Newly discovered populations of the Ethiopian endemic and endangered Afrixalus clarkei Largen,implications for conservation

Knowledge of the Ethiopian amphibian fauna is limited and Southwest Ethiopia remains understudied. This part of Ethiopia, where most of the country’s remaining natural forest is situated, is known to harbour the only populations of Afrixalus clarkei (Largen), an endemic banana frog, worldwide. This species is under great threat of extinction and is therefore classified as endangered on the IUCN red list. We surveyed different potential habitats for this species outside its known range and found several new populations extending its known habitat preference, and the geographical and altitudinal range of the species. We here show that Afrixalus clarkei is more common than previously thought.     

Impaired High-Density Lipoprotein Anti-Oxidant Function Predicts Poor Outcome in Critically Ill Patients

Introduction

Oxidative stress affects clinical outcome in critically ill patients. Although high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles generally possess anti-oxidant capacities, deleterious properties of HDL have been described in acutely ill patients. The impact of anti-oxidant HDL capacities on clinical outcome in critically ill patients is unknown. We therefore analyzed the predictive value of anti-oxidant HDL function on mortality in an unselected cohort of critically ill patients.

Method

We prospectively enrolled 270 consecutive patients admitted to a university-affiliated intensive care unit (ICU) and determined anti-oxidant HDL function using the HDL oxidant index (HOI). Based on their HOI, the study population was stratified into patients with impaired anti-oxidant HDL function and the residual study population.

Results

During a median follow-up time of 9.8 years (IQR: 9.2 to 10.0), 69% of patients died. Cox regression analysis revealed a significant and independent association between impaired anti-oxidant HDL function and short-term mortality with an adjusted HR of 1.65 (95% CI 1.22–2.24; p = 0.001) as well as 10-year mortality with an adj. HR of 1.19 (95% CI 1.02–1.40; p = 0.032) when compared to the residual study population. Anti-oxidant HDL function correlated with the amount of oxidative stress as determined by Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (r = 0.38; p<0.001).

Conclusion

Impaired anti-oxidant HDL function represents a strong and independent predictor of 30-day mortality as well as long-term mortality in critically ill patients.     

Relationships in a simple harmonic mean two-sex fertility model

A continuous time two-sex stable population model that does not recognize age is examined under the “harmonic mean” consistency condition of equation (2). Solutions for the stable population intrinsic growth rate r and the sex composition 5 are presented in equations (5) and (6). The process of stabilization is examined, and it is shown that, given two basic constraints, any initial population sex composition will eventually converge to the stable population value. An algebraic solution for the discrete case where the sex ratio at birth is unity is presented and used to describe the trajectory to stability of several hypothetical populations. A closed form algebraic expression for the trajectory to stability is presented for the continuous model in the special case of no mortality.     

Quantitative Cytochemische Untersuchungen an Nukleolen aus Speicheldrüsenkernen von Chironomus Thummi

Zusammenfassung Trockengewicht und Absorptionsverhältnisse des Nukleolus am 4. Speicheldrüsenchromosom von Chironomus thummi wurden mikrointerferometrisch und mikrospektrophotometrisch bestimmt.Die Trockengewichtszunahme des Nukleolus während der Larvenentwicklung folgt weder linear noch exponentiell der zunehmenden Polytänie der Chromosomen. Gegen Ende des 3. Larvenstadiums steigen die Trockengewichte der Nukleolen unabhängig vom Polytäniegrad individueller Chromosomen steil an.Das Verhältnis von Ribonukleinsäuren zu Proteinen bleibt in den Nukleolen von Speicheldrüsenkernen aller Larvenstadien bis zur Degenerierung der Nukleoli trotz bedeutender Veränderungen ihrer Totalmasse konstant.Induzierte Störungen des Energiestoffwechsels der Larven durch Hungern und Übervölkerung in den Kulturschalen führen zu erheblicher Rückbildung der Nukleolarmasse — bzw. zu Hemmung in der Akkumulation von Nukleolarsubstanz -, ohne die Konstanz der Ribonukleoproteidverhältnisse zu ändern. Ebenso bewirkt Kälteschock zwar eine Kontraktion der Nukleolen, doch keine Änderung in der Zusammensetzung der Grundkomponenten.Mit Unterstützung des Schwedischen Medizinischen Forschungsrates, der Wallenberg-Stiftung und des U.S. Public Health Service (Grant C-3082).     

A Method to Stain Decalcified Bone without Loss of Structural Detail

A modification of Bodian's protargol-S technique is done on 7 μm sections of decalcified bone. Light microscopic results are greatly improved when compared to either ground bone sections or decalcified bone stained routinely with hematoxylin and eosin.     

Light and electron microscopical immunocytochemistry of 5′-nucleotidase in rat cerebellum

Summary 5-Nucleotidase in nervous tissue has so far not been localised at the ultrastructural level using immunocytochemical techniques. We have now applied monoclonal antibodies and a polyclonal antiserum raised against this ecto-enzyme and describe the distribution of 5-nucleotidase antigenicity in rat cerebellum both at the light and electron microscopic levels. Within all cerebellar layers, 5-nucleotidase immunoreactivity was found on plasma membranes of glial elements, i.e. Bergmann glial cell processes crossing the molecular layer, astrocytic end-feet around blood vessels and glial cell extensions surrounding single Purkinje cells. In the granular layer, 5-nucleotidase immunoreactivity was present on glial membranes interposed between granule cells. Neuronal cells or processes were devoid of immunoreactivity. The immunocytochemical results were compared with conventional 5-nucleotidase histochemistry. Both techniques showed the same ecto-localisation of the enzyme and favour the view of 5-nucleotidase being predominantly situated at glial plasma membranes.     

Differential scanning calorimetric study of the thermotropic phase behavior of a polymerizable, tubule-forming lipid

A comparative study of the polymorphism exhibited by the polymerizable, tubule-forming phospholipid 1,2-bis(10,12-tricosadiynoyl)-sn-glycero-3- phosphocholine (DC23PC) and its saturated analog 1,2-ditricosanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DTPC) in aqueous suspension is reported. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), as well as freeze-fracture electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, have been used to study the influence on phase behavior of rigid diacetylene groups in the fatty acyl chains of a phosphatidylcholine. DTPC large multilamellar vesicle (MLV) and small unilamellar vesicle (SUV) suspensions were found to retain liposome morphology after chain crystallization had occurred. In marked contrast, diacetylenic DC23PC suspensions do not maintain liposomal morphology in converting to the low temperature phase. Large MLVs of DC23PC with outer diameters in excess of 1 micron convert to a gel phase with cylindrical or tubular morphology at 38 degrees C, just a few degrees below the lipid's chain melting temperature (TM(H), i.e. temperature of an endothermic event observed during a heating scan) of 43.1 degrees C. Unlike the large MLVs, small MLVs or SUVs of DC23PC, with diameters of 0.4 +/- 0.3 micron and 0.04 +/- 0.02 micron, respectively, exhibit metastability in the liquid-crystalline state for several tens of degrees below the chain melting temperature prior to converting to a gel phase which, by electron microscopy, manifests itself as extended multilamellar sheets. Raman data collected at TM(H) -40 degrees C demonstrate that the gel state formed by DC23PC is very highly ordered relative to that of DTPC, suggesting that special chain packing requirements are responsible for the novel phase behavior of DC23PC.