Population biology of parasites of striped mullet, Mugil cephalus L. Crustacea

Class 0 and class 1 striped mullet, Mugil cephalus , were collected from May 1970 to June 1971 to study development, seasonal abundance of parasite populations, and distribution of gill parasites. Crustacean parasites observed were Ergasilus lizae, E. versicolor, E.funduli, Bomolochus concinnus, Brachiella oblonga, Caligus mfimaculatus, Clavella inversa, Lernaeeni–cus longiventris, Argulus funduli and A. chesapeakensis sp.n. Cressey. Cyclipoid copepods initially infected class 0 mullet in late spring and populations were characterized by surges in intensity at 6 to 8 week intervals. Caligoid copepods initially infected class 0 mullet in late summer and fall or appeared only on class 1 mullet. Intensity remained low, but they were observed consistently. Branchiurans were rarely observed on class 0 mullet and occurred consistently at low intensity on class 1 mullet. Study of distribution of five gill parasites indicated a high degree of gill habitat subdivision, but competitive exclusion was not observed.     

Increased variation in sex organ positions can increase reciprocity and pollination success in heterostylous plant populations

The reciprocal position of sexual organs in complementary floral morphs is central to our understanding of heterostyly. Reciprocity indices are used to quantify the spatial match between complementary sex organs, but previous indices fail to appropriately account for intra-population variation in sex organ positions. In this study, we examine how an increase in intra-population variation in sex organ heights affects reciprocity and consequently reproductive success. We formulated a reciprocity index that incorporates this variation and asked if estimates of reciprocity can predict reproductive success in naturally occurring heterostylous populations. We developed a reciprocity index that assumed pollen transfer success equalled one for a perfectly matched stigma–anther pair, and decreased to zero with increasing mismatch. We examined the relationship between intra-population variation in organ position and reciprocity, compared previously proposed indices using simulated populations and empirical data from natural populations, and tested the ability of the indices to predict reproductive success. We observed that when differences between mean complementary sex-organ heights are small, increasing intra-population variation in heights resulted in a decrease in reciprocity. However, when this difference is larger, reciprocity increased, reached a peak, and then decreased with increasing variation. Previous indices failed to capture this behavior. Seed set was positively related to reciprocity for our index. These results challenge the current understanding that increasing variation in sex-organ heights will always decrease reciprocity in heterostylous populations. This may help explain why heterostylous systems exhibit and tolerate high amounts of intra-population variation in sex organ heights.     

毒蕈碱型乙酰胆碱受体的鼻黏膜效应

副交感神经参与鼻黏膜腺体和血管的功能调节.当各种异物、细菌、病毒或真菌侵入机体时, 鼻黏膜微环境发生改变, 这种变化刺激副交感神经释放乙酰胆碱.后者与调节鼻腺体和血管的毒蕈碱型乙酰胆碱受体 (M-ChR) 结合,导致鼻炎流涕和鼻塞.这种整体调节反射对下呼吸道起重要的防御性保护作用. 目前发现五种M-ChR亚型(M1-至M5- ChR),鼻黏膜有M1-至 M3- ChR亚型.高密度的M1-和M3- ChR共存于黏膜下腺黏液和浆液细胞, M3-ChR主要分布于血管.M-ChR对鼻腺体和血管的直接调节作用是通过细胞内腺苷酸环化酶和磷酯酶C激活.     

Evidence for multiple calcium response mechanisms in mammalian olfactory receptor neurons

Olfactory receptor neurons employ a diversity of signaling mechanisms for transducing and encoding odorant information. The simultaneous activation of subsets of receptor neurons provides a complex pattern of activation in the olfactory bulb that allows for the rapid discrimination of odorant mixtures. While some transduction elements are conserved among many species, some species-specificity occurs in certain features that may relate to their particular physiology and ecological niche. However, studies of olfactory transduction have been limited to a relatively small number of vertebrate and invertebrate species. To better understand the diversity and evolution of olfactory transduction mechanisms, we studied stimulus-elicited calcium fluxes in olfactory neurons from a previously unstudied mammalian species, the domestic cat. Isolated cells from cat olfactory epithelium were stimulated with odorant mixtures and biochemical agents, and cell responses were measured with calcium imaging techniques. Odorants elicited either increases or decreases in intracellular calcium; odorant-induced calcium increases were mediated either by calcium fluxes through the cell membrane or by mobilization of intracellular stores. Individual cells could employ multiple signaling mechanisms to mediate responses to different odorants. The physiological features of these olfactory neurons suggest greater complexity than previously recognized in the role of peripheral neurons in encoding complex odor stimuli. The investigation of novel and unstudied species is important for understanding the mechanisms of odorant signaling that apply to the olfactory system in general and suggests both broadly conserved and species-specific evolutionary adaptations.     

