A METHOD FOR CALCULATING THE EFFECT OF A DIE-OFF FROM STRANDING DATA

A method was developed for estimating the mortality during a die-off of marine mammal species from longitudinal stranding data. A deterministic mathematical model of the stranding process was used to calculate the mortality during a die-off. The model incorporated natural and anthropogenic mortality rates, the number of stranded carcasses before, during, and after the die-off, the duration of the die-off, and detection probability of a stranded carcass. The model was applied to data for the bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus ) along the Atlantic coast of the United States. The mortality rate during the epizootic of 1987 and 1988 was calculated using the model. Sensitivity analyses indicated that precise estimates of natural and anthropogenic mortality rates were important for obtaining precise additional mortality rates during the die-off. For stranding data to be useful in this model, data should be collected in a consistent manner and effort within a defined area prior to, throughout, and after a die-off. Survey effort also should be measured.     

Synthesis and reactivities of 2,2'-anhydro-1-(3'-deoxy-3'-iodo-5'-O-trityl- beta-D-arabinofuranosyl)thymine.

2,2'-Anhydro-1-(3'-deoxy-3'-iodo-5'-O-trityl-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl) thymine (2) was synthesized from 2',3'-didehydro-3'-deoxythymidine (DHT). Compound 2 was readily converted into the 2',3'-anhydrolyxofuranosyl derivatives 4-6. Treatment of 4a with some nucleophiles (N3-, OMe-, Cl-) gave the corresponding 3'-substituted arabinosyl nucleosides (7a,c,e) together with the minor xylosyl isomers (8a,c,d). 7a,c,e were deprotected to 7b,d,f, respectively.     

Studies on the mechanism of blastula formation in starfish embryos denuded of fertilization membrane

A starfish egg, denuded of the fertilization membrane and placed on a glass surface, becomes a cell monolayer after several cleavages. This sheet of cells folds and forms a hollow sphere resembling a normal blastula at the 2(9)-2(10)-cell stage ('closing movement'). A marked morphological change was observed in each cell, preceding the closing movement. The surface of each blastomere differentiated into two parts: one was smooth, whereas the other was rough with microvilli. The smooth surface was more adhesive and flexible than the rough surface, suggesting that the closing movement may be driven by a local increase in cell adhesiveness.     

Structural basis of the nonribosomal codes for nonproteinogenic amino acid selective adenylation enzymes in the biosynthesis of natural products

Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology - Nonproteinogenic amino acids are the unique building blocks of nonribosomal peptides (NRPs) and hybrid nonribosomal...