• Hypercapnic Acidosis Reduces Contractile Function in the Ventricle of the Armored Catfish, Pterygoplichthys pardalis

    Updated: 2010-01-29 19:55:55
    Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Latest Articles. Abstract The armored catfish, Pterygoplichthys pardalis (formerly Liposarcus pardalis), is a freshwater, facultative air‐breathing teleost that experiences seasonal hypercapnia in the water systems of South America. We studied the tolerance of the P. pardalis heart to hypercapnic acidosis using an isolated ventricular muscle strip preparation. Force generation and kinetic variables were examined across a range of contraction frequencies under normocapnic and hypercapnic conditions in the absence and presence of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) inhibitors. Pterygoplichthys pardalis ventricle exhibited robust contractile force, on par with athletic fish species such as trout and tuna and a relatively flat...

  • Temporal Resolution and Spectral Sensitivity of the Visual System of Three Coastal Shark Species from Different Light Environments

    Updated: 2010-01-28 20:11:02
    Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Latest Articles. Abstract Visual temporal resolution and scotopic spectral sensitivity of three coastal shark species (bonnethead Sphyrna tiburo, scalloped hammerhead Sphyrna lewini, and blacknose shark Carcharhinus acronotus) were investigated by electroretinogram. Temporal resolution was quantified under photopic and scotopic conditions using response waveform dynamics and maximum critical flicker‐fusion frequency (CFF). Photopic CFFmax was significantly higher than scotopic CFFmax in all species. The bonnethead had the shortest photoreceptor response latency time (23.5 ms) and the highest CFFmax (31 Hz), suggesting that its eyes are adapted for a bright photic environment. In contrast, the blacknose had the long...

  • Foraging Rates of Larval Dragonfly Colonists Are Positively Related to Habitat Isolation: Results from a Landscape‐Level Experiment

    Updated: 2010-01-28 19:02:05
    The American Naturalist, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page E000, Latest Articles. Abstract: There is increasing evidence of intraspecific variation in dispersal behavior. Individual differences in dispersal behavior may be correlated with other traits that determine the impact individuals have on patches they colonize. We established habitat patches—artificial pools—across a landscape, and these pools were naturally colonized by dragonfly larvae. Larvae were collected from pools at different levels of isolation and held under common lab conditions for 5 months. We then compared larval foraging rates. Foraging rate was positively related to habitat isolation, and colonists from the most isolated artificial pools had significantly higher foraging rates than individuals from the least isolate...

  • New Graduate Degree Offered at Zoo

    Updated: 2010-01-28 14:12:58
    If 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, [...]

  • Characterization of the astacin family of metalloproteases in C. elegans

    Updated: 2010-01-27 23:00:00
    Conclusions: Expression data and phenotypic characterization of selected family members suggest a diversity of functions for members of the astacin family in nematodes. In part this might be due to extracellular structures unique to nematodes. (Source: BMC Developmental Biology - Latest articles)

  • Metabolic Allometry during Development and Metamorphosis of the Silkworm Bombyx mori: Analyses, Patterns, and Mechanisms

    Updated: 2010-01-27 18:41:40
    In this study of the silkworm Bombyx mori, we hypothesized that allometric relationships for metabolism both across all developmental stages and within each stage would not reflect conventional scaling coefficients (e.g., $b\neq 0.75$). Histology, gross morphology, body surface and cross‐sectional area, total lipid content, and cytochrome c oxidase activity levels (as evidence of the total metabolic potential of mitochondria) were determined across development. Also measured were oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and the respiratory exchange ratio. The overall slope, b, in the allometric equation relating to body mass across all developmental stages was 0.82, not greatly different from the value of 0.75 typical of interspecific data. However, within larval instars II–V and...

  • Eggs under Pressure: Components of Water Potential of Chameleon Eggs during Incubation

    Updated: 2010-01-27 18:35:53
    Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Latest Articles. Abstract Water exchange of squamate eggs is driven by the difference between the water potentials of eggs and of their nest environment. While osmotic potential is generally assumed to dominate the net water potential of eggs, resistance of the eggshell to stretching also affects egg water potential. We therefore determined osmotic potentials and pressure potentials (mechanical pressure) of eggs of the veiled chameleon Chamaeleo calyptratus over the course of incubation. Because embryos are diapausing gastrulae when eggs are laid and diapause persists several months, the water potential of eggs can be evaluated before it is influenced by the developing embryo. Water uptake during the first 2 wk of in...

  • Exercising for Life? Energy Metabolism, Body Composition, and Longevity in Mice Exercising at Different Intensities

    Updated: 2010-01-27 18:35:37
    Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Latest Articles. Abstract Studies that have found a positive influence of moderate, nonexhaustive exercise on life expectancy contradict the rate‐of‐living theory, which predicts that high energy expenditure in exercising animals should shorten life. We investigated effects of exercise on energy metabolism and life span in male mice from lines that had been selectively bred for high voluntary wheel‐running activity and from the nonselected control lines. Mice were divided into the following three groups ($n=100$ per group): active high‐runner mice (housed with wheels; HR+), sedentary high‐runner mice (no wheels provided; HR−), and active control mice (C+). Sixty animals from each group were left undisturb...

