Interspecific evaluation of octopus escape behavior

The well-known ability of octopuses to escape enclosures is a behavior that can be fatal and, therefore, is an animal welfare issue. This study obtained survey data from 38 participants-primarily scientists and public aquarists who work with octopuses-on 25 described species of octopus. The study demonstrates that the likeliness to escape is species specific (p = .001). The study gives husbandry techniques to keep captive octopuses contained. This first interspecific study of octopus escape behavior allows readers to make informed species-specific husbandry choices.     

Polymorphic microsatellite markers for Philippine tarsiers (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Tarsius syrichta</Emphasis>)

This study reports the isolation and characterization of eight microsatellite markers for the study of Philippine tarsiers (Tarsius syrichta), small primates endemic to this Southeast Asian archipelago. The markers were used to screen 14 Tarsius syrichta for allelic diversity. This suite of highly polymorphic microsatellites provides the first chance to genetically study parentage and dispersal patterns in Philippine tarsiers.     

Novel Method of Single Antibiotic Selection of Cells Containing Multiple Stage-Specific Promoter-Fluorophore Plasmids

This study demonstrates a novel method by which multiple separate plasmids can be stably integrated into the genome using single antibiotic resistance for selection. This method was used to integrate three different cardiac-specific promoters driving different fluorophores into murine embryonic stem cells, allowing sequential visualization of various stages of cardiac differentiation. This method is broadly applicable to the study of cell lineage of different stem/progenitor cells.     

An Integrative Taxonomy of Amphibians of Nepal: An Updated Status and Distribution

Amphibians are declining worldwide.At the same time,each year many species of amphibians are described,indicating that biological diversity on Earth remains poorly understood.This is especially true for mountainous regions,such as the Himalayas,which are also regarded as a biodiversity hotspot.However,it is most likely that the current diversity of amphibians in Nepal is highly underestimated.Amphibian inventories by the past researchers primarily used phenotypic characters as the basis for species identification.However,the application of molecular systematics methods to taxonomic studies has successfully uncovered the taxonomic status of several cryptic taxa.This study used both molecular(16 S rDNA sequences)and morphological comparisons and estimated the diversity of amphibians from Nepal.This study reports the occurrence of 38 species of amphibians based on both molecular and morphological comparisons.Among them,three species were recorded for the first time in Nepal.This study also invalids the taxonomic status of Sphaerotheca paschima.This study highlights the importa nce of integrative taxonomic approaches that help to resolve the current taxonomic ambiguities of Nepalese amphibians.     

A theoretical and experimental study of calcium,iron, zinc,cadmium, and sodium ions absorption by aspartame

Aspartame (L-Aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester) is a sweet dipeptide used in some foods and beverages. Experimental studies show that aspartame causes osteoporosis and some illnesses, which are similar to those of copper and calcium deficiency. This raises the issue that aspartame in food may interact with cations and excrete them from the body. This study aimed to study aspartame interaction with calcium, zinc, iron, sodium, and cadmium ions via molecular dynamics simulation (MD) and spectroscopy. Following a 480-ns molecular dynamics simulation, it became clear that the aspartame is able to sequester Fe²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Zn²⁺ ions for a long time. Complexation led to increasing UV–Vis absorption spectra and emission spectra of the complexes. This study suggests a potential risk of cationic absorption of aspartame. This study suggests that purification of cadmium-polluted water by aspartame needs a more general risk assessment.     

The Price equation framework to study disease within-host evolution

The evolution of infectious diseases is known to affect epidemiological dynamics, but, for some viruses and bacteria, this evolution also takes place inside a host during the course of an infection. I develop an original approach to study intrahost evolutionary dynamics of quantitative disease traits. This approach can be expressed mathematically using the ‘Price equation’ framework recently developed in evolutionary epidemiology. This framework combines population genetics and within-host population dynamics models to identify trade-offs that affect disease intrahost evolution and to predict short-term evolutionary dynamics of life-history traits. I show that this can be applied to study the evolution of viruses competing for host cells or to study the coevolution between parasites and the immune system of the host. This framework can also easily incorporate experimental data. Studying intrahost evolutionary dynamics provides insight at the within-host level, because it allows us to better understand the course of chronic infections, and at the epidemiological level, because it helps to study multi-scale evolutionary processes. This framework can be used to address important biological issues, from immune escape to disease evolutionary response to treatments.     

