Intra- and interbreed genetic variations of mitochondrial DNA major non-coding regions in Japanese native dog breeds [Canis familiaris)

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) major non-coding regions were amplified from 73 dogs of eight Japanese native dog breeds and from 21 dogs of 16 non-Japanese dog breeds by the polymerase chain reaction and their DNA sequences were determined. A total of 51 nucleotide positions within the non-coding region (969–972 base pairs) showed nucleotide variations of which 48 were caused by transition. These nucleotide substitutions were abundant in the region proximate to tRNA^Pro. In addition to the nucleotide substitutions, the dog mtDNA D-loop sequences had a heteroplasmic repetitive sequence (TACACGTÀCG) involving size variation. The DNA sequences of the non-coding region were classified into four different groups by phylogenetic analysis and the deepest branchpoints of this dog phylogeny was calculated to about 100 000 years before the present. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Japanese native dog breeds could not be clearly delimited as distinct breeds. Many haplotypes found in members of some clustering groups were seen in each dog breed, and interbreed nucleotide differences between Japanese dog breeds were almost the same as the intrabreed nucleotide diversities.     

Amsonia spp. as potential fuel crops for arid lands

The biomass of three desert plants, Amsonia kearneyana, A. grandiflora and A. palmeri, was used for the production of glucose and ethanol by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation techniques. Ethanol yields were 0.46 g g^-1 for A. keurneyana, 0.51 g g^-1 for A. grandiflora and 0.51 g g^-1 for A. palmeri. When the plant materials were saccharified into glucose only, the yields obtained were 0.35 g g^-1 for A. kearneyana, 0.39 g g^-1 for A. grandiflora and 0.22 g g^-1 for A. palmeri.H. Punnapayak is with the Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; J.J. Hoffmann is with the Bioresources Research Facility, University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ 85706, USA.     

Ontogeny and the evolution of adult body size dimorphism in apes

This analysis investigates the ontogeny of body size dimorphism in apes. The processes that lead to adult body size dimorphism are illustrated and described. Potential covariation between ontogenetic processes and socioecological variables is evaluated. Mixed-longitudinal growth data from 395 captive individuals (representing Hylobates lar [gibbon], Hylobates syndactylus [siamang], Pongo pygmaeus [orangutan], Gorilla gorilla [gorilla], Pan paniscus [pygmy chimpanzee], and Pan troglodytes [“common” chimpanzee]) form the basis of this study. Results illustrate heterogeneity in the growth processes that produce ape dimorphism. Hylobatids show no sexual differentiation in body weight growth. Adult body size dimorphism in Pongo can be largely attributed to indeterminate male growth. Dimorphism in African apes is produced by two different ontogenetic processes. Both pygmy chimpanzees (Pan paniscus) and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) become dimorphic primarily through bimaturism (sex differences in duration of growth). In contrast, sex differences in rate of growth account for the majority of dimorphism in common chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Diversity in the ontogenetic pathways that produce adult body size dimorphism may be related to multiple evolutionary causes of dimorphism. The lack of sex differences in hylobatid growth is consistent with a monogamous social organization. Adult dimorphism in Pongo can be attributed to sexual selection for indeterminate male growth. Interpretation of dimorphism in African apes is complicated because factors that influence female ontogeny have a substantial effect on the resultant adult dimorphism. Sexual selection for prolonged male growth in gorillas may also increase bimaturism relative to common chimpanzees. Variation in female growth is hypothesized to covary with foraging adaptations and with differences in female competition that result from these foraging adaptations. Variation in male growth probably corresponds to variation in level of sexual selection. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Patch assessment in foraging flocks of European starlings: evidence for the use of public information

A field experiment was carried out to determine whether group-foragingstarlings (Sturnus vulgaris) use public information to helpthem estimate the quality of an artificial resource patch anddepart accordingly. Three kinds of information are potentiallyavailable in a group: patch-sample information, pre-harvestinformation, and public information. These three types of informationcan be combined into four patch assessment strategies: (1) patch-samplealone; (2) patch-sample and pre-harvest; (3) patch-sample andpublic; and (4) patch-sample, pre-harvest, and public. Dependingon the foraging environment we presented to the starlings, eachassessment strategy made a unique set of predictions concerningthe patch departure decisions of pairs of birds based on differencesin their foraging success. The environment was manipulated intwo ways: by altering the variability in patch quality and bychanging compatibility, the ease with which individual birdscould simultaneously acquire both patch-sample and public information.Our observations on patch persistence and departure order demonstratethat the starlings used a combination of patch-sample and publicinformation, but not pre-harvest information, to estimate thequality of the experimental patch. Moreover, our results suggestthat starlings use public information only when it is easilyavailable and ignore it under incompatible conditions. Thisstudy provides the first evidence of public information usein a patch assessment problem.     

