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Sample records for bronchiolar clara ciliated

  1. Morphological study of the effects of ozone on rat lung. I. Short-term exposure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hiroshima, K.; Kohno, T.; Owada, H.; Hayashi, Y.

    1987-01-01

    In order to determine the effects of ozone on lungs and the course of cell renewal after damage, young male rats were exposed to 3 ppm of ozone for 4 hr. They were killed at 1, 6, 12, and 18 hr and 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 14 days after exposure. One hour before the killing, dividing cells were labeled with tritiated thymidine. Type 1 cells of centriacinar location and bronchiolar cells were severely damaged after exposure. Labeling indices of type 2 cells and bronchiolar nonciliated cells increased 1 day after exposure. Hyperplasia of type 2 cells and bronchiolar nonciliated cells was observed 2 and 3 days after exposure. Ciligenesis of bronchiolar ciliated cells occurred 4 days after exposure. Our study shows that injured type 1 cells are repaired by proliferation of type 2 cells and that injured bronchiolar ciliated and Clara cells are repaired by proliferation of bronchiolar nonciliated cells. These undifferentiated cells are probably progenitors of ciliated cells and Clara cells, and some nonciliated cells are in a transitional form between nonciliated and type 2 cells

  2. Novel method for isolation of murine clara cell secretory protein-expressing cells with traces of stemness.

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    Xiao-Yang Wang

    Full Text Available Clara cells are non-ciliated, secretory bronchiolar epithelial cells that serve to detoxify harmful inhaled substances. Clara cells also function as stem/progenitor cells for repair in the bronchioles. Clara cell secretory protein (CCSP is specifically expressed in pulmonary Clara cells and is widely used as a Clara cell marker. In addition CCSP promoter is commonly used to direct gene expression into the lung in transgenic models. The discovery of CCSP immunoreactivity in plasma membranes of airway lining cells prompted us to explore the possibility of enriching Clara cells by flow cytometry. We established a novel and simple method for the isolation of CCSP-expressing cell Clara cells using a combination of mechanical and enzymatic dissociation followed by flow cytometry sorting technology. We showed that ∼25% of dissociated cells from whole lung expressed CCSP. In the resulting preparation, up to 98% of cells expressed CCSP. Notably, we found that several common stem cell markers including CD44, CD133, Sca-1 and Sox2 were expressed in CCSP(+ cells. Moreover, CCSP(+ cells were able to form spheroid colonies in vitro with 0.97‰ efficiency. Parallel studies in vivo confirmed that a small population of CCSP(-expressing cells in mouse airways also demonstrates stem cell-like properties such as label retention and harboring rare bronchioalveolar stem cells (BASCs in terminal bronchioles (TBs. We conclude that CCSP(+ cells exhibit a number of stem cell-like features including stem cell marker expression, bronchosphere colony formation and self-renewal ability. Clara cell isolation by flow cytometry sorting is a useful method for investigating the function of primary Clara cells in stem cell research and mouse models.

  3. Immunohistochemical analysis of Clara cell secretory protein expression in a transgenic model of mouse lung carcinogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hicks, Sarah M.; Vassallo, Jeffrey D.; Dieter, Matthew Z.; Lewis, Cindy L.; Whiteley, Laurence O.; Fix, Andrew S.; Lehman-McKeeman, Lois D.

    2003-01-01

    Immunohistochemical methods have been widely used to determine the histogenesis of spontaneous and chemically-induced mouse lung tumors. Typically, antigens for either alveolar Type II cells or bronchiolar epithelial Clara cells are studied. In the present work, the morphological and immunohistochemical phenotype of a transgenic mouse designed to develop lung tumors arising from Clara cells was evaluated. In this model, Clara cell-specific transformation is accomplished by directed expression of the SV40 large T antigen (TAg) under the mouse Clara cell secretory protein (CC10) promoter. In heterozygous mice, early lesions at 1 month of age consisted of hyperplastic bronchiolar epithelial cells. These progressed to adenoma by 2 months as proliferating epithelium extended into adjacent alveolar spaces. By 4 months, a large portion of the lung parenchyma was composed of tumor masses. Expression of constitutive CC10 was diminished in transgenic animals at all time points. Only the occasional cell or segment of the bronchiolar epithelium stained positively for CC10 by immunohistochemistry, and all tumors were found to be uniformly negative for staining. These results were corroborated by Western blotting, where CC10 was readily detectable in whole lung homogenate from nontransgenic animals, but not detected in lung from transgenic animals at any time point. Tumors were also examined for expression of surfactant apoprotein C (SPC), an alveolar Type II cell-specific marker, and found to be uniformly negative for staining. These results indicate that, in this transgenic model, expression of CC10, which is widely used to determine whether lung tumors arise from Clara cells, was reduced and subsequently lost during Clara cell tumor progression

  4. Absence of p53 in Clara cells favours multinucleation and loss of cell cycle arrest

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    Clarke Alan R

    2002-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The p53 oncosuppressor protein is a critical mediator of the response to injury in mammalian cells and is mutationally inactivated in the majority of lung malignancies. In this analysis, the effects of p53-deficiency were investigated in short-term primary cultures of murine bronchiolar Clara cells. Clara cells, isolated from gene-targeted p53-deficient mice, were compared to cells derived from wild type littermates. Results p53 null cultures displayed abnormal morphology; specifically, a high incidence of multinucleation, which increased with time in culture. Multinucleated cells were proficient in S phase DNA synthesis, as determined by BrdU incorporation. However, multinucleation did not reflect altered rates of S phase synthesis, which were similar between wild type and p53-/- cultures. Nucleation defects in p53-/- Clara cells associated with increased centrosome number, as determined by confocal microscopy of pericentrin-stained cultures, and may highlight a novel role of p53 in preserving genomic integrity in lung epithelial cells. Effects of p53-deficiency were also studied following exposure to DNA damage. A p53-dependent reduction in the BrdU index was observed in Clara cells following ionizing radiation. The reduction in BrdU index in wild type cells displayed serum-dependency, and occurred only in the absence of serum. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that in murine primary Clara cell culture, cell cycle arrest is a p53-mediated response to DNA damage, and that extracellular factors, such as serum, influence this response. Conclusion These findings highlight functions of wild type p53 protein in bipolar spindle formation, centrosome regulation, and growth control in bronchiolar Clara cells.

  5. Proliferation during early phases of bronchiolar repair in neonatal rabbits following lung injury by 4-ipomeanol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smiley-Jewell, Suzette M.; Plopper, Charles G.

    2003-01-01

    Nonciliated bronchiolar (Clara cells) are progenitor cells during development. During differentiation, they are more susceptible to injury by environmental toxicants metabolized by the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase system, and injury results in altered bronchiolar repair and development. Squamous cells and abnormal cuboidal epithelium persist into early adulthood. The hypothesis tested in this study was that the failure of bronchiolar epithelium to repair normally in neonates following injury is due to an inhibition of proliferation. A model of differential repair in rabbit kits was used. Proliferation was followed for 1 week post injury in rabbit kits treated with a single dose of the P450-mediated cytotoxicant 4-ipomeanol (IPO) at 7 days old (repair abnormal) and compared to rabbits treated with a single dose of IPO at 21 days old (repair normal). Proliferation was measured by the nuclear incorporation of 5-chloro-2'-deoxyuridine (CldU) within epithelium at the target site (terminal bronchiole). The repair pattern between the two age groups was histologically defined. There was no difference in the CdlU labeling index during the week of repair between the two age groups, even though the bronchiolar epithelium did not return to normal in the animals treated at 7 days old. In summary, proliferation (through S-phase) is not inhibited during repair in neonatal rabbits treated with IPO at 7 days old compared to animals treated at 21 days old, and we conclude that other factors may be responsible for the altered repair in the young neonates injured by a P450-mediated cytotoxicant

  6. Conditional deletion of Pten causes bronchiolar hyperplasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davé, Vrushank; Wert, Susan E; Tanner, Tiffany; Thitoff, Angela R; Loudy, Dave E; Whitsett, Jeffrey A

    2008-03-01

    Tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is a lipid phosphatase that regulates multiple cellular processes including cell polarity, migration, proliferation, and carcinogenesis. In this work, we demonstrate that conditional deletion of Pten (Pten(Delta/Delta)) in the respiratory epithelial cells of the developing mouse lung caused epithelial cell proliferation and hyperplasia as early as 4 to 6 weeks of age. While bronchiolar cell differentiation was normal, as indicated by beta-tubulin and FOXJ1 expression in ciliated cells and by CCSP expression in nonciliated cells, cell proliferation (detected by expression of Ki-67, phospho-histone-H3, and cyclin D1) was increased and associated with activation of the AKT/mTOR survival pathway. Deletion of Pten caused papillary epithelial hyperplasia characterized by a hypercellular epithelium lining papillae with fibrovascular cores that protruded into the airway lumens. Cell polarity, as assessed by subcellular localization of cadherin, beta-catenin, and zonula occludens-1, was unaltered. PTEN is required for regulation of epithelial cell proliferation in the lung and for the maintenance of the normal simple columnar epithelium characteristics of bronchi and bronchioles.

  7. Histochemical, light and electron microscopic study of polonium-210 induced peripheral tumours in hamster lungs -evidence implicating the Clara Cell as the cell of origin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kennedy, A.R.; McGandy, R.B.; Little, J.B.

    1977-01-01

    Peripheral lung tumors induced in Syrian golden hamsters by intratracheally administered polonium-210 ( 210 Po) are similar to the peripheral lung tumours induced in many species by a variety of carcinogens. In addition, they show many of the histopathological features observed in human bronchiolar-alveolar carcinomas. Serial sacrifice studies of hamsters exposed to multiple instillations of 210 Po have been carried our to identify the cell of origin of these tumors. By means of thin, plastic (glycol methacrylate) sections, electron microscopy, and histochemistry, it is concluded that the bronchiolar Clara cell is the probable cell of origin, and that this view is generally compatible with many of the reported cytological characteristics of the human tumor. (author)

  8. Biosynthesis and release of proteins by isolated pulmonary Clara cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patton, S.E.; Gilmore, L.B.; Jetten, A.M.; Nettesheim, P.; Hook, G.E.

    1986-01-01

    The major proteins synthesized and released by Clara cells were identified and compared with those synthesized and released by mixed lung cells. Highly purified Clara cells (85.9 +/- 2.4%) and mixed lung cells (Clara cells 4%, Type II cells 33%, granulocytes 18%, macrophages 2.7%, ciliated cells 1.2%) were isolated from rabbit lungs, incubated with Ham's F12 medium in collagen/fibronectin-coated plastic culture dishes in the presence of 35 S-methionine for periods of 4 and 18 hrs. Radiolabelled proteins were isolated from the cells and from the culture medium, electrophoresed on polyacrylamide gels in the presence of SDS under reducing conditions, and then autoradiographed. After 4 and 18 hr of incubation of the Clara cells the major radiolabelled cell-associated proteins were those with molecular weights of 6, 48, and 180 Kd. The major radiolabelled proteins released by Clara cells into the medium after 4 hrs of incubation had molecular weights of 6, 48, and 180 Kd, accounting for 42, 16, and 10%, respectively, of the total extracellular protein-associated radioactivity. After 18 hr of incubation the 6 and 48 Kd proteins represented 30 and 18% of the total released radioactivity, and the relative amount of the 180 Kd protein had decreased to 3%. With the mixed lung cells, the major proteins released into the medium had molecular weights of 6 and 48 Kd. Under nonreducing conditions the 6 Kd protein released by Clara cells had an apparent molecular weight of 12 Kd. Labelling isolated Clara cells with a mixture of 14 C-amino acids also identified this low molecular weight protein as the major secretory product of the Clara cell. The 6 Kd protein did not label when the cells were incubated with 14 C-glucosamine indicating that it was not a glycoprotein. Data demonstrate the release of several proteins from isolated Clara cells but the major protein had a M.W. of 6 Kd

  9. Synergistic effects in mice of trichloroethylene and copper overload on pulmonary clara cells injury

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giovanetti, A.; Winik, B.; Schlick, C.

    1992-01-01

    Trichloroethylene (TCE), an organic solvent of worldwide use, is also emitted by autovehicles as a by-product of fuel combustion. Previous works have demonstrated that TCE, given by inhalation or by i.p. injection, induces a selective, dose-dependent damage to pulmonary non-ciliated Clara cells. TCE needs to be bioactivated in order to exert its toxic effect. Compounds altering the enzymes activity can therefore modulate TCE cytotoxicity. Copper (Cu) is an essential element and its concentration in serum is under homeostatic control; it is a cofactor for enzymes such as cytochrome oxidase. Humans are exposed to Cu by drinking water. In order to investigate whether a Cu overload enhances enzymes-mediated damage, Albin Swiss male mice were fed with a Cu-supplemented diet; afterwards, they were treated with TCE. Epithelial damage was quantified by counting the percentage of non ciliated vacuolated cells. Ultrastructural studies showed that vacuolations consisted in swelling of SER cisternae. It was postulated that, at physiological levels, Cu protects against lipid peroxidation, while at higher dosages, it promotes free radical formation

  10. Characterization of particle-induced Clara cell hyperplasia in rat lungs; Charakterisierung der Partikel-induzierten Clarazell-Hyperplasie in der Rattenlunge

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    Albrecht, C.; Adolf, B.; Weishaupt, C.; Hoehr, D.; Zeittraeger, I.; Borm, P.J.A. [Heinrich-Heine Univ., Duesseldorf (Germany). Medizinisches Inst. fuer Umwelthygiene; Friemann, J. [Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin (Germany). Inst. fuer Pathologie

    2001-10-01

    The aim of this study was to examine Clara cells after particle exposure by in situ hybridization as well as to characterize cell proliferation and function in xenobiotic metabolism. Female Wistar rats were intratracheally instilled with coal dust samples of variable quartz content, quartz (DQ12), Titanium dioxide, or saline solution containing 0.5% Tween 80. After 126-129 weeks, all particle-exposed animals developed Clara cell hyperplasia i.e. up to 0.48% of the total lung area which was significantly increased compared to Titanium dioxide and control animals. Our data also showed proliferation and hyperplasia of bronchiolar Clara cells by coal dusts independent of their quartz content. The lack of proliferating cell nuclear antigen staining in most of the hyperplastic Clara cells suggests that following damage of alveolar epithelial cells, Clara cells migrate in and remodulate the alveolar epithelium. After the migration they keep their function in the xenobiotic metabolism as shown by expansion of CYP2E1 active Clara cells. The minor development of Clara cell hyperplasia in Titanium dioxide treated rats indicates that this is not a general particle effect, and possibly due to its lower toxicity to epithelial cells. (orig.) [German] Ziel dieser Studie war die Untersuchung der Clarazellen nach Partikelexposition mittels in situ Hybridisierung sowie die Charakterisierung hinsichtlich Zellproliferation und Funktion im xenobiotischen Stoffwechsel. Weibliche Wistar-Ratten wurden intratracheal mit Kohlenstaeuben unterschiedlichen Quarzgehaltes, Quarz DQ12, Titandioxide oder physiologischer Kochsalzloesung mit einem Gehalt von 0,5% Tween 80 instilliert. Die 126-129 Wochen nach der intratrachealen Instillation mit schwerloeslichen Partikeln obduzierten Tiere wiesen alle eine Clarazellhyperplasie in bis zu 0,48% des gesamten Lungengewebes auf, die gegenueber den Titandioxid-behandelten und den Kontrolltieren statistisch signifikant war. Die Clarazellproliferation und

  11. Conditional Deletion of Pten Causes Bronchiolar Hyperplasia

    OpenAIRE

    Davé, Vrushank; Wert, Susan E.; Tanner, Tiffany; Thitoff, Angela R.; Loudy, Dave E.; Whitsett, Jeffrey A.

    2007-01-01

    Tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is a lipid phosphatase that regulates multiple cellular processes including cell polarity, migration, proliferation, and carcinogenesis. In this work, we demonstrate that conditional deletion of Pten (PtenΔ/Δ) in the respiratory epithelial cells of the developing mouse lung caused epithelial cell proliferation and hyperplasia as early as 4 to 6 weeks of age. While bronchiolar cell differentiation was normal, as in...

  12. Elevation of susceptibility to ozone-induced acute tracheobronchial injury in transgenic mice deficient in Clara cell secretory protein

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Plopper, C.G.; Mango, G.W.; Hatch, G.E.; Wong, V.J.; Toskala, E.; Reynolds, S.D.; Tarkington, B.K.; Stripp, B.R.

    2006-01-01

    Increases in Clara cell abundance or cellular expression of Clara cell secretory protein (CCSP) may cause increased tolerance of the lung to acute oxidant injury by repeated exposure to ozone (O 3 ). This study defines how disruption of the gene for CCSP synthesis affects the susceptibility of tracheobronchial epithelium to acute oxidant injury. Mice homozygous for a null allele of the CCSP gene (CCSP-/-) and wild type (CCSP+/+) littermates were exposed to ozone (0.2 ppm, 8 h; 1 ppm, 8 h) or filtered air. Injury was evaluated by light and scanning electron microscopy, and the abundance of necrotic, ciliated, and nonciliated cells was estimated by morphometry. Proximal and midlevel intrapulmonary airways and terminal bronchioles were evaluated. There was no difference in airway epithelial composition between CCSP+/+ and CCSP-/- mice exposed to filtered air, and exposure to 0.2 ppm ozone caused little injury to the epithelium of both CCSP+/+ and CCSP-/- mice. After exposure to 1.0 ppm ozone, CCSP-/- mice suffered from a greater degree of epithelial injury throughout the airways compared to CCSP+/+ mice. CCSP-/- mice had both ciliated and nonciliated cell injury. Furthermore, lack of CCSP was associated with a shift in airway injury to include proximal airway generations. Therefore, we conclude that CCSP modulates the susceptibility of the epithelium to oxidant-induced injury. Whether this is due to the presence of CCSP on the acellular lining layer surface and/or its intracellular distribution in the secretory cell population needs to be defined

  13. Expressions of TNF-α, IL-1α and IL-6 in bronchiolar epithelium after thoracic irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Kunyu; Hu Yu; Ruebe Claudia; Ruebe Christian

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To investigate temporal and spatial releases of proinflam matory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1α and IL-6 in the lung tissue after thoracic irradiation in C57BL/6J mice. Methods: Mice were irradiated with 12 Gy to whole lungs, and control mice were sham-irradiated. Mice were sacrificed at hours 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 and weeks 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 24 after thoracic irradiation or sham-irradiation. Expressions of TNF-a and IL-1α, IL-6 proteins were detected with immuno-histochemistry. Results: At hour 6 after thoracic irradiation, the expression of TNF-α protein increased significantly, and at hour 12 after thoracic irradiation, the expressions of IL-1α and IL-6 proteins increased significantly, too. The bronchiolar epithelium was the most prominent source of these inflammatory cytokines in the first hours. During the stage of acute pneumonitis, the bronchiolar epithelium, as well as inflammatory cells in the lung interstitium, produced high amounts of TNF-α, IL-1α and IL-6. Conclusions: It was demonstrated that immediate expressions of TNF-α, IL-1α and IL-6 occurred in the bronchiolar epithelium after lung irradiation, and a long-lasting release by the bronchiolar and alveolar epithelium, and inflammatory cells during acute pneumonitis. Therefore, the bronchiolar epithelium is a significant source of proinflammatory cytokines capable of promoting inflammation through recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells after lung irradiation. (authors)

  14. Relationship Between Expression of Interleukin-5 and Interleukin-13 by Epithelial Cells and Bronchiolar Changes in Pigs Infected with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae.

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    Rodríguez, F; Batista, M; Hernández, J N; Afonso, A M; Poveda, J B

    2016-01-01

    Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mh) is a bacterium that specifically infects the surface of bronchi and bronchioles of pigs without invading the host cells, and it is considered to be the primary agent of porcine enzootic pneumonia (PEN). The present study investigates the morphological and immunohistological changes induced in bronchiolar epithelium by Mh infection. Lungs from 20 pigs with naturally occurring Mh pneumonia were compared with those from 10 uninfected controls. Bronchiolar epithelial height, inflammatory infiltration, hyperplasia of bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) and mucin subtype MUC5AC-producing cells significantly increased in all infected animals. Mh antigen was detected in association with the cilia of the bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium. Interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-13 were expressed consistently by epithelial and mononuclear cells of the airways of infected animals. The expression of these cytokines in the bronchial and bronchiolar tissues is related to the histological changes of PEN. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Sex differences in bronchiolar epithelium response after the inhalation of lead acetate (Pb)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fortoul, Teresa Imelda; Moncada-Hernandez, Sandra; Saldivar-Osorio, Liliana; Espejel-Maya, Guadalupe; Mussali-Galante, Patricia; Avila-Casado, Maria del Carmen; Colin-Barenque, Laura; Hernandez-Serrato, Maria Isidra; Avila-Costa, Maria Rosa

    2005-01-01

    In order to identify if there were sex differences in lead (Pb) lung concentrations and in bronchiolar response after its inhalation, a mice inhalation model was conducted. Sixty CD-1 adult mice from each sex inhaled separately, lead acetate 0.1 M for 1 h, thrice weekly during 15 days. Animals were evaluated for Pb-lung concentrations by atomic absorption spectrometry and for morphological evaluation by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Higher Pb-lung concentrations were determined in females, however, more cell damage was found in males, finding that correlated with an increased loss of the nonciliated bronchiolar cells (NCBC) more sloughing and necrosis. Differences in particle clearance, oxidative stress handling, cytokines pathway activation and cytochrome P450 enzymes activity, all influenced by sex hormones, might be a possible explanation for our findings. The relevance of further studies in this field is stressed, as well as its relation to the different development expected for each sex in disease evolution, possible complications and treatment response

  16. CLARA: CLAS12 Reconstruction and Analysis Framework

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    Gyurjyan, Vardan [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States); Matta, Sebastian Mancilla [Santa Maria U., Valparaiso, Chile; Oyarzun, Ricardo [Santa Maria U., Valparaiso, Chile

    2016-11-01

    In this paper we present SOA based CLAS12 event Reconstruction and Analyses (CLARA) framework. CLARA design focus is on two main traits: real-time data stream processing, and service-oriented architecture (SOA) in a flow based programming (FBP) paradigm. Data driven and data centric architecture of CLARA presents an environment for developing agile, elastic, multilingual data processing applications. The CLARA framework presents solutions capable of processing large volumes of data interactively and substantially faster than batch systems.

  17. Ciliate protozoa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dehority, B.A.

    2005-01-01

    Gruby and Delafond discovered the rumen protozoa in 1843 and suggested that their digestive activity was the primary means by which ruminants could survive on an all-plant diet. However, subsequent studies have clearly shown that bacteria actually play a prominent role in the fermentation of plant materials, and fungi are also involved. The rumen ciliates range in size from 18 to 500 μm and can be enumerated and identified microscopically at relatively low magnifications. On the basis of cell morphology, they have been classified into at least five families containing 24 different genera. Although new species are still being reported yearly, the last summary was compiled in 1992 by Williams and Coleman and listed 257 separate species. Ciliate protozoa belonging to different families are found in most other herbivorous mammals. This includes those animals in which fermentation occurs in the hindgut, such as the horse, elephant, rhinoceros and capybara, as well as in the non-ruminant foregut fomenters, i.e. camelids, hippopotamus and kangaroo. These ciliates can be enumerated and identified using the methods and techniques presented in this chapter, presuming appropriate procedures are used for obtaining representative samples from the animal

  18. Environmental requirements of selected estuarine ciliated Protozoa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borror, A.C.

    1975-05-01

    This report addresses species composition and microdistribution of ciliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora) of a tidal marsh at Adams Pt., Great Bay, New Hampshire (1970, 1971) in relationship to temperature, salinity, pH, concentration of oxygen, H 2 S, and bacteria, and occurrence of micrometazoa. Accurate counting and precise identification allowed measurement of tidal effects on ciliate abundance and diversity, and the relationship of ciliates to micrometazoa and bacteria. During 1970, we identified 79 species in 175 collections; during 1971, 83 species in 102 collections. Although in general ciliate distribution was not correlated with temperature, salinity, pH, or oxygen concentration, some species were tolerant of anoxic environments. Ciliates differed in distribution between the upper (Spartina patens) and the lower (S. alterniflora) marsh. We measured responses of bacteria and ciliates to the physical and biological changes in a patens-panne pond caused by tidal flushing, and to the flushing of a channel in the lower marsh by several different tidal cycles. (U.S.)

  19. Involvement of Igf1r in Bronchiolar Epithelial Regeneration: Role during Repair Kinetics after Selective Club Cell Ablation.

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    Icíar P López

    Full Text Available Regeneration of lung epithelium is vital for maintaining airway function and integrity. An imbalance between epithelial damage and repair is at the basis of numerous chronic lung diseases such as asthma, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer. IGF (Insulin-like Growth Factors signaling has been associated with most of these respiratory pathologies, although their mechanisms of action in this tissue remain poorly understood. Expression profiles analyses of IGF system genes performed in mouse lung support their functional implication in pulmonary ontogeny. Immuno-localization revealed high expression levels of Igf1r (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 Receptor in lung epithelial cells, alveolar macrophages and smooth muscle. To further understand the role of Igf1r in pulmonary homeostasis, two distinct lung epithelial-specific Igf1r mutant mice were generated and studied. The lack of Igf1r disturbed airway epithelial differentiation in adult mice, and revealed enhanced proliferation and altered morphology in distal airway club cells. During recovery after naphthalene-induced club cell injury, the kinetics of terminal bronchiolar epithelium regeneration was hindered in Igf1r mutants, revealing increased proliferation and delayed differentiation of club and ciliated cells. Amid airway restoration, lungs of Igf1r deficient mice showed increased levels of Igf1, Insr, Igfbp3 and epithelial precursor markers, reduced amounts of Scgb1a1 protein, and alterations in IGF signaling mediators. These results support the role of Igf1r in controlling the kinetics of cell proliferation and differentiation during pulmonary airway epithelial regeneration after injury.

  20. The bronchiolar epithelium as a prominent source of pro-inflammatory cytokines after lung irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruebe, Claudia E.; Uthe, Daniela; Wilfert, Falk; Ludwig, Daniela; Yang Kunyu; Koenig, Jochem; Palm, Jan; Schuck, Andreas; Willich, Normann; Remberger, Klaus; Ruebe, Christian

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: To study in detail the temporal and spatial release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin (IL)-1α, and IL-6 in the lung tissue of C57BL/6 mice after thoracic irradiation with 12 Gy. Methods and Materials: C57BL/6J mice were exposed to either sham irradiation or a single fraction of 12 Gy delivered to the thorax. Treated and sham-irradiated control mice were killed at 0.5 h, 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 16 weeks, and 24 weeks post-irradiation (p.i.). Real-time multiplex reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was established to evaluate the relative messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of TNF-α, IL-1α, and IL-6 in the lung tissue of the mice (compared with nonirradiated lung tissue). Immunohistochemical detection methods (alkaline phosphatase anti-alkaline phosphatase, avidin-biotin-complex [ABC]) and automated image analysis were used to quantify the protein expression of TNF-α, IL-1α, and IL-6 in the lung tissue (percentage of the positively stained area). Results: Radiation-induced release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1α, and IL-6 in the lung tissue was detectable within the first hours after thoracic irradiation. We observed statistically significant up-regulations for TNF-α at 1 h p.i. on mRNA (4.99 ± 1.60) and at 6 h p.i. on protein level (7.23% ± 1.67%), for IL-1α at 6 h p.i. on mRNA (11.03 ± 0.77) and at 12 h p.i. on protein level (27.58% ± 11.06%), for IL-6 at 6 h p.i. on mRNA (6.0 ± 3.76) and at 12 h p.i. on protein level (7.12% ± 1.93%). With immunohistochemistry, we could clearly demonstrate that the bronchiolar epithelium is the most prominent source of these inflammatory cytokines in the first hours after lung irradiation. During the stage of acute pneumonitis, the bronchiolar epithelium, as well as inflammatory cells in the lung interstitium, produced high amounts of TNF-α (with the maximal value at 4 weeks p.i.: 9.47% ± 1

  1. SPECIES COMPOSITION OF PSAMMOPHILIC CILIATES OF SUMGAIT CASPIAN COAST

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    I. Kh. Alekperov

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract. Comparative data on the species composition and species saprobic indicators of the psammon ciliates from Sumgait coast of the Caspian Sea are given.Methods. “Alive” samples were collected using a small clean plastic wide mouth bottles. Further processing was carried out under laboratory conditions. Small quantities of soil were examined under a binocular microscope MBS-9 . Ciliates detected microvessel caught and fixed castors for further impregnation kinetoma silver nitrate (Chatton et Lwoff, 1930 or silver proteinate. To determine the keys for ciliates used Foyssner’s major publications (Foissner et al., 1991, 1992, 1999 and “Free-living ciliates Atlas” (Alekperov, 2005.Results. We observed 75 species of ciliates during the studies, which species composition and distribution of the collection points are shown in table 1. Diagrams with average data were made relations groups psammophilous ciliates indicators saprobity different zones for each of the sites investigated Sumgait coast.Main conclusions. Environmental analysis using benthic ciliates indicators saprobity different zones showed that as expected, the industrial zone of Sumgayit coast coast, despite the decline in recent years, the total amount of pollution that is still highly contaminated portion of the coastal zone of the Caspian Sea.

  2. A Special Family Series. Mario and Clara Hernandez. Clara Finds a Friend = Lina Familia Especial. Mario y Clara Hernandez. Clara Eucuentra una Amiga.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cazares, Maria

    These two comic books are part of the "Very Special Family" series, created by and for Hispanic parents of children with special needs. The materials are designed to help parents deal with the emotional difficulties of raising a child with disabilities. The booklets are printed in both English and Spanish. In Part 1, "Mario and Clara Hernandez," a…

  3. Characterization of copper resistant ciliates: Potential candidates for ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Jane

    2011-08-17

    , bioremediation. ... on metal interactions in protist ciliates. Ciliated protozoa .... Generally, protozoan cultures grow in mineral salts me- ... utilizing these metal ions as essential requirement or by ...... Lead resistant yeast.

  4. Impact of Soil Texture on Soil Ciliate Communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chau, J. F.; Brown, S.; Habtom, E.; Brinson, F.; Epps, M.; Scott, R.

    2014-12-01

    Soil water content and connectivity strongly influence microbial activities in soil, controlling access to nutrients and electron acceptors, and mediating interactions between microbes within and between trophic levels. These interactions occur at or below the pore scale, and are influenced by soil texture and structure, which determine the microscale architecture of soil pores. Soil protozoa are relatively understudied, especially given the strong control they exert on bacterial communities through predation. Here, ciliate communities in soils of contrasting textures were investigated. Two ciliate-specific primer sets targeting the 18S rRNA gene were used to amplify DNA extracted from eight soil samples collected from Sumter National Forest in western South Carolina. Primer sets 121F-384F-1147R (semi-nested) and 315F-959R were used to amplify soil ciliate DNA via polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the resulting PCR products were analyzed by gel electrophoresis to obtain quantity and band size. Approximately two hundred ciliate 18S rRNA sequences were obtained were obtained from each of two contrasting soils. Sequences were aligned against the NCBI GenBank database for identification, and the taxonomic classification of best-matched sequences was determined. The ultimate goal of the work is to quantify changes in the ciliate community under short-timescale changes in hydrologic conditions for varying soil textures, elucidating dynamic responses to desiccation stress in major soil ciliate taxa.

  5. The effects of different fertilizers on the ciliate communities of forests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lehle, E.; Funke, W.

    1993-01-01

    The influence of lime, mineral fertilizers and different composts on the ciliate communities (Protozoa: Ciliophora) of very acidified spruce forests were tested. In succession culture experiments species range, total numbers, abundance and dominance structure of the ciliate communities showed continued changes over a 90 day period. This method offers the opportunity not only to diagnose, but also to quantify effects of soil treatments. Investigations at the ARINUS-site Schluchsee (Black Forest) showed the following results: Liming led to a greater change in the ciliate communities than fertilization with magnesium-sulphate and ammonia-sulphate. Liming and treatment with compost, made from household garbage, and compost, made from chopped wood on the Beimerstetten site (Swabian Alb) led also to remarkably changes in the ciliate communities. The total ciliate numbers of the household garbage area were very low. In contrast, the ciliate community of the chopped wood compost areas were characterized by a great species number and high abundances of spirotrichuous ciliates, especially Halteria grandinella. (orig./UWA) [de

  6. Experimental and modeling evidence of appendicularian-ciliate interactions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lombard, Fabien; Eloire, D.; Gobet, A.

    occurred simultaneously, resulting in apparent mutualism. The large ciliate Strombidium sp. entered the inlet filters of appendicularian houses (larger than 500 µm body size) by distorting the mesh. Once inside, Strombidium fed on particles concentrated on the filters. When appendicularians were larger...... than 900 µm, both the high flow rate in the buccal tube and their esophagus width allowed the "host" appendicularian to capture and ingest ciliates. Thus, ciliates seem to be sequentially competitors, then parasites or commensal in appendicularian houses, and finally prey for appendicularians...

  7. Experimental and modeling evidence of appendicularian-ciliate interactions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lombard, Fabien; Eloire, Damien; Gobet, Angelique

    2010-01-01

    occurred simultaneously, resulting in apparent mutualism. The large ciliate Strombidium sp. entered the inlet filters of appendicularian houses (larger than 500 mu m body size) by distorting the mesh. Once inside, Strombidium fed on particles concentrated on the filters. When appendicularians were larger...... than 900 mu m, both the high flow rate in the buccal tube and their esophagus width allowed the "host'' appendicularian to capture and ingest ciliates. Thus, ciliates seem to be sequentially competitors, then parasites or commensal in appendicularian houses, and finally prey for appendicularians...

