A 14 000-year record of paleoenvironmental change in the western basin of China's third largest lake,Lake Taihu

Effect of leaf extract of Ocimum sanctum on (i) the specific and non-specific immune responses and (ii) disease resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila was investigated in Oreochromis mossambicus. Sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and Heat aggregated bovine serum albumin (HA-BSA) were used as antigens for specific and non-specific immune response studies, respectively. Antigens were administered through intraperitoneal route. Anti-SRBC antibody titres were determined by direct haemagglutination and anti-bacterial antibodies were determined by bacterial agglutination. Nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) assay was used to determine neutrophil activity. Disease resistance was measured in terms of relative percent survival (RPS). The immunostimulatory effect of the leaf extract of O. sanctum, when administered through intraperitoneal and oral routes was obvious. Leaf extract of O. sanctum, when administered intraperitoneally, stimulated both antibody response and neutrophil activity. Dietary intake of O. sanctum also enhanced the antibody response and disease resistance against A. hydrophila. Possibility of using O. sanctum as immunostimulant in the maintenance of finfish health in intensive freshwater aquaculture is suggested.     

Loss of Butt-End Leg Bands on Male Wild Turkeys

ABSTRACT We estimated loss of butt-end leg bands on male wild turkeys (Meleagris gallapavo) captured in New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania (USA) during December-March, 2006–2008. We used aluminum rivet leg bands as permanent marks to estimate loss of regular aluminum, enameled aluminum, anodized aluminum, and stainless steel butt-end leg bands placed below the spur. We used band loss information from 887 turkeys recovered between 31 days and 570 days after release (x̄ = 202 days). Band loss was greater for turkeys banded as adults (>1 yr old) than juveniles and was greater for aluminum than stainless steel bands. We estimated band retention was 79–96%, depending on age at banding and type of band, for turkeys recovered 3 months after release. Band retention was <50% for all age classes and band types 15 months after banding. We concluded that use of butt-end leg bands on male wild turkeys is inappropriate for use in mark-recapture studies.     

微生物表面呈现技术及应用

微生物表面呈现技术以其广泛的应用前景,日益引起关注. 文章就细菌和酵母微生物表面呈现系统的构建及其应用进行了较为全面的综述.     

鳗鲡繁殖生物学研究Ⅳ．人工催熟过程中下海鳗鲡的GtH分泌活动、性腺发育状况和脑垂体GtH细胞的超显微结构

雌二醇通过正反馈作用能促进脑垂体促性腺激素(GtH)细胞的合成活动,使脑垂体GtH水平显著升高。促黄体素释放激素的类似物(LHRH-A)和利血平(reserpine,RES)能促进脑垂体GtH细胞的分泌活动,使血液中GtH含量显著升高。鲤垂体、人体绒毛膜促性腺激素(HCG)和LHRH—A三种激素混合进行多次注射能诱导雌雄鳗鲡性腺发育成熟,其催熟效果明显优于它们的分别单独多次注射或者鲤鱼脑垂体和HCG的多次注射,表明外源的和内源的促性腺激素对于诱导鳗鲡性腺发育成熟都是重要的。鳗鲡脑垂体GtH细胞超显微结构的观察证实它们在激素诱导性腺发育成熟过程中处于活跃的合成与分泌状态。     

Morphogenesis in a community of filamentous cyanobacteria

Reversible differentiation was experimentally discovered in a community of modern filamentous cyanobacteria Oscillatoria terebriformis. Splitting of the initially uniform community into differentiated parts (strands, multiradiate aggregates, networks, etc.) occurs only for the duration of a function facilitating the activity of this community as an integral unit. The structures are formed as a result of regrouping of the filaments, without their specialization. A morphologically regulatory system (polygonal network) was found to develop under the impact of extreme factors. The levels of structural organization of filamentous cyanobacteria and multicellular eukaryotes were compared (individual cells in a filament—cell organelles; filaments—individual cells; community—organism), and the similarities and differences in morphogenesis of these groups were analyzed using the data on the embryonic regulation in multicellular eukaryotes. Spatial information in morphogenesis was shown to result not from direct realization of an inherited program but is created by the elements of integral organisms (cells and filaments) in the course of development.     

