire/non-flat supine posture (positive predictive values [PPV] 100%, negative predictive values [NPV] 54%). Predictive for a high level of self-mobility was a non-cramped repertoire/flat supine posture (PPV 80%, NPV 74%). Interpretation, Several aspects of the motor repertoire at 11 to 17 weeks post-term predicted the degree of functional limitations in children with CP at school age. [source] Epigenetic control of translation regulation: Alterations in histone H3 lysine 9 post-translation modifications are correlated with the expression of the translation initiation factor 2B (Eif2b5) during thermal control establishmentDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Tatiana Kisliouk Abstract Thermal control set point is regulated by thermosensitive neurons of the preoptic anterior hypothalamus (PO/AH) and completes its development during postnatal critical sensory period. External stimuli, like increase in environmental temperature, influence the neuronal protein repertoire and, ultimately, cell properties via activation or silencing of gene transcription, both of which are regulated by the "histone code."" Here, we demonstrated an increase in global histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) acetylation as well as H3K9 dimethylation in chick PO/AH during heat conditioning at the critical period of sensory development. In contrast to the global profile of H3K9 modifications, acetylation and dimethylation patterns of H3K9 at the promoter of the catalytic subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2B (Eif2b5) were opposite to each other. During heat conditioning, there was an increase in H3K9 acetylation at the Eif2b5 promoter, simultaneously with decrease in H3K9 dimethylation. These alterations coincided with Eif2b5 mRNA induction. Moreover, exposure to excessive heat during the critical period resulted in long-term effect on both H3K9 tagging at the Eif2b5 promoter and Eif2b5 mRNA expression. These data suggest a role for dynamic H3K9 post-translational modifications in global translation regulation during the thermal control establishment. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2010 [source] Syllable repertoire and the size of the song control system in captive canaries (Serinus canaria)DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2004Stefan Leitner Abstract In songbirds, there is considerable interest in relationships between song structure and the size of the song control system in the forebrain. In male canaries, earlier studies have reported that repertoire size increased with age, and positive correlations were obtained between repertoire size and the volume of song control nuclei such as high vocal center (HVC). Here we investigate whether age has an effect upon both the song structure and the morphology of two song control nuclei [HVC and robustus archistriatalis (RA)] that are important in song production. We recorded songs from an aviary population of 1- and 2-year-old male domesticated canaries. We found that repertoire size, number of sexually attractive (sexy) syllables, and size of song nuclei did not differ between 1- and 2-year-old males. Neither did we find significant correlations between syllable repertoire size and the size of the song control nuclei. However, HVC size was positively correlated with the proportion of sexy syllables in the repertoires of 2-year-old males. Some older males may enhance vocal performance by modifying the control of syllables rather than by increasing repertoire size or neural space. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 60: 21,27, 2004 [source] New reproductive anomalies in fruitless -mutant Drosophila males: Extreme lengthening of mating durations and infertility correlated with defective serotonergic innervation of reproductive organsDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2001Gyunghee Lee Abstract Several features of male reproductive behavior are under the neural control of fruitless (fru) in Drosophila melanogaster. This gene is known to influence courtship steps prior to mating, due to the absence of attempted copulation in the behavioral repertoire of most types of fru -mutant males. However, certain combinations of fru mutations allow for fertility. By analyzing such matings and their consequences, we uncovered two striking defects: mating times up to four times the normal average duration of copulation; and frequent infertility, regardless of the time of mating by a given transheterozygous fru -mutant male. The lengthened copulation times may be connected with fru -induced defects in the formation of a male-specific abdominal muscle. Production of sperm and certain seminal fluid proteins are normal in these fru mutants. However, analysis of postmating qualities of females that copulated with transheterozygous mutants strongly implied defects in the ability of these males to transfer sperm and seminal fluids. Such abnormalities may be associated with certain serotonergic neurons in the abdominal ganglion in which production of 5HT is regulated by fru. These cells send processes to contractile muscles of the male's internal sex organs; such projection patterns are aberrant in the semifertile fru mutants. Therefore, the reproductive functions regulated by fruitless are expanded in their scope, encompassing not only the earliest stages of courtship behavior along with almost all subsequent steps in the behavioral sequence, but also more than one component of the culminating events. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 47: 121,149, 2001 [source] Effects of maternal style on infant behavior in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata)DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2002Massimo Bardi Abstract We assessed the association of maternal style and infant behavior of group-living Japanese macaques during the first year of infant development. We tested the hypothesis that different mothering styles were correlated with the behavioral repertoire of infants at three different developmental stages. We expected that infants of rejecting mothers would show a higher level of enterprise and that infants of protective mothers would be less interested in the external environment. We found evidence that maternal style affects infant behavior during the early developmental phase, but this influence becomes smaller as the infant grows older and approaches complete independence. Maternal protectiveness appears to have long-lasting effects on infant exploration as infants of protective mothers tended to be less attracted by the external environment. On the other hand, mater- nal rejection appears to have long-lasting effects on infant interaction with other group members as more rejected infants tended to initiate a significantly higher number of contacts with other juveniles and adults. These results suggest that both maternal rejection and maternal protectiveness play an important role in the independence of the offspring, in opposite directions. That is, rejection promotes independence whereas protectiveness delays it. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 41: 364,372, 2002. Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/dev.10065 [source] Continuous glucose monitoring in managing diabetes in childrenDIABETES/METABOLISM: RESEARCH AND REVIEWS, Issue 4 2002Phyllis W. Speiser Abstract Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices have now been added to the repertoire of technological devices useful in the management of patients with diabetes. In this issue, Schiaffini and colleagues confirm and extend published data describing the benefits of CGM in diabetic children. Specifically, such monitoring enables clinicians to detect occult hypoglycemia not otherwise discernable with intermittent testing of blood glucose. Although results of monitoring are not yet available in real time, the data can be used to adjust insulin regimens to allow more effective glycemic control. This is especially important in the pediatric population for whom strict glycemic control has traditionally been limited owing to concerns about the negative effects of hypoglycemia on the developing central nervous system. Additionally, postprandial hyperglycemia can be more readily detected and controlled. CGM provides new and important informaton not necessarily provided by measurement of HbA1c, and will likely prove an indispensable adjunct to diabetes care. Finally, this procedure has potential applications in the diagnosis and management of patients with other metabolic disorders. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Policy options for alcohol price regulation: the importance of modelling population heterogeneityADDICTION, Issue 3 2010Petra Sylvia Meier ABSTRACT Context and aims Internationally, the repertoire of alcohol pricing policies has expanded to include targeted taxation, inflation-linked taxation, taxation based on alcohol-by-volume (ABV), minimum pricing policies (general or targeted), bans of below-cost selling and restricting price-based promotions. Policy makers clearly need to consider how options compare in reducing harms at the population level, but are also required to demonstrate proportionality of their actions, which necessitates a detailed understanding of policy effects on different population subgroups. This paper presents selected findings from a policy appraisal for the UK government and discusses the importance of accounting for population heterogeneity in such analyses. Method We have built a causal, deterministic, epidemiological model which takes account of differential preferences by population subgroups defined by age, gender and level of drinking (moderate, hazardous, harmful). We consider purchasing preferences in terms of the types and volumes of alcoholic beverages, prices paid and the balance between bars, clubs and restaurants as opposed to supermarkets and off-licenses. Results Age, sex and level of drinking fundamentally affect beverage preferences, drinking location, prices paid, price sensitivity and tendency to substitute for other beverage types. Pricing policies vary in their impact on different product types, price points and venues, thus having distinctly different effects on subgroups. Because population subgroups also have substantially different risk profiles for harms, policies are differentially effective in reducing health, crime, work-place absence and unemployment harms. Conclusion Policy appraisals must account for population heterogeneity and complexity if resulting interventions are to be well considered, proportionate, effective and cost-effective. [source] "Reverse degradomics", monitoring