Artificial Reef Matrix Structures (Arms): An Inexpensive and Effective Method for Collecting Coral Reef-Associated Invertebrates

Collecting reef-associated invertebrates usually involves disturbance of the reef area, often damaging the habitat and sometimes damaging live corals. We introduce a nondestructive, inexpensive, and effective method for collecting coral reef-associated invertebrates using approximations of small coral heads constructed of concrete, PVC pipes, nylon cleaning pads, and other materials easily obtainable in most tropical (coral-rich) countries. An example showing the effectiveness of the method is presented based on fieldwork in the eastern Caribbean

Color Variation in the Caribbean Crab Platypodiella spectabilis (Herbst, 1794) (Decapoda, Brachyura, Xanthidae)

The use of color in brachyuran crab systematics, and in particular the use of subtle color differences to suggest or differentiate cryptic or morphologically similar species, is now well documented (e.g., see Campbell and Mahon 1974 for species of Leptograpsus, Williams and Felder 1989 for species of Menippe, Zimmerman and Felder 1991 for species of Sesarma). Less clearly understood is why color patterns and intensities can sometimes vary appreciably within a species, even within narrowly restricted geographic regions. An appreciation of color patterns is critical to correctly identifying species for conservation and resource management purposes, yet often color patterns and ranges are unreported, causing confusion and sometimes misidentifications. Here we document a wide range of color patterns in a small Caribbean xanthid crab based on specimens collected in essentially the same habitat at the same time of year

The Stomatopod Alachosquilla floridensis (Manning, 1962) (Crustacea, Stomatopoda, Nannosquillidae) Reported from Guana Island, British Virgin Islands, with Observations on Color

Although color pattern can vary among and within species of the Crustacea, it can also be a conservative feature that can be very helpful in field identifications. This is often the case in the Crustacea Decapoda, where sibling species can be detected by subtle differences in color (e.g., Williams and Felder 1989, Zimmerman and Felder 1991, Knowlton and Mills 1992). Stomatopods are among the most colorful crustaceans when living. Many species show a great deal of variability (Manning 1969, Camp 1973), and knowledge of this coloration is often key to their identification in the field and in the lab (Schotte and Manning 1993). As part of an ongoing survey of the marine invertebrate fauna of Guana Island, British Virgin Islands, we collected 2 large (45 mm and 48 mm TL) females, and one male specimen (30 mm TL) of the rarely reported stomatopod species Alachosquilla floridensis (Manning 1962). To our knowledge, the species has been reported previously in the literature only 4 times (see Schotte and Manning 1993). These reports are based on a total of 8 specimens. Previous distribution records for the species include Lake Worth Inlet, Florida; Virgin Gorda, US Virgin Islands; Isla Marguerita, Venezuela; Bahia, Brazil; and Saint Giles Island and London Bridge Rock, Tobago, West Indies (Manning 1969, Schotte and Manning 1993)

First Record and Habitat Notes for the Genus Lightiella (Crustacea, Cephalocarida, Hutchinsoniellidae) from the British Virgin Islands

The crustacean class Cephalocarida, as currently understood, is comprised of five genera and ten species (Hessler and Elofsson 1996, Hessler and Wakabara 2000). Although in some instances numerous specimens have been collected in a single locale (e.g., the nearly 120 specimens of Lightiella incisa Gooding, 1963 from Puerto Rico studied by Sanders and Hessler (1964), and the numerous specimens of Hutchinsoniella macracantha Sanders, 1955 now known from Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, see Hessler and Sanders 1973:193), most reports are based on very few specimens. For example, the original description of the genus Hutchinsoniella Sanders, 1955 was based on only eight specimens from Long Island Sound, New York (Sanders 1955); the genus Sandersiella was originally described by Shiino (1965) on the basis of only one specimen from Japan; the genus Chiltoniella Knox and Fenwick, 1977 was based on two specimens from New Zealand (Knox and Fenwick 1977), and the genus Lightiella Jones, 1961 was based on seven specimens from San Francisco Bay (Jones 1961). Lightiella moniotae was described for a single individual from New Caledonia (Cals and Delamare-Deboutteville 1970); Sandersiella calmani for two specimens from Peru (Hessler and Sanders 1973); and Sandersiella bathyalis for two specimens from the deep ocean off southwest Africa (Hessler and Sanders 1973). The single eastern Caribbean record (Barbados) of a cephalocarid also was based on two specimens (Gooding 1963), although Gooding also discussed two specimens from Puerto Rico in that account. Cephalocarids are of such interest morphologically and phylogenetically, and are found so infrequently, that their presence anywhere is noteworthy. As part of an ongoing survey of the cryptic marine invertebrates of certain Caribbean islands, we obtained a single specimen of a cephalocarid from Guana Island, British Virgin Islands, that matches most closely the description by Gooding (1963) of L. incisa. The find is of interest not only because it is the first record for the far eastern Caribbean other than Gooding’s (1963) two type specimens from Barbados, but also because of the unusual habitat in which it was found

A central role for carbon-overflow pathways in the modulation of bacterial cell death.

