Lipopolysaccharide heterogeneity in Pasteurella haemolytica isolates from cattle and sheep.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from 40 isolates of Pasteurella haemolytica, comprising 23 serotype A1, seven serotype A2, one serotype T4, one serotype T10 and eight untypable isolates, obtained from diseased and healthy cattle or sheep, was characterized by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. Ten different SDS-PAGE LPS profiles, five smooth and five rough, were identified among the biotype A and untypable isolates and designated LPS types 1-10. LPS types 1 and 2 were smooth, had similar O-antigen banding-patterns but differed in the low-molecular-mass or core-oligosaccharide regions; type 3 LPS was rough but had a core-oligosaccharide region similar to that of LPS type 1. No similarities were observed between these LPS types and types 6, 7 and 9, which were smooth, and types 4, 5, 8 and 10, which were rough. Most serotype A1 isolates (19/23) were of LPS type 1, whereas two isolates each had LPS of types 2 and 3. The majority (5/7) of serotype A2 isolates possessed type 3 LPS, whereas the remaining two isolates each had LPS of types 4 and 5. There was much greater heterogeneity within the untypable group of isolates, which comprised LPS of types 1 and 9 (two isolates each), and 6, 7, 8 or 10 (one isolate each). Western blotting analysis demonstrated that LPS types 1 and 2 had immunologically identical O-antigen side-chains but differed in their core-oligosaccharide regions, whereas the core-oligosaccharide region of rough LPS type 3 was immunologically very similar to that of LPS type 1. The other LPS types were immunologically unrelated to these three LPS types. The majority (20/23) of serotype A1 isolates originated from cattle and possessed LPS types 1 or 2, different from most (5/7) of the serotype A2 isolates which originated from sheep and possessed LPS of types 3 or 4. However, two of the three ovine serotype A1 isolates had the same type 3 LPS as occurred in most of the ovine serotype A2 isolates, suggesting a possible correlation between LPS type and host specificity. This study has demonstrated that LPS diversity within different serotypes of P. haemolytica is greater than was previously thought and that certain LPS types might be host-specific.     

Intra uterine survival and growth of Wistar and Wistar x Brown Norway rat embryos

Embryos of the Wistar strain and its F(1) cross (Wistar females mated with Brown Norway males) of rats were transferred nonsurgically to 48 Wistar, 17 F(1) cross and 20 Wistar-Imamichi recipients. The two types of embryos were transferred together to each recipient to compare the viability of the embryos. Pregnancy rate was 78.8% (67 85 ). The survival rate of fetuses to term was 11.5% (20 174 ) and 25.1% (42 168 ) for the Wistar and F(1) embryos, respectively. Placental weight differed significantly (P<0.05) between embryo types and among recipient types while fetus weight differed (P<0.01) only among recipient types, with a significant interaction between recipient and embryo types (P<0.01). It was concluded that the F(1) embryos (Wistar x Brown Norway) were twice as viable as Wistar embryos under the conditions provided.     

Sexual dimorphism in amino acid compositions of mouse prolactin

Sexual dimorphism was found in amino acid compositions and immunogenecity of variant types of prolactin (PRL) purified from the pituitary gland of normal adult C57BL mice by a high performance liquid chromatography. From the pituitary gland of female mice, three female variant types of PRL were isolated, whereas from the pituitary gland of male mice, two male variant types of PRL (M1-PRL and M3-PRL) and a female variant type of PRL (M2-PRL) were obtained. The amino acid composition of M3-PRL was different from any of female variant types which were very similar to each other and contained less varine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine and lysine but more alanine than the latter. Immunoreactivity of any of female variant types of PRL against anti-PRL serum was 100%, whereas that of M1-PRL was as much as 85% and that of M3-PRL was nearly undetectable.     

The typological organization and microgeographical variation of chaffinch (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Fringilla coelebs</Emphasis> L.) songs in the population of the Curonian Spit

The song repertoire of many sparrow species (Passeriformes) has not one but several song types. In the investigated chaffinch population (Fringilla coelebs L.), we revealed 22 types of songs, of which four turned out to be rare (they were found in 1—2 points), and five song types were combined (they consisted of phrases of different song types). The average size of the chaffinch repertoire in the Curonian Spit was represented by 2—3 song types (max of 6 song types and min of 1 song type). The variation in song types considered by us can speak for genetic heterogeneity.     