of proteolytic trimming by multi-CE and confocal detection of fluorescent substrates and reaction productsELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 13 2009Helene Piccard Abstract A platform for profiling of multiple proteolytic activities acting on one specific substrate, based on the use of a 96-channel capillary DNA sequencer with CE-LIF of labeled substrate peptides and reaction products is introduced. The approach consists of synthesis of a substrate peptide of interest, fluorescent labeling of the substrate, either aminoterminally by chemical coupling, or carboxyterminally by transglutaminase reaction, proteolysis by a biological mixture of proteases in the absence or presence of protease inhibitors, multi-channel analysis of substrate and reaction products, and data collection and processing. Intact substrate and reaction products, even when varying by only one amino acid, can be relatively semi-quantified in a high-throughput manner, yielding information on proteases acting in complex biological mixtures and without prepurification. Monitoring, classification and inhibition of multiple proteolytic activities are demonstrated on a model substrate, the aminoterminus of the mouse granulocyte chemotactic protein-2. In view of extensive processing of chemokines into various natural forms with different specific biological activities, and of the fragmentary knowledge of processing proteases, examples of processing by neutrophil degranulate, tumor cell culture fluids and plasma are provided. An example of selection and comparison of inhibitory mAbs illustrates that the platform is suitable for inhibitor screening. Whereas classical degradomics technologies analyze the substrate repertoire of one specific protease, here the complementary concept, namely the study of all proteases acting, in a biological context, on one specific substrate, is developed and tuned to identify key proteases and protease inhibitors for the processing of any biological substrate of interest. [source] Assessing human germ-cell mutagenesis in the Postgenome Era: A celebration of the legacy of William Lawson (Bill) Russell,ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS, Issue 2 2007Andrew J. Wyrobek Abstract Birth defects, de novo genetic diseases, and chromosomal abnormality syndromes occur in ,5% of all live births, and affected children suffer from a broad range of lifelong health consequences. Despite the social and medical impact of these defects, and the 8 decades of research in animal systems that have identified numerous germ-cell mutagens, no human germ-cell mutagen has been confirmed to date. There is now a growing consensus that the inability to detect human germ-cell mutagens is due to technological limitations in the detection of random mutations rather than biological differences between animal and human susceptibility. A multidisciplinary workshop responding to this challenge convened at The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine. The purpose of the workshop was to assess the applicability of an emerging repertoire of genomic technologies to studies of human germ-cell mutagenesis. Workshop participants recommended large-scale human germ-cell mutation studies be conducted using samples from donors with high-dose exposures, such as cancer survivors. Within this high-risk cohort, parents and children could be evaluated for heritable changes in (a) DNA sequence and chromosomal structure, (b) repeat sequences and minisatellites, and (c) global gene expression profiles and pathways. Participants also advocated the establishment of a bio-bank of human tissue samples from donors with well-characterized exposure, including medical and reproductive histories. This mutational resource could support large-scale, multiple-endpoint studies. Additional studies could involve the examination of transgenerational effects associated with changes in imprinting and methylation patterns, nucleotide repeats, and mitochondrial DNA mutations. The further development of animal models and the integration of these with human studies are necessary to provide molecular insights into the mechanisms of germ-cell mutations and to identify prevention strategies. Furthermore, scientific specialty groups should be convened to review and prioritize the evidence for germ-cell mutagenicity from common environmental, occupational, medical, and lifestyle exposures. Workshop attendees agreed on the need for a full-scale assault to address key fundamental questions in human germ-cell environmental mutagenesis. These include, but are not limited to, the following: Do human germ-cell mutagens exist? What are the risks to future generations? Are some parents at higher risk than others for acquiring and transmitting germ-cell mutations? Obtaining answers to these, and other critical questions, will require strong support from relevant funding agencies, in addition to the engagement of scientists outside the fields of genomics and germ-cell mutagenesis. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2007. Published 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Development and application of polymerase chain reaction primers based on fhcD for environmental detection of methanopterin-linked C1 -metabolism in bacteriaENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 8 2005Marina G. Kalyuzhnaya Summary In this work we describe development and testing of a novel pair of environmental primers targeting fhcD, a conserved gene in the H4MTP-linked C1 -transfer pathway, and demonstrate that these primers enable confident detection of a broad variety of fhcD genes originating from phylogenetically diverse bacteria. The new primer pair was employed to analyse fhcD diversity in Lake Washington sediment, uncovering the presence of 40 fhcD phylotypes. Based on phylogenetic analyses, the phylotypes identified were affiliated with ,-, ,- and ,-proteobacteria, and Planctomycetes, while a number of sequences formed deep branches suggesting the presence of unknown groups of microorganisms. To assess the physiological potential and the possible substrate repertoire of the fhcD- containing species in Lake Washington, we conducted enrichments of natural populations on a variety of C1 substrates, and observed specific shifts in community structure in response to different C1 substrates. A specific shift in community structure was also observed in the presence of humic acids suggesting that C1 transfer metabolism linked to H4MPT may be part of the degradation pathway for this natural polymer, possibly involving formaldehyde production. Overall, our data suggest that C1 oxidation reactions linked to H4MPT are much more widespread in natural environments than previously thought. [source] Diversity of the Vocal Signals of Concave-Eared Torrent Frogs (Odorrana tormota): Evidence for Individual SignaturesETHOLOGY, Issue 11 2009Albert S. Feng Male concave-eared torrent frogs (Odorrana tormota) have an unusually large call repertoire and have been shown to communicate ultrasonically. We investigated the individual specificity of male advertisement calls in order to explore the acoustic bases of individual recognition, which was demonstrated in an accompanying study. Vocalizations of 15 marked males were recorded in the field. A quantitative analysis of the signals revealed eight basic call-types. Two of them (the single- and multi-note long-calls) were investigated in more detail. Long-calls were characterized by pronounced and varying frequency modulation patterns, and abundant occurrence of nonlinear phenomena (NLP), i.e., frequency jumps, subharmonics, biphonations and deterministic chaos. The occurrence of NLP was predictable from the contour of the fundamental frequency in the harmonic segment preceding the onset of the NLP, and this prediction showed individual-specific patterns. Fifteen acoustic variables of the long calls were measured, all of which were significantly different among individuals, except biphonic segment duration. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) showed that 54.6% of the calls could be correctly assigned to individual frogs. The correct classification was above chance level, suggesting that individual specificity of calls underlie the ability of males to behaviorally discriminate the vocal signals of their neighbors from those of strangers, a remarkable feat for a frog species with a diverse vocal repertoire. The DFA classification results were lower than those for other anurans, however. We hypothesize that there is a tradeoff between an increase in the fundamental frequency of vocalizations to avoid masking by low-frequency ambient background noise, and a decrease in individual-specific vocal tract information extractable from the signal. [source] Naked Mole-Rat is Sensitive to Social Hierarchy Encoded in Antiphonal VocalizationETHOLOGY, Issue 9 2009Shigeto Yosida The maintenance of social relationships is critical for group-dwelling species. Social animals often exhibit behaviors such as antiphonal vocalizations that reduce conflict and maintain affiliations. Naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber) have a complex hierarchical society comparable to that of bees and ants. They are also known for their extensive vocal repertoire, which may have evolved in the absence of visual cues. The most frequent vocalization used by naked mole-rats is the soft chirp (SC). It has an antiphonal nature and may function in rank identification and in maintaining affiliations. Relative body weight differences, which are directly related to social rank, are positively correlated with SC emission rates. SCs are elicited from either physical touch or the SC of another conspecific, and other cues might contribute to SC utterance. In the current study, we examined whether an SC alone was able to elicit SC responses. Specifically, we presented artificial SC-like sounds and determined whether the response rate was modulated by the acoustic properties of the stimulus. An analysis of response latency revealed that animals responded to the audio stimuli, and a single audio stimulus could elicit responses from two animals. Thus, antiphony in naked mole-rats may occur among three or more animals. We also found that animals were able to discriminate the acoustic properties of the stimulus and responded more frequently to audio stimuli resembling SCs from large animals than to those resembling SCs from small animals. Therefore, naked mole-rats may be able to judge social relationships (dominant or subordinate) based solely on SCs. The constraints of subterranean habitats and increased social complexity may have led to