BRCA is 23andMe is Myriad is Medicine
Updated: 2010-03-11 21:07:20
Or not: Maybe 23andMe isn’t medicine. But then, Myriad BRCA test is not medicine, either.
Intentional variation increases result validity in mouse testing
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:06:28For decades, the traditional practice in animal testing has been standardization, but a new study has shown that adding as few as two controlled environmental variables to preclinical mice tests can greatly reduce costly false positives, the number of animals needed for testing and the cost of pharmaceutical trials. #187; riginal newsMolecular profiling of the developing mouse axial skeleton: a role for Tgfbr2 in the development of the intervertebral disc
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:05:48Conclusions:We propose TGF-b has two functions in IVD development: 1) to prevent chondrocyte differentiation in the presumptive IVD and 2) to promote differentiation of annulus fibrosus from sclerotome. We have identified genes that are enriched in the IVD and regulated by TGF-b that warrant further investigation as regulators of IVD development. (Source: BMC Developmental Biology - Latest articles) #187; riginal newsHere is your aSWoWa for March 10, 2010:
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:05:46I heard from several people who either guessed the food-related word that’s an anagram of #187; riginal newsStable Isotopes Link Diet to Avian Yolk Carotenoid Allocation: A Comparative Study of Five Auk Species (Charadriiformes: Alcidae)
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:05:28Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Latest Articles. Abstract The allocation of important but environmentally limited nutrients, such as carotenoids, often represents a trade‐off between homeostasis and reproduction. However, key questions remain about how diet and species traits influence carotenoid allocation. We studied yolk carotenoid profiles and yolk color in relation to trophic level (based on δ15N values) in five species of seabirds belonging to the family Alcidae: common murre (Uria aalge), pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba), Cassin's auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus), rhinoceros auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata), and tufted puffin (Fratercula cirrhata). In three species, which ranged from low (tufted puffin) to high (pigeon guillemot) trophi... #187; riginal newsTreatment development for systemic Tetrahymena sp. infection in guppies, Poecilia reticulata Peters
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:04:45Antibacterial and antiparasitic agents and a cysteine protease inhibitor (E-64) were tested against Tetrahymena infection, a serious problem in guppy production worldwide. Chemicals were tested in vitro by a colorimetric assay for Tetrahymena survival. The most effective were niclosamide, albendazole and chloroquine, with 23%, 35% and 60% survival, respectively, following 2-h exposure to 100 ppm. Longer incubation periods resulted in greater reductions in survival. Niclosamide was further studied in vivo at different dosages, administered orally to Tetrahymena-infected guppies. Mortality rates were significantly lower in all treatment groups; in trial I, 30% and 33% mortality in 5 and 40 mg kg[minus]1 niclosamide-fed fish vs. 59% mortality in controls; in trial II, 35%, 13% and 10% in 50, ... #187; riginal newsChanges in skin mucus of common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., after exposure to water with a high bacterial load
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:04:31In this study, the effect of an increase of overall bacterial load in tank water on carp skin mucus was assessed. Intracellular and released high molecular weight glycoproteins (HMGs) of carp skin mucus were analysed for changes using histological, histochemical and biochemical techniques. Increase of bacterial load did not induce obvious clinical responses in carp, but the skin of exposed carp responded quickly. The amount of skin mucus HMGs isolated increased as well as their total glycosylation. An increased goblet cell number was observed for all carbohydrate stainings, but most clearly for acidic glycoconjugates. A change in the terminal presence of some sugars was also seen. After the initial response of carp, an adaptation to the higher bacterial load in the water appeared to occur ... #187; riginal newsCrackdown on illegal imports of endangered species
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:03:54NEW ZEALAND HERALD Importers who deal in medicines derived from endangered wildlife are being target #187; riginal newsPrimates in traditional folk medicine: a world overview
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:03:49Almost 50% of primate species are in danger of becoming extinct, according to the criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. This is partly because of their consumption by humans. The reasons for hunting vary by region. One pretext is the medicinal or magical value of products derived from these animals. In this paper, we provide an overview of the global use of primates in traditional folk medicines as well as identifying the species used as remedies associated with folk beliefs. Some important questions relating to the conservation of primates are addressed. Our results revealed that at least 101 species of primates, which belong to 38 genera and 10 families, were used in traditional folk practices and in magic[ndash]religious ri... #187; riginal newsFossil bird eggshell provides source of ancient DNA
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:03:42Scientists have successfully isolated ancient DNA from fossil eggshell remains of extinct birds for the first time. #187; riginal newsCell cycle arrest by a gradient of Dpp signaling during Drosophila eye development
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:03:33Conclusions G1 arrest occurs at a threshold level of Dpp signaling within a morphogen gradient in the anterior eye. G1 arrest is specific for one competent domain in the eye disc, allowing Dpp signaling to promote growth at earlier developmental stages. (Source: BMC Developmental Biology - Latest articles)MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources. #187; riginal newsLarge mammals need protected areas, forest cover in India
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:03:14A study of extinction patterns of 25 large mammal species in India finds that improving existing protected areas, creating new areas, and interconnecting them will be necessary for many species to survive this century. #187; riginal newsDevelopment of more muscular trout could boost commercial aquaculture
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:03:13A 10-year effort by a scientist to develop transgenic rainbow trout with enhanced muscle growth has yielded fish with what have been described as six-pack abs and muscular shoulders that could provide a boost to the commercial aquaculture industry. #187; riginal newsHidden habits and movements of insect pests revealed by DNA barcoding
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:02:47Researchers have found a faster way to study the spread and diet of insect pests. Using a technique called DNA barcoding, which involves the identification of species from a short DNA sequence, they studied populations of numerous moth and butterfly species across Papua New Guinea. DNA barcodes showed that migratory patterns and caterpillar diets are very dynamic. #187; riginal newsAlpine marmot spreads into Catalan Pyrenees
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:02:41Researchers in Spain have demonstrated, using a map of the potential distribution, the alpine marmot's capacity for adaptation in the fields of the Pyrenees. Its quick proliferation makes it a successful example of species introduction. #187; riginal newsScientists solve puzzle of chickens that are half male and half female
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:02:21A puzzle that has baffled scientists for centuries -- why some birds appear to be male on one side of the body and female on the other -- has been solved by researchers. The research, which involved studying rare naturally occurring chickens with white (male) plumage on one side and brown (female) plumage on the other, sheds new light on the sexual development of birds. #187; riginal newsArachnids in Merida, Yucatan!
