Genetic variation among lambs in peripheral IgE activity against the larval stages of <i>Teladorsagia circumcincta</i>

IgA and IgE activity against Teladorsagia circumcincta was investigated in a flock of Texel lambs following natural, mixed nematode infection among lambs. The distribution of IgA activity was similar to a gamma distribution whereas IgE activity was different. Box-Cox analysis demonstrated that X0.25 was a suitable transformation to normalise IgE responses. The transformed IgE activity was under moderate to strong genetic control. Nine different allergens were identified by proteomic analysis. Tropomyosin was selected for further analysis. IgE activity against tropomyosin was moderately heritable and associated with decreased egg counts and with reduced body weight at the time of sampling

The development of metaphorical language comprehension in typical development and in Williams syndrome

The domain of figurative language comprehension was used to probe the developmental relation between language and cognition in typically developing individuals and individuals with Williams syndrome. Extending the work of Vosniadou and Ortony, the emergence of nonliteral similarity and category knowledge was investigated in 117 typically developing children between 4 and 12 years of age, 19 typically developing adults, 15 children with Williams syndrome between 5 and 12 years of age, and 8 adults with Williams syndrome. Participants were required to complete similarity and categorization statements by selecting one of two words (e.g., either “The sun is like ___” or “The sun is the same kind of thing as ___”) with word pairs formed from items that were literally, perceptually, or functionally similar to the target word or else anomalous (e.g., moon, orange, oven, or chair, respectively). Results indicated that individuals with Williams syndrome may access different, less abstract knowledge in figurative language comparisons despite the relatively strong verbal abilities found in this disorder

Visualisation of the copepod female reproductive system using confocal laser scanning microscopy and two-photon microscopy

We examined mating behaviour in the harpacticoid copepod Tube battagliai Volkmann-Rocco, 1972, in particular the process of delivering spermatophore seminal contents to the female urosome. Labelling using 4′6′ diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) coupled with two-photon confocal laser scanning microscopy successfully visualised the spermatophore and female internal reproductive system. Sections of the female urosome were imaged to examine seminal fluid stores. The female tissues were found to auto-fluoresce as red emission under green excitation, requiring no additional tissue labelling. DAPI-labelled seminal fluid stores were identified within the female reproductive system. The details observed agreed with previous descriptions of copepod reproductive anatomy and of spermatophores. Specimens cultured under pH 8.10 and a simulated ocean acidification scenario (pH 7.67) were compared for changes in reproductive anatomy and spermatophore size and site attachment. No differences were observed in spermatophore attachment or the female reproductive system but spermatophore size was reduced significantly at pH 7.67 compared with pH 8.10. This size reduction was, however, in proportion to an overall reduction in female body size at reduced pH. Confocal microscopy is shown here to be a valuable tool to investigate detailed reproductive processes in copepods