the evolution of this communication system. [source] Behavioral Syndromes in Stable Social Groups: An Artifact of External Constraints?ETHOLOGY, Issue 12 2008Ximena J. Nelson Individuals of many species differ consistently in their behavioral reactions toward different stimuli, such as predators, rivals, and potential mates. These typical reactions, described as ,behavioral syndromes' or ,personalities,' appear to be heritable and therefore subject to selection. We studied behavioral syndromes in 36 male fowl living in 12 social groups and found that individuals behaved consistently over time. Furthermore, responses to different contexts (anti-predator, foraging, and territorial) were inter-correlated, suggesting that males exhibited comparable behavioral traits in these functionally distinct situations. We subsequently isolated the same roosters and conducted tests in a ,virtual environment,' using high-resolution digital video sequences to simulate the anti-predator, foraging, and territorial contexts that they had experienced outdoors. Under these controlled conditions, repeatability persisted but individual responses to the three classes of stimuli failed to predict one another. These were instead context-specific. In particular, production of each type of vocal signal was independent, implying that calls in the repertoire are controlled by distinct mechanisms. Our results show that extrinsic factors, such as social position, can be responsible for the appearance of traits that could readily be mistaken for the product of endogenous characters. [source] Why are Male Columbian Ground Squirrels Territorial?ETHOLOGY, Issue 11 2008Theodore G. Manno Male territorial defence is a component of many vertebrate mating systems and is often regarded as a tactic for acquiring mates. Traditionally considered within the context of overt site-specific defence, territoriality actually may have several components which encompass a variety of behavioural tactics (e.g. post-copulatory mate-guarding, defence of resources that females need, defence of area around females) that underlie a mating system. The purpose of our study was to evaluate such influences on the territorial behaviour of male Columbian ground squirrels in southwestern Alberta, Canada. Males were dominant and territorial if they defended a minimum convex polygon activity range by chasing other males more within the activity range than they were chased. Subordinate males had no territory and were chased throughout their ranges, but they competed for mates by increasing chases in their activity range when nearby females were oestrous. Dominant males exhibited conditional breeding tactics, tending to chase other dominant males from their territory when nearby females were oestrous, but travelling outside their activity ranges to chase subordinate males when females were not oestrous. Although females mated first with a dominant male on whose territory they resided (and in order from oldest to youngest if several territories overlapped), mating pairs were not exclusive, as females usually mated with additional males. Males also guarded females after copulation and defended females directly just before oestrus, rather than defending territory per se during those times. Thus, males possess a repertoire of behaviours that complement site-specific territoriality, and territory ownership serves to facilitate a first mating with females that live on the territory. [source] Persistence of Alarm-Call Behaviour in the Absence of Predators: A Comparison Between Wild and Captive-Born Meerkats (Suricata Suricatta)ETHOLOGY, Issue 11 2007Linda I. Hollén Performing correct anti-predator behaviour is crucial for prey to survive. But, are such abilities lost in species or populations living in predator-free environments? How individuals respond to the loss of predators has been shown to depend on factors such as the degree to which anti-predator behaviour relies on experience, the type of cues evoking the behaviour, the cost of expressing the behaviour and the number of generations under which relaxed selection has taken place. Here we investigated whether captive-born populations of meerkats (Suricata suricatta) used the same repertoire of alarm calls previously documented in wild populations and whether captive animals, as wild ones, could recognize potential predators through olfactory cues. We found that all alarm calls that have been documented in the wild also occurred in captivity and were given in broadly similar contexts. Furthermore, without prior experience of odours from predators, captive meerkats seemed to distinguish between faeces of potential predators (carnivores) and non-predators (herbivores). Despite slight structural differences, the alarm calls given in response to the faeces largely resembled those recorded in similar contexts in the wild. These results from captive populations suggest that direct, physical interaction with predators is not necessary for meerkats to perform correct anti-predator behaviour in terms of alarm-call usage and olfactory predator recognition. Such behaviour may have been retained in captivity because relatively little experience seems necessary for correct performance in the wild and/or because of the recency of relaxed selection on these populations. [source] The Mechanics of Duetting