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:02:18Throughout the last days, my main goal has been to find, identify, photograph, and learn about the a #187; riginal newsAltitudinal migration in American Dippers (Cinclus mexicanus): Do migrants produce higher quality offspring
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:02:17R. H. Mackas, D. J. Green, I. B.J. Whitehorne, E. N. Fairhurst, H. A. Middleton, and C. A. Morrissey - Breeding at high elevations can favour life-history strategies in which parents shift to investing in higher quality rather than higher numbers of offspring. In American... (Source: Canadian Journal of Zoology)MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources. #187; riginal newsClinical white spot disease status in Penaeus monodon during the middle of the culture period – its epidemiological significance
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:02:09(Source: Journal of Fish Diseases)MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources. #187; riginal newsSmelling scenery in stereo: Desert ants perceive odor maps in navigation
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:01:40Desert ants are well-known for their remarkable orientation: they use a compass along with a step counter and visible landmarks to locate their nest. After researchers discovered that these ants can navigate also by using olfactory cues, they now found that the animals even can take advantage of the distribution of different odors in a map-like manner by utilizing their antennae to smell their environment in stereo. #187; riginal newsThe response of intestinal mucous cells to the presence of enteric helminths: their distribution, histochemistry and fine structure
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:00:46Histochemical and ultrastructural investigations were conducted on the mucous cells of the intestine of brown trout, Salmo trutta L., naturally infected with the cestode Cyathocephalus truncatus (Pallas, 1781) and the acanthocephalan Echinorhynchus truttae Shrank, 1788. A subpopulation of 45 S. trutta were examined of which 15 specimens harboured E. truttae, 15 of which were infected with C. truncatus and 15 fish, the control group, were uninfected. In histological sections, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of the mucous cells were evident at the site of parasite infection. Enhanced mucus secretion was also recorded in infected fish. The number of mucous cells close to the site of parasite attachment within the intestine was significantly higher than the number detected in uninfected individual... #187; riginal newsTetracapsuloides bryosalmonae in spawning pink salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha (Walbaum), in the Quinsam River, British Columbia, Canada
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:00:30(Source: Journal of Fish Diseases) #187; riginal newsBreakthrough in genetic studies of animal domestication
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:00:30The domestication of animals and plants is the most important technological innovation during human history. This genetic transformation of wild species has occurred as humans have used individuals carrying favorable gene variants for breeding purposes. In a new study, researchers have revealed some of the secrets underlying the remarkable development of the domestic chicken. #187; riginal newsLess Than one Hundred Asiatic Cheetahs Survive in the World, Today.
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:00:27HAMSAYAH.NET Tehran, February 27, 2010 (Hamsayeh.Net) – Iranian wildlife specialist at a prote #187; riginal newsDeceptive model: Stem cells of humans and mice differ more strongly than suspected
Updated: 2010-03-11 08:00:20Mice are in many ways similar to Homo sapiens on a fundamental level. That is why the law in this part of the world only permits scientists to conduct research on human embryonic stem cells when they have "clarified in advance" their specific questions by using animal cells as far as possible. However, such tests are often pointless -- and sometimes even misleading, as a recent study demonstrates. #187; riginal newsScience & Soul: Clean Coal My Butt
Updated: 2010-03-11 07:59:50I have been very busy and have not had time to post or read others’ blogs. Sorry ’bout #187; riginal newsCalifornia Tiger Salamander Will Be Protected Under California Endangered Species Act
Updated: 2010-03-11 07:58:43PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release, March 3, 2010 Contact: Brian Nowicki, Center for Biological Div #187; riginal newsFirst description of atypical furunculosis in freshwater farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in Chile
Updated: 2010-03-11 07:57:57We report the first isolation, identification and characterization of a group of Chilean strains of atypical Aeromonas salmonicida isolated from freshwater farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar. Affected fish showed superficial ulcers and pale liver with or without petechial haemorrhages. Outbreaks of the disease occurred in two farms in the south of Chile about 2200 km apart. Five strains were isolated in pure culture and identified by serological assays and immunofluorescence tests as belonging to Aeromonas salmonicida. Although the bacterial isolates were phenotypically homogeneous, minor differences with the reference strain A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida ATCC 33658 were noted. Three specific primer sets and partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing allowed the identification of the Chilean is... #187; riginal newsStable Isotopes Link Diet to Avian Yolk Carotenoid Allocation: A Comparative Study of Five Auk Species (Charadriiformes: Alcidae)
Updated: 2010-03-09 07:12:32Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Latest Articles. Abstract The allocation of important but environmentally limited nutrients, such as carotenoids, often represents a trade‐off between homeostasis and reproduction. However, key questions remain about how diet and species traits influence carotenoid allocation. We studied yolk carotenoid profiles and yolk color in relation to trophic level (based on δ15N values) in five species of seabirds belonging to the family Alcidae: common murre (Uria aalge), pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba), Cassin’s auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus), rhinoceros auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata), and tufted puffin (Fratercula cirrhata). In three species, which ranged from low (tufted puffin) to high (pigeon guillemot) trophi...The Fate of Carbon in Growing Fish: An Experimental Study of Isotopic Routing
Updated: 2010-03-05 07:14:23Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Latest Articles. Abstract The application of stable isotope analysis to ecology requires estimating the contribution of different isotopic sources to the isotopic signatures of an animal’s tissues using mixing models. These models make the physiologically unrealistic assumption that assimilated nutrients are disassembled into their elemental components and that these atoms are then reassembled into biomolecules. We quantified the extent to which mixing models yield erroneous results with an experiment using Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The tilapia were fed synthetic diets that varied in protein content and in which the carbon isotopic composition of protein differed widely from that of carbohydrates and li...Foraging behaviors of two sympatric ant species in response to lizard eggs.
Updated: 2010-02-28 23:00:00In this study, I performed a field experiment to investigate the outcome of potential food competition between an encounter species (Paratrechina longicornis) and an exploitative one (Pheidole taivanensis) and to examine the factors that may explain the behavior of P. taivanensis when obtaining food (lizard eggs) without being attacked by P. longicornis. When P. longicornis was experimentally introduced to eggs occupied by P. taivanensis for 1 day, it displaced P. taivanensis. However, P. longicornis ignored lizard eggs which had been occupied by P. taivanensis for 2 or more days, and did not displace P. taivanensis, because by that time the eggshells had been damaged by P. taivanensis so they could no longer be used by P. longicornis. Eggshells were damaged more quickly by P. taivanensis ...MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.Behavioral Batesian Mimicry Involving lntraspecific Polymorphism in the Butterfly Papilio polytes.
Updated: 2010-02-28 23:00:00Authors: Kitamura T, Imafuku M Batesian mimics gain protection from predation by their similarity to distasteful models. In butterflies, it has been thought that distasteful species and Batesian mimics fly slowly and in a straight line, but few studies have demonstrated their behavioral similarity, and no studies have been conducted on behavioral mimicry Involving Batesian intraspecific polymorphism. Here, we compared the wing stroke among various butterflies: palatable non-mimetic Papilio xuthus, unpalatable Pachliopta aristolochiae, and palatable polymorphic Papilio polytes (cyrus form, non-mimetic females; polytes form, Batesian mimetic females) to clarify whether the wing stroke of unpalatable butterflies is different from that of palatable species, whether that of the non-mimetic ...Genetic Divergence and Evolutionary Relationship in Fejervarya cancrivora from Indonesia and Other Asian Countries Inferred from Allozyme and MtDNA Sequence Analyses.
Updated: 2010-02-28 23:00:00Authors: Kurniawan N, Islam MM, Djong TH, Igawa T, Daicus MB, Yong HS, Wanichanon R, Khan MM, Iskandar DT, Nishioka M, Sumida M To elucidate genetic divergence and evolutionary relationship in Fejervarya cancrivora from Indonesia and other Asian countries, allozyme and molecular analyses were carried out using 131 frogs collected from 24 populations in Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and the Philippines. In the allozymic survey, seventeen enzymatic loci were examined for 92 frogs from eight representative localities. The results showed that F. cancrivora is subdivided into two main groups, the mangrove type and the large- plus Pelabuhan ratu types. The average Nel's genetic distance between the two groups was 0.535. Molecular phylogenetic trees based on nucleotide sequences ...A new species of condyloderes (cyclorhagida, kinorhyncha) from Korea.
Updated: 2010-02-28 23:00:00This study reveals similarities in several morphological characters between this genus and species of Campyloderes Zelinka, 1913. PMID: 20192691 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Zoological Science)Sex Determination and Individual Identification of American Minks (Neovison vison) on Hokkaido, Northern Japan, by Fecal DNA Analysis.
Updated: 2010-02-28 23:00:00We examined the sex chromosome-linked genes ZFX and ZFY and 11 microsatellite loci to identify individuals. From microsatellite genotypes, the probability of identity was calculated to distinguish between individuals with 99% certainty. To evaluate the accuracy of the genotyping results, we used two approaches for several randomly selected samples. In the first approach, we genotyped all samples from the results of a maximum of three independent polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). In the second approach, we genotyped 10% of the samples from the results of five independent PCRs. Samples subsequent genotypings disagreed with the first genotype were counted as one of three categories of error. The results indicated that genotyping more than 10 microsatellite loci was required to reduce the pro...Evolution of Reptilian Viviparity: A Test of the Maternal Manipulation Hypothesis in a Temperate Snake, Gloydius brevicaudus (Viperidae).
Updated: 2010-02-28 23:00:00Authors: Gao JF, Qu YF, Luo LG, Ji X We kept 48 gravid short-tailed pit vipers (Gloydius brevicaudus) under four laboratory thermal conditions during gestation and collected 10 females from the field soon before they gave birth to test whether Shine's ( 1995 ) maternal manipulation hypothesis applies to temperate reptiles. Females thermoregulated more precisely but did not shift their selected body temperatures during pregnancy, with females at high body temperatures giving birth early in the breeding season. The lowest (22 degrees C) and highest (32 degrees C) temperature treatments Increased maternal mortality and resulted in production of offspring with smaller body dimensions. More deformed offspring were produced at 32 degrees C, and more poorly performing offspring were produced ...MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.Excision and Transposition Activity of Tc1/mariner Superfamily Transposons in Sea Urchin Embryos.
Updated: 2010-02-28 23:00:00This study suggests that Minos is active in a broad range of non-host organisms and can be used as a transformation tool in sea urchin embryos. PMID: 20192694 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Zoological Science)Genetic Variation in the Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) and Spotted Seal (Phoca largha) Around Hokkaido, Japan, Based on Mitochondrial Cytochrome b Sequences.
Updated: 2010-02-28 23:00:00This study provides basic genetic information on these seal species and will contribute to the conservation and management of fisheries and seals throughout Hokkaido. PMID: 20192695 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Zoological Science)Molecular Phylogeny of the Subfamily Gerbillinae (Muridae, Rodentia) with Emphasis on Species Living in the Xinjiang-Uygur Autonomous Region of China and Based on the Mitochondrial Cytochrome b and Cytochrome c Oxidase Subunit II Genes.
Updated: 2010-02-28 23:00:00Authors: Ito M, Jiang W, Sato JJ, Zhen Q, Jiao W, Goto K, Sato H, Ishiwata K, Oku Y, Chai JJ, Kamiya H Rodents belonging to the subfamily Gerbillinae and living in the Xinjiang-Uygur autonomous region of China were collected in field surveys between 2001 and 2003. We found four Meriones species, including M. chengi M. liycus, M. meridianus, and M. tamariscinus, as well as related species from different genera, Rhombomys opimus and Brachiones przewaliskii For phylogenetic analyses of these gerbilline species, DNA sequences of parts of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cytb) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COII) genes were examined with the neighbor Joining, maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference methods. Our phylogenetic analyses suggest that the genus Meriones...Single-Cell Electroporation of Fluorescent Probes into Sea Urchin Sperm Cells and Subsequent FRAP Analysis.
Updated: 2010-02-28 23:00:00In this report, we show that a modified single-cell electroporation technique can be applied as a new microinjection method for sperm cells of the sea urchin. The method was applied to FRAP analysis to determine the rate of intraflagellar diffusion. PMID: 20192697 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Zoological Science)Bryoplana xerophila n. g. n. sp., a New Limnoterrestrial Microturbellarian (Platyhelminthes, Typhloplanidae, Protoplanellinae) from Epilithic Mosses, with Notes on Its Ecology.
Updated: 2010-02-28 23:00:00Authors: Van Steenkiste N, Davison P, Artois T Bryoplana xerophila, a new genus and species of limnoterrestrial protoplanelline platyhelminth, was found in moss and soil covering a concrete wall in northern Alabama, USA. Bryoplana xerophila is the first taxon of limnoterrestrial Protoplanellinae recorded from North America and is one of the few rhabdocoels known from dry habitats. It is unique within Protoplanellinae in lacking rhabdites, having a pharynx rosulatus in the frontal half of the body, and lacking sclerotized parts in the male system. Notes on encystment, reproduction and feeding behavior are given. An updated identification key to all known genera of Protoplanellinae is presented. PMID: 20192698 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Zoological Science)MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.Two new species of semicytherura (podocopa: ostracoda) from akkeshi bay, hokkaido, Japan, with comments on their speciation and related species.
Updated: 2010-02-28 23:00:00Authors: Yamada S, Tsukagoshi A Two new ostracod species, Semicytherura maxima n. sp. and S. ikeyai n. sp., both belonging to the S. henryhowel group of the genus, are described. They were collected from Akkeshi Bay in northeastern Japan, and inhabit the marine sediment surface in places deeper than the intertidal zone. Their distributions in northern Japan seem to be influenced by the cold-water Chishima Current (Oyashio). The geological distribution and species diversity were surveyed for each of the subgroups recognized in the S. henryhowei group. The results suggest that these subgroups split from each other in the NW Pacific by the Early Miocene, and that one of them has spread around the Northern Hemisphere, while the other has remained in the NW Pacific since that time. PMID...Visual acuity in larval zebrafish: behavior and histology
Updated: 2010-02-28 23:00:00Conclusion: The maximal spatial information as limited by photoreceptor spacing can not be fully utilized in a motion dependent visual behavior, arguing that the larval zebrafish visual system has not matured enough to optimally translate visual information into behavior. Nevertheless behavioral acuity is remarkable close to its maximal value, given the immature state of young zebrafish larvae. (Source: Frontiers in Zoology)Functional conservation between rodents and chicken of regulatory sequences driving skeletal muscle gene expression in transgenic chickens
Updated: 2010-02-24 23:00:00Conclusions: From these results we conclude that skeletal expression from this regulatory module is conserved in a genomic context between rodents and chickens. This transgenic module will be useful in future investigations of muscle development in avian species. (Source: BMC Developmental Biology - Latest articles)Effects of ram speed on prey capture kinematics of juvenile Indo-Pacific tarpon, Megalops cyprinoides.
Updated: 2010-02-23 23:00:00We describe tarpon as ram-suction feeders. Ram speed varied among strikes from 0.19 to 1.38m/s and each individual produced speeds that spanned at least 0.9m/s across trials. Although suction distances were much less variable, prey movement towards the predator was present in all feeding trials. There was a strong positive relationship between initial predator - prey distance and ram speed (r(2)=0.72, P<0.001). When tarpon initiated their strike from further away, they achieved higher ram speeds, but also took longer to capture their prey. All other timing variables were unaffected by ram speed whereas at higher ram speeds tarpon exhibited greater expansion of the mouth and buccal cavity. Greater buccal expansion accomplished in the same period of time implies that both the total volume...Spatial discontinuity of Optomotor-blind expression in the Drosophila wing imaginal disc disrupts epithelial architecture and promotes cell sorting
Updated: 2010-02-22 23:00:00Conclusions: Our findings show that Omb distribution in the wing imaginal disc is described by a gradient rather than a step function. Graded Omb expression is necessary for normal cell morphogenesis and cell affinity and sharp spatial discontinuities must be avoided to allow normal wing development. (Source: BMC Developmental Biology - Latest articles)The AALAS Journals: 2009 in Review.
Updated: 2010-02-19 10:34:03Authors: Toth LA, Compton S, Tolwani R PMID: 20158942 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comparative Medicine)MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene induces sertoli-leydig-cell tumors in the follicle-depleted ovaries of mice treated with 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide.
Updated: 2010-02-19 10:34:03Authors: Craig ZR, Davis JR, Marion SL, Barton JK, Hoyer PB Ovarian cancer is associated with high mortality due to its late onset of symptoms and lack of reliable screening methods for early detection. Furthermore, the incidence of ovarian cancer is higher in postmenopausal women. Mice rendered follicle-depleted through treatment with 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD) are a model of ovary-intact menopause. The present study was designed to induce ovarian neoplasia in this model by treating mice with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA). Female B6C3F1 mice (age, 28 d) received intraperitoneal sesame oil (vehicle; VCD- groups) as a control or VCD (160 mg/kg; VCD+ groups) daily for 20 d to cause ovarian failure. Four months after the onset of dosing, mice from each group received a sin...Perturbations in Cytokine Gene Expression after Inoculation of C57BL/6 Mice with Pasteurella pneumotropica.
Updated: 2010-02-19 10:34:03Authors: Patten CC, Myles MH, Franklin CL, Livingston RS Pasteurella pneumotropica can cause inflammation and abscess formation in a variety of tissues. Most commonly, P. pneumotropica produces clinical disease in immunodeficient mice or those concurrently infected with other pathogens. Because clinical disease is infrequent in immunocompetent mice harboring P. pneumotropica, some scientists consider it an opportunistic pathogen with little clinical relevance to biomedical research. However, other infectious agents, including mouse parvoviruses, mouse rotavirus, and Helicobacter spp. alter physiologic or biologic responses without causing clinical signs of illness. We investigated the potential for P. pneumotropica to modulate the transcription of cytokine genes in immunocompetent mice...Spontaneous Coagulopathy in Inbred WAG/RijYcb Rats.
Updated: 2010-02-19 10:34:03Authors: Booth CJ, Brooks MB, Rockwell S Here we describe a series of cases of spontaneous coagulopathy in a colony of inbred WAG/RijYcb (WAG/RijY) rats. This strain previously had been bred at our institution without symptomatology for several decades. The index case was a 10-wk-old male rat that developed a large hematoma at a subcutaneous injection site. Clinicopathologic findings included a decreased RBC count, decreased hematocrit, decreased hemoglobin concentration, normal PT, and prolonged (50% to 70%) aPTT (52 s; reference, 15 to 33 s). Examination of additional WAG/RijY rats that died unexpectedly or had clinical signs of bleeding in the absence of experimental manipulation also revealed normal PT and prolonged aPTT. Histologic examinations of tissues from all rats were unrema...Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infection in Dutch Belted and New Zealand White Rabbits.
Updated: 2010-02-19 10:34:03Authors: Panda A, Tatarov I, Melton-Celsa AR, Kolappaswamy K, Kriel EH, Petkov D, Coksaygan T, Livio S, McLeod CG, Nataro JP, O'Brien AD, Detolla LJ Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) produce one or more types of Shiga toxins and are foodborne causes of bloody diarrhea. The prototype EHEC strain, Escherichia coli O157:H7, is responsible for both sporadic cases and serious outbreaks worldwide. Infection with E. coli that produce Shiga toxins may lead to diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, or (less frequently) hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can cause acute kidney failure. The exact mechanism by which EHEC evokes intestinal and renal disease has not yet been determined. The development of a readily reproducible animal oral-infection model with which to evaluate the full pathogenic pot...Refinement of Pig Retroperfusion Technique: Global Retroperfusion with Ligation of the Azygos Connection Preserves Hemodynamic Function in an Acute Infarction Model in Pigs (Sus scrofa domestica).
Updated: 2010-02-19 10:34:03This study aimed to refine the technical and functional aspects of a pig model of acute myocardial infarction and retroperfusion with respect to the azygos connection. Global retroperfusion after ligation of the ramus interventricularis paraconalis (equivalent to the left anterior descending artery in humans) was performed in 16 Landrace pigs (Sus scrofa domestica). Coronary sinus perfusion was performed in 8 pigs (P+) but not in the other 8 (P-), and the azygos vein was ligated (L+) 4 of the 8 pigs in each of these groups but left open (L-) in the remaining animals. Hemodynamic performance (for example, cardiac output, stroke volume) was significantly better in P+L+ pigs that underwent coronary sinus perfusion with ligation of the azygos vein compared with all other animals. In addition, ...MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.Infection of cesarean-derived colostrum-deprived pigs with porcine circovirus type 2 and Swine influenza virus.
Updated: 2010-02-19 10:34:03In conclusion, SIV H1N1 did not influence PCV2 replication in dually infected pigs in this study. PMID: 20158948 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comparative Medicine)Simian Betaretrovirus Infection in a Colony of Cynomolgus Monkeys (Macaca fascicularis).
Updated: 2010-02-19 10:34:03Authors: Fujiomto K, Takano J, Narita T, Hanari K, Shimozawa N, Sankai T, Yosida T, Terao K, Kurata T, Yasutomi Y Of the 419 laboratory-bred cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in a breeding colony at our institution, 397 (95%) exhibited antibodies or viral RNA (or both) specific for simian betaretrovirus (SRV) in plasma. Pregnant monkeys (n= 95) and their offspring were tested to evaluate maternal-infant infection with SRV. At parturition, the first group of pregnant monkeys (n = 76) was antibody-positive but RNA-negative, the second group (n = 14 monkeys) was positive for both antibody and RNA, and the last group (n = 5) was antibody-negative but RNA-positive. None of the offspring delivered from the 76 antibody-positive/RNA-negative mothers exhibited viremia at birth. Eight of...A Challenge Model for Shigella dysenteriae 1 in Cynomolgus Monkeys (Macaca fascicularis).
Updated: 2010-02-19 10:34:03Authors: Shipley ST, Panda A, Khan AQ, Kriel EH, Maciel M, Livio S, Nataro JP, Levine MM, Sztein MB, Detolla LJ Shigella dysenteriae type 1 can cause devastating pandemics with high case fatality rates; a vaccine for Shigella is unavailable currently. Because of the risks associated with performing challenge studies with wild-type S. dysenteriae 1 in human clinical trials to advance vaccine development, an improved nonhuman primate model is needed urgently. In the present study, cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) were challenged with various doses of S. dysenteriae 1 strain 1617 to establish a dose that would produce shigellosis. Further, different routes of delivery of S. dysenteriae 1 were compared to establish the most appropriate route for infection. Animals receiving 10(11)...Alterations in Cytokines and Effects of Dexamethasone Immunosuppression during Subclinical Infections of Invasive Klebsiella pneumoniae with Hypermucoviscosity Phenotype in Rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and Cynomolgus (Macaca fascicularis) Macaques.
Updated: 2010-02-19 10:34:03Authors: Burke RL, West MW, Erwin-Cohen R, Selby EB, Fisher DE, Twenhafel NA Invasive Klebsiella pneumoniae with the hypermucoviscosity phenotype (HMV K. pneumoniae) is an emerging human pathogen that also has been attributed to fatal multisystemic disease in African green monkeys at our institution. Combining a cluster of subclinically infected macaques identified in March and April 2008 and the animals documented during a subsequent survey of more than 300 colony nonhuman primates yielded a total of 9 rhesus macaques and 6 cynomolgus macaques that were subclinically infected. In an attempt to propagate the responsible HMV K. pneumoniae strain, a subset of these animals was immunosuppressed with dexamethasone. None of the treated animals developed clinical disease consistent with the ...SEL1L deficiency impairs growth and differentiation of pancreatic epithelial cells
Updated: 2010-02-18 23:00:00Conclusions: Together, these data suggest that Sel1l is essential for the growth and differentiation of endoderm-derived pancreatic epithelial cells during mouse embryonic development. (Source: BMC Developmental Biology - Latest articles)A positional coding mechanism in pigeons after learning multiple three-item lists.
Updated: 2010-02-10 23:00:00Authors: Scarf D, Colombo M Pigeons were trained on three three-item lists (List 1: A(1) --> B(1) --> C(1;) List 2: A(2) --> B(2) --> C(2;) List 3: A(3) --> B(3) --> C(3)). After sessions in which any one of the three lists could be presented on a trial, derived-maintained list and derived-changed list probe trials were introduced. The derived list probe trials were composed of three items, one drawn from each of the training lists. On derived-maintained probe trials, each item was in the same ordinal position it occupied during training (e.g., A(3) --> B(1) --> C(2)). On derived-changed probe trials, items that occupied the second and third position during training were exchanged (e.g., A(2) --> C(3) --> B(1)). The performance of subjects on derived-maint...A modified mark test for own-body recognition in pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina).
Updated: 2010-02-10 23:00:00Authors: Macellini S, Ferrari PF, Bonini L, Fogassi L, Paukner A Classic mirror self-recognition mark tests involve familiarizing the subject with its mirror image, surreptitiously applying a mark on the subject's eyebrow, nose, or ear, and measuring self-directed behaviors toward the mark. For many non-human primate species, however, direct gaze at the face constitutes an aggressive and threatening signal. It is therefore possible that monkeys fail the mark test because they do not closely inspect their faces in a mirror and hence they have no expectations about their physical appearance. In the current study, we prevented two pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) from seeing their own faces in a mirror, and we adopted a modified version of the classic mark test in which monkeys wer...Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) accurately compare poured liquid quantities.
Updated: 2010-02-09 23:00:00Authors: Beran MJ Although many studies have shown that nonhuman animals can choose the larger of two discrete quantities of items, less emphasis has been given to discrimination of continuous quantity. These studies are necessary to discern the similarities and differences in discrimination performance as a function of the type of quantities that are compared. Chimpanzees made judgments between continuous quantities (liquids) in a series of three experiments. In the first experiment, chimpanzees first chose between two clear containers holding differing amounts of juice. Next, they watched as two liquid quantities were dispensed from opaque syringes held above opaque containers. In the second experiment, one liquid amount was presented by pouring it into an opaque container from an op...Temporally Variable Multivariate Sexual Selection on Sexually Dimorphic Traits in a Wild Insect Population
Updated: 2010-02-08 20:33:52In this study, we measured the strength and form of sexual selection acting on a suite of male morphological traits in a wild ambush bug (Phymata americana) population at 10 sampling dates over 2 years. We tested the prediction that the strength and direction of sexual selection would be associated with one or more important ecological variables. We found that patterns of multivariate selection varied considerably over time, and even within a season. Yet, for this population, a sexually dimorphic color pattern trait was consistently a target of directional selection. The strength of sexual selection on this trait was related to both sex ratio and density, which is consistent with the idea that ecological factors can play an important role in generating patterns of sexual selection. We also...The parasite assemblages of Zyzomys argurus (Thomas, 1889) (Muridae : Murinae) from northern Australia
Updated: 2010-02-07 13:00:59H. J. Weaver, L. R. Smales - Volume 57(6) (Source: Australian Journal of Zoology)Alternative mating tactics in the New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri): when non-territorial males are successful too
Updated: 2010-02-07 13:00:58A. K. Caudron, S. S. Negro, M. Fowler, L. Boren, P. Poncin, B. C. Robertson, N. J. Gemmell - Volume 57(6) (Source: Australian Journal of Zoology)Predator or prey? The dive response to aerial and aquatic predators of Arafura filesnakes
Updated: 2010-02-07 13:00:57Kirstin L. Pratt, Craig E. Franklin - Volume 57(6) (Source: Australian Journal of Zoology)Breeding biology of the critically endangered Malherbe's parakeet on Maud Island, New Zealand, following the release of captive-bred individuals
Updated: 2010-02-07 13:00:56Luis Ortiz-Catedral, Jonathan C. Kearvell, Mark E. Hauber, Dianne H. Brunton - Volume 57(6) (Source: Australian Journal of Zoology)MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.Characteristics of implicit chaining in cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus).
Updated: 2010-02-06 23:00:00Authors: Locurto C, Gagne M, Nutile L In human cognition there has been considerable interest in observing the conditions under which subjects learn material without explicit instructions to learn. In the present experiments, we adapted this issue to nonhumans by asking what subjects learn in the absence of explicit reinforcement for correct responses. Two experiments examined the acquisition of sequence information by cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) when such learning was not demanded by the experimental contingencies. An implicit chaining procedure was used in which visual stimuli were presented serially on a touchscreen. Subjects were required to touch one stimulus to advance to the next stimulus. Stimulus presentations followed a pattern, but learning the pattern was not nec...Dreaming of an animal career?
Updated: 2010-02-06 21:37:15This week, in my role as an animal career coach, I go into a rant about people who are dreaming about an animal career. You can have a dream about an animal career but you also have to wake up and take action to get an animal job. If you want to read the animal career rant, [...]Female genital morphology and mating behavior of Orchestina (Arachnida: Araneae: Oonopidae).
Updated: 2010-02-04 23:00:00Authors: Burger M, Izquierdo M, Carrera P The unusual reproductive biology of many spider species makes them compelling targets for evolutionary investigations. Mating behavior studies combined with genital morphological investigations help to understand complex spider reproductive systems and explain their function in the context of sexual selection. Oonopidae are a diverse spider family comprising a variety of species with complex internal female genitalia. Data on oonopid phylogeny are preliminary and especially studies on their mating behavior are very rare. The present investigation reports on the copulatory behavior of an Orchestina species for the first time. The female genitalia are described by means of serial semi-thin sections and scanning electron microscopy. Females of Orc...Testing the Carotenoid Trade‐Off Hypothesis in the Polychromatic Midas Cichlid, Amphilophus citrinellus
Updated: 2010-02-04 19:18:56Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Latest Articles. Abstract Many animals use carotenoid pigments derived from their diet for coloration and immunity. The carotenoid trade‐off hypothesis predicts that, under conditions of carotenoid scarcity, individuals may be forced to allocate limited carotenoids to either coloration or immunity. In polychromatic species, the pattern of allocation may differ among individuals. We tested the carotenoid trade‐off hypothesis in the Midas cichlid, Amphilophus citrinellus, a species with two ontogenetic color morphs, barred and gold, the latter of which is the result of carotenoid expression. We performed a diet‐supplementation experiment in which cichlids of both color morphs were assigned to one of two diet trea...MedWorm Message:Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.Assessment of the hemorheological profile of koala and echidna.
Updated: 2010-02-03 23:00:00Authors: Baskurt OK, Marshall-Gradisnik S, Pyne M, Simmonds M, Brenu E, Christy R, Meiselman HJ Koala, a marsupial, and echidna, a monotreme, are mammals native to Australia. Blood viscosity (62.5-1250s(-1)), red blood cell (RBC) deformability, RBC aggregation, aggregability and surface charge, and hematological parameters were measured in blood samples from six koalas and six echidnas and compared to adult human blood. Koala had the largest RBC mean cell volume (107.7+/-2.6fl) compared to echidna (81.3+/-2.6fl) and humans (88.4+/-1.2fl). Echidna blood exhibited the highest viscosity over the entire range of shear rates. Echidna RBC were significantly less deformable than koala RBC but more deformable than human RBC. Echidna RBC had significantly lower aggregability (i.e., aggregation ...Tits use amodal completion in predator recognition: a field experiment.
Updated: 2010-02-03 23:00:00Authors: Tvardíková K, Fuchs R Amodal completion enables an animal to perceive partly concealed objects as an entirety, and to interact with them appropriately. Several studies, based upon either operant conditioning or filial imprinting techniques, have shown that various animals (both mammals and birds) can perform amodal completion. Before this study, the use of amodal completion by untrained animals in the recognition of objects had not been considered. Using two feeders, we observed in a field experiment the reaction of tits to the torso of a sparrowhawk (partly occluded or an 'amputated' dummy) in two different treatments (sparrowhawk torso vs. complete dummy pigeon; and torso vs. complete dummy sparrowhawk). It is clear that the birds considered the two torso variants ...Rational maximizing by humans (Homo sapiens) in an ultimatum game.
Updated: 2010-02-03 23:00:00Authors: Smith P, Silberberg A In the human mini-ultimatum game, a proposer splits a sum of money with a responder. If the responder accepts, both are paid. If not, neither is paid. Typically, responders reject inequitable distributions, favoring punishing over maximizing. In Jensen et al.'s (Science 318:107-109, 2007) adaptation with apes, a proposer selects between two distributions of raisins. Despite inequitable offers, responders often accept, thereby maximizing. The rejection response differs between the human and ape versions of this game. For humans, rejection is instantaneous; for apes, it requires 1 min of inaction. We replicate Jensen et al.'s procedure in humans with money. When waiting 1 min to reject, humans favor punishing over maximizing; however, when rejection require...Donor payoffs and other-regarding preferences in cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus).
Updated: 2010-02-03 23:00:00Authors: Stevens JR Helping others at no cost to oneself is a simple way to demonstrate other-regarding preferences. Yet, primates exhibit mixed results for other-regarding preferences: chimpanzees and tamarins do not show these effects, whereas capuchin monkeys and marmosets preferentially give food to others. One factor of relevance to this no-cost food donation is the payoff to the donor. Though donors always receive the same payoffs regardless of their choice, previous work varies in whether they receive either a food reward or no food reward. Here, I tested cotton-top tamarins in a preferential giving task. Subjects could choose from two tools, one of which delivered food to a partner in an adjacent cage and the other of which delivered food to an empty cage. Thus, subjects could ...Corrigendum to "In vitro maturation of pig oocytes with different media, hormone and meiosis inhibitors" [Anim. Reprod. Sci. 97 (2007) 375-381].
Updated: 2010-02-02 15:34:06Authors: Marques MG, Nicacio AC, de Oliveira VP, Nascimento AB, Caetano HV, Mendes CM, Mello MR, Milazzotto MP, Assumpção ME, Visintin JA PMID: 20117327 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Animal Reproduction Science)Effect of Sampling Regime on Estimation of Basal Metabolic Rate and Standard Evaporative Water Loss Using Flow‐Through Respirometry
Updated: 2010-02-01 18:45:10Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Latest Articles. Abstract Strict criteria have been established for measurement of basal metabolic rate and standard evaporative water loss to ensure that data can be compared intra‐ and interspecifically. However, data‐sampling regimes vary, from essentially continuous sampling to interrupted (switching) systems with data recorded periodically at more widely spaced intervals. Here we compare one continuous and three interrupted sampling regimes to determine whether sampling regime has a significant effect on estimation of basal metabolic rate or standard evaporative water loss. Compared to continuous 20‐s sampling averaged over 20 min, sampling every 6 min and averaging over 60 min overestimated basal metaboli...More diversity and more convergence in tunicate biology.
Updated: 2010-01-31 23:00:00Authors: Nishida H, Satoh N, Hirose E The 5th International Tunicate Meeting (ITM5) was held at the Okinawa Industry Support Center (Naha, Okinawa, Japan) from June 21 to 25, 2009, with support from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) and the Inoue Foundation for Science. Tunicates are defined as deuterostome metazoans that have notochord in the tail at one point or at all times during their life. Presence of a cellulosic integument is also a synapomorphy for this taxon, which consists of three classes: Ascidiacea, Thaliacea, and Appendicularia. Ascidians, the largest class, are always sessile, while thaliaceans and appendicularians are pelagic throughout their life. Many unique and interesting data sets are available that facilitate research on tunicates, such as fu...Identification of Genes Downstream of Nodal in the Ciona intestinalis Embryo.
Updated: 2010-01-31 23:00:00Authors: Mita K, Koyanagi R, Azumi K, Sabau SV, Fujiwara S Nodal, a growth factor belonging to the TGF-beta superfamily, is required for the formation of the neural tube in Ciona intestinalis. Previous studies have revealed many genes whose expression is controlled by Nodal in the Ciona embryo; however, all of them encode transcription factors and signaling molecules. In the present study, we identified five genes upregulated or downregulated by the overexpression of Nodal in embryos of C. intestinalis. The upregulated genes included those encoding type IV collagen 1/3/5, laminin-alpha5, and Prickle. The downregulated genes included those encoding glypican and delta1-protocadherln-like. Many of these genes were expressed in the neural plate at the late gastrula stage. The present study...MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.Upstream regulatory sequences required for specific gene expression in the ascidian neural tube.
Updated: 2010-01-31 23:00:00In this study, we focused on the transcriptional mechanisms that regulate CiNut1 expression. We found that an approximately 1.0 kb upstream sequence was able to recapitulate endogenous CiNut1 expression. A deletion analysis showed that the 119 bp upstream fragment containing two ZicL-binding consensus sequences and one Fox core sequence could also drive the neural tube-specific expression. When mutations were Introduced into the distal ZicL binding site (ZicL1), the neural tube-specific expression almost disappeared. Although the Importance of the proximal ZicL site (ZicL2) and the Fox core sequence have yet to be elucidated, we hypothesize that ZicL regulates gene transcription in the entire neural tube of the ascidian. PMID: 20141411 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Zoological Science)Distinctive Expression Patterns of Hedgehog Pathway Genes in the Ciona intestinalis Larva: Implications for a Role of Hedgehog Signaling in Postembryonic Development and Chordate Evolution.
Updated: 2010-01-31 23:00:00Authors: Islam AF, Moly PK, Miyamoto Y, Kusakabe TG Members of the Hedgehog (Hh) family are soluble ligands that orchestrate a wide spectrum of developmental processes ranging from left-right axis determination of the embryo to tissue patterning and organogenesis. Tunicates, including ascidians, are the closest relatives of vertebrates, and elucidation of Hh signaling in ascidians should provide an important clue towards better understanding the role of this pathway in development. In previous studies, expression patterns of genes encoding Hh and its downstream factor Gli have been examined up to the tailbud stage in the ascidian embryo, but their expression in the larva has not been reported. Here we show the spatial expression patterns of hedgehog (Ci-hh1, Ci-hh2), patched (Ci-ptc), ...Regeneration in the Hemichordate Ptychodera flava.
Updated: 2010-01-31 23:00:00Authors: Humphreys T, Sasaki A, Uenishi G, Taparra K, Arimoto A, Tagawa K When the body of P. flava is severed, the animal has the ability to regenerate its missing anterior or posterior as appropriate. We have focused on anterior regeneration when the head and branchial regions are severed from the body of the worm. After transection, the body wall contracts and heals closed in 2 to 3 days. By the third day a small blastema is evident at the point of closure. The blastema grows rapidly and begins the process of differentiating into a head with a proboscis and collar. At 5 days the blastema has increased greatly in size and differentiated into a central bulb, the forming proboscis, and two lateral crescents, the forming collar. Between 5 and 7 days a mouth opens ventral to the differen...Natural Apoptosis During the Blastogenetic Cycle of the Colonial Ascidian Botryllus schlosseri: A Morphological Analysis.
Updated: 2010-01-31 23:00:00Authors: Ballarin L, Schiavon F, Manni L Colonies of the compound ascidian Botryllus schiosseri undergo regular generation changes, during which adult zooids are progressively resorbed and replaced by growing buds. The generation change, or take-over, is characterized by massive cell death by apoptosis, as indicated by nuclear condensation, activation of caspases, overexpression of molecules recognized by antibodies against mammalian Bax, Fas, and FasL, changes in the expression of surface molecules by senescent cells of zooid tissues, and recruitment of circulating phagocytes in zooid tissues which ensure the complete clearing of dying cells. The entire process lasts 24-36 h at 20 degrees C and has been subdivided, on the basis of the degree of contraction of old zooids, into four sub...Differential Regional Expression of Genes in the Developing Brain of Ciona intestinalis Embryos.
Updated: 2010-01-31 23:00:00Authors: Shimozono N, Ohta N, Satoh N, Hamada M Our previous transcriptome analysis identified 565 genes that are preferentially expressed in the developing brain of Ciona intestinalis larvae. Here, we show by in-situ hybridization that the spatial expression patterns of these brain-specific genes fall into different categories depending on the regions where the gene is expressed. For example, Ci-opsin3 and Ci-Dkk3 are expressed in the entire brain, Ci-tyrosinase and Ci-TYRP1 in the dorsal region, and Ci-synaptotagmin3, Ci-ZF399, and Ci-PTFb in the ventral region. Other genes are specific to the posterior, anterior, central, posterior and ventral, or anterior-ventral region of the brain. This regional expression of genes in the Ciona brain is not always associated with cell lineage, su...MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.Regulation of Notochord-Specific Expression of Ci-Bra Downstream Genes in Ciona intestinalis Embryos.
Updated: 2010-01-31 23:00:00In this study, we looked for cisregulatory sequences in minimal enhancers of 20 Ci-Bra downstream genes by electroporating region within approximately 3 kb upstream of each gene fused with lacZ. Eight of the 20 reporters were expressed in notochord cells. The minimal enchancer for each of these eight genes was narrowed to a region approximately 0.5-1.0-kb long. We also explored the genome-wide and coordinate regulation of 43 Ci-Bra-downstream genes. When we determined their chromosomal localization, it became evident that they are not clustered in a given region of the genome, but rather distributed evenly over 13 of the 14 pairs of chromosomes, suggesting that gene clustering does not contribute to coordinate control of the Ci-Bra downstream gene expression. Our results might provide Insi...Origin and genetic evolution of the vertebrate skeleton.
Updated: 2010-01-31 23:00:00Authors: Wada H The current understanding of the origin and evolution of the genetic cassette for the vertebrate skeletal system is reviewed. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of fibrillar collagen genes, which encode the main component of both cartilage and mineralized bone, suggest that genome duplications in vertebrate ancestors were essential for producing distinct collagen fibers for cartilage and mineralized bone. Several data Indicate co-expression of the ancestral copy of fibrillar collagen with the SoxE and Runx transcription factors. Therefore, the genetic cassette may have already existed in protochordate ancestors, and may operate in the development of the pharyngeal gill skeleton. Accompanied by genome duplications in vertebrate ancestors, this genetic cassette may have also...Oikopleura dioica Alcohol Dehydrogenase Class 3 Provides New Insights into the Evolution of Retinoic Acid Synthesis in Chordates.
Updated: 2010-01-31 23:00:00Authors: Cañestro C, Albalat R, Postlethwait JH Enzymes that synthesize retinoic acid (RA) constitute the first level of regulation of RA action. In vertebrates, enzymes of the medium-chain alcohol dehydrogenase (MDR-Adh) family catalyze the first step of the RA synthetic pathway by oxidizing retinol. Among MDR-Adh enzymes, Adh3 is the only member present in non-vertebrates, and whether Adh3 is actually involved in RA biosynthesis remains uncertain. Here, we investigate the MDR-Adh family in Oikopleura dioica, a urochordate representing the sister group to vertebrates. Oikopleura is of special interest because it has lost the classical RA role in development, which relaxed evolutionary constraints to preserve the RA-genetic machinery, leading to the loss of RA-system components. T...Neuropeptides, Hormone Peptides, and Their Receptors in Ciona intestinalis: An Update.
Updated: 2010-01-31 23:00:00This article provides an overview of basic findings and reviews new knowledge on ascidian neuropeptides and hormone peptides. PMID: 20141419 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Zoological Science)New Graduate Degree Offered at Zoo
Updated: 2010-01-28 14:12:58If you are seeking a career with animals and have a bachelor’s degree in any field, you can take advantage of a new joint program from Project DragonFly and the Cincinnati Zoo. Read more about the Advanced Inquiry Program graduate degree. If you are interested, head over now because the application deadline is February 28, [...]Animal Career Secrets: Canine Studies Online
Updated: 2010-01-21 21:36:17Just a quick note to let you know that I am reviving the Animal Career Secrets website. Most of the posts will be oriented to stories I’ve found elsewhere until I lauch the online program. Today I am going to outline the Canine Studies diploma course. It is a fully accredited Level 3 (UK designation) diploma course [...]