Variation in rod spectral sensitivity of fishes is best predicted by habitat and depth

Rod spectral sensitivity data (λ_max), measured by microspectrophotometry, were compiled for 403 species of ray-finned fishes in order to examine four hypothesized predictors of rod spectral sensitivity (depth, habitat, diet and temperature). From this database, a subset of species that were known to be adults and available on a published phylogeny (n = 210) were included in analysis, indicating rod λ_max values averaging 503 nm and ranging from 477 to 541 nm. Linear models that corrected for phylogenetic relatedness showed that variation in rod sensitivity was best predicted by habitat and depth, with shorter wavelength λ_max values occurring in fishes found offshore or in the deep sea. Neither diet, nor the interaction of diet and habitat, had significant explanatory power. Although temperature significantly correlated with rod sensitivity, in that fishes in temperate latitudes had longer wavelength rod λ_max values than those in tropical latitudes, sampling inequity and other confounds require the role of the temperature to be studied further. Together, these findings indicate that fish rod λ_max is influenced by several ecological factors, suggesting that selection can act on even small differences in fish spectral sensitivity.     

DendroCT – Dendrochronology without damage

The paper describes an evaluation of the applicability of computer tomography in archaeological dendrochronology. Two different computer tomographs were tested, a Siemens Somatom Emotion single slice scanner developed for medical use, and a Nikon Metrology model XT H 225 LC, which is an industrial type scanner. Both scanners were tested against air-dried, archaeological oak wood, and more limited experiments were made with waterlogged archaeological oak wood and archaeological oak wood which had been treated with high-molecular polyethyleneglycol as a conservation treatment. After scanning the resulting imagery were measured and analysed for dendrochronology using off-the-shelf software for handling and measuring on the images and the specialist programme DENDRO for the dendrochronological analyses.The results showed that only the industrial scanner produced sufficiently clear imagery to allow for dendrochronological analyses. In the scans it was possible to separate tree-rings down to 0.2 mm width, and it was possible to identify the sapwood–heartwood border when sufficient sapwood rings were present. It was found, however, that a visual inspection of the object was required to distinguish between sapwood and decayed wood. Comparisons between direct measurements of tree-rings and measurements based on CT-imagery revealed no significant differences. The scanning and subsequent dating of more than 90 objects showed that dendrochronological dating based on CT-scanning has a success rate equal to conventional dating, albeit more time consuming.The attempts to scan waterlogged and PEG-impregnated archaeological oak wood were unsuccessful, due to a low degree of contrast between the water/PEG and the preserved wood. The experiments were too limited to exclude, however, that a successful protocol can be developed also for these types of materials.     

Outside Points of View in the Construction of Balinese Ethnicity and Religion

The ‘outside points of view’ of Muslims, Indian Hindus, tourists and other non‐Balinese towards Balinese culture and religion are often invoked by Balinese religious leaders and urban intelligentsia. This has been described in the literature as ‘defensiveness’ related to the process of gaining state acceptance for Balinese religion as Hinduism. I argue for a more subtle reading of the importance of assumed outside points of view to transformations of Balinese practices and to the construction of Balinese identities, by analysing examples from fieldwork (2001–2003) and from Balinese media relating to current debates over cockfighting, the Balinese language, and Balinese religion. One must differentiate the importance of outside points of view to differently positioned Balinese, determine what specific practices are called into question by such assumed points of view, and clearly distinguish between the flow of cultural categories and concepts in a globalised world and the phenomenon of perceived interactions between religions and cultures. Furthermore, a wider cross‐cultural perspective reveals the limitations of understanding these processes as uniquely postcolonial or postmodern.     

Neuropeptide Y in guinea pig, rabbit, rat and man. Identical amino acid sequence and oxidation of methionine-17

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) was isolated and characterised from acid-ethanol extracts of rabbit and guinea pig brain. In both instances the chromatographic purification was a two-step procedure of gel filtration followed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The amino acid sequence of rabbit and guinea pig NPY was found to be identical to human and rat NPY as deduced from the cDNA structures. With the exception of the porcine peptide, all mammalian NPYs characterised to date have a methionine residue in position 17. This methionine residue is readily oxidized as indicated by the high degree of spontaneous oxidation of peptides found in the rabbit and guinea pig brain extracts and in NPY extracted from a rat phaeochromocytoma cell line. It is concluded that NPY is among the most highly conserved peptides and that NPYs containing methionine in position 17 are prone to oxidation.     

Oxidation/reduction explains heterogeneity of pancreatic somatostatin.

Somatostatin 14 (SS 14) has been isolated from pancreatic extracts, but open gel filtration immunoreactive SS often elutes in two peaks. We isolated both peaks, but upon sequence analysis only authentic SS 14 could be identified. By further gel filtration experiments it turned out that both synthetic and extractable SS appeared homogeneous at neutral pH 7.5, but showed an additional, earlier peak in acetic acid. After addition of mercaptoethanol, all of the SS eluted at this earlier position regardless of the pH. We conclude that partial reduction/oxidation of SS explains the heterogeneity.     

Lack of dynein arms in immotile human spermatozoa

Sermatozoa from two brothers who are not twins were found to be straight and immotile. Examinations of the sperm showed that oxygen consumption and lactic acid production were normal; viability tests showed that the percentage of dead sperm was not increased. The ultrastructural appearance of the sperm tail was normal except for a complete lack of dynein arms and some irregularities in the arrangement of the accessory fibers and the longitudinal columns of the fibrous sheath. The mitochondrial apparatus and the sperm head conform to the conventional model. According to the sliding-filament hypothesis first proposed by Afzelius (1959. J. Biophys. Biochem. Cytol. 5:269.), the arms are responsible for the bending movements of the tail. The simplest explanation for the simultaneous lack of arms and sperm motility appears to be that the two brothers have a genetic disorder involving production, assembly, or attachment of the dynein arms.     

Nondestructive amino acid analysis at the picomole level of proline-containing peptides using aminopeptidase M and prolidase: application to peptides containing tyrosine sulfate.

A micromethod for nondestructive amino acid analysis was developed. Peptides were digested with amino-peptidase M followed by prolidase. The whole procedure was performed in a microvial for the autosampler of the analyzer. The resulting method has a working range from 10 to 600 pmol, at least, of sample taken into work. The usefulness of the method was demonstrated by its ability to determine the sulfation of tyrosine preceding proline in chicken gastrin.     

Ethnic Differences in Correlates of Obesity between Latin‐American and Black Women

Objective: To date, no studies have examined dietary intake, physical activity, and body image in a large sample of Latin‐American and black women recruited using the same methodology. The aim of this study was to examine three potential correlates of obesity (dietary intake, body image, and physical activity) in a large sample of Latin‐American and black women across the weight spectrum. Research Methods and Procedures: Participants were black (n = 271) and Latin‐American (n = 234) adult women who completed a 24‐hour dietary recall and physical activity and body image questionnaires. Results: After controlling for BMI, education, marital status, and number of children, black women consumed more kilocalories, dietary fat (grams), and percent calories from fat than Latin‐American women, who consumed more carbohydrates (grams) and dietary fiber (total and soluble). Black women engaged in more sedentary behavior than Latin‐American women. Although Latin‐American women weighed less than black women, they perceived their current body image as heavier and reported greater body image dissatisfaction than black women. Black women also reported a higher ideal body image than Latin‐American women. Discussion: The combined effect of a diet higher in calories and fat, increased sedentary behavior, and more accepting body image could account for higher rates of obesity among black women. Future studies should further explore cultural attitudes and beliefs related to weight that could provide information for the development of culturally competent obesity interventions.