  8. CLARA: an integrated clinical research administration system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bian, Jiang; Xie, Mengjun; Hogan, William; Hutchins, Laura; Topaloglu, Umit; Lane, Cheryl; Holland, Jennifer; Wells, Thomas

    2014-01-01

    Administration of human subject research is complex, involving not only the institutional review board but also many other regulatory and compliance entities within a research enterprise. Its efficiency has a direct and substantial impact on the conduct and management of clinical research. In this paper, we report on the Clinical Research Administration (CLARA) platform developed at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. CLARA is a comprehensive web-based system that can streamline research administrative tasks such as submissions, reviews, and approval processes for both investigators and different review committees on a single integrated platform. CLARA not only helps investigators to meet regulatory requirements but also provides tools for managing other clinical research activities including budgeting, contracting, and participant schedule planning. PMID:24778201

  9. A comparative in-silico analysis of autophagy proteins in ciliates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erhan Aslan

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Autophagy serves as a turnover mechanism for the recycling of redundant and/or damaged macromolecules present in eukaryotic cells to re-use them under starvation conditions via a double-membrane structure known as autophagosome. A set of eukaryotic genes called autophagy-related genes (ATGs orchestrate this highly elaborative process. The existence of these genes and the role they play in different eukaryotes are well-characterized. However, little is known of their role in some eukaryotes such as ciliates. Here, we report the computational analyses of ATG genes in five ciliate genomes to understand their diversity. Our results show that Oxytricha trifallax is the sole ciliate which has a conserved Atg12 conjugation system (Atg5-Atg12-Atg16. Interestingly, Oxytricha Atg16 protein includes WD repeats in addition to its N-terminal Atg16 domain as is the case in multicellular organisms. Additionally, phylogenetic analyses revealed that E2-like conjugating protein Atg10 is only present in Tetrahymena thermophila. We fail to find critical autophagy components Atg5, Atg7 and Atg8 in the parasitic ciliate Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. Contrary to previous reports, we also find that ciliate genomes do not encode typical Atg1 since all the candidate sequences lack an Atg1-specific C-terminal domain which is essential for Atg1 complex formation. Consistent with the absence of Atg1, ciliates also lack other members of the Atg1 complex. However, the presence of Atg6 in all ciliates examined here may rise the possibility that autophagosome formation could be operated through Atg6 in ciliates, since Atg6 has been shown as an alternative autophagy inducer. In conclusion, our results highlight that Atg proteins are partially conserved in ciliates. This may provide a better understanding for the autophagic destruction of the parental macronucleus, a developmental process also known as programmed nuclear death in ciliates.

  10. Network of interactions between ciliates and phytoplankton during spring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas ePosch

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The annually recurrent spring phytoplankton blooms in freshwater lakes initiate pronounced successions of planktonic ciliate species. Although there is considerable knowledge on the taxonomic diversity of these ciliates, their species-specific interactions with other microorganisms are still not well understood. Here we present the succession patterns of 20 morphotypes of ciliates during spring in Lake Zurich, Switzerland, and we relate their abundances to phytoplankton genera, flagellates, heterotrophic bacteria, and abiotic parameters. Interspecific relationships were analyzed by contemporaneous correlations and time-lagged co-occurrence and visualized as association networks. The contemporaneous network pointed to the pivotal role of distinct ciliate species (e.g., Balanion planctonicum, Rimostrombidium humile as primary consumers of cryptomonads, revealed a clear overclustering of mixotrophic / omnivorous species, and highlighted the role of Halteria / Pelagohalteria as important bacterivores. By contrast, time-lagged statistical approaches (like local similarity analyses, LSA proved to be inadequate for the evaluation of high-frequency sampling data. LSA led to a conspicuous inflation of significant associations, making it difficult to establish ecologically plausible interactions between ciliates and other microorganisms. Nevertheless, if adequate statistical procedures are selected, association networks can be powerful tools to formulate testable hypotheses about the autecology of only recently described ciliate species.

  11. Free-living ciliates from epiphytic tank bromeliads in Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durán-Ramírez, Carlos Alberto; García-Franco, José Guadalupe; Foissner, Wilhelm; Mayén-Estrada, Rosaura

    2015-02-01

    The ciliate diversity of Mexican bromeliads is poorly known. We studied the ciliate community of two species of epiphytic tank bromeliads from 48 individuals of Tillandsia heterophylla and four of T. prodigiosa. The bromeliads occurred on over 22 tree host species. Samples were collected during 2009 and 2010 in a mountain cloud forest and in two coffee plantations and in a pine-oak forest. The ciliates were identified in live and protargol preparations. We recorded 61 ciliate species distributed in 39 genera grouped in eight classes. Ten species were frequent in the 52 samples (20 ± 3.2) and Leptopharynx bromeliophilus was the most frequent recorded in 25 samples. Thirty-three species are new for the fauna of Mexico, 24 species have been recorded for the first time in tank bromeliads. The classes Spirotrichea, Oligohymenophorea and Colpodea presented the highest number of species, 16, 14, and 12, respectively. Colpoda was the most species-rich genus being present with six species. A low similarity between areas and seasons was obtained with Jaccard's index. We conclude that the two bromeliads species host a rich ciliate diversity whose knowledge contributes to the question of ciliate distribution and specifically, in tank bromeliads. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  12. Inhibition of the Rumen Ciliate Entodinium caudatum by Antibiotics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tansol Park

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Axenic cultures of free-living aerobic ciliates, such as Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium aurelia, have been established and routinely used in laboratory research, greatly facilitating, or enabling characterization of their metabolism, physiology, and ecology. Ruminal protozoa are anaerobic ciliates, and they play important roles in feed digestion and fermentation. Although, repeatedly attempted, no laboratory-maintainable axenic culture of ruminal ciliates has been established. When axenic ciliate cultures are developed, antibiotics are required to eliminate the accompanying bacteria. Ruminal ciliates gradually lose viability upon antibiotic treatments, and the resultant axenic cultures can only last for short periods of time. The objective of this study was to evaluate eight antibiotics that have been evaluated in developing axenic cultures of ruminal ciliates, for their toxicity to Entodinium caudatum, which is the most predominant ruminal ciliate species. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (TEM showed that the antibiotics damaged both the cell surface and nuclei of E. caudatum and increased accumulation of intracellular glycogen. Combinations of the three least toxic antibiotics failed to eliminate the bacteria that are present in the E. caudatum culture. The combination of ampicillin, carbenicillin, streptomycin, and oxytetracycline was able to eliminate all the bacteria, but the resultant axenic E. caudatum culture gradually lost viability. Adding the bacterial fraction (live separated from an untreated E. caudatum culture reversed the viability decline and recovered the growth of the treated E. caudatum culture, whereas feeding nine strains of live bacteria isolated from E. caudatum cells, either individually or in combination, could not. Nutritional and metabolic dependence on its associated bacteria, accompanied with direct and indirect inhibition by antibiotics, makes it difficult to establish an axenic culture of E

  13. Factors driving the seasonal distribution of planktonic and epiphytic ciliates in a eutrophicated Mediterranean Lagoon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dhib, Amel [Université de Franche-Comté, Laboratoire de Chrono-Environnement, UMR CNRS 6249 (France); Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (INSTM), Laboratoire Milieu Marin, Centre la Goulette (Tunisia); Brahim, Mounir Ben; Ziadi, Boutheina; Akrout, Fourat; Turki, Souad [Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (INSTM), Laboratoire Milieu Marin, Centre la Goulette (Tunisia); Aleya, Lotfi [Université de Franche-Comté, Laboratoire de Chrono-Environnement, UMR CNRS 6249 (France)

    2013-09-15

    Highlights: • Distribution of planktonic and epiphytic ciliates at five stations in Ghar El Melh Lagoon. • 28 planktonic ciliates were identified with spring-early autumn peaks. • 4 epiphytic ciliates of the seagrass Ruppia cirrhosa were recorded with high density. • Significant correlations were found between ciliate assemblages, environmental factors and harmful dinoflagellates. -- Abstract: We studied the distribution of planktonic and epiphytic ciliates coupled with environmental factors and microalgae abundance at five stations in Ghar El Melh Lagoon (Tunisia). Planktonic ciliates were monitored for a year and epiphytic ciliates were sampled during summer 2011 in concordance with the proliferation of the seagrass Ruppia cirrhosa. Ciliate assemblage was largely dominated by Spirotrichea followed respectively by Tintinnida of and Strombidiida. No significant difference was found in the distribution of ciliate species among the stations. Redundancy analysis indicates that abiotic factors (temperature and nutriments) have a significant effect on the dynamics of certain ciliates. For epiphytic ciliates, 4 species were identified: Tintinnopsis campanula, Aspidisca sp., Strombidium acutum and Amphorides amphora. Based on PERMANOVA analyses, ciliates exhibit significant correlations among months and stations. According to ACP, epiphyte distribution follows roughly those of R. cirrhosa and pH. Significant correlations were found between harmful dinoflagellates and both planktonic and epiphytic ciliates.

  14. Factors driving the seasonal distribution of planktonic and epiphytic ciliates in a eutrophicated Mediterranean Lagoon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dhib, Amel; Brahim, Mounir Ben; Ziadi, Boutheina; Akrout, Fourat; Turki, Souad; Aleya, Lotfi

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Distribution of planktonic and epiphytic ciliates at five stations in Ghar El Melh Lagoon. • 28 planktonic ciliates were identified with spring-early autumn peaks. • 4 epiphytic ciliates of the seagrass Ruppia cirrhosa were recorded with high density. • Significant correlations were found between ciliate assemblages, environmental factors and harmful dinoflagellates. -- Abstract: We studied the distribution of planktonic and epiphytic ciliates coupled with environmental factors and microalgae abundance at five stations in Ghar El Melh Lagoon (Tunisia). Planktonic ciliates were monitored for a year and epiphytic ciliates were sampled during summer 2011 in concordance with the proliferation of the seagrass Ruppia cirrhosa. Ciliate assemblage was largely dominated by Spirotrichea followed respectively by Tintinnida of and Strombidiida. No significant difference was found in the distribution of ciliate species among the stations. Redundancy analysis indicates that abiotic factors (temperature and nutriments) have a significant effect on the dynamics of certain ciliates. For epiphytic ciliates, 4 species were identified: Tintinnopsis campanula, Aspidisca sp., Strombidium acutum and Amphorides amphora. Based on PERMANOVA analyses, ciliates exhibit significant correlations among months and stations. According to ACP, epiphyte distribution follows roughly those of R. cirrhosa and pH. Significant correlations were found between harmful dinoflagellates and both planktonic and epiphytic ciliates

  15. The symbiotic intestinal ciliates and the evolution of their hosts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moon-van der Staay, Seung Yeo; van der Staay, Georg W M; Michalowski, Tadeusz; Jouany, Jean-Pierre; Pristas, Peter; Javorský, Peter; Kišidayová, Svetlana; Varadyova, Zora; McEwan, Neil R; Newbold, C Jamie; van Alen, Theo; de Graaf, Rob; Schmid, Markus; Huynen, Martijn A; Hackstein, Johannes H P

    2014-04-01

    The evolution of sophisticated differentiations of the gastro-intestinal tract enabled herbivorous mammals to digest dietary cellulose and hemicellulose with the aid of a complex anaerobic microbiota. Distinctive symbiotic ciliates, which are unique to this habitat, are the largest representatives of this microbial community. Analyses of a total of 484 different 18S rRNA genes show that extremely complex, but related ciliate communities can occur in the rumen of cattle, sheep, goats and red deer (301 sequences). The communities in the hindgut of equids (Equus caballus, Equus quagga), and elephants (Elephas maximus, Loxodonta africanus; 162 sequences), which are clearly distinct from the ruminant ciliate biota, exhibit a much higher diversity than anticipated on the basis of their morphology. All these ciliates from the gastro-intestinal tract constitute a monophyletic group, which consists of two major taxa, i.e. Vestibuliferida and Entodiniomorphida. The ciliates from the evolutionarily older hindgut fermenters exhibit a clustering that is specific for higher taxa of their hosts, as extant species of horse and zebra on the one hand, and Africa and Indian elephant on the other hand, share related ciliates. The evolutionary younger ruminants altogether share the various entodiniomorphs and the vestibuliferids from ruminants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  16. Investigating the biodiversity of ciliates in the 'Age of Integration'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clamp, John C; Lynn, Denis H

    2017-10-01

    Biology is now turning toward a more integrative approach to research, distinguished by projects that depend on collaboration across hierarchical levels of organization or across disciplines. This trend is prompted by the need to solve complex, large-scale problems and includes disciplines that could be defined as integrative biodiversity. Integrative biodiversity of protists, including that of ciliates, is still partially in its infancy. This is the result of a shortage of historical data resources such as curated museum collections. Major areas of integrative biodiversity of ciliates that have begun to emerge can be categorized as integrative systematics, phenotypic plasticity, and integrative ecology. Integrative systematics of ciliates is characterized by inclusion of diverse sources of data in treatment of taxonomy of species and phylogenetic investigations. Integrative research in phenotypic plasticity combines investigation of functional roles of individual species of ciliates with genetic and genomic data. Finally, integrative ecology focuses on genetic identity of species in communities of ciliates and their collective functional roles in ecosystems. A review of current efforts toward integrative research into biodiversity of ciliates reveals a single, overarching concern-rapid progress will be achieved only by implementing a comprehensive strategy supported by one or more groups of active researchers. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

  17. Transposon domestication versus mutualism in ciliate genome rearrangements.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Vogt

    Full Text Available Ciliated protists rearrange their genomes dramatically during nuclear development via chromosome fragmentation and DNA deletion to produce a trimmer and highly reorganized somatic genome. The deleted portion of the genome includes potentially active transposons or transposon-like sequences that reside in the germline. Three independent studies recently showed that transposase proteins of the DDE/DDD superfamily are indispensible for DNA processing in three distantly related ciliates. In the spirotrich Oxytricha trifallax, high copy-number germline-limited transposons mediate their own excision from the somatic genome but also contribute to programmed genome rearrangement through a remarkable transposon mutualism with the host. By contrast, the genomes of two oligohymenophorean ciliates, Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium tetraurelia, encode homologous PiggyBac-like transposases as single-copy genes in both their germline and somatic genomes. These domesticated transposases are essential for deletion of thousands of different internal sequences in these species. This review contrasts the events underlying somatic genome reduction in three different ciliates and considers their evolutionary origins and the relationships among their distinct mechanisms for genome remodeling.

  18. Phytoplankton growth inhibited by the toxic and bacterivorous ciliate

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schaafsma, F.L.; Peperzak, L.

    2013-01-01

    The ubiquitous marine ciliate Uronema marinum is mainly bacterivorous. It was therefore surprising that in a ciliate-contaminated experiment the growth rate of the phytoplankton species Emiliania huxleyi was significantly reduced. As U. marinum does not ingest E. huxleyi cells, their growth

  19. Clara Haber, nee Immerwahr (1870-1915): Life, Work and Legacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedrich, Bretislav; Hoffmann, Dieter

    2016-03-01

    We examine the life, work, and legacy of Clara Haber, nee Immerwahr, who became the first woman to earn a doctorate from the University of Breslau, in 1900. In 1901 she married the chemist Fritz Haber. With no employment available for female scientists, Clara freelanced as an instructor in the continued education of women, mainly housewives, while struggling not to become a housewife herself. Her duties as a designated head of a posh household hardly brought fulfillment to her life. The outbreak of WWI further exacerbated the situation, as Fritz Haber applied himself in extraordinary ways to aid the German war effort. The night that he celebrated the "success" of the first chlorine cloud attack, Clara committed suicide. We found little evidence to support claims that Clara was an outspoken pacifist who took her life because of her disapproval of Fritz Haber's involvement in chemical warfare. We conclude by examining "the myth of Clara Immerwahr" that took root in the 1990s from the perspective offered by the available scholarly sources, including some untapped ones.

  20. First report of ciliate (Protozoa) epibionts on deep-sea harpacticoid copepods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sedlacek, Linda; Thistle, David; Fernandez-Leborans, Gregorio; Carman, Kevin R.; Barry, James P.

    2013-08-01

    We report the first observations of ciliate epibionts on deep-sea, benthic harpacticoid copepods. One ciliate epibiont species belonged to class Karyorelictea, one to subclass Suctoria, and one to subclass Peritrichia. Our samples came from the continental rise off central California (36.709°N, 123.523°W, 3607 m depth). We found that adult harpacticoids carried ciliate epibionts significantly more frequently than did subadult copepodids. The reason for the pattern is unknown, but it may involve differences between adults and subadult copepodids in size or in time spent swimming. We also found that the ciliate epibiont species occurred unusually frequently on the adults of two species of harpacticoid copepod; a third harpacticoid species just failed the significance test. When we ranked the 57 harpacticoid species in our samples in order of abundance, three species identified were, as a group, significantly more abundant than expected by chance if one assumes that the abundance of the group and the presence of ciliate epibionts on them were uncorrelated. High abundance may be among the reasons a harpacticoid species carries a ciliate epibiont species disproportionately frequently. For the combinations of harpacticoid species and ciliate epibiont species identified, we found one in which males and females differed significantly in the proportion that carried epibionts. Such a sex bias has also been reported for shallow-water, calanoid copepods.

  1. The Role of Ciliate Protozoa in the Rumen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newbold, Charles J; de la Fuente, Gabriel; Belanche, Alejandro; Ramos-Morales, Eva; McEwan, Neil R

    2015-01-01

    First described in 1843, Rumen protozoa with their striking appearance were assumed to be important for the welfare of their host. However, despite contributing up to 50% of the bio-mass in the rumen, the role of protozoa in rumen microbial ecosystem remains unclear. Phylogenetic analysis of 18S rDNA libraries generated from the rumen of cattle, sheep, and goats has revealed an unexpected diversity of ciliated protozoa although variation in gene copy number between species makes it difficult to obtain absolute quantification. Despite repeated attempts it has proven impossible to maintain rumen protozoa in axenic culture. Thus it has been difficult to establish conclusively a role of ciliate protozoa in rumen fiber degradation. The development of techniques to clone and express ciliate genes in λ phage, together with bioinformatic indices to confirm the ciliate origin of the genes has allowed the isolation and characterization of fibrolytic genes from rumen protozoa. Elimination of the ciliate protozoa increases microbial protein supply by up to 30% and reduces methane production by up to 11%. Our recent findings suggest that holotrich protozoa play a disproportionate role in supporting methanogenesis whilst the small Entodinium are responsible for much of the bacterial protein turnover. As yet no method to control protozoa in the rumen that is safe and practically applicable has been developed, however a range of plant extract capable of controlling if not completely eliminating rumen protozoa have been described.

  2. The effect of salinity on some endocommensalic ciliates from shipworms

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Santhakumari, V.

    . Seasonal incidence and relative abundance of these ciliates showed that they were more abundant during the low saline than the high saline periods. Eventhough these ciliates can endure higher salinities through gradual acclimatization of their habitat...

  3. First report of predation of Giardia sp. cysts by ciliated protozoa and confirmation of predation of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts by ciliate species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siqueira-Castro, Isabel Cristina Vidal; Greinert-Goulart, Juliane Araújo; Bonatti, Tais Rondello; Yamashiro, Sandra; Franco, Regina Maura Bueno

    2016-06-01

    Ciliated protozoa are important components of the microbial food web in various habitats, especially aquatic environments. These organisms are useful bioindicators for both environmental quality assessment and the wastewater purification process. The pathogenic parasitic protozoan species Giardia and Cryptosporidium represent a significant concern for human health, being responsible for numerous disease outbreaks worldwide. The predation of cysts and oocysts in 15 ciliate species from water and sewage samples collected in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil were verified under laboratory conditions. The ciliated protozoan species were selected based on their mode of nutrition, and only bacterivorous and suspension-feeders were considered for the experiments. The species Blepharisma sinuosum, Euplotes aediculatus, Sterkiella cavicola, Oxytricha granulifera, Vorticella infusionum, Spirostomum minus, and Stentor coeruleus ingested cysts and oocysts, the resistance forms of Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp., respectively. This is the first time that the ingestion of Giardia cysts by ciliated protozoa has been reported. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of the biological removal of these pathogens from aquatic environments.

  4. Sources of mycosporine-like amino acids in planktonic Chlorella-bearing ciliates (Ciliophora)

    Science.gov (United States)

    SONNTAG, BETTINA; SUMMERER, MONIKA; SOMMARUGA, RUBEN

    2007-01-01

    Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are a family of secondary metabolites known to protect organisms exposed to solar UV radiation. We tested their distribution among several planktonic ciliates bearing Chlorella isolated from an oligo-mesotrophic lake in Tyrol, Austria. In order to test the origin of these compounds, the MAAs were assessed by high performance liquid chromatography in both the ciliates and their symbiotic algae. Considering all Chlorella-bearing ciliates, we found: (i) seven different MAAs (mycosporine-glycine, palythine, asterina-330, shinorine, porphyra-334, usujirene, palythene); (ii) one to several MAAs per species and (iii) qualitative and quantitative seasonal changes in the MAAs (e.g. in Pelagodileptus trachelioides). In all species tested, concentrations of MAAs were always <1% of ciliate dry weight. Several MAAs were also identified in the Chlorella isolated from the ciliates, thus providing initial evidence for their symbiotic origin. In Uroleptus sp., however, we found evidence for a dietary source of MAAs. Our results suggest that accumulation of MAAs in Chlorella-bearing ciliates represents an additional benefit of this symbiosis and an adaptation for survival in sunlit, UV-exposed waters.

  5. Ciliated protozoa in the impact zone of the Uzhgorod treatment plant

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pliashechnyk Volodimir

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the results of studies on the Uzh River (Ukraine, Zakarpattia Oblast near the effluent point of a sewage treatment plant in Uzhgorod. The samples were taken at various sites of the treatment plant along the stages of purification process, as well as in the river, at a number of different points above and below the wastewater discharge. At each of these objects, the temperature and O2 were measured. The structure of ciliate assemblage was analyzed along the stages of the treatment process in the WWTP and in the river before and after the sewage discharge. A total of 26 ciliate taxa were observed and included in the analysis. All the studied stations were considered as a continuum in which populations of protozoa spread freely according to their ecological preferences. The majority of ciliate species were encountered in each of the examined stations, but their quantitative development differed significantly, reflecting their response to the environmental conditions at the stations. The analysis of the qualitative and quantitative distribution of ciliate populations by the stations enabled to group them in respect to the peculiarities of the local conditions. The study showed that the majority of the ciliate species, typical of bioreactors, are equally common at the stations of the Uzh River below wastewater discharges. The ciliate assemblage in the oxygen gradient demonstrated a wide spectrum of ecological tolerance at the species level. These findings confirm that ciliates are very good indicators of the environmental quality, provided that detailed information about their environmental priorities is available.

  6. Ciliated protozoa in the impact zone of the Uzhgorod treatment plant

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pliashechnyk, Volodimir; Danko, Yaroslav; Łagód, Grzegorz; Drewnowski, Jakub; Kuzmina, Tatiana; Babko, Roman

    2018-02-01

    This paper presents the results of studies on the Uzh River (Ukraine, Zakarpattia Oblast) near the effluent point of a sewage treatment plant in Uzhgorod. The samples were taken at various sites of the treatment plant along the stages of purification process, as well as in the river, at a number of different points above and below the wastewater discharge. At each of these objects, the temperature and O2 were measured. The structure of ciliate assemblage was analyzed along the stages of the treatment process in the WWTP and in the river before and after the sewage discharge. A total of 26 ciliate taxa were observed and included in the analysis. All the studied stations were considered as a continuum in which populations of protozoa spread freely according to their ecological preferences. The majority of ciliate species were encountered in each of the examined stations, but their quantitative development differed significantly, reflecting their response to the environmental conditions at the stations. The analysis of the qualitative and quantitative distribution of ciliate populations by the stations enabled to group them in respect to the peculiarities of the local conditions. The study showed that the majority of the ciliate species, typical of bioreactors, are equally common at the stations of the Uzh River below wastewater discharges. The ciliate assemblage in the oxygen gradient demonstrated a wide spectrum of ecological tolerance at the species level. These findings confirm that ciliates are very good indicators of the environmental quality, provided that detailed information about their environmental priorities is available.

  7. Protistan Bacterivory in an Oligomesotrophic Lake: Importance of Attached Ciliates and Flagellates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrias; Amblard; Bourdier

    1996-05-01

    Seasonal and depth variations of the abundance, biomass, and bacterivory of protozoa (heterotrophic and mixotrophic flagellates and ciliates) were determined during thermal stratification in an oligomesotrophic lake (Lake Pavin, France). Maximal densities of heterotrophic flagellates (1.9x10(3) cells ml-1) and ciliates (6.1 cells ml-1) were found in the metalimnion. Pigmented flagellates dominated the flagellate biomass in the euphotic zone. Community composition of ciliated protists varied greatly with depth, and both the abundance and biomass of ciliates was dominated by oligotrichs. Heterotrophic flagellates dominated grazing, accounting for 84% of total protistan bacterivory. Maximal grazing impact of heterotrophic flagellates was 18.9x10(6) bacteria 1(-1)h-1. On average, 62% of nonpigmented flagellates were found to ingest particles. Ciliates and mixotrophic flagellates averaged 13% and 3% of protistan bacterivory, respectively. Attached protozoa (ciliates and flagellates) were found to colonize the diatom Asterionella formosa. Attached bacterivores had higher ingestion rates than free bacterivorous protozoa and may account for 66% of total protozoa bacterivory. Our results indicated that even in low numbers, epibiotic protozoa may have a major grazing impact on free bacteria.

  8. The oxidative stress response of oxytetracycline in the ciliate Pseudocohnilembus persalinus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chongnv; Pan, Xuming; Fan, Yawen; Chen, Ying; Mu, Weijie

    2017-12-01

    Oxytetracycline (OTC) is commonly employed in fish farms to prevent bacterial infections in China, and because of their widely and intensive use, the potential harmful effects on organisms in aquatic environment are of great concern. Ciliates play an important role in aquatic food webs as secondary producers, and Pseudocohnilembus persalinus, is one kind of them which are easily found in fish farms, surviving in polluted water. Therefore, using P. persalinus as experimental models, this study investigated the effects of oxytetracycline (OTC) on the growth, antioxidant system and morphological damage in pollution-resistant ciliates species. Our results showed that the 96-h EC 50 values for OTC of P. persalinus was 21.38mgL -1 . The increased level of SOD and GSH during 96h OTC stress was related to an adaptive response under oxidative stress induced in ciliates. Additionally, sod1, sod2 and sod3 exhibited a significant increased expression level compared to control group at 24h treatment, indicating a promoting of dense system in ciliates at this exposure time. However, only sod1 and sod2 showed raised expression level at 48h stress, showing the different sensitive of gene isoforms to some extent. With OTC treatment, damage of regular wrinkles, shrunk, twisted on the cell surface, even forming cyst of scuticociliatid ciliate cells were firstly observed by SEM (scanning electron microscope) in this study. Overall, physiological, molecular and morphological information on the toxicological studies of ciliates and more information on possibility of ciliates as indicators of contamination were provided in this study. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Diverse modes of reproduction in the marine free-living ciliate Glauconema trihymene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zufall Rebecca A

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Most free-living ciliates reproduce by equal fission or budding during vegetative growth. In certain ciliates, reproduction occurs inside the cyst wall, viz. reproductive cysts, but more complex reproductive strategies have generally been thought to be confined to parasitic or symbiotic species, e.g. Radiophrya spp. Results In addition to equal fission, asymmetric binary division and reproductive cysts were discovered in the free-living bacterivorous scuticociliate Glauconema trihymene Thompson, 1966. Asymmetric division is an innate physiological state that can be induced by sufficient food, and the higher the food concentration, the longer the asymmetric division persists. During asymmetric division, nuclear and somatic structures divide with transiently arrested cytokinesis and variable positioning of macronuclei. Phylogenetic analysis, based on the small subunit of ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA sequences, showed that the G. trihymene isolate studied here nests with typical scuticociliates and is paraphyletic to both the symbiotic apostome and astome ciliates, some of which also produce progeny by asymmetric division. Conclusions The asymmetric division in G. trihymene has no precedent among undisturbed free-living ciliates. The coexistence of multiple modes of reproduction may represent a previously undescribed reproductive strategy for ciliates living on food patches in coastal waters. This may also be indicative of similar reproductive strategies among other polyphenic ciliates, which have not been intensively studied. Asymmetric division provides a special opportunity for studying ciliates' phenotypic plasticity and may also illuminate the origins of multicellularity.

  10. Effect of salt and urban water samples on bacterivory by the ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    St Denis, C.H.; Pinheiro, M.D.O.; Power, M.E. [Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 (Canada); Bols, Niels C., E-mail: ncbols@uwaterloo.c [Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 (Canada)

    2010-02-15

    The effect of road salt on the eating of bacteria or bacterivory by the ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila, was followed in non-nutrient Osterhout's solution with Escherichia coli expressing green fluorescent protein. Bacterivory was impaired at between 0.025 and 0.050% w/v but the ciliates appeared to have normal morphologies and motilities, whereas at above 0.1%, bacterivory was blocked and many ciliates died. By contrast, E. coli remained viable, suggesting salt could alter predator-prey relationships in microbial communities. In nutrient medium, salt was not toxic and the ciliates grew. After growth in salt, ciliates consumed bacteria in 0.2% salt, indicating the salt acclimation of bacterivory. Bacteria and ciliates were added to urban creek samples to compare their capacity to support exogenous bacterivory. Even though samples were collected weekly for a year and be expected to have fluctuating salt levels as a result of deicing, all creek samples supported a similar level of bacterivory. - Road salt at some concentrations inhibits bacterivory by ciliates, and thus potentially could alter the microbial food web.

  11. Effect of salt and urban water samples on bacterivory by the ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    St Denis, C.H.; Pinheiro, M.D.O.; Power, M.E.; Bols, Niels C.

    2010-01-01

    The effect of road salt on the eating of bacteria or bacterivory by the ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila, was followed in non-nutrient Osterhout's solution with Escherichia coli expressing green fluorescent protein. Bacterivory was impaired at between 0.025 and 0.050% w/v but the ciliates appeared to have normal morphologies and motilities, whereas at above 0.1%, bacterivory was blocked and many ciliates died. By contrast, E. coli remained viable, suggesting salt could alter predator-prey relationships in microbial communities. In nutrient medium, salt was not toxic and the ciliates grew. After growth in salt, ciliates consumed bacteria in 0.2% salt, indicating the salt acclimation of bacterivory. Bacteria and ciliates were added to urban creek samples to compare their capacity to support exogenous bacterivory. Even though samples were collected weekly for a year and be expected to have fluctuating salt levels as a result of deicing, all creek samples supported a similar level of bacterivory. - Road salt at some concentrations inhibits bacterivory by ciliates, and thus potentially could alter the microbial food web.

  12. The mitochondrial genomes of the ciliates Euplotes minuta and Euplotes crassus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huynh Minh

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There are thousands of very diverse ciliate species from which only a handful mitochondrial genomes have been studied so far. These genomes are rather similar because the ciliates analysed (Tetrahymena spp. and Paramecium aurelia are closely related. Here we study the mitochondrial genomes of the hypotrichous ciliates Euplotes minuta and Euplotes crassus. These ciliates are only distantly related to Tetrahymena spp. and Paramecium aurelia, but more closely related to Nyctotherus ovalis, which possesses a hydrogenosomal (mitochondrial genome. Results The linear mitochondrial genomes of the hypotrichous ciliates Euplotes minuta and Euplotes crassus were sequenced and compared with the mitochondrial genomes of several Tetrahymena species, Paramecium aurelia and the partially sequenced mitochondrial genome of the anaerobic ciliate Nyctotherus ovalis. This study reports new features such as long 5'gene extensions of several mitochondrial genes, extremely long cox1 and cox2 open reading frames and a large repeat in the middle of the linear mitochondrial genome. The repeat separates the open reading frames into two blocks, each having a single direction of transcription, from the repeat towards the ends of the chromosome. Although the Euplotes mitochondrial gene content is almost identical to that of Paramecium and Tetrahymena, the order of the genes is completely different. In contrast, the 33273 bp (excluding the repeat region piece of the mitochondrial genome that has been sequenced in both Euplotes species exhibits no difference in gene order. Unexpectedly, many of the mitochondrial genes of E. minuta encoding ribosomal proteins possess N-terminal extensions that are similar to mitochondrial targeting signals. Conclusion The mitochondrial genomes of the hypotrichous ciliates Euplotes minuta and Euplotes crassus are rather different from the previously studied genomes. Many genes are extended in size compared to mitochondrial

  13. Zooxanthellae Harvested by Ciliates Associated with Brown Band Syndrome of Corals Remain Photosynthetically Competent▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulstrup, Karin E.; Kühl, Michael; Bourne, David G.

    2007-01-01

    Brown band syndrome is a new coral affliction characterized by a local accumulation of yet-unidentified ciliates migrating as a band along the branches of coral colonies. In the current study, morphologically intact zooxanthellae (= Symbiodinium) were observed in great numbers inside the ciliates (>50 dinoflagellates per ciliate). Microscale oxygen measurements and variable chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis along with microscopic observations demonstrated that zooxanthellae within the ciliates are photosynthetically competent and do not become compromised during the progression of the brown band zone. Zooxanthellae showed similar trends in light acclimation in a comparison of rapid light curve and steady-state light curve measures of variable chlorophyll a fluorescence. Extended light exposure of steady-state light curves resulted in higher quantum yields of photosystem II. The brown band tissue exhibited higher photosynthetically active radiation absorptivity, indicating more efficient light absorption due to a higher density of zooxanthellae in the ciliate-dominated zone. This caused relatively higher gross photosynthesis rates in the zone with zooxanthella-containing ciliates compared to healthy coral tissue. The observation of photosynthetically active intracellular zooxanthellae in the ciliates suggests that the latter can benefit from photosynthates produced by ingested zooxanthellae and from photosynthetic oxygen production that alleviates diffusion limitation of oxic respiration in the densely populated brown band tissue. It remains to be shown whether the zooxanthellae form a stable symbiotic association with the ciliate or are engulfed incidentally during grazing on coral tissue and then maintained as active inside the ciliate for a period before being digested and replaced by new zooxanthellae. PMID:17259357

  14. Zooxanthellae harvested by ciliates associated with brown band syndrome of corals remain photosynthetically competent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulstrup, Karin E; Kühl, Michael; Bourne, David G

    2007-03-01

    Brown band syndrome is a new coral affliction characterized by a local accumulation of yet-unidentified ciliates migrating as a band along the branches of coral colonies. In the current study, morphologically intact zooxanthellae (= Symbiodinium) were observed in great numbers inside the ciliates (>50 dinoflagellates per ciliate). Microscale oxygen measurements and variable chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis along with microscopic observations demonstrated that zooxanthellae within the ciliates are photosynthetically competent and do not become compromised during the progression of the brown band zone. Zooxanthellae showed similar trends in light acclimation in a comparison of rapid light curve and steady-state light curve measures of variable chlorophyll a fluorescence. Extended light exposure of steady-state light curves resulted in higher quantum yields of photosystem II. The brown band tissue exhibited higher photosynthetically active radiation absorptivity, indicating more efficient light absorption due to a higher density of zooxanthellae in the ciliate-dominated zone. This caused relatively higher gross photosynthesis rates in the zone with zooxanthella-containing ciliates compared to healthy coral tissue. The observation of photosynthetically active intracellular zooxanthellae in the ciliates suggests that the latter can benefit from photosynthates produced by ingested zooxanthellae and from photosynthetic oxygen production that alleviates diffusion limitation of oxic respiration in the densely populated brown band tissue. It remains to be shown whether the zooxanthellae form a stable symbiotic association with the ciliate or are engulfed incidentally during grazing on coral tissue and then maintained as active inside the ciliate for a period before being digested and replaced by new zooxanthellae.

