Are Hylobates lar Extirpated from China?

The Nangunhe Nature Reserve in Southwest Yunnan (PRC) has long been presumed to be the last stronghold of lar (or white-handed) gibbons (Hylobates lar) in China and the likely last place of occurrence of Hylobates lar yunnanensis. We conducted a comprehensive survey to assess the status of lar gibbons at Nangunhe. We found no visual or auditory evidence of them still residing at the reserve and therefore tentatively conclude that lar gibbons have become extinct in China. It appears that large-scale destruction of primary forests in the 1960s and 1970s brought about an initial decline in their numbers, and subsequent uncontrolled hunting has resulted in their extirpation. The situation for the six Chinese ape taxa is nothing less than disastrous, with 1 taxon assumed to have become extinct during the last few years, 1 taxon not having been confirmed since the 1980s, and 2 species at the very brink of extinction with only tens of individuals remaining in China

Dietary Profile of Rhinopithecus bieti and Its Socioecological Implications

To enhance our understanding of dietary adaptations and socioecological correlates in colobines, we conducted a 20-mo study of a wild group of Rhinopithecus bieti (Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys) in the montane Samage Forest. This forest supports a patchwork of evergreen broadleaved, evergreen coniferous, and mixed deciduous broadleaved/coniferous forest assemblages with a total of 80 tree species in 23 families. The most common plant families by basal area are the predominantly evergreen Pinaceae and Fagaceae, comprising 69% of the total tree biomass. Previous work has shown that lichens formed a consistent component in the monkeys’ diet year-round (67%), seasonally complemented with fruits and young leaves. Our study showed that although the majority of the diet was provided by 6 plant genera (Acanthopanax, Sorbus, Acer, Fargesia, Pterocarya, and Cornus), the monkeys fed on 94 plant species and on 150 specific food items. The subjects expressed high selectivity for uncommon angiosperm tree species. The average number of plant species used per month was 16. Dietary diversity varied seasonally, being lowest during the winter and rising dramatically in the spring. The monkeys consumed bamboo shoots in the summer and bamboo leaves throughout the year. The monkeys also foraged on terrestrial herbs and mushrooms, dug up tubers, and consumed the flesh of a mammal (flying squirrel). We also provide a preliminary evaluation of feeding competition in Rhinopithecus bieti and find that the high selectivity for uncommon seasonal plant food items distributed in clumped patches might create the potential for food competition. The finding is corroborated by observations that the subjects occasionally depleted leafy food patches and stayed at a greater distance from neighboring conspecifics while feeding than while resting. Key findings of this work are that Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys have a much more species-rich plant diet than was previously believed and are probably subject to moderate feeding competition

Untersuchungen des Verarbeitungsverhaltens von Packstoffen aus nachwachsenden Rohstoffen auf Verpackungsmaschinen Abschlussbericht

Available from TIB Hannover: F00B469 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEBundesministerium fuer Ernaehrung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten, Bonn (Germany); Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V., Guelzow (Germany)DEGerman

Untersuchungen des Verarbeitungsverhaltens von Packstoffen aus nachwachsenden Rohstoffen auf Verpackungsmaschinen Abschlussbericht

SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F98B2108 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekFachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V., Guelzow (Germany)DEGerman

Non-genomic effect of testosterone on airway smooth muscle

Background and purpose: Recent studies on blood vessels have provided evidence that testosterone may exert direct effects on smooth muscle. However, an acute effect on airway reactivity has not been shown yet. The aim of this study was to assess the direct effect of testosterone on the responsiveness of male adult rabbit airway smooth muscle (ASM), precontracted with 10 mu M acetylcholine, 10 mu M carbachol or 80 mM KCl. Experimental approach: Contractility studies of rabbit tracheal smooth muscle were performed. Key results: Testosterone at concentrations of or above 1 nM had a significant relaxant effect on ASM precontracted with acetylcholine or carbachol, but did not affect ASM precontracted with KCl. The mechanical removal of airway epithelium as well as the inhibition of NO synthetase (by 100 mu M L-NAME) reduced the relaxation caused by testosterone. The effect of testosterone was not altered by impairing prostanoid synthesis (by 10mM indomethacin). The nitric oxide donor, sodium nitroprusside, had the same relaxant effect on ASM precontracted with either carbachol or KCl. Inhibitors of androgen receptors (10mM flutamide) or DNA transcription (100mM actinomycin D) did not alter the effect of testosterone. Prolonged incubation of ASM with 100 nM or 100 mM testosterone for 24 or 48 h did not alter their responsiveness to acetylcholine. BSAtestosterone (1pM to 100nM) relaxed significantly ASM precontracted with carbachol. The mechanical removal of airway epithelium abolished the relaxant effect of BSA-testosterone. Conclusions and implications: Testosterone relaxes precontracted ASM via an epithelium and NO-mediated way. This effect is mediated via a non-genomic pathway