Presence of Locusta diuretic hormone in endocrine cells of the ampullae of locust Malpighian tubules

This is an investigation of an endocrine cell type in the midgut of the migratory locust Locusta migratoria. This cell type is found in the posterior region of the midgut and is especially common in the ampullae through which Malpighian tubules drain into the gut at the midgut-hindgut junction. Strong Locusta diuretic hormone-like immunoreactivity in these cells was colocalized with FMRFamide- and substance P-like immunoreactivities. At the ultrastructural level,immunoreactivity for Locusta diuretic hormone was found in spherical granules (mean diameter of 450 nm), the contents of which showed variable electron density. Fractionation of a methanolic extract of the ampullae by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography revealed the presence of two peaks of Locusta diuretic hormone-like immunoreactive material, both of which stimulate cyclic AMP production by isolated Malpighian tubules. The more hydrophobic material is most likely Locusta diuretic hormone, which has the same retention time when chromatographed under identical conditions

Efficacy of ‘saltwater flushing’ in protecting the Great Lakes from biological invasions by invertebrate eggs in ships’ ballast sediment

1. Mid-ocean exchange and saltwater flushing were implemented as management practices to reduce the likelihood of new biological invasions in the Laurentian Great Lakes associated with ships\u27 ballast water and sediments. Despite this, there has been no formal assessment of the efficacy of these procedures. Here, we conduct a comparative analysis of community composition of dormant taxa transported by ballast sediment before and after regulations came into effect in 2006.2. Ballast sediment samples were collected from 17 ships during the post-regulation interval of 2007 and 2008. Invertebrate eggs were counted, hatched and species identified in the laboratory. Results were compared to similar samples collected from 39 ships between 2000 and 2002, prior to implementation of saltwater flushing regulations.3. The estimated amount of residual ballast sediment transported by vessels was significantly lower during the post-regulation period, ranging from ship, with an average of 5 tonnes. Mean density and number of dormant viable eggs per ship declined 91 and 81%, respectively.4. Community composition also changed through time, with Rotifera accounting for 78% of taxa transported prior to regulation, whereas Cladocera and Copepoda each accounted for 38% of abundance post-regulation. Although the number of non-indigenous species (NIS) declined 73% per ship after 2006, the reduction was not statistically significant; however, the number of freshwater NIS - which pose the greatest risk of invasion for the Great Lakes - was significantly lowered.5. Our comparative analysis suggests that ballast management regulations enacted in 2006 markedly reduced the probability of introduction of NIS via dormant eggs carried in ballast sediments. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

A Rough Set Based Approach for ECG Classification

An inference engine for classification of Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals is developed with the help of a rule based rough set decision system. For this purpose an automated data extraction system from ECG strips is being developed by using a few image processing techniques. A knowledge base is developed after consulting different medical books as well as feedback of reputed cardiologists on interpretation and selection of essential time-plane features of ECG signal. An algorithm for extraction of different time domain features is also developed with the help of differentiation techniques and syntactic approaches. Finally, a rule-based rough set decision system is generated using these time-plane features for the development of an inference engine for disease classification. Two sets of rules are generated for this purpose. The first set is for general separation between normal and diseased subjects. The second set of rules is used for classifications between different diseases