  15. ATP7B detoxifies silver in ciliated airway epithelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ibricevic, Aida; Brody, Steven L.; Youngs, Wiley J.; Cannon, Carolyn L.

    2010-01-01

    Silver is a centuries-old antibiotic agent currently used to treat infected burns. The sensitivity of a wide range of drug-resistant microorganisms to silver killing suggests that it may be useful for treating refractory lung infections. Toward this goal, we previously developed a methylated caffeine silver acetate compound, SCC1, that exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against clinical strains of bacteria in vitro and when nebulized to lungs in mouse infection models. Preclinical testing of high concentrations of SCC1 in primary culture mouse tracheal epithelial cells (mTEC) showed selective ciliated cell death. Ciliated cell death was induced by both silver- and copper-containing compounds but not by the methylated caffeine portion of SCC1. We hypothesized that copper transporting P-type ATPases, ATP7A and ATP7B, play a role in silver detoxification in the airway. In mTEC, ATP7A was expressed in non-ciliated cells, whereas ATP7B was expressed only in ciliated cells. The exposure of mTEC to SCC1 induced the trafficking of ATP7B, but not ATP7A, suggesting the presence of a cell-specific silver uptake and detoxification mechanisms. Indeed, the expression of the copper uptake protein CTR1 was also restricted to ciliated cells. A role of ATP7B in silver detoxification was further substantiated when treatment of SCC1 significantly increased cell death in ATP7B shRNA-treated HepG2 cells. In addition, mTEC from ATP7B -/- mice showed enhanced loss of ciliated cells compared to wild type. These studies are the first to demonstrate a cell type-specific expression of the Ag + /Cu + transporters ATP7A, ATP7B, and CTR1 in airway epithelial cells and a role for ATP7B in detoxification of these metals in the lung.

  16. The mitochondrial genomes of the ciliates Euplotes minuta and Euplotes crassus.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Graaf, R.M. de; Alen, T.A. van; Dutilh, B.E.; Kuiper, J.W.; Zoggel, H.J. van; Huynh, M.B.; Gortz, H.D.; Huynen, M.A.; Hackstein, J.H.

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: There are thousands of very diverse ciliate species from which only a handful mitochondrial genomes have been studied so far. These genomes are rather similar because the ciliates analysed (Tetrahymena spp. and Paramecium aurelia) are closely related. Here we study the mitochondrial

  17. Ciliated cells in vitamin A-deprived cultured hamster tracheal epithelium do divide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rutten, A.A.; Beems, R.B.; Wilmer, J.W.; Feron, V.J.

    1988-01-01

    The pseudostratified tracheal epithelium, composed of a heterogeneous phenotypically varying cell population, was studied with respect to the in vitro cell proliferative activity of differentiated epithelial cells. Ciliated tracheal epithelial cells so far have been considered to be terminally differentiated, nonproliferating cells. Tracheal organ cultures obtained from vitamin A-deprived Syrian Golden hamsters were cultured in a vitamin A-deficient, serum-free, hormone-supplemented medium. In vitamin A-deprived tracheal epithelium treated with physiologically active all-trans retinol and low cigarette-smoke condensate concentrations it is possible to stimulate the cell proliferation of both basal and columnar cells. Therefore, the probability of finding proliferating columnar cells was increased compared with the in vivo and the vitamin A-deprived situation in which cell proliferative activity is relatively low. In the presence of cigarette-smoke condensate in a noncytotoxic concentration, basal, small mucous granule, ciliated, and indifferent tracheal epithelial cells incorporated [methyl-3H]-thymidine into the DNA during the S phase. The finding that ciliated cells were labeled was supported by serial sections showing the same labeled ciliated cell in two section planes separated by 2 to 3 micron, without labeled epithelial cells next to the ciliated cell. Furthermore, a ciliated tracheal epithelial cell incorporating [methyl- 3 H]thymidine into DNA was also seen in tracheal cultures of vitamin A-deprived hamsters treated with all-trans retinol in a physiologic concentration

  18. Comparing the responses of rumen ciliate protozoa and bacteria to excess carbohydrate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teixeira, César R V; Lana, Rogério de Paula; Tao, Junyi; Hackmann, Timothy J

    2017-06-01

    When given excess carbohydrate, certain microbial species respond by storing energy (synthesizing reserve carbohydrate), but other species respond by dissipating the energy as heat (spilling energy). To determine the importance of these responses in the rumen microbial community, this study quantified the responses of mixed ciliate protozoa vs bacteria to glucose. We hypothesized that ciliates would direct more glucose to synthesis of reserve carbohydrate (and less to energy spilling) than would bacteria. Ciliates and bacteria were isolated from rumen fluid using filtration and centrifugation, resuspended in nitrogen-free buffer to limit growth, and dosed with 5 mM glucose. Compared with bacteria, ciliates consumed glucose >3-fold faster and synthesized reserve carbohydrate 4-fold faster. They incorporated 53% of glucose carbon into reserve carbohydrate-nearly double the value (27%) for bacteria. Energy spilling was not detected for ciliates, as all heat production (104%) was accounted by synthesis of reserve carbohydrate and endogenous metabolism. For bacteria, reserve carbohydrate and endogenous metabolism accounted for only 68% of heat production, and spilling was detected within 11 min of dosing glucose. These results suggest that ciliates alter the course of ruminal carbohydrate metabolism by outcompeting bacteria for excess carbohydrate, maximizing reserve carbohydrate synthesis, and minimizing energy spilling. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Repression of CC16 by cigarette smoke (CS exposure.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lingxiang Zhu

    Full Text Available Club (Clara Cell Secretory Protein (CCSP, or CC16 is produced mainly by non-ciliated airway epithelial cells including bronchiolar club cells and the change of its expression has been shown to associate with the progress and severity of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD. In an animal model, the lack of CC16 renders the animal susceptible to the tumorigenic effect of a major CS carcinogen. A recent population-based Tucson Epidemiological Study of Airway Obstructive Diseases (TESAOD has indicated that the low serum CC16 concentration is closely linked with the smoke-related mortality, particularly that driven by the lung cancer. However, the study of CC16 expression in well-defined smoke exposure models has been lacking, and there is no experimental support for the potential causal link between CC16 and CS-induced pathophysiological changes in the lung. In the present study, we have found that airway CC16 expression was significantly repressed in COPD patients, in monkey CS exposure model, and in CS-induced mouse model of COPD. Additionally, the lack of CC16 exacerbated airway inflammation and alveolar loss in the mouse model. Therefore, CC16 may play an important protective role in CS-related diseases.

  20. [Comparison of ciliate diversity in biodisc reactors which purify industrial wastewater].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luna-Pabello, V M; Durán De Bazúa, C; Aladro-Lubel, M A

    1995-01-01

    The comparative study of the ciliate populations present in rotating biological reactors (biodiscs reactors) of 20 l working volume, treating three different wastewaters is the aim of this project. Wastewaters chosen were those of a maize mill, of a sugarcane/ethyl alcohol plant, and of a recycled paper mill. Its dissolved organic contents, measured as soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD) and five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), were 2040 mg COD/l and 585 mg BOD5/l for maize mill effluents (nejayote), 2000 mg COD/l and 640 mg BOD5/l for sugarcane/ethanol effluents (vinasses), and 960 mg COD/l and 120 mg BOD5/l for whitewaters of the paper industry. Results obtained indicate that ciliate proliferate in all chambers of reactors treating these wastewaters. The ciliates were more abundant in vinasses, followed by nejayote, and then whitewaters. Among protozoa, ciliates were present as follows: 19 species in total. Three of them were common for the three systems. Free swimming ciliates were in higher proportion than pedunculated ones. Its diversity was higher for the whitewaters system, next for nejayote, and the lesser, for vinasses, corroborating the fact that less polluted waters have higher organisms' diversity.

  1. Gefitinib, an EGFR Tyrosine Kinase inhibitor, Prevents Smoke-Mediated Ciliated Airway Epithelial Cell Loss and Promotes Their Recovery.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monica Valencia-Gattas

    Full Text Available Cigarette smoke exposure is a major health hazard. Ciliated cells in the epithelium of the airway play a critical role in protection against the noxious effects of inhaled cigarette smoke. Ciliated cell numbers are reduced in smokers which weakens host defense and leads to disease. The mechanisms for the loss of ciliated cells are not well understood. The effects of whole cigarette smoke exposure on human airway ciliated ciliated cells were examined using in vitro cultures of normal human bronchial epithelial cells and a Vitrocell® VC 10® Smoking Robot. These experiments showed that whole cigarette smoke causes the loss of differentiated ciliated cells and inhibits differentiation of ciliated cells from undifferentiated basal cells. Furthermore, treatment with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, Gefitinib, during smoke exposure prevents ciliated cell loss and promotes ciliated cell differentiation from basal cells. Finally, restoration of ciliated cells was inhibited after smoke exposure was ceased but was enhanced by Gefitinib treatment. These data suggest that inhibition of EGFR activity may provide therapeutic benefit for treating smoke related diseases.

  2. First TSI observations of the new Compact Lightweight Absolute Radiometer (CLARA)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walter, B.; Finsterle, W.; Koller, S.; Levesque, P. L.; Pfiffner, D.; Schmutz, W. K.

    2017-12-01

    Continuous and precise Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) measurements are indispensable to evaluate the influence of short- and long-term solar radiative emission variations on the Earth's energy budget. The existence of a potentially long-term trend in the suns activity and whether or not such a trend could be climate effective is still a matter of debate. The Compact Lightweight Absolute Radiometer (CLARA) is one of PMOD/WRC's future contributions to the almost seamless series of space borne TSI measurements since 1978. CLARA is one of three payloads of the Norwegian micro satellite NORSAT-1, along with Langmuir probes for space plasma research and an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver to monitor maritime traffic in Norwegian waters. NORSAT-1 was launched July 14th 2017 and the nominal operation of CLARA will start after the instrument commissioning beginning August 21st2017. We present the design, calibration and first TSI observations of CLARA, a new generation of active cavity Electrical Substitution Radiometers (ESR) comprising the latest radiometer developments of PMOD/WRC: i) A three-cavity design for degradation tracking and redundancy, ii) a digital control loop with feed forward system allowing for measurement cadences of 30s, iii) an aperture arrangement to reduce internal scattered light and iv) a new cavity and heatsink design to minimize non-equivalence, size and weight of the instrument. CLARA was end-to-end calibrated against the SI traceable cryogenic radiometer of the TSI Radiometer Facility (TRF) in Boulder (Colorado). The absolute measurement uncertainties for the three SI-traceable TSI detectors of CLARA are 567, 576 and 912 ppm (k = 1).

  3. Prevalence of ciliated epithelium in apical periodontitis lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ricucci, Domenico; Loghin, Simona; Siqueira, José F; Abdelsayed, Rafik A

    2014-04-01

    This article reports on the morphologic features and the frequency of ciliated epithelium in apical cysts and discusses its origin. The study material consisted of 167 human apical periodontitis lesions obtained consecutively from patients presenting for treatment during a period of 12 years in a dental practice operated by one of the authors. All of the lesions were obtained still attached to the root apices of teeth with untreated (93 lesions) or treated canals (74 lesions). The former were obtained by extraction and the latter by extraction or apical surgery. Specimens were processed for histopathologic and histobacteriologic analyses. Lesions were classified, and the type of epithelium, if present, was recorded. Of the lesions analyzed, 49 (29%) were diagnosed as cysts. Of these, 26 (53%) were found in untreated teeth, and 23 (47%) related to root canal-treated teeth. Ciliated columnar epithelium was observed partially or completely lining the cyst wall in 4 cysts, and all of them occurred in untreated maxillary molars. Three of these lesions were categorized as pocket cysts, and the other was a true cyst. Ciliated columnar epithelium-lined cysts corresponded to approximately 2% of the apical periodontitis lesions and 8% of the cysts of endodontic origin in the population studied. This epithelium is highly likely to have a sinus origin in the majority of cases. However, the possibility of prosoplasia or upgraded differentiation into ciliated epithelium from the typical cystic lining squamous epithelium may also be considered. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Rumen ciliate protozoal fauna of native sheep, friesian cattle and dromedary camel in Libya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Selim, H M; Imai, S; el Sheik, A K; Attia, H; Okamoto, E; Miyagawa, E; Maede, Y

    1999-03-01

    Rumen ciliate species and composition were surveyed on the native sheep, Friesian-cattle and dromedary (one-humped) camels kept in Libya. As a result of survey, 5 genera including 14 species with 5 formae in native sheep, 9 genera including 27 species with 6 formae in Friesian-cattle and 6 genera including 13 species and 7 formae in dromedary camels were identified. All of the ciliate species and their percentage composition detected from the Libyan sheep and cattle in this examination were similar to those found from corresponding animals in the other countries. Libyan camels lacked some peculiar ciliate species found from camels in the other countries, but had many cosmopolitan species common with those in the domestic ruminants, suggesting that ciliate faunae of camel are easily affected by the other domestic ruminants kept together. The ciliate density was estimated as 105/ml in every host species.

  5. Deep-sea ciliates: Recorded diversity and experimental studies on pressure tolerance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoenle, Alexandra; Nitsche, Frank; Werner, Jennifer; Arndt, Hartmut

    2017-10-01

    Microbial eukaryotes play an important role in biogeochemical cycles not only in productive surface waters but also in the deep sea. Recent studies based on metagenomics report deep-sea protistan assemblages totally different from continental slopes and shelf waters. To give an overview about the ciliate fauna recorded from the deep sea we summarized the available information on ciliate occurrence in the deep sea. Our literature review revealed that representatives of the major phylogenetic groups of ciliates were recorded from the deep sea (> 1000 m depth): Karyorelictea, Heterotrichea, Spirotrichea (Protohypotrichia, Euplotia, Oligotrichia, Choreotrichia, Hypotrichia), Armophorea (Armophorida), Litostomatea (Haptoria), Conthreep (Phyllopharyngea incl. Cyrtophoria, Chonotrichia, Suctoria; Nassophorea incl. Microthoracida, Synhymeniida, Nassulida; Colpodea incl. Bursariomorphida, Cyrtolophosidida; Prostomatea; Plagiopylea incl. Plagiopylida, Odontostomatida; Oligohymenophorea incl. Peniculia, Scuticociliatia, Hymenostomatia, Apostomatia, Peritrichia, Astomatia). Species occurring in both habitats, deep sea and shallow water, are rarely found to our knowledge to date. This indicates a high deep-sea specific ciliate fauna. Our own studies of similar genotypes (SSU rDNA and cox1 gene) revealed that two small scuticociliate species (Pseudocohnilembus persalinus and Uronema sp.) could be isolated from surface as well as deep waters (2687 m, 5276 m, 5719 m) of the Pacific. The adaptation to deep-sea conditions was investigated by exposing the ciliate isolates directly or stepwise to different hydrostatic pressures ranging from 1 to 550 atm at temperatures of 2 °C and 13 °C. Although the results indicated no general barophilic behavior, all four isolated strains survived the highest established pressure. A better survival at 550 atm could be observed for the lower temperature. Among microbial eukaryotes, ciliates should be considered as a diverse and potentially

  6. Ciliates from ancient permafrost: Assessment of cold resistance of the resting cysts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shatilovich, Anastasia; Stoupin, Daniel; Rivkina, Elizaveta

    2015-06-01

    There is evidence that resting cysts of soil ciliates and numerous taxa of other protists can survive in permafrost for thousands of years at subzero temperatures; however, our knowledge about mechanisms of long term cryobiosis remains incomplete. In order to better understand the means by which ancient cysts survive, we investigated resistance to cyclical supercooling stress of resting cysts of the soil ciliate Colpoda steinii (Colpodida, Ciliophora). Three clonal strains were used for comparison, isolated from Siberian tundra soil, ancient Holocene (5-7,000 y) and late Pleistocene (32-35,000 y) permafrost sediments. To determine the viability of the ancient and contemporary ciliate cysts we improved and validated a cultivation-independent method of vital fluorescent staining with a combination of two nucleic acid binding dyes, acridine orange and propidium iodide. The viability of Colpoda steinii cysts during low-temperature experiments was measured using both the proposed vital fluorescent staining method and standard germination test. Our results indicate that the dual-fluorescence technique is a more accurate, rapid, and efficient method for estimating cyst viability. We found that cysts of ancient ciliates display lower tolerance to the impact of cyclical cold compared to cysts of contemporary ciliates from Siberian permafrost affected soils. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  7. Clara Schumann: 'A woman's love and life': a psychoanalytic interpretation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halberstadt-Freud, H C

    1995-01-01

    This study was undertaken to demonstrate how psychoanalysis can shed new light on a much studied life history. Clara's emotional life knew a sequence of losses and "prohibited" intimate relationships that created grave loyalty, identity, and identificatory conflicts for her. Since her early childhood, when her father forced her to give up her mother, she had been forced into a choice between the love objects most dear to her and the one on whom she depended for her emotional survival. This resulted in her later repetition compulsion to maneuver herself into the same conflict of loyalty and in her hesitation to decide when choosing one object meant losing the other. Clara had never known a normal separation, only loss and abandonment. She strove to combine the incompatible and succeeded in remaining loyal not only to her mother and father, but also to Robert Schumann, and eventually to Johannes Brahms. Clara Schumann's ideals were conflicted not only because she was educated by two men who were fighting each other, but also because her father, as well as Robert, had internally inconsistent and ambiguous ideas about women. Clara not only had to be obedient and creative, but self-sufficient at the same time. She was partially able to satisfy her own and her partner's needs and solve her deficiencies by projective identification, choosing taciturn men, more maternal than she.

  8. Report of a case of surgical ciliated cyst in the left maxillary sinus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amirhossein Pakravan

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Surgical ciliated cyst happens as a delayed complication in the maxillary sinus, and is more frequent in Asia in comparison with Western countries. We report a case of surgical ciliated cyst in maxillary sinus in a male patient after 30 years of surgery for sinusitis treatment. The patient had swelling and pain in the region, and his radiographic views showed a cystic lesion. Incisional biopsy was performed and surgical ciliated cyst was reported as diagnosis. Then, Enucleation with curettage was performed for him as treatment.

  9. Documentation of the Santa Clara Valley regional ground-water/surface-water flow model, Santa Clara Valley, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanson, R.T.; Li, Zhen; Faunt, C.C.

    2004-01-01

    The Santa Clara Valley is a long, narrow trough extending about 35 miles southeast from the southern end of San Francisco Bay where the regional alluvial-aquifer system has been a major source of water. Intensive agricultural and urban development throughout the 20th century and related ground-water development resulted in ground-water-level declines of more than 200 feet and land subsidence of as much as 12.7 feet between the early 1900s and the mid-1960s. Since the 1960s, Santa Clara Valley Water District has imported surface water to meet growing demands and reduce dependence on ground-water supplies. This importation of water has resulted in a sustained recovery of the ground-water flow system. To help support effective management of the ground-water resources, a regional ground-water/surface-water flow model was developed. This model simulates the flow of ground water and surface water, changes in ground-water storage, and related effects such as land subsidence. A numerical ground-water/surface-water flow model of the Santa Clara Valley subbasin of the Santa Clara Valley was developed as part of a cooperative investigation with the Santa Clara Valley Water District. The model better defines the geohydrologic framework of the regional flow system and better delineates the supply and demand components that affect the inflows to and outflows from the regional ground-water flow system. Development of the model includes revisions to the previous ground-water flow model that upgraded the temporal and spatial discretization, added source-specific inflows and outflows, simulated additional flow features such as land subsidence and multi-aquifer wellbore flow, and extended the period of simulation through September 1999. The transient-state model was calibrated to historical surface-water and ground-water data for the period 197099 and to historical subsidence for the period 198399. The regional ground-water flow system consists of multiple aquifers that are grouped

  10. Acute toxicity of heavy metals towards freshwater ciliated protists

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Madoni, Paolo; Romeo, Maria Giuseppa

    2006-01-01

    The acute toxicity of five heavy metals to four species of freshwater ciliates (Colpidium colpoda, Dexiotricha granulosa, Euplotes aediculatus, and Halteria grandinella) was examined in laboratory tests. After exposing the ciliates to soluble compound of cadmium, copper, chromium, lead, and nickel at several selected concentrations, the mortality rate was registered and the LC 5 values (with 95% confidence intervals) were calculated. Large differences appeared in sensitivities of the four species to the metals. H. grandinella showed the highest sensitivity for cadmium (0.07 mg l -1 , LC 5 ) and lead (0.12 mg l -1 , LC 5 ), whilst E. aediculatus showed the highest sensitivity for nickel (0.03 mg l -1 , LC 5 ). The comparison with data obtained with other species indicate that Halteria grandinella and Euplotes aediculatus are excellent and convenient bioindicator for evaluating the toxicity of waters and wastewaters polluted by heavy metals. The short time (24 h) and simplicity of the test procedure enable this test to be used in laboratory studies. - Ciliated protozoa are suitable bioindicators of heavy metal pollution in freshwater environments

  11. Phytoplankton growth inhibited by the toxic and bacterivorous ciliate Uronema marinum (Protozoa, Ciliophora)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schaafsma, F. L.; Peperzak, L.

    2013-01-01

    The ubiquitous marine ciliate Uronema marinum is mainly bacterivorous. It was therefore surprising that in a ciliate-contaminated experiment the growth rate of the phytoplankton species Emiliania huxleyi was significantly reduced. As U. marinum does not ingest E. huxleyi cells, their growth

  12. [Ciliate diversity and spatiotemporal variation in surface sediments of Yangtze River estuary hypoxic zone].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Zhao; Kui-Dong, Xu; Zhao-Cui, Meng

    2012-12-01

    By using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and sequencing as well as Ludox-QPS method, an investigation was made on the ciliate diversity and its spatiotemporal variation in the surface sediments at three sites of Yangtze River estuary hypoxic zone in April and August 2011. The ANOSIM analysis indicated that the ciliate diversity had significant difference among the sites (R = 0.896, P = 0.0001), but less difference among seasons (R = 0.043, P = 0.207). The sequencing of 18S rDNA DGGE bands revealed that the most predominant groups were planktonic Choreotrichia and Oligotrichia. The detection by Ludox-QPS method showed that the species number and abundance of active ciliates were maintained at a higher level, and increased by 2-5 times in summer, as compared with those in spring. Both the Ludox-QPS method and the DGGE technique detected that the ciliate diversity at the three sites had the similar variation trend, and the Ludox-QPS method detected that there was a significant variation in the ciliate species number and abundance between different seasons. The species number detected by Ludox-QPS method was higher than that detected by DGGE bands. Our study indicated that the ciliates in Yangtze River estuary hypoxic zone had higher diversity and abundance, with the potential to supply food for the polyps of jellyfish.

  13. Ciliated protozoa of two antarctic lakes: analysis by quantitative protargol staining and examination of artificial substrates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kepner, R. L. Jr; Wharton, R. A. Jr; Coats, D. W.; Wharton RA, J. r. (Principal Investigator)

    1999-01-01

    Planktonic and artificial substrate-associated ciliates have been identified in two perennially ice-covered antarctic lakes of the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Abundances estimated by quantitative protargol staining ranged from < 5 to 31690 cells l-1, levels that are comparable to those previously obtained using other methods. Nineteen ciliate taxa were identified from these lakes, with the most frequently encountered genera being Plagiocampa, Askenasia, Monodinium, Sphaerophrya and Vorticella. The taxonomic findings compare favorably with those of previous investigators; however four previously unreported genera were observed in both Lakes Fryxell and Hoare. The variability in the depth distributions of ciliates in Lake Fryxell is explained in terms of lake physicochemical properties and ciliate prey distributions, while factors related to temporal succession in the Lake Hoare assemblage remain unexplained. Local marine or temperate zone freshwater habitats are a more likely source than the surrounding dry valleys soils for present ciliate colonists in these lakes. Although the taxonomic uncertainties require further examination, our results suggest that ciliate populations in these antarctic lakes undergo significant fluctuations and are more diverse than was previously recognized.

  14. On the methods for the estimation of salinity tolerance of ciliates

    OpenAIRE

    Smurov, Alexei

    2000-01-01

    Critical review of research methods for tolerance and potential tolerance of ciliates is given. Using several Paramecium species as an example the original approaches to potential tolerance estimation is presented. Connection between resistance, tolerance and potential tolerance is shown. Model for explanation of the connection is proposed. Several application aspects of diagrams of the connection between acclimation salinity and value of upper salinity tolerant limit in the ciliates are cons...

  15. Acute toxicity of heavy metals towards freshwater ciliated protists

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Madoni, Paolo [Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Universita degli Studi di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43100 Parma (Italy)]. E-mail: paolo.madoni@unipr.it; Romeo, Maria Giuseppa [Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Universita degli Studi di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43100 Parma (Italy)

    2006-05-15

    The acute toxicity of five heavy metals to four species of freshwater ciliates (Colpidium colpoda, Dexiotricha granulosa, Euplotes aediculatus, and Halteria grandinella) was examined in laboratory tests. After exposing the ciliates to soluble compound of cadmium, copper, chromium, lead, and nickel at several selected concentrations, the mortality rate was registered and the LC{sub 5} values (with 95% confidence intervals) were calculated. Large differences appeared in sensitivities of the four species to the metals. H. grandinella showed the highest sensitivity for cadmium (0.07 mg l{sup -1}, LC{sub 5}) and lead (0.12 mg l{sup -1}, LC{sub 5}), whilst E. aediculatus showed the highest sensitivity for nickel (0.03 mg l{sup -1}, LC{sub 5}). The comparison with data obtained with other species indicate that Halteria grandinella and Euplotes aediculatus are excellent and convenient bioindicator for evaluating the toxicity of waters and wastewaters polluted by heavy metals. The short time (24 h) and simplicity of the test procedure enable this test to be used in laboratory studies. - Ciliated protozoa are suitable bioindicators of heavy metal pollution in freshwater environments.

  16. Effects of resource supplements on mature ciliate biofilms: an empirical test using a new type of flow cell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norf, Helge; Arndt, Hartmut; Weitere, Markus

    2009-11-01

    Biofilm-dwelling consumer communities play an important role in the matter flux of many aquatic ecosystems. Due to their poor accessibility, little is as yet known about the regulation of natural biofilms. Here, a new type of flow cell is presented which facilitates both experimental manipulation and live observation of natural, pre-grown biofilms. These flow cells were used to study the dynamics of mature ciliate biofilms in response to supplementation of planktonic bacteria. The results suggest that enhanced ciliate productivity could be quickly transferred to micrometazoans (ciliate grazers), making the effects on the standing stock of the ciliates detectable only for a short time. Likewise, no effect on ciliates appeared when micrometazoan consumers were ab initio abundant. This indicates the importance of 'top-down' control of natural ciliate biofilms. The flow cells used here offer great potential for experimentally testing such control mechanisms within naturally cultivated biofilms.

  17. Involvement of Crawling and Attached Ciliates in the Aggregation of Particles in Wastewater Treatment Plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucía Arregui

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The biological community in activated sludge wastewater plants is organized within this ecosystem as bioaggregates or flocs, in which the biotic component is embedded in a complex matrix comprised of extracellular polymeric substances mainly of microbial origin. The aim of this work is to study the role of different floc-associated ciliates commonly reported in wastewater treatment plants-crawling Euplotes and sessile Vorticella- in the formation of aggregates. Flocs, in experiments with ciliates and latex beads, showed more compactation and cohesion among particles than those in the absence of ciliates. Ciliates have been shown to contribute to floc formation through different mechanisms such as the active secretion of polymeric substances (extrusomes, their biological activities (movement and feeding strategies, or the cysts formation capacity of some species. Staining with lectins coupled to fluorescein showed that carbohydrate of the matrix contained glucose, manose, N-acetyl-glucosamine and galactose. Protein fraction revealed over the latex beads surfaces could probably be of bacterial origin, but nucleic acids represented an important fraction of the extracellular polymeric substances of ciliate origin.

  18. Beyond the "Code": A Guide to the Description and Documentation of Biodiversity in Ciliated Protists (Alveolata, Ciliophora).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warren, Alan; Patterson, David J; Dunthorn, Micah; Clamp, John C; Achilles-Day, Undine E M; Aescht, Erna; Al-Farraj, Saleh A; Al-Quraishy, Saleh; Al-Rasheid, Khaled; Carr, Martin; Day, John G; Dellinger, Marc; El-Serehy, Hamed A; Fan, Yangbo; Gao, Feng; Gao, Shan; Gong, Jun; Gupta, Renu; Hu, Xiaozhong; Kamra, Komal; Langlois, Gaytha; Lin, Xiaofeng; Lipscomb, Diana; Lobban, Christopher S; Luporini, Pierangelo; Lynn, Denis H; Ma, Honggang; Macek, Miroslav; Mackenzie-Dodds, Jacqueline; Makhija, Seema; Mansergh, Robert I; Martín-Cereceda, Mercedes; McMiller, Nettie; Montagnes, David J S; Nikolaeva, Svetlana; Ong'ondo, Geoffrey Odhiambo; Pérez-Uz, Blanca; Purushothaman, Jasmine; Quintela-Alonso, Pablo; Rotterová, Johana; Santoferrara, Luciana; Shao, Chen; Shen, Zhuo; Shi, Xinlu; Song, Weibo; Stoeck, Thorsten; La Terza, Antonietta; Vallesi, Adriana; Wang, Mei; Weisse, Thomas; Wiackowski, Krzysztof; Wu, Lei; Xu, Kuidong; Yi, Zhenzhen; Zufall, Rebecca; Agatha, Sabine

    2017-07-01

    Recent advances in molecular technology have revolutionized research on all aspects of the biology of organisms, including ciliates, and created unprecedented opportunities for pursuing a more integrative approach to investigations of biodiversity. However, this goal is complicated by large gaps and inconsistencies that still exist in the foundation of basic information about biodiversity of ciliates. The present paper reviews issues relating to the taxonomy of ciliates and presents specific recommendations for best practice in the observation and documentation of their biodiversity. This effort stems from a workshop that explored ways to implement six Grand Challenges proposed by the International Research Coordination Network for Biodiversity of Ciliates (IRCN-BC). As part of its commitment to strengthening the knowledge base that supports research on biodiversity of ciliates, the IRCN-BC proposes to populate The Ciliate Guide, an online database, with biodiversity-related data and metadata to create a resource that will facilitate accurate taxonomic identifications and promote sharing of data. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society of Protistologists.

  19. The changing landscape of Clara Bog: the history of an Irish raised bog

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Crushell, P.H.; Connolly, A.; Schouten, M.G.C.; Mitchell, F.J.G.

    2008-01-01

    Clara Bog is one of the few raised bogs that has not been fully exploited in the Irish midlands and is a reminder of how the landscape of this region once appeared. This paper describes how the Clara Bog landscape has been changing since the commencement of the Holocene 11,500 years ago. Initially

  20. Characterization of copper resistant ciliates: Potential candidates for ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Jane

    2011-08-17

    Aug 17, 2011 ... algae (Rehman and Shakoori, 2001), yeast (Shakoori et al., 2005) ... organisms, this study was undertaken to determine the efficiency of ...... copper, mercury and zinc to ciliates from activated sludge plants. Bull. Environ.

  1. A Holotrichous ciliate from the coelom of Chaetognaths

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Santhakumari, V.

    A holotrichous ciliate was observed from the body cavity of Chaetognaths Sagitta enflata and S. bedoti collected from the zooplankton samples at Cape Comorin and Tuticorin (Tamil Nadu, India). Species were examined for infected parasites...

  2. Automática de la línea La Moza – Santa Clara; Automatic of the line la Moza – Santa Clara

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta Elena Bravo de las Casas

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available La línea de 110 kV Santa Clara – La Moza, ubicada en medio de la línea de enlace entre la hidroeléctrica Robustiano León (Hanabanilla y la subestación Santa Clara 110 kV, es de gran importancia teniendo en cuenta que de la misma se obtiene la derivación de donde se alimenta la Subestación de 110/13,8 kV Gran Panel de nuevo tipo. La misma cuenta con un mecanismo de reenganche trifásico el cual no realiza de forma exitosa sus funciones, lo que trae afectaciones y dificultades a la hora de restablecer el sistema. En este trabajo se analizan las condiciones de operación de la región, así como la problemática de las automáticas instaladas proponiendo soluciones con el objetivo de lograr una operación eficaz ante las averías, sin que la hidroeléctrica Hanabanilla se pierda del Sistema Eléctrico Nacional y que no se pierda el suministro de energía eléctrica a la subestación Gran Panel.The 110 kV line Santa Clara –La Moza, which is located in the middle of the line of link between the hydroelectric Robustiano León (Hanabanilla and the substation Santa Clara 110 kV, is of great importance considering that of the same one obtains the derivation where new type Gran Panel Substation 110/13,8 feeds.Ithas athree-phasereclosingmechanismwhichdoes not performhis dutiessuccessfully, which brings affectationsanddifficultythe moment of restoringthe system. In this work, the operating conditions of the region are discussed, as well as the problem of the automatics installed, and is proposing solutions in order to ensure effective operation before faults, without that the Hanabanilla hydroelectric loses the syncrhronism with the Electrical National System and supply the substation Gran Panelis not lost.

