Fatal attack on an infant by an adult female tonkean macaque

We describe a fatal attack on a 10-month-old female infant by an adult female Tonkean macaque (Macaca tonkeana)in a semi-free-ranging group. During an intense conflict involving many group members, an adult female, the second most dominant in the group, attacked the infant of a lower-ranking female. The attacker remained near the victim for approximately 20 min, grabbing and biting it repeatedly, until the mother retrieved the infant. She died 2 days later. An autopsy revealed no lethal injury;the main cause of death was starvation or dehydration or both. We discuss social conditions under which a fatal attack by an adult female might occur.     

Norepinephrine triggers Ca2+-dependent exocytosis of 5-hydroxytryptamine from rat pinealocytes in culture

5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a precursor and a putative modulator for melatonin synthesis in mammalian pinealocytes. 5-HT is present in organelles distinct from l-glutamate-containing synaptic-like microvesicles as well as in the cytoplasm of pinealocytes, and is secreted upon stimulation by norepinephrine (NE) to enhance serotonin N-acetyltransferase activity via the 5-HT2 receptor. However, the mechanism underlying the secretion of 5-HT from pinealocytes is unknown. In this study, we show that NE-evoked release of 5-HT is largely dependent on Ca2+ in rat pinealocytes in culture. Omission of Ca2+ from the medium and incubation of pineal cells with EGTA-tetraacetoxymethyl-ester inhibited by 59 and 97% the NE-evoked 5-HT release, respectively. Phenylephrine also triggered the Ca2+-dependent release of 5-HT, which was blocked by phentolamine, an alpha antagonist, but not by propranolol, a beta antagonist. Botulinum neurotoxin type E cleaved 25 kDa synaptosomal-associated protein and inhibited by 50% of the NE-evoked 5-HT release. Bafilomycin A1, an inhibitor of vacuolar H+-ATPase, and reserpine and tetrabenazine, inhibitors of vesicular monoamine transporter, all decreased the storage of vesicular 5-HT followed by inhibition of the NE-evoked 5-HT release. Agents that trigger L-glutamte exocytosis such as acetylcholine did not trigger any Ca2+-dependent 5-HT release. Vice versa neither NE nor phenylephrine caused synaptic-like microvesicle-mediated l-glutamate exocytosis. These results indicated that upon stimulation of a adrenoceptors pinealocytes secrete 5-HT through a Ca2+-dependent exocytotic mechanism, which is distinct from the exocytosis of synaptic-like microvesicles.     

The Characteristic Changes in Hepatitis B Virus X Region for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Comprehensive Analysis Based on Global Data

Objectives

Mutations in hepatitis B virus (HBV) X region (HBx) play important roles in hepatocarcinogenesis while the results remain controversial. We sought to clarify potential hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-characteristic mutations in HBx from HBV genotype C-infected patients and the distribution of those mutations in different disease phases and genotypes.

Methods

HBx sequences downloaded from an online global HBV database were screened and then classified into Non-HCC or HCC group by diagnosis information. Patients'' data of patient age, gender, country or area, and viral genotype were also extracted. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the effects of mutations on HCC risk.

Results

1) Full length HBx sequences (HCC: 161; Non-HCC: 954) originated from 1115 human sera across 29 countries/areas were extracted from the downloaded 5956 HBx sequences. Genotype C occupied 40.6% of Non-HCC (387/954) and 89.4% of HCC (144/161). 2) Sixteen nucleotide positions showed significantly different distributions between genotype C HCC and Non-HCC groups. 3) Logistic regression showed that mutations A1383C (OR: 2.32, 95% CI: 1.34-4.01), R1479C/T (OR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.05-3.64; OR: 5.15, 95% CI: 2.53-10.48), C1485T (OR: 2.40, 95% CI: 1.41-4.08), C1631T (OR: 4.09, 95% CI: 1.41-11.85), C1653T (OR: 2.58, 95% CI: 1.59-4.19), G1719T (OR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.19-3.73), and T1800C (OR: 23.59, 95% CI: 2.25-247.65) were independent risk factors for genotype C HBV-related HCC, presenting different trends among individual disease phases. 4) Several genotype C HCC risk mutations pre-existed, even as major types, in early disease phases with other genotypes.

Conclusions

Mutations associated with HCC risk were mainly located in HBx transactivation domain, viral promoter, protein/miRNA binding sites, and the area for immune epitopes. Furthermore, the signatures of these mutations were unique to disease phases leading to HCC, suggesting molecular counteractions between the virus and host during hepatocarcinogenesis.     