Integrative epigenetic and genetic pan-cancer somatic alteration portraits

Genetic and epigenetic alterations are required for carcinogenesis and the mutation burden across tumor types has been investigated. Here, we investigate epigenetic alterations with a novel measure of global DNA methylation dysregulation, the methylation dysregulation index (MDI), across 14 cancer types in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. DNA methylation data—obtained using Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip—was accessed from TCGA. We calculated the MDI in 14 tumor types (n = 5,592 tumors), using adjacent normal tissues (n = 701) from each tumor site. Copy number alteration, and mutation burden were retrieved from cBioportal (n = 5,152). We tested the relation of subject MDI across tumors and with age, gender, tumor stage, estimated tumor purity, and copy number alterations for both overall MDI and genomic-context-specific MDI. We also investigated the top most dysregulated loci shared across tumor types. There was a broad range of extent in methylation dysregulation across tumor types (P < 2.2E-16). However, a consistent pattern of methylation dysregulation stratified by genomic context was observed across tumor types where the highest dysregulation occurred at non-CpG island regions. Considering other summary measures of somatic alteration, MDI was correlated with copy number alterations but not with mutation burden. Using the top dysregulated CpG sites in common across tumors, 4 classes of cancer types were observed, and the functional consequences of these alterations to gene expression were confirmed. This work identified the global DNA methylation dysregulation patterns across 14 cancer types showing a higher impact for the non-CpG island areas. The most dysregulated loci across cancer types identified common clusters across cancer types that may have implications for future treatment and prevention measures.     

How does seed heteromorphism influence the life history stages of Atriplex sagittata (Chenopodiaceae)?

Atriplex sagittata is an annual, heterocarpic species producing three types of fruits, (i) dormant ebracteate (further termed type A), (ii) dormant bracteate (type B) and (iii) non-dormant bracteate (type C). In this study, we investigated populations grown from particular fruit types under different density regimes, and assessed their fate in particular life stages throughout a complete growing season. Differences in germination date among populations grown from seeds of the three fruit types were found, followed by differences in population density and plant size. Low population density and total biomass was recorded in populations of types A and B fruit (which are smaller and exhibit less germination), but the low density was not associated with faster growth of individual plants. Type C fruit, with bigger seeds and higher germinability, generated populations with higher densities and higher total biomass than populations generated from type A and B. There was a significant effect of plant density on dry weight of individual plants, regardless of the fruit type from which they were grown. Under both density regimes, plants grown from types A and B fruit were lighter than those grown from type C fruit. Plants grown from different fruit types produced dispersal units (fruits+bracteoles) of different mean weight which increased from A to B to C. However, the total fruit weight was not significantly different when plant size was used as a covariate. Maternal effect on seed germinability, exhibited by plants grown from the three fruit types, was not significant. However, a remarkable trend was found. Lower germination was recorded in type A and B fruits produced by plants which grew under higher densities. It is concluded that plants derived from different fruit types differ in growth characteristics and population parameters which can have pronounced effect on the life cycle and population regeneration in successive years.     

Plasmodium falciparum: polymorphism in the MSP-1 gene in Indian isolates and predominance of certain alleles in cerebral malaria

Polymorphism in the block-2 region of merozoite surface protein-1 gene in 69 North Indian Plasmodium falciparum isolates was studied by PCR and RFLP using Dra-1 endonuclease. On the basis of molecular weight of the PCR products, considerable size polymorphism in target gene was seen and 69 isolates were classified into five allelic types. On RFLP, the isolates in three allelic types were further divided into two sub-allelic types each and thus eight genetic types could be identified. Interestingly, all five allelic types were identified in 47 isolates from uncomplicated (non-cerebral) malaria patients while only two allelic types (Type 2 and 3) were seen amongst 22 isolates from cerebral malaria patients. Furthermore, on RFLP, one subtype (2A) was predominantly seen in cerebral malaria patients and one subtype (3A) was exclusively found in cerebral malaria patients. These observations suggest that a few, comparatively more virulent isolates prevalent in an area may cause severe disease (cerebral malaria) which can be identified by molecular techniques like PCR-RFLP.     