  3. Carcinoma odontogénico de células claras

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergio Alberto Flores Alvarado

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available El carcinoma odontogénico de células claras es un raro tumor odontogénico que se presenta principalmente en la parte anterior de la mandíbula, mayormente en mujeres entre la quinta y séptima década de vida. Se caracteriza histológicamente por redes de células con citoplasma claro mezcladas con células que contienen citoplasma eosinófilo. Es sumamente agresivo y puede presentar metástasis local o a distancia. Al emplearse el tratamiento por enucleación y curetaje, frecuentemente da lugar a recurrencia, por lo que se aconseja el tratamiento radical de resección mandibular hasta una zona libre de lesión. El carcinoma odontogénico de células claras debe ser considerado en el diagnóstico diferencial de tumores mandibulares que presenten células claras para el establecimiento del plan de tratamiento adecuado. Se debe incluir el seguimiento a largo plazo del paciente. Se presenta el caso de un paciente femenino de 69 años de edad, con una lesión presente en la región presinfisaria derecha, sin afectación de ganglios linfáticos regionales o metástasis aparente. Se efectuó osteotomía segmentaria mandibular y reconstrucción con placa de titanio.

  4. Horizontal gene transfer from Bacteria to rumen Ciliates indicates adaptation to their anaerobic, carbohydrates-rich environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takenaka Akio

    2006-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The horizontal transfer of expressed genes from Bacteria into Ciliates which live in close contact with each other in the rumen (the foregut of ruminants was studied using ciliate Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs. More than 4000 ESTs were sequenced from representatives of the two major groups of rumen Cilates: the order Entodiniomorphida (Entodinium simplex, Entodinium caudatum, Eudiplodinium maggii, Metadinium medium, Diploplastron affine, Polyplastron multivesiculatum and Epidinium ecaudatum and the order Vestibuliferida, previously called Holotricha (Isotricha prostoma, Isotricha intestinalis and Dasytricha ruminantium. Results A comparison of the sequences with the completely sequenced genomes of Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes, followed by large-scale construction and analysis of phylogenies, identified 148 ciliate genes that specifically cluster with genes from the Bacteria and Archaea. The phylogenetic clustering with bacterial genes, coupled with the absence of close relatives of these genes in the Ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila, indicates that they have been acquired via Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT after the colonization of the gut by the rumen Ciliates. Conclusion Among the HGT candidates, we found an over-representation (>75% of genes involved in metabolism, specifically in the catabolism of complex carbohydrates, a rich food source in the rumen. We propose that the acquisition of these genes has greatly facilitated the Ciliates' colonization of the rumen providing evidence for the role of HGT in the adaptation to new niches.

  5. Horizontal gene transfer from Bacteria to rumen Ciliates indicates adaptation to their anaerobic, carbohydrates-rich environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ricard, Guénola; McEwan, Neil R; Dutilh, Bas E; Jouany, Jean-Pierre; Macheboeuf, Didier; Mitsumori, Makoto; McIntosh, Freda M; Michalowski, Tadeusz; Nagamine, Takafumi; Nelson, Nancy; Newbold, Charles J; Nsabimana, Eli; Takenaka, Akio; Thomas, Nadine A; Ushida, Kazunari; Hackstein, Johannes H P; Huynen, Martijn A

    2006-02-10

    The horizontal transfer of expressed genes from Bacteria into Ciliates which live in close contact with each other in the rumen (the foregut of ruminants) was studied using ciliate Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs). More than 4000 ESTs were sequenced from representatives of the two major groups of rumen Cilates: the order Entodiniomorphida (Entodinium simplex, Entodinium caudatum, Eudiplodinium maggii, Metadinium medium, Diploplastron affine, Polyplastron multivesiculatum and Epidinium ecaudatum) and the order Vestibuliferida, previously called Holotricha (Isotricha prostoma, Isotricha intestinalis and Dasytricha ruminantium). A comparison of the sequences with the completely sequenced genomes of Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes, followed by large-scale construction and analysis of phylogenies, identified 148 ciliate genes that specifically cluster with genes from the Bacteria and Archaea. The phylogenetic clustering with bacterial genes, coupled with the absence of close relatives of these genes in the Ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila, indicates that they have been acquired via Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT) after the colonization of the gut by the rumen Ciliates. Among the HGT candidates, we found an over-representation (>75%) of genes involved in metabolism, specifically in the catabolism of complex carbohydrates, a rich food source in the rumen. We propose that the acquisition of these genes has greatly facilitated the Ciliates' colonization of the rumen providing evidence for the role of HGT in the adaptation to new niches.

  6. Patchiness of Ciliate Communities Sampled at Varying Spatial Scales along the New England Shelf.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-David Grattepanche

    Full Text Available Although protists (microbial eukaryotes provide an important link between bacteria and Metazoa in food webs, we do not yet have a clear understanding of the spatial scales on which protist diversity varies. Here, we use a combination of DNA fingerprinting (denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis or DGGE and high-throughput sequencing (HTS to assess the ciliate community in the class Spirotrichea at varying scales of 1-3 km sampled in three locations separated by at least 25 km-offshore, midshelf and inshore-along the New England shelf. Analyses of both abundant community (DGGE and the total community (HTS members reveal that: 1 ciliate communities are patchily distributed inshore (i.e. the middle station of a transect is distinct from its two neighboring stations, whereas communities are more homogeneous among samples within the midshelf and offshore stations; 2 a ciliate closely related to Pelagostrobilidium paraepacrum 'blooms' inshore and; 3 environmental factors may differentially impact the distributions of individual ciliates (i.e. OTUs rather than the community as a whole as OTUs tend to show distinct biogeographies (e.g. some OTUs are restricted to the offshore locations, some to the surface, etc.. Together, these data show the complexity underlying the spatial distributions of marine protists, and suggest that biogeography may be a property of ciliate species rather than communities.

  7. Rare Freshwater Ciliate Paramecium chlorelligerum Kahl, 1935 and Its Macronuclear Symbiotic Bacterium "Candidatus Holospora parva".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lanzoni, Olivia; Fokin, Sergei I; Lebedeva, Natalia; Migunova, Alexandra; Petroni, Giulio; Potekhin, Alexey

    2016-01-01

    Ciliated protists often form symbioses with many diverse microorganisms. In particular, symbiotic associations between ciliates and green algae, as well as between ciliates and intracellular bacteria, are rather wide-spread in nature. In this study, we describe the complex symbiotic system between a very rare ciliate, Paramecium chlorelligerum, unicellular algae inhabiting its cytoplasm, and novel bacteria colonizing the host macronucleus. Paramecium chlorelligerum, previously found only twice in Germany, was retrieved from a novel location in vicinity of St. Petersburg in Russia. Species identification was based on both classical morphological methods and analysis of the small subunit rDNA. Numerous algae occupying the cytoplasm of this ciliate were identified with ultrastructural and molecular methods as representatives of the Meyerella genus, which before was not considered among symbiotic algae. In the same locality at least fifteen other species of "green" ciliates were found, thus it is indeed a biodiversity hot-spot for such protists. A novel species of bacterial symbionts living in the macronucleus of Paramecium chlorelligerum cells was morphologically and ultrastructurally investigated in detail with the description of its life cycle and infection capabilities. The new endosymbiont was molecularly characterized following the full-cycle rRNA approach. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the novel bacterium is a member of Holospora genus branching basally but sharing all characteristics of the genus except inducing connecting piece formation during the infected host nucleus division. We propose the name "Candidatus Holospora parva" for this newly described species. The described complex system raises new questions on how these microorganisms evolve and interact in symbiosis.

  8. Rare Freshwater Ciliate Paramecium chlorelligerum Kahl, 1935 and Its Macronuclear Symbiotic Bacterium "Candidatus Holospora parva".

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olivia Lanzoni

    Full Text Available Ciliated protists often form symbioses with many diverse microorganisms. In particular, symbiotic associations between ciliates and green algae, as well as between ciliates and intracellular bacteria, are rather wide-spread in nature. In this study, we describe the complex symbiotic system between a very rare ciliate, Paramecium chlorelligerum, unicellular algae inhabiting its cytoplasm, and novel bacteria colonizing the host macronucleus. Paramecium chlorelligerum, previously found only twice in Germany, was retrieved from a novel location in vicinity of St. Petersburg in Russia. Species identification was based on both classical morphological methods and analysis of the small subunit rDNA. Numerous algae occupying the cytoplasm of this ciliate were identified with ultrastructural and molecular methods as representatives of the Meyerella genus, which before was not considered among symbiotic algae. In the same locality at least fifteen other species of "green" ciliates were found, thus it is indeed a biodiversity hot-spot for such protists. A novel species of bacterial symbionts living in the macronucleus of Paramecium chlorelligerum cells was morphologically and ultrastructurally investigated in detail with the description of its life cycle and infection capabilities. The new endosymbiont was molecularly characterized following the full-cycle rRNA approach. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the novel bacterium is a member of Holospora genus branching basally but sharing all characteristics of the genus except inducing connecting piece formation during the infected host nucleus division. We propose the name "Candidatus Holospora parva" for this newly described species. The described complex system raises new questions on how these microorganisms evolve and interact in symbiosis.

  9. Letalidad por accidentes de trabajo en Villa Clara

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Gómez Vital

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available Se valora la problemática de la letalidad por accidentes laborales en la provincia de Villa Clara, en el período comprendido entre 1987 y 1997. Se determinan las principales causas, y fue la conducta negligente del individuo la que más incidió. En los últimos años de la década del 80 se registraron más cantidad de muertes por accidentes de trabajo, los que ocurrieron fundamentalmente en el puesto laboral. Queda puntualizado el importante rol del equipo médico en instituciones laborales.The problem of letality from working accidents in the province of Villa Clara from 1987 to 1997 was evaluated. The main causes were also determined. Individual negligent behaviour proved to be the first cause. More deaths from working accidents were registered late in the 1980s. Most of these accidents occurred at the working place. It was stressed the important role played by the medical team at the working institutions

  10. Repair of tracheal epithelium by basal cells after chlorine-induced injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Musah Sadiatu

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Chlorine is a widely used toxic compound that is considered a chemical threat agent. Chlorine inhalation injures airway epithelial cells, leading to pulmonary abnormalities. Efficient repair of injured epithelium is necessary to restore normal lung structure and function. The objective of the current study was to characterize repair of the tracheal epithelium after acute chlorine injury. Methods C57BL/6 mice were exposed to chlorine and injected with 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU to label proliferating cells prior to sacrifice and collection of tracheas on days 2, 4, 7, and 10 after exposure. Airway repair and restoration of a differentiated epithelium were examined by co-localization of EdU labeling with markers for the three major tracheal epithelial cell types [keratin 5 (K5 and keratin 14 (K14 for basal cells, Clara cell secretory protein (CCSP for Clara cells, and acetylated tubulin (AcTub for ciliated cells]. Morphometric analysis was used to measure proliferation and restoration of a pseudostratified epithelium. Results Epithelial repair was fastest and most extensive in proximal trachea compared with middle and distal trachea. In unexposed mice, cell proliferation was minimal, all basal cells expressed K5, and K14-expressing basal cells were absent from most sections. Chlorine exposure resulted in the sloughing of Clara and ciliated cells from the tracheal epithelium. Two to four days after chlorine exposure, cell proliferation occurred in K5- and K14-expressing basal cells, and the number of K14 cells was dramatically increased. In the period of peak cell proliferation, few if any ciliated or Clara cells were detected in repairing trachea. Expression of ciliated and Clara cell markers was detected at later times (days 7–10, but cell proliferation was not detected in areas in which these differentiated markers were re-expressed. Fibrotic lesions were observed at days 7–10 primarily in distal trachea. Conclusion

  11. Ciliate diversity, community structure, and novel taxa in lakes of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yuan; Vick-Majors, Trista; Morgan-Kiss, Rachael; Priscu, John C; Amaral-Zettler, Linda

    2014-10-01

    We report an in-depth survey of next-generation DNA sequencing of ciliate diversity and community structure in two permanently ice-covered McMurdo Dry Valley lakes during the austral summer and autumn (November 2007 and March 2008). We tested hypotheses on the relationship between species richness and environmental conditions including environmental extremes, nutrient status, and day length. On the basis of the unique environment that exists in these high-latitude lakes, we expected that novel taxa would be present. Alpha diversity analyses showed that extreme conditions-that is, high salinity, low oxygen, and extreme changes in day length-did not impact ciliate richness; however, ciliate richness was 30% higher in samples with higher dissolved organic matter. Beta diversity analyses revealed that ciliate communities clustered by dissolved oxygen, depth, and salinity, but not by season (i.e., day length). The permutational analysis of variance test indicated that depth, dissolved oxygen, and salinity had significant influences on the ciliate community for the abundance matrices of resampled data, while lake and season were not significant. This result suggests that the vertical trends in dissolved oxygen concentration and salinity may play a critical role in structuring ciliate communities. A PCR-based strategy capitalizing on divergent eukaryotic V9 hypervariable region ribosomal RNA gene targets unveiled two new genera in these lakes. A novel taxon belonging to an unknown class most closely related to Cryptocaryon irritans was also inferred from separate gene phylogenies. © 2014 Marine Biological Laboratory.

  12. Evolution of the Exon-Intron Structure in Ciliate Genomes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladyslav S Bondarenko

    Full Text Available A typical eukaryotic gene is comprised of alternating stretches of regions, exons and introns, retained in and spliced out a mature mRNA, respectively. Although the length of introns may vary substantially among organisms, a large fraction of genes contains short introns in many species. Notably, some Ciliates (Paramecium and Nyctotherus possess only ultra-short introns, around 25 bp long. In Paramecium, ultra-short introns with length divisible by three (3n are under strong evolutionary pressure and have a high frequency of in-frame stop codons, which, in the case of intron retention, cause premature termination of mRNA translation and consequent degradation of the mis-spliced mRNA by the nonsense-mediated decay mechanism. Here, we analyzed introns in five genera of Ciliates, Paramecium, Tetrahymena, Ichthyophthirius, Oxytricha, and Stylonychia. Introns can be classified into two length classes in Tetrahymena and Ichthyophthirius (with means 48 bp, 69 bp, and 55 bp, 64 bp, respectively, but, surprisingly, comprise three distinct length classes in Oxytricha and Stylonychia (with means 33-35 bp, 47-51 bp, and 78-80 bp. In most ranges of the intron lengths, 3n introns are underrepresented and have a high frequency of in-frame stop codons in all studied species. Introns of Paramecium, Tetrahymena, and Ichthyophthirius are preferentially located at the 5' and 3' ends of genes, whereas introns of Oxytricha and Stylonychia are strongly skewed towards the 5' end. Analysis of evolutionary conservation shows that, in each studied genome, a significant fraction of intron positions is conserved between the orthologs, but intron lengths are not correlated between the species. In summary, our study provides a detailed characterization of introns in several genera of Ciliates and highlights some of their distinctive properties, which, together, indicate that splicing spellchecking is a universal and evolutionarily conserved process in the biogenesis of short

  13. Phosphorus, nitrogen and chlorophyll-a are significant factors controlling ciliate communities in summer in the northern Beibu Gulf, South China Sea.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yibo Wang

    Full Text Available Ciliates (protozoa are ubiquitous components of plankton community and play important roles in aquatic ecosystems in regards of their abundance, biomass, diversity and energy turnover. Based on the stratified samples collected from the northern Beibu Gulf in August 2011, species composition, abundance, biomass, diversity and spatial pattern of planktonic ciliates were studied. Furthermore the main environmental factors controlling ciliate communities were determined. A total of 101 species belonging to 44 genera and 7 orders (i.e., Oligotrichida, Haptorida, Euplotida, Sessilida, Pleurostomatida, Scuticociliatida and Tintinnida were identified. The variation of ciliate communities was significant at horizontal level, but that was not at vertical level. Based on cluster analysis, ciliate communities were divided into three main groups. Redundancy analysis (RDA revealed that Group A, existing in the waters with higher concentration of phosphorus and nitrogen, was dominated by Tintinnidium primitivum. Group B in the waters with lower temperature and chlorophyll-a concentration, was dominated by Leegaardiella ovalis. Group C, existing in the waters with higher temperature and chlorophyll-a concentration, was dominated by large Strombidium spp. and Mesodinium rubrum. Combining multiple analytic methods, our results strongly supported that phosphorus, nitrogen and chlorophyll-a were the most significant factors affecting the ciliate communities in the northern Beibu Gulf in summer. Concentration of phosphorus and nitrogen primarily influenced ciliate biomass, implying a potential impact of eutrophication on ciliate growth. The correlation with chlorophyll-a concentration, on one hand indicate the response of ciliates to the food availability, and on the other hand, the ciliates containing chloroplasts or endosymbionts may contribute greatly to the chlorophyll-a.

  14. Escaping Slavery: "Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt."

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Sue Ann

    This lesson uses the picture book "Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt" by Deborah Hopkinson and an interactive website to enhance third- through fifth-grade students' understanding of the Underground Railroad and slavery, development of reading comprehension skills, and application of mapping skills. During three 45-60 minute lessons,…

  15. A brief history of ciliate studies (late XVII the first third of the XX century)

    OpenAIRE

    Fokin, Sergei

    2004-01-01

    The most prominent protistologists who worked with ciliates from the Leeuwenhoek time up to the beginning of the XX century are mentioned. Their achievements in ciliatology and especially in taxonomy of ciliates are briefly discussed on the basis of the original literature and reviews, published during the last 150 years.

  16. Exploration of the Germline Genome of the Ciliate Chilodonella uncinata through Single-Cell Omics (Transcriptomics and Genomics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xyrus X. Maurer-Alcalá

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Separate germline and somatic genomes are found in numerous lineages across the eukaryotic tree of life, often separated into distinct tissues (e.g., in plants, animals, and fungi or distinct nuclei sharing a common cytoplasm (e.g., in ciliates and some foraminifera. In ciliates, germline-limited (i.e., micronuclear-specific DNA is eliminated during the development of a new somatic (i.e., macronuclear genome in a process that is tightly linked to large-scale genome rearrangements, such as deletions and reordering of protein-coding sequences. Most studies of germline genome architecture in ciliates have focused on the model ciliates Oxytricha trifallax, Paramecium tetraurelia, and Tetrahymena thermophila, for which the complete germline genome sequences are known. Outside of these model taxa, only a few dozen germline loci have been characterized from a limited number of cultivable species, which is likely due to difficulties in obtaining sufficient quantities of “purified” germline DNA in these taxa. Combining single-cell transcriptomics and genomics, we have overcome these limitations and provide the first insights into the structure of the germline genome of the ciliate Chilodonella uncinata, a member of the understudied class Phyllopharyngea. Our analyses reveal the following: (i large gene families contain a disproportionate number of genes from scrambled germline loci; (ii germline-soma boundaries in the germline genome are demarcated by substantial shifts in GC content; (iii single-cell omics techniques provide large-scale quality germline genome data with limited effort, at least for ciliates with extensively fragmented somatic genomes. Our approach provides an efficient means to understand better the evolution of genome rearrangements between germline and soma in ciliates.

  17. Description of Diploplastron dehorityi sp. nov. (Entodiniomorphida, Ophryoscolecidae), a new rumen ciliate from Brazilian sheep (Ovis aries).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cedrola, Franciane; Dias, Roberto Júnio Pedroso; Martinele, Isabel; D'Agosto, Marta

    2017-05-03

    To date the genus Diploplastron comprised only one species of ophryoscolecid ciliate, Diploplastron affine, which is characterized by having two retractable ciliary zones in the anterior end of the body, two slender and juxtaposed skeletal plates on the right side, a rod shape macronucleus, and two contractile vacuoles. During study on the characterization of rumen ciliate community composition in Brazilian domestic sheep, we observed ciliates with atypical morphology but with diagnostic features of genus Diploplastron. This study describes Diploplastron dehorityi, a new species of ophryoscolecid ciliate, that differs from D. affine, primarily, in the morphology of skeletal plates, morphology of nuclear apparatus and body shape. In addition to the similarities between the new species and congener species, D. dehorityi has some morphological similarities to species of genus Eremoplastron.

  18. Rare Freshwater Ciliate Paramecium chlorelligerum Kahl, 1935 and Its Macronuclear Symbiotic Bacterium “Candidatus Holospora parva”

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lebedeva, Natalia; Migunova, Alexandra; Petroni, Giulio

    2016-01-01

    Ciliated protists often form symbioses with many diverse microorganisms. In particular, symbiotic associations between ciliates and green algae, as well as between ciliates and intracellular bacteria, are rather wide-spread in nature. In this study, we describe the complex symbiotic system between a very rare ciliate, Paramecium chlorelligerum, unicellular algae inhabiting its cytoplasm, and novel bacteria colonizing the host macronucleus. Paramecium chlorelligerum, previously found only twice in Germany, was retrieved from a novel location in vicinity of St. Petersburg in Russia. Species identification was based on both classical morphological methods and analysis of the small subunit rDNA. Numerous algae occupying the cytoplasm of this ciliate were identified with ultrastructural and molecular methods as representatives of the Meyerella genus, which before was not considered among symbiotic algae. In the same locality at least fifteen other species of “green” ciliates were found, thus it is indeed a biodiversity hot-spot for such protists. A novel species of bacterial symbionts living in the macronucleus of Paramecium chlorelligerum cells was morphologically and ultrastructurally investigated in detail with the description of its life cycle and infection capabilities. The new endosymbiont was molecularly characterized following the full-cycle rRNA approach. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the novel bacterium is a member of Holospora genus branching basally but sharing all characteristics of the genus except inducing connecting piece formation during the infected host nucleus division. We propose the name “Candidatus Holospora parva” for this newly described species. The described complex system raises new questions on how these microorganisms evolve and interact in symbiosis. PMID:27992463

  19. Some ciliates from the marine wood boring isopod Sphaeroma treubia

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Santhakumari, V.; Nair, N.B.

    Seven ectocommensalic ciliates, namely, Vorticella companula, Zoothamnium rigidum, Cothurnia gammari, Legenophrys cochinensis sp. nov., Epistylis gammari, Folliculina producta and Foliculina boltoni, all first-time recorded from the wood...

  20. Dealing with the presence of the ciliate Euplotes sp. in cultures of the copepod Acartia tonsa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Drillet, Guillaume; Dutz, Jörg

    2014-01-01

    Ciliates in live feed cultures can be a pest that lower production yields. This could dramatically affect the management and success of copepod cultures. In this study, we investigated the effect of the ciliate Euplotes sp. on egg production, specific egg production and egg hatching success...... of unsaturated fatty acids, but the amount of fatty acids compared to their carbon weight was very low and, therefore, it was considered as a poor food source. We propose a short-term interruption of food supply to copepod cultures in order to mitigate bloom formation of ciliates. This will force copepods...

  1. Evaluación de la satisfacción del cliente de la Drogueria Villa Clara, 2008-2009 Assessment of the client satisfaction in Villa Clara Drugstore, 2008-2009

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Geidy Lorezo Monteagudo

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Introducción: la Droguería Villa Clara es la encargada de la distribución de medicamentos, reactivos y otros insumos médicos en esta provincia de Cuba. Mantiene relaciones comerciales con gran variedad de clientes, pero los más importantes son los pertenecientes al Sistema de Salud. Objetivo: evaluar la calidad del servicio brindado por esta entidad a los hospitales, policlínicos y farmacias de la provincia durante el 2008 y el 2009. Métodos: se conformó una muestra representativa de estas instituciones en todos los municipios de Villa Clara y se aplicaron encuestas al personal responsable de medicamentos en cada tipo unidad. Se determinó el índice de satisfacción para cada cliente encuestado en particular, así como para policlínicos, hospitales y farmacias en sentido general. Por otra parte, se determinó el índice de satisfacción alcanzado de forma global por la droguería en cada año evaluado. Resultados: el servicio brindado por la Droguería Villa Clara durante el 2008 y el 2009 fue calificado como bueno, con una mejora palpable al obtenerse índices de satisfacción que variaron de 84,2 % en el 2008 a 88,3 % en el 2009. Conclusiones: los clientes del proceso de distribución de medicamentos, perciben la disponibilidad de medicamentos como el problema fundamental de la distribución en la provincia.Introduction: Villa Clara Drugstore is in charge of the distribution of drugs, reagents, and other medical inputs in this Cuban province. It has commercial relations with a wide variety of clients, but the most important ones are those within the health system. Objective: to evaluate the quality of service rendered by this entity to hospitals, polyclinics and pharmacies in the province in 2008 and 2009. Methods: a representative sample from these institutions in all Villa Clara municipalities was selected and the personnel in charge of medications in each unit was surveyed. Satisfaction index for each surveyed client was

  2. Horizontal gene transfer from Bacteria to rumen Ciliates indicates adaptation to their anaerobic, carbohydrates-rich environment.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ricard, G.N.S.; McEwan, N.R.; Dutilh, B.E.; Jouany, J.P.; Macheboeuf, D.; Mitsumori, M.; McIntosh, F.M.; Michalowski, T.; Nagamine, T.; Nelson, N.; Newbold, C.J.; Nsabimana, E.; Takenaka, A; Thomas, N.A.; Ushida, K.; Hackstein, J.H.P.; Huynen, M.A.

    2006-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The horizontal transfer of expressed genes from Bacteria into Ciliates which live in close contact with each other in the rumen (the foregut of ruminants) was studied using ciliate Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs). More than 4000 ESTs were sequenced from representatives of the two major

  3. On the nature of species: insights from Paramecium and other ciliates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Meaghan S.; Katz, Laura A.

    2011-01-01

    The multiple species concepts currently in use by the scientific community (e.g. Morphological, Biological, Phylogenetic) are united in that they all aim to capture the process of divergence between populations. For example, the Biological Species Concept (BSC) defines a species as a natural group of organisms that is reproductively isolated from other such groups. Here we synthesize nearly a century of research on the ciliate genus Paramecium that highlights the shortcomings of our prevailing notions on the nature of species. In this lineage, there is discordance between morphology, mating behavior, and genetics, features assumed to be correlated, at least after sufficient time has passed, under all species concepts. Intriguingly, epigenetic phenomena are well documented in ciliates where they influence features such as germline/soma differentiation and mating type determination. Consequently, we hypothesize that divergence within ciliate populations is due to a dynamic interaction between genetic and epigenetic factors. The growing list of examples of epigenetic phenomena that potentially impact speciation (i.e. by influencing the dynamics of sex chromosomes, fate of hybrids, zygotic drive and genomic conflicts) suggests that interactions between genetics and epigenetics may also drive divergence in other eukaryotic lineages. PMID:21505762

  4. Normobaric Hypoxia Induces Mild Damage to Epithelium of Terminal Bronchioles in Rabbits (Ultrastructural Study)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Uhlík, J.; Konrádová, V.; Vajner, L.; Adášková, Jana

    2005-01-01

    Roč. 50, č. 10 (2005), s. 432-438 ISSN 0375-8427 Source of funding: V - iné verejné zdroje Keywords : airways * Clara cells * ciliated cells * electron microscopy Subject RIV: BB - Applied Statistics, Operational Research Impact factor: 0.621, year: 2005

  5. Ciliates and the rare biosphere-community ecology and population dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weisse, Thomas

    2014-01-01

    Application of deep sequencing technologies to environmental samples and some detailed morphological studies suggest that there is a vast, yet unexplored rare ciliate biosphere, tentatively defined in terms of operational taxonomic units. However, very few studies complemented molecular and phylogenetic data with morphological and ecological descriptions of the species inventory. This is mainly because the sampling effort increases strongly with decreasing species abundance. In spite of this limited knowledge, it is clear that species that are rare under certain environmental conditions (temporal rare biosphere) may become abundant when the physical, chemical, and biological variables of their habitat change. Furthermore, some species may always be present in low numbers if their dispersal rates are exceedingly high (accidental rare biosphere). An intriguing question is whether there are some species that are always rare, i.e., in every suitable environment. This permanent rare biosphere is conceptually different from the temporal rare biosphere. This review characterizes typical aquatic habitats of the rare ciliate biosphere, portrays different scenarios under which some or even many species may be permanently rare (background fauna), and identifies some fundamental questions that need to be addressed to achieve a better understanding of the population dynamics of the rare ciliate biosphere. © 2014 The Authors The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society of Protistologists.

  6. Bioaccumulation of ultraviolet sunscreen compounds (mycosporine-like amino acids) by the heterotrophic freshwater ciliate Bursaridium living in alpine lakes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonntag, Bettina; Kammerlander, Barbara; Summerer, Monika

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Ciliates in shallow alpine lakes are exposed to high levels of incident solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR). We observed the presence of specific sunscreen compounds, the mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), in several populations of Bursaridium, a relatively large ciliate species found in such lakes. The populations from 3 highly UV transparent lakes revealed the presence of 7 MAAs (MG, SH, PR, PI, AS, US, and PE) in total concentrations of 3.6–52.4 10−5 μg μg−1 dry weight (DW) per individual, whereas in one glacially turbid and less UV transparent lake, no MAAs were detected in the Bursaridium population. The MAAs in the ciliates generally reflected the composition and relative amounts of the lakes’ seston MAAs, assuming that the ciliates fed on MAA-rich plankton. We experimentally found that naturally acquired MAAs prevented ciliate mortality under simulated UVR and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) conditions. We further tested the dietary regulation of the MAAs-content in the ciliates under artificial UVR and PAR exposure and found an increase in MAAs concentrations in all treatments. Our assumption was that several stress factors other than irradiation were involved in the synthesis or up-regulation of MAAs. PMID:28690781

  7. Toxicity of Chlorpyrifos and Dimethoate to the Ciliate Urostyla grandis, with Notes on Their Effects on Cell Ultrastructure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mu, Weijie; Warren, Alan; Pan, Xuming; Ying, Chen

    2018-06-01

    Chlorpyrifos and dimethoate are overused agricultural pesticides that can trigger trophic cascades, resulting in toxicity to both terrestrial and aquatic organisms as well as altered ecosystems. In previous studies, substantial attention has been given to the effects of pesticides on vertebrate species and, to a lesser extent, species of zooplankton. The present study was designed to show that the fission time effective concentration in ciliates is a potential aquatic detection index for environmental monitoring. The ciliate Urostyla grandis was treated with doses of chlorpyrifos and dimethoate. After exposed to the pesticides, the LC 50 ( i.e., concentration that killed 50% of the ciliate cells within 24 h) values were 0.029 mg L-1 for chlorpyrifos and 0.0685 mg L-1 for dimethoate. The fission time effective concentrations after 168 h of exposure were 0.0075-0.0093 mg L-1 for chlorpyrifos and 0.2640-0.2750 mg L-1 for dimethoate. These results show that the fission time effective concentration is lower than the LC 50 value in ciliates, indicating that fission time effective concentration is more suitable than the LC 50 value for environmental monitoring using ciliates. The effects of chlorpyrifos and dimethoate on ciliate cell ultrastructures included agglutination of chromatin in the macronucleus, protruded and discontinuous macronuclear and micronuclear membranes, loss of integrity of mitochondrial membranes and contents, and abscission and deformation of the adoral zone of membranelles.

  8. First record of entodiniomorph ciliates in a carnivore, the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), from Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vynne, Carly; Kinsella, John M

    2009-06-01

    The entodiniomorph ciliates (Ciliophora: Entodiniomorphida) are endosymbiotes widely found in the intestines of herbivorous mammals. These commensals commonly occur in the Artiodactyla and Perissodactyla and have also been described in the Proboscidea, Primates, Rodentia, and Diprotodontia. This study reports the first finding of a ciliate in a member of order Carnivora, the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus). Fecal samples from wild and captive maned wolves were screened using ethyl acetate sedimentation. Prevalence in fecal samples collected from free-ranging maned wolves in Brazil was 40% (6 of 15). Fecal samples from two of four captive individuals from the St. Louis Zoo also had the same species of ciliate. The largely frugivorous diet of the maned wolf likely explains the occurrence of these normally herbivore-associated endosymbiotes in a carnivore.

  9. CLARA: A Contemporary Approach to Physics Data Processing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    V Gyurjyan, D Abbott, J Carbonneau, G Gilfoyle, D Heddle, G Heyes, S Paul, C Timmer, D Weygand, E Wolin

    2011-12-01

    In traditional physics data processing (PDP) systems, data location is static and is accessed by analysis applications. In comparison, CLARA (CLAS12 Reconstruction and Analysis framework) is an environment where data processing algorithms filter continuously flowing data. In CLARA's domain of loosely coupled services, data is not stored, but rather flows from one service to another, mutating constantly along the way. Agents, performing event processing, can then subscribe to particular data/events at any stage of the data transformation, and make intricate decisions (e.g. particle ID) by correlating events from multiple, parallel data streams and/or services. This paper presents a PDP application development framework based on service oriented and event driven architectures. This system allows users to design (Java, C++, and Python languages are supported) and deploy data processing services, as well as dynamically compose PDP applications using available services. The PDP service bus provides a layer on top of a distributed pub-sub middleware implementation, which allows complex service composition and integration without writing code. Examples of service creation and deployment, along with the CLAS12 track reconstruction application design will be presented.

