Life on the edge: hydrogen sulfide and the fish communities of a Mexican cave and surrounding waters

Most eucaryotic organisms classified as living in an extreme habitat are invertebrates. Here we report of a fish living in a Mexican cave (Cueva del Azufre) that is rich in highly toxic H2S. We compared the water chemistry and fish communities of the cave and several nearby surface streams. Our study revealed high concentrations of H2S in the cave and its outflow (El Azufre). The concentrations of H2S reach more than 300μM inside the cave, which are acutely toxic for most fishes. In both sulfidic habitats, the diversity of fishes was heavily reduced, and Poecilia mexicana was the dominant species indicating that the presence of H2S has an all-or-none effect, permitting only few species to survive in sulfidic habitats. Compared to habitats without H2S, P. mexicana from the cave and the outflow have a significantly lower body condition. Although there are microhabitats with varying concentrations of H2S within the cave, we could not find a higher fish density in areas with lower concentrations of H2S. We discuss that P. mexicana is one of the few extremophile vertebrates. Our study supports the idea that extreme habitats lead to an impoverished species diversit

High-resolution transcriptomic and epigenetic profiling identifies novel regulators of COPD

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are still waiting for curative treatments. Considering its environmental cause, we hypothesized that COPD will be associated with altered epigenetic signaling in lung cells. We generated genome-wide DNA methylation maps at single CpG resolution of primary human lung fibroblasts (HLFs) across COPD stages. We show that the epigenetic landscape is changed early in COPD, with DNA methylation changes occurring predominantly in regulatory regions. RNA sequencing of matched fibroblasts demonstrated dysregulation of genes involved in proliferation, DNA repair, and extracellular matrix organization. Data integration identified 110 candidate regulators of disease phenotypes that were linked to fibroblast repair processes using phenotypic screens. Our study provides high-resolution multi-omic maps of HLFs across COPD stages. We reveal novel transcriptomic and epigenetic signatures associated with COPD onset and progression and identify new candidate regulators involved in the pathogenesis of chronic lung diseases. The presence of various epigenetic factors among the candidates demonstrates that epigenetic regulation in COPD is an exciting research field that holds promise for novel therapeutic avenues for patients

... Programma, De Orationibus Funebribus

... PROGRAMMA, DE ORATIONIBUS FUNEBRIBUS ... Programma, De Orationibus Funebribus ([1]) Titelseite ([1]) Text (2

Experimental evidence for a seasonal shift in the strength of a female mating preference

The costs and benefits of mate choice can vary both spatially and temporally. Phenotypic plasticity in mate choice, which could be due to changes in choice criteria (e.g., acceptance thresholds) or shifts in underlying mating preferences (i.e., relative values assigned to different males), can therefore increase reproductive success. We examined shifts in female mating preference for male claw size between 2 seasons (winter and summer) in the fiddler crab Uca mjoebergi. We used custom-built robotic crabs in 2-stimulus mate choice experiments conducted in the field. Females showed a consistent preference for larger claw size, but this was significantly weaker during winter. This seasonal difference was observed for 2 successive years. We propose that the change in female preference for claw size is due to a seasonal difference in the value of a larger burrow, which strongly influences burrow temperature. Burrow temperature largely determines larval development rate and larvae release in fiddler crabs is constrained to a narrow time window where survival is optimal. Females appear to alter their preference for burrow width, which is signaled by claw size, between winter and summer, potentially allowing them to optimize developmental time of larvae and/or to reduce mate search costs. Copyright 2010, Oxford University Press.

