2,702 research outputs found
Fish community of a small, temperate, urban river in South Africa
Freshwater and marine-spawned fishes were sampled from the Baakens River, a small urban river that runs through the city of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Using fyke nets, 8 sites were sampled along the river course over a 4-month period (January – April 2014). Catches were comprised of indigenous freshwater, marine migrant and alien fishes. Marine migrant fishes, including catadromous species dependent on freshwater for early life-history strategies, were significantly affected by instream barriers which prohibited upstream migration of all species except Anguilla mossambica. The freshwater fish fauna was dominated by Tilapia sparrmanii and Pseudocrenilabrus philander, species that are alien to the Baakens River. While indigenous Barbus pallidus and Sandelia capensis were both abundant and widely distributed in the river, only two Pseudobarbus afer were sampled from one survey site. The low abundance and narrow distribution of this endangered species is of concern and human-mediated impacts on this species require urgent evaluation and mitigation.Keywords: Baakens River, migration barrier, weir, alien fish, endangered fis
5-(2-Chlorobenzyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrothieno[3,2-c]pyridin-2-yl acetate
In the title compound, C16H16ClNO2S, the benzene and thiophene rings make a dihedral angle of 72.60 (4)°. In the crystal, weak C—H⋯O interactions are observed
Attenuation of leukocyte sequestration by selective blockade of PECAM-1 or VCAM-1 in murine endotoxemia
Background: Molecular mechanisms regulating leukocyte sequestration into the tissue during endotoxemia and/or sepsis are still poorly understood. This in vivo study investigates the biological role of murine PECAM-1 and VCAM-1 for leukocyte sequestration into the lung, liver and striated skin muscle. Methods: Male BALB/c mice were injected intravenously with murine PECAM-1 IgG chimera or monoclonal antibody (mAb) to VCAM-1 ( 3 mg/kg body weight); controls received equivalent doses of IgG2a ( n = 6 per group). Fifteen minutes thereafter, 2 mg/kg body weight of Salmonella abortus equi endotoxin was injected intravenously. At 24 h after the endotoxin challenge, lungs, livers and striated muscle of skin were analyzed for their myeloperoxidase activity. To monitor intravital leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions, fluorescence videomicroscopy was performed in the skin fold chamber model of the BALB/c mouse at 3, 8 and 24 h after injection of endotoxin. Results: Myeloperoxidase activity at 24 h after the endotoxin challenge in lungs (12,171 +/- 2,357 mU/g tissue), livers ( 2,204 +/- 238 mU/g) and striated muscle of the skin ( 1,161 +/- 110 mU/g) was significantly reduced in both treatment groups as compared to controls, with strongest attenuation in the PECAM-1 IgG treatment group. Arteriolar leukocyte sticking at 3 h after endotoxin (230 +/- 46 cells x mm(-2)) was significantly reduced in both treatment groups. Leukocyte sticking in postcapillary venules at 8 h after endotoxin ( 343 +/- 69 cells/mm(2)) was found reduced only in the VCAM-1-mAb-treated animals ( 215 +/- 53 cells/mm(2)), while it was enhanced in animals treated with PECAM-1 IgG ( 572 +/- 126 cells/mm(2)). Conclusion: These data show that both PECAM-1 and VCAM-1 are involved in endotoxin-induced leukocyte sequestration in the lung, liver and muscle, presumably through interference with arteriolar and/or venular leukocyte sticking. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel
Assessment of the potential in vivo ecotoxicity of Double-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (DWNTs) in water, using the amphibian Ambystoma mexicanum
Because of their specific properties (mechanical, electrical, etc), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are being assessed for inclusion in many manufactured products. Due to their massive production and number of potential applications, the impact of CNTs on the environment must be taken into consideration. The present investigation evaluates the ecotoxic potential of CNTs in the amphibian larvae (Ambystoma mexicanum). Acute toxicity and genotoxicity were analysed after 12 days of exposure in laboratory conditions. The genotoxic effects were analysed by scoring the micronucleated erythrocytes in the
circulating blood of the larvae according to the French standard micronucleus assay. The results obtained in the present study demonstrated that CNTs are neither acutely toxic nor genotoxic to larvae whatever the CNTs concentration in the water, although black masses of CNTs were observed inside the gut. In the increasing economical context of CNTs, complementary studies must be undertaken, especially including mechanistic and environmental investigations
Multilevel Deconstruction of the In Vivo Behavior of Looped DNA-Protein Complexes
Protein-DNA complexes with loops play a fundamental role in a wide variety of
cellular processes, ranging from the regulation of DNA transcription to
telomere maintenance. As ubiquitous as they are, their precise in vivo
properties and their integration into the cellular function still remain
largely unexplored. Here, we present a multilevel approach that efficiently
connects in both directions molecular properties with cell physiology and use
it to characterize the molecular properties of the looped DNA-lac repressor
complex while functioning in vivo. The properties we uncover include the
presence of two representative conformations of the complex, the stabilization
of one conformation by DNA architectural proteins, and precise values of the
underlying twisting elastic constants and bending free energies. Incorporation
of all this molecular information into gene-regulation models reveals an
unprecedented versatility of looped DNA-protein complexes at shaping the
properties of gene expression.Comment: Open Access article available at
http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.000035
Correction: Internet Tool to Support Self-Assessment and Self-Swabbing of Sore Throat: Development and Feasibility Study.
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/39791.]
Engine Torque Estimation with Integrated Unknown Input Observer and Adaptive Parameter Estimator
Magnetic/Silica Nanocomposites as Dual-Mode Contrast Agents for Combined Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Ultrasonography.
A simple and effi cient method for synthesizing a range of hybrid nanocomposites based on a core of silica nanospheres (160, 330, and 660 nm in diameter) covered by an outer shell of superparamagnetic nanoparticles, either iron oxide or heterodimeric FePt-iron oxide nanocrystals, is presented. The magnetic and ultrasound characterization of the resulting nanocomposites shows that they have great potential as contrast agents for dual-mode imaging purposes, combining magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (US)
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