  10. Bose-Einstein condensates form in heuristics learned by ciliates deciding to signal 'social' commitments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Kevin B

    2010-03-01

    Fringe quantum biology theories often adopt the concept of Bose-Einstein condensation when explaining how consciousness, emotion, perception, learning, and reasoning emerge from operations of intact animal nervous systems and other computational media. However, controversial empirical evidence and mathematical formalism concerning decoherence rates of bioprocesses keep these frameworks from satisfactorily accounting for the physical nature of cognitive-like events. This study, inspired by the discovery that preferential attachment rules computed by complex technological networks obey Bose-Einstein statistics, is the first rigorous attempt to examine whether analogues of Bose-Einstein condensation precipitate learned decision making in live biological systems as bioenergetics optimization predicts. By exploiting the ciliate Spirostomum ambiguum's capacity to learn and store behavioral strategies advertising mating availability into heuristics of topologically invariant computational networks, three distinct phases of strategy use were found to map onto statistical distributions described by Bose-Einstein, Fermi-Dirac, and classical Maxwell-Boltzmann behavior. Ciliates that sensitized or habituated signaling patterns to emit brief periods of either deceptive 'harder-to-get' or altruistic 'easier-to-get' serial escape reactions began testing condensed on initially perceived fittest 'courting' solutions. When these ciliates switched from their first strategy choices, Bose-Einstein condensation of strategy use abruptly dissipated into a Maxwell-Boltzmann computational phase no longer dominated by a single fittest strategy. Recursive trial-and-error strategy searches annealed strategy use back into a condensed phase consistent with performance optimization. 'Social' decisions performed by ciliates showing no nonassociative learning were largely governed by Fermi-Dirac statistics, resulting in degenerate distributions of strategy choices. These findings corroborate

  11. The D1-D2 region of the large subunit ribosomal DNA as barcode for ciliates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoeck, T; Przybos, E; Dunthorn, M

    2014-05-01

    Ciliates are a major evolutionary lineage within the alveolates, which are distributed in nearly all habitats on our planet and are an essential component for ecosystem function, processes and stability. Accurate identification of these unicellular eukaryotes through, for example, microscopy or mating type reactions is reserved to few specialists. To satisfy the demand for a DNA barcode for ciliates, which meets the standard criteria for DNA barcodes defined by the Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL), we here evaluated the D1-D2 region of the ribosomal DNA large subunit (LSU-rDNA). Primer universality for the phylum Ciliophora was tested in silico with available database sequences as well as in the laboratory with 73 ciliate species, which represented nine of 12 ciliate classes. Primers tested in this study were successful for all tested classes. To test the ability of the D1-D2 region to resolve conspecific and congeneric sequence divergence, 63 Paramecium strains were sampled from 24 mating species. The average conspecific D1-D2 variation was 0.18%, whereas congeneric sequence divergence averaged 4.83%. In pairwise genetic distance analyses, we identified a D1-D2 sequence divergence of DNA amplification of single cells and voucher deposition. In conclusion, the presented data pinpoint the D1-D2 region as an excellent candidate for an official CBOL barcode for ciliated protists. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Ciliates learn to diagnose and correct classical error syndromes in mating strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Kevin B

    2013-01-01

    Preconjugal ciliates learn classical repetition error-correction codes to safeguard mating messages and replies from corruption by "rivals" and local ambient noise. Because individual cells behave as memory channels with Szilárd engine attributes, these coding schemes also might be used to limit, diagnose, and correct mating-signal errors due to noisy intracellular information processing. The present study, therefore, assessed whether heterotrich ciliates effect fault-tolerant signal planning and execution by modifying engine performance, and consequently entropy content of codes, during mock cell-cell communication. Socially meaningful serial vibrations emitted from an ambiguous artificial source initiated ciliate behavioral signaling performances known to advertise mating fitness with varying courtship strategies. Microbes, employing calcium-dependent Hebbian-like decision making, learned to diagnose then correct error syndromes by recursively matching Boltzmann entropies between signal planning and execution stages via "power" or "refrigeration" cycles. All eight serial contraction and reversal strategies incurred errors in entropy magnitude by the execution stage of processing. Absolute errors, however, subtended expected threshold values for single bit-flip errors in three-bit replies, indicating coding schemes protected information content throughout signal production. Ciliate preparedness for vibrations selectively and significantly affected the magnitude and valence of Szilárd engine performance during modal and non-modal strategy corrective cycles. But entropy fidelity for all replies mainly improved across learning trials as refinements in engine efficiency. Fidelity neared maximum levels for only modal signals coded in resilient three-bit repetition error-correction sequences. Together, these findings demonstrate microbes can elevate survival/reproductive success by learning to implement classical fault-tolerant information processing in social

  13. Ciliates learn to diagnose and correct classical error syndromes in mating strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kevin Bradley Clark

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Preconjugal ciliates learn classical repetition error-correction codes to safeguard mating messages and replies from corruption by rivals and local ambient noise. Because individual cells behave as memory channels with Szilárd engine attributes, these coding schemes also might be used to limit, diagnose, and correct mating-signal errors due to noisy intracellular information processing. The present study, therefore, assessed whether heterotrich ciliates effect fault-tolerant signal planning and execution by modifying engine performance, and consequently entropy content of codes, during mock cell-cell communication. Socially meaningful serial vibrations emitted from an ambiguous artificial source initiated ciliate behavioral signaling performances known to advertise mating fitness with varying courtship strategies. Microbes, employing calcium-dependent Hebbian-like decision making, learned to diagnose then correct error syndromes by recursively matching Boltzmann entropies between signal planning and execution stages via power or refrigeration cycles. All eight serial contraction and reversal strategies incurred errors in entropy magnitude by the execution stage of processing. Absolute errors, however, subtended expected threshold values for single bit-flip errors in three-bit replies, indicating coding schemes protected information content throughout signal production. Ciliate preparedness for vibrations selectively and significantly affected the magnitude and valence of Szilárd engine performance during modal and nonmodal strategy corrective cycles. But entropy fidelity for all replies mainly improved across learning trials as refinements in engine efficiency. Fidelity neared maximum levels for only modal signals coded in resilient three-bit repetition error-correction sequences. Together, these findings demonstrate microbes can elevate survival/reproductive success by learning to implement classical fault-tolerant information processing in

  14. Methods for the cultivation of ciliated protozoa from the large intestine of horses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bełżecki, Grzegorz; Miltko, Renata; Michałowski, Tadeusz; McEwan, Neil R

    2016-01-01

    This paper describes cultivation methods for ciliates from the digestive tract of horses. Members of three different genera were successfully grown in vitro for short periods of time. However, only cells belonging to the genus Blepharocorys, which resides in the horse's large intestine, were maintained for longer periods. This Blepharocorys culture was successfully grown in vitro after inoculation of freshly excreted horse faeces in culture medium containing a population of bacteria. The ciliates survived for over six months, and the density of their population varied between 1.7 × 10(3) and 2.4 × 10(3) cells mL(-1). Favourable conditions for the prolonged cultivation of this ciliate were observed when the medium was prepared by mixing horse faeces and 'caudatum' salt solution in a 1:1 V/V ratio together with food (60% powdered meadow hay, 16% wheat gluten, 12% barley flour and 12% microcrystalline cellulose) supplied as 0.20 mg mL(-1) culture per day. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Studies on experimental culture of a marine ciliate Fabrea salina

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Rattan, R.; Ansari, Z.A.; Chatterji, A.

    Studies were conducted on the culture of a marine ciliate, Fabrea salina in the laboratory condition. Three types of inert feed; commercial yeast, fermented wheat bran and fermented rise bran were tested to study their suitability as artificial feed...

  16. Act together – implications of symbioses in aquatic ciliates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia eDziallas

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Mutual interactions in form of symbioses can increase the fitness of organisms and provide them with the capacity to occupy new ecological niches. The formation of obligate symbioses allows for rapid evolution of new life forms including multitrophic consortia. Microbes are important components of many known endosymbioses and their short generation times and strong potential for genetic exchange may be important drivers of speciation. Hosts provide endo- and ectosymbionts with stable, nutrient-rich environments and protection from environmental stresses. This is of particular importance in aquatic ecosystems, which are often highly variable, harsh and nutrient-deficient habitats. Thus it is not surprising that symbioses are widespread in both marine and freshwater environments. Symbioses in aquatic ciliates are good model systems for exploring symbiont-host interactions. Many ciliate species are globally distributed and have been intensively studied in the context of plastid evolution. Their relatively large cell size offers an ideal habitat for numerous microorganisms with different functional traits including commensalism and parasitism. Phagocytosis facilitates the formation of symbiotic relationships, particularly since some ingested microorganisms can escape the digestion. For example, photoautotrophic algae and methanogens represent endosymbionts that greatly extend the biogeochemical functions of their hosts. Consequently, symbiotic relationships between protists and prokaryotes are widespread and often result in new ecological functions of symbiotic communities. This enables ciliates to thrive under a wide range of environmental conditions including ultraoligotrophic or anoxic habitats. We summarize the current understanding of this exciting research topic to identify the many areas in which knowledge is lacking and to stimulate future research by providing an overview on new methodologies and by formulating a number of emerging

  17. Rumen ciliate protozoa of domestic sheep (Ovis aries) and goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) in Kyrgyzstan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gürelli, Gözde; Canbulat, Savaş; Aldayarov, Nurbek; Dehority, Burk A

    2016-03-01

    Species composition and concentration of rumen ciliate protozoa were investigated in the rumen contents of 14 domestic sheep and 1 goat living in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. This is the first report on rumen ciliates from ruminants living in Kyrgyzstan. In sheep 12 genera, 28 species and 12 morphotypes were detected, whereas in goat 8 genera, 12 species and 4 morphotypes were detected. The density of ciliates in sheep was (28.1 ± 20.0) × 10(4) cells mL(-1) and in goat was 37.0 × 10(4) cells mL(-1). Dasytricha ruminantium, Isotricha prostoma, Entodinium simulans and Ophryoscolex caudatus were major species (100%) in sheep, and for the first time, Diplodinium rangiferi was detected in a domestic goat. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. Reglas electorales claras: el objetivo de todo organismo encargado de organizar un torneo comicial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandro J. Robles Leal

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available La importancia de establecer reglas claras y que estas sean conocidas por todos los actores electorales coadyuva al desarrollo exitoso de una contienda electoral. El artículo analiza las sentencias 1532-E1-2017 y 2173-E1-2017 del Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones las cuales, en términos generales, han dejado clara la obligación que tienen los partidos políticos de definir las reglas que regirán las contiendas electorales dentro de las agrupaciones políticas.

  19. The symbiotic intestinal ciliates and the evolution of their hosts

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Moon-van der Staay, S.Y.; Staay, G.W. van der; Michalowski, T.; Jouany, J.P.; Pristas, P.; Javorsky, P.; Kisidayova, S.; Varadyova, Z.; McEwan, N.R.; Newbold, C.J.; Alen, T. van; Graaf, R. de; Schmid, M.; Huynen, M.A.; Hackstein, J.H.

    2014-01-01

    The evolution of sophisticated differentiations of the gastro-intestinal tract enabled herbivorous mammals to digest dietary cellulose and hemicellulose with the aid of a complex anaerobic microbiota. Distinctive symbiotic ciliates, which are unique to this habitat, are the largest representatives

  20. Meiosis gene inventory of four ciliates reveals the prevalence of a synaptonemal complex-independent crossover pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chi, Jingyun; Mahé, Frédéric; Loidl, Josef; Logsdon, John; Dunthorn, Micah

    2014-03-01

    To establish which meiosis genes are present in ciliates, and to look for clues as to which recombination pathways may be treaded by them, four genomes were inventoried for 11 meiosis-specific and 40 meiosis-related genes. We found that the set of meiosis genes shared by Tetrahymena thermophila, Paramecium tetraurelia, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, and Oxytricha trifallax is consistent with the prevalence of a Mus81-dependent class II crossover pathway that is considered secondary in most model eukaryotes. There is little evidence for a canonical class I crossover pathway that requires the formation of a synaptonemal complex (SC). This gene inventory suggests that meiotic processes in ciliates largely depend on mitotic repair proteins for executing meiotic recombination. We propose that class I crossovers and SCs were reduced sometime during the evolution of ciliates. Consistent with this reduction, we provide microscopic evidence for the presence only of degenerate SCs in Stylonychia mytilus. In addition, lower nonsynonymous to synonymous mutation rates of some of the meiosis genes suggest that, in contrast to most other nuclear genes analyzed so far, meiosis genes in ciliates are largely evolving at a slower rate than those genes in fungi and animals.

  1. Functional diversity of benthic ciliate communities in response to environmental gradients in a wetland of Yangtze Estuary, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yuan; Fan, Xinpeng; Warren, Alan; Zhang, Liquan; Xu, Henglong

    2018-02-01

    Researches on the functional diversity of benthic ecosystems have mainly focused on macrofauna, and studies on functional structure of ciliate communities have been based only on trophic- or size-groups. Current research was carried out on the changing patterns of classical and functional diversity of benthic ciliates in response to environmental gradients at three sites in a wetland in Yangtze Estuary. The results showed that changes of environmental factors (e.g. salinity, sediment grain size and hydrodynamic conditions) in the Yangtze Estuary induce variability in species composition and functional trait distribution. Furthermore, increased species richness and diversity did not lead to significant changes in functional diversity due to functional redundancy. However, salt water intrusion of Yangtze Estuary during the dry season could cause reduced functional diversity of ciliate communities. Current study provides the first insight into the functional diversity of ciliate communities in response to environmental gradients. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Horizontal gene transfer from Bacteria to rumen Ciliates indicates adaptation to their anaerobic, carbohydrates-rich environment

    OpenAIRE

    Ricard, Guénola; McEwan, Neil R; Dutilh, Bas E; Jouany, Jean-Pierre; Macheboeuf, Didier; Mitsumori, Makoto; McIntosh, Freda M; Michalowski, Tadeusz; Nagamine, Takafumi; Nelson, Nancy; Newbold, Charles J; Nsabimana, Eli; Takenaka, Akio; Thomas, Nadine A; Ushida, Kazunari

    2006-01-01

    Abstract Background The horizontal transfer of expressed genes from Bacteria into Ciliates which live in close contact with each other in the rumen (the foregut of ruminants) was studied using ciliate Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs). More than 4000 ESTs were sequenced from representatives of the two major groups of rumen Cilates: the order Entodiniomorphida (Entodinium simplex, Entodinium caudatum, Eudiplodinium maggii, Metadinium medium, Diploplastron affine, Polyplastron multivesiculatum and...

  3. Histologic observations on the pathogenesis of lung cancer in hamsters following administration of polonium-210

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lisco, H.; Kennedy, A.R.; Little, J.B.

    1974-01-01

    A serial sacrifice experiment was carried out to study the site of origin and the stages in development of lung cancer in hamsters induced by polonium-210 ( 210 Po). 1 or 2 animals were sacrificed weekly during and after a course of 7 intratracheal instillations of 0.1 μCi of 210 Po in saline. This exposure produced a transient radiation pneumonitis of moderate severity during, and for several weeks after, the instillation period. Subsequent pathological changes included hyperplasia of bronchiolar epithelium, and focal proliferation of epithelial cells in peribronchiolar and more remote alveoli, termed epithelialization of alveoli. Hyperplastic bronchiolar epithelium frequently showed numerous Clara cells which exhibited pleomorphism of cells and nuclei, multinucleated cells, and striking changes in staining characteristics of secretory granules. Epithelialization of alveoli showed steady progression from well-circumscribed small foci to larger confluent lesions which were composed of various cell types and resembled tumors. Malignant tumors occurred in many animals surviving more than 24 weeks after the last instillation of 210 Po

  4. Population dynamics of active and total ciliate populations in arable soil amended with wheat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ekelund, F.; Frederiksen, Helle B.; Ronn, R.

    2002-01-01

    of the population may be encysted. The factors governing the dynamics of active and encysted cells in the soil are not well understood. Our objective was to determine the dynamics of active and encysted populations of ciliates during the decomposition of freshly added organic material. We monitored, in soil...... microcosms, the active and total populations of ciliates, their potential prey (bacteria and small protozoa), their potential competitors (amoebae, flagellates, and nematodes), and their potential predators (nematodes). We sampled with short time intervals (2 to 6 days) and generated a data set, suitable...

  5. Social biases determine spatiotemporal sparseness of ciliate mating heuristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Kevin B

    2012-01-01

    Ciliates become highly social, even displaying animal-like qualities, in the joint presence of aroused conspecifics and nonself mating pheromones. Pheromone detection putatively helps trigger instinctual and learned courtship and dominance displays from which social judgments are made about the availability, compatibility, and fitness representativeness or likelihood of prospective mates and rivals. In earlier studies, I demonstrated the heterotrich Spirostomum ambiguum improves mating competence by effecting preconjugal strategies and inferences in mock social trials via behavioral heuristics built from Hebbian-like associative learning. Heuristics embody serial patterns of socially relevant action that evolve into ordered, topologically invariant computational networks supporting intra- and intermate selection. S. ambiguum employs heuristics to acquire, store, plan, compare, modify, select, and execute sets of mating propaganda. One major adaptive constraint over formation and use of heuristics involves a ciliate's initial subjective bias, responsiveness, or preparedness, as defined by Stevens' Law of subjective stimulus intensity, for perceiving the meaningfulness of mechanical pressures accompanying cell-cell contacts and additional perimating events. This bias controls durations and valences of nonassociative learning, search rates for appropriate mating strategies, potential net reproductive payoffs, levels of social honesty and deception, successful error diagnosis and correction of mating signals, use of insight or analysis to solve mating dilemmas, bioenergetics expenditures, and governance of mating decisions by classical or quantum statistical mechanics. I now report this same social bias also differentially affects the spatiotemporal sparseness, as measured with metric entropy, of ciliate heuristics. Sparseness plays an important role in neural systems through optimizing the specificity, efficiency, and capacity of memory representations. The present

  6. Evaluation of double formalin--Lugol's fixation in assessing number and biomass of ciliates: an example of estimations at mesoscale in NE Atlantic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karayanni, Hera; Christaki, Urania; Van Wambeke, France; Dalby, Andrew P

    2004-03-01

    Ciliated protozoa are potential grazers of primary and bacterial production and act as intermediaries between picoplankton and copepods and other large suspension feeders. Accurate determination of ciliate abundance and feeding mode is crucial in oceanic carbon budget estimations. However, the impact of different fixatives on the abundance and cell volume of ciliates has been investigated in only a few studies using either laboratory cultures or natural populations. Lugol's solution and formalin are the most commonly used fixatives for the preservation of ciliates samples. In the present study, the aim was to compare 0.4% Lugol's solution and 2% borated-formalin fixation and evaluate the need of counting duplicate samples each using a different fixative. For this, a large number of samples (n = 110) from the NE Atlantic was analyzed in the frame of POMME program (Multidisciplinary Mesoscale Ocean Program). We established a statistically significant relationship (p Tintinnus spp. did not show any difference between the two treatments. Abundance and biomass of mixotrophic ciliates (chloroplast-bearing cells) were for various reasons underestimated in both treatments. Our results show that unique fixation by formalin may severely underestimate ciliates abundance and biomass although their population may not alter. For this reason, Lugol's solution is best for the estimation of their abundance and biomass. However, for counts of mixotrophs and the evaluation of the ecological role of ciliates in carbon flux, double fixation is essential. Compromises regarding the fixatives have lead to severe underestimations of mixotrophs in studies conducted by now.

  7. Assessing phagotrophy in the mixotrophic ciliate Paramecium bursaria using GFP-expressing yeast cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miura, Takashi; Moriya, Hisao; Iwai, Sosuke

    2017-07-03

    We used cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) as fluorescently labelled prey to assess the phagocytic activities of the mixotrophic ciliate Paramecium bursaria, which harbours symbiotic Chlorella-like algae. Because of different fluorescence spectra of GFP and algal chlorophyll, ingested GFP-expressing yeast cells can be distinguished from endosymbiotic algal cells and directly counted in individual P. bursaria cells using fluorescence microscopy. By using GFP-expressing yeast cells, we found that P. bursaria altered ingestion activities under different physiological conditions, such as different growth phases or the presence/absence of endosymbionts. Use of GFP-expressing yeast cells allowed us to estimate the digestion rates of live prey of the ciliate. In contrast to the ingestion activities, the digestion rate within food vacuoles was not affected by the presence of endosymbionts, consistent with previous findings that food and perialgal vacuoles are spatially and functionally separated in P. bursaria. Thus, GFP-expressing yeast may provide a valuable tool to assess both ingestion and digestion activities of ciliates that feed on eukaryotic organisms. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  8. Application of the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) technique as an efficient diagnostic tool for ciliate communities in soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jousset, Alexandre; Lara, Enrique; Nikolausz, Marcell; Harms, Hauke; Chatzinotas, Antonis

    2010-02-01

    Ciliates (or Ciliophora) are ubiquitous organisms which can be widely used as bioindicators in ecosystems exposed to anthropogenic and industrial influences. The evaluation of the environmental impact on soil ciliate communities with methods relying on morphology-based identification may be hampered by the large number of samples usually required for a statistically supported, reliable conclusion. Cultivation-independent molecular-biological diagnostic tools are a promising alternative to greatly simplify and accelerate such studies. In this present work a ciliate-specific fingerprint method based on the amplification of a phylogenetic marker gene (i.e. the 18S ribosomal RNA gene) with subsequent analysis by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was developed and used to monitor community shifts in a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) polluted soil. The semi-nested approach generated ciliate-specific amplification products from all soil samples and allowed to distinguish community profiles from a PAH-polluted and a non-polluted control soil. Subsequent sequence analysis of excised bands provided evidence that polluted soil samples are dominated by organisms belonging to the class Colpodea. The general DGGE approach presented in this study might thus in principle serve as a fast and reproducible diagnostic tool, complementing and facilitating future ecological and ecotoxicological monitoring of ciliates in polluted habitats. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Efeito de reguladores de crescimento em uva apirênica, cv. BRS Clara Effect of growth regulators on the seedless grape cv. BRS Clara

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jair Costa Nachtigal

    2005-08-01

    Full Text Available O presente trabalho teve por objetivo verificar o efeito da aplicação de diferentes concentrações do ácido giberélico (AG3, do thidiazuron (TDZ e do forchlorfenuron (CPPU no aumento do tamanho dos cachos e das bagas e no teor de sólidos solúveis totais de uva sem semente, cv. BRS Clara. As plantas foram conduzidas no sistema de latada, sobre o porta-enxerto IAC 572, no espaçamento 2,5 x 2,0m e com irrigação por microaspersão. Os experimentos foram conduzidos na Estação Experimental de Viticultura Tropical, da Embrapa Uva e Vinho, em Jales-SP. Os reguladores de crescimento foram aplicados via pulverização localizada no cacho, utilizando-se de concentrações de 0 a 4mg.L-1 de CPPU; 0 a 10mg.L-1 de TDZ, e de 0 a 90mg.L-1 de AG3, isolados ou em conjunto. De modo geral, a aplicação dos reguladores de crescimento promove a melhoria da qualidade dos cachos da cv. BRS Clara; o uso do TDZ e do CPPU em conjunto com o AG3 produz um efeito sinérgico, proporcionando melhor resposta do que o uso isolado do AG3; os tratamentos com 60mg.L-1 de AG3; 20mg.L-1 de AG3 + 4mg.L-1 de CPPU, e 10mg.L-1 de AG3 + 5mg.L-1 de TDZ proporcionam os melhores resultados para o aumento do diâmetro das bagas; a aplicação de AG3 antes da floração da cv. BRS Clara provoca abortamento excessivo, reduzindo a qualidade comercial dos cachos; a utilização de concentrações elevadas dos reguladores reduz o teor de sólidos solúveis totais.The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of gibberellic acid (AG3, thidiazuron (TDZ and forchlorfenuron (CPPU on the size of bunches and berries and on the total soluble solids content, when applied in different concentrations on the seedless grapes, cv. BRS Clara. The grapevines were grafted on the rootstock IAC 572, trained in the pergola system and, spaced 2.5 x 2.0m and irrigated by micro sprinklers. The experiments were carried out at the Embrapa Grape and Wine Experimental

  10. COMPLEXITY OF ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS (THE CASE OF MARINE CILIATE COMMUNITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I.V. Burkovsky

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The paper analyzes the seasonal and long-term dynamics of marine interstitial ciliates communities as a result of the processes of system self-organization (of increasing complexity in constantly fluctuating environment. The traits of simple structure of ciliate community include substantial variability in the composition (even in case of stable environment and the lack of sustainable combinations of species. The mechanism of the current state maintenance is the lack of energy supply in certain periods or in specific loci of space, as well as large amplitude and unpredictable fluctuations of environmental factors. An indication of the community’s complexity is availability of stable combinations of species in time and space. The mechanisms of formation of stable species combinations are a constant flow of external energy, optimal values and stability of environmental factors (including repeatability of seasonal cycles and the use of space resources by species according the principle of complementarity of ecological niches.

  11. The trophic role and impact of plankton ciliates in the microbial web structure of a tropical polymictic lake dominated by filamentous cyanobacteria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alfonso Esquivel

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The recent interest in the plankton structures and dynamics in tropical and subtropical lakes has revealed important trends that set these lakes apart from temperate lakes, and one of the main differences is the enhanced importance of the microbial food web with respect to net plankton. Ciliates are a key component of subtropical and tropical microbial webs because of their role as dominant picoplankton grazers and their ability to channel picoplankton production to the uppermost trophic levels. Plankton ciliates have been found to play a crucial role in the survival of fish larvae in lakes that share several features with Lake Catemaco, a eutrophic tropical Mexican lake. Therefore, the plankton ciliate composition, abundance, and biomass of Lake Catemaco were studied to assess their role in the microbial food web. The data were obtained from surface and bottom water samples collected at eleven points during three surveys in 2011 and an additional survey in 2013, with the surveys covering the local climatic seasons. The most abundant components of the plankton ciliate assemblages were small prostomatids (Urotricha spp., choreotrichs (Rimostrombidium spp., cyclotrichs (Mesodinium and Askenasia, and scuticociliates (Cyclidium, Cinetochilum, Pleuronema, and Uronema. Other important ciliates in terms of abundance and/or biomass were haptorids (Actinobolina, Belonophrya, Monodinium, Paradileptus, and Laginophrya, Halteria, oligotrichs (Limnostrombidium and Pelagostrombidium, Linostomella, Bursaridium, Cyrtolophosis, and Litonotus. The ciliate abundance averaged 57 cells mL-1 and ranged from 14 to 113 cells mL-1. The mean ciliate biomass was 71 µg C L-1 and ranged from 10 to 202 µg C L-1. Differences were not detected in ciliate abundance or biomass between the sampling points or sampling depths (surface to bottom; however, significant differences were observed between seasons for both variables. Nano-sized filamentous cyanobacteria were the most

  12. Agroproductive educational programs, such as agritourism model for rural development in the canton Santa Clara, Pastaza-Ecuador

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karina Carrera Sánchez

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The opportunity to connect agriculture with tourism is a new approach as diversify the rural economy, with the vision, this research offers some conceptualizations of agrotourism and the main results of the present situation that allows learning programs potentiate of Centro de Investigación, Posgrado y Conservación de la Biodiversidad Amazónica CIPCA as possible model tourism and agrotourism activity prospects for the development of Santa Clara canton, province of Pastaza, located at km 44 Puyo-Tena. These results are obtained by surveying the producers of Santa Clara and interviews with program productive teaching coordinators and practitioners of center. Methodology we used chi-square test for verification of hypothesis. Eventually show the conclusions that contribute to farm planning for integrated endogenous rural development in Santa Clara.

  13. La Caja Real de la Villa de Santa Clara (Cuba: análisis histórico-contable (1689-1831

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yumaisi González Ochoa

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available La Villa de Santa Clara en Cuba se fundó el 15 de julio de 1689, con una actividad económica fundamentalmente ganadera, se rigió en el orden administrativo y económico desde su fundación, al igual que las demás villas del país por las leyes u órdenes emitidas por la metrópoli española. Para el gobierno de las rentas reales, España utilizó las Cajas Reales como mecanismos de control y administración de los recursos en cada territorio americano bajo su dominio. La Caja Real de la Villa de Santa Clara se encontraba subordinada a la Caja Real Principal de la Habana, en la capital del país. A partir de la revisión de las Actas Capitulares del Cabildo de Santa Clara y los libros de cuentas conservados en el Archivo Nacional de Cuba, se explica el proceder de los administradores de los distintos ingresos y gastos de la Caja Real de la Villa de Santa Clara, así como la aplicación del método por cargo y data empleado para el registro de las operaciones y la interrelación entre los libros Manual, Mayor y de Caja del año 1831, y el uso de otros Libros Auxiliares.   Santa Clara village in Cuba was founded on July 15, 1689, with a primarily livestock economic activity, was governed at the administrative and economic order since its foundation, like other towns of the country by laws or orders issued by the Spanish metropolis. For the government in real incomes, Spain used the Cajas Reales as control mechanisms and management of resources in every American territory under its domain. The Caja Real of Santa Clara village was subordinated to the principal Caja Real in Havana, capital of the country. From the review of the Chapter Acts of the Cabildo of Santa Clara and accounting books preserved in the National Archives of Cuba, it's possible explain the proceeding of managers of the various revenue and expenditure of the Caja Real of Santa Clara village and the application of method of charge and discharge employed to register transactions

  14. Photosensory transduction in unicellular eukaryotes: a comparison between related ciliates Blepharisma japonicum and Stentor coeruleus and photoreceptor cells of higher organisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sobierajska, Katarzyna; Fabczak, Hanna; Fabczak, Stanisław

    2006-06-01

    Blepharisma japonicum and Stentor coeruleus are related ciliates, conspicuous by their photosensitivity. They are capable of avoiding illuminated areas in the surrounding medium, gathering exclusively in most shaded places (photodispersal). Such behaviour results mainly from motile photophobic response occurring in ciliates. This light-avoiding response is observed during a relatively rapid increase in illumination intensity (light stimulus) and consists of cessation of cell movement, a period of backward movement (ciliary reversal), followed by a forward swimming, usually in a new direction. The photosensitivity of ciliates is ascribed to their photoreceptor system, composed of pigment granules, containing the endogenous photoreceptor -- blepharismin in Blepharisma japonicum, and stentorin in Stentor coeruleus. A light stimulus, applied to both ciliates activates specific stimulus transduction processes leading to the electrical changes at the plasma membrane, correlated with a ciliary reversal during photophobic response. These data indicate that both ciliates Blepharisma japonicum and Stentor coeruleus, the lower eukaryotes, are capable of transducing the perceived light stimuli in a manner taking place in some photoreceptor cells of higher eukaryotes. Similarities and differences concerning particular stages of light transduction in eukaryotes at different evolutional levels are discussed in this article.

  15. Integrative taxonomy of ciliates: Assessment of molecular phylogenetic content and morphological homology testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vďačný, Peter

    2017-10-01

    The very diverse and comparatively complex morphology of ciliates has given rise to numerous taxonomic concepts. However, the information content of the utilized molecular markers has seldom been explored prior to phylogenetic analyses and taxonomic decisions. Likewise, robust testing of morphological homology statements and the apomorphic nature of diagnostic characters of ciliate taxa is rarely carried out. Four phylogenetic techniques that may help address these issues are reviewed. (1) Split spectrum analysis serves to determine the exact number and quality of nucleotide positions supporting individual nodes in phylogenetic trees and to discern long-branch artifacts that cause spurious phylogenies. (2) Network analysis can depict all possible evolutionary trajectories inferable from the dataset and locate and measure the conflict between them. (3) A priori likelihood mapping tests the suitability of data for reconstruction of a well resolved tree, visualizes the tree-likeness of quartets, and assesses the support of an internal branch of a given tree topology. (4) Reconstruction of ancestral morphologies can be applied for analyzing homology and apomorphy statements without circular reasoning. Since these phylogenetic tools are rarely used, their principles and interpretation are introduced and exemplified using various groups of ciliates. Finally, environmental sequencing data are discussed in this light. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

  16. Pulmonary heat shock protein expression after exposure to a metabolically activated Clara cell toxicant: relationship to protein adduct formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Williams, Kurt J.; Cruikshank, Michael K.; Plopper, Charles G.

    2003-01-01

    Heat shock proteins/stress proteins (Hsps) participate in regulation of protein synthesis and degradation and serve as general cytoprotectants, yet their role in lethal Clara cell injury is not clear. To define the pattern of Hsp expression in acute lethal Clara cell injury, mice were treated with the Clara cell-specific toxicant naphthalene (NA), and patterns of expression compared to electrophilic protein adduction and previously established organellar degradation and gluathione (GSH) depletion. In sites of lethal injury (distal bronchiole), prior to organellar degradation (1 h post-NA), protein adduction is detectable and ubiquitin, Hsp 25, Hsp 72, and heme-oxygenase 1 (HO-1) are increased. Maximal Hsp expression, protein adduction, and GSH depletion occur simultaneous (by 2-3 h) with early organelle disruption. Hsp expression is higher later (6-24 h), only in exfoliating cells. In airway sites (proximal bronchiole) with nonlethal Clara cell injury elevation of Hsp 25, 72, and HO-1 expression follows significant GSH depletion (greater than 50% 2 h post-NA). This data build upon our previous studies and we conclude that (1) in lethal (terminal bronchiole) and nonlethal (proximal bronchiole) Clara cell injury, Hsp induction is associated with the loss of GSH and increased protein adduction, and (2) in these same sites, organelle disruption is not a prerequisite for Hsp induction

  17. Transcriptional program of ciliated epithelial cells reveals new cilium and centrosome components and links to human disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramona A Hoh

    Full Text Available Defects in the centrosome and cilium are associated with a set of human diseases having diverse phenotypes. To further characterize the components that define the function of these organelles we determined the transcriptional profile of multiciliated tracheal epithelial cells. Cultures of mouse tracheal epithelial cells undergoing differentiation in vitro were derived from mice expressing GFP from the ciliated-cell specific FOXJ1 promoter (FOXJ1:GFP. The transcriptional profile of ciliating GFP+ cells from these cultures was defined at an early and a late time point during differentiation and was refined by subtraction of the profile of the non-ciliated GFP- cells. We identified 649 genes upregulated early, when most cells were forming basal bodies, and 73 genes genes upregulated late, when most cells were fully ciliated. Most, but not all, of known centrosome proteins are transcriptionally upregulated early, particularly Plk4, a master regulator of centriole formation. We found that three genes associated with human disease states, Mdm1, Mlf1, and Dyx1c1, are upregulated during ciliogenesis and localize to centrioles and cilia. This transcriptome for mammalian multiciliated epithelial cells identifies new candidate centrosome and cilia proteins, highlights similarities between components of motile and primary cilia, and identifies new links between cilia proteins and human disease.

