A New Entodiniomorphid Ciliate,Troglocorys cava n. g., n. sp., from the Wild Eastern Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) from Uganda

ABSTRACT. Troglocorys cava n. g., n. sp. is described from the feces of wild eastern chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii, in Uganda. This new species has a spherical body with a frontal lobe, a long vestibulum, a cytoproct located at the posterior dorsal side of the body, an ovoid macronucleus, a contractile vacuole near the cytoproct, and a large concavity on the left surface of the body. Buccal ciliature is non‐retractable and consists of three ciliary zones: an adoral zone surrounding the vestibular opening, a dorso‐adoral zone extending transversely at the basis of the frontal lobe, and a vestibular zone longitudinally extending in a gently spiral curve to line the surface of the vestibulum. Two non‐retractable somatic ciliary zones comprise arches over the body surface: a short dorsal ciliary arch extending transversely at the basis of the frontal lobe and a wide C‐shaped left ciliary arch in the left concavity. Because of the presence of three ciliary zones in the non‐retractable buccal ciliature, the present genus might be a member of the family Blepharocorythidae, but the large left concavity and the C‐shaped left ciliary arch are unique, such structures have never been described from other blepharocorythids.     

Cyanide oxygenase and cyanase activities of Pseudomonas fluorescens NCIMB 11764

Abstract Pseudomonas fluorescens NCIMB 11764 is able to utilise cyanide (both KCN and Ni(CN)₄²⁻) as a nitrogen source for growth. Under such conditions cyanide oxygenase activity is induced. When potassium cyanate (KOCN) is supplied as the sole nitrogen source for growth, cyanase activity is induced. It has been demonstrated that these two enzymic activities are physiologically distinct, and are not co-induced under any of the growth conditions tested.     

A survey of chlortetracycline concentration in feed and its residue in chicken egg in commercial layer farms

The worldwide increase in the use of antibiotics as an integral part of poultry and livestock production industry has recently received increasing attention as a contributory factor in the international emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in human beings. To gauge the presence of the aforementioned scenario in the Indian context, a preliminary survey was conducted to assess the use of chlortetracycline (CTC) in 12 commercial layer farms and to quantify and confirm its residue in the egg. Samples of feed and eggs were collected at day 0 (prior to CTC addition), 3rd, 5th and 7th day during treatment and on the 9th and 14th day (2nd and 7th day after withdrawal of CTC) from each of the 12 commercial poultry farms studied. Concentration of CTC in feed was significantly (P<0.01) high on the 3rd, 5th and 7th day. On the 9th day and 14th day CTC concentration in feed was significantly (P<0.01) lower compared to the earlier 3 days studied. A highly significant difference (P<0.01) of the antibiotic residue in egg was observed in all the 5 days with high residual levels of CTC in egg. CTC in feed and its residue in egg were detected even on the 9th and 14th day respectively.     

Una nueva especie de Chusquea (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) de la Cordillera de Mérida, Venezuela

A new species of woody bamboo (Poaceae: Bambusoideae),Chusquea guirigayensis, is described and illustrated. This species is placed inChusquea sect.Swallenochloa (McClure) L. G. Clark because of its shrubby habit, short waxy internodes, intravaginal branching, and linearly arranged subsidiary buds/branches. In addition, we discuss related species, and describe the ecology and distribution of the new species. Separate keys based on sterile and fertile material of the Venezuelan species ofC. sect.Swallenochloa are provided.     

Migratory Flyways May Affect Population Structure in Double-Crested Cormorants

Double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) recovered from a demographic bottleneck so well that they are now considered a nuisance species at breeding and wintering grounds across the United States and Canada. Management of this species could be improved by refining genetic population boundaries and assigning individuals to their natal population. Further, recent radio-telemetry data suggest the existence of Interior and Atlantic migratory flyways, which could reduce gene flow and result in substantial genetic isolation. In this study, we used 1,784 individuals collected across the eastern United States, a large panel of microsatellite markers developed for this species, and individuals banded as chicks and recaptured as adults to explore the effects of migratory flyways on population structure, quantify the genetic effects of demographic bottlenecks, and determine whether individuals could be assigned to their natal population based on genotype. We found evidence for genetic population division only along migratory flyways, no evidence of genetic bottlenecks, and mixed effectiveness of assignment tests. Our population structure findings suggest that gene flow is high across large scales; for example, individuals from New York, Minnesota, and Alabama are all in panmixia. We also found that traditional subspecies ranges may not be valid because >1 subspecies was present in single genetic populations. The lack of evidence for genetic bottlenecks also likely underscores the vagility of this species, suggesting that even during demographic bottlenecks, populations were not isolated from allelic exchange. Finally, the failure of assignment tests to consistently perform is likely due in part to imperfect a priori sampling of Atlantic and Interior chicks and the high vagility of adults. We conclude that the demographic bottleneck is not likely to have reduced genetic diversity, and that assignment tests remain unreliable for this species. We recommend double-crested cormorants be managed by flyway. Further development of genomic resources in this species could improve population subdivision resolution, improve assignment tests, and reveal further information on demographic histories. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.     

