Characterization of the hypotensive effect of S-nitroso-N-acetylcysteine in normotensive and hypertensive conscious rats.

S-Nitrosothiols (RSNOs) are potent vasodilators found naturally in vivo. A variety of synthetic RSNOs have been considered as potential nitric oxide (NO) donors for biomedical applications. We have characterized the hypotensive effect of the RSNO S-nitroso-N-acetylcysteine (SNAC) in normotensive and hypertensive conscious rats. SNAC reduced the medium arterial pressure in a dose-response manner in both normotensive and hypertensive animals. At the same doses (EC(50) of SNAC), SNAC showed a vasodilator effect in normotensive rats more potent and more prolonged than that of sodium nitroprusside (SNP). The hypotensive effect of SNAC was also more potent in methylene blue-treated rats, where the cGMP-dependent pathway had been blockaded. These data indicate that SNAC acts by both cGMP-dependent and cGMP-independent pathways. It was also shown that the thiol N-acetylcysteine (NAC) potentiates the action of SNP in hypertensive rats, pointing to the mediation of thiols in the vasodilator action of SNP in this condition. Such mediation may involve the formation of a more potent thiol complex with the nitroprusside anion or the transfer of NO to NAC, generating SNAC as a primary vasoactive species. The kinetic monitoring of the decomposition reactions of SNAC and SNP showed that both compounds are quite stable under the infusion conditions used. Therefore, their vasodilator action cannot be assigned to their breakdown with release of free NO in solution. As the two compounds are unlikely to cross the plasmalemma of smooth muscle cells, their actions are probably associated with the mediation of endogenous thiols in transnitrosation reactions.     

Mutations in short stature homeobox containing gene (<Emphasis Type="Italic">SHOX</Emphasis>) in dyschondrosteosis but not in hypochondroplasia

Dyschondrosteosis (DCO) and hypochondroplasia (HCH) are common skeletal dysplasias characterized by disproportionate short stature. The diagnosis of these conditions might be difficult to establish especially in early childhood. Point mutations and deletions of the short stature homeobox containing gene (SHOX) are detected in DCO and idiopathic short stature with some rhizomelic body disproportion, whereas mutations in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) gene are found in 40-70% of HCH cases. In this study, we performed mutational analysis of the coding region of the SHOX gene in five DCO and 18 HCH patients, all of whom tested negative for the known HCH-associated FGFR3 mutations. The polymorphic CA-repeat analysis, direct sequencing and Southern blotting were used for detection of deletions and point mutations. The auxological and radiological phenotype of these patients was carefully determined. Three novel mutations in DCO patients were found: (1) a deletion of one base (de1272G) (according to GenBank accession nos. Y11536, Y11535), resulting in a premature stop codon at position 75 of the amino acid sequence; (2) the transversion C485G resulting in the substitution Leu132Val; and (3) the transversion G549T causing an Arg153Leu substitution. These substitutions segregate with the DCO phenotype and affect evolutionarily conserved homeodomain residues, based on a comparison of homeobox containing proteins in 13 species. Moreover, these changes were not found in 80 unrelated, unaffected individuals. This strongly suggests that these mutations are pathogenic. The phenotype of our patients with DCO and HCH varied from mild to severe shortness and body disproportion. These results further support clinical and genetic heterogeneity of dyschondrosteosis and hypochondroplasia.     

Behavior and Activity Pattern of Cephalonomia stephanoderis (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) Attacking the Coffee Berry Borer,Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

We describe behavioral sequences and daily activities of pre-ovipositing and ovipositing females of Cephalonomia stephanoderis (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), an ectoparasitoid of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Scolytidae). Noticeable behavioral differences among preovipositing and ovipositing females include host examination, host stinging—probing, host feeding, and the oviposition per se. The female of C. stephanoderis feeds primarily on host eggs, but pupae are also exploited, mainly by pre-ovipositing females. After the onset of the oviposition period, C. stephanoderis examines the pupae repeatedly, stings them at frequent intervals, and spends more time feeding than during the pre-oviposition period. Host paralysis is linked both to host feeding and oviposition. It induces irreversible developmental arrest, which presumably allows preservation of the host until subsequent utilization, and contributes to successful offspring development, particularly by reducing host motility. Oviposition consists in a host selection process, a prolonged period of preparation of the potential host, and the egg-laying phase itself. Under our experimental conditions, pre-ovipositing and ovipositing females are active 17% and 36% of the day, respectively. Host handling time averages 6% and 23% in pre-ovipositing and ovipositing females, respectively. All coffee berry borer developmental stages are exploited by C. stephanoderis females, either for host feeding and/or oviposition activities. Such flexible behavior is advantageous given that host availability is limited inside the coffee berries.     

Low Plasma Leptin Concentration and Low Rates of Fat Oxidation in Weight‐Stable Post‐Obese Subjects

