Method of obtaining ink costs in the printing industry

One of the most difficult problems in the priniting industry today is to find an adequate and accurate method of obtaining the amount and cost of the ink used on the various productive orders. The method of obtaining these costs outlined here is laid out for use in a large printing plant, which not only buys quantities of finished ink but also has an ink department in which it manufactures a large part of the inks which it uses, thus necessitating the purchase of quantities of dry color and pulp

Spermatophore dimorphism in the chokka squid <i>Loligo reynaudii</i> associated with alternative mating tactics

Chokka squid (Loligo reynaudii) have characteristic alternative mating tactics: ‘consort’ males temporarily pair with and guard a female and transfer spermatophores onto her oviduct opening inside the mantle cavity, whereas ‘sneaker’ males rush towards a mating pair and transfer spermatophores onto the female’s buccal membrane near her sperm storage organ. Differences in mating behaviours and their related sperm-storage sites clearly constrain the fertilization process and can drive dimorphism between consort and sneaker males. The presence and character of male dimorphism has not yet been fully examined in this species, but consort males are commonly much larger than sneaker males. We observed clear dimorphism in spermatangia (the sperm mass ejaculated from the spermatophore), consistently associated with the two alternative sperm storage sites on the female’s body. Observations of spermatophores stored in the Needham’s sac of mature males confirmed that small males produce ‘sneaker-type’ spermatangia whereas larger males produce ‘consort-type’ spermatangia, and no individuals possessed both types. Therefore, by association, the mating tactic adopted (including the sperm deposition site used) by individual males can be determined from observation of their spermatangial type, without requiring direct behavioural observation of mating. This ability to infer information about mating tactic will improve our understanding of the reproductive system and mating dynamics in this species

Genomic analysis reveals multiple mismatches between biological and management units in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)

The South African (SAF) yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) fishery represents a potential example of misalignment between management units and biological processes. The SAF fishery spans an operational stock with a boundary at 20_E, either side of which fish are considered part of Atlantic or Indian Ocean regional stocks. However, the actual recruitment of fish from Atlantic and Indian Ocean spawning populations into SAF waters is unknown. To address this knowledge gap, genomic analysis (11 101 SNPs) was performed on samples from Atlantic and Indian Ocean spawning sites, including SAF sites spanning the current stock boundary. Outlier loci conferred high discriminatory power to assignment tests and revealed that all SAF fish were assigned to the Indian Ocean population and that no Atlantic Ocean fish appeared in the SAF samples. Additionally, several Indian Ocean migrants were detected at the Atlantic spawning site demonstrating asymmetric dispersal and the occurrence of a mixed-stock fishery in Atlantic waters. This study highlights both the spatial inaccuracy of current stock designations and a misunderstanding of interactions between the underlying biological units, which must be addressed in light of local and global declines of the species. Specifically, the entire SAF fishery must be managed as part of the Indian Ocean stock

Multiple Mating, Paternity and Complex Fertilisation Patterns in the Chokka Squid Loligo reynaudii

Polyandry is widespread and influences patterns of sexual selection, with implications for sexual conflict over mating. Assessing sperm precedence patterns is a first step towards understanding sperm competition within a female and elucidating the roles of male- and female-controlled factors. In this study behavioural field data and genetic data were combined to investigate polyandry in the chokka squid Loligo reynaudii. Microsatellite DNA-based paternity analysis revealed multiple paternity to be the norm, with 79% of broods sired by at least two males. Genetic data also determined that the male who was guarding the female at the moment of sampling was a sire in 81% of the families tested, highlighting mate guarding as a successful male tactic with postcopulatory benefits linked to sperm deposition site giving privileged access to extruded egg strings. As females lay multiple eggs in capsules (egg strings) wherein their position is not altered during maturation it is possible to describe the spatial / temporal sequence of fertilisation / sperm precedence There were four different patterns of fertilisation found among the tested egg strings: 1) unique sire; 2) dominant sire, with one or more rare sires; 3) randomly mixed paternity (two or more sires); and 4) a distinct switch in paternity occurring along the egg string. The latter pattern cannot be explained by a random use of stored sperm, and suggests postcopulatory female sperm choice. Collectively the data indicate multiple levels of male- and female-controlled influences on sperm precedence, and highlights squid as interesting models to study the interplay between sexual and natural selection

