Bat ectoparasites (Nycteribiidae,Streblidae, Siphonaptera,Heteroptera, Mesostigmata,Argasidae, and Ixodidae) from Algeria

Twenty two species of ectoparasites (Family Nycteribiidae: Nycteribia (Listropoda) schmidlii schmidlii, Nycteribia (Nycteribia) latreillii, Nycteribia (Nycteribia) pedicularia, Penicillidia (Penicillidia) dufourii, and Phthiridium biarticulatum; Family Streblidae: Brachytarsina (Brachytarsina) flavipennis and Raymondia huberi; Order Siphonaptera: Rhinolophopsylla unipectinata arabs, Nycteridopsylla longiceps, Araeopsylla gestroi, Ischnopsyllus intermedius, and Ischnopsyllus octactenus; Order Heteroptera: Cimex pipistrelli, Cimex lectularius, and Cacodmus vicinus; Class Arachnida: Order Mesostigmata: Spinturnix myoti and Eyndhovenia euryalis; Order Ixodida: Family Argasidae: Argas transgariepinus and Argas vespertilionis; Family Ixodidae: Hyalomma dromedarii, Ixodes ricinus, and Ixodes vespertilionis) were recovered from 19 bat species in Algeria. New host records for bats are recorded for the first time: N. schmidlii from Rh. clivosus and R. cystops; N. latreillii from Rh. blasii and P. gaisleri; R. huberi from Rh. clivosus; C. pipistrelli from E. isabellinus and H. savii; C. vicinus from E. isabellinus; S. myoti from P. gaisleri; E. euryalis from P. gaisleri and Rh. blasii; A. vespertilionis from P. gaisleri; I. ricinus from T. teniotis and Rh. hipposideros and H. dromedarii from P. kuhlii. Raymondia huberi is recorded for the first time from Algeria.     

Clinical translation of MS-based,quantitative plasma proteomics: status,challenges, requirements,and potential

Introduction: Aided by the advent of advanced mass spectrometry (MS)-based technologies and methodologies, quantitative proteomics has emerged as a viable technique to capture meaningful data for candidate biomarker evaluation. To aid clinical translation, these methods generally utilize a bottom-up strategy with isotopically labeled standards and a targeted form of MS measurement.

Areas covered: This article reviews the status, challenges, requirements, and potential of translating current, MS-based methods to the clinical laboratory. The described methods are discussed and contrasted within a fit-for-purpose approach, while different resources for quality control, quantitative analysis, and data interpretation are additionally provided.

Expert commentary: Although great strides have been made over the past five years in developing reliable quantitative assays for plasma protein biomarkers, it is crucial for investigators to have an understanding of the clinical validation process, a major roadblock in translational research. Continued progress in method design and validation of protein assays is necessary to ultimately achieve widespread adoption and regulatory approval.     

Earth,Air, Fire,and Water: Elements of Art

Abstract

Shoshana Zuboff. In the Age of the Smart Machine: The Future of Work and Power. New York: Basic Books, 1988, 468 pp. $11.95 paperback.

George Gilder. Microcosm: The Quantum Revolution in Economics and Technology. New York: Simon &; Schuster, 1989. 426 pp. $19.95 hardcover.

Loren Baritz. The Good Life. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1988. 361 pp. $19.95 hardcover.

Miles Orville. The Real Thing: Imitation and Authority in American Culture, 1880–1940. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1989. 382 pp. $14.95 paperback.

Peter Shaw. The War Against the Intellect. Iowa City: The University of Iowa Press, 1989. 181 pp. $10.95 paperback.

Robert Alter. The Pleasures of Reading in an Ideological Age. New York: Simon &; Schuster, 1989. 250 pp. $18.95 hardcover.

Ian Crofton. A Dictionary of Art Quotations. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1989. $19.95 hardcover.     

Chronotype,gender, and time for sex

The study aimed at testing chronotype and gender differences in the time of day when humans feel the greatest need for sex and the time of day they actually undertake sexual activity. A Polish sample of 565 participants aged between 18 and 57 was tested. In females, regardless of chronotype, the greatest need for sex occurred between 18:00 and 24:00, but a secondary peak appeared only in morning types at 6:00–9:00. In males, the greatest need for sex occurred either in the morning or evening hours: in evening types at 9:00–12:00 and 18:00–3:00; in neither types at 6:00–9:00 and 18:00–24:00; in morning types at 6:00–12:00 and 18:00–24:00. Considering time of day when subjects were undertaking sexual activity most frequently, this appeared between 18:00 and 24:00 for all the participants, and prolonged until 3:00 at night in evening type males. Morningness preference was more strongly related to the timing of need for sex than to the timing of actual sexual activity (r?=??0.275 vs. r?=??0.174), while the timing of desire and the timing of sexual activity were positively, but moderately related (r?=?0.320).     

