Characterization of microsatellite loci in White‐chinned Petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis) and cross‐amplification in six other procellariiform species

Six polymorphic dinucleotide microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized from the White‐chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis, using a degenerate primer and PCR‐based technique to construct and screen an enriched genomic library. Preliminary data on three populations show heterozygosity levels ranging from 0.22 to 0.67 and allele numbers from three to nine. Preliminary data also suggest genetic distance between these three populations (F_ST 0.088). Cross‐species amplification of these six microsatellite loci and one further locus were tested in six other procellariiform species of the genus Procellaria, Macronectes, Thalassarche and Diomedea.     

ABC as a flexible framework to estimate demography over space and time: some cons,many pros

The analysis of genetic variation to estimate demographic and historical parameters and to quantitatively compare alternative scenarios recently gained a powerful and flexible approach: the Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC). The likelihood functions does not need to be theoretically specified, but posterior distributions can be approximated by simulation even assuming very complex population models including both natural and human‐induced processes. Prior information can be easily incorporated and the quality of the results can be analysed with rather limited additional effort. ABC is not a statistical analysis per se, but rather a statistical framework and any specific application is a sort of hybrid between a simulation and a data‐analysis study. Complete software packages performing the necessary steps under a set of models and for specific genetic markers are already available, but the flexibility of the method is better exploited combining different programs. Many questions relevant in ecology can be addressed using ABC, but adequate amount of time should be dedicated to decide among alternative options and to evaluate the results. In this paper we will describe and critically comment on the different steps of an ABC analysis, analyse some of the published applications of ABC and provide user guidelines.     

Seasonal changes of the ultrastructure of the pars tuberalis of the hypophysis of Rana temporaria

Summary In the pars tuberalis of the hypophysis of Rana temporaria, which shows the ultrastructural characteristics of a polypeptide hormone secreting endocrine gland, seasonal changes of the ultrastructure are described. In accordance with the literature, these seasonal changes of ultrastructure are interpreted as the morphological expression of seasonal changes of endocrine activity of the pars tuberalis.     

Electron Microscopic Evidence in Support of α-Solenoid Models of Proteasomal Subunits Rpn1 and Rpn2

Rpn1 (109 kDa) and Rpn2 (104 kDa) are components of the 19S regulatory complex of the proteasome. The central portions of both proteins are predicted to have toroidal α-solenoid folds composed of 9-11 proteasome/cyclosome repeats, each ∼ 40 residues long and containing two α-helices and turns [A. V. Kajava, J. Biol. Chem. 277, 49791-49798, 2002]. To evaluate this prediction, we examined the full-length yeast proteins and truncated versions thereof consisting only of the repeat-containing regions by gel filtration, CD spectroscopy, and negative-staining electron microscopy (EM). All four proteins are monomeric in solution and highly α-helical, particularly the truncated ones. The EM data were analyzed by image classification and averaging techniques. The preponderant projections, in each case, show near-annular molecules 6-7 nm in diameter. Comparison of the full-length with the truncated proteins showed molecules similar in size and shape, indicating that their terminal regions are flexible and thus smeared to invisibility in the averaged images. We tested the toroidal model further by calculating resolution-limited projections and comparing them with the EM images. The results support the α-solenoid model, except that they indicate that the repeats are organized not as symmetrical circular toroids but in less regular horseshoe-like structures.     

Combined effect of X‐ray radiation and static magnetic fields on reactive oxygen species in rat lymphocytes in vitro

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of static magnetic fields (SMF) on reactive oxygen species induced by X‐ray radiation. The experiments were performed on lymphocytes from male albino Wistar rats. After exposure to 3 Gy X‐ray radiation (with a dose rate of 560 mGy/min) the measurement of intracellular reactive oxygen species in lymphocytes, using a fluorescent probe, was done before exposure to the SMF, and after 15 min, 1 and 2 h of exposure to the SMF or a corresponding incubation time. For SMF exposure, 0 mT (50 µT magnetic field induction opposite to the geomagnetic field) and 5 mT fields were chosen. The trend of SMF effects for 0 mT was always opposite that of 5 mT. The first one decreased the rate of fluorescence change, while the latter one increased it. Bioelectromagnetics 34:333–336, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Synthesis of ABO histo-blood group type I and II antigens

The ABO histo-blood group system is one of the most clinically important antigen families. As part of our overall goal to prepare the entire set of the A, B and H type I-VI antigens for a range of biochemical investigations, we report herein the synthesis of the type I and II antigens with a 7-octen-1-yl aglycone. This linker was chosen to facilitate not only the future conjugation of the antigens to a protein or solid support but also the synthesis of the H type I and II octyl glycosides for enzyme kinetic studies.     

Embelin impact on paraquat‐induced lung injury through suppressing oxidative stress,inflammatory cascade,and MAPK/NF‐κB signaling pathway

The current examination was intended to observe the defensive impacts of embelin against paraquat‐incited lung damage in relationship with its antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory action. Oxidative stress marker, like malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidative enzymes, for example, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH Px), inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), tumor necrosis factor‐α, and IL‐6, histological examination, and nuclear factor kappa B/mitogen‐activated protein kinase (NF‐κB/MAPK) gene expression were evaluated in lung tissue. Embelin treatment significantly decreased MDA and increased SOD, CAT, and GSH Px. Embelin significantly reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines in paraquat‐administered and paraquat‐intoxicated rats. In addition, embelin suggestively decreased relative protein expression of nuclear NF‐κB p65, p‐NF‐κBp65, p38 MAPK, and p‐p38 MAPKs in paraquat‐intoxicated rats. The outcomes show the impact of embelin inhibitory action on NF‐κB and MAPK and inflammatory cytokines release, and the decrease of lung tissue damage caused by paraquat.     

Patterns of co‐occurrences in a killifish metacommunity are more related with body size than with species identity

Body size may be more important than species identity in determining species interactions and community structure. However, co‐occurrence of organisms has commonly been analysed from a taxonomic perspective and the body size is rarely taken into account. On six sampling occasions, we analysed patterns of killifish co‐occurrences in nestedness (tendency for less rich communities to be subsamples of the richest), checkerboard structure (tendency for species segregation), and modularity (tendency for groups to co‐occur more frequently than random expectation) in a pond metacommunity located in Uruguay. We contrasted co‐occurrence patterns among species and body size‐classes (individuals from different species were combined into size categories). The analysis was performed at two spatial scales: ponds (communities) and sample units within ponds. Observed nestedness was frequently smaller than the null expectation, with significantly greater deviations for body size‐classes than for species, and for sample units than for communities. At the sample unit level, individuals tended to segregate (i.e. clump into a checkerboard pattern) to a larger extent by body size rather than by taxonomy. Modularity was rarely detected, but nevertheless indicated a level of taxonomic organization not evident in nestedness or checkerboard indices. Identification of the spatial scale and organization at which ecological forces determine community structure is a basic requirement for advancement of robust theory. In our study system, these ecological forces probably structured the community by body sizes of interacting organisms rather than by species identities.