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Juvante Christo Nostro! Programma De Studio Historico : Quo, Illustrissimo & Celsissimo Comite ac Domino, Dn. Alberto Antonio, S. R. I. Quatuor-Viro Comite Schwartzburgi & Hohnsteini ... Ad Actus Oratorios, Æstivum & Autumnalem Scenicis apparatibus celebrandos ... unà cum ... Dn. Rectore, invitat

JUVANTE CHRISTO NOSTRO! PROGRAMMA DE STUDIO HISTORICO : QUO, ILLUSTRISSIMO & CELSISSIMO COMITE AC DOMINO, DN. ALBERTO ANTONIO, S. R. I. QUATUOR-VIRO COMITE SCHWARTZBURGI & HOHNSTEINI ... AD ACTUS ORATORIOS, ÆSTIVUM & AUTUMNALEM SCENICIS APPARATIBUS CELEBRANDOS ... UNÀ CUM ... DN. RECTORE, INVITAT Juvante Christo Nostro! Programma De Studio Historico : Quo, Illustrissimo & Celsissimo Comite ac Domino, Dn. Alberto Antonio, S. R. I. Quatuor-Viro Comite Schwartzburgi & Hohnsteini ... Ad Actus Oratorios, Æstivum & Autumnalem Scenicis apparatibus celebrandos ... unà cum ... Dn. Rectore, invitat (1) Titelseite (1) Text (2

Life on the edge: hydrogen sulfide and the fish communities of a Mexican cave and surrounding waters

Most eucaryotic organisms classified as living in an extreme habitat are invertebrates. Here we report of a fish living in a Mexican cave (Cueva del Azufre) that is rich in highly toxic H2S. We compared the water chemistry and fish communities of the cave and several nearby surface streams. Our study revealed high concentrations of H2S in the cave and its outflow (El Azufre). The concentrations of H2S reach more than 300μM inside the cave, which are acutely toxic for most fishes. In both sulfidic habitats, the diversity of fishes was heavily reduced, and Poecilia mexicana was the dominant species indicating that the presence of H2S has an all-or-none effect, permitting only few species to survive in sulfidic habitats. Compared to habitats without H2S, P. mexicana from the cave and the outflow have a significantly lower body condition. Although there are microhabitats with varying concentrations of H2S within the cave, we could not find a higher fish density in areas with lower concentrations of H2S. We discuss that P. mexicana is one of the few extremophile vertebrates. Our study supports the idea that extreme habitats lead to an impoverished species diversit

Zuversichtliche Einladung zu dem Schauspiel, von der traurigen Hinrichtung des Crispi, Käysers Constantini Magni Aeltesten Sohns, Welches mit gnädigster Bewilligung Des ... Herrn Albert Anthons, Der Vier Grafen des Heil. Römischen Reichs, Grafens zu Schwartzburg und Hohnstein ... An statt des ordentlichen Herbst-Actus Auf unsern Schul Theatro zu Belustigung der studierenden Jugend, Den 24. 25. und 26. November allezeit Nachmittags um 2. Uhr soll fürgestellet werden unter der Direction

ZUVERSICHTLICHE EINLADUNG ZU DEM SCHAUSPIEL, VON DER TRAURIGEN HINRICHTUNG DES CRISPI, KÄYSERS CONSTANTINI MAGNI AELTESTEN SOHNS, WELCHES MIT GNÄDIGSTER BEWILLIGUNG DES ... HERRN ALBERT ANTHONS, DER VIER GRAFEN DES HEIL. RÖMISCHEN REICHS, GRAFENS ZU SCHWARTZBURG UND HOHNSTEIN ... AN STATT DES ORDENTLICHEN HERBST-ACTUS AUF UNSERN SCHUL THEATRO ZU BELUSTIGUNG DER STUDIERENDEN JUGEND, DEN 24. 25. UND 26. NOVEMBER ALLEZEIT NACHMITTAGS UM 2. UHR SOLL FÜRGESTELLET WERDEN UNTER DER DIRECTION Zuversichtliche Einladung zu dem Schauspiel, von der traurigen Hinrichtung des Crispi, Käysers Constantini Magni Aeltesten Sohns, Welches mit gnädigster Bewilligung Des ... Herrn Albert Anthons, Der Vier Grafen des Heil. Römischen Reichs, Grafens zu Schwartzburg und Hohnstein ... An statt des ordentlichen Herbst-Actus Auf unsern Schul Theatro zu Belustigung der studierenden Jugend, Den 24. 25. und 26. November allezeit Nachmittags um 2. Uhr soll fürgestellet werden unter der Direction ([1]) Title page ([1]) Text ([2]