, Jost's D,and FST are similarly constrained by allele frequencies: A mathematical,simulation, and empirical study

Statistics and Jost's D have been proposed for replacing F_ST as measures of genetic differentiation. A principal argument in favour of these statistics is the independence of their maximal values with respect to the subpopulation heterozygosity H_S, a property not shared by F_ST. Nevertheless, it has been unclear if these alternative differentiation measures are constrained by other aspects of the allele frequencies. Here, for biallelic markers, we study the mathematical properties of the maximal values of and D, comparing them to those of F_ST. We show that and D exhibit the same peculiar frequency‐dependence phenomena as F_ST, including a maximal value as a function of the frequency of the most frequent allele that lies well below one. Although the functions describing , D, and F_ST in terms of the frequency of the most frequent allele are different, the allele frequencies that maximize them are identical. Moreover, we show using coalescent simulations that when taking into account the specific maximal values of the three statistics, their behaviours become similar across a large range of migration rates. We use our results to explain two empirical patterns: the similar values of the three statistics among North American wolves, and the low D values compared to and F_ST in Atlantic salmon. The results suggest that the three statistics are often predictably similar, so that they can make quite similar contributions to data analysis. When they are not similar, the difference can be understood in relation to features of genetic diversity.     

First-In-Human,Double-Blind,Placebo-Controlled,Randomized, Dose-Escalation Study of BG00010, a Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Family Member,in Subjects with Unilateral Sciatica

ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of single doses of BG00010 (neublastin, artemin, enovin) in subjects with unilateral sciatica.MethodsThis was a single-center, blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized Phase 1 sequential-cohort, dose-escalation study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00961766","term_id":"NCT00961766"}}NCT00961766; funded by Biogen Idec). Adults with unilateral sciatica were enrolled at The Royal Adelaide Hospital, Australia. Four subjects were assigned to each of eleven cohorts (intravenous BG00010 0.3, 1, 3, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, 400, or 800 μg/kg, or subcutaneous BG00010 50 μg/kg) and were randomized 3:1 to receive a single dose of BG00010 or placebo. The primary safety and tolerability assessments were: adverse events; clinical laboratory parameters and vital signs; pain as measured by a Likert rating scale; intra-epidermal nerve fiber density; and longitudinal assessment of quantitative sensory test parameters. Blood, serum, and plasma samples were collected for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic assessments. Subjects were blinded to treatment assignment throughout the study. The investigator was blinded to treatment assignment until the Data Safety Review Committee review of unblinded data, which occurred after day 28.ResultsBeyond the planned enrollment of 44 subjects, four additional subjects were enrolled into to the intravenous BG00010 200 μg/kg cohort after one original subject experienced mild generalized pruritus. Therefore, a total of 48 subjects were enrolled between August 2009 and December 2011; all were included in the safety analyses. BG00010 was generally well tolerated: in primary analyses, the most common treatment-emergent adverse events were changes in temperature perception, pruritus, rash, or headache; no trends were observed in clinical laboratory parameters, vital signs, intra-epidermal nerve fiber density, or quantitative sensory testing. BG00010 was not associated with any clear, dose-dependent trends in Likert pain scores. BG00010 was rapidly distributed, with a prolonged terminal elimination phase.ConclusionsThese data support the development of BG00010 for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00961766","term_id":"NCT00961766"}}NCT00961766     

Lymphocytes DNA damages and exposure to chlorpyrifos,deltamethrin, penconazole,copper oxicloride

Purpose: The evaluation of the association between different exposure to pesticides and different types of comet images among a group of 26 recruited subject.

Material and methods: We have recruited 26 subjects (farmers and not farmers). They were submitted to a blood drawing of 10?mL and a questionnaire was administered to investigate personal habits and work history. By means of the comet assay it was assessed the oxidative DNA damage of peripheral lymphocytes by pesticides in the exposed and non-exposed workers.

Result: The data measured by means of the comet were log transformed and the associations (odds ratios – ORs) with the single pesticides were calculated. The regression analysis shows a significant dose effects relationships between the Intensity Score of pesticides exposures tail moment (TM) and other measured parameters. Insecticides TM OR?=?17.00 [1.47?–?196.41]. This relationship is independent from the smoking habits.