Seasonal variation in fecal testosterone levels in free-ranging male Japanese macaques

Seasonal variation in fecal testosterone levels in free-ranging male Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) was examined with reference to their dominance rank and age class. Six adult (>or=7 years old, three higher-ranking and three lower-ranking) and four adolescent (5-6 years old, two higher-ranking and two lower-ranking) males were selected as target animals. Fecal samples of these males were collected during the first 3-5 days of each month and analyzed by the method developed by Barrett et al. [Primates 43:29-39, 2002 b]. Testosterone levels varied significantly across the 12 months, and were highest in the early and middle parts of the mating season (i.e., October and November). Higher-ranking adult males displayed a peak testosterone level in October, whereas lower-ranking adults had no clear peak in the mating season. Such a difference in testosterone peaks in males could provide higher-ranking males more opportunities to fertilize females at first ovulation in the mating season than lower-ranking males.     

Chimpanzees' choices of prey between two sympatric species ofMacrotermes in the Campo Animal Reserve,Cameroon

Details are presented relating to chimpanzees' choices between two sympatric species of termites,Macrotermes lillijeborgi andM. vitrialatus, as food in the Campo Animal Reserve, southwest Cameroon, West Africa. An attempt was made to determine the various factors that affected such choices. The two species of termites seemed to have almost the same value in terms of ecological factors. However, chimpanzees fed almost exclusivelyonM. lillijeborgi, using digging sticks and fisching probes, during the study period which extended from the end of August to the middle of January, with their feeding activity showing peak at the beginning of the rainy season. By contrast,M. vitrialatus was rarely eaten in spite of the ease with which such prey could be obtained, namely, by desctruction of termite mounds by hand, without the need for tools. The reason that the chimpanzees discriminated between the two species of termite cannot be explained in terms of ecological factors such as size of prey, seasonal differences in termite activity, etc. Sticks used as tools were fairly uniform in size and character, mainly because of physical constraints related to the structure of termite mounds, and the brush-like ends of sticks seemed to be incidentaly byproducts of the chimpanzee's choice of plant species. Ecological factors could provide chimpanzees with a basis for the use of some kind of tool and help them modify it, while other factors, for example, something akin to leisure or the chimpanzee's interest in use of a tool, could provide an opportunity for inventing some tool-using behavior or for maintaining such behavior. These different factors, not being exclusive of one another, might affect the invention and maintenance of tool using-behavior at different phases. It is possible that chimpanzee's choice of prey may not always be the most efficient or appropriate in a given ecological situation.     

Developmental changes in mother-offspring grooming in Japanese macaques

A cross-sectional analysis was made of developmental changes in mother-offspring grooming in Japanese macaques, Macaca,. fuscata. When offspring were immature, time spent grooming by their mothers decreased with offspring age. Soliciting by offspring increased steadily with age, in contrast to their successful soliciting, which decreased gradually until early adolescence. This is in accord with the hypothesis that grooming is one form of post-weaning maternal investment, which may entail behavioral conflict between mothers and immature offspring. On the other hand, mothers spent much more time for grooming of their adult female offspring than for their adolescent male and female offspring. It is argued that grooming by mothers may shift from a form of maternal investment in their offspring to a benefit to be exchanged reciprocally with them. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Polarity and stratification of the epidermis

Polarity is a fundamental property of epithelial cells. In this review, we discuss our current knowledge of the polarity of a stratified epithelium, the epidermis, focusing on similarities and differences with simple epithelial models. We highlight how the differences in tissue architecture and physiology result in alterations in some aspects of cell polarity. In addition, we discuss one of the most prominent uses for cell polarity in the epidermis-orienting the mitotic spindle to drive the stratification and differentiation of this tissue during development.     

Vesicular Inhibitory Amino Acid Transporter Is a Cl?/γ-Aminobutyrate Co-transporter

The vesicular inhibitory amino acid transporter (VIAAT) is a synaptic vesicle protein responsible for the vesicular storage of γ-aminobutyrate (GABA) and glycine which plays an essential role in GABAergic and glycinergic neurotransmission. The transport mechanism of VIAAT remains largely unknown. Here, we show that proteoliposomes containing purified VIAAT actively took up GABA upon formation of membrane potential (Δψ) (positive inside) but not ΔpH. VIAAT-mediated GABA uptake had an absolute requirement for Cl⁻ and actually accompanied Cl⁻ movement. Kinetic analysis indicated that one GABA molecule and two Cl⁻ equivalents were transported during one transport cycle. VIAAT in which Glu²¹³ was specifically mutated to alanine completely lost the ability to take up both GABA and Cl⁻. Essentially the same results were obtained with glycine, another substrate of VIAAT. These results demonstrated that VIAAT is a vesicular Cl⁻ transporter that co-transports Cl⁻ with GABA or glycine in a Δψ dependent manner. It is concluded that Cl⁻ plays an essential role in vesicular storage of GABA and glycine.