Habitat preference in the critically endangered yellow‐tailed woolly monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda) at La Esperanza,Peru

Habitat loss is one of the main threats to wildlife. Therefore, knowledge of habitat use and preference is essential for the design of conservation strategies and identification of priority sites for the protection of endangered species. The yellow‐tailed woolly monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda Humboldt, 1812), categorized as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, is endemic to montane forests in northern Peru where its habitat is greatly threatened. We assessed how habitat use and preference in L. flavicauda are linked to forest structure and composition. The study took place near La Esperanza, in the Amazonas region, Peru. Our objective was to identify characteristics of habitat most utilized by L. flavicauda to provide information that will be useful for the selection of priority sites for conservation measures. Using presence records collected from May 2013 to February 2014 for one group of L. flavicauda, we classified the study site into three different use zones: low‐use, medium‐use, and high‐use. We assessed forest structure and composition for all use zones using 0.1 ha Gentry vegetation transects. Results show high levels of variation in plant species composition across the three use zones. Plants used as food resources had considerably greater density, dominance, and ecological importance in high‐use zones. High‐use zones presented similar structure to medium‐ and low‐use zones; thus it remains difficult to assess the influence of forest structure on habitat preference. We recommend focusing conservation efforts on areas with a similar floristic composition to the high‐use zones recorded in this study and suggest utilizing key alimentation species for reforestation efforts.     

Identification and design of a novel series of MGAT2 inhibitors

[Acyl CoA]monoacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (MGAT2) is of interest as a target for therapeutic treatment of diabetes, obesity and other diseases which together constitute the metabolic syndrome. In this Letter we report our discovery and optimisation of a novel series of MGAT2 inhibitors. The development of the SAR of the series and a detailed discussion around some key parameters monitored and addressed during the lead generation phase will be given. The in vivo results from an oral lipid tolerance test (OLTT) using the MGAT2 inhibitor (S)-10, shows a significant reduction (68% inhibition relative to na?ve, p <0.01) in plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) concentration.     

Scanning Electron Microscopy of Selected Members of the Streptomyces hygroscopicus Group

Distinctive variations in whole spore morphology and spore surface morphology of Streptomyces hygroscopicus strains, which had been observed previously by the authors by the preshadowed carbon replica technique, were confirmed by observations with the scanning electron microscope.     

U-21,963, a New Antibiotic: I. Discovery and Biological Activity

A new antibiotic, U-21,963, is produced by a new strain of Trichoderma viride. Antibiotic activity can be demonstrated against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and also against a wide variety of fungi. U-21,963 is not cross-resistant with other commonly used antibiotics. U-21,963 afforded no protection against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, or Staphylococcus aureus when it was injected subcutaneously into mice.     

Induction of Lambda-Bacteriophage in Escherichia coli as a Screening Test for Potential Antitumor Agents

A simple, rapid, quantitative test procedure to measure induction of phage production in lysogenic Escherichia coli K-12 (λ) was described. This test was used in a study of 209 substances, including antibiotics, pyrimirines, purines, alkylating agents, thiols, amino acids, vitamins, and miscellaneous compounds. Minimal inducing concentrations for the 26 (12.5% of total tested) substances found to be effective inducing agents, as well as a listing of the inactive compounds, are presented. Since 21 of the 26 active agents reportedly have antineoplastic activity in rodent tumor systems, it was concluded that the induction test may provide a useful screen for the detection of potentially useful antitumor compounds.     

Identification of the site of phosphorylation of the chemotaxis response regulator protein, CheY

The protein (Escherichia coli CheY) that controls the direction of flagellar rotation during bacterial chemotaxis has been shown to be phosphorylated on the aspartate 57 residue. The residue phosphorylated is present within a conserved sequence in every member of a family of bacterial regulatory proteins. The phosphorylation is transient, with a much shorter half-life than that expected of a simple acyl phosphate intermediate, indicating that the sequence and conformation of the protein is designed to achieve a rapid hydrolysis. The CheY-phosphate linkage can be reductively cleaved by sodium borohydride. High-performance tandem mass-spectrometric analysis of proteolytic peptides derived from [3H]borohydride-reduced phosphorylated CheY protein was used to identify the position of phosphorylation. Mutants with altered aspartate 57 exhibited no chemotaxis. When aspartate 13, another conserved residue, was changed, greatly reduced chemotaxis was observed, suggesting an important role for aspartate 13. The rate-determining step of chemotactic signaling is governed by the kinetics of formation and hydrolysis of the CheY protein phosphoaspartate bond. The CheY protein apparently functions as a protein phosphatase that possesses a transient covalent intermediate. Transient phosphorylation of an aspartate residue is an effective mechanism for producing a biochemical signal with a short concentration-independent half-life. The duration of the signal can be controlled by small structural elements within the phosphorylated protein.     