Conclusions: TM values higher than the 75° percentile were significantly associated with the exposure to particular insecticides such as chlorpyriphos, deltamethrin and with other pesticides (near the statistical significance).     

Six newSalmonella types,isolated in ghana (S. volta,S. agona,S. wa,S. techimani,S. mampong andS. tafo)

Summary Six newSalmonella types isolated in Ghana are described.S. volta, 11: 4: 1,z₁₃, z₂₈ was isolated from a swine;S.agona 4,12: fgs:—,S.wa, 16: b: 1,5S.technimani, 28: c: z₆ andS.tafo, 1, 4 12, 27: z₃₅: 1,7 were isolated from cattle;S.mampong, 13,22: z₃₅: 1,6, was isolated from a lizzard.     

Sheep gene mapping: additional DNA markers included (CASB, CASK, LALBA, IGF-1 and AMH).

DNA extracted from 25 hamster-sheep hybrid cell lines was subjected, after Southern blotting, to hybridization with CASB, CASK, LALBA, IGF-1 and AMH cDNA probes. CASB and CASK segregated together and IGF-1 and LALBA were found syntenic with the LDHB-PEPB-TPI-GAPD-SHMT-KRTB group. No other synteny was observed with any of the previously described groups using the same hybrid cell panel. Gene nomenclature: ACO 1: aconitase 1 (soluble); ADA: adenosine deaminase; AMH: antiMüllerian hormone; ARA 1: murine sarcoma 3611 viral (v-raf) oncogene homologue 1; CASB: beta-casein; CASK: kappa-casein; ENO 1: enolase 1 (alpha); G6PD: glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; GALA (or GLA): glactosidase (alpha); GAPD: glyceraldehyde -3- phosphate dehydrogenase; GPI: glucose phosphate isomerase; GSR: glutathione reductase; HBG: haemoglobin gamma; HPRT: hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase; IDH 1: isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (soluble); IGF-1: insulin growth factor 1; ITPA: inosine triphosphatase; KRTA: keratin (acid); KRTB: keratin (basic); LALBA: alpha-lactalbumin; LDHA: lactate dehydrogenase A; LDHB: lactate dehydrogenase B; MDH 2: malate dehydrogenase NAD (soluble); ME 1: malic enzyme (soluble); MPI: mannose phosphate isomerase; NP: nucleoside phosphorylase; OLA: ovine leucocyte antigen; OTC: ornitine carbamoyltransferase; PAIS: phosphoribosyl amino imidazole synthetase; PEPA, PEPB, PEPC: peptidase A, B, C; PGD: phospho gluconate dehydrogenase; PGK: phosphoglycerate kinase; PGM 3: phospho glucomutase 3; PKM 2: pyruvate kinase (muscle); PLP: proteolipid protein; PRGS: phosphoribosyl glycinamide synthetase; RCP: red cone pigment; SHMT: serine hydroxymethyl transferase; SOD 1: superoxide dismutase 1 (soluble); SYN 1: synapsin 1; TPI l: triose phosphate isomerase 1.     

A replacement name for Dayus Gerken, 2001 (Crustacea,Peracarida, Cumacea), preoccupied by Dayus Mahmood, 1967 (Insecta,Hemiptera, Cicadellidae)

A replacement name is proposed for genus Dayus Gerken, 2001 (Crustacea: Peracarida: Cumacea), preoccupied by Dayus Mahmood, 1967 (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). The following changes are proposed: Jennidayus new replacement name = Dayus Gerken, 2001 (nec Mahmood 1967); Jennidayus pharocheradus (Gerken, 2001), comb. n. = Dayus pharocheradus Gerken, 2001; Jennidayus acanthus (Gerken, 2001), comb. n. = Dayus acanthus Gerken, 2001; Jennidayus makrokolosus (Gerken, 2001), comb. n. = Dayus makrokolosus Gerken, 2001.     

Water,Water, Everywhere

Abstract

Math and Science Across Culture: Activities and Investigations from the Exploratorium. Maurice Bazin, Modesto, and the Exploratorium Teacher Institute. New York: The New Press, 2002. 176 pp. $19.95 (paperback). ISBN 1-56584-541-2

History Beneath the Sea—Nautical Archaeology in the Classroom. K. C. Smith and Amy Douglass (Editors). Washington, D.C.: Society for American Archaeology, 2001. 28 pp. $5.95 (paperback). ISBN 0-932839-17-7.     