  • @ The Reef Tank: Mer-Women and Fish-Men: Humans Engineered for Ocean Living

    Updated: 2010-01-27 05:49:00
    : : : skip to main skip to sidebar Home Contact Blog Bookstore Free SF Directory Tuesday , January 26, 2010 The Reef Tank : Mer-Women and Fish-Men : Humans Engineered for Ocean Living I have a new guest post up at The Reef Tank blog about science fictional : mer-people Mer-Women and Fish-Men : Humans Engineered for Ocean Living Image : Mermaid by Brian Kolm used with permission of the . artist : Tags science fiction genetic engineering Posted by Peggy at 9:49 PM Categories : genetic engineering written word : novels 1 comments : wine of the month club said . Your guest post is pretty . interesting 5:51 PM Post a Comment Older Post Home Subscribe to : Post Comments Atom Search About Biology in Science Fiction Science fiction isn't just about rocket ships and ray guns . Many science fiction books , movies and TV shows are based on the biological sciences . This blog discusses cloning , genetic engineering , mutant monsters , longevity treatments and all the other biology behind the . fiction Disclaimer You can assume that the books discussed here were purchased , checked out of the library or read online , unless I explicitly indicate that I received a free review . copy If you

  • Speciation Has a Spatial Scale that Depends on Levels of Gene Flow

    Updated: 2010-01-25 23:51:33
    The American Naturalist, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Latest Articles. Abstract: Area is generally assumed to affect speciation rates, but work on the spatial context of speciation has focused mostly on patterns of range overlap between emerging species rather than on questions of geographical scale. A variety of geographical theories of speciation predict that the probability of speciation occurring within a given region should (1) increase with the size of the region and (2) increase as the spatial extent of intraspecific gene flow becomes smaller. Using a survey of speciation events on isolated oceanic islands for a broad range of taxa, we find evidence for both predictions. The probability of in situ speciation scales with island area in bats, carnivorous mammals, birds, flowerin...

  • Sex and the single embryo: early development in the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata

    Updated: 2010-01-25 23:00:00
    Conclusions: Our novel sexing method facilitates the study of i) when the MTZ transition occurs in males and females of C. capitata, ii) when and how the maternal information of "female-development" is reprogrammed in the embryos and iii) similarities and differences in the regulation of gene expression in C. capitata and D. melanogaster. We suggest a new model for the onset of the sex determination cascade in the medfly: the maternally inherited Cctra transcripts in the female embryos are insufficient to produce enough active protein to inhibit the male mode of Cctra splicing. The slow rate of development and the inefficiency of the splicing mechanism in the pre-cellular blastoderm facilitates the male-determining factor (M) activity, which probably acts by inhibiting CcTRA protein activi...

  • Life in a cubic foot in Moorea, French Polynesia

    Updated: 2010-01-25 16:02:01
    Some of the creatures photographed by David Liittschwager in one cubic foot in Moorea, French Polynesia

  • A novel pattern of follicular epithelium morphogenesis in higher dipterans.

    Updated: 2010-01-24 23:00:00
    Authors: Jaglarz MK, Kubrakiewicz J, Bilinski SM In fly ovaries, the follicular epithelium surrounding germline cells diversifies into several morphologically distinct cell subpopulations. This complex process is crucial for the formation of a regionally complex eggshell and establishment of polarity of the future embryo. Morphogenetic changes accompanying patterning of the follicular epithelium have been best characterized in the model fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we analyze follicular epithelium diversification in the ovaries of Tachypeza nubila, a brachyceran fly closely related to the group Cyclorrhapha, which also includes Drosophila. We provide morphological evidence that in Tachypeza, the diversification process differs from that described in the Drosophila model system i...

  • Spiteful Interactions in a Natural Population of the Bacterium Xenorhabdus bovienii

    Updated: 2010-01-22 19:37:14
    The American Naturalist, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Latest Articles. Abstract: An individual behaves spitefully when it harms itself in the act of harming other individuals. One of the clearest potential examples of spite is the costly production and release of toxins called bacteriocins. Bacteriocins are toxins produced by bacteria that can kill closely related strains of the same species. Theoretical work has predicted that bacteriocin‐mediated interactions could play an important role in maintaining local genetic and/or species diversity, but these interactions have not been studied at biologically relevant scales in nature. Here we studied toxin production and among‐strain inhibitions in a natural population of Xenorhabdus bovienii. We found genetic differences and inhibiti...

  • Zebrafish helps drug development

    Updated: 2010-01-22 14:05:08
    By combining the tools of medicinal chemistry and zebrafish biology, a team of Vanderbilt researchers has identified compounds that may offer therapeutic leads for bone-related diseases and cancer. The findings, reported in ACS Chemical Biology, support using zebrafish as a novel platform for drug development........

  • Sexual reproduction versus asexual reproduction

    Updated: 2010-01-22 14:05:08
    Living organisms have good reason for engaging in sexual, rather than asexual, reproduction as per Maurine Neiman, assistant professor of biology in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and researcher in the Roy J. Carver Center for Genomics. In an article published in a recent issue of the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, she and her colleagues, including John M. Logsdon Jr., associate professor of biology, examined the theory that sexual reproduction, while requiring more time and energy than asexual reproduction, is also much more common among living organisms and, therefore, must be very beneficial........

  • Green Sea Slug Is Part Animal, Part Plant

    Updated: 2010-01-22 14:05:08
    It"s easy being green for a sea slug that has stolen enough genes to become the first animal shown to make chlorophyll like a plant. Shaped like a leaf itself, the slug Elysia chlorotica already has a reputation for kidnapping the photosynthesizing organelles and some genes from algae.Now it turns out that the slug has acquired enough stolen goods to make an entire plant chemical-making pathway work inside an animal body. The slugs can manufacture the most common form of chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants that captures energy from .........

  • Animal Career Secrets: Canine Studies Online

    Updated: 2010-01-21 21:36:17
    Just 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 [...]

  • Chemical cues and group association preferences in a subsocial cockroach, Panesthia australis

    Updated: 2010-01-21 13:00:59
    Zacariah D. Billingham, David G. Chapple, Paul Sunnucks, Bob B. M. Wong - 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.