Habitat quality influences population distribution, individual space use and functional responses in habitat selection by a large herbivore

Identifying factors shaping variation in resource selection is central for our understanding of the behaviour and distribution of animals. We examined summer habitat selection and space use by 108 Global Positioning System (GPS)-collared moose in Norway in relation to sex, reproductive status, habitat quality, and availability. Moose selected habitat types based on a combination of forage quality and availability of suitable habitat types. Selection of protective cover was strongest for reproducing females, likely reflecting the need to protect young. Males showed strong selection for habitat types with high quality forage, possibly due to higher energy requirements. Selection for preferred habitat types providing food and cover was a positive function of their availability within home ranges (i.e. not proportional use) indicating functional response in habitat selection. This relationship was not found for unproductive habitat types. Moreover, home ranges with high cover of unproductive habitat types were larger, and smaller home ranges contained higher proportions of the most preferred habitat type. The distribution of moose within the study area was partly related to the distribution of different habitat types. Our study shows how distribution and availability of habitat types providing cover and high-quality food shape ungulate habitat selection and space use.     

Habitat heterogeneity drives bird species richness,nestedness and habitat selection by individual species in fluvial wetlands of the Paraná River,Argentina

We assessed the relationship between habitat heterogeneity and bird species richness and composition within wetlands of the floodplain of the Middle Paraná River, Argentina. Given the high habitat heterogeneity in these wetland systems, we sought to determine whether (i) there was a positive relationship between bird species richness and habitat heterogeneity; (ii) whether bird species richness was associated with certain types of individual habitat types; (iii) whether there was a pattern of species nestedness and turnover between sites as a function of habitat heterogeneity and composition, respectively; and (iv) whether individual species exhibited associations with habitat heterogeneity. Point counts were used to survey birds at 60 sites. We estimated the area of eight habitat types found within a 200‐m radius from the centre of each site and calculated number and Pielou's evenness of habitat types. These indices, together with area proportion of each habitat type, were used as explanatory factors of bird species richness in linear regression models. Habitat heterogeneity per se rather than area of individual habitat types was a more important predictor of species richness in these fluvial wetlands. Sites with more habitat types supported more bird species. Results showed that individual bird species were associated with different habitat types and, therefore, sites that contained more habitat types contained more species. Number of habitat types accounted for species nestedness between sites whereas composition of habitat types accounted for species turnover between sites. Results suggest that selection of heterogeneous sites by individual species could help explain the positive heterogeneity–species richness relationship. Our findings highlight the importance of habitat heterogeneity per se resulting from flood disturbances in maintaining bird richness in fluvial systems.     

Precision grips in young chimpanzees

A precision grip, thumb-finger opposition, has been regarded as an uniquely human trait. Napier's conclusion that chimpanzees were incapable of precision grip was based on two subjects and prehension of a single object (i.e., a grape). The purpose of the present study was to specify grip type and hand use by 13 young chimpanzees to prehend three different-sized food objects. The subjects were laboratory raised (eight males and five females) and ranged in age from 27 to 58 months. An ethogram was devised that comprised 43 different grip types: ten configurations of precision grips were found, in addition to imprecise or inefficient grip types (nine types), thumb-to-finger opposition (10 types), power grips (two types), and a variety of other grips (12 types). Subjects most often prehended were very small-sized (5 mm × 5 mm × 3 mm) or small-sized (10 mm × 10 mm × 3 mm) food objects with precision and imprecise grips. An analysis of latency to prehend, i.e., efficiency, revealed (1) precision grips were equally efficient for all object sizes; (2) power grips were most efficient with the largest object (a grape); (3) with imprecise grips, the left hand was more efficient than the right with small objects, and with power grips the right hand was more efficient than the left for medium-sized objects. No population handedness was observed, but individual handedness was seen in nine subjects for some grip types and some object sizes. This study provides evidence that young chimpanzees preferentially use a true precision grip to prehend small and very small objects. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Genetic differentiation among eight color types of the freshwater goby,Rhinogobius brunneus,from western Japan

Genetic differentiation among eight color types of the freshwater goby,Rhinogobius brunneus, from the western part of Japan was investigated by using electrophoretic methods. Four sympatric types (Cross-band, Dark, Cobalt and Large-Dark (A) types) did not share alleles at between one and six loci out of 12 loci tested. No hybrid specimens were found among these types. The average genetic distances among these four types ranged from 0.13 to 0.72, which fall within the range of values among congeneric species of fishes. The average genetic distances among the other four types, Large-Dark (B), Orange, Shinji-Lake and Boso types, were only 0.01 to 0.03, and fall within the range of values among conspecific populations. These results suggest that the former four types are clearly discrete species and the latter four types may be considered as intraspecific variations of a fifth species.     