Population connectivity of an overexploited coastal fish, Argyrosomus coronus (Sciaenidae), in an ocean-warming hotspot

The West Coast dusky kob Argyrosomus coronus is a commercially exploited fish with a distribution confined to the Angola–Benguela Frontal Zone (ABFZ) of the southeastern Atlantic Ocean. A previous study revealed that during a recent period of local warming the species extended its distribution into Namibian waters, where it hybridised with the resident and congeneric Argyrosomus inodorus. Environmental changes are a major threat to marine biodiversity and when combined with overfishing have the potential to accelerate the decline of species. However, little is known regarding the evolutionary history and population structure of A. coronus across the ABFZ. We investigated genetic diversity, population structure and historical demographic changes using mtDNA control region sequences and genotypes at six nuclear microsatellite loci, from 180 individuals. A single, genetically homogeneous population was indicated across the distributional range of A. coronus (ϕST = 0.041, FST = 0.000, D = 0.000; p &gt; 0.05). These findings imply that the oceanographic features within the ABFZ do not appear to significantly influence population connectivity in A. coronus, which simplifies management of the species. However, reconstruction of the demographic history points to a close link between the evolutionary history of A. coronus and the environmental characteristics of the ABFZ. This outcome suggests the species’ vulnerability to the rapid environmental changes being observed across this region, and highlights a pressing need for transboundary management to mitigate the impacts of climate change in this global hotspot of seawater temperature changes.Keywords: Angola–Benguela Frontal Zone, climate change, demographic history, marine fisheries, molecular ecology, population structur

Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapy modelled in the mouse

Despite advances in response prediction to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) targeted therapy in colorectal cancer there remain unknown factors determining the clinical outcome in patients with K-RAS wild type tumours in the absence of mutations activating B-RAF or PIK3CA/PTEN signalling. In addition, therapeutic agents for K-RAS mutant colorectal cancer and advances in the treatment of K-RAS wild type tumours are needed. Here the Apcmm/+ mouse has been used to define mRNA transcripts altered in response to Egfr receptor inhibition based upon the hypothesis that early gene expression changes will predict response to EGFR targeted therapy in K-RAS wild type colon cancer and thus identify novel biomarkers of response. In addition, the Apcmm/+ mouse and a model including endogenous K-ras activated colon tumourigenesis have been used to examine the consequences of dual Egfr/lgflr signalling inhibition, short term interruption of the Ras/Raf/Mek/Erk pathway with Mek inhibition and Egfr signalling inhibition combined with the induction of apoptosis. Gene expression microarray analysis and qRT-PCR validated 3 genes (IKBKG, CXCL9 and CCNE2) which, upon probing of transcript datasets from patients with K-RAS wild type colorectal cancer, identified their discriminatory value in terms of clinical responses to cetuximab monotherapy. Apcmm/+ intestinal adenomas acutely exposed to a small molecular inhibitor of Egfr (gefitinib) showed concurrent suppression of downstream signalling and induction of Igf signalling. To test the hypothesis that blockade of Egfr signalling was tempered by compensatory activation of the Igf pathway, the effect of chronic suppression of Igflr using AZD12253801, a small molecular tyrosine kinase inhibitor of IGF1R, was examined alone and in combination with gefitinib. Compared to either drug alone, combined dosing with gefitinib and AZ12253801 suppressed small intestinal tumourigenesis more effectively, but this failed to translate into a survival advantage possibly due to an increased incidence of intra-abdominal abscess formation. Nonetheless, this data provides preliminary evidence in support of combinatorial therapy. Examination of Mek inhibition using AZD6244 revealed induction of immediate cell death and perturbation of the cell cycle in intestinal tumours. These changes were not limited to K-ras mutant tumours suggesting a potential application to K-ras wild type intestinal cancer. Finally the addition of a BH3 mimetic, ABT737, to gefitinib induced a 3-fold increase in cell death indicating that short term pathway inhibition combined with induction of apoptosis is a rational treatment strategy for malignancy, and should also be extended in future experiments with Mek inhibition. This work has demonstrated the value of these mouse models in relation to target validation, biomarker prediction, resistance mechanisms and therapeutic utility