Individual variation in the foraging strategies of young yellow perch (Perca flavescens) from the Ottawa River

Differences in the foraging strategies among young individuals of the yellow perch (Perca flavescens) were observed in the laboratory by using two kinds of food (Daphnia and brine shrimp) separately and together. Individuals differed significantly in their ability for feeding attempts, time interval between two consecutive feeding attempts, feeding angles, regurgitation rate, and number of unsuccessful attempts and in their food preference. It is concluded that there are individuals with different foraging strategies. Variability in foraging strategies within single species populations is important because it may explain how the conspecific individuals may differ in their overall feeding behaviour.     

Models for contact-mediated pattern formation: cells that form parallel arrays

Kinetic continuum models are derived for cells that crawl over a 2D substrate, undergo random reorientation, and turn in response to contact with a neighbor. The integro-partial differential equations account for changes in the distribution of orientations in the population. It is found that behavior depends on parameters such as total mass, random motility, adherence, and sloughing rates, as well as on broad aspects of the contact response. Linear stability analysis, and numerical, and cellular automata simulations reveal that as parameters are varied, a bifurcation leads to loss of stability of a uniform (isotropic) steady state, in favor of an (anisotropic) patterned state in which cells are aligned in parallel arrays.     

Structural and functional domains of cellobiohydrolase I from trichoderma reesei

Limited proteolysis (papain) of the cellobiohydrolase I (CBH I, 65 kDa) from Trichoderma reesei led to the seperation of two functional domains: a core protein (55 kDa) containing the active site, and a C-terminal glycopeptide (10 kDa) implicated in binding to the insoluble matrix (cellulose). The quaternary structures of the intact CBH I and its core in solution are now compared by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements. The molecular parameters derived for the core (Rg=2.09 nm, D_max=6.5 nm) and for the intact enzyme (Rg=4.27 nm, D_max=18 nm) indicate very different shapes. The resulting models show a tadpole-like structure for the intact enzyme where the isotropic part coincides with the core protein and the flexible tail part should be identified with the C-terminal glycopeptide. Thus in this enzyme, functional differentiation is reflected in structural peculiarities.Abbreviations SAXS small angle X-ray scattering - SDS-PAGE SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - IEF-PAG polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing; cellobiohydrolase (CBH, 1,4--glucan cellobio hydrolase (E.C.3.2.1.91)) - D_max maximum diameter - Rg radius of gyration     

Characteristics of dynamic postural reactions in the locust hindleg

Summary The use of the locust (Schistocerca americana) hindleg in postural control was examined in animals that stood on a repeatedly swayed vertical substrate. Myograms were recorded from leg muscles and the angle of the femoro-tibial joint was monitored photographically. Two discrete strategies were observed,; in compensatory reactions the hindleg was held in place, while in flexion reactions, the leg was moved, most often to complete flexion of the femoro-tibial joint. Tightly coupled, rhythmic bursting occurred in the flexor and levator muscles of the leg during compensatory reactions. Bursting was initiated repeatedly when the substrate was being pulled away from the animal. Bursting was correlated with subsequent decreases in the rate of change of the femorotibial joint angle. Compensatory and flexion reactions occurred preferentially in different ranges of joint angles: most often, compensatory reactions occurred in the midrange, while flexion reactions were elicited in the extremes of joint angle. These differences may be due to the mechanical advantages of the tibial muscles and the leg may be moved to full flexion because of a locking mechanism of the flexor muscle tendon. These reactions are compared with known reflexes of hindleg proprioceptors and contrasted with similar responses of vertebrates.     

Measurement of two-bond JCOHα coupling constants in proteins uniformly enriched with13C

Summary A simple E.COSY type technique is described for measurement of two-bond J_COH coupling constants in proteins that are uniformly enriched with¹³C. The method has been used to measure²J_COH for 132 residues in the proteins calmodulin and staphylococcal nuclease having non-overlapping H–C correlations. Measured²J_COH coupling constants fall in the 0 to –9.5 Hz range. A separate experiment, measuring the accuracy of these values, indicates a root-mean-square error of 1 Hz. Comparison of the J couplings with the dihedral back bone angles from crystallographic studies confirms a weak but statistically significant correlation between the dihedral angle and the magnitude of²J_COH, but also indicates that parameters other than have a significant effect on the value of the coupling.     

Gravitropism of maize and rice coleoptiles: dependence on the stimulation angle

Gravitropism of maize and rice coleoptiles was investigated with respect to its dependence on the angle of displacement or the initial stimulation angle (ISA). Close examination of curvature kinetics and the response to a drop in stimulation angle (SA) indicated that the gravtropic response during an early but substantial part of the curvature development is directly related to the ISA, there being no effect of the reduction of SA resulting from the curvature response itself. On the basis of this finding, the relationship between the steady SA and the curvature rate was determined. In maize, the curvature rate increased linearly with the sines of SAs up to an SA of 90 degrees. Rice coleoptiles, however, showed a saturation curve in the same range of SAs. The saturation profile was nearly identical between coleoptiles grown in air and those submerged in water, although the latter elongated much faster. Rice coleoptiles appeared to be far more sensitive to gravity than maize coleoptiles. It is concluded that the sensitivity to gravity, assessed through dependence on ISA, is a property inherent to a given gravitropic organ. Long-term measurements of curvature indicated that the coleoptiles bend back past the vertical. This overshooting was marked in submerged rice coleoptiles.     

Gravitropic response growth angle and vertical distribution of roots of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Recent work on root distribution, growth angles and gravitropic responses in Japanese cultivars of winter wheat are reviewed. Vertical distribution of roots, which influences the environmental stress tolerance of plants, was observed in the 12 Japanese cultivars in the field. The root depth index (RDI: the depth at which 50% of the root length has been reached) differed among the cultivars at the stem elongation stage. Since the RDI was closely related to the growth angle of seminal roots obtained in a pot experiment, it was assumed that growth angle is useful for predicting vertical root distribution among wheat genotypes. Gravitropic responses of the primary seminal root of 133 Japanese wheat cultivars assessed by measuring the growth angle in agar medium, were larger in the northern Japanese cultivars and smaller in the southern ones. It was also found that the geographical variation resulted from the wheat breeding process, i.e. genotypes with limited gravitropic responses of roots had been selected in the southern part of Japan where excessive soil moisture is one of the most serious problems.     

Magic angle spinning 13C-NMR spin-lattice relaxation study of the location and effects of α-tocopherol,ubiquinone-10 and ubiquinol-10 in unsonicated model membranes

-Tocopherol, ubiquinone-10 and ubiquinol-10 have been studied by high resolution magic angle samples spinning ¹³C-nuclear magnetic resonance in egg yolk phosphatidylcholine multilamellar vesicles model membranes in order to assess their location and the induced perturbations on this model system. -Tocopherol is placed in such a position that it is in close contact with the head group of the phospholipid and exposed to the solvent. In this position it significantly perturbs the phospholipid head group, the 5a-CH₃ and the 7a-CH₃ groups being the closest parts to the membrane surface. On the other hand, ubiquinol-10 perturbs the membrane surface more than ubiquinone-10, but neither compound significantly changed the phospholipid head group conformation.     

Contact allergy to a subcutaneous implantable cardiac defibrillator – A rare problem with a golden solution

Contact allergy to implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICD) is an uncommon and underdiagnosed complication. We report a case of a 20-years-old man patient that was resuscitated from sudden cardiac death. Workup imaging study was unremarkable, but genetic testing identified a mutation in the KCNH2 gene of uncertain significance. The patient underwent a subcutaneous implantable cardiac defibrillator (S-ICD) implantation, with no complications. The patient suffered two hospital re-admissions due to a device-related inflammatory reaction, leading to two device re-implantations. At the first time, it was considered a bacterial infection and the S-ICD was replaced by an endovascular device. At the second time, a tissue-device interaction, with hypersensitivity reaction and device rejection was suspected. The skin patch-tests were inconclusive, but it was decided to implant a custom-made gold-coated endovascular ICD. Indeed, the tendency is an initial misdiagnosis as an infection and a high clinical suspicion is essential to an early diagnosis.     

Triton X－100对紫膜蛋白的效应

本文采用同步辐射小角Ｘ射线散射方法研究了用非离子表面活性剂ＴｒｉｔｏｎＸ—１００处理后的嗜盐菌紫膜及其视紫红质蛋白结构的变化。实验结果表明,用不同浓度的ＴｒｉｔｏｎＸ—１００处理紫膜碎片时,紫膜及其蛋白所处的状态有着很大变化。