Autoantibody to the nucleosome subunit (H2A-H2B)-DNA is an early and ubiquitous feature of lupus-like conditions

Chromatin, a huge polymer of nucleosomes, has been implicated as an important target of autoantibodies in idiopathic and drug-induced lupus for decades, but the antigenicity of chromatin has only recently been dissected. IgG reactivity with the (H2A-H2B)-DNA complex, a subunit of the nucleosome, is present in the majority of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, in >90% of patients with lupus induced by procainamide and in individual patients with lupus induced by a variety of other drugs, but is not seen in people taking these medications who are clinically asymptomatic. Anti-[(H2A-H2B)-DNA] accounted for the bulk of the anti-chromatin activity in drug-induced lupus. The earliest detectable autoantibody in lupus-prone mice recognized similar epitopes in the (H2A-H2B)-DNA subnucleosome complex; as the immune response progressed, native DNA and other constituents of chromatin became antigenic. The importance of chromatin-reactive T cells in the anti-[(H2A-H2B)-DNA] response is suggested by the presence of somatic mutations in antibody V_H and V_L regions, their perdominant IgG isotype and the similarity in kinetics of their production to that of conventional T cell dependent antigens. Together with the serologic data from human lupus-like disease, these results are consistent with chromatin being a common stimulant for both B and T cells. While chromatin-reactive antibodies are closely associated with systemic disease and have recently been implicated in glomerulonephritis in SLE, the absence of renal disease in drug-induced lupus indicates that additional abnormalities are required to manifest the serious pathogenic potential of anti-[(H2A-H2B)-DNA] antibodies.Abbreviations APC antigen present cells - DIL drug-induced lupus - ELISA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay - GBM glomerular basement membrane - [(H2A-H2B)-DNA] an intermolecular complex consisting of DNA and a dimer of histones H2A and H2B - nDNA native (double-stranded) DNA - SLE systemic lupus erythematosus     

Characterization of a strain of cerebral endothelial cells derived from goat brain which retain their differentiated traits after long-term passage

Summary A strain of cerebral endothelial cells was established from isolated cortical microvessels of caprine brain. These cells, which are referred to as ECl cells, can be routinely subcultured to 32 passages without the loss of differentiated morphologic and immunologic traits. The ability to routinely subculture ECl cells is an important asset, given that isolated cerebral endothelial cells in mammals generally lose their differentiated traits after only 2 to 3 passages. ECl cells were shown to contain Factor VIII-related antigen, which is a specific marker for cells of endothelial origin. ECl cells morphologically demonstrated a scarcity of pinocytotic vesicles on their apical surfaces, a lack of trans-cytoplasmic vesicles, and the ability to form in culture confluent monolayers with tight junctional complexes. Therefore, ECl cells possess specific antigenic and ultrastructural features which classify them as being small vessel endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier type. Cytogenetic evaluation of ECl cells demonstrated a normal female goat 60,XX karyotype and confirmed the apparent non-transformed nature of ECl cells due to the lack of chromosome abnormalities or rearrangements. Using scanning electron microscopy, ECl cells were also shown to form confluent monolayers on mixed nitrocellulose filters, a feature that will enable the development of an in vitro system to study trans-endothelial transport. Given that ECl cells are readily subcultured and grow well on nitrocellulose filters, and that they resemble cerebral endothelium in vivo, it seems evident that ECl cells can be used as a versatile model for the study of blood-brain barrier function, regulation, and pathology.     

Segmental differences in short-chain fatty acid transport in rabbit colon: Effect of pH and Na

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are the predominant luminal anion in the mammalian colon. Although they are rapidly absorbed in vivo, little is known about the mechanisms of transepithelial transport in vitro. Previous studies have suggested that SCFA transport may be linked to Na absorption or an anion exchange mechanism. We compared the transport of propionate under short-circuit conditions in rabbit proximal and distal colon to determine whether there were segmental differences, how SCFAs may be linked to either Na absorption or anion transport, and whether SCFAs, as weak electrolytes, may be affected by transepithelial pH gradients. In distal colon, propionate transport was not significantly altered by stimulation of electrogenic Na absorption, epinephrine or Cl removal. However, a modest transepithelial pH gradient (luminal 6.8/serosal 7.4) stimulated propionate absorption. In proximal colon, propionate transport was significantly altered by manuevers that either stimulated (lowered [Na] in the bathing media) or inhibited (theophylline) apical Na−H exchange. Neither Cl removal, nor the anion exchange inhibitor DIDS, nor a transepithelial bicarbonate gradient, altered propionate transport. A transepithelial pH gradient inhibited propionate secretion, but not in a manner entirely consistent with the effect of pH on the distribution of a weak electrolyte. These results suggest that there is significant segmental heterogeneity in colonic SCFA transport; that transepithelial propionate fluxes are altered by changes in pH or electroneutral Na absorption (Na−H exchange), but not by chloride removal, bicarbonate gradients or electrogenic Na absorption. Regulation of SCFA transport may be an important factor in the physiology of colonic fluid balance.