Deficiency of metabolite sensing receptor HCA2 impairs the salutary effect of niacin in hemorrhagic shock

Inflammation and cellular energetics play critical roles in organ dysfunction following hemorrhagic shock. Recent studies suggest a putative role for sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) in potentiating mitochondrial function and improving organ function following hemorrhagic shock in animal models. SIRT1 is an NAD⁺ dependent protein deacetylase and increased availability of NAD⁺ has been shown to augment SIRT1 activity. As niacin is a precursor of NAD⁺, in this study, we tested whether niacin can improve survival following hemorrhagic shock. However niacin also mediates its biological action by binding to its receptor, hydroxyl-carboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA2 or Gpr109a); so we examined whether the effect of niacin is mediated by binding to Gpr109a or by increasing NAD⁺ availability. We found that niacin administered intravenously to rats subjected to hemorrhagic injury (HI) in the absence of fluid resuscitation resulted in a significantly prolonged duration of survival. However, treatment of rats with similar doses of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a precursor to NAD⁺ that does not bind Gpr109a, did not extend survival following HI. The duration of survival due to niacin treatment was significantly reduced in Gpr109a^?/? mice subjected to HI. These experiments demonstrated that the Gpr109a receptor-mediated pathway contributed significantly to niacin mediated salutary effect. Further studies showed improvement in markers of cellular energetics and attenuation of inflammatory response with niacin treatment. In conclusion, we report that Gpr109a-dependent signalling is important in restoring cellular energetics and immunometabolism following hemorrhagic shock.     

Generation of a transformant showing higher manganese peroxidase (Mnp) activity by overexpression of Mnp gene in Trametes versicolor

Trametes versicolor has a lignin degrading enzyme system, which is also involved in the degradation of diverse recalcitrant compounds. Manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP) is one of the lignin degrading enzymes in T. versicolor. In this study, a cDNA clone of a putative MnP-coding gene was cloned and transferred into an expression vector (pBARGPE1) carrying a phosphinothricin resistance gene (bar) as a selectable marker to yield the expression vector, pBARTvMnP2. Transformants were generated through genetic transformation using pBARTvMnP2. The genomic integration of the MnP clone was confirmed by PCR with bar-specific primers. One transformant showed higher enzyme activity than the recipient strain did, and was genetically stable even after 10 consecutive transfers on non-selective medium.     

Divide to conquer: a complex pattern of biodiversity depicted by vertebrate components in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

The identification of northern and southern components in different vertebrate species led researchers to accept a two‐component hypothesis for the Brazilian Atlantic forest (BAF). Nevertheless, neither a formal proposal nor a meta‐analysis to confirm this coincidence was ever made. Our main objective here was therefore to systematically test in how many vertebrate components the BAF could be divided by analysing existing empirical data. We used two approaches: (1) mapping and comparing the proposed areas of vertebrate endemism in the BAF and (2) analysing studies mentioning spatial subdivisions in distinct forest‐dependent vertebrates within the biome, by the use of panbiogeography. The four large‐scale endemism area components together with the six small‐scale panbiogeographical ones allowed the definition of three BAF greater regions, subdivided into nine vertebrate components, latitudinally and longitudinally organized. Empirical time estimates of the diversification events within the BAF were also reviewed. Diversification of these vertebrates occurred not only in the Pleistocene but also throughout the Miocene. Our results confirm the BAF's complex history, both in space and time. We propose that future research should be small‐scale and focused in the vertebrate components identified herein. Given the BAF's heterogeneity, studying via sections will be much more useful in identifying the BAF's historical biogeography. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, ??, ??–??.