A new predictor for the onset of atrial fibrillation?

In this issue of the Netherlands Heart Journal, the results of a substudy of the PREVEND trial are published.1 This prospective registry of presumably healthy citizens of Groningen aims to establish the association between microalbuminuria and the emergence of renal and cardiovascular diseases.2 This general population based long-term study extends the series of previous large-scale epidemiological trials conducted in the Netherlands. We recall among them the 1970 Vlagtwedde study for epidemiological cardiology and ischaemic heart disease, the 1982 Zutphen study of diet and cardiovascular diseases, the 1997 Maastricht study of circulatory arrest and sudden death, the 1998 Amsterdam study of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and the 1999 Rotterdam study of prolonged QT interval and mortality.     

耐三苯氧胺乳腺癌异种移植瘤动物模型建立与评价

目的:建立耐三苯氧胺(TAM)人乳腺癌的裸鼠移植瘤模型,为研究和治疗乳腺癌对TAM耐药提供研究工具。方法:采用雌激素受体阳性,对TAM耐药的人乳腺癌细胞系LCC2,接种于BALB/c裸鼠皮下,观察肿瘤生长趋势,用免疫组化方法进行鉴定。结果:在接种细胞数大于5×106/只时,Matrigel能够显著促进移植瘤的生长。肿瘤组织病理学检测证实为浸润性导管癌,且Pgp和Her-2为阳性表达。结论:该方法建立的耐TAM人乳腺癌移植瘤模型,周期短,成瘤率高,保留了与细胞系相同的肿瘤生物学特征。     

Cardiovascular adaptations to parabolic flight in rats: a radio-telemetry feasibility study

This experiment was a feasibility study which consisted in investigating arterial blood pressure and heart rate to transient and repeated exposure to microgravity in eight unrestrained rats previously implanted with radio-telemetry transmitter. The aim was to perform such recordings throughout all the phases of a parabola during parabolic flights. This study revealed that it was possible to collect the radio-signal without any interference with electronic or magnetic environment. We observed in microgravity a significant reduction in heart rate (6%) and a significant increase in arterial blood pressure (7%). In conclusion, such a study seems to be feasible during longer exposure to microgravity (space flight) in order to study the cardiovascular adaptation in rat.     

Colocalization of U1 and U2 small nuclear RNPs by immunocytochemistry

The in situ localization of U1 and U2 snRNPs was examined, using autoantibodies directed against each of these snRNPs, by immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy. This study has shown U1 and U2 snRNPs to colocalize in the nuclei of PtK2 cells. Thirty to fifty immunostained clusters were observed per interphase nucleus. This study suggests these nuclear protein clusters to be the sites of RNA processing.     

Patterns of infection by Salmonella and Yersinia spp. in commensal house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) populations

AIMS: This study sought to examine the risk posed by house mice transmitting pathogens to livestock on typical mixed-agriculture farms in the UK. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a 10-month longitudinal study at one farm, 222 faecal samples were taken from mice and 57 swabs from the farm environment; 3.2% and 15.8%, respectively, were positive for Yersinia. Seventy-five intestinal samples were taken from house mice from three other farms and 9.3% were positive for Yersinia. The commonest species was Y. enterocolitica (of a wide range of serotypes); all isolates were non-pathogenic, except one of Y. pseudotuberculosis. Salmonella was not isolated from any sample. CONCLUSION: This study provides additional evidence that house mice are generally not significant vectors of either pathogenic Yersinia strains or Salmonella species. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is the first longitudinal study of Yersinia in any small mammal population, and shows infection to be a dynamic series of generally non-pathogenic, transient infections.     

