Common and specific responses to iron and phosphorus deficiencies in roots of apple tree (Malus × domestica)

Plant Molecular Biology - Iron and phosphorus are abundant elements in soils but poorly available for plant nutrition. The availability of these two nutrients represents a major constraint for...     

Diet composition of bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) caught on aggregated schools in the western equatorial Atlantic Ocean

The present study aims to characterize and compare the diet of bigeye and yellowfin tunas caught on aggregated schools in the western equatorial Atlantic Ocean. The samples were collected from January 2011 to June 2016. The tunas were measured on board and the stomachs were removed after evisceration. The stomachs were analyzed regarding their Index of Fullness and the importance of each prey in the diet was estimated by the Index of Relative Importance (IRI). The diet overlap was assessed by the Morisita‐Horn's Index, Non‐Metric Multidimensional Scale (NMDS), and Analysis of Similarity (ANOSIM). The feeding strategy was determined by the Costello's Diagram. The 195 bigeye and 212 yellowfin tunas ranged in fork length from 51 to 137 cm and 43 to 174 cm, respectively. The diet of bigeye tuna was composed of 10 families of fish, three cephalopod families, and four crustacean orders. The diet of yellowfin tuna was composed of 11 families of fish, three cephalopod families, and three crustacean orders. The yellowfin tuna seems to feed upon more abundant prey species near the surface like flying fish, which have the concentration enhanced by the light attractors on the boat, and occasionally on other prey from deeper habitats like lanternfish, squids, and pomfret. Bigeye tuna feed mainly at prey that commonly occurs in deeper habitats like squids, drift fish, lanternfish, and pomfret.     

Characterization and regulation of the latent transforming growth factor-β complex secreted by vascular pericytes

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) stimulates the accumulation of extracellular matrix in renal and hepatic disease. Kidney glomerular mesangial cells (GMC) and liver fat-storing cells (FSC) produce latent or inactive TGF-β. In this study, we characterized the latent TGF-β complexes secreted by these cells. Human FSC produce a single latent TGF-β complex, predominantly of the TGF-β1 isoform, whereas GMC secrete multiple complexes of latent TGF-β, containing β1 and β2 isoforms. At least four forms were identified in GMC using ion exchange chromatography, including a peak not previously described in other cell types which eluted at 0.12 M NaCl, and predominantly of the β2 isoform. Both cell types secrete the latent TGF-β1 binding protein of 190 kDa, as part of a high molecular weight TGF-β complex. Epidermal growth factor stimulates the secretion of latent TGF-β and latent TGF-β binding protein in both cell types. Secretion of the latent TGF-β in both cell types was found to be associated with secretion of decorin. This study shows that vascular pericytes from the kidney and the liver have distinctly different profiles of latent TGF-β complexes, with GMC secreting a unique form of latent TGF-β2. The regulatory effect of epidermal growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor has potential implication for the pathophysiology of liver regeneration and chronic liver and kidney diseases. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The identification of a selective dopamine D2 partial agonist,D3 antagonist displaying high levels of brain exposure

The identification of a highly selective D₂ partial agonist, D₃ antagonist tool molecule which demonstrates high levels of brain exposure and selectivity against an extensive range of dopamine, serotonin, adrenergic, histamine, and muscarinic receptors is described.     

Experimental chronic low‐frequency resistance training produces skeletal muscle hypertrophy in the absence of muscle damage and metabolic stress markers

Volitional animal resistance training constitutes an important approach to modeling human resistance training. However, the lack of standardization protocol poses a frequent impediment to the production of skeletal muscle hypertrophy and the study of related physiological variables (i.e., cellular damage/inflammation or metabolic stress). Therefore, the purposes of the present study were: (1) to test whether a long‐term and low frequency experimental resistance training program is capable of producing absolute increases in muscle mass; (2) to examine whether cellular damage/inflammation or metabolic stress is involved in the process of hypertrophy. In order to test this hypothesis, animals were assigned to a sedentary control (C, n = 8) or a resistance trained group (RT, n = 7). Trained rats performed 2 exercise sessions per week (16 repetitions per day) during 12 weeks. Our results demonstrated that the resistance training strategy employed was capable of producing absolute mass gain in both soleus and plantaris muscles (12%, p < 0.05). Furthermore, muscle tumor necrosis factor (TNF‐α) protein expression (soleus muscle) was reduced by 24% (p < 0.01) in trained group when compared to sedentary one. Finally, serum creatine kinase (CK) activity and serum lactate concentrations were not affected in either group. Such information may have practical applications if reproduced in situations where skeletal muscle hypertrophy is desired but high mechanical stimuli of skeletal muscle and inflammation are not. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.