  • High possum mortality on urban roads: implications for the population viability of the common brushtail and the common ringtail possum

    Updated: 2010-01-21 13:00:58
    Tracey C. Russell, Catherine A. Herbert, James L. Kohen - Volume 57(6) (Source: Australian Journal of Zoology)

  • Bat heart mass: correlation with foraging niche and roost preference

    Updated: 2010-01-21 13:00:57
    R. D. Bullen, N. L. McKenzie, K. E. Bullen, M. R. Williams - Volume 57(6) (Source: Australian Journal of Zoology)

  • A comparative study of prenatal development in Miniopterus schreibersii fuliginosus, Hipposideros armiger and H. pratti

    Updated: 2010-01-20 23:00:00
    Conclusion: As a whole, the organogenetic sequence of bat embryos is uniform and the embryos appear homoplastic before Stage 16. Morphological differentiation between species occurs mainly after embryonic Stage 16. Our study provides three new bat species for interspecific comparison of post-implantation embryonic development within the order Chiroptera and detailed data on the development of nose-leaves for bats in the superfamily Rhinolophoidea. (Source: BMC Developmental Biology - Latest articles)

  • Analysis of retinal cell development in chick embryo by immunohistochemistry and in ovo electroporation techniques

    Updated: 2010-01-19 23:00:00
    Conclusion: The new method of retinal injection and electroporation at E3 - E4 allows the visualization of all retinal cell types, including the late-born neurons, e.g., bipolar cells at a level of single cells, which has been difficult with a conventional method with injection and electroporation at E1.5. Based on data collected from analyses of cell morphology, laminar locations in the retina, immunohistochemistry, and cell counts of GFP-expressing cells, the time-line and dynamic morphological and molecular changes of retinal cell development were determined. These data provide more complete information on retinal cell development, and they can serve as a reference for the investigations in normal retinal development and diseases. (Source: BMC Developmental Biology - Latest articles)

  • What happens when you put a camera on an eagle?

    Updated: 2010-01-18 22:23:26
    Simply amazing footage of what a Scottish eagle, Tilly, sees during flight (and an explanation of ho

  • Dichlorvos exposure impedes extraction and amplification of DNA from insects in museum collections

    Updated: 2010-01-18 00:00:00
    Background: The insecticides dichlorvos, paradichlorobenzene and naphthalene have been commonly used to eradicate pest insects from natural history collections. However, it is not known how these chemicals affect the DNA of the specimens in the collections. We thus tested the effect of dichlorvos, paradichlorobenzene and naphthalene on DNA of insects (Musca domestica) by extracting and amplifying DNA from specimens exposed to insecticides in two different concentrations over increasing time intervals. Results: The results clearly show that dichlorvos impedes both extraction and amplification of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA after relatively short time, whereas paradichlorobenzene and naphthalene do not. Conclusion: Collections treated with paradichlorobenzene and naphthalene, are better preserved concerning DNA, than those treated with dichlorvos. Non toxic pest control methods should ,however, be preferred due to physical damage of specimens and putative health risks by chemicals.

  • Dichlorvos exposure impedes extraction and amplification of DNA from insects in museum collections

    Updated: 2010-01-17 23:00:00
    Conclusion: Collections treated with paradichlorobenzene and naphthalene, are better preserved concerning DNA, than those treated with dichlorvos. Non toxic pest control methods should ,however, be preferred due to physical damage of specimens and putative health risks by chemicals. (Source: Frontiers in Zoology)

  • Disruption of zebrafish cyclin G-associated kinase (GAK) function impairs the expression of Notch-dependent genes during neurogenesis and causes defects in neuronal development

    Updated: 2010-01-17 23:00:00
    Conclusion: In support of the notion that endocytosis plays important roles in Notch signaling, inhibition of zebrafish GAK function affects embryonic neuronal cell specification and Her4 expression. In addition, our analysis suggests that zebrafish GAK has at least two functions during the development of neural tissues: an early Notch-dependent role in neuronal patterning and a late role in maintaining the survival of neural cells. (Source: BMC Developmental Biology - Latest articles)

  • Leeuwenhoek's Zoological Researches

    Updated: 2010-01-16 15:30:38
    Free online from the Annals of Science, this two part look into Leeuwenhoek’s zoological resea

  • Preparing for Migration? The Effects of Photoperiod and Exercise on Muscle Oxidative Enzymes, Lipid Transporters, and Phospholipids in White‐Crowned Sparrows

    Updated: 2010-01-15 20:11:53
    Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Latest Articles. Abstract The extreme energetic demands of avian migration result in various physiological changes that can be observed during the migratory period. However, the degree to which birds alter muscle physiology in advance of migration has been poorly studied. We studied the effects of “migratory” photoperiod and exercise on metabolic enzymes, fatty acid transporter mRNA expression, and muscle phospholipid fatty acid composition in captive white‐crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys). Ten sparrows were held on short photoperiod (8L:16D) for 58 d then switched to long days (16L:8D) for 3 wk before sampling. Increased nightly activity indicated that the birds were indeed in migratory condition. Ano...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.

  • Hematological Condition Indexes in Greenfinches: Effects of Captivity and Diurnal Variation

    Updated: 2010-01-15 20:11:05
    Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Latest Articles. Abstract Ecophysiological research aiming at explaining the causes and consequences of variation in individual condition, health state, and allostasis is traditionally performed on captive animals under controlled laboratory conditions. The question about how captivity per se affects studied parameters is therefore of central importance for generalizing the information gained from such studies. We addressed this question by comparing various indexes of physiological condition of wintering greenfinches sampled in the wild and kept in captivity for different time periods. Bringing wild greenfinches into captivity did not result in systematic alteration in nine of 12 physiological parameters studied. Ca...