Studies on Rana tigerina skin collagen

The current paper pertains to the study of frog skin, more specifically Rana tigerina skin collagen, which is a major extracellular matrix protein known to play an important role in the wound-healing process. This study revealed interesting differences in the frog skin collagen when compared to the hitherto known vertebrate collagens. This could probably be attributed to the position of the amphibians in the vertebrate hierarchy. Therefore, detailed investigations on the various physico-chemical properties, such as reconstitution, redissolution, viscosity and denaturation were carried out. The study confirms the structural relationship of collagen to habitat and function.     

Plant injury due to oxygen deficiency in the root environment of soilless culture: A review

The deficiency of oxygen concentration in root environment linked to waterlogging conditions caused important injuries for plants. These effects could be reproduced by oxygen deficient nutrient solution. This bibliographical synthesis has been centered on experimental results obtained on plants cultivated in soilless culture. This review paper presents a methodology used to study oxygen depletion in a nutrient solution and to calculate root respiration rates. The main factors influencing root respiration are reviewed as well as the consequences of oxygen deficiency on roots and shoots functioning. This study would not be complete without some information on the main mechanisms of plant adaptation to oxygen deficiency.     

Systems and synthetic biology of the vessel wall

Atherosclerosis is intimately coupled to blood flow by the presence of predilection sites. The coupling is through mechanotransduction of endothelial cells and approximately 2000 gene are associated with this process. This paper describes a new platform to study and identify new signalling pathways in endothelial cells covering an atherosclerotic plaque. The identified networks are synthesized in primary cells to study their reaction to flow. This synthetic approach might lead to new insights and drug targets.     

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation in the New Zealand dampwood termite (

This study investigates symbiotic microorganisms in the New Zealand dampwood termite Stolotermes ruficeps using culture-independent techniques to describe the diversity of nitrogen-fixing organisms within this termite. Phylogenetic analysis of a portion of the nifH gene (encoding dinitrogenase reductase) revealed 19 phylotypes (>98% sequence identity) with 77?86% similarity to published nucleotide sequences from uncultured microorganisms described from termite guts. The majority of sequences obtained in this study were most closely related to sequences obtained from basal families Kalotermitidae, Termopsidae and the closely related wood-feeding cockroach species Cryptocercus. This adds to the growing amount of evidence suggesting that the composition of nifH sequences is characteristic of a termite family. This study also identifies wood-dwelling termites as a potentially important source of nitrogen input into temperate forests, something previously neglected and warranting further investigation.     

中国酸藻属(酸藻科)一新记录

报道大连产舌状酸藻的分类研究,该种是中国的新记录。     

Life cycle assessment of tractors

This study was intended to evaluate the environmental impact, and potential improvements for a typical tractor model (LT360D) of LG Machinery Co., Ltd. The life cycle of this study includes all stages from raw material acquisition up to final disposal. The eco-indicator 95 method was employed to perform an impact assessment. The result of this study is expected to represent the environmental feature of typical diesel vehicles at each life cycle stage. This study is a starting point of building life cycle inventories for typical off-road diesel tractors. With this result, environmental weak points of the tractor have been defined, and major improvement strategies have been set up to develop the ‘Green Tractor’.     

Development of a single tube nested polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of Neospora caninum DNA

Sensitive detection techniques are required to study the life cycle of Neospora caninum and to diagnose infections. In this study, we describe the development of a PCR assay for N. caninum based on two successive amplification steps within a single tube. This technique, called single tube nested PCR, was sensitive to a single copy of target sequence, and able to amplify parasite DNA from biological specimens such as formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues of naturally infected dogs and cattle. An internal standard (or PCR MIMIC) is also described. This assay should prove useful in the study of the biology of N. caninum.     

Tickets to the Opera: A Negotiation of Western Knowledge—Beyond Resistance or Reproduction

What are the prices of "must knowledges?" Does the study of English impose Anglocentric control on its learners or can English as an icon for "must knowledge" enable disempowered populations to empower themselves? This article examines these questions through an ethnographic study of middle-/lower-class Orthodox and Sephardic Jewish women in an adult education course. The women did not resist "Western knowledge," yet its potential for empowerment was not realized. This study offers anthropologists of education an opportunity to reexamine the relations between local cultural systems and external knowledges beyond the binary prism of resistance versus reproduction.