80 research outputs found
Dynamic Light Scattering from Semidilute Actin Solutions: A Study of Hydrodynamic Screening, Filament Bending Stiffness and the Effect of Tropomyosin/Troponin-Binding
Quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS) is applied to investigate the effect of
the tropomyosin/troponin complex (Tm/Tn) on the stiffness of actin filaments.
The importance of hydrodynamic screening in semidilute solutions is
demonstrated. A new concentration dependent expression for the dynamic
structure factor of semiflexible polymers in semidilute solutions
is used to analyze the experimental QELS data. A concentration independent
value for the bending modulus is thus obtained. It increases by 50\%
as a consequence of Tm/Tn binding in a 7:1:1 molar ratio of actin/Tm/Tn. In
addition a new expression for the initial slope of the dynamic structure factor
of a semiflexible polymer is used to determine the effective hydrodynamic
diameter of the actin filament. Our results confirm the general relevance of
the concept of (intrinsic) semiflexibility to polymer dynamics.Comment: 9 pages, RevTeX, 9 figures, all uuencoded gzipe
Neumann’s enigmatic gazelle (Gazella erlangeri) Threatened taxon or domesticated gazelle?
One of the most challenging questions in regard to Arabian gazelles is the status of G. erlangeri Neumann, 1906 (Fig. 1). Gazelles currently kept in captivity at King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre in Saudi Arabia and Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation in Qatar (Fig. 2) show the described combination of diagnostic features, and thus, were considered to represent G. erlangeri, even though the exact provenance of these gazelles remains obscure. However, captive ‘G. erlangeri’ may have also originated from eastern Oman and could be therefore assigned to G. muscatensis (Fig. 3). Both taxa are considered ‘extinct in the wild’ by the IUCN Red List. Past conservation efforts have been plagued by confusion about the phylogenetic relationship among various—phenotypically discernable—populations (e.g., G. erlangeri, G. muscatensis), and even the question of species boundaries was far from being certain. This lack of knowledge had a direct impact on conservation measures, especially ex situ breeding programmes, hampering the assignment of captive stocks to potential conservation units
Dark grey gazelles Gazella (Cetartiodactyla: Bovidae) in Arabia: Threatened species or domestic pet?
True gazelles (genus Gazella) are a prime example of a mammalian group with considerable taxonomic confusion. This includes the descriptions of several dark grey taxa of questionable validity. Here, we examined captive dark grey putative Neumann’s gazelle Gazella erlangeri. Our concerted efforts to retrieve mitochondrial sequence information from old museum specimens of two dark grey gazelles, putative G. erlangeri and putative Muscat gazelle G. muscatensis, were unsuccessful. We did, however, find the mtDNA haplotypes of extant putative G. erlangeri to be nested within the haplotype variation of the Arabian gazelle G. arabica. The observed population genetic divergence between G. arabica and putative G. erlangeri (based on 11 nuclear microsatellites) was driven by genetic impoverishment of putative G. erlangeri. These results, along with morphological signatures of domestication (e.g., reduced brain case size), suggest genetic bottle necks and domestication effects as a consequence of prolonged captive breeding. Three hypotheses are discussed: (a) G. erlangeri and/or G. muscatensis are valid species but are now extinct; (b) one or both taxa represent phenotypic variation within G. arabica and, therefore, are synonyms of G. arabica; and (c) captive stocks, exhibiting the effects of domestication and inbreeding, are the sources for the descriptions of G. erlangeri and G. muscatensis. As concerns the conservation of gazelles, based on current knowledge, we strongly advise against using putative G. erlangeri for any introduction initiative but recommend the continued captive management of putative G. erlangeri
Hydrophobic fraction of Taenia saginata metacestodes, rather than hydrophilic fraction, contains immunodominant markers for diagnosing human neurocysticercosis
HOOKWORM AND THREADWORM INFECTIONS AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH HEMOGLOBIN AND EOSINOPHIL CONCENTRATIONS IN RESIDENTS OF SALVADOR-BAHIA, BRAZIL
Transcriptome analysis in oak uncovers a strong impact of endogenous rhythmic growth on the interaction with plant-parasitic nematodes
War on Terror: Do Military Measures Matter? Empirical Analysis of Post 9/11 Period in Pakistan
Geohelminth contamination of public areas and epidemiological risk factors in Curitiba, Brazil
Cryo-Microtome sections of coproculture larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis and Strongyloides ratti as antigen sources for the immunodiagnosis of human strongyloidiasis
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