Modeling human arthritic diseases in nonhuman primates

Models of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in laboratory animals are important tools for research into pathogenic mechanisms and the development of effective, safe therapies. Rodent models (rats and mice) have provided important information about the pathogenic mechanisms. However, the evolutionary distance between rodents and humans hampers the translation of scientific principles into effective therapies. The impact of the genetic distance between the species is especially seen with treatments based on biological molecules, which are usually species-specific. The outbred nature and the closer anatomical, genetic, microbiological, physiological, and immunological similarity of nonhuman primates to humans may help to bridge the wide gap between inbred rodent strain models and the heterogeneous RA patient population. Here we review clinical, immunological and pathological aspects of the rhesus monkey model of collagen-induced arthritis, which has emerged as a reproducible model of human RA in nonhuman primates.     

The heparan sulfate proteoglycans Dally-like and Syndecan have distinct functions in axon guidance and visual-system assembly in Drosophila

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), a class of glycosaminoglycan-modified proteins, control diverse patterning events via their regulation of growth-factor signaling and morphogen distribution. In C. elegans, zebrafish, and the mouse, heparan sulfate (HS) biosynthesis is required for normal axon guidance, and mutations affecting Syndecan (Sdc), a transmembrane HSPG, disrupt axon guidance in Drosophila embryos. Glypicans, a family of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-linked HSPGs, are expressed on axons and growth cones in vertebrates, but their role in axon guidance has not been determined. We demonstrate here that the Drosophila glypican Dally-like protein (Dlp) is required for proper axon guidance and visual-system function. Mosaic studies revealed that Dlp is necessary in both the retina and the brain for different aspects of visual-system assembly. Sdc mutants also showed axon guidance and visual-system defects, some that overlap with dlp and others that are unique. dlp+ transgenes were able to rescue some sdc visual-system phenotypes, but sdc+ transgenes were ineffective in rescuing dlp abnormalities. Together, these findings suggest that in some contexts HS chains provide the biologically critical component, whereas in others the structure of the protein core is also essential.     

Home Range Size and Habitat use by Cat Ba Langurs (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trachypithecus poliocephalus</Emphasis>) in a Disturbed and Fragmented Habitat

Primate home range size and habitat use are affected by resource availability, which may change seasonally. Limestone langurs (Trachypithecus genus), including the Critically Endangered Cat Ba langur (Trachypithecus poliocephalus), live on limestone karst hills with shrubby and discontinuous vegetation. This study explores home range size and habitat use in relation to substrate, vegetation coverage, and hill type for Cat Ba langurs living on Cat Ba Island. We predicted that home range size would be similar to that of other limestone langurs and that as resources vary seasonally and across habitat types, habitat use would vary with season and behavior, with foraging concentrated on slopes, where food is plentiful. We collected 180 days of observational data on two reproductive groups (N?=?7 and N?=?10–13), taking GPS fixes of the group whenever they moved farther than the typical group spread to determine home ranges, and 10-min instantaneous scans to assess habitat use. The two groups had home ranges of 22 ha and 50 ha (0.32 and 0.20–0.26 individuals/ha respectively). Ranges for both groups were smaller in the dry season than the wet season, although we could not assess seasonal variation statistically. The langurs spent most scans on rocks, in sparsely vegetated areas, and on exposed slopes and steep cliffs; however they foraged primarily on gradually inclined slopes, especially in the dry season. These results suggest that conservation efforts should focus on protecting nutritionally important valleys and exposed slopes to ensure year-long access to food resources. It may, however, be difficult to balance human and nonhuman primate habitat use.