Characteristics of Adopted Thoroughbred Racehorses in Second Careers

The unwanted horse issue continues to be a major concern in the U.S. equine industry. Nonprofit organizations dedicated to rescuing, retraining, and rehoming unwanted horses are critical in minimizing this problem. This study utilized data collected nationwide from organizations that provide these services for thoroughbreds retired from racing to identify individual horse characteristics that influenced length of stay at the adoption facility as well as characteristics that increased the probability that an adopted horse would be returned to the facility. The results suggested that horses with fewer activity limitations were rehomed more quickly (p < .01), as were gray horses (relative to bays, p < .03) and stallions (relative to geldings, p < .04). Older horses took longer to rehome (p < .05). Interestingly, the results also suggested that gray horses were more likely to be returned to the facility postadoption (p < .02). Results from this study could benefit thoroughbreds retired from racing, nonprofit organizations, end consumers, and the thoroughbred racing industry.     

Anti-actin immunoreactivity is retained in rhabdoms of Drosophila ninaC photoreceptors

Summary The Drosophila ninaC mutation produces small rhabdomeres with the axial filament of the microvillar cytoskeleton reduced or missing. Using post-embedding immunogold labelling of LR White-embedded eyes, we show that several alleles of this mutation retain positive anti-actin immunoreactivity in the rhabdomeres, comparable to that of wild-type flies.     

The local deletion of a microvillar cytoskeleton from photoreceptors of tipulid flies during membrane turnover

The distal regions of the photoreceptor microvilli of tipulid flies are shed to extracellular space during membrane turnover. Before abscission, the microvillar tips undergo a transformation: they become deformed, and after conventional fixation for electron microscopy are relatively electron-lucent compared to the stable, basal microvillar segments. We now show that the electron-lucent segment is an empty bag of membrane whose P-face after freeze-etch preparation appears as densely particulate as the remainder of the microvillus. Transformation is achieved by the local deletion of a microvillar cytoskeleton which consists of a single, axial filament linked to the plasma membrane by side-arms. The filament may be partially preserved by the chelation of Ca2+; the provision of a divalent cation (Mg2+ or Ba2+) stabilizes the side-arms during subsequent fixation, as has been shown previously for the rhabdomeral cytoskeleton of blowflies. Incubation of the isolated retina in the presence of 0.25 mM Ca2+ at room temperature for 10-20 min causes proteolysis of the cytoskeleton which is blocked by as little as 0.5 mM of the thiol protease inhibitors Ep-475 and Ep-459. Loss of the cytoskeleton is accompanied by deformation of all regions of the microvilli. Local deletion of the cytoskeleton from the transformed zone of the normal rhabdom is sufficient to explain deformation of the microvillar tips, but not their subsequent abscission. The intimate association between a Ca2+-activated thiol protease and the cytoskeleton implied by the great rapidity of proteolysis calls for a reassessment of published studies of membrane turnover by radioautography, and of the nature of light-induced damage to arthropod photoreceptor membranes.     

On the Ability of Taphrina deformans to Produce Indoleacetic Acid from Tryptophan by Way of Tryptamine

The metabolism of tryptophan by Taphrina deformans has been studied to confirm the reported ability of this organism to produce tryptamine. Such amine production was not observed, despite use of amine oxidase inhibitors at levels which should have resulted in the accumulation of tryptamine in the medium. It has been shown that the metabolites of tryptophan include indolepyruvic acid, indolelactic acid, tryptophol, and indoleacetic acid, and that the original report of tryptamine production must be reevaluated in light of the extraction procedures employed.     

Estuarine fouling communities are dominated by nonindigenous species in the presence of an invasive crab

Interactions between anthropogenic disturbances and introduced and native species can shift ecological communities, potentially leading to the successful establishment of additional invaders. Since its discovery in New Jersey in 1988, the Asian shore crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) has continued to expand its range, invading estuarine and coastal habitats in eastern North America. In estuarine environments, H. sanguineus occupies similar habitats to native, panopeid mud crabs. These crabs, and a variety of fouling organisms (both NIS and native), often inhabit man-made substrates (like piers and riprap) and anthropogenic debris. In a series of in situ experiments at a closed dock in southwestern Long Island (New York, USA), we documented the impacts of these native and introduced crabs on hard-substrate fouling communities. We found that while the presence of native mud crabs did not significantly influence the succession of fouling communities compared to caged and uncaged controls, the presence of introduced H. sanguineus reduced the biomass of native tunicates (particularly Molgula manhattensis), relative to caged controls. Moreover, the presence of H. sanguineus favored fouling communities dominated by introduced tunicates (especially Botrylloides violaceous and Diplosoma listerianum). Altogether, our results suggest that H. sanguineus could help facilitate introduced fouling tunicates in the region, particularly in locations where additional solid substrates have created novel habitats.     

