Variation in the diet of the viperine snake Natvix mama in relation to prey availability

The diet of the viperine snake was compared with food availability in the Ebro Delta, a wetland largely occupied by rice fields, in 1990 and 1991. Snake selection of prey type and size was studied seasonally and by snake group: males, females and immature snakes. Overall, feeding activity (percentage of individuals with prey and number of prey per stomach) increased with food availability. Diet analysis showed that viperine snakes mainly foraged on the green frog Rana perezi (adults and tadpoles) and the carp Cyprinus earpio. Conversely, viperine snakes rejected the mosquito fish Gambusia holbroki which is the most abundant species in autumn, when Natrix maura has a low feeding activity. Statistical comparisons between viperine snake diet and prey availability showed that males selected small carp, immature snakes selected tadpoles and, in spring, females selected frogs. The selection of small carp by males may reflect a sexual divergence of trophic niche related to sexual size dimorphism, as females are larger than males. As tadpoles are presumably easier to catch than fish, tadpole selection by immature individuals may reflect variance in capture abilities. In spring, the selection of frogs by females overlapped with vitellogenesis, suggesting that females compensate for the cost of reproduction by selecting green frogs, which have a greater biomass and higher energy content than fish. Carps eaten in spring were smaller than in summer. Moreover, in summer viperine snakes selected smaller carp than the available mean size. This divergent tendency between carp size selection and carp size availability reveals how seasonal diet shifts in prey size selection may be a response to an increase in prey size.     

Characterization of newly established colorectal cancer cell lines: correlation between cytogenetic abnormalities and allelic deletions associated with multistep tumorigenesis

We have established a series of 20 colorectal cancer cell lines and performed cytogenetic and RFLP analyses to show that the recurrent genetic abnormalities of chromosomes 1, 5, 17 and 18 associated with multistep tumorigenesis in colorectal cancer, and frequently detected as recurrent abnormalities in primary tumours, are also retained in long-term established cell lines. Earlier studies by us and other investigators showed that allelic losses of chromosomes 1 and 17 in primary colorectal cancers predicted poorer survival for the patients (P = 0.03). We utilized the cell lines to identify specific chromosomal sites or gene(s) on chromosomes 1 and 17 which confer more aggressive phenotype. Cytogenetic deletions of chromosome 1p were detected in 14 out of the 20 (70%) cell lines, whereas allelic deletions for 1p using polymorphic markers were detected in 13 out of 18 (72%) informative cell lines for at least one polymorphic marker. We have performed Northern blotting, immunohistochemical staining (p53 mRNA, protein) and RFLP analysis using several probes including p53 and nm23. RFLP analysis using a total of seven polymorphic markers located on 17p and 17q arms showed allelic losses aroundthe p53 locus in 16 out of the 20 cell lines (80%), four of which were losses of thep53 locus itself. In addition, seven cell lines (out of nine informative cases) also showed losses of thenm23 gene, four with concurrent losses of thep53 locus, while the remaining three were homozygous. In addition, five out of seven cell lines withnm23 deletions were derived from hepatic metastatic tumours, and one cell line was obtained from recurrent tumour. A comparison between allelic deletions of 1p and functional loss ofnm23 gene revealed a close association between these two events in cell lines derived from hepatic metastasis. Following immunohistochemical staining, nine out of the twenty cell lines showed high levels (25–80%) of mutant p53, four showed intermediate levels (>20%), and seven had undetectable levels of the protein. Of these seven, four showed complete absence of mRNA. Of the remaining three cell lines one showed aberrant mRNA due to germline rearrangement of thep53 gene, whereas in two cell lines normal levels of mRNA were present. Nineteen of the 20 cell lines had normal germline configurations for thep53 gene, while one showed a rearrangement. These data suggest that functional loss ofp53 andnm23 genes accomplished by a variety of mechanisms may be associated with poor prognosis and survival. In addition, concurrent deletions of chromosome regions 17p, 17q and 1p were closely associated with high-stage hepatic metastatic disease. These cell lines with well-characterized genetic alterations and known clinical history provide an invaluable source of material for various biological and clinical studies relating to multistep colorectal tumorigenesis.     

How costly is clutch formation in the Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii?