Objective: A low resting metabolic rate for a given body size and composition, a low rate of fat oxidation, low levels of physical activity, and low plasma leptin concentrations are all risk factors for body weight gain. The aim of the present investigation was to compare resting metabolic rate (RMR), respiratory quotient (RQ), levels of physical activity, and plasma leptin concentrations in eight post‐obese adults (2 males and 6 females; 48.9 ± 12.2 years; body mass index [BMI]: 24.5 ± 1.0 kg/m²; body fat 33 ± 5%; mean ± SD) who lost 27.1 ± 21.3 kg (16 to 79 kg) and had maintained this weight loss for ≥2 months (2 to 9 months) to eight age‐ and BMI‐matched control never‐obese subjects (1 male and 7 females; 49.1 ± 5.2 years; BMI 24.4 ± 1.0 kg/m²; body fat 33 ± 7%). Research Methods and Procedures: Following 3 days of weight maintenance diet (50% carbohydrate and 30% fat), RMR and RQ were measured after a 10‐hour fast using indirect calorimetry and plasma leptin concentrations were measured using radioimmunoassay. Levels of physical activity were estimated using an accelerometer over a 48‐hour period in free living conditions. Results: After adjustment for fat mass and fat‐free mass, post‐obese subjects had, compared with controls, similar levels of physical activity (4185 ± 205 vs. 4295 ± 204 counts) and similar RMR (1383 ± 268 vs. 1430 ± 104 kcal/day) but higher RQ (0.86 ± 0.04 vs. 0.81 ± 0.03, p < 0.05). Leptin concentration correlated positively with percent body fat (r = 0.57, p < 0.05) and, after adjusting for fat mass and fat‐free mass, was lower in post‐obese than in control subjects (4.5 ± 2.1 vs. 11.6 ± 7.9 ng/mL, p < 0.05). Discussion: The low fat oxidation and low plasma leptin concentrations observed in post‐obese individuals may, in part, explain their propensity to relapse.     

Testing a simple stochastic model for the dynamics of waterfowl aggregations

We consider a simple stochastic model for the dynamics of mixed-species waterfowl aggregations and describe two methods for assessing the fit of this model to field data. The model does not incorporate species-specific behavior. It assumes that all birds act independently and incorrectly predicts an exponential distribution for inter-event times. We reject this model, show that 29% of the birds move in groups of two or more birds, and demonstrate that the distribution of inter-event times between the movements of groups of birds is exponential. We find no difference in movement rates or group sizes between seasons, and no difference between groups arriving into or departing from the observed aggregations. An analysis of group composition suggests that species at low abundance behave differently than species at high abundance: birds with few conspecifics are more likely to move in mixed-species groups than birds with many conspecifics. We suggest that simple stochastic models provide a useful way to explore the dynamics of animal behavior.     

Role of Astrocytes in Manganese Neurotoxicity Revisited

Neurochemical Research - Manganese (Mn) overexposure is a public health concern due to its widespread industrial usage and the risk for environmental contamination. The clinical symptoms of Mn...     

Recent sympatric speciation involving habitat-associated nuptial colour polymorphism in a crater lake cichlid

Even though the idea that modes of speciation other than allopatric speciation are possible in nature is now widespread, compelling examples of ecological speciation in sympatry remain rare. We studied an undescribed radiation of haplochromine cichlids in a young crater lake in western Uganda, and in the small river that is nearby but has currently no known surface connection to the lake. We describe two different modes of speciation that occurred in this cichlid lineage within the past 1,500–10,000 years. Not constrained by gene flow, allopatric divergence between river and lake cichlids affects many different morphological traits as well as nuptial colouration—muted in the river, but intensified and polymorphic in lake cichlids—and neutral genetic differentiation. More surprisingly, we demonstrate a case for sympatric speciation within the small lake that is associated with dramatic differences in male breeding colouration (yellow with bright red-chest versus bright blue) and subtle differences in microhabitat, feeding regime and morphology. Reproductive isolation by assortative mating is suggested by significant differentiation between yellow and blue males in neutral markers of gene flow despite complete sympatry. We hypothesize speciation is mediated by divergent selection on sexual signalling between microhabitats.

     

Purification and properties ofl-serine dehydratase fromLactobacillus fermentum ATCC 14931

l-Serine dehydratase fromLactobacillus fermentum was purified 100-fold. It was stabilized by the presence of 1 mM l-cysteine in 50 mM phosphate buffer. M_r=150,000 was determined by gel filtration. The enzyme consists of four apparently identical subunits (M_r=40,000) that were observed after treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate. The apparent K_m forl-serine was 65 mM. Fe⁺⁺ was required for the enzymatic activity, and the apparent K_m value for this reaction was 0.55 mM. Maximum enzymatic activity was observed at 45°C and pH 8.0 in 50 mM phosphate buffer. At pH values different from the optimum, a positive cooperativity between substrate molecules was observed. The activation energy of the reaction was 11,400 and 22,800 cal × mol^–1 for temperature values more than and less than 35°C respectively. The purified enzyme showed a maximum absorption between 400 and 420 nm, indicating the presence of pyridoxal-5-phosphate (PLP) as a prosthetic group. The PLP concentration was 0.027 µmoles per milligram of protein. The data suggest that there is 1 mol of PLP for each protein subunit.     

Floristic groups and plant communities of southeastern Santa Fe,Argentina

This paper is a survey of the vegetation of the southeastern departments in the Province of Santa Fe (Argentina). The vegetation was analyzed following Braun-Blanquet's approach modified by Mueller-Dombois & Ellenberg (1974). The most relevant species of the region were placed in 25 groups according to their requirements or general behaviour. Most of the communities are herbaceous, and apart from the woody and some other miscellaneous ones they were grouped into three ecologically and floristically defined sets. The first set, the Stipa grasslands and related communities, which are characterized by the more or less abundant presence of Stipa hyalina, Stipa neesiana and Stipa papposa, comprises five different communities. The second, the halophilous communities, comprises five communities, the two Spartina ssp. grasslands, the halophilous prairies of Distichlis spicata, the short sedge Scirpus americanus communities and the ‘pela-dales’. The third, the hygrophilous communities, comprises nine communities which are not so well defined as the ones in the other sets. Besides, two further communities have been included, the Paspalum quadrifarium and the Melica macra tall grasslands.