Similar to developmental programs in eukaryotes, the death of a subpopulation of cells is thought to benefit bacterial biofilm development. However mechanisms that mediate a tight control over cell death are not clearly understood at the population level. Here we reveal that CidR dependent pyruvate oxidase (CidC) and α-acetolactate synthase/decarboxylase (AlsSD) overflow metabolic pathways, which are active during staphylococcal biofilm development, modulate cell death to achieve optimal biofilm biomass. Whereas acetate derived from CidC activity potentiates cell death in cells by a mechanism dependent on intracellular acidification and respiratory inhibition, AlsSD activity effectively counters CidC action by diverting carbon flux towards neutral rather than acidic byproducts and consuming intracellular protons in the process. Furthermore, the physiological features that accompany metabolic activation of cell death bears remarkable similarities to hallmarks of eukaryotic programmed cell death, including the generation of reactive oxygen species and DNA damage. Finally, we demonstrate that the metabolic modulation of cell death not only affects biofilm development but also biofilm-dependent disease outcomes. Given the ubiquity of such carbon overflow pathways in diverse bacterial species, we propose that the metabolic control of cell death may be a fundamental feature of prokaryotic development

The cellular and synaptic architecture of the mechanosensory dorsal horn

The deep dorsal horn is a poorly characterized spinal cord region implicated in processing low-threshold mechanoreceptor (LTMR) information. We report an array of mouse genetic tools for defining neuronal components and functions of the dorsal horn LTMR-recipient zone (LTMR-RZ), a role for LTMR-RZ processing in tactile perception, and the basic logic of LTMR-RZ organization. We found an unexpectedly high degree of neuronal diversity in the LTMR-RZ: seven excitatory and four inhibitory subtypes of interneurons exhibiting unique morphological, physiological, and synaptic properties. Remarkably, LTMRs form synapses on between four and 11 LTMR-RZ interneuron subtypes, while each LTMR-RZ interneuron subtype samples inputs from at least one to three LTMR classes, as well as spinal cord interneurons and corticospinal neurons. Thus, the LTMR-RZ is a somatosensory processing region endowed with a neuronal complexity that rivals the retina and functions to pattern the activity of ascending touch pathways that underlie tactile perception

Perifosine plus lenalidomide and dexamethasone in relapsed and relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma: a Phase I Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium study

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/92443/1/bjh9173.pd

Adrenocortical Challenge Response and Genomic Analyses in Scottish Terriers With Increased Alkaline Phosphate Activity

Scottish terriers (ST) frequently have increased serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of the steroid isoform. Many of these also have high serum concentrations of adrenal sex steroids. The study's objective was to determine the cause of increased sex steroids in ST with increased ALP. Adrenal gland suppression and stimulation were compared by low dose dexamethasone (LDDS), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) response tests. Resting plasma pituitary hormones were measured. Steroidogenesis-related mRNA expression was evaluated in six ST with increased ALP, eight dogs of other breeds with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (HAC), and seven normal dogs. The genome-wide association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) with ALP activity was evaluated in 168 ST. ALP (reference interval 8–70 U/L) was high in all ST (1,054 U/L) and HAC (985 U/L) dogs. All HAC dogs and 2/8 ST had increased cortisol post-ACTH administration. All ST and 2/7 Normal dogs had increased sex steroids post-ACTH. ST and Normal dogs had similar post-challenge adrenal steroid profiles following LDDS and HCG. Surprisingly, mRNA of hydroxysteroid 17-beta dehydrogenase 2 (HSD17B2) was lower in ST and Normal dogs than HAC. HSD17B2 facilities metabolism of sex steroids. A SNP region was identified on chromosome 5 in proximity to HSD17B2 that correlated with increased serum ALP. ST in this study with increased ALP had a normal pituitary-adrenal axis in relationship to glucocorticoids and luteinizing hormone. We speculate the identified SNP and HSD17B2 gene may have a role in the pathogenesis of elevated sex steroids and ALP in ST

Rapid Identification of Fluorochrome Modification Sites in Proteins by LC ESI-Q-TOF Mass Spectrometry

Conjugation of either a fluorescent dye or a drug molecule to the ε-amino groups of lysine residues of proteins has many applications in biology and medicine. However, this type of conjugation produces a heterogeneous population of protein conjugates. Because conjugation of fluorochrome or drug molecule to a protein may have deleterious effects on protein function, the identification of conjugation sites is necessary. Unfortunately, the identification process can be time-consuming and laborious; therefore, there is a need to develop a rapid and reliable way to determine the conjugation sites of the fluorescent label or drug molecule. In this study, the sites of conjugation of fluorescein-5′-isothiocyanate and rhodamine-B-isothiocyanate to free amino groups on the insert-domain (I-domain) protein derived from the α-subunit of lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) were determined by electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-Q-TOF MS) along with peptide mapping using trypsin digestion. A reporter fragment of the fluorochrome moiety that is generated in the collision cell of the Q-TOF without explicit MS/MS precursor selection was used to identify the conjugation site. Selected ion plots of the reporter ion readily mark modified peptides in chromatograms of the complex digest. Interrogation of theses spectra reveals a neutral loss/precursor pair that identifies the modified peptide. The results show that one to seven fluorescein molecules or one to four rhodamine molecules were attached to the lysine residue(s) of the I-domain protein. No modifications were found in the metal ion-dependent adhesion site (MIDAS), which is an important binding region of the I-domain