About earthworm communities in a rain forest and an adjacent pasture in Peru

Earthworms were collected from a primary forest and a four-year-old pasture near Panguana Biological Station (Dpto. Huánuco, Peru). The sites are located in the preandine zone of the Peruvian rain forest, where the forest is being increasingly replaced by pasture. It can be expected that the soil fauna changes accordingly. This is shown by the earthworm community. In the litter layer of the primary forest, mainly epigeic species of Glossoscolecidae of Neotropical distribution were found. In the pasture in contrast, the peregrine glossoscolecid, Pontoscolex corethrurus, is dominant, a species that inhabits the mineral layer of the soil. The total abundance of worms decreased in the pasture to about one half of that in the forest. These results are compared with data available from other rain forest, savanna and pasture sites

Soil ants.

Between July 1997 and March 1999 ants of soil and litter were taken every three months with core samplers (21cm ø) in a primary rain forest, a secondary forest and two different systems of polycultures in central Amazonia (Brazil) and extracted in Berlese funnels. Greatest generic diversity wasfound in pirmary forest, while in secondary forest and the two polycultures it was about 20% and 30% lower, respectively. Biomass and median density of ants were also highest in primary forest followed by secondary forest and one of the polyculture, whereas the lowest number and biomass of ants was found in the second polyculture. The predatory species of Hypoponera reresented the biggest part of ant biomass in all areas (20%-30%), whereas the very abundant mostly tiny species (<2mm) of Solenopsis made up only 1,4%-3,9% of the ant biomass.Final Report 1996-1999

Alterações nos atributos físicos do solo em decorrência da manipulação de resíduos da vegetação secundária.

O objetivo do estudo é verificar as alterações ocorridas nos atributos físicos do solo em decorrência da manipulação de resíduos de vegetação secundária em relação à queima, a fim de propor manejos alternativos e de maior sustentabilidade ao sistema vigente

Downregulation of organic cation transporters OCT1 (SLC22A1) and OCT3 (SLC22A3) in human hepatocellular carcinoma and their prognostic significance

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Organic cation transporters (OCT) are responsible for the uptake and intracellular inactivation of a broad spectrum of endogenous substrates and detoxification of xenobiotics and chemotherapeutics. The transporters became pharmaceutically interesting, because OCTs are determinants of the cytotoxicity of platin derivates and the transport activity has been shown to correlate with the sensitivity of tumors towards tyrosine kinase inhibitors. No data exist about the relevance of OCTs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>OCT1 (<it>SLC22A1</it>) and OCT3 (<it>SLC22A3</it>) mRNA expression was measured in primary human HCC and corresponding non neoplastic tumor surrounding tissue (TST) by real time PCR (n = 53). Protein expression was determined by western blot analysis and immunofluorescence. Data were correlated with the clinicopathological parameters of HCCs.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Real time PCR showed a downregulation of <it>SLC22A1 </it>and <it>SLC22A3 </it>in HCC compared to TST (p ≤ 0.001). A low <it>SLC22A1 </it>expression was associated with a worse patient survival (p < 0.05). Downregulation was significantly associated with advanced HCC stages, indicated by a higher number of T3 tumors (p = 0.025) with a larger tumor diameter (p = 0.035), a worse differentiation (p = 0.001) and higher AFP-levels (p = 0.019). In accordance, <it>SLC22A1 </it>was less frequently downregulated in tumors with lower stages who underwent transarterial chemoembolization (p < 0.001) and liver transplantation (p = 0.001). Tumors with a low <it>SLC22A1 </it>expression (< median) showed a higher <it>SLC22A3 </it>expression compared to HCC with high <it>SLC22A1 </it>expression (p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in tumor characteristics according to the level of the <it>SLC22A3 </it>expression.</p> <p>In the western blot analysis we found a different protein expression pattern in tumor samples with a more diffuse staining in the immunofluorescence suggesting that especially OCT1 is not functional in advanced HCC.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The downregulation of OCT1 is associated with tumor progression and a worse patient survival.</p

Sex- and Diet-Specific Changes of Imprinted Gene Expression and DNA Methylation in Mouse Placenta under a High-Fat Diet

Changes in imprinted gene dosage in the placenta may compromise the prenatal control of nutritional resources. Indeed monoallelic behaviour and sensitivity to changes in regional epigenetic state render imprinted genes both vulnerable and adaptable

Ant fauna in central Amazonian polyculture systems and forests.

Between July 1997 and March 1999 ants of soil and litter were taken evey three months with core samplers (21 cm ø) in a primary rain fores, a secondary forest and two different systems of polycultures in central Amazonia (Manaus-AM-Brasil) and extracted in Berlese funnels. The collected ats were classified to generic level. Most frequent in all areas were ants of the genera Solenopsis (subfam. Myrmicinae) and Hypoponera (subfam. Ponerinae). the predatory species of Hypoponera represented the biggest part of ant biomass in all areas (20% - 33%), whereas the very abundant mostrly tiny species (<2 mm) of Solenopsis made up only 1,4% - 3,9% of the ant biomass. The biology of these species tiny species is poorly known

Ant fauna in Central Amazonian polyculture systems and forests.

Between July 1997 and March 1999 ants of soil and litter were taken every three months with core samplers (21 cm ø) in a primary rain forest, a secondary forest and two different systems of polycultures in Central Amazonia and extracted in Berlese funnels