Lobster (Homarus americanus) hemocytes: Classification,differential counts,and associated agglutinin activity

Four hemocyte types were recognized in the lobster based on size and refractile nature of the granules, the ratios of cytoplasm to nucleus, and Giemsa stain characteristics. Two hyaline types were designated as prohyalocytes (1.8%) and hyalocytes (64.2%), and two granular types were termed eosinophilic granulocytes (12.2%) and chromophobic granulocytes (21.9%). There was no significant difference in the percentages of the different hemocyte types (differential hemocyte counts) between sexes, but hyalocyte and eosinophilic granulocyte percentages varied significantly between populations of lobsters. The data suggested that the difference in agglutinin activity (HA) between lobsters with the same total hemocyte numbers was due to activity associated with fixed hemocytes or quantitative differences in HA activity associated with one or more hemocyte types, rather than an increase in the percentage of any one particular type in circulation.     

动态心电图在小儿心律失常与心率变异性诊断中的意义

目的：研究动态心电图（DCG）诊断小儿心律失常及心率变异性（HVR）的临床价值。方法：560 例患者均进行常规心电图和动 态心电图的检查,由两组专业人员分别对心电图（ECG）和动态心电图（DCG）的检查结果进行（评价）,比较两种检查手段的不同 类型的心律失常的诊出率;评价不同类型心律失常的HVR。结果：ECG对各型心律失常的总诊出率为25.00%,对不同类型心率失 常的诊出率分别为5.71%、1.43%、9.29%、6.43%和2.14%;DCG 总诊出率为62.85%,对不同类型心率失常的诊出率分别为 16.43%、6.43%、17.86%、14.29%和7.86%,二者具有统计学差异（P＜0.05）。不同类型的心律失常的HVR不同,其中室性心动过速 和室性期前收缩的各项指标均明显低于其他类型（P＜0.05）。结论：DCG对不同心律失常的诊出率明显高于ECG,并能有效反应 不同类型心率失常的HVR,在小儿心律失常的诊断中具有一定的临床价值。     

基于椭圆傅里叶分析的次南极电灯鱼矢耳石形态多样性

次南极电灯鱼矢耳石形态特征具有多样性.为了深入研究其形态特征,利用南设得兰群岛外侧水域采集的456尾次南极电灯鱼(体长范围6.0～8.8 cm)样本,对其矢耳石形态进行分析和判别.根据形态特征将次南极电灯鱼耳石分为4种类型,并采用椭圆傅里叶分析法选取表征耳石类型的77个傅里叶特征系数进行了分析.结果表明: 对4种耳石类型两两比较后发现,具有显著性差异的傅里叶特征系数最多及最少分别占总体的61%和28.6%;对77个傅里叶系数进行主成分分析,前22个主成分解释了总变异的76.6%;选取了17个傅里叶特征系数进行判别分析,建立判别函数,总体判别率为87.2%;根据椭圆傅里叶分析重建的耳石轮廓反映了4种耳石类型间的差异.4种耳石类型在不同体长及体质量的次南极电灯鱼中皆有出现,表明耳石类型具有随机性,且左右耳石类型不一致,表明其左右耳石外形具有差异性.4种耳石类型中,Ⅰ型和Ⅱ型占总体的72.6%,为次南极电灯鱼耳石的主要形态;Ⅲ型和Ⅳ型占总体的27.4%,为次要形态.     

苹果榕传粉小蜂雌性触角感器及其生态学意义

利用扫描电子显微镜对苹果榕传粉小蜂Ceratosolen sp.雌性触角感器进行观察。结果显示:苹果榕传粉小蜂雌性触角呈膝形,分布着7类13种类型的感器,包括毛型感器、多孔的板型感器、锥型感器(2种类型)、栓锥型乳突状感器、刺型感器(4种类型)、腔锥型感器(3种类型)和一种专一性的角锥型感器。对各感器的形态、数量、分布进行描述,并结合感器的选择性染色(Ag+染色)、传粉小蜂行为及其榕/蜂互惠共生系统,对不同类型感器的功能和生态学意义进行探讨。     

Haptoglobin and transferrin types in schizophrenia

Haptoglobin and transferrin types were studied in schizophrenic patients and controls. In the haptoglobin system a significant departure from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium with an excess of heterozygotes was found among the patients (p less than 0.01). The distribution of haptoglobin types in the schizophrenic patients was significantly different from that in the controls. The distribution of transferrin types showed a good agreement with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. There was no significant difference between patients and controls with respect to transferrin types.     