  • Disease-resistant plants enhance profits

    Updated: 2010-01-15 14:09:56
    New varieties of plants marketed as "disease-resistant" or "insect-resistant" are becoming more accessible to consumers. Available through local garden centers and catalogues, these attractive ornamentals often come with guarantees that offer amateur gardeners the promise of lower maintenance or the need for fewer pesticides........

  • More than the origin

    Updated: 2010-01-15 14:09:56
    Eventhough Charles Darwin is most well-known for his book On the Origin of Species, in which he described the process of natural selection, he greatly contributed to a number of specific fields within biology. As the bicentennial anniversary of Darwin's birth comes to a close, the recent issue of the American Journal of Botany presents two papers exploring botanical history before the time of Darwin, Darwin's contributions to botany, and what researchers have discovered in the subsequent years following Darwin's first presentation of his a number of provocative ideas to the scientific community........

  • Microscopic Flower Petal Ridges

    Updated: 2010-01-15 14:09:56
    Microscopic ridges contouring the surface of flower petals might play a role in flashing that come-hither look pollinating insects can't resist. Michigan State University researchers and his colleagues now have figured out how those form. The result could help scientists learn to enhance plants' pollination success and even could lead to high-grip nanomaterials and "green chemical" feedstocks........

  • Antagonistic genes control rice growth

    Updated: 2010-01-15 14:09:56
    Researchers at the Carnegie Institution, with colleagues,* have observed that a plant steroid prompts two genes to battle each otherone suppresses the other to ensure that leaves grow normally in rice and the experimental plant Arabidopsis thaliana, a relative of mustard. The results, reported in the December 15, 2009, issue of The Plant Cell, have important implications for understanding how to manipulate crop growth and yield........

  • Preserving genetic diversity of rice

    Updated: 2010-01-15 14:09:56
    Rice is one of the most important crops worldwide, as it feeds over half of the world's population. Domesticated rice is an important supply of the world's rice. However, these strains are genetically static and cannot adapt to changing growing conditions. Traditional varieties, or landraces, of rice are genetically evolving and provide a pool of traits that can be tapped to improve crops worldwide........

  • Tracking paw prints of selective breeding

    Updated: 2010-01-15 14:09:54
    From the Dachshund's stubby legs to the Shar-Pei's wrinkly skin, breeding for certain characteristics has left its mark on the dog genome. Scientists have identified 155 regions on the canine genome that appear to have been influenced by selective breeding. With more than 400 distinct breeds, dogs come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, fur-styles, and temperaments. The curly-haired toy poodle, small enough to sit in a teacup, barely looks or acts like the smooth-coated Great Dane tall enough to peer like a periscope out of a car's sunroof. Not so apparent are breed differences in how the dogs' bodies function and their susceptibility to various diseases........

  • Data Archiving

    Updated: 2010-01-14 18:42:45
    The American Naturalist, Volume 175, Issue 2, Page 145-146, February 2010. (Source: The American Naturalist)

  • Developmental Cues and Persistent Neurogenic Potential Within an In Vitro Neural Niche

    Updated: 2010-01-13 23:00:00
    Conclusions: The in vitro NSC niche shows an identity that is distinct from the neurally induced embryonic cells that were used to derive it. Molecular and cellular components found in our in vitro NSC niche include NSCs, neural progeny, and ECM components and their receptors. Establishment of the in vitro NSC niche occurs in conjunction with apoptosis. Applications of this culture system range from studies of signaling events fundamental to niche formation and maintenance as well as development of unique NSC transplant platforms to treat disease or injury. (Source: BMC Developmental Biology - Latest articles)

  • Impact of Ontogenetic Changes in Branchial Morphology on Gill Function in Arapaima gigas

    Updated: 2010-01-13 17:02:34
    This study evaluated the effects these changes have on gill function by examining two size classes of fish that differ in gill morphology. In comparison to smaller fish (∼67.5 g), which still have lamellae, larger fish (∼724.2 g) without lamellae took up a slightly greater percentage of O2 across the gills (30.1% vs. 23.9%), which indicates that the morphological changes do not place limitations on O2 uptake in larger fish. Both size groups excreted similar percentages of CO2 across the gills (85%–90%). However, larger fish had higher blood Pco2 ($26.5\pm 1.9$ vs. $16.5\pm 1.5$ mmHg) and $\mathrm{HCO}\,^{-}_{3}$ ($40.2\pm 2.9$ vs. $33.6\pm 4.5$ mmol L−1) concentrations and lower blood pH ($7.58\pm 0.01$ vs. $7.70\pm 0.04$) than did smaller fish, despite having lower mass‐specific...

  • Triadic and collaborative play by gorillas in social games with objects.

    Updated: 2010-01-11 23:00:00
    Authors: Tanner JE, Byrne RW Interaction with others over objects has until recently been thought lacking in the social play of non-human great apes, in contrast to that of children; even now, only bonobos have been observed to engage in social play involving objects. Human children's triadic interactions with objects involve joint attention, showing and giving, communication that maintains interaction, and sharing of emotions and experiences. We question assertions that chimpanzees, and non-human great apes in general, lack the key characteristics of children's collaborative play. Here, we show that zoo gorillas play games that are both triadic and collaborative. These games were videotaped at the San Francisco Zoo in five different years and involved five different pairings of gorill...

  • Forelimb skeletal morphology and flight mode evolution in pelecaniform birds.

    Updated: 2010-01-10 23:00:00
    Authors: Simons EL The total length and mid-shaft diameters of wing elements of 50 species of pelecaniform birds were examined to investigate how forelimb skeletal morphology varies with body size and flight mode within this group. Pelecaniforms were assigned to flight mode categories based on primary habitual behaviors (soar, flap-glide, continuous flap). Allometric and discriminant function analyses were conducted on wing element variables in both historical (using independent contrasts) and ahistorical contexts. Results of this study indicate that when phylogenetic relationships are taken into account, only the length of the ulna scales with positive allometry, whereas all other variables exhibit isometry. These results differ from the ahistorical allometric analysis. Discriminant f...

  • Egocentric and allocentric search: effects of platform distance and environmental cues.

    Updated: 2010-01-09 23:00:00
    Authors: Tamara C, Leffel J, Timberlake W Three water maze experiments with rats examined egocentric vs. allocentric search as a function of platform distance and the predictiveness of the start trajectory and environmental cues. In Experiment 1, rats trained to a Near platform predicted both by landmarks and a fixed start trajectory showed approximately equal egocentric and allocentric search when tested from a novel start location. Rats trained to a Far platform and tested the same way predominantly showed allocentric search. In Experiment 2, rats trained to a Near platform predicted only by landmarks or background cues showed predominant egocentric search. In Experiment 3, rats trained to a Near or a Far platform with a fixed trajectory and no landmarks, showed predominant egocentri...

  • Flight dynamics of Cory's shearwater foraging in a coastal environment.

    Updated: 2010-01-06 23:00:00
    We report, for the first time, precise ground speed values (GPS-derived data) and computed actual flight speed values (using TWC analysis) for Cory's shearwater. PMID: 20060697 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: 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.

  • Induced spawning and embryonic development of Liza ramada reared in freshwater ponds.

    Updated: 2010-01-05 23:00:00
    Authors: Mousa MA The possibility of inducing and synchronizing spawning can be very useful to facilitate fish farming, particularly in species that achieve ovarian development in captivity without ovulation occuring. The present study was undertaken to observe the morphological and normal embryonic development of thin-lipped mullet, Liza ramada, after spawning induction of fish reared in freshwater fish farms. The use of pregnyl (HCG) as a priming injection at a dose of 20,000IU/kg body weight followed by a second injection of 40,000IU HCG/kg body weight 24h later, proved to be effective in inducing final oocyte maturation, ovulation and spawning in L. ramada at 52-60h after hormonal injection. The mean number of the ovulated eggs for each female was 700+/-80.3eggsg(-1) body weight. T...

  • Perception of biological motion in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus): by females only.

    Updated: 2010-01-05 23:00:00
    Authors: Brown J, Kaplan G, Rogers LJ, Vallortigara G The ability to perceive biological motion (BM) has been demonstrated in a number of species including humans but the few studies of non-human primates have been relatively inconclusive. We investigated whether common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) are able to perceive biological motion, using a novel method to test non-human primates. Marmosets (7 male and 7 female) were trained to remove a cover from a container and look inside it, revealing a computer screen. Then they were presented with images on this computer screen consisting of a novel BM pattern (a walking hen) and 4 manipulations of that pattern (a static frame of this pattern and inverted, scrambled, and rotating versions of the pattern). The behavioural responses of the m...

  • In pictures: Counting the animals at London zoo

    Updated: 2010-01-05 16:06:36
    The annual stocktake at London zoo – a compulsory requirement of every zoo – is a headcount of each and every one of its hundreds of animals

  • Differential expression of two cardiac Myosin-binding protein-C isoforms in developing chicken cardiac and skeletal muscle cells.

    Updated: 2009-12-31 23:00:00
    In this study, an antibody specific for P-seq was prepared. With this and other monoclonal antibodies to cardiac MyBP-C (C-315), expression and localization of the two MyBP-C isoforms in developing chicken cardiac and skeletal muscle were examined by immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting. The results showed that type I is predominantly expressed in the heart and is localized in myofibrils of both atrial and ventricular muscles through development. In contrast, type II is mainly expressed in embryonic skeletal muscle, although type I is faintly expressed in cultured skeletal muscle. These observations were confirmed by RT-PCR. PMID: 20064001 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Zoological Science)

  • Cryptic species and historical biogeography of eel gobies (gobioidei: odontamblyopus) along the northwestern pacific coast.

    Updated: 2009-12-31 23:00:00
    This study collected molecular and morphological data to delimit species boundaries and to reveal the historical biogeography of Odontamblyopus lacepedii sensu lato by sampling 87 specimens from 16 locations in the northwestern Pacific. Phylogenetic trees based on mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 sequences identified three major clades. Clear morphological separations among these clades were detected by examining morphological characters used in taxonomic diagnosis. Therefore, these clades were delineated as three separate species: O. lacepedii sensu stricto (in the East China Sea, Yellow Sea, Gulf of Bohai, and Ariake Bay); O. sp. (in the southern East China Sea and southern Yellow Sea); and O. rebecca (in the Gulf of Tonkin, northern South China Sea, and southern East China Sea...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.

  • Comparative Phylogeny and Historical Perspectives on Population Genetics of the Pacific Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas), Inferred from Feeding Populations in the Yaeyama Islands, Japan.

    Updated: 2009-12-31 23:00:00
    In this study, historical patterns of population dynamics and differentiation in hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the Pacific were estimated from feeding populations in the Yaeyama Islands, Japan. Phylogenetic relationships of the haplotypes indicated that hawksbill and green turtles in the Pacific probably underwent very similar patterns and processes of population dynamics over the last million years, with population subdivision during the early Pleistocene and population expansion after the last glacial maximum. These significant contemporary historical events were suggested to have been caused by climatic and sea-level fluctuations. On the other hand, comparing our results to long-term population dynamics in the Atlantic, population subdivisions ...

  • Characterization of an Activating Transcription Factor 4 Gene Containing a Consensus Phosphorylation Site for PKA in the Gonads of Xenopus Embryos.

    Updated: 2009-12-31 23:00:00
    In this study, we isolated and characterized a full-length cDNA that encodes a CRE-binding protein 2 (CREB2) called ATF4 in Xenopus embryos. Like other CREB 2 transcription factors, the 342-amino acid ATF4 protein contains a carboxyl terminal leucine-zipper motif, an adjacent basic domain, and an amino terminal leucine-zipper motif. Unlike other CREB2 (ATF4) proteins, the ATF4 isolated from the gonads of Xenopus embryos contains a consensus phosphorylation site for protein kinase A (PKA). In a gel shift analysis, ATF4 bound to a CLS sequence in the promoter of Xenopus aromatase. PMID: 20064004 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Zoological Science)

  • Effects of shortened photoperiod on gonadotropin-releasing hormone, gonadotropin, and vitellogenin gene expression associated with ovarian maturation in rainbow trout.

    Updated: 2009-12-31 23:00:00
    Authors: Choi S, Lee CH, Park W, Kim DJ, Sohn YC Reproductive activities of salmonids are synchronized by changes in photoperiod, which control the endocrine system via the brain-pituitary-gonadal axis. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the brain regulates synthesis and release of the pituitary gonadotropins (GTHs; FSH and LH). FSH and LH in turn stimulate the production of sex steroids for oocyte growth and maturation-Inducing steroid hormones for oocyte maturation and ovulation, respectively, in female salmonids. To clarify effects of long-term photoperiod manipulations on the reproductive activity of salmonids from early recrudescence to ovulation, we Investigated the gene expression profiles of GnRH, GTHs, and vitellogenin (VTG), and plasma sex steroids in female rainbow tro...

  • Allozymic Variation in the Japanese Clawed Salamander, Onychodactylus japonicus (Amphibia: Caudata: Hynobiidae), with Special Reference to the Presence of Two Sympatric Genetic Types.

    Updated: 2009-12-31 23:00:00
    Authors: Yoshikawa N, Matsui M, Nishikawa K, Misawa Y, Tanabe S We conducted an electrophoretic survey to examine geographic genetic variation in samples from 17 localities of the Japanese clawed salamander, Onychodactylus japonicus. This species was divided into six genetic groups (N-Tohoku, S-Tohoku, Tsukuba, SW-Honshu, Kinki, and Shikoku) that were largely concordant with clades or subclades recognized in our previous mtDNA study. Although the relationships among these six groups were not clarified, genetic distances between them were not small (mean Nel's D=0. 146-0.471). Among these groups, the geographically isolated Tsukuba group was genetically distinct, possibly as a result of population isolation. In a locality of western Honshu, two groups, SW-Honshu and Shikoku, were found ...

  • Characterization and Expression of Ailuropoda melanoleuca Leptin (ob gene).

    Updated: 2009-12-31 23:00:00
    Authors: Xu Q, Zhang X, Han N, Shou J, Hou R, Zhang Z, Bian H, Zhu M Leptin, an adipocyte-derived hormone, plays important roles in metabolism and reproduction. In this article, we report the cloning, expression, and identification of the giant panda leptin (gLeptin) gene and its variants. The gLeptin cDNA was 504 bp long, encoding a precursor peptide of 167 amino acids including 21 residues of signal peptide. A short variant of gLeptin was 501 bp long, encoding a 166-aa peptide and also including a 21-aa signal peptide. Giant panda leptin was 99.4%, 94.6%, and 92.8% identical to that of black bear, dog, and cat, respectively, but was only 81.4% and 80.8% identical to that of human and rat. The cloned gLeptin gene was expressed in Escherichia coli, with expression confirmed by Western ...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.

  • Differentiation and Development of Gonads in the Yellow-Bellied Toad, Bombina variegata L., 1758 (Amphibia: Anura: Bombinatoridae).

    Updated: 2009-12-31 23:00:00
    Authors: Piprek RP, Pecio A, Szymura JM The aim of this study was to investigate consecutive stages of gonadal development of the yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata) with particular emphasis on the origin of somatic and germ cell lineages as well as the timing of gonial cell migration. Changes in gonadal basal lamina distribution helped to explain the exceptional mode of gonadal differentiation in this species. Atypical and rapid differentiation of the male gonad in B. variegata is the result of the ability of gonial cells to migrate into the center of the gonad relatively early. Thus, the testis medulla contains germ cells from the onset of gonadal differentiation into cortex and medulla, whereas in other anurans a sterile medulla is characteristic of both future testes and ovarie...

  • Revision of the coelotine spider genus himalcoelotes wang, 2002 (araneae: amaurobiidae) from tibet, china.

    Updated: 2009-12-31 23:00:00
    Authors: Zhang ZS, Zhu MS Four species of the coelotine spider genus Himalcoelotes Wang, 2002 endemic to the Himalayas were studied: H. gyirongensis ( Hu and Li, 1987 ); H. tortuous sp. nov.; H. xizangensis ( Hu, 1992 ); and H. zhamensis sp. nov. The male of H. xizangensis is here described for the first time. A key to all 13 Himalcoelotes species is given. Twelve Himalcoelotes species are divided into two species groups. The species-group placement of H. aequoreus Wang, 2002 is uncertain. PMID: 20064009 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Zoological Science)

  • A new species of meristogenys (amphibia, anura, ranidae) from sabah, borneo.

    Updated: 2009-12-31 23:00:00
    We describe a new species of torrent-dwelling ranid frog of the genus Meristogenys from the Crocker Range, western Sabah, northern Borneo. The new species, Meristogenys maryatiae, differs from congeners by the combination of: small body, males 31-37 mm and females 65-66 mm in snout-vent length; head narrower than long; eyes moderate, diameter subequal to snout; iris unicolored; legs long; ventral surface of tibia without heavy pigmentation; rear of thigh blotched dark brown and cream; toes fully webbed; outer metatarsal tubercle present; larval dental formula 7(4-7)/6(1). PMID: 20064010 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Zoological Science)

  • Perceptual chunking in the self-produced songs of Bengalese finches (Lonchura striata var. domestica).

    Updated: 2009-12-28 23:00:00
    In this study, we investigated whether songbirds also perceive their songs by chunks (clusters of song notes) rather than single song notes. We trained male Bengalese finches to react to a short noise in a Go/NoGo task. We then superimposed the noise onto recordings of their own songs and examined whether the reaction time was affected by the location of the short noise, that is, whether the noise was placed between chunks or in the middle of a chunk. The subjects' reaction times to the noise in the middle of a chunk were significantly longer than those to the noise placed between chunks. This result was not observed, however, when the songs were played in reverse. We thus concluded that Bengalese finches perceive their songs by chunks rather than single notes. PMID: 20039089 [PubMed -...

  • AALAS Journals Reader Survey: Survey Conducted from April 16 to May 1, 2009 Survey - Results Reported to AALAS on May 1, 2009.

    Updated: 2009-12-27 09:56:02
    Authors: Toth LA PMID: 20034425 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Comparative Medicine)

  • Acute Phase Response in Animals: A Review.

    Updated: 2009-12-27 09:56:02
    Authors: Cray C, Zaias J, Altman NH The acute phase response is a complex systemic early-defense system activated by trauma, infection, stress, neoplasia, and inflammation. Although nonspecific, it serves as a core of the innate immune response involving physical and molecular barriers and responses that serve to prevent infection, clear potential pathogens, initiate inflammatory processes, and contribute to resolution and the healing process. Acute phase proteins, an integral part of the acute phase response, have been a focus of many applications in human diagnostic medicine and recently have been identified in common animal species. Potential applications to diagnosis, prognosis, assessment of animal health, and laboratory animal welfare are readily apparent. PMID: 20034426 [Pub...

  • Using Ultrasonography to Define Fetal-Maternal Relationships: Moving from Humans to Mice.

    Updated: 2009-12-27 09:56:02
    Authors: Zhang J, Croy BA Ultrasound scanning is a noninvasive, accurate, and cost-effective method to create images of the female reproductive tract clinically and in research. Ultrasonography is particularly valuable for studying the dynamic relationships among mother, placenta, and fetus during pregnancy because this modality does not disturb the ongoing course of gestation. Importantly, the complex vascular changes in the mother induced by pregnancy and the vascular system generated to support placental function can be assessed quantitatively and functionally by ultrasonography. Many mouse models are available that address aspects of human placental function and dysfunction, but high-quality microultrasound technology suitable for use in pregnant mice has become widely available on...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.

  • The Effect of Helicobacter hepaticus Infection on Immune Responses Specific to Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 and Characteristics of Dendritic Cells.

    Updated: 2009-12-27 09:56:02
    Authors: Gulani J, Norbury CC, Bonneau RH, Beckwith CS Infection of mice with Helicobacter hepaticus is common in research colonies, yet little is known about how this persistent infection affects immunologic research. The goal of this study was to determine whether H. hepaticus infection status can modulate immune responses specific to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) and the phenotypic and functional characteristics of dendritic cells (DC) of mice. We compared virus-specific antibody and T cell-mediated responses in H. hepaticus-infected and noninfected mice that were inoculated intranasally with HSV1. The effect of H. hepaticus on the HSV1-specific antibody and T cell-mediated immune responses in superficial cervical and tracheobronchal lymph nodes (LN) did not reach statistical s...

  • Mutational Insertion of a ROSA26-EGFP Transgene Leads to Defects in Spermiogenesis and Male Infertility in Mice.

    Updated: 2009-12-27 09:56:02
    In this study, we have characterized a mouse model containing an insertional mutation that, in the homozygous state, severely affects spermatogenesis as characterized by lack of sperm motility and acrosomal aplasia. Whereas homozygous female mice had normal fertility, male mice homozygous for the insertional mutation were unable to produce pups by natural mating with either homozygous or wild-type female mice. No fertilized embryos were produced by matings to homozygous male mice, and no sperm were present in the reproductive tract of mated female mice. Spermatozoa isolated from homozygous male mice exhibited head and midpiece defects, but no major defects in the principal piece of these sperm. Histologic examination and immunohistochemical staining of the testes revealed vacuolar degenera...

  • A Mouse Surgical Model for Metastatic Ovarian Granulosa Cell Tumor.

    Updated: 2009-12-27 09:56:02
    Authors: Nadeau ME, Kaartinen MJ, Laguë MN, Paquet M, Huneault LM, Boerboom D We recently described a genetically engineered mouse model that develops ovarian granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) that mimic many aspects of the advanced human disease, including distant dissemination. However, because the primary tumors killed their hosts before metastases were able to form, the use of these mice to study metastatic disease required the development of a simple, reliable, and humane surgical protocol for the excision of large GCTs from debilitated mice. Here we describe a protocol involving multimodal anesthesia, tumor removal through ventral midline celiotomy and perioperative fluid therapy, and analgesia that led to the postoperative survival of more than 90% of mice, despite the removal o...

  • Paeoniflorin Prevents Diabetic Nephropathy in Rats.

    Updated: 2009-12-27 09:56:02
    In conclusion, our data suggest that the preventive effects of paeoniflorin may be mediated by its antiinflammatory actions. PMID: 20034431 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Comparative Medicine)

  • Ribonucleotide Reductase Inhibitors Reduce Atherosclerosis in a Double-Injury Rabbit Model.

    Updated: 2009-12-27 09:56:02
    Authors: Gallaugher LD, Henry JC, Kearns PN, Elford HL, Bergdall VK, Cardounel AJ Atheroproliferative disorders such as atherosclerosis are an important health problem and one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Minimally invasive therapeutic procedures, including angioplasty with stent deployment, are used frequently for obstructive coronary artery disease. However, restenosis, a proliferative vascular response, is a common sequela to this procedure. The current study investigated the effect of inhibiting ribonucleotide reductase (RR), an enzyme necessary for cellular proliferation, in an attempt to ameliorate the proliferative response. Two RR inhibitors, didox and hydroxyurea, were chosen for their potent antiproliferative properties. Studies were ...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.

  • Using Multidetector Computed Tomography in a Swine Model to Assess the Effects of Sublingual Nitroglycerin and Intravenous Adenosine on Epicardial Coronary Arteries.

    Updated: 2009-12-27 09:56:02
    This study examines the effects of intravenous infusion of adenosine and sublingual nitroglycerin on coronary angiograms obtained by current-generation multidetector computed tomography. We assessed coronary vasodilation at baseline and after intravenous adenosine (140 mug/kg/min) or sublingual nitroglycerin spray (800 mug) in 7 female swine (weight, 40.9 +/- 1.4 kg) by using electrocardiogram-gated coronary angiography with a 64-detector scanner (rotation time, 400 ms; 120kV; 400 mA) and intravenous contrast (300 mg/mL iohexol, 4.5 mL/s, 2 mL/kg). Cross-sectional areas of segments in the left anterior descending, circumflex, and right coronary arteries were evaluated in oblique orthogonal views. Images were acquired at an average heart rate of 73 +/- 11 beats per minute. Changes in aortic...

  • Comparative Analyses of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the TNF Promoter Region Provide Further Validation for the Vervet Monkey Model of Obesity.

    Updated: 2009-12-27 09:56:02
    Authors: Gray SB, Howard TD, Langefeld CD, Hawkins GA, Diallo AF, Wagner JD Tumor necrosis factor is a cytokine that plays critical roles in inflammation, the innate immune response, and a variety of other physiologic and pathophysiologic processes. In addition, TNF has recently been shown to mediate an intersection of chronic, low-grade inflammation and concurrent metabolic dysregulation associated with obesity and its comorbidities. As part of an ongoing initiative to further characterize vervet monkeys originating from St Kitts as an animal model of obesity and inflammation, we sequenced and genotyped the human ortholog vervet TNF gene and approximately 1 kb of the flanking 3' and 5' regions from 265 monkeys in a closed, pedigreed colony. This process revealed a total of 11 single-n...

  • Epidemiology of Invasive Klebsiella pneumoniae with Hypermucoviscosity Phenotype in a Research Colony of Nonhuman Primates.

    Updated: 2009-12-27 09:56:02
    Authors: Burke RL, Whitehouse CA, Taylor JK, Selby EB Invasive Klebsiella pneumoniae with hypermucoviscosity phenotype (HMV K. pneumoniae) is an emerging human pathogen that, over the past 20 y, has resulted in a distinct clinical syndrome characterized by pyogenic liver abscesses sometimes complicated by bacteremia, meningitis, and endophthalmitis. Infections occur predominantly in Taiwan and other Asian countries, but HMV K. pneumoniae is considered an emerging infectious disease in the United States and other Western countries. In 2005, fatal multisystemic disease was attributed to HMV K. pneumoniae in African green monkeys (AGM) at our institution. After identification of a cluster of subclinically infected macaques in March and April 2008, screening of all colony nonhuman primates...

  • Changes in the expression of the mu-opioid receptor in the mare oviduct during oestrus and anoestrus.

    Updated: 2009-12-24 23:00:00
    In conclusion, these findings show diverse MOR expression in the three segments constituting the oviduct, as well as changes in MOR expression linked to the mare's physiological condition. PMID: 20036785 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Animal Reproduction Science)

  • The Combined Influence of the Local Environment and Regional Enrichment on Bird Species Richness

    Updated: 2009-12-22 21:10:53
    The American Naturalist, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Latest Articles. Abstract: It is generally accepted that local species richness at a site reflects the combined influence of local and regional processes. However, most empirical studies evaluate the influence of either local environmental variables or regional enrichment but not both simultaneously. Here we demonstrate the importance of combining these processes to understand continental‐scale richness patterns in breeding birds. We show that neither regional enrichment nor the local environment in isolation is sufficient to characterize observed patterns of species richness. Combining both sets of variables into a single model results in improved model fit and the removal of residual spatial autocorrelation. At short timescale...

  • Population assessment of Mongolian ungulates

    Updated: 2009-12-22 06:28:01
    From the 18th to the 30th of November 2009, Adiya (Bactrian Camel EDGE Fellow) and Henry (Steppe Forward Programme Co-ordinator) participated in the Mongolian ungulate survey organised by the Mongolian Academy of Science’s Institute of Biology, funded by the World Bank. The survey’s aim is to establish an estimate of ungulate numbers across the eastern [...]

  • 2010: 350 Could we?

    Updated: 2009-12-14 17:27:13
    :

Last Months Items