  18. Comparison of Effect of Hypoxia on Epithelium of Trachea and Terminal Bronchioles

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Uhlík, J.; Konrádová, V.; Vajner, L.; Adášková, Jana; Herget, J.

    2003-01-01

    Roč. 9, Suppl. 3 (2003), s. 478-479 ISSN 1431-9276. [Microscopy Conference /31./. Dresden, 07.09.2003-12.09.2003] Source of funding: V - iné verejné zdroje Keywords : airway epithelium * Clara cells * ciliated cells * hypoxia * electron microscopy Subject RIV: BB - Applied Statistics, Operational Research Impact factor: 1.648, year: 2003

  19. Ciliates and the rare biosphere: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunthorn, Micah; Stoeck, Thorsten; Clamp, John; Warren, Alan; Mahé, Frédéric

    2014-01-01

    Here we provide a brief review of the rare biosphere from the perspective of ciliates and other microbial eukaryotes. We trace research on rarity from its lack of much in-depth focus in morphological and Sanger sequencing projects, to its central importance in analyses using high throughput sequencing strategies. The problem that the rare biosphere is potentially comprised of mostly errors is then discussed in the light of asking community-comparative, novel-diversity, and ecosystem-functioning questions. © 2014 The Author(s) Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology © 2014 International Society of Protistologists.

  20. Bekämpft, umstritten und geliebt: Clara Zetkin. Eine Würdigung zum 150. Geburtstag Embattled, Controversial, and Loved: Clara Zetkin. An Appreciation on Her 150th Birthday

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dorothee Rempfer

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Florence Hervé, Dozentin, freie Journalisten und Autorin, hat in diesem anlässlich des Jubiläums erschienenen Band mit Texten von und über Clara Zetkin einen thematisch gegliederten biographischen Überblick vorgelegt. Hervé ordnet die Politikerin und Frauenrechtlerin anhand der Materialien in historische Zusammenhänge ein und setzt sich kritisch mit ihren Gedanken und Theorien auseinander. Dabei vertritt sie den Anspruch, Zetkin auch von ihren bisher weniger bekannten Seiten zu zeigen. Dies gelingt ihr jedoch nur ansatzweise.Lecturer, independent journalist, and author Florence Hervé provides a thematically structured biographical overview for this volume of texts from and about Clara Zetkin, which appeared in conjunction with the celebration of her 150th birthday. Hervé classifies the politician and women’s right activist according to materials in historical context and critical approaches Zetkin’s thoughts and theories. In so doing, she asserts the necessity of displaying Zetkin’s lesser-known aspects. However, the author only partially achieves this goal.

  1. Power conversion and quality of the Santa Clara 2 MW direct carbonate fuel cell demonstration plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Skok, A.J. [Fuel Cell Engineering Corp., Danbury, CT (United States); Abueg, R.Z. [Basic Measuring Instruments, Santa Clara, CA (United States); Schwartz, P. [Fluor Daniel, Inc., Irvine, CA (United States)] [and others

    1996-12-31

    The Santa Clara Demonstration Project (SCDP) is the first application of a commercial-scale carbonate fuel cell power plant on a US electric utility system. It is also the largest fuel cell power plant ever operated in the United States. The 2MW plant, located in Santa Clara, California, utilizes carbonate fuel cell technology developed by Energy Research Corporation (ERC) of Danbury, Connecticut. The ultimate goal of a fuel cell power plant is to deliver usable power into an electrical distribution system. The power conversion sub-system does this for the Santa Clara Demonstration Plant. A description of this sub-system and its capabilities follows. The sub-system has demonstrated the capability to deliver real power, reactive power and to absorb reactive power on a utility grid. The sub-system can be operated in the same manner as a conventional rotating generator except with enhanced capabilities for reactive power. Measurements demonstrated the power quality from the plant in various operating modes was high quality utility grade power.

  2. Automatización de la red de 34,5kV en la provincia de Villa Clara; Automation of 34,5 kV network in the province of Villa Clara

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Obedi Álvarez Díaz

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available En la actualidad la operación de la redes de 34.5kV de la provincia de Villa Clara se hace muy complejo debido a que los desconectivos existentes son operados manualmente por el personal y los tiempos de operación son extensos. El objetivo de la implementación de la automatización de las redes de 34.5kV en Villa Clara es operar dicha red de la forma más eficiente posible, donde se le suministre la energía eléctrica a los clientes con mínimos costos de operación, alto nivel de confiabilidad, disminución de la frecuencia de interrupciones y también de los tiempos. Se seleccionaron los lazos más importantes de la provincia, los cuales incluyen generación distribuida, realizándoles corridas de flujo de carga usando el software PowerSystem Explorer (PSX, obteniendo los lugares donde se deben colocar los recerradores. Estos se comunicarán entre sí, pudiendo ser configurables para distintas condiciones, además de poder operarlos a distancia.  At present the operation of the 34.5kV network of the province of Villa Clara is very complex because the existing disconnected are operated by staff and operating times are long. The objective of the implementation of the automation 34.5 kV networks in Villa Clara is operate as efficiently way as possible, where you supply the electricity to customers with minimal operating costs, high reliability, reduced the frequency of interruptions and the times. There have been selected the most important loops in the province, which include distributed generation, performing load flow runs using the Power System Explorer software(PSX, obtaining the locations should be placed reclosing. They shall communicate with each otherand can be configured for different conditions, in addition to being to operate them at a distance.

  3. Morphology and Phylogeny of a New Species of Anaerobic Ciliate, Trimyema finlayi n. sp., with Endosymbiotic Methanogens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, William H; Sendra, Kacper M; Embley, T Martin; Esteban, Genoveva F

    2018-01-01

    Many anaerobic ciliated protozoa contain organelles of mitochondrial ancestry called hydrogenosomes. These organelles generate molecular hydrogen that is consumed by methanogenic Archaea, living in endosymbiosis within many of these ciliates. Here we describe a new species of anaerobic ciliate, Trimyema finlayi n. sp., by using silver impregnation and microscopy to conduct a detailed morphometric analysis. Comparisons with previously published morphological data for this species, as well as the closely related species, Trimyema compressum , demonstrated that despite them being similar, both the mean cell size and the mean number of somatic kineties are lower for T. finlayi than for T. compressum , which suggests that they are distinct species. This was also supported by analysis of the 18S rRNA genes from these ciliates, the sequences of which are 97.5% identical (6 substitutions, 1479 compared bases), and in phylogenetic analyses these sequences grouped with other 18S rRNA genes sequenced from previous isolates of the same respective species. Together these data provide strong evidence that T. finlayi is a novel species of Trimyema , within the class Plagiopylea. Various microscopic techniques demonstrated that T. finlayi n. sp. contains polymorphic endosymbiotic methanogens, and analysis of the endosymbionts' 16S rRNA gene showed that they belong to the genus Methanocorpusculum , which was confirmed using fluorescence in situ hybridization with specific probes. Despite the degree of similarity and close relationship between these ciliates, T. compressum contains endosymbiotic methanogens from a different genus, Methanobrevibacter . In phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA genes, the Methanocorpusculum endosymbiont of T. finlayi n. sp. grouped with sequences from Methanomicrobia, including the endosymbiont of an earlier isolate of the same species, ' Trimyema sp.,' which was sampled approximately 22 years earlier, at a distant (∼400 km) geographical location

  4. Morphology and Phylogeny of a New Species of Anaerobic Ciliate, Trimyema finlayi n. sp., with Endosymbiotic Methanogens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William H. Lewis

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Many anaerobic ciliated protozoa contain organelles of mitochondrial ancestry called hydrogenosomes. These organelles generate molecular hydrogen that is consumed by methanogenic Archaea, living in endosymbiosis within many of these ciliates. Here we describe a new species of anaerobic ciliate, Trimyema finlayi n. sp., by using silver impregnation and microscopy to conduct a detailed morphometric analysis. Comparisons with previously published morphological data for this species, as well as the closely related species, Trimyema compressum, demonstrated that despite them being similar, both the mean cell size and the mean number of somatic kineties are lower for T. finlayi than for T. compressum, which suggests that they are distinct species. This was also supported by analysis of the 18S rRNA genes from these ciliates, the sequences of which are 97.5% identical (6 substitutions, 1479 compared bases, and in phylogenetic analyses these sequences grouped with other 18S rRNA genes sequenced from previous isolates of the same respective species. Together these data provide strong evidence that T. finlayi is a novel species of Trimyema, within the class Plagiopylea. Various microscopic techniques demonstrated that T. finlayi n. sp. contains polymorphic endosymbiotic methanogens, and analysis of the endosymbionts’ 16S rRNA gene showed that they belong to the genus Methanocorpusculum, which was confirmed using fluorescence in situ hybridization with specific probes. Despite the degree of similarity and close relationship between these ciliates, T. compressum contains endosymbiotic methanogens from a different genus, Methanobrevibacter. In phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA genes, the Methanocorpusculum endosymbiont of T. finlayi n. sp. grouped with sequences from Methanomicrobia, including the endosymbiont of an earlier isolate of the same species, ‘Trimyema sp.,’ which was sampled approximately 22 years earlier, at a distant (∼400 km

  5. Ciliated median raphe cyst of perineum presenting as perianal polyp: a case report with immunohistochemical study, review of literature, and pathogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sagar, Jayesh; Sagar, Bethani; Patel, Adam F; Shak, D K

    2006-03-05

    Median raphe cyst is a very rare, benign congenital lesion occurring mainly on the ventral aspect of the penis, but can develop anywhere in the midline between the external urethral meatus and anus. We report a case of median raphe cyst in the perineum presenting as a perianal polyp in a 65-year-old, English white male with exceptionally rare ciliated epithelium. According to our knowledge, this is the third such case of ciliated median raphe cyst in the English literature. This case, also the first case of ciliated median raphe cyst in the perineum location, focuses on pathogenesis of median raphe cyst.

  6. Quincuagésimo primer aniversario del Hospital Antituberculoso Santa Clara de Santafé de Bogotá

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gilberto Rueda Pérez

    1993-07-01

    Full Text Available EI Hospital Santa Clara fue fundado el 16 de julio de 1942, durante la presidencia del Dr. Eduardo Santos, a solicitud de su esposa dona Lorencita Villegas de Santos. EI hospital se construyo en esa época como sanatorio, para la atención, cuidado humano y científico de los pacientes afectados con tuberculosis. Inicialmente el hospital como con 250 camas para adultos y niños. Su nombre "Santa Clara" fue escogido en recuerdo de Clarita, hija única de los benefactores, muerta prematuramente poco tiempo antes.

  7. Genome-wide analysis of the phosphoinositide kinome from two ciliates reveals novel evolutionary links for phosphoinositide kinases in eukaryotic cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    George Leondaritis

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The complexity of phosphoinositide signaling in higher eukaryotes is partly due to expansion of specific families and types of phosphoinositide kinases (PIKs that can generate all phosphoinositides via multiple routes. This is particularly evident in the PI3Ks and PIPKs, and it is considered an evolutionary trait associated with metazoan diversification. Yet, there are limited comprehensive studies on the PIK repertoire of free living unicellular organisms. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We undertook a genome-wide analysis of putative PIK genes in two free living ciliated cells, Tetrahymena and Paramecium. The Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium tetraurelia genomes were probed with representative kinases from all families and types. Putative homologs were verified by EST, microarray and deep RNA sequencing database searches and further characterized for domain structure, catalytic efficiency, expression patterns and phylogenetic relationships. In total, we identified and characterized 22 genes in the Tetrahymena thermophila genome and 62 highly homologues genes in Paramecium tetraurelia suggesting a tight evolutionary conservation in the ciliate lineage. Comparison to the kinome of fungi reveals a significant expansion of PIK genes in ciliates. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study highlights four important aspects concerning ciliate and other unicellular PIKs. First, ciliate-specific expansion of PI4KIII-like genes. Second, presence of class I PI3Ks which, at least in Tetrahymena, are associated with a metazoan-type machinery for PIP3 signaling. Third, expansion of divergent PIPK enzymes such as the recently described type IV transmembrane PIPKs. Fourth, presence of possible type II PIPKs and presumably inactive PIKs (hence, pseudo-PIKs not previously described. Taken together, our results provide a solid framework for future investigation of the roles of PIKs in ciliates and indicate that novel functions and novel regulatory

  8. Quantitation and renewal of alveolar and bronchiolar cell populations of rat lungs. Changes during some pathological processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fritsch, Paul.

    1979-02-01

    The various cells of alveolar and bronchiolar tissues of rat lungs were studied qualitatively and quantitatively. In physiological conditions, the renewal rate of the cell populations is low and the frequency of the various cell types is constant. This stability, especially at the level of the alveolar tissue, was also found during the latency period and the development of radiation-induced lung cancers. A particular cellular population was demonstrated: marginated leukocyte pool at the level of the pulmonary circulation. This pool was different both qualitatively and quantitatively from the leukocytes of the systemic circulation and, in physiological conditions, behaved as a cellular reservoir of monocytes chiefly re-distributed according to the body needs. In pathological conditions, its fast migration contributed to the defence of the alveolar medium. A quantitative study of the renewal of alveolar macrophages showed that under 1 p. cent of the marginated leukocyte pool is used daily to keep up this population. This fraction undergoes a maturation stage by cellular division within the endoalveolar medium. In some pathological conditions, this division can be completely inhibited [fr

  9. Application of the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) technique as an efficient diagnostic tool for ciliate communities in soil

    OpenAIRE

    Jousset, Alexandre; Lara, Enrique; Nikolausz, Marcell; Harms, Hauke; Chatzinotasa, Antonis

    2010-01-01

    Ciliates (or Ciliophora) are ubiquitous organisms which can be widely used as bioindicators in ecosystems exposed to anthropogenic and industrial influences. The evaluation of the environmental impact on soil ciliate communities with methods relying on morphology-based identification may be hampered by the large number of samples usually required for a statistically supported, reliable conclusion. Cultivation-independent molecular-biological diagnostic tools are a promising alternative to gre...

  10. Ciliated Median Raphe Cyst of Perineum Presenting as Perianal Polyp: A Case Report with Immunohistochemical Study, Review of Literature, and Pathogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jayesh Sagar

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Median raphe cyst is a very rare, benign congenital lesion occurring mainly on the ventral aspect of the penis, but can develop anywhere in the midline between the external urethral meatus and anus. We report a case of median raphe cyst in the perineum presenting as a perianal polyp in a 65-year-old, English white male with exceptionally rare ciliated epithelium. According to our knowledge, this is the third such case of ciliated median raphe cyst in the English literature. This case, also the first case of ciliated median raphe cyst in the perineum location, focuses on pathogenesis of median raphe cyst.

  11. 31 flavors to 50 shades of grey: battling Phytophthoras in native habitats managed by the Santa Clara Valley Water District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janet Hillman; Tedmund J. Swiecki; Elizabeth A. Bernhardt; Heather K. Mehl; Tyler B. Bourret; David Rizzo

    2017-01-01

    The Santa Clara Valley Water District (District) is a wholesale water supplier for 1.8 million people in Santa Clara County, California. Capital, water utility, and stream maintenance projects result in extensive, long-term mitigation requirements in riparian, wetland, and upland habitats throughout the county. In 2014, several restoration sites on the valley floor and...

  12. Free-Living Marine Interstitial Hypotrichid Ciliates from Jubail Marine Wildlife Sanctuary in the Arabian Gulf

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K.A.S. AL-Rasheid

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available Sediment samples were collected at low tide from various localities of the Jubail Marine Wildlife Sanctuary in the Arabian Gulf on several occasions during l996-l997 for the study of the marine interstitial ciliate fauna of the Sanctuary. Twenty three species belonging to the order Hypotrichida were identified after protargol impregnation, 20 of which represent new records of the fauna of Saudi Arabia, and of the Arabian Gulf at large. The distribution of each species is compared to those in similar habitats worldwide. The present study increases the total known number of hypotrichid ciliates species in Saudi Arabia to 40 species.

  13. Autoradiographic evidence of 2-methylindole covalent binding to pulmonary epithelial cells in the goat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Becker, G.M.; Breeze, R.G.; Carlson, J.R.

    1984-01-01

    3-Methylindole (3MI), the main ruminal fermentation product of L-tryptophan, causes acute pulmonary edema and interstitial emphysema in ruminants. Intravenous infusion of 3MI in goats causes necrosis and sloughing of pneumocytes and bronchial epithelial cells. Previous studies indicate that a reactive metabolite or metabolites of 3MI bind covalently to tissue macromolecules in the lung and this binding is associated with the pneumotoxicity of 3MI. We undertook this autoradiographic study of 3MI covalent binding to test the hypothesis that reactive 3MI metabolite(s) bind to the lung cells susceptible to 3MI-induced injury. We infused goats with ( 3 H)3MI and killed them either 0.5, 2 or 6 h after start of the infusion. Sections of fixed lung were extensively washed, alcohol dehydrated and embedded in plastic. Only covalently bound radioactivity remained. Silver grains were quantitated per area in the developed autoradiographs. There was a 2:1 ratio of binding to the small airway epithelium compared to the interalveolar septa in all the goats. Both ciliated and non-ciliated bronchiolar cells were labelled, as were both types I and II pneumocytes. Normal goat lung slices incubated in vitro with ( 3 H)3MI were labeled in the same pattern. Inclusion of either of the inhibitors of cytochrome P-450, SKF-525-A or piperonyl butoxide significantly reduced this binding to both the pneumocytes and the bronchiolar cells. We consider these results supportive of our hypothesis that 3MI is metabolized to reactive intermediates by the epithelial cells of the lung, where they bind to macromolecules, which may cause cellular damage. (author)

  14. Pulmonary toxicity of trichloroethylene in mice. Covalent binding and morphological manifestations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forkert, P.G.; Birch, D.W.

    1989-01-01

    We examined the time course of trichloroethylene (TCE)-induced pulmonary injury and focused on morphological changes and covalent binding of [ 14 C]TCE soon after administration of a single dose of TCE (2000 mg/kg) to CD-1 male mice. At 1 hr after chemical treatment, Clara cells of the bronchiolar epithelium exhibited necrotic changes involving the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Dilatation of the endoplasmic reticulum became more severe at 2 hr after TCE administration and, by 4 hr, distended cisternae coalesced to form small vacuoles within the cytoplasmic matrix of the Clara cell. The severity of cellular damage increased progressively between 8 and 12 hr and, by 24 hr, the majority of Clara cells within an airway were severely vacuolated. Covalent binding of [ 14 C]TCE to lung macromolecules was evident at 1 hr, peaked at 4 hr, declined thereafter, and reached a plateau between 12 and 24 hr. Peak binding (142.6 +/- 31.8 nmol/g of wet weight) represented approximately 20% of [ 14 C]TCE distributed to the lung. Although the levels of binding in the liver were at all times greater than those in the lung, liver injury was relatively insignificant. The results demonstrate a positive correlation between the onset of Clara cell injury and the formation of reactive metabolites, as assessed by covalent binding of [ 14 C]TCE

  15. Ecology of a heterotrichous ciliate Fabrea salina from salterns of Bombay Coast, India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Rattan, P.; Ansari, Z.A.; Sreepada, R.A.

    The abundance and population size structure of a heterotrichous ciliate @iFabrea salina@@, was studied in relation to hydrochemical and hydrobiological variables in three hypersaline ponds of Bombay, west coast of India There was a clear seasonal...

  16. Developing and Integrating Advanced Movement Features Improves Automated Classification of Ciliate Species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soleymani, Ali; Pennekamp, Frank; Petchey, Owen L; Weibel, Robert

    2015-01-01

    Recent advances in tracking technologies such as GPS or video tracking systems describe the movement paths of individuals in unprecedented details and are increasingly used in different fields, including ecology. However, extracting information from raw movement data requires advanced analysis techniques, for instance to infer behaviors expressed during a certain period of the recorded trajectory, or gender or species identity in case data is obtained from remote tracking. In this paper, we address how different movement features affect the ability to automatically classify the species identity, using a dataset of unicellular microbes (i.e., ciliates). Previously, morphological attributes and simple movement metrics, such as speed, were used for classifying ciliate species. Here, we demonstrate that adding advanced movement features, in particular such based on discrete wavelet transform, to morphological features can improve classification. These results may have practical applications in automated monitoring of waste water facilities as well as environmental monitoring of aquatic systems.

  17. Evaluation of animal control measures on pet demographics in Santa Clara County, California, 1993-2006.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kass, Philip H; Johnson, Karen L; Weng, Hsin-Yi

    2013-01-01

    The measurable benefits of animal control programs are unknown and the aim of this study was to determine the impact of these programs on pet population changes. A prospective cross-sectional study of 1000 households was implemented in 2005 to evaluate characteristics of the owned and unowned population of dogs and cats in Santa Clara County, California. The same population was previously studied 12 years earlier. During this time period, the county instituted in 1994 and then subsequently disestablished a municipal spay/neuter voucher program for cats. Dog intakes declined from 1992-2005, as they similarly did for an adjacent county (San Mateo). However, cat intakes declined significantly more in Santa Clara County than San Mateo, with an average annual decline of approximately 700 cats for the 12 year period. Time series analysis showed a greater than expected decline in the number of cats surrendered to shelters in Santa Clara County during the years the voucher program was in effect (1994-2005). The net savings to the county by reducing the number of cat shelter intakes was estimated at approximately $1.5 million. The measurable benefits of animal control programs are unknown and the aim of this study was to determine the impact of these programs on pet population changes.

  18. Determination of trace elements in freshwater rotifers and ciliates by total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woelfl, S.; Óvári, M.; Nimptsch, J.; Neu, T. R.; Mages, M.

    2016-02-01

    Element determination in plankton is important for the assessment of metal contamination of aquatic environments. Until recently, it has been difficult to determine elemental content in rotifers or ciliates derived from natural plankton samples because of the difficulty in handling and separation of these fragile organisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate methods for separation of rotifers and large ciliates from natural plankton samples (μg range dry weight) and subsequent analysis of their elemental content using total-reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (TXRF). Plankton samples were collected from different aquatic environments (three lakes, one river) in Chile, Argentina and Hungary. From one to eighty specimens of five rotifer species (Brachionus calyciflorus, Brachionus falcatus, Asplanchna sieboldii, Asplanchna sp., Philodina sp.) and four to twelve specimens of one large ciliate (Stentor amethystinus) were prepared according to the dry method originally developed for microcrustaceans, and analysed by TRXF following in situ microdigestion. Our results demonstrated that it possible to process these small and fragile organisms (individual dry mass: 0.17-9.39 μg ind- 1) via careful washing and preparation procedures. We found species-dependent differences of the element mass fractions for some of the elements studied (Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Pb), especially for Cu, Fe and Mn. One large rotifer species (A. sieboldii) also showed a negative correlation between individual dry weight and the element content for Pb, Ni and Cr. We conclude that our application of the in situ microdigestion-TRXF method is suitable even for rotifers and ciliates, greatly expanding the possibilities for use of plankton in biomonitoring of metal contamination in aquatic environments.

  19. Role of essential lipids in copepod nutrition: no evidence for trophic upgrading of food quality by a marine ciliate

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klein Breteler, W.; Koski, Marja; Rampen, S.

    2004-01-01

    -quality Rhodomonas sp. diet. The specific mass of fatty acids in S. sulcatum was much lower than in the Dunaliella sp. diet, However, the fatty acid composition of the protozoan more or less resembled that of the food, lacking long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs). Sterols only occurred in Dunaliella sp......The ciliate Strombidium sulcatum was used to feed and grow young stages of the copepods Temora longicornis (Muller) and Pseudocalanus elongatus (Boeck). The ciliate was cultured in the laboratory using either bacteria or the green alga Dunaliella sp. as a food source. Young copepodites of both......., although in low abundance of unuseful Delta7 sterols. Obviously, S. sulcatum did not biochemically enhance bacterial or algal food for subsequent use at higher trophic levels, and only transferred fatty acids without further conversion. The results indicate a deficiency in the ciliate of HUFAs and sterols...

  20. Modeling the distribution of ciliate protozoa in the reticulo-rumen using linear programming

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hook, S.E.; Dijkstra, J.; Wright, A.G.; McBride, B.W.; France, J.

    2012-01-01

    The flow of ciliate protozoa from the reticulo-rumen is significantly less than expected given the total density of rumen protozoa present. To maintain their numbers in the reticulo-rumen, protozoa can be selectively retained through association with feed particles and the rumen wall. Few

  1. Ciliates and their picophytoplankton-feeding activity in a high altitude warm-monomictic saline lake

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Peštová, D.; Macek, Miroslav; Pérez, M. E. M.

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 44, č. 1 (2008), s. 13-25 ISSN 0932-4739 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60170517 Keywords : ciliates * autotrophic picoplankton * feeding rates Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 1.000, year: 2008

  2. Ciliated Hepatic Foregut Cyst: Two Case Reports in Children and Review of the Literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maliheh Khoddami

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Ciliated hepatic foregut cyst (CHFC is a rare lesion which originates from detached hepatic diverticulum or from detachment and migration of buds from the esophageal and bronchial regions of the foregut which subsequently get entrapped by the liver during the early embryonic development of the foregut. CHFCs are mostly seen in adults and are rarely reported in children, with only about 10 cases reported in this age group. Hereby, we present two cases of CHFC in two 3.5-year-old boys; one of them had cystic lesion at medial segment of left lobe of liver (common site, and in the other one it was located at right lobe of liver (less common site. Histologically, both cysts had four layers composed of inner ciliated, pseudostratified, columnar epithelium; subepithelial connective tissue; smooth muscle layer; and an outer fibrous layer.

  3. How Far do Ciliate Flagships Sail? A Proposed Gondawanaland Endemic Species at Anchor in Idaho Soils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourland, William

    2017-07-01

    In terms of protist biogeography, "flagship species" (Foissner 2005) have been defined as those so remarkable or "showy" that they are unlikely to be overlooked when present in a given habitat. On this basis, flagship species have been suggested as an ideal or ultimate test for the existence of protist endemism. One example of a flagship ciliate is the terrestrial lepidosome-bearing trachelophyllid, Luporinophrys micelae, previously thought to be a Gondwanan endemic. This report comprises a morphologic description of two populations of L. micelae from Laurentian soils (Idaho, Northwest USA). The flagship concept is briefly reviewed and ciliate biogeography is discussed in light of these findings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  4. Sampling frequency of ciliated protozoan microfauna for seasonal distribution research in marine ecosystems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Henglong; Yong, Jiang; Xu, Guangjian

    2015-12-30

    Sampling frequency is important to obtain sufficient information for temporal research of microfauna. To determine an optimal strategy for exploring the seasonal variation in ciliated protozoa, a dataset from the Yellow Sea, northern China was studied. Samples were collected with 24 (biweekly), 12 (monthly), 8 (bimonthly per season) and 4 (seasonally) sampling events. Compared to the 24 samplings (100%), the 12-, 8- and 4-samplings recovered 94%, 94%, and 78% of the total species, respectively. To reveal the seasonal distribution, the 8-sampling regime may result in >75% information of the seasonal variance, while the traditional 4-sampling may only explain sampling frequency, the biotic data showed stronger correlations with seasonal variables (e.g., temperature, salinity) in combination with nutrients. It is suggested that the 8-sampling events per year may be an optimal sampling strategy for ciliated protozoan seasonal research in marine ecosystems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Peribronchiolar fibrosis in lungs of cats chronically exposed to diesel exhaust

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hyde, D.M.; Plopper, C.G.; Weir, A.J.; Murnane, R.D.; Warren, D.L.; Last, J.A.; Pepelko, W.E.

    1985-01-01

    This study reports the quantitative changes in the pulmonary proximal acinar region following chronic exposure to diesel exhaust and following an additional 6 months in clean air. Cats (13 months of age) from a minimum disease colony were exposed to clean air (eight cats for 27 months and nine cats for 33 months), diesel exhaust for 8 hours/day, 7 days/week (nine cats for 27 months), or diesel exhaust for 27 months followed by 6 months in clean air (10 cats). Morphologic and morphometric evaluation using light microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed two major exposure-related lesions in proximal acinar regions of lungs of cats: peribronchiolar fibrosis associated with significant increases in lymphocytes, fibroblasts, and interstitial macrophages containing diesel particulate-like inclusions and bronchiolar epithelial metaplasia associated with the presence of ciliated and basal cells and alveolar macrophages containing diesel particulate-like inclusions. Peribronchiolar fibrosis was greater at the end of the 6 months in clean air following exposure, whereas the bronchiolar epithelial metaplasia was most severe at the end of exposure. Following an additional 6 months in clean air the epithelium more closely resembled the control epithelial cell population. The labeling index of terminal bronchiolar epithelium was significantly increased at the end of exposure but was not significantly different from controls or exposed cats following an additional 6 months in clean air. The ultrastructural appearance of epithelial cells remained relatively unchanged following diesel exhaust exposure with the exception of diesel particulate-like inclusions

  6. Estimation of carbon sequestration by tree species in three farms in Villa Clara province

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Carlos García Hernández

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The research took place in two farms of the Cifuentes municipality and in a farm of the Santa Clara municipality, province of Villa Clara. It was carried out from November 2008 to May 2009, with the objective of estimating the capture of Carbon by common arboreal species in these farms. The plant biomass analyses were made according to the methodology of Mercadet and Álvarez (2005. Several parameters were analyzed. Age, height and perimeter of the plants were the most influential parameters on the amount of carbon sequestered. In this regard, we performed a multivariate curve fitting, showing the age of the plants the highest percent of dependence (54.89%. Palma Real with values between 0.81 and 0.84 t / plant and the Mango between 0.60 and 0.81 t /plant of retained Carbon, were the most outstanding in the capture of Carbon.

  7. The First Record for the Americas of Loxodes rex, a Flagship Ciliate with an Alleged Restricted Biogeography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hines, Hunter N; McCarthy, Peter J; Esteban, Genoveva F

    2016-01-01

    As the foundations of food webs, protozoa are essential to the success of an ecological system. These organisms are often overlooked, and research in the Americas is sparse. Recent samplings conducted in freshwater canals and ponds in Florida, USA, have revealed Loxodes rex, an alleged endemic ciliate species. Originally described as endemic to tropical Africa, L. rex has been considered a prime candidate for proof of microbial endemism. Our studies have shown this giant, non-encysting ciliate to be thriving in subtropical Florida. Our observations are novel and include both the first record of occurrence for the Americas and the first high-quality in vivo images for this charismatic species.

  8. Can the halophilic ciliate Fabrea salina be used as a bio-control of microalgae blooms in solar salterns?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Hyun Pyo; Choi, Joong Ki

    2015-09-01

    The microlage Dunaliella salina, a major producer in salterns, is a serious problem for salt production. In this study we tried to assess if Fabrea salina can control D. salina. By parameterising numerical and functional response (growth and grazing vs prey abundance, respectively) at 90 psu and 30°C, where the ciliate is abundant and grows well, we developed a predator-prey model. The model is used to explore how change in microalga growth rate affect the dynamics, and the functional response is used in combination with field data to assess the potential impact of F. salina on D. salina. Over the 20 d simulation the ciliate controlled the prey population under all prey growth rates; although once D. salina were exhausted below the threshold level, F. salina died due to starvation, allowing the alga to increase in abundance, resulting in one or two predatorprey cycle, depending on prey growth rate. In general, the model predicted trends observed by others in the field, suggesting that it provided a good prediction of what may occur under the conditions we examined. Likewise we show that the ciliate can have a high impact on microalgal populations in the field. Finally, a literature review indicated that F. salina could be a good competitor with other protozoa and metazoan in salterns, depending on salinity and temperature, which requires further study and attention. In summary, we encourage continued studies on this unique ciliate on solar salterns and suggest that it may be useful in the bio-control of micoalgae.

  9. First report on the colony-forming freshwater ciliate Ophrydium versatile in an African river

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Oberholster, Paul J

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Ophrydium versatile (Müller 1786) Ehrenberg 1830 – a symbiotic ciliate that forms gelatinous colonies – is widely distributed in temperate lakes in Europe and America, but has not previously been recorded from rivers. In this paper we report...

  10. Evaluation of animal control measures on pet demographics in Santa Clara County, California, 1993–2006

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philip H. Kass

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The measurable benefits of animal control programs are unknown and the aim of this study was to determine the impact of these programs on pet population changes. A prospective cross-sectional study of 1000 households was implemented in 2005 to evaluate characteristics of the owned and unowned population of dogs and cats in Santa Clara County, California. The same population was previously studied 12 years earlier. During this time period, the county instituted in 1994 and then subsequently disestablished a municipal spay/neuter voucher program for cats. Dog intakes declined from 1992–2005, as they similarly did for an adjacent county (San Mateo. However, cat intakes declined significantly more in Santa Clara County than San Mateo, with an average annual decline of approximately 700 cats for the 12 year period. Time series analysis showed a greater than expected decline in the number of cats surrendered to shelters in Santa Clara County during the years the voucher program was in effect (1994–2005. The net savings to the county by reducing the number of cat shelter intakes was estimated at approximately $1.5 million. The measurable benefits of animal control programs are unknown and the aim of this study was to determine the impact of these programs on pet population changes.