During the Audouin's Gull's breeding season at the Ebro Delta in 1993, 24 fresh eggs from eight three-egg clutches (modal clutch-size) were collected at the peak of the laying period. Eggs were processed to obtain formalin-fixed yolks, which were halved and stained using the potassium dichromate method. Digitized images of the yolks were examined to assess the daily rates of yolk deposition. We used these data in combination with egg compositional analysis to build a model of energy demands during the formation of an average clutch in Audouin's Gull. To show how the different parameters of clutch formation affect the daily energy investment peak, we performed a simulation analysis in which the rapid yolk development (RYD) period, the follicle triggering interval (FTI), the laying interval (LI) and the albumen synthesis period (ASP) were allowed to vary simultaneously. In our sample, the mean RYD period was seven days with a range from six to eight days. There were no significant differences in yolk volume among eggs in a clutch, but albumen volume was significantly smaller in third eggs. According to our model the albumen synthesis of the a-egg coincides with the energy demand peak for clutch formation. This peak represents an increase by ca. 42% in female energy requirements. Values obtained from the simulation analysis showed that only the ASP of the a-egg and the RYD durations of the second and third follicles produced noticeable reductions in peak energy investment. We predict that in gulls, whose laying intervals seem to be kept constant, significant increases of the durations of the RYD periods of second and third eggs, or even significant reductions of yolk size of these eggs, may operate simultaneously to match the energy demands during clutch formation to the prevailing food conditions.     

A note on the occurrence of Leuconostoc oenos as a spoilage organism in canned mango juice

E thiraj , S. & S uresh , E.R. 1985. A note on the occurrence of Leuconostoc oenos as a spoilage organism in canned mango juice. Journal of Applied -Bacteriology 59 , 239–242.
A strain of Leuconostoc oenos was isolated from a blown can of mango juice. Various tests to identify and characterize the bacterium suggested that it could be a strain of L. oenos . This is the first report of L. oenos as a spoilage organism in fruit products other than wine.     

Colonization and deterioration processes in Roman mortars by cyanobacteria,algae and lichens

The mortars covering some walls of the Roman city of Baelo Claudia (Cadiz, Spain) support an abundant colonization of cyanobacteria, algae and lichens. The distribution of these organisms is closely related to microclimatic parameters. Furthermore, the development, specific composition and biomass of algal cryptoendolithic communities are related to the wall orientation. The effect of these communities on mortar deterioration is discussed.     

A New Type of Manchette Structure in Spermatids of Culex tigripes(Culicidae)

Abstract In young spermatids of Culex tigripes, microtubules organize a manchette which surrounds the nucleus. When the nucleus elongates, 1–5 expansions appear on the wall of the microtubules. They grow and branch out while the nucleus elongates and chromatin condenses. Expansions are straight or curved in shape. They have the same thickness as the microtubule walls, but they rarely constitute links between microtubules. The manchette disappears naturally at the end of spermiogenesis. The action of colchicine on spermatids leads to the complete disappearance of the microtubules and expansions, and inhibits the lengthening of the nucleus.     

STADEERS: a software package for the statistical design of experiments pertaining to the estimation of parameters in rate expressions that describe enzyme-catalyzed processes

This paper describes a computational algorithm (STADEERS-STAtisticalDesign of Exeriments in Enzyme ReactorS) for the statisticaldesign of biochemical engineering experiments. The type of experimentthat qualifies for this package involves a batch reaction catalyzedby a soluble enzyme where the activity of the enzyme decayswith time. Assuming that both the catalytic action and the deactivationof the enzyme obey known rate expressions, the present codeis helpful in the process of obtaining estimates of the kineticparameters by providing as output the times at which samplesshould be withdrawn from the reacting mixture. Starting D-optimaldesign is used as a basis for the statistical approach. ThisBASIC code is a powerful tool when fitting a rate expressionto data because it increases the effectiveness of experimentationby helping the biochemical kineticist obtain data points withthe largest possible informa tional content.     

Conformational control in structure-based drug design

In structure-based drug design, the basic goal is to design molecules that fit complementarily to a given binding pocket. Since such computationally modeled molecules may not adopt the intended bound conformation outside the binding pocket, one challenge is to ensure that the designed ligands adopt similar low energy conformations both inside and outside of the binding pocket. Computational chemistry methods and conformational preferences of small molecules from PDB and Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) can be used to predict the bound structures of the designed molecules. Herein, we review applications of conformational control in structure-based drug design using selected examples from the recent medicinal chemistry literature. The main purpose is to highlight some intriguing conformational features that can be applied to other drug discovery programs.     

Secreted meningeal chemokines,but not VEGFA,modulate the migratory properties of medulloblastoma cells

Leptomeningeal metastasis is a cause of morbidity and mortality in medulloblastoma, but the understanding of molecular mechanisms driving this process is nascent. In this study, we examined the secretory chemokine profile of medulloblastoma cells (DAOY) and a meningothelial cell line (BMEN1). Conditioned media (CM) of meningothelial cells increased adhesion, spreading and migration of medulloblastoma. VEGFA was identified at elevated levels in the CM from BMEN1 cells (as compared to DAOY CM); however, recombinant VEGFA alone was insufficient to enhance medulloblastoma cell migration. In addition, bevacizumab, the VEGFA scavenging monoclonal antibody, did not block the migratory phenotype induced by the CM. These results reveal that paracrine factors secreted by meningothelial cells can influence migration and adherence of medulloblastoma tumor cells, but VEGFA may not be a specific target for therapeutic intervention in this context.