Context-dependent stimulus presentation to freely moving animals in 3D

S.N Fry, P Müller, H.-J Baumann, A.D Straw, M Bichsel, D Rober

Chlorella viruses prevent multiple infections by depolarizing the host membrane

Previous experiments established that when the unicellular green alga Chlorella NC64A is inoculated with two viruses, usually only one virus replicates in a single cell. That is, the viruses mutually exclude one another. In the current study, we explore the possibility that virus-induced host membrane depolarization, at least partially caused by a virus-encoded K+ channel (Kcv), is involved in this mutual exclusion. Two chlorella viruses, PBCV-1 and NY-2A, were chosen for the study because (i) they can be distinguished by real-time PCR and (ii) they exhibit differential sensitivity to Cs+, a well-known K+ channel blocker. PBCV-1-induced host membrane depolarization, Kcv channel activity and plaque formation are only slightly affected by Cs+, whereas all three NY-2A-induced events are strongly inhibited by Cs+. The addition of one virus 5–15 min before the other results primarily in replication of the first virus. However, if virus NY-2A-induced membrane depolarization of the host is blocked by Cs+, PBCV-1 is not excluded. We conclude that virus-induced membrane depolarization is at least partially responsible for the exclusion phenomenon

German Yearbook of International Law: Origins, Development, Prospects

This chapter examines the history, development, function, and future of the German Yearbook of International Law (GYIL). The chapter traces the evolution of the GYIL over many decades, from its inception in the aftermath of the Second World War to the present day, demonstrating how it has moved beyond its origins as a forum in which German scholars could publish their research to become a global platform for the dissemination of scholarship in international law. The chapter also aims to show how the structure and contents of the GYIL have developed in the years since its establishment, reflecting in particular on the impact of the decision to begin to publish contributions authored in English in order to reach the widest possible international audience and the introduction of a double-blind peer review procedure. The chapter concludes that the function and future of the GYIL lie in its capacity to inform a global readership about current research and practice in the sphere of international law taking place in Germany while, at the same time, presenting international viewpoints to a German audience