Expression of polypeptide GalNAc-transferases in stratified epithelia and squamous cell carcinomas: immunohistological evaluation using monoclonal antibodies to three members of the GalNAc-transferase family

Mucin-type O-glycosylation is initiated by a large family of UDP- GalNAc: polypeptide N -acetyl-galactosaminyltransferases (GalNAc- transferases). Individual GalNAc-transferases appear to have different functions and Northern analysis indicates that they are differently expressed in different organs. This suggests that O-glycosylation may vary with the repertoire of GalNAc-transferases expressed in a given cell. In order to study the repertoire of GalNAc-transferases in situ in tissues and changes in tumors, we have generated a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) with well defined specificity for human GalNAc-T1, -T2, and -T3. Application of this panel of novel antibodies revealed that GalNAc- transferases are differentially expressed in different cell lines, in spermatozoa, and in oral mucosa and carcinomas. For example, GalNAc-T1 and -T2 but not -T3 were highly expressed in WI38 cells, and GalNAc-T3 but not GalNAc-T1 or -T2 was expressed in spermatozoa. The expression patterns in normal oral mucosa were found to vary with cell differentiation, and for GalNAc-T2 and -T3 this was reflected in oral squamous cell carcinomas. The expression pattern of GalNAc-T1 was on the other hand changed in tumors to either total loss or expression in cytological poorly differentiated tumor cells, where the normal undifferentiated cells lacked expression. These results demonstrate that the repertoire of GalNAc-transferases is different in different cell types and vary with cellular differentiation, and malignant transformation. The implication of this is not yet fully understood, but it suggests that specific changes in sites of O-glycosylation of proteins may occur as a result of changes in the repertoire of GalNAc-transferases.      

Characterization of complementary chromatic adaptation in Gloeotrichia UTEX 583 and identification of a transposon-like insertion in the cpeBA operon

Many cyanobacteria are able to alter the pigment composition of the phycobilisome in a process called complementary chromatic adaptation (CCA). The regulatory mechanisms of CCA have been identified in Fremyella diplosiphon, which regulates both phycoerythrin and phycocyanin levels, and Nostoc punctiforme, which regulates only phycoerythrin production. Recent studies show that these species use different regulatory proteins for CCA. We chose to study the CCA response of Gloeotrichia UTEX 583 in an effort to expand our knowledge about CCA and its regulation. We found that Gloeotrichia 583 has a CCA pigment response more similar to that of N. punctiforme rather than F. diplosiphon and exhibits none of the CCA-regulated morphological responses seen in F. diplosiphon. Preliminary experiments suggest that Gloeotrichia 583 contains a homolog to the CCA photoreceptor from N. punctiforme but not the CCA photoreceptor from F. diplosiphon. Additionally, two spontaneous mutants lacking phycoerythrin production were identified. Analysis has shown that these mutants contain a transposon-like insertion in the cpeA gene, which encodes the α subunit of phycoerythrin. These results suggest that CCA in Gloeotrichia UTEX 583 is more similar to that of N. punctiforme than it is to F. diplosiphon, a closely related species.     

ACUTE EFFECTS OF A RESISTED DYNAMIC WARM-UP PROTOCOL ON JUMPING PERFORMANCE

This study aimed to investigate the kinematic and kinetic changes when resistance is applied in horizontal and vertical directions, produced by using different percentages of body weight, caused by jumping movements during a dynamic warm-up. The group of subjects consisted of 35 voluntary male athletes (19 basketball and 16 volleyball players; age: 23.4 ± 1.4 years, training experience: 9.6 ± 2.7 years; height: 177.2 ± 5.7 cm, body weight: 69.9 ± 6.9 kg) studying Physical Education, who had a jump training background and who were training for 2 hours, on 4 days in a week. A dynamic warm-up protocol containing seven specific resistance movements with specific resistance corresponding to different percentages of body weight (2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10%) was applied randomly on non consecutive days. Effects of different warm-up protocols were assessed by pre-/post- exercise changes in jump height in the countermovement jump (CMJ) and the squat jump (SJ) measured using a force platform and changes in hip and knee joint angles at the end of the eccentric phase measured using a video camera. A significant increase in jump height was observed in the dynamic resistance warm-up conducted with different percentages of body weight (p < 0.05). On the other hand, no significant difference in different percentages of body weight states was observed (p > 0.05). In jump movements before and after the warm-up, while no significant difference between the vertical ground reaction forces applied by athletes was observed (p > 0.05), in some cases of resistance, a significant reduction was observed in hip and knee joint angles (p < 0.05). The dynamic resistance warm-up method was found to cause changes in the kinematics of jumping movements, as well as an increase in jump height values. As a result, dynamic warm-up exercises could be applicable in cases of resistance corresponding to 6-10% of body weight applied in horizontal and vertical directions in order to increase the jump performance acutely.     

Gender-Specific Effects of Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Prosocial Behaviors

Background

Prosocial behaviors are essential to the ability to relate to others. Women typically display greater prosocial behavior than men. The impact of depression on prosocial behaviors and how gender interacts with those effects are not fully understood. We explored the role of gender in the potential effects of depression on prosocial behavior.

Methods

We examined prosocial behaviors using a modified version of the Trust Game in a clinical population and community controls. Study participants were characterized on the severity of depression and anxiety, presence of suicidal ideation, history of childhood trauma, recent stressful life events, and impulsivity. We correlated behavioral outcomes with gender and clinical variables using analysis of variance and multiple regression analysis.

Results

The 89 participants comprised four study groups: depressed women, depressed men, healthy women and healthy men (n = 16–36). Depressed men exhibited reciprocity more frequently than healthy men. Depression induced an inversion of the gender-specific pattern of self-centered behavior. Suicidal ideation was associated with increased reciprocity behavior in both genders, and enhancement of the effect of depression on gender-specific self-centered behavior.

Conclusions

Depression, particularly suicidal ideation, is associated with reversal of gender-specific patterns of prosocial behavior, suggesting abnormalities in sexual hormones regulation. This explanation is supported by known abnormalities in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axes found in depression.