Parental nepotism enhances survival of retained offspring in the Siberian jay

The evolutionary payoff accruing to parents from breeding offspringcould be an incentive for prolonged investments in the offspring.Enhanced survival for offspring as a result of such a prolongedparental investment would increase the value of remaining inthe natal territory for the offspring. Here we show that first-yearsurvival in Siberian jays is higher in the company of theirparents. Two observations point to that the enhanced survivalof retained offspring is due to nepotistic parents rather thanto the quality of a shared habitat. First, winter survivalis higher only for those retained offspring whose parents havesurvived too ; this precludes the possibility that the linkbetween timing of dispersal and survival should reflect a higher phenotypic quality of retained offspring in general. Second,there is no support for the more parsimonious explanation thatthis link between the survival of parents and retained offspringreflects habitat quality of a shared territory. We could, withhigh statistical power, reject the possibility of a correlationbetween the survival of parental birds and unrelated immigrantsto the territory. Such a correlation would have been expectedif survival reflected habitat quality and not kinship. Our data instead suggest a direct fitness gain to retained offspringin enhanced survival through parental nepotism (parental facilitation).The behavior of parents in allowing retained offspring accessto food that is denied to immigrants is one proximate mechanismmediating a benefit of delayed dispersal.     

Temporal Variation in the Interaction Between Calcium Channel Blockers and Morphine-Induced Analgesia

Circadian variations in the interaction between calcium channel blockers and morphine-induced analgesia were determined by the mouse hot-plate test. Calcium channel blockers diltiazem, verapamil, or nicardipine alone did not display any significant analgesic effect, but all of them potentiated morphine-induced analgesia when injected 30 min prior to morphine at most of the injection times. In terms of percent absolute potentiation, they produced more potentiation during the light period than darkness. Their potentiating effects decreased abruptly during darkness, and around the midtime of the dark period no significant potentiation of morphine-induced analgesia was observed. It is concluded that these fluctuations in the magnitude of interaction between calcium channel blockers and morphine must be taken into consideration particularly in studies dealing with the role of calcium in analgesia.     

Physiological roles of the angiogenic factors during posthatching development period and adults in the quail lung

The bronchus and vasculature form an intrinsic functional component of the avian lung, and its growth must be tightly regulated and coordinated by lung epithelial and endothelial development. Vascular endothelial growth inhibitor (VEGI), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors (flk1/KDR, flt1/fms, flt4) are required for epithelial and endothelial cell survival and apoptosis. Especially, VEGF and its receptors are critical for the development of the lung and serve as a maintenance factor during adult life. To determine the function of VEGI, VEGF and its receptors in the posthatching lung development, we revealed its expression and localization using by immunohistochemical procedure. VEGI, VEGF and its receptors were observed in the structural components of the bronchi, atria and air capillaries, as well as in the pulmonary blood vessels throughout the posthatching development period. On the other hand, immunostaining for VEGI, VEGF and its receptors was faintly detected in the glands of the secondary bronchi. Furthermore, it was determined that the secondary bronchial and atrial muscles did not display VEGF immunoreactions. Our results showed that VEGF and its receptors (flt1/fms, flk1/KDR and flt4) and VEGI were expressed at varying intensity by different cell groups. Therefore, they are also required for the development of the lung component during posthatching period.     

The protective effects of Prunus armeniaca L (apricot) against methotrexate-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis in rat kidney

This study was conducted to evaluate a possible protective role of apricot in apoptotic cell death induced by methotrexate (MTX) and renal damage by different histological and biochemical parameters. Twenty-eight rats were divided into four groups, control, apricot, methotrexate, and apricot + methotrexate. Methotrexate induced renal failure, as shown by significant serum creatinine and urea elevation. Additionally, the results indicated that methotrexate significantly induced lipid peroxidation and reduced antioxidant activities in rats. In contrast, apricot significantly prevented toxic effects of methotrexate via increased catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione levels but decreased formation of malondialdehyde. Also, it was determined that exposure to methotrexate leads to significant histological damage in kidney tissue such as glomerulosclerosis and apoptosis. On the other hand, these effects can be eliminated with apricot diet. These data indicate that apricot may be useful in preventing undesirable effects of MTX such as nephrotoxicity.     

Are we aware how contaminated our mobile phones with nosocomial pathogens?

Vibrio spp. is a pathogen rarely isolated in cancer patients, and in most cases it is associated with haematological diseases. Cutaneous manifestations of this organism are even rarer. We report a case of Non-O1 Vibrio cholerae inguinal skin and soft tissue infection presenting bullous skin lesions in a young type II diabetic patient with a penis squamous cell carcinoma having a seawater exposure history.