  11. Insights into bioassessment of marine pollution using body-size distinctness of planktonic ciliates based on a modified trait hierarchy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Henglong; Jiang, Yong; Xu, Guangjian

    2016-06-15

    Based on a modified trait hierarchy of body-size units, the feasibility for bioassessment of water pollution using body-size distinctness of planktonic ciliates was studied in a semi-enclosed bay, northern China. An annual dataset was collected at five sampling stations within a gradient of heavy metal contaminants. Results showed that: (1) in terms of probability density, the body-size spectra of the ciliates represented significant differences among the five stations; (2) bootstrap average analysis demonstrated a spatial variation in body-size rank patterns in response to pollution stress due to heavy metals; and (3) the average body-size distinctness (Δz(+)) and variation in body-size distinctness (Λz(+)), based on the modified trait hierarchy, revealed a clear departure pattern from the expected body-size spectra in areas with pollutants. These results suggest that the body-size diversity measures based on the modified trait hierarchy of the ciliates may be used as a potential indicator of marine pollution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Analysis of the secondary structure of ITS transcripts in peritrich ciliates (Ciliophora, Oligohymenophorea): implications for structural evolution and phylogenetic reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Ping; Clamp, John C; Xu, Dapeng

    2010-07-01

    Despite extensive previous morphological work, little agreement has been reached about phylogenetic relationships among peritrich ciliates, making it difficult to study the evolution of the group in a phylogenetic framework. In this study, the nucleotide characteristics and secondary structures of internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 (ITS1 and ITS2) of 26 peritrich ciliates in 12 genera were analyzed. Information from secondary structures of ITS1 and ITS2 then was used to perform the first systematic study of ITS regions in peritrich ciliates, including one species of Rhabdostyla for which no sequence has been reported previously. Lengths of ITS1 and ITS2 sequences varied relatively little among taxa studied, but their G+C content was highly variable. General secondary structure models of ITS1 and ITS2 were proposed for peritrich ciliates and their reliability was assessed by compensatory base changes. The secondary structure of ITS1 contains three major helices in peritrich ciliates and deviations from this basic structure were found in all taxa examined. The core structure of peritrich ITS2 includes four helices, with helix III as the longest and containing a motif 5'-MAC versus GUK-3' at its apex as well as a YU-UY mismatch in helix II. In addition, the structural motifs of both ITS secondary structures were identified. Phylogenetic analyses using ITS data were performed by means of Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood and neighbor joining methods. Trees had a consistent branching pattern that included the following features: (1) Rhabdostyla always clustered with members of the family Vorticellidae, instead of members of the family Epistylididae, in which it is now classified on the basis of morphology. (2) The systematically questionable genus Ophrydium closely associated with Carchesium, forming a clearly defined, monophyletic group within the Vorticellidae. This supported the hypothesis derived from previous study based on small subunit rRNA gene sequences

  13. INCIDENCIA DE CARDIOPATÍAS DURANTE EL EMBARAZO EN LA PROVINCIA DE VILLA CLARA / Incidence of heart disease during pregnancy in Villa Clara province

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marilín C. Luna Alonso

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available ResumenIntroducción y objetivos: Las enfermedades cardiovasculares constituyen la cuarta causa de muerte durante el período gravídico-puerperal, y un indicador de morbilidad y mortalidad para el producto de la concepción. El objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar el comportamiento de la cardiopatía en la embarazada, su atención médica y evolución durante y al final del embarazo. Método: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, prospectivo, donde se analizaron 283 gestantes con diagnóstico de cardiopatía, atendidas en el Hospital Universitario Gineco-Obstétrico "Mariana Grajales" de Santa Clara, Villa Clara, en el período 2008-2010. La información se obtuvo mediante la revisión de las historias clínicas individuales, interrogatorio, examen físico completo, así como pruebas complementarias para establecer o confirmar el diagnóstico. Resultados: Se obtuvo una incidencia de 17,2 cardiopatías por cada mil gestantes y en el 59,7 % de ellas, la cardiopatía era adquirida; el prolapso valvular mitral fue la más frecuente (45 %. De las congénitas, el 36,8 % se trataba de una comunicación interauricular. Se utilizó antibioprofilaxis en el 96,8 % de las embarazadas y en el 96,1 % de ellas se mantuvo un seguimiento médico. El 92,6 % tenía clase funcional I y 4,6 % presentó complicación por su enfermedad. El 77,4 % parió entre las 37 y 42 semanas, y el 82,7 % tuvo parto eutócico. Conclusiones: Las gestantes cardiópatas fueron más frecuentes en edades entre 20 y 29 años, con predominio de las que no habían parido, captación entre las 13 y 24 semanas, y cardiopatías adquiridas. La atención médica que prevaleció fue la antibioprofilaxis y el seguimiento médico con evolución final del embarazo satisfactoria. / AbstractIntroduction and Objectives: Cardiovascular diseases are the fourth leading cause of death during the gravid-puerperal period, and an indicator of morbidity and mortality for the product of conception

  14. Detecting in situ copepod diet diversity using molecular technique: development of a copepod/symbiotic ciliate-excluding eukaryote-inclusive PCR protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Simin; Guo, Zhiling; Li, Tao; Carpenter, Edward J; Liu, Sheng; Lin, Senjie

    2014-01-01

    Knowledge of in situ copepod diet diversity is crucial for accurately describing pelagic food web structure but is challenging to achieve due to lack of an easily applicable methodology. To enable analysis with whole copepod-derived DNAs, we developed a copepod-excluding 18S rDNA-based PCR protocol. Although it is effective in depressing amplification of copepod 18S rDNA, its applicability to detect diverse eukaryotes in both mono- and mixed-species has not been demonstrated. Besides, the protocol suffers from the problem that sequences from symbiotic ciliates are overrepresented in the retrieved 18S rDNA libraries. In this study, we designed a blocking primer to make a combined primer set (copepod/symbiotic ciliate-excluding eukaryote-common: CEEC) to depress PCR amplification of symbiotic ciliate sequences while maximizing the range of eukaryotes amplified. We firstly examined the specificity and efficacy of CEEC by PCR-amplifying DNAs from 16 copepod species, 37 representative organisms that are potential prey of copepods and a natural microplankton sample, and then evaluated the efficiency in reconstructing diet composition by detecting the food of both lab-reared and field-collected copepods. Our results showed that the CEEC primer set can successfully amplify 18S rDNA from a wide range of isolated species and mixed-species samples while depressing amplification of that from copepod and targeted symbiotic ciliate, indicating the universality of CEEC in specifically detecting prey of copepods. All the predetermined food offered to copepods in the laboratory were successfully retrieved, suggesting that the CEEC-based protocol can accurately reconstruct the diets of copepods without interference of copepods and their associated ciliates present in the DNA samples. Our initial application to analyzing the food composition of field-collected copepods uncovered diverse prey species, including those currently known, and those that are unsuspected, as copepod prey

  15. Ephemeral stream reaches preserve the evolutionary and distributional history of threespine stickleback in the Santa Clara and Ventura River watersheds of southern California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richmond, Jonathan Q.; Jacobs, David K.; Backlin, Adam R.; Swift, Camm C.; Dellith, Chris; Fisher, Robert N.

    2015-01-01

    Much remains to be understood about the evolutionary history and contemporary landscape genetics of unarmored threespine stickleback in southern California, where populations collectively referred to as Gasterosteus aculeatus williamsoni have severely declined over the past 70+ years and are now endangered. We used mitochondrial sequence and microsatellite data to assess the population genetics and phylogeography of unarmored populations sampled immediately downstream from the type locality of G. a. williamsoni in the upper Santa Clara River, and assessed their distinctiveness with respect to low-armor populations in the downstream sections of the river and the adjacent Ventura River. We also characterized the geographic limits of different plate morphs and evaluated the congruence of those boundaries with barriers to dispersal in both river systems and to neutral genetic variation. We show substantial population structuring within the upper reach of the Santa Clara River, but little partitioning between the lower Santa Clara and Ventura Rivers—we attribute these patterns to different ancestry between spatially subdivided populations within the same drainage, a predominance of downstream gene flow, and ability for coastal dispersal between the Santa Clara and Ventura Rivers. We also show that alleles from introduced low-plate stock have infiltrated a native population in at least one upper Santa Clara River tributary, causing this formerly unarmored population to become gradually low-plated over a 30 + year time period. Measures of genetic diversity, census surveys, and severe habitat disturbance all indicate that unarmored stickleback near the type locality are currently at high risk of extinction.

  16. Granivorous birds and sorghum crop in the province of Villa Clara,Cuba

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Orlando Miguel Saucedo Castillo

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available In order to reduce the damages granivorous birds cause to sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench in the province of Villa Clara, Cuba, research based on the determination of the major endemic, migratory birds and their relationship with the distribution were made space of historical meteorological variables in the province in the seasonal behavior of birds in different climatic regions. Population to sorghum producers grouped in different forms surveys were conducted, which yielded a large database, such as the determination of the main grain-eating birds percentage damage incurred, varieties, grain color, growth stage and other indicators. Nine main species affecting sorghum grain-eating birds in our province were recorded; Passer domesticus, Lonchura malacca, Lonchura punctulata, Dives atroviolaceus, Passerina cyanea, Zonotrichia leucophrys, Columbina passerine, Zenaida macroura y Zenaida asiatica. The spatial distribution of meteorological variables and their relation to the seasonal behavior of birds in different climatic regions of the province was determined, based on record four preferential habitat areas. The results allowed us to provide companies and different forms of production in Villa Clara, the possibility of a varietal structure planting of sorghum on the basis of different preferential areas granivorous birds, together with the morphological and physiological characteristics of different genotypes introduced in agricultural production of the province and nationally.

  17. Blooms of a benthic ciliate, Maristentor dinoferus (Heterotrichea: Maristentoridae, on coral reefs of Guam, Mariana Islands. (Note

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schefter, M.

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Maristentor dinoferus is visible in situ with the naked eye; it forms aggregations at several scales: individuals form dynamic clusters within colonies that are normally widely scattered, but in recurrent blooms during the dry seasons of 2005 through 2007, colonies often formed close together in patches (metapopulations. Patches were extremely abundant in Guam, both in Apra Harbor and on the outer coast. This is the first time that long-term changes in a benthic ciliate population have been documented in situ and that multi-scale patchiness has been reported for a benthic ciliate. Colonies were mapped and monitored; some patches over 1 m diameter were recorded. Since 2008, the distribution has again consisted of scattered colonies, as it did from 1999–2004.

  18. Molecular characterization of ABC transporters in marine ciliate, Euplotes crassus: Identification and response to cadmium and benzo[a]pyrene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hokyun; Yim, Bora; Kim, Jisoo; Kim, Haeyeon; Lee, Young-Mi

    2017-11-30

    ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters participate in transporting various substances, including xenobiotics, in or out of cells. However, their genetic information and function in ciliates remain still unclear. In this study, we sequenced and characterized two ABC transporter genes (EcABCB and EcABCC), and investigated the effect of cadmium (Cd) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) on their function and gene expression, using efflux assay and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), respectively, in the marine ciliate, Euplotes crassus. Sequencing analysis and efflux assay showed that EcABCB and EcABCC are typical ABC transporters, possessing conserved function. Exposure to Cd (≥5mg/L) and B[a]P (≥50.5μg/L) enhanced accumulation of a substrate. A significant increase in the expression of EcABCB and EcABC mRNA was observed at lower concentration in response to Cd and B[a]P. Our findings indicate that Cd and B[a]P could inhibit the efflux function of ABC transporters, leading to cellular toxicity in the ciliate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Inter-annual ciliate distribution variation within the late stratification oxycline in a monomictic lake, Lake Alchichica (Mexico).

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Sánchez Medina, X.; Macek, Miroslav; Bautista-Reyes, F.; Perz, A.; Bonilla Lemus, P.; Chávez Arteaga, M.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 75, č. 1 (2016), s. 179-190 ISSN 1129-5767 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Oxycline * ciliates * scuticociliates * mixotrophy * biomass Subject RIV: DA - Hydrology ; Limnology Impact factor: 1.451, year: 2016

  20. The role of ciliates within the microbial food web in the eutrophicated part of Kaštela Bay (Middle Adriatic Sea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalia Bojanic

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Interactions among phytoplankton, bacterioplankton, heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNF, ciliated protozoa and copepod nauplii were studied in the eutrophicated part of Kas?tela Bay from May 1998 to November 1999. Special emphasis was placed on relationships between size categories of nonloricate ciliates (NLC and other microbial food web components. Biomasses of phytoplankton and bacteria were primarily influenced by abiotic parameters. Temperature indirectly controlled variation in HNF biomass through the changes in biomass of bacteria and the smaller phytoplankton fraction. Besides HNF, bacterial biomass was affected by the NLC

  1. Macronuclear genome structure of the ciliate Nyctotherus ovalis: Single-gene chromosomes and tiny introns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Landweber Laura F

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Nyctotherus ovalis is a single-celled eukaryote that has hydrogen-producing mitochondria and lives in the hindgut of cockroaches. Like all members of the ciliate taxon, it has two types of nuclei, a micronucleus and a macronucleus. N. ovalis generates its macronuclear chromosomes by forming polytene chromosomes that subsequently develop into macronuclear chromosomes by DNA elimination and rearrangement. Results We examined the structure of these gene-sized macronuclear chromosomes in N. ovalis. We determined the telomeres, subtelomeric regions, UTRs, coding regions and introns by sequencing a large set of macronuclear DNA sequences (4,242 and cDNAs (5,484 and comparing them with each other. The telomeres consist of repeats CCC(AAAACCCCn, similar to those in spirotrichous ciliates such as Euplotes, Sterkiella (Oxytricha and Stylonychia. Per sequenced chromosome we found evidence for either a single protein-coding gene, a single tRNA, or the complete ribosomal RNAs cluster. Hence the chromosomes appear to encode single transcripts. In the short subtelomeric regions we identified a few overrepresented motifs that could be involved in gene regulation, but there is no consensus polyadenylation site. The introns are short (21–29 nucleotides, and a significant fraction (1/3 of the tiny introns is conserved in the distantly related ciliate Paramecium tetraurelia. As has been observed in P. tetraurelia, the N. ovalis introns tend to contain in-frame stop codons or have a length that is not dividable by three. This pattern causes premature termination of mRNA translation in the event of intron retention, and potentially degradation of unspliced mRNAs by the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway. Conclusion The combination of short leaders, tiny introns and single genes leads to very minimal macronuclear chromosomes. The smallest we identified contained only 150 nucleotides.

  2. Gravitaxis of Bursaria truncatella: electrophysiological and behavioural analyses of a large ciliate cell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krause, Martin; Bräucker, Richard

    2009-05-01

    Bursaria truncatella is a giant ciliate. Its volume of 3 x 10(7)microm(3) and a sedimentation rate of 923microm s(-1) would induce the cell to rapidly sink to the bottom of a pond unless compensating mechanisms exist. The upward swimming behaviour of a cell population (negative gravitaxis) may be either a result of reorientations of the cells (graviorientation) and/or direction-dependent changes in propulsion rate (gravikinesis). The special statocyst hypothesis assumes a stimulation of mechanosensitive ion channels by forces of the cytoplasmic mass acting on the lower membrane. Here, we present basic electrophysiological data on B. truncatella. Investigation of the mechanosensitivity reveals a polar distribution of depolarising and hyperpolarising mechanosensitive channels at least on the dorsal membrane of the cell. Analysis of swimming behaviour demonstrates that Bursaria orients against the gravity vector (r(Oc)=0.34) and performs a negative gravikinesis (-633microm s(-1)) compensating the sedimentation rate by 70%. Under hypergravity conditions gravitaxis in Bursaria is enhanced. Microgravity experiments indicate an incomplete relaxation of graviresponses during 4s of weightlessness. Experimental data are in accordance with the special statocyst hypothesis of graviperception, as was demonstrated in other ciliates.

  3. Impacts of an uncontrolled phosphogypsum dumpsite on summer distribution of phytoplankton, copepods and ciliates in relation to abiotic variables along the near-shore of the southwestern Mediterranean coast

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rekik, Amira; Drira, Zaher; Guermazi, Wassim; Elloumi, Jannet; Maalej, Sami; Aleya, Lotfi; Ayadi, Habib

    2012-01-01

    In connection with the Taparura Project, studies of spatial distribution of the crustacean zooplankton community, nutrients, phytoplankton and ciliates were conducted in July 2007 at 45 stations spread over fifteen transects along the coast north of Sfax. The results showed that the N/P ratio was lower than the Redfield ratio, suggesting potential N limitation. Phytoplankton was characterised by the proliferation of several diatoms, while ciliates were largely dominated by spirotrichs. Copepods were the most abundant zooplankton present during the entire study period, comprising 61% of the total zooplankton community. Twelve copepod families were identified at every station, with a high percentage of Oithonidae (77% of copepods) dominated by Oithona nana. The abundance of this species was correlated with that of diatoms, Cocoolithophorideae and ciliated Colpodea, suggesting that O. nana may feed on a wide range of prey. Despite human pressure and industrial activities, the coastal waters north of Sfax showed a wide diversity of phytoplankton, ciliates and zooplankton.

  4. TREATMENT SYSTEM FOR WASTEWATER AT VILLA CLARA WATER MANAGEMENT COMPANY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Floramis Pérez Martín

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to assess the current operating and safety conditions of biological treatment systems for wastewater in the centers of swinish and poultry breeding at Villa Clara Water Management Company, with the purpose of setting a group of organizational, technical and human measures that contributes to prevent contamination and minimize biological risks. In this way it can be guaranteed the protection to the workers, the facilities, community and the environment, to have a sure occupational atmosphere in the organization. As a result of the evaluation the factors that affect the operation of the biodigestion system and the security of the process are defined.

  5. Evaluación de la satisfacción del cliente de la Drogueria Villa Clara, 2008-2009

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Geidy Lorezo Monteagudo

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Introducción: la Droguería Villa Clara es la encargada de la distribución de medicamentos, reactivos y otros insumos médicos en esta provincia de Cuba. Mantiene relaciones comerciales con gran variedad de clientes, pero los más importantes son los pertenecientes al Sistema de Salud. Objetivo: evaluar la calidad del servicio brindado por esta entidad a los hospitales, policlínicos y farmacias de la provincia durante el 2008 y el 2009. Métodos: se conformó una muestra representativa de estas instituciones en todos los municipios de Villa Clara y se aplicaron encuestas al personal responsable de medicamentos en cada tipo unidad. Se determinó el índice de satisfacción para cada cliente encuestado en particular, así como para policlínicos, hospitales y farmacias en sentido general. Por otra parte, se determinó el índice de satisfacción alcanzado de forma global por la droguería en cada año evaluado. Resultados: el servicio brindado por la Droguería Villa Clara durante el 2008 y el 2009 fue calificado como bueno, con una mejora palpable al obtenerse índices de satisfacción que variaron de 84,2 % en el 2008 a 88,3 % en el 2009. Conclusiones: los clientes del proceso de distribución de medicamentos, perciben la disponibilidad de medicamentos como el problema fundamental de la distribución en la provincia.

  6. Social biases determine spatiotemporal sparseness of ciliate mating heuristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Ciliates become highly social, even displaying animal-like qualities, in the joint presence of aroused conspecifics and nonself mating pheromones. Pheromone detection putatively helps trigger instinctual and learned courtship and dominance displays from which social judgments are made about the availability, compatibility, and fitness representativeness or likelihood of prospective mates and rivals. In earlier studies, I demonstrated the heterotrich Spirostomum ambiguum improves mating competence by effecting preconjugal strategies and inferences in mock social trials via behavioral heuristics built from Hebbian-like associative learning. Heuristics embody serial patterns of socially relevant action that evolve into ordered, topologically invariant computational networks supporting intra- and intermate selection. S. ambiguum employs heuristics to acquire, store, plan, compare, modify, select, and execute sets of mating propaganda. One major adaptive constraint over formation and use of heuristics involves a ciliate’s initial subjective bias, responsiveness, or preparedness, as defined by Stevens’ Law of subjective stimulus intensity, for perceiving the meaningfulness of mechanical pressures accompanying cell-cell contacts and additional perimating events. This bias controls durations and valences of nonassociative learning, search rates for appropriate mating strategies, potential net reproductive payoffs, levels of social honesty and deception, successful error diagnosis and correction of mating signals, use of insight or analysis to solve mating dilemmas, bioenergetics expenditures, and governance of mating decisions by classical or quantum statistical mechanics. I now report this same social bias also differentially affects the spatiotemporal sparseness, as measured with metric entropy, of ciliate heuristics. Sparseness plays an important role in neural systems through optimizing the specificity, efficiency, and capacity of memory representations. The

  7. Diversification dynamics of rhynchostomatian ciliates: the impact of seven intrinsic traits on speciation and extinction in a microbial group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vďačný, Peter; Rajter, Ľubomír; Shazib, Shahed Uddin Ahmed; Jang, Seok Won; Shin, Mann Kyoon

    2017-08-30

    Ciliates are a suitable microbial model to investigate trait-dependent diversification because of their comparatively complex morphology and high diversity. We examined the impact of seven intrinsic traits on speciation, extinction, and net-diversification of rhynchostomatians, a group of comparatively large, predatory ciliates with proboscis carrying a dorsal brush (sensoric structure) and toxicysts (organelles used to kill the prey). Bayesian estimates under the binary-state speciation and extinction model indicate that two types of extrusomes and two-rowed dorsal brush raise diversification through decreasing extinction. On the other hand, the higher number of contractile vacuoles and their dorsal location likely increase diversification via elevating speciation rate. Particular nuclear characteristics, however, do not significantly differ in their diversification rates and hence lineages with various macronuclear patterns and number of micronuclei have similar probabilities to generate new species. Likelihood-based quantitative state diversification analyses suggest that rhynchostomatians conform to Cope's rule in that their diversity linearly grows with increasing body length and relative length of the proboscis. Comparison with other litostomatean ciliates indicates that rhynchostomatians are not among the cladogenically most successful lineages and their survival over several hundred million years could be associated with their comparatively large and complex bodies that reduce the risk of extinction.

  8. Perspectives of Mobile Versus Fixed Mammography in Santa Clara County, California: A Focus Group Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yi-Ren; Chang-Halpenny, Christine; Kumarasamy, Narmadan A; Venegas, Angela; Braddock Iii, Clarence H

    2016-02-12

    Our aim was to examine underserved women's perceptions on mobile versus fixed mammography in Santa Clara, California through a focus group study.  Research has shown that medically underserved women have higher breast cancer mortality rates correlated with under-screening and a disproportional rate of late-stage diagnosis. The Community Health Partnership in Santa Clara County, California runs the Community Mammography Access Project (CMAP) that targets nearly 20,000 medically underserved women over the age of 40 in the county through the collaborative effort of an existing safety net of healthcare providers. However, little data exists on the advantages or disadvantages of mobile mammography units from the patient perspective.   We assessed underserved women's perspectives on mammography services in Santa Clara County through two focus groups from women screened at mobile or fixed site programs. Patients were recruited from both CMAP clinics and a county hospital, and focus group data were analyzed using content analysis.  We found that women from both the mobile and fixed sites shared similar motivating factors for getting a mammogram. Both groups recognized that screening was uncomfortable but necessary for good health and had positive feedback about their personal physicians. However, mobile participants, in particular, appreciated the atmosphere of mobile screening, reported shorter wait times, and remarked on the good communication from the clinic staff and empathetic treatment they received. However, mobile participants also expressed concern about the quality of films at mobile sites due to delayed initial reading of the films.   Mobile mammography offers a unique opportunity for women of underserved populations to access high satisfaction screenings, and it encourages a model similar to CMAP in other underserved areas. However, emphasis should be placed on providing a warm and welcoming environment for patients and ensuring the quality of

  9. Importance and nutritional value of large ciliates for the reproduction of Acartia clausi during the post spring-bloom period in the North Sea

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dutz, Jörg; Peters, J.

    2008-01-01

    enriched with large prey (> 20 mu m). The mineral (C, N) and lipid contents of the food suspensions were determined for size-fractionated samples to characterize the nutritional composition of prey. Large oligotrich ciliates and Strobiliidae dominated the seston biomass. Ciliates, particularly......Shipboard experiments were performed to examine the qualitative importance of large marine microzooplankton for the reproduction of Acartia clausi in the North Sea. Feeding and egg production were compared in 2 treatments in which females were fed natural seston or natural seston selectively...

  10. Propuesta\tde Acciones Físicas Recreativas para\tlos los pacientes aquejados de xeroderma pigmentario “Xp” en el Municipio Santa Clara

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Josefa Alfonso Guirado

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available La atención a grupos con necesidades educativas especiales constituye un logro de la revolución cubana que empeña grandes esfuerzos para elevar la calidad de vida de estos sectores de la población. . En este caso se encuentran los pacientes afectados por el Xeroderma Pigmentario (XP que es una enfermedad genética provocada por la excesiva sensibilidad a los efectos de las radiaciones ultravioletas cuyas características principales son la presencia de manchas en forma de pecas, así como por oscurecimiento y la resequedad de la piel. Los pacientes pertenecientes al municipio de Santa Clara constituyen la población de la presente investigación que tiene como objetivos: diagnosticar el nivel de participación de los pacientes XP del municipio de Santa Clara en las actividades de la recreación física, diseñar un plan de acciones físico – recreativas para estimular la participación de los pacientes XP del municipio de Santa Clara en las actividades de recreación física y valorar el plan de acciones físico – recreativas a través del criterio de especialistas, para dar solución al siguiente problema científico: ¿Cómo incrementar la participación de los pacientes aquejados de Xeroderma Pigmentario del municipio de Santa Clara en las actividades de recreación física? La base metodológica material utilizada para dar cumplimiento a los objetivos de la investigación está constituida por los siguientes métodos, se utilizo del nivel teórico el estudio de documentos y del nivel empírico-experimental: la encuesta, la entrevista y el criterio de especialistas. El proceso investigativo permitió conocer los motivos por los cuales los pacientes XP del municipio de Santa Clara no participan frecuentemente en las actividades de la recreación física y corroboró que los mismos presentan un marcado interés por las actividades recreativas de carácter físico.

  11. 76 FR 9640 - Prevailing Rate Systems: Santa Clara, CA, Tulsa County, OK, and Angelina County, TX

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-22

    ... OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 5 CFR Part 532 RIN 3206-AM22 Prevailing Rate Systems: Santa Clara... County, Texas, as an area of application to the Dallas, TX, NAF FWS wage area. The Federal Prevailing.... Accordingly, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management amends 5 CFR part 532 as follows: PART 532--PREVAILING...

  12. An overview of Suctorian ciliates (Ciliophora, Suctorea) as epibionts of halacarid mites (Acari, Halacaridae)

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Dovgal, I.; Chatterjee, T.; Ingole, B.S.

    Subclass Exogenia Collin Order Metacinetida Jankowski Family Paracinetidae Jankowski Limnoricus ceter Jankowski, 1981 (Fig. 1–3) Diagnosis: Marine commensal, loricate, suctorian ciliate with stalk delimited from posterior margin of lorica. Both lorica...–11) =Thecacineta halacari Schulz, 1933 DOVGAL ET AL.62 · Zootaxa 1810 © 2008 Magnolia Press =Lissacineta allgeni Jankowski, 1981, syn. n. =Thecacineta allgeni (Jankowski, 1981), syn. n. Diagnosis: Marine suctorians with stylotheca. Cell body, slightly...

  13. Nuclear localization signal targeting to macronucleus and micronucleus in binucleated ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwamoto, Masaaki; Mori, Chie; Osakada, Hiroko; Koujin, Takako; Hiraoka, Yasushi; Haraguchi, Tokuko

    2018-06-08

    Ciliated protozoa possess two morphologically and functionally distinct nuclei: a macronucleus (MAC) and a micronucleus (MIC). The MAC is transcriptionally active and functions in all cellular events. The MIC is transcriptionally inactive during cell growth, but functions in meiotic events to produce progeny nuclei. Thus, these two nuclei must be distinguished by the nuclear proteins required for their distinct functions during cellular events such as cell proliferation and meiosis. To understand the mechanism of the nuclear transport specific to either MAC or MIC, we identified specific nuclear localization signals (NLSs) in two MAC- and MIC-specific nuclear proteins, macronuclear histone H1 and micronuclear linker histone-like protein (Mlh1), respectively. By expressing GFP-fused fragments of these proteins in Tetrahymena thermophila cells, two distinct regions in macronuclear histone H1 protein were assigned as independent MAC-specific NLSs and two distinct regions in Mlh1 protein were assigned as independent MIC-specific NLSs. These NLSs contain several essential lysine residues responsible for the MAC- and MIC-specific nuclear transport, but neither contains any consensus sequence with known monopartite or bipartite NLSs in other model organisms. Our findings contribute to understanding how specific nuclear targeting is achieved to perform distinct nuclear functions in binucleated ciliates. © 2018 The Authors. Genes to Cells published by Molecular Biology Society of Japan and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  14. 76 FR 68784 - Notice of Realty Action: Direct Sale of Public Land in Santa Clara County, CA

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-07

    ... California Limited Liability Company, for the appraised fair market value of $16,000. DATES: Written comments...] Notice of Realty Action: Direct Sale of Public Land in Santa Clara County, CA AGENCY: Bureau of Land...), Hollister Field Office, proposes to sell a parcel of public land consisting of approximately 15.97 acres...

  15. 76 FR 72972 - Notice of Realty Action: Competitive Sale of Public Land in Santa Clara County, CA

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-28

    ... appraised fair market value. The appraised value of the public land is $135,000. DATES: Comments regarding... described contains 23.42 acres, more or less, in Santa Clara County, California. Appraised fair market value... no known mineral values in the land proposed for sale. The BLM proposes that conveyance of the...

  16. Water resources development in Santa Clara Valley, California: insights into the human-hydrologic relationship

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reynolds, Jesse L. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

    2000-06-01

    Groundwater irrigation is critical to food production and, in turn, to humankind's relationship with its environment. The development of groundwater in Santa Clara Valley, California during the early twentieth century is instructive because (1) responses to unsustainable resource use were largely successful; (2) the proposals for the physical management of the water, although not entirely novel, incorporated new approaches which reveal an evolving relationship between humans and the hydrologic cycle; and (3) the valley serves as a natural laboratory where natural (groundwater basin, surface watershed) and human (county, water district) boundaries generally coincide. Here, I investigate how water resources development and management in Santa Clara Valley was influenced by, and reflective of, a broad understanding of water as a natural resource, including scientific and technological innovations, new management approaches, and changing perceptions of the hydrologic cycle. Market demands and technological advances engendered reliance on groundwater. This, coupled with a series of dry years and laissez faire government policies, led to overdraft. Faith in centralized management and objective engineering offered a solution to concerns over resource depletion, and a group dominated by orchardists soon organized, fought for a water conservation district, and funded an investigation to halt the decline of well levels. Engineer Fred Tibbetts authored an elaborate water salvage and recharge plan that optimized the local water resources by integrating multiple components of the hydrologic cycle. Informed by government investigations, groundwater development in Southern California, and local water law cases, it recognized the limited surface storage possibilities, the spatial and temporal variability, the relatively closed local hydrology, the interconnection of surface and subsurface waters, and the value of the groundwater basin for its storage, transportation, and

  17. Morphogenesis of respiratory syncytial virus in human primary nasal ciliated epithelial cells occurs at surface membrane microdomains that are distinct from cilia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jumat, Muhammad Raihan; Yan, Yan; Ravi, Laxmi Iyer; Wong, Puisan; Huong, Tra Nguyen; Li, Chunwei; Tan, Boon Huan; Wang, De Yun; Sugrue, Richard J.

    2015-01-01

    The distribution of cilia and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) nucleocapsid (N) protein, fusion (F) protein, attachment (G) protein, and M2-1 protein in human ciliated nasal epithelial cells was examined at between 1 and 5 days post-infection (dpi). All virus structural proteins were localized at cell surface projections that were distinct from cilia. The F protein was also trafficked into the cilia, and while its presence increased as the infection proceeded, the N protein was not detected in the cilia at any time of infection. The presence of the F protein in the cilia correlated with cellular changes in the cilia and reduced cilia function. At 5 dpi extensive cilia loss and further reduced cilia function was noted. These data suggested that although RSV morphogenesis occurs at non-cilia locations on ciliated nasal epithelial cells, RSV infection induces changes in the cilia body that leads to extensive cilia loss. - Highlights: • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects nasal ciliated epithelial cells. • Virus morphogenesis occurs within filamentous projections distinct from cilia. • The RSV N protein was not detected in the cilia at any time during infection. • Trafficking of the F protein into the cilia occurred early in infection. • Presence of the F protein in cilia correlated with impaired cilia function

  18. Morphogenesis of respiratory syncytial virus in human primary nasal ciliated epithelial cells occurs at surface membrane microdomains that are distinct from cilia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jumat, Muhammad Raihan [School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551 (Singapore); Yan, Yan [Department of Otolaryngology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228 (Singapore); Ravi, Laxmi Iyer [School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551 (Singapore); Wong, Puisan [Detection and Diagnostics Laboratory, DSO National Laboratories, 27 Medical Drive, Singapore 117510 (Singapore); Huong, Tra Nguyen [School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551 (Singapore); Li, Chunwei [Department of Otolaryngology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228 (Singapore); Tan, Boon Huan [Detection and Diagnostics Laboratory, DSO National Laboratories, 27 Medical Drive, Singapore 117510 (Singapore); Wang, De Yun [Department of Otolaryngology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228 (Singapore); Sugrue, Richard J., E-mail: rjsugrue@ntu.edu.sg [School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551 (Singapore)

    2015-10-15

    The distribution of cilia and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) nucleocapsid (N) protein, fusion (F) protein, attachment (G) protein, and M2-1 protein in human ciliated nasal epithelial cells was examined at between 1 and 5 days post-infection (dpi). All virus structural proteins were localized at cell surface projections that were distinct from cilia. The F protein was also trafficked into the cilia, and while its presence increased as the infection proceeded, the N protein was not detected in the cilia at any time of infection. The presence of the F protein in the cilia correlated with cellular changes in the cilia and reduced cilia function. At 5 dpi extensive cilia loss and further reduced cilia function was noted. These data suggested that although RSV morphogenesis occurs at non-cilia locations on ciliated nasal epithelial cells, RSV infection induces changes in the cilia body that leads to extensive cilia loss. - Highlights: • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects nasal ciliated epithelial cells. • Virus morphogenesis occurs within filamentous projections distinct from cilia. • The RSV N protein was not detected in the cilia at any time during infection. • Trafficking of the F protein into the cilia occurred early in infection. • Presence of the F protein in cilia correlated with impaired cilia function.