Regional differences in the morphological and functional effects of aging on cerebral basement membranes and perivascular drainage of amyloid‐β from the mouse brain

Development of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with failure of elimination of amyloid‐β (Aβ) from the brain along perivascular basement membranes that form the pathways for drainage of interstitial fluid and solutes from the brain. In transgenic APP mouse models of AD, the severity of cerebral amyloid angiopathy is greater in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, intermediate in the thalamus, and least in the striatum. In this study we test the hypothesis that age‐related regional variation in (1) vascular basement membranes and (2) perivascular drainage of Aβ contribute to the different regional patterns of CAA in the mouse brain. Quantitative electron microscopy of the brains of 2‐, 7‐, and 23‐month‐old mice revealed significant age‐related thickening of capillary basement membranes in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and thalamus, but not in the striatum. Results from Western blotting and immunocytochemistry experiments showed a significant reduction in collagen IV in the cortex and hippocampus with age and a reduction in laminin and nidogen 2 in the cortex and striatum. Injection of soluble Aβ into the hippocampus or thalamus showed an age‐related reduction in perivascular drainage from the hippocampus but not from the thalamus. The results of the study suggest that changes in vascular basement membranes and perivascular drainage with age differ between brain regions, in the mouse, in a manner that may help to explain the differential deposition of Aβ in the brain in AD and may facilitate development of improved therapeutic strategies to remove Aβ from the brain in AD.     

Biologic Activity of a Nucleotide Conjugate Between Mitomycin C and Cytarabine Monophosphate

Abstract

A dual prodrug conjugate between the antimetabolite cytarabine monophosphate and the alkylating agent 2,7-diaminomitosene (derived from mitomycin C), cytaramycin, was synthesized and tested for antileukemic activity in sensitive and resistant tumors. The compound was active against parental L-1210, CCRF-CEM, HL-60 and K-562 leukemia cells but did not overcome resistance in sublines developed for (1) multidrug resistance (L-1210/MDR and K-562-R) or (2) for cytarabine resistance (CCRF-CEM/ARA-C and HL-60/ARA-C). Alkaline DNA elution tests demonstrate a predominance of strand breaking activity due to the cytarabine moiety, and a lesser degree of DNA crosslinking, due to the mitosene moiety. The conjugate was active in mice bearing P-388 leukemia (80% increased lifespan), but was not more effective than mitomycin C alone in mice bearing a cytarabine-resistant L-1210 cell line (38% to 31% increased lifespan). These findings suggest that mitomycin nucleotide conjugates do not overcome resistance to the parent antimetabolites.     

Diospyros foliosa: the correct name for D. elliptica, and new combinations in Fijian and Samoan Diospyros (Ebenaceae)

The correct name in Diospyros L. (Ebenaceae) for a species from Tonga first described as Maba elliptica J. R. Forst. & G. Forst. and incorrectly known as D. elliptica (J. R. Forst. & G. Forst.) P. S. Green is D. foliosa (A. Gray) Bakh. In addition to the nominate variety, six additional varieties are recognised from Fiji and Samoa. As these varieties lack names under D. foliosa, the following new combinations are proposed: D. foliosa var. elliptica (J. R. Forst. & G. Forst.) Dorr, D. foliosa var. fijiensis (Bakh.) Dorr, D. foliosa var. fructuosa (A. C. Sm.) Dorr, D. foliosa var. iridea (Fosberg) Dorr, D. foliosa var. opaca (A. C. Sm.) Dorr, and D. foliosa var. savaiiensis (Christoph.) Dorr.