Limb injuries resulting from snares and traps in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of the Budongo Forest, Uganda

This study involved an investigation into the causes of limb injuries among the wild chimpanzees of the Budongo Forest, Uganda. In view of the high incidence of limb injuries in this population, an attempt was made to diagnose the physiology of the diverse range of deformities observed, and to provide a reliable assignment of causality. This enabled the authors to attribute 10 out of the 11 cases of limb abnormality to the wire snares and ‘leg-hold traps’ employed by communities living adjacent to the forest. One example of congitals deformity is described.     

重组人血管内皮抑素用于骨肉瘤术后化疗的疗效及对VEGF、PCNA、PTEN的影响

目的:研究重组人血管内皮抑素用于骨肉瘤术后化疗的疗效及对血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)、增殖细胞核抗原(PCNA)、第10染色体丢失的磷酸酶(PTEN)的影响。方法:收集2014年3月至2016年3月我院的220例骨肉瘤患者,按抽签法分为实验组和对照组,每组各110例。对照组采用DIA化疗方案治疗,静脉滴注顺铂、异环磷酰胺、阿霉素。实验组在对照组基础上,采用重组人血管内皮抑素治疗,每次15 mg静脉滴注。两组均治疗2个疗程。对比两组治疗疗效,肢体功能评价,VEGF、PTEN水平,PCNA阳性表达率,不良反应发生率。结果:实验组总有效率显著高于对照组[81.81%(90/110)vs65.45%(72/110)](P0.05);实验组肢体功能优良率显著高于对照组[79.09%(87/110)vs63.63%(70/110)](P0.05);两组PTEN水平较治疗后显著升高,但无差异(P0.05),两组VEGF水平较治疗后显著降低,且实验组低于对照组(P0.05);两组PCNA阳性表达率较治疗前显著降低,且实验组低于对照组(P0.05);两组不良反应发生率无差异(P0.05)。结论:重组人血管内皮抑素在骨肉瘤术后化疗中的效果显著,可调节血管内皮细胞平衡,降低VEGF水平以及PCNA阳性表达率,减少细胞增殖,提高PTEN水平,增强抑制恶性肿瘤细胞作用。     

Aeromonas-Acanthamoeba interaction and early shift to a viable but nonculturable state of Aeromonas by Acanthamoeba

Aims: To investigate the hypothesis that amoeba may comprise a significant environmental reservoir for Aeromonas, Acanthamoeba–Aeromonas interaction experiments were performed. Methods and Results: Acanthamoeba were grown in monoculture and co-cultures with three different species of Aeromonas. Survival, invasion and viable but nonculturable state experiments were performed. We showed that at a low initial bacterial cell density, growth of Aeromonas spp. was inhibited by Acanthamoeba castellanii, while A. castellanii growth was unaffected. In contrast, a high initial bacterial cell density, Aeromonas hydrophila AEW44 and Aeromonas veronii biovar sobria AEW104 suppressed the growth of A. castellanii. Fluorescent and phase-contrast microscopic observations of GFP tagged Aer. hydrophila AEW44 demonstrated that the bacterial cells aggregated on A. castellanii cells after 15 min of incubation and internalized. Aeromonas hydrophila AEW44 cells were found to be actively moving. Interestingly, Aer. hydrophila AEW44 cells shifted more rapidly to a viable but nonculturable form when co-cultured with A. castellanii than in monoculture. Conclusions: We demonstrated that Aeromonas spp. are able to interact with and to infect the protozoan A. castellanii under laboratory conditions. Significance and Impact of the Study: Free-living amoeba might play a role as reservoir for Aeromonas, and thus may increase the transmission of Aeromonas by acting as a vehicle.     

Corrections and additions to the Dumontiidae Santos-Flores &; Dodson, 2003 (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Anomopoda), and implications for anomopod phylogeny

The presumed sixth limb of Dumontia Santos-Flores & Dodson, 2003 is shown to correspond to the inner part of the fifth limb. Comparison of the latter structure within the order increases the similarity between the Dumontiidae and the Daphniidae (plus Moinidae), but important similarities with the Radopoda remain. The relationship between a ‘‘daphniid line’’ and radopods needs further attention. Handling editor: K. Martens     

In the limb AER Bmp2 and Bmp4 are required for dorsal-ventral patterning and interdigital cell death but not limb outgrowth

The apical ectodermal ridge (AER) in the vertebrate limb is required for limb outgrowth and patterning. To investigate the role BMP ligands expressed in the AER play in limb development we selectively inactivated both Bmp2 and Bmp4 in this tissue. The autopods of mice lacking both of these genes contained extra digits, digit bifurcations and interdigital webbing due to a decrease in programmed cell death and an increase in cell proliferation in the underlying mesoderm. Upon removal of Bmp2 and Bmp4 in the AER, no defects in proximal-distal patterning were observed. At the molecular level, removal of Bmp2 and Bmp4 in the AER caused an increase in Fgf expression, which correlated with an increase in both the width and length of the AER. Investigation of Engrailed-1 (En1) expression in the AER of limb buds in which Bmp2 and Bmp4 had been removed indicated that En1 expression was absent from this tissue. Our data suggests that AER expression of Bmp2 and Bmp4 is required for digit and dorsal-ventral patterning but surprisingly not for limb outgrowth.