  19. A case study for effects of operational taxonomic units from intracellular endoparasites and ciliates on the eukaryotic phylogeny: phylogenetic position of the haptophyta in analyses of multiple slowly evolving genes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hisayoshi Nozaki

    Full Text Available Recent multigene phylogenetic analyses have contributed much to our understanding of eukaryotic phylogeny. However, the phylogenetic positions of various lineages within the eukaryotes have remained unresolved or in conflict between different phylogenetic studies. These phylogenetic ambiguities might have resulted from mixtures or integration from various factors including limited taxon sampling, missing data in the alignment, saturations of rapidly evolving genes, mixed analyses of short- and long-branched operational taxonomic units (OTUs, intracellular endoparasite and ciliate OTUs with unusual substitution etc. In order to evaluate the effects from intracellular endoparasite and ciliate OTUs co-analyzed on the eukaryotic phylogeny and simplify the results, we here used two different sets of data matrices of multiple slowly evolving genes with small amounts of missing data and examined the phylogenetic position of the secondary photosynthetic chromalveolates Haptophyta, one of the most abundant groups of oceanic phytoplankton and significant primary producers. In both sets, a robust sister relationship between Haptophyta and SAR (stramenopiles, alveolates, rhizarians, or SA [stramenopiles and alveolates] was resolved when intracellular endoparasite/ciliate OTUs were excluded, but not in their presence. Based on comparisons of character optimizations on a fixed tree (with a clade composed of haptophytes and SAR or SA, disruption of the monophyly between haptophytes and SAR (or SA in the presence of intracellular endoparasite/ciliate OTUs can be considered to be a result of multiple evolutionary reversals of character positions that supported the synapomorphy of the haptophyte and SAR (or SA clade in the absence of intracellular endoparasite/ciliate OTUs.

  20. 76 FR 16811 - Notice of Realty Action: Direct Sale of Public Lands in Santa Clara County, CA

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-03-25

    ... Space Authority for the appraised fair market value. The total appraised value of all three parcels is... appraised fair market value of $80,000. Parcel No. 2, T. 10S., R. 2E., Sec. 5, lot 2. The area described contains 23.42 acres in Santa Clara County. The parcel has an appraised fair market value of $135,000...

  1. Ciliate telomerase RNA loop IV nucleotides promote hierarchical RNP assembly and holoenzyme stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robart, Aaron R; O'Connor, Catherine M; Collins, Kathleen

    2010-03-01

    Telomerase adds simple-sequence repeats to chromosome 3' ends to compensate for the loss of repeats with each round of genome replication. To accomplish this de novo DNA synthesis, telomerase uses a template within its integral RNA component. In addition to providing the template, the telomerase RNA subunit (TER) also harbors nontemplate motifs that contribute to the specialized telomerase catalytic cycle of reiterative repeat synthesis. Most nontemplate TER motifs function through linkage with the template, but in ciliate and vertebrate telomerases, a stem-loop motif binds telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and reconstitutes full activity of the minimal recombinant TERT+TER RNP, even when physically separated from the template. Here, we resolve the functional requirements for this motif of ciliate TER in physiological RNP context using the Tetrahymena thermophila p65-TER-TERT core RNP reconstituted in vitro and the holoenzyme reconstituted in vivo. Contrary to expectation based on assays of the minimal recombinant RNP, we find that none of a panel of individual loop IV nucleotide substitutions impacts the profile of telomerase product synthesis when reconstituted as physiological core RNP or holoenzyme RNP. However, loop IV nucleotide substitutions do variably reduce assembly of TERT with the p65-TER complex in vitro and reduce the accumulation and stability of telomerase RNP in endogenous holoenzyme context. Our results point to a unifying model of a conformational activation role for this TER motif in the telomerase RNP enzyme.

  2. Trophic-functional patterns of biofilm-dwelling ciliates at different water depths in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah Al, Mamun; Gao, Yangyang; Xu, Guangjian; Wang, Zheng; Warren, Alan; Xu, Henglong

    2018-04-01

    Vertical variations in trophic-functional patterns of biofilm-dwelling ciliates were studied in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China. A total of 50 species were identified and assigned to four trophic-functional groups (TFgrs): algivores (A), bacterivorous (B), non-selective (N) and raptors (R). The trophic-functional structures of the ciliate communities showed significant variability among different water depths: (1) with increasing water depth, relative species numbers and relative abundances of groups A and R decreased sharply whereas those of groups B and N increased gradually; (2) in terms of the frequency of occurrences, group A dominated at depths of 1-3.5 m whereas group B dominated at 5 m, while in terms of the probability density function of the trophic-functional spectrum, group A was the highest contributor at 1 m and group B was highest at the other three depths; (3) distance-based redundancy analyses revealed significant differences in trophic-functional patterns among the four depths, except between 2 and 3.5 m (P > 0.05); and (4) the trophic-functional trait diversity increased from 1 to 3.5 m and decreased sharply at 5 m. Our results suggest that the biofilm-dwelling ciliates maintain a stable trophic-functional pattern and high biodiversity at depths of 1-3.5 m. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  3. Evolutionary dynamics of a conserved sequence motif in the ribosomal genes of the ciliate Paramecium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Catania, Francesco; Lynch, Michael

    2010-05-04

    In protozoa, the identification of preserved motifs by comparative genomics is often impeded by difficulties to generate reliable alignments for non-coding sequences. Moreover, the evolutionary dynamics of regulatory elements in 3' untranslated regions (both in protozoa and metazoa) remains a virtually unexplored issue. By screening Paramecium tetraurelia's 3' untranslated regions for 8-mers that were previously found to be preserved in mammalian 3' UTRs, we detect and characterize a motif that is distinctly conserved in the ribosomal genes of this ciliate. The motif appears to be conserved across Paramecium aurelia species but is absent from the ribosomal genes of four additional non-Paramecium species surveyed, including another ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila. Motif-free ribosomal genes retain fewer paralogs in the genome and appear to be lost more rapidly relative to motif-containing genes. Features associated with the discovered preserved motif are consistent with this 8-mer playing a role in post-transcriptional regulation. Our observations 1) shed light on the evolution of a putative regulatory motif across large phylogenetic distances; 2) are expected to facilitate the understanding of the modulation of ribosomal genes expression in Paramecium; and 3) reveal a largely unexplored--and presumably not restricted to Paramecium--association between the presence/absence of a DNA motif and the evolutionary fate of its host genes.

  4. Status and understanding of groundwater quality in the Santa Clara River Valley, 2007-California GAMA Priority Basin Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burton, Carmen A.; Montrella, Joseph; Landon, Matthew K.; Belitz, Kenneth

    2011-01-01

    Groundwater quality in the approximately 460-square-mile Santa Clara River Valley study unit was investigated from April through June 2007 as part of the Priority Basin Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basin Project is conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in collaboration with the California State Water Resources Control Board and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The Santa Clara River Valley study unit contains eight groundwater basins located in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties and is within the Transverse and Selected Peninsular Ranges hydrogeologic province. The Santa Clara River Valley study unit was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of the quality of untreated (raw) groundwater in the primary aquifer system. The assessment is based on water-quality and ancillary data collected in 2007 by the USGS from 42 wells on a spatially distributed grid, and on water-quality data from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) database. The primary aquifer system was defined as that part of the aquifer system corresponding to the perforation intervals of wells listed in the CDPH database for the Santa Clara River Valley study unit. The quality of groundwater in the primary aquifer system may differ from that in shallow or deep water-bearing zones; for example, shallow groundwater may be more vulnerable to surficial contamination. Eleven additional wells were sampled by the USGS to improve understanding of factors affecting water quality.The status assessment of the quality of the groundwater used data from samples analyzed for anthropogenic constituents, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and pesticides, as well as naturally occurring inorganic constituents, such as major ions and trace elements. The status assessment is intended to characterize the quality of untreated groundwater resources in the primary aquifers of the Santa Clara River Valley study unit

  5. Liquefaction Hazard Maps for Three Earthquake Scenarios for the Communities of San Jose, Campbell, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Saratoga, and Sunnyvale, Northern Santa Clara County, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holzer, Thomas L.; Noce, Thomas E.; Bennett, Michael J.

    2008-01-01

    Maps showing the probability of surface manifestations of liquefaction in the northern Santa Clara Valley were prepared with liquefaction probability curves. The area includes the communities of San Jose, Campbell, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Gatos Milpitas, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Saratoga, and Sunnyvale. The probability curves were based on complementary cumulative frequency distributions of the liquefaction potential index (LPI) for surficial geologic units in the study area. LPI values were computed with extensive cone penetration test soundings. Maps were developed for three earthquake scenarios, an M7.8 on the San Andreas Fault comparable to the 1906 event, an M6.7 on the Hayward Fault comparable to the 1868 event, and an M6.9 on the Calaveras Fault. Ground motions were estimated with the Boore and Atkinson (2008) attenuation relation. Liquefaction is predicted for all three events in young Holocene levee deposits along the major creeks. Liquefaction probabilities are highest for the M7.8 earthquake, ranging from 0.33 to 0.37 if a 1.5-m deep water table is assumed, and 0.10 to 0.14 if a 5-m deep water table is assumed. Liquefaction probabilities of the other surficial geologic units are less than 0.05. Probabilities for the scenario earthquakes are generally consistent with observations during historical earthquakes.

  6. Low Base-Substitution Mutation Rate in the Germline Genome of the Ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-09-15

    Tetrahymena thermophila, a model eukaryote. PLoS Biol. 4:e286. Farlow A, et al. 2015. The spontaneous mutation rate in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces...spontane- ous mutations in yeast . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 105:9272–9277. Lynn DH, Doerder FP. 2012. The life and times of Tetrahymena. Methods Cell...Low Base-Substitution Mutation Rate in the Germline Genome of the Ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila Hongan Long1,2,y, David J. Winter3,*,y, Allan Y.-C

  7. Ciliados nas cavidades do estômago de bovinos Ciliates present in the stomach chambers of bovines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G.M.M. Salvio

    2001-12-01

    Full Text Available O presente trabalho teve como objetivo identificar e quantificar os gêneros de ciliados do rúmen, retículo, omaso e abomaso de bovinos abatidos em matadouro municipal. Foram coletados 45ml de conteúdo de cada cavidade de 30 animais. No momento da coleta foram medidos temperatura e pH e as amostras posteriormente analisadas em laboratório. Os resultados mostraram que o ambiente do rúmen e do retículo é bastante estável com temperatura média entre 36 e 37ºC e pH 6,5. Os gêneros mais encontrados no rúmen foram Entodinium (65,0%, Isotricha (7,0%, Diplodinium (5,7%, Ostracodinium (5,1%, Eremoplastron (4,5%, Dasytricha (3,8% e outros sete gêneros que totalizaram os 8,7% restantes. No retículo os resultados foram Entodinium (35,2%, Isotricha (23,4%, Dasytricha (15,4% Eodinium (7,2%, Eremoplastron (5,0%, Diplodinium (4,3%, Ostracodinium (3,8% e outros cinco gêneros totalizando os 5,6% restantes. No omaso foram encontrados os mesmos gêneros, porém em menor quantidade que no rúmen e retículo. No abomaso não foram encontrados ciliados. A análise do perfil populacional das amostras do rúmen mostrou predominância do tipo 0 (87%, seguido do tipo B (13%.The objective of this study was to collect and to quantify the ciliate genera present in the rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum in 30 slaughtered bovines. Rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum were sampled and their contents (45ml were collected and evaluated for temperature, pH and ciliates population. The results showed that the rumen and reticulum environments are quite stable with average temperature between 36 and 37ºC and pH 6.5. The ciliate population in the rumen was Entodinium (65.0%, Isotricha (7.0%, Diplodinium (5.7%, Ostracodinium (5.1%, Eremoplastron (4.5%, Dasytricha (3.8% and seven other genera which made 8.7%. In the reticulum, the population was Entodinium (35.2%, Isotricha (23.4%, Dasytricha (15.4% Eodinium (7.2%, Eremoplastron (5.0%, Diplodinium (4

  8. Predicted Liquefaction in the Greater Oakland and Northern Santa Clara Valley Areas for a Repeat of the 1868 Hayward Earthquake

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holzer, T. L.; Noce, T. E.; Bennett, M. J.

    2008-12-01

    Probabilities of surface manifestations of liquefaction due to a repeat of the 1868 (M6.7-7.0) earthquake on the southern segment of the Hayward Fault were calculated for two areas along the margin of San Francisco Bay, California: greater Oakland and the northern Santa Clara Valley. Liquefaction is predicted to be more common in the greater Oakland area than in the northern Santa Clara Valley owing to the presence of 57 km2 of susceptible sandy artificial fill. Most of the fills were placed into San Francisco Bay during the first half of the 20th century to build military bases, port facilities, and shoreline communities like Alameda and Bay Farm Island. Probabilities of liquefaction in the area underlain by this sandy artificial fill range from 0.2 to ~0.5 for a M7.0 earthquake, and decrease to 0.1 to ~0.4 for a M6.7 earthquake. In the greater Oakland area, liquefaction probabilities generally are less than 0.05 for Holocene alluvial fan deposits, which underlie most of the remaining flat-lying urban area. In the northern Santa Clara Valley for a M7.0 earthquake on the Hayward Fault and an assumed water-table depth of 1.5 m (the historically shallowest water level), liquefaction probabilities range from 0.1 to 0.2 along Coyote and Guadalupe Creeks, but are less than 0.05 elsewhere. For a M6.7 earthquake, probabilities are greater than 0.1 along Coyote Creek but decrease along Guadalupe Creek to less than 0.1. Areas with high probabilities in the Santa Clara Valley are underlain by latest Holocene alluvial fan levee deposits where liquefaction and lateral spreading occurred during large earthquakes in 1868 and 1906. The liquefaction scenario maps were created with ArcGIS ModelBuilder. Peak ground accelerations first were computed with the new Boore and Atkinson NGA attenuation relation (2008, Earthquake Spectra, 24:1, p. 99-138), using VS30 to account for local site response. Spatial liquefaction probabilities were then estimated using the predicted ground motions

  9. Santa Clara County Survey of Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Use among Students in Grades 5, 7, 9, 11.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Constantine, Norm; And Others

    This report presents findings from the Santa Clara County (California) survey of Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Use among Students in Grades 5, 7, 9, and 11 administered during the spring of 1991 to 5,180 students in 51 randomly selected county schools. An executive summary discusses sampling error, sample demographics, and findings on drug use…

  10. Host-Parasite list updating of Ciliates and fermentation in the digestive tract of wild miscellaneous herbivores in South Africa (RSA).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Booyse, D G; Dehority, B A

    2017-05-03

    This article is dedicated to the Author, Burk Dehority, who became very ill with cancer. Fortunately he confirmed or corrected all identifications on ciliates in this article. This paper was 80% finished when he became ill. He unfortunately passed away in February 2016.

  11. De Palacio a Monasterio. Génesis y transformación del Real Monasterio de Santa Clara de Sevilla

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oliva Muñoz, Pablo

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The convent of Santa Clara is one of the largest religious buildings in Seville. Founded in 1289, it became the oldest second one in the city after that of San Clemente, which is located in the same northwestern area of the old Almohad wall. The comprehensive study of the building, as part of the rehabilitation project, has allowed knowing its evolution and the survival of structures previous to the granting of the land where it is sited.El convento de Santa Clara es uno de los edificios de carácter religioso más grandes de Sevilla. Fundado en 1289 se convierte en el segundo más antiguo de la ciudad tan sólo precedido por el de San Clemente que se ubica en el mismo sector del extremo Noroeste de la antigua cerca almohade. El estudio integral del edificio como parte del proyecto de rehabilitación nos ha permitido conocer su evolución y la pervivencia de estructuras heredadas previas a la concesión de los terrenos que ahora ocupa.

  12. Cross-study analysis of genomic data defines the ciliate multigenic epiplasmin family: strategies for functional analysis in Paramecium tetraurelia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ravet Viviane

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The sub-membranous skeleton of the ciliate Paramecium, the epiplasm, is composed of hundreds of epiplasmic scales centered on basal bodies, and presents a complex set of proteins, epiplasmins, which belong to a multigenic family. The repeated duplications observed in the P. tetraurelia genome present an interesting model of the organization and evolution of a multigenic family within a single cell. Results To study this multigenic family, we used phylogenetic, structural, and analytical transcriptional approaches. The phylogenetic method defines 5 groups of epiplasmins in the multigenic family. A refined analysis by Hydrophobic Cluster Analysis (HCA identifies structural characteristics of 51 epiplasmins, defining five separate groups, and three classes. Depending on the sequential arrangement of their structural domains, the epiplasmins are defined as symmetric, asymmetric or atypical. The EST data aid in this classification, in the identification of putative regulating sequences such as TATA or CAAT boxes. When specific RNAi experiments were conducted using sequences from either symmetric or asymmetric classes, phenotypes were drastic. Local effects show either disrupted or ill-shaped epiplasmic scales. In either case, this results in aborted cell division. Using structural features, we show that 4 epiplasmins are also present in another ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila. Their affiliation with the distinctive structural groups of Paramecium epiplasmins demonstrates an interspecific multigenic family. Conclusion The epiplasmin multigenic family illustrates the history of genomic duplication in Paramecium. This study provides a framework which can guide functional analysis of epiplasmins, the major components of the membrane skeleton in ciliates. We show that this set of proteins handles an important developmental information in Paramecium since maintenance of epiplasm organization is crucial for cell morphogenesis.

  13. Presencia de Stegomastodon (Gomphotheriidae, Proboscidea en el Pleistoceno Superior de la zona costera de Santa Clara del Mar (Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alberdi, M. T.

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Gomphotheriidae fossil remains from shore level of Santa Clara del Mar (Mar del Plata, Argentina are described. The comparative morphological and multivariate analysis of the m3 with other South American gomphotheres remains, mainly from Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil, allow their identification as Stegomastodon platensis. This species seems better adapted to live on the middle latitudes and warm climatic conditions. The possible movement routes from north to the most austral zones or areas are discussed. Stegomastodon from South America is a big-size form which is present along the East route and in several shore areas of Ecuador and Peru. In the present work some palaeoecological and palaeogeographical considerations are included. From a radiometric AMS datum, the remains of Santa Clara del Mar are dated in the late Pleistocene (17,880 ± 60 AP.Se describen restos bien conservados de gonfoterios (Mammalia, Proboscidea encontrados en los niveles pleistocenos que afloran en los acantilados costeros de Santa Clara del Mar (Mar del Plata, Argentina. Se analizan algunos de sus caracteres más importantes y se compara con otros gonfoterios provenientes de distintas localidades de Argentina, Brasil y Bolivia. El estudio comparativo, mediante análisis multivariante del m3, permitió su identificación como Stegomastodon platensis. Nosotros consideramos que todos los Gomphotheriidae del territorio actual de Argentina deberían incluirse en un único género y una única especie: Stegomastodon platensis. Esta especie parece estar mejor adaptada a vivir en latitudes medias, y en condiciones climáticas templadas. Se discuten sus posibles vías de desplazamiento desde el norte hacia zonas o áreas más australes. Stegomastodon de América del Sur es una forma de gran tamaño, que se encuentra a lo largo de la ruta del este y en algunas áreas costeras de Ecuador y Perú. En el presente artículo se incluyen algunas consideraciones paleoecológicas y

  14. Estudio de foco de paragonimosis en Fuente Clara, Robledo, área periurbana de Medellín, Antioquia

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    Luz Elena Velásquez

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Introducción. La información sobre paragonimosis humana en Colombia llevó a suponer que los focos de la enfermedad estaban localizados en sectores selváticos; sin embargo, durante 2005 se hallaron cangrejos infectados con Paragonimus sp. en Fuente Clara, zona urbana de Medellín. Esto motivó la investigación. Objetivo. Realizar un estudio ecoepidemiológico de la paragonimosis con la participación de la comunidad para promover un manejo adecuado de los ecosistemas acuáticos. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó búsqueda de huéspedes silvestres y humanos de Paragonimus sp. en Fuente Clara. La presencia de formas larvarias y gusanos adultos del digéneo se evaluó en moluscos, crustáceos y mamíferos. En las personas voluntarias se hizo diagnóstico en esputo. Al agua de la quebrada La Puerta se le midieron: coliformes totales/ fecales, pH, conductividad y oxígeno disuelto. Con niños y adolescentes se realizaron talleres educativos utilizando técnicas lúdicas. Resultados. Los porcentajes de infección encontrados fueron: caracoles, 0,07%; cangrejos, 55,5%; mamíferos, 25%, y personas, 0%. Durante los talleres educativos se manifestó la importancia de los recursos naturales del barrio. Los niños identificaron los huéspedes de Paragonimus sp. y detectaron los factores de riesgo para adquirir la enfermedad. Se determinó que el agua de la quebrada La Puerta no es apta para el consumo y la recreación de las personas. Conclusiones. Se señala a Fuente Clara como el primer foco de paragonimosis en zona urbana de Colombia, donde la manipulación y el consumo de cangrejos ponen en riesgo de adquirir la infección a sus habitantes; se sugiere realizar vigilancia de la enfermedad en el sector.

  15. Evolutionary dynamics of a conserved sequence motif in the ribosomal genes of the ciliate Paramecium

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    Lynch Michael

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In protozoa, the identification of preserved motifs by comparative genomics is often impeded by difficulties to generate reliable alignments for non-coding sequences. Moreover, the evolutionary dynamics of regulatory elements in 3' untranslated regions (both in protozoa and metazoa remains a virtually unexplored issue. Results By screening Paramecium tetraurelia's 3' untranslated regions for 8-mers that were previously found to be preserved in mammalian 3' UTRs, we detect and characterize a motif that is distinctly conserved in the ribosomal genes of this ciliate. The motif appears to be conserved across Paramecium aurelia species but is absent from the ribosomal genes of four additional non-Paramecium species surveyed, including another ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila. Motif-free ribosomal genes retain fewer paralogs in the genome and appear to be lost more rapidly relative to motif-containing genes. Features associated with the discovered preserved motif are consistent with this 8-mer playing a role in post-transcriptional regulation. Conclusions Our observations 1 shed light on the evolution of a putative regulatory motif across large phylogenetic distances; 2 are expected to facilitate the understanding of the modulation of ribosomal genes expression in Paramecium; and 3 reveal a largely unexplored--and presumably not restricted to Paramecium--association between the presence/absence of a DNA motif and the evolutionary fate of its host genes.

  16. Ciliate Paramecium is a natural reservoir of Legionella pneumophila

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watanabe, Kenta; Nakao, Ryo; Fujishima, Masahiro; Tachibana, Masato; Shimizu, Takashi; Watarai, Masahisa

    2016-04-01

    Legionella pneumophila, the causative agent of Legionnaires’ disease, replicates within alveolar macrophages and free-living amoebae. However, the lifestyle of L. pneumophila in the environment remains largely unknown. Here we established a novel natural host model of L. pneumophila endosymbiosis using the ciliate Paramecium caudatum. We also identified Legionella endosymbiosis-modulating factor A (LefA), which contributes to the change in life stage from endosymbiosis to host lysis, enabling escape to the environment. We isolated L. pneumophila strains from the environment, and they exhibited cytotoxicity toward P. caudatum and induced host lysis. Acidification of the Legionella-containing vacuole (LCV) was inhibited, and enlarged LCVs including numerous bacteria were observed in P. caudatum infected with L. pneumophila. An isogenic L. pneumophila lefA mutant exhibited decreased cytotoxicity toward P. caudatum and impaired the modification of LCVs, resulting in the establishment of endosymbiosis between them. Our results suggest that L. pneumophila may have a mechanism to switch their endosymbiosis in protistan hosts in the environment.

  17. [Regeneration of the ciliary beat of human ciliated cells].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, G; Koidl, B; Pelzmann, B

    1991-10-01

    The influence of an isotonic, alkaline saline solution (diluted "Emser Sole" or brine from the spa of Bad Ems) on the ciliary beat of isolated cultured human ciliated cells of the upper respiratory tract was investigated. The ciliary beat was observed via an inverted phase contrast microscope (Zeiss Axiomat IDPC) and measured microphotometrically under physiological conditions and after the damaging influence of 1% propanal solution. Under physiological conditions the saline solution had a positive, although statistically not significant influence on the frequency of the ciliary beat. After damage of the cultivated cells by 1% propanal solution, the saline solution had a significant better influence on the regeneration of the cultured cells than a physiological sodium chloride solution. It is concluded that diluted brine from Bad Ems has a positive effect on the ciliary beat of the respiratory epithelium and accelerates its regeneration after damage by viral and bacterial infections, surgery or inhaled noxae.

  18. Programmed Rearrangement in Ciliates: Paramecium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Betermier, Mireille; Duharcourt, Sandra

    2014-12-01

    Programmed genome rearrangements in the ciliate Paramecium provide a nice illustration of the impact of transposons on genome evolution and plasticity. During the sexual cycle, development of the somatic macronucleus involves elimination of ∼30% of the germline genome, including repeated DNA (e.g., transposons) and ∼45,000 single-copy internal eliminated sequences (IES). IES excision is a precise cut-and-close process, in which double-stranded DNA cleavage at IES ends depends on PiggyMac, a domesticated piggyBac transposase. Genome-wide analysis has revealed that at least a fraction of IESs originate from Tc/mariner transposons unrelated to piggyBac. Moreover, genomic sequences with no transposon origin, such as gene promoters, can be excised reproducibly as IESs, indicating that genome rearrangements contribute to the control of gene expression. How the system has evolved to allow elimination of DNA sequences with no recognizable conserved motif has been the subject of extensive research during the past two decades. Increasing evidence has accumulated for the participation of noncoding RNAs in epigenetic control of elimination for a subset of IESs, and in trans-generational inheritance of alternative rearrangement patterns. This chapter summarizes our current knowledge of the structure of the germline and somatic genomes for the model species Paramecium tetraurelia, and describes the DNA cleavage and repair factors that constitute the IES excision machinery. We present an overview of the role of specialized RNA interference machineries and their associated noncoding RNAs in the control of DNA elimination. Finally, we discuss how RNA-dependent modification and/or remodeling of chromatin may guide PiggyMac to its cognate cleavage sites.

  19. Escribir para resistir la Soledad: Nostalgia, confesión y amor en cartas a Clara de Juan Rulfo

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    Carlos Julio Ayram Chede

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available El presente artículo indaga en el conjunto de cartas que el escritor mexicano Juan Rulfo le escribe a Clara Aparicio entre los años 1944 y 1950 las cuales no solo representan un hecho poé- tico en sí mismo, sino que develan al menos tres estados que se conjugan y coexisten en el plano de la expresión de cada misiva: la nostalgia, la confesión y el amor. Por tanto, cada una de las cartas que escribe Rulfo le permite asegurar un lugar en el mundo que empieza a habitar desde la lejanía de su hogar y que comparte de manera permanente con Clara. Juan Rulfo se sustrae de la lógica de la cotidianidad para evaporar la rutinización de su vida en la escritura, podría afirmarse, que como San Juan de la Cruz o Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Rulfo se evade en la escritura como oportunidad para albergar un mundo incondicional donde existe él y su corazón, donde existe el sujeto que ama.

  20. Macronuclear genome sequence of the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila, a model eukaryote.

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    Jonathan A Eisen

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available The ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila is a model organism for molecular and cellular biology. Like other ciliates, this species has separate germline and soma functions that are embodied by distinct nuclei within a single cell. The germline-like micronucleus (MIC has its genome held in reserve for sexual reproduction. The soma-like macronucleus (MAC, which possesses a genome processed from that of the MIC, is the center of gene expression and does not directly contribute DNA to sexual progeny. We report here the shotgun sequencing, assembly, and analysis of the MAC genome of T. thermophila, which is approximately 104 Mb in length and composed of approximately 225 chromosomes. Overall, the gene set is robust, with more than 27,000 predicted protein-coding genes, 15,000 of which have strong matches to genes in other organisms. The functional diversity encoded by these genes is substantial and reflects the complexity of processes required for a free-living, predatory, single-celled organism. This is highlighted by the abundance of lineage-specific duplications of genes with predicted roles in sensing and responding to environmental conditions (e.g., kinases, using diverse resources (e.g., proteases and transporters, and generating structural complexity (e.g., kinesins and dyneins. In contrast to the other lineages of alveolates (apicomplexans and dinoflagellates, no compelling evidence could be found for plastid-derived genes in the genome. UGA, the only T. thermophila stop codon, is used in some genes to encode selenocysteine, thus making this organism the first known with the potential to translate all 64 codons in nuclear genes into amino acids. We present genomic evidence supporting the hypothesis that the excision of DNA from the MIC to generate the MAC specifically targets foreign DNA as a form of genome self-defense. The combination of the genome sequence, the functional diversity encoded therein, and the presence of some pathways missing from

  1. Analysis of the radioactivity in the 'Elguea' spa, Villa Clara, Cuba; Analisis de la radiactividad en el balneario 'Elguea' , Villa Clara, Cuba

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fernandez G, I M; Zerquera, J T; Carrazana G, J; Capote F, E; Rodriguez C, G [CPHR, La Habana (Cuba)

    2006-07-01

    The 'Elguea' spa, located in the north coast of the county of Villa Clara, Cuba, is considered one of those more important spas of Latin America. The waters of this spa are rich in salts of chlorine, sodium, bromine, sulfides and its contain radon. As a result of measurements of environmental gamma dose rates carried out in the area of the spa, its were considered levels of dose between 0.13 and 2.3 mSv. The obtained results motivated that it was carried out a characterization, from the radiological point of view, of the spa. This characterization is of supreme importance to be able to evaluate the impact that it has and the discharges of its waters on the environment, as well as, those dose that the population potentially affected can receive by these discharges. With this end its were carried out quantitative determinations of those existent natural more significant radionuclides in different environmental objects coming from the area of the spa and its surroundings, as well as one characterization gamma 'in situ' of the same one. The obtained results are present in this work. (Author)

  2. The mitochondrial genome sequence of the ciliate Paramecium caudatum reveals a shift in nucleotide composition and codon usage within the genus Paramecium

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    Berendonk Thomas U

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite the fact that the organization of the ciliate mitochondrial genome is exceptional, only few ciliate mitochondrial genomes have been sequenced until today. All ciliate mitochondrial genomes are linear. They are 40 kb to 47 kb long and contain some 50 tightly packed genes without introns. Earlier studies documented that the mitochondrial guanine + cytosine contents are very different between Paramecium tetraurelia and all studied Tetrahymena species. This raises the question of whether the high mitochondrial G+C content observed in P. tetraurelia is a characteristic property of Paramecium mtDNA, or whether it is an exception of the ciliate mitochondrial genomes known so far. To test this question, we determined the mitochondrial genome sequence of Paramecium caudatum and compared the gene content and sequence properties to the closely related P. tetraurelia. Results The guanine + cytosine content of the P. caudatum mitochondrial genome was significantly lower than that of P. tetraurelia (22.4% vs. 41.2%. This difference in the mitochondrial nucleotide composition was accompanied by significantly different codon usage patterns in both species, i.e. within P. caudatum clearly A/T ending codons dominated, whereas for P. tetraurelia the synonymous codons were more balanced with a higher number of G/C ending codons. Further analyses indicated that the nucleotide composition of most members of the genus Paramecium resembles that of P. caudatum and that the shift observed in P. tetraurelia is restricted to the P. aurelia species complex. Conclusions Surprisingly, the codon usage bias in the P. caudatum mitochondrial genome, exemplified by the effective number of codons, is more similar to the distantly related T. pyriformis and other single-celled eukaryotes such as Chlamydomonas, than to the closely related P. tetraurelia. These differences in base composition and codon usage bias were, however, not reflected in the amino

  3. Calmyonemin: a 23 kDa analogue of algal centrin occurring in contractile myonemes of Eudiplodinium maggii (ciliate).

    Science.gov (United States)

    David, C; Viguès, B

    1994-01-01

    Myonemes are bundles of thin filaments (3-6 nm in diameter) which mediate calcium-induced contraction of the whole or only parts of the cell body in a number of protists. In Eudiplodinium maggii, a rumen ciliate which lacks a uniform ciliation of the cell body, myonemes converge toward the bases of apical ciliary zones that can be retracted under stress conditions, entailing immobilization of the cell. An mAB (A69) has been produced that identifies a calcium-binding protein by immunoblot, immunoprecipitation experiments and specifically labels the myonemes in immunoelectron microscopy. Solubility properties, apparent molecular weight (23 kDa) and isoelectric point (4.9) of the myonemal protein, are similar to the values reported for the calcium-modulated contractile protein centrin. Western-blot analysis indicates that the 23 kDa protein cross-reacts antigenically with anti-centrin antibodies. In addition, the 23 kDa protein displays calcium-induced changes in both electrophoretic and chromatographic behaviour, and contains calcium-binding domains that conform to the EF-hand structure, as known for centrin. Based on these observations, we conclude that a calcium-binding protein with major similarities to centrin occurs in the myonemes of E. maggii. We postulate that this protein plays an essential role in myoneme-mediated retraction of the ciliature.

  4. Two Gonostomatid Ciliates from the Soil of Lombardia, Italy; including Note on the Soil Mapping Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bharti, Daizy; Kumar, Santosh; La Terza, Antonietta

    2015-01-01

    Two gonostomatid ciliates, Gonostomum paronense n. sp. and G. strenuum, isolated from the soil sample of paddy field, Lombardia, Italy, were investigated using live observation and protargol impregnation. Gonostomum paronense n. sp. is mainly characterized by a tailed body, frontoventral cirri arranged in pairs, and presence of pretransverse and transverse cirri. Morphologically and morphometrically, the new species is similar to Gonostomum namibiense in having a tailed body and frontoventral cirral pairs; however, it differs mainly in the number of frontoventral cirral pairs (seven vs. three). Phylogenetic analyses based on the SSU rDNA sequences show that the new species is more closely related to G. namibiense than to G. strenuum, supporting the morphological classification based on the cirral pattern and the tailed body. However, due to the poor nodal support and absence of gene sequence of the type species Gonostomum, a more robust phylogeny of this group still remains unresolved. The biometric data of the Italian population of Gonostomum strenuum overlap with those from other known populations. Both species were collected from the industrial area of Parona, in the framework of the "Soil Mapping, Lombardia" project in which, for the first time in Italy, soil ciliates were used as bioindicators of soil quality. © 2015 The Author(s) Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology © 2015 International Society of Protistologists.

  5. ANALISIS PENