Observations of the Suspended Matter Distribution Dynamics in the Elbe Estuary from Time Series Aerial Photographs

Series of aerial photographs taken with an interval of 6 Minutes were used to study the dynamics of the suspended matter distribution in a 1 km section of the Elbe Estuary. The observations show heterogeneous distribution patterns which are different at each phase of the tidal cycle. The comparison with the bathymetry indicates that the distribution is mainly a function of the river bed topography, which modifies the local current structure. The surface distribution in the fairway region is especially determined by the ship traffic.     

The thoracic muscular system and its innervation in third instar Calliphora vicina Larvae. II. Projection patterns of the nerves associated with the pro‐ and mesothorax and the pharyngeal complex

We describe the anatomy of the nerves that project from the central nervous system (CNS) to the pro‐ and mesothoracic segments and the cephalopharyngeal skeleton (CPS) for third instar Calliphora larvae. Due to the complex branching pattern we introduce a nomenclature that labels side branches of first and second order. Two fine nerves that were not yet described are briefly introduced. One paired nerve projects to the ventral arms (VAs) of the CPS. The second, an unpaired nerve, projects to the ventral surface of the cibarial part of the esophagus (ES). Both nerves were tentatively labeled after the structures they innervate. The antennal nerve (AN) innervates the olfactory dorsal organ (DO). It contains motor pathways that project through the frontal connectives (FC) to the frontal nerve (FN) and innervate the cibarial dilator muscles (CDM) which mediate food ingestion. The maxillary nerve (MN) innervates the sensory terminal organ (TO), ventral organ (VO), and labial organ (LO) and comprises the motor pathways to the mouth hook (MH) elevator, MH depressor, and the labial retractor (LR) which opens the mouth cavity. An anastomosis of unknown function exists between the AN and MN. The prothoracic accessory nerve (PaN) innervates a dorsal protractor muscle of the CPS and sends side branches to the aorta and the bolwig organ (BO) (stemmata). In its further course, this nerve merges with the prothoracic nerve (PN). The architecture of the PN is extremely complex. It innervates a set of accessory pharyngeal muscles attached to the CPS and the body wall musculature of the prothorax. Several anastomoses exist between side branches of this nerve which were shown to contain motor pathways. The mesothoracic nerve (MeN) innervates a MH accessor and the longitudinal and transversal body wall muscles of the second segment. J. Morphol. 271:969–979, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Osteopathy of the pectoral and pelvic limbs including pentadactyly in a young Kestrel (Falco t. tinnunculus)

Summary A five and a half weeks old female Kestrel exhibiting osteopathy of the pectoral and pelvic limbs, including symmetrical hyperdactyly, was investigated in order to clarify the pattern of the involved anatomical alterations and the possible causes of this developmental malformation. In the pectoral limb it consisted of a triplication of the alular digit, in the pelvic limb of a duplication of digit I. The live young Kestrel was observed for a period of two weeks to ascertain that it was unable to fly or procure prey on its own. After its death radiographs were taken and, apart from an eidonomic inspection including the wing claws, a detailed macroscopic dissection of the musculature of the pectoral and pelvic limbs was carried out using the in-water-method. Consecutive dissection steps were documented by a series of photographic slides. The relevant musculature, particularly that of the supernumerary digits, was recorded in proportional drawings. Subsequent to maceration of the limbs the isolated bones were reassembled according to the radiographs and also documented by means of photographs and drawings. This anatomical approach produced a reliable reconstruction of the skeletomuscular apparatus of the hyperdactylous limb parts. The eidonomic inspection revealed that at least young Kestrels may have two (alular and major digit) or even three wing claws per side. The proximal skeletal elements of both pectoral and pelvic limb were more sturdily built than in a typical Kestrel of comparable age. The proximal elements of the pelvic limb, the tarsometatarsus in particular, were shorter than in a typical Kestrel. In addition, the long axis of the tarsometatarsus was laterally bent in the transverse plane so that its proximal articular surfaces were medially inclined. Duplication of the cutaneous and osseous elements in the foot was accompanied by a duplication of some of the muscular and/or tendinous elements supplying digit I proper and the accessory digit I'. There were left-to-right asymmetries of the pedal musculature concerned. In contrast, the two accessory alular digits of each wing were almost completely devoid of musculature. Apart from atypical points of origin or insertion of the remaining distal musculture, left-to-right asymmetries and the two accessory alulae per wing, presumably, affected aerodynamic properties and resulted in flightlessness.A juvenile Kestrel of similar age and without hyperdactyly was dissected for comparison. In addition, the external appearance of the carpometacarpal region of two female Silkies, an obligatory pentadactylous breed of domestic fowl, was inspected and the skeletal parts of their pectoral and pelvic limbs compared with those of the hyperdactylous Kestrel. Our results and a literature review suggest that the symmetrical hyperdactyly in the Kestrel bears striking similarities to the hereditary hyperdactyly observed in certain breeds of domestic fowl. In addition, there is a striking resemblance between the hyperdactyly of the young Kestrel and certain forms of hyperdactyly induced by molecular genetical experiments of other authors on chicks. Comparison with these results taken from the literature suggest that the symmetrical hyperdactyly in the young Kestrel, including the alterations of the proximal skeletal elements, is caused by an unusually early expression of the Hoxd-11 gene group during embryological development. Most likely, this gene group is situated on the 2^nd chromosome in birds just as it is in mammals.

---

Osteopathie der Vorder - und Hinterextremitäten, verbunden mit einer symmetrischen Hyperdactylie bei einem jungen Turmfalken (Falco tinnunculus)

Zusammenfassung Ein fünfeinhalb Wochen alter weiblicher Turmfalke mit einer Osteopathie der Vorder- und Hinterextremitäten, verbunden mit einer symmetrischen Hyperdactylie, wurde untersucht, um das Muster der beteiligten anatomischen Veränderungen und die möglichen Ursachen dieser Mißbildung zu erkennen. An der Vorderextremität bestand sie aus einer Verdreifachung des Alula-Fingers, an der Hinterextremität aus einer Verdoppelung der Zehe I. Die Beobachtung des lebenden jungen Turmfalken während eines Zeitraumes von zwei Wochen ergab, dass er flugunfähig war und keine Beute schlagen konnte.Nach seinem Tod und einer Inspektion der Eidonomie, einschließlich der Flügelkrallen, wurden Röntgenaufnahmen angefertigt. Danach folgte eine detaillierte makroskopische Präparation der Flügel- und Beinmuskulatur unter Verwendung der In-Wasser-Methode. Die einzelnen Präparationsschritte wurden anhand von Dia-Serien dokumentiert. Die relevante Muskulatur, insbesondere die der überzähligen Digiti, wurde in proportionsgetreuen Zeichnungen festgehalten. Nach Mazeration der Extremitäten wurden die Einzelknochen, entsprechend den Röntgenbildern, wieder zusammengesetzt und ebenfalls mit Fotografien und Zeichnungen dokumentiert. Dieser anatomische Ansatz lieferte eine zuverlässige Rekonstruktion des Skelett-Muskel-Apparates der hyperdactylen Extremitätenanteile.Die eidonomische Inspektion ergab, dass zumindest junge Turmfalken zwei (Digitus alularis und majoris) oder sogar drei Flügelkrallen haben können. Die proximalen Skelettelemente der Vorder- und Hinterextremität waren deutlich robuster gebaut als bei einem typischen Turmfalken vergleichbaren Alters. Die proximalen Elemente der Hinterextremität, insbesondere der Tarsometatarsus, waren kürzer als bei einem typischen Turmfalken. Darüberhinaus war die Längsachse des Tarsometatarsus in der Transversalebene laterad gekrümmt, so dass sich seine proximalen Gelenkflächen schräg mediad richteten. Entsprechend der kutanen und knöchernen Doppelbildungen des Fußes waren auch einige der Muskeln und Sehnen doppelt vorhanden, welche die eigentliche erste Zehe und die akzessorische erste Zehe versorgten. Es traten Rechts-/Links-Asymmetrien der betreffenden Muskulatur auf. Im Gegensatz dazu waren die beiden akzessorischen Alula-Finger jedes Flügels fast vollständig ohne Muskulatur. Abgesehen von atypischen Ursprungs- und Insertionspunkten der verbleibenden distalen Muskulatur, beeinträchtigten Rechts-/Links-Asymmetrien und die beiden akzessorischen Alulae pro Flügel vermutlich die aerodynamischen Eigenschaften und führten zur Flugunfähigkeit.Ein junger Turmfalke ähnlichen Alters ohne Hyperdactylie wurde zum Vergleich präpariert. Zusätzlich wurde die äußere Erscheinung der Carpometacarpal-Region zweier Seidenhühner, einer obligatorisch pentadactylen Hühnerrasse, inspiziert und die Skelettelemente ihrer Vorder- und Hinterextremitäten mit denen des hyperdactylen Turmfalken verglichen. Unsere Ergebnisse und ein Überblick der Literatur lassen auffallende Übereinstimmungen zwischen der symmetrischen Hyperdactylie des jungen Turmfalken und der erblichen Hyperdactylie bestimmter Hühnerrassen erkennen. Darüberhinaus besteht eine auffallende übereinstimmung zwischen der Hyperdactylie des jungen Turmfalken und bestimmten Formen der Hyperdactylie, welche von anderen Autoren durch molekulargenetische Experimente an Hühnerküken induziert wurden. Ein Vergleich mit diesen Ergebnissen aus der Literatur legt nahe, dass die symmetrische Hyperdactylie des jungen Turmfalken, einschließlich der Veränderungen der proximalen Skelettelemente, durch eine ungewöhnlich frühe Expression der Hoxd-11 Gengruppe im Laufe der Embryonalentwicklung verursacht wurde. Sehr wahrscheinlich ist diese Gengruppe bei Vögeln auf dem zweiten Chromosom lokalisiert — ebenso wie bei Säugetieren.

     

Superhelical DNA studied by solution scattering and computer models

We present here recent results on the structure of superhelical DNA and its changes with salt concentration between 0.01 and 1.5 M NaCl. Scattering curves of two different superhelical DNAs were determined by static light scattering. The measured radii of gyration do not change significantly with salt concentration. Small-angle neutron scattering, together with calculations from a Monte Carlo model, allows to determine the superhelix diameter. Measured and simulated scattering curves agreed almost quantitatively. Experimentally we find that the diameter decreases from 16.0±0.9 nm at 10 mM to 9.0±0.7 nm at 100 mM NaCl. The superhelix diameter from the simulated conformations decreased from 18.0±1.5 nm at 10 mM to 9.4±1.5 nm at 100 mM NaCl. At higher salt concentrations up to 1.5 M NaCl, the diameter stays constant at 9 nm.This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Reduction of sialic acid O-acetylation in human colonic mucins in the adenoma-carcinoma sequence

The oligo-O-acetylation of sialic acids found in normal colonic mucins is greatly reduced in colorectal cancer. Mucins prepared from cancer tissue in adenocarcinoma showed this reduction, while normal O-acetylation was detected in resection margin and control cases and total mucin sialic acid content was significantly decreased in cancer vs control samples. A reduction of the O-acetyl transferase activity catalysing the O-acetylation reaction was also found. A series of cultured human colorectal cell lines derived from the same premalignant adenomatous line, and representative of the adenoma-carcinoma sequence were examined and revealed a depletion of oligo-O-acetylation in the original diploid premalignant line, re-expression in a further premalignant line and reduction in malignant mucinous and adenocarcinoma cell lines. Reduction of sialic acid O-acetylation appears as an early event in the process of malignant transformation in human colorectal cancer.     

Cell wall of Thermoanaerobacterium thermosulfurigenes EM1: isolation of its components and attachment of the xylanase XynA

Thermoanaerobacterium thermosulfurigenes EM1 has a gram-positive type cell wall completely covered by a surface layer (S-layer) with hexagonal lattice symmetry. The components of the cell envelope were isolated, and the S-layer protein was purified and characterized. S-layer monomers assembled in vitro into sheets with the same hexagonal symmetry as in vivo. Monosaccharide analysis revealed that the S-layer is associated with fucose, rhamnose, mannosamine, glucosamine, galactose, and glucose. The N-terminal 31 amino acid residues of the S-layer protein showed significant similarity to SLH (S-layer homology) domains found in S-layer proteins of different bacteria and in the exocellular enzymes pullulanase, polygalacturonate hydrolase, and xylanase of T. thermosulfurigenes EM1. The xylanase from T. thermosulfurigenes EM1 was copurified with the S-layer protein during isolation of cell wall components. Since SLH domains of some structural proteins have been shown to anchor these proteins noncovalently to the cell envelope, we propose a common anchoring mechanism for the S-layer protein and exocellular enzymes via their SLH domains in the peptidoglycan-containing layer of T. thermosulfurigenes EM1. Received: 23 October 1998 / Accepted: 21 December 1998     

Regulation of intracellular polyamine biosynthesis and transport by NO and cytokines TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma

Nitric oxide (NO)has been described to exert cytostatic effects on cellularproliferation; however the mechanisms responsible for these effectshave yet to be fully resolved. Polyamines, conversely, are requiredcomponents of cellular proliferation. In experimental models ofinflammation, a relationship between these two pathways has beensuggested by the temporal regulation of a common precursor, arginine.This study was undertaken to determine the effects NO and the NOsynthase (NOS)-inducing cytokines, tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-)and interferon- (IFN-), exert on polyamine regulation. Thetransformed kidney proximal tubule cell line, MCT, maintains highconstitutive levels of the first polyamine biosynthetic enzyme, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). NO donors markedly suppressed ODC activity in MCT and all other cell lines examined. TNF- and IFN- induction of NO generation resulted in suppressed ODC activity, aneffect prevented by the inducible NOS inhibitorL-N⁶-(1-iminoethyl)lysine(L-NIL). Dithiothreitol reversalof NO-mediated ODC suppression supports nitrosylation as the mechanismof inactivation. We also evaluated polyamine uptake, inasmuch asinhibition of ODC can result in a compensatory induction of polyaminetransporters. Administration of NO donors, or TNF- and IFN-,suppressed[³H]putrescine uptake,thereby preventing transport-mediated reestablishment of intracellularpolyamine levels. This study demonstrates the capacity of NO andinflammatory cytokines to regulate both polyamine biosynthesis and transport.     

Essential role for ADAM19 in cardiovascular morphogenesis

Congenital heart disease is the most common form of human birth defects, yet much remains to be learned about its underlying causes. Here we report that mice lacking functional ADAM19 (mnemonic for a disintegrin and metalloprotease 19) exhibit severe defects in cardiac morphogenesis, including a ventricular septal defect (VSD), abnormal formation of the aortic and pulmonic valves, leading to valvular stenosis, and abnormalities of the cardiac vasculature. During mouse development, ADAM19 is highly expressed in the conotruncus and the endocardial cushion, structures that give rise to the affected heart valves and the membranous ventricular septum. ADAM19 is also highly expressed in osteoblast-like cells in the bone, yet it does not appear to be essential for bone growth and skeletal development. Most adam19(-/-) animals die perinatally, likely as a result of their cardiac defects. These findings raise the possibility that mutations in ADAM19 may contribute to human congenital heart valve and septal defects.