浙江柿树种质资源遗传多样性的RAPD分析

浙江柿树资源丰富,但品种或类型混杂,为探究浙江省柿树种质资源多样性,本研究利用筛选出的16条随机引物,对7个柿树类型40个单株进行了RAPD分析,共得到156条谱带,其中多态性条带138条,平均多态性位点百分率为87.76%。类型间遗传多样性(Dst)为0.7604,远高于类型内个体间遗传多样性(Hs=0.0603),各类型分化系数(Gst)为0.7604,基因流(Nm)为0.1576。根据各类型间的遗传距离进行聚类分析,结果表明研究的各类型内遗传结构比较一致,而不同类型间分化较为严重,存在较为丰富的遗传多样性,且有一定的的基因交流。今后应收集更全面的柿树种质资源,为资源保存及良种培育打下基础。     

Red blood cell potassium types of angora goats (Capra hircus)

Two distinct K phenotypes with normal frequency distribution curves were found and identified as low (LK) and high (HK) potassium types in the red blood cells of 748 Angora goats. The division between the two types was arbitrarily assigned at 24.9 meq/l. Of the two KRBC level types; the LK type was predominating, its curve showed evidence of leptokurtosis and was negatively skewed. The HK type had a curve slightly mesokurtic and the population was normal with respect to skewness.     

Genetic variation of a fimbrial protein from Porphyromonas gingivalis and its distribution in patients with periodontal diseases

Pg-II fim from various strains of Porphyromonas gingivalis was classified on the basis of each nucleotide sequence, while the distribution of Pg-II fim types in 141 subgingival plaque samples was analyzed using PCR assays. Pg-II fim was divided into two types as follows: strains OMZ409, HG405, 381, ATCC 33277 and BH18/10 (type 1) and strains OMZ314 and HW24D-1 (type 2). The presence of P. gingivalis was demonstrated in 2.8% of healthy subjects and 56.1% of patients with periodontal diseases, and Pg-II fim was detected in 91.8% of the P. gingivalis-positive subjects. We also analyzed the distribution of the Pg-II fim types among Pg-II fim-positive patients, with the following results: type 1 (38.2%), type 2 (56.4%) and types 1 and 2 (5.4%). These findings strongly suggest that P. gingivalis organisms possessing Pg-II fim type 2 was principally detected in patients with periodontal diseases.     

Short-term effects of experimental warming and enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation on photosynthesis and antioxidant defense of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Picea asperata</Emphasis> seedlings

It is generally accepted that sucrose synthase (SuSy), ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), soluble starch synthase (SSS), granule-bound starch synthases (GBSS) and starch branching enzyme (SBE) play a key role in starch synthesis in wheat grains. Starch synthesis in wheat grains is influenced by genotype and environment. However, what is not known is the degree of variation in enzyme activity during starch accumulation of wheat cultivars differing in kernel types. The present study was carried out to characterize the changing activities of key enzymes during grain filling in two kernel type winter wheat cultivars. Results showed that starch accumulation rate (SAR) and activities of SuSy, AGPase, SSS, GBSS and SBE in large kernel types were significantly higher than those in small kernel types. The soil water deficit experienced during the course of the experiment led to an increase at early grain-filling period and decrease during late grain-filling, respectively, in SAR and activities of key enzymes involved in starch synthesis, especially SuSy, AGPase, SSS, and SBE. Water deficit enhanced grain starch accumulation in small kernel types. It suggests that rainfed treatment increase physiological activities during early grain-filling and promote starch accumulation in small kernel types. The simulation with Richards’ equation showed that it was accumulation duration and SAR that determined the starch accumulation in large kernel types. Compared with small kernel types, plants of large kernel types maintained longer filling duration, higher SAR and greater activities of related enzymes during mid and late grain-filling. These observations suggest stronger sink activities in large kernel types at a later stage of development. Consequently, large kernel types have advantages over the small kernel types in terms of the amount of starch accumulation at mid and late stage, but are sensitive to water deficit.