in a New Zealand Endemic, the Kokako (Callaeas cinerea wilsoni): Song at a Snail's PaceETHOLOGY, Issue 5 2006Laura E. Molles New Zealand's endemic, duetting kokako (Callaeas cinerea wilsoni) produce one of the longest known bird songs (ca 30 s) and duets that differ strikingly from those of most duetters in their unusual length and non-repetitive structure, long pauses between component phrases, and the great flexibility in sex roles. Here we present a structural analysis of the vocalizations of 17 kokako pairs collected during natural song bouts and in response to conspecific playback, to gain insight into the functional role of this extraordinary vocal behavior. Males tend to sing a greater proportion of the duet than females. Like many duetting species, kokako have a moderately sized repertoire of phrases (mean repertoire size =18) and pair members tend to sing antiphonally rather than in unison. Sharing of phrase types is high among neighboring kokako ( = 86%) and repertoires are not sex specific, as is typical of some but not all duetting species. Timing characteristics, broad sharing of phrase types, and countersinging behavior strongly suggest that kokako duets play an important role in territory defense. Additionally, differences in pairs' sex role and phrase sequence flexibility suggest that these aspects of duet performance may reflect pair-bond length or commitment, and require a time investment by pair members. [source] Effects of Male Vocal Learning on Female Behavior in the Budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatusETHOLOGY, Issue 10 2005Arla G. Hile Parrots are unusual among birds and animals in general in the extent of their ability to learn new vocalizations throughout life and irrespective of season. The budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), a small parrot that is well suited for laboratory studies, has been the subject of numerous studies investigating the neurobiology of vocal learning. To date, few studies have focused on the function of vocal imitation by parrots. Previous work from our research group has shown that vocal imitation in budgerigars is sex-biased, as males paired with females learn vocalizations from their new mates, but not vice versa. This bias led us to hypothesize that vocal learning has a reproductive function. To test this hypothesis, we conducted two experiments. In the first experiment, we tutored males so that they could produce a call similar to one shared by a group of experimental females. The experimental females were then presented with one of the tutored males and another, equally unfamiliar, male that had not been tutored. We found that the females spent a greater proportion of time in proximity of, and made more affiliative displays toward, the tutored males. In the second experiment, seven males received small bilateral brain lesions that disrupt vocal learning. These males and an equal number of control males were then released into an aviary containing females and reproductive resources. We found that lesioned and control males were equally successful in obtaining social mates, but females mated to lesioned males were more likely to engage in extra-pair activities. These experiments indicate that a male's ability to imitate a female's call can influence the sexual behavior of the female even though lack of imitation ability does not appear to influence social pairing. We hypothesize that mate choice in budgerigars has multiple stages. Upon meeting a strange male, a female quickly assesses its ability for social acquisition of calls by the presence or absence of a call type similar to its own in its repertoire. As courtship proceeds into pair formation, the female assesses the ability of male to learn more directly by the extent of the male's perfection of imitation. [source] Variation in Vocal Performance in the Songs of a Wood-Warbler: Evidence for the Function of Distinct Singing ModesETHOLOGY, Issue 7 2004Martin D. Beebee Male North American wood-warblers (family Parulidae) subdivide their song repertoires into two different categories, or modes, of singing (first and second category songs). These two modes are thought to be specialized for interacting with females and males, although the data are inconclusive. I conducted an acoustic analysis of the song types used by yellow warblers (Dendroica petechia) for type I (first category) and type II (second category) singing to ask whether there are consistent structural differences between them which could provide insight into how they might function as separate signals. I found that type I songs are performed closer to the upper boundary of a song performance limit, measured in terms of the difficulty of production, compared with type II songs. By contrast, the performance of specific song types did not depend on whether they were used for type I singing vs. type II singing by different males. In addition, type I songs had a greater amplitude increase across the first two syllables compared with type II songs. There was no relationship between the performance of type I or type II songs and male condition. These results suggest that wood-warblers might subdivide their song repertoire into distinct categories to highlight the relative vocal performance of their songs. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||