克里雅绿洲旱生芦苇根茎叶C、N、P化学计量特征的季节变化

旱生芦苇在水分限制、元素匮乏的环境条件下,经长期进化适应形成了自身独特的生理生态特征,研究其C、N、P化学计量特征随生长季节的变化规律有助于深入了解该植物生存和适应策略。系统分析了克里雅绿洲旱生芦苇根、茎、叶的C、N、P化学计量特征及其季节动态,深入探讨了不同生长季、不同器官以及两因素的交互作用对以上特征的影响。结果表明:旱生芦苇C、N、P含量均值分别为393.36、12.43、1.25 mg/g,C∶N、N∶P、C∶P均值分别为54.55、9.96、441.27。整个生长季内芦苇各器官间C、N、P平均含量的变化规律一致,为叶茎根,C、N、P化学计量比的变化规律不一致;芦苇C含量随生长季节的变化不断增加,N、P随季节的变化逐渐减少,C、N、P化学计量比随季节的变化规律也不尽相同。对芦苇C、N、P含量及其化学计量比整体变异来源分析显示,生长季节的变化对芦苇C、P、C∶N、C∶P变化的贡献大于器官间差异,器官间差异对芦苇N、N∶P变化的贡献大于生长季节的变化;说明芦苇生长发育过程中各生长季各器官对元素的吸收利用具有特异性。结合N、P元素含量及N∶P值的大小可知,研究区芦苇生长受到N、P共同限制,且更易受N元素的限制。     

Reconstruction of neocortex: Organelles,compartments, cells,circuits, and activity

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Yanomamology, Missiology, and Anthropology

The Yanomami and Their Interpreters: Fierce People or Fierce Interpreters? Frank A. Salamone. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1997. 117 pp.
Spirit of the Rainforest:. Yanomamö Shaman's Story. Mark Ritchie. Chicago: Island Lake Press, 1996. 271 pp.
Yanomamö Interactive: The Ax Fight. Peter Bella. Napoleon Chagnon. and Gary Seaman. Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology Multimedia Series Windows/Macintosh CDROM. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace, 1997.     

Estrogen,inflammation, and platelet phenotype

Background: Although exogenous estrogenic therapies increase the risk of thrombosis, the effects of estrogen on formed elements of blood are uncertain.Objective: This article examines the genomic and nongenomic actions of estrogen on platelet phenotype that may contribute to increased thrombotic risk.Methods: To determine aggregation, secretion, protein expression, and thrombin generation, platelets were collected from experimental animals of varying hormonal status and from women enrolled in the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study.Results: Estrogen receptor β predominates in circulating platelets. Estrogenic treatment in ovariectomized animals decreased platelet aggregation and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) secretion. However, acute exposure to 17β-estradiol did not reverse decreases in platelet ATP secretion invoked by lipopolysaccharide. Thrombin generation was positively correlated to the number of circulating microvesicles expressing phosphatidylserine.Conclusion: Assessing the effect of estrogen treatments on blood platelets may lead to new ways of identifying women at risk for adverse thrombotic events with such therapies.     

Hydrobiological Studies on Suraj Kund and Chandrama Kund,Hot Springs of Rajgir,Bihar, India

The hot water of Rajgir springs is used for drinking and bathing purposes by tourists. Certain physico-chemical characteristics (temperature, pH, NO, PO, etc.) of the water along with phycological parameters viz. community composition, species diversity, standing crop etc. were measured from June 1986 to April 1987. The water was deficient in Na, NO and PO ions. The hot springs were mainly dominated by algae belonging to Cyanophyceae and Bacillariophyceae. The algal community comprised 18 species, with dominance of Cyanophyceae over Bacillariophyceae. While Mastigocladus laminosus and species of Phormidium were dominant in Suraj Kund, species of Oscillaroria and Synechococcus dominated in Chandrama Kund. Diatoms comprised about 10 % of the algal community. Though there was a considerable seasonal change in species diversity of the algal community the total biomass (chlorophyll a extracted per unit area from the algal mat) remained constant.     

Review article: Migrants,minorities, and Mosleyites

Kenneth Lunn (ed.), Hosts, Immigrants, and Minorities: Historical Responses to Newcomers in British Society, 1870–1914; Folkestone: Dawson, 1980, 377 pp., £15.00.

Colin Holmes, Antisemitism in British Society, 1876–1939; London: Arnold, 1979, 328 pp., £13.50.

Gisela C. Lebzelter, Political Antisemitism in England, 1918–39; London: Macmillan, in association with St Antony's College, Oxford, 1978, 222 pp., £10.00.

Kenneth Lunn & Richard C. Thurlow (eds), British Fascism: Essays on the Radical Right in Inter‐War Britain; London: Croom Helm, 1980, 234 pp., £12.95.