Investigating structure and temporal scale in social organizations using identified individuals

Studies of individually identified animals can produce substantialdata sets containing information on the structure and temporalscale of social organizations. However, methods of analyzingsuch data are not well established. Important features of asocial organization are revealed by plotting the rate of persistenceof the associations between pairs of individuals over a rangeof time lags (lagged association rate). The consistency of long-termrelationships can be characterized using the rate of associationof pairs of individuals between their first and last observedassociations (intermediate association rate). A hierarchicalseries of models featuring exponentially decaying lagged associationrates may be fitted to these data. This technique retrievedthe essential parameters of five simulated social organizationsand, when used on real data, portrayed the essential featuresof the patterns of temporal change in relationships betweenanimals. The method should be especially useful for analyzingfissionfusion societies containing 10–10, 000 individuallyidentifiable animals.     

The effect of temperature on reproduction in three species of cyclopoid copepods

Megacyclops viridis (Jurine), Macrocyclops albidus (Jurine), and Acanthocyclops vernalis (Fischer) were raised in the laboratory at six temperatures (5, 8, 10, 12, 15 and 20°) and fed a mixture of ciliates (Paramecium caudatum and Colpidium campylum). Data were taken on clutch size, embryonic development time, interclutch period, time to first clutch, sex ratio and longevity.Clutch size, time to first clutch, embryonic development time, interclutch period and longevity are inversely related to temperature. The ratio of males to females in a cohort is independent of temperature.     

WFS1 and non-syndromic low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss: A novel mutation in a Portuguese case

Low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss (LFSNHL) is an unusual type of HL in which frequencies at 2000 Hz and below are predominantly affected. Most of the families with LFSNHL carry missense mutations in WFS1 gene, coding for wolframin.     

2-Acylamino-5-nitro-1,3-thiazoles: Preparation and in vitro bioevaluation against four neglected protozoan parasites

The 2-acylamino-5-nitro-1,3-thiazole derivatives (1–14) were prepared using a one step reaction. All compounds were tested in vitro against four neglected protozoan parasites (Giardia intestinalis, Trichomonas vaginalis, Leishmania amazonensis and Trypanosoma cruzi). Acetamide (9), valeroylamide (10), benzamide (12), methylcarbamate (13) and ethyloxamate (14) derivatives were the most active compounds against G. intestinalis and T. vaginalis, showing nanomolar inhibition. Compound 13 (IC₅₀ = 10 nM), was 536-times more active than metronidazole, and 121-fold more effective than nitazoxanide against G. intestinalis. Compound 14 was 29-times more active than metronidazole and 6.5-fold more potent than nitazoxanide against T. vaginalis. Ureic derivatives 2, 3 and 5 showed moderate activity against L. amazonensis. None of them were active against T. cruzi. Ligand efficiency indexes analysis revealed higher intrinsic quality of the most active 2-acylamino derivatives than nitazoxanide and metronidazole. In silico toxicity profile was also computed for the most active compounds. A very low in vitro mammalian cytotoxicity was obtained for 13 and 14, showing selectivity indexes (SI) of 246,300 and 141,500, respectively. Nitazoxanide showed an excellent leishmanicidal and trypanocidal effect, repurposing this drug as potential new antikinetoplastid parasite compound     

Effect of externally added carnitine on the synthesis of acetylcholine in rat cerebral cortex cells

Acetylcholine synthesis from radiolabelled glucose was monitored in cerebral cortex cells isolated from brains of suckling and adult rats. Acetylcholine synthesis was found much higher in suckling animals, both in the absence and presence of acetylcholinesterase (acetylcholine hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.7) inhibitor, paraoxon. Together with choline (20 μM), carnitine was found to stimulate acetylcholine synthesis in a synergistic way in cortex cells from adult rats (18%). Choline, however, was incapable of reversing an inhibitory effect exerted by carnitine on acetylcholine synthesis in cortex cells from suckling animals. Distribution of carnitine derivatives was found significantly different in the cells from young and old animals, the content of acetylcarnitine decreased with age with a corresponding increase of free carnitine. The observed differences in carnitine effect on acetylcholine synthesis suggested that high acetylcarnitine in cells capable of β-oxidation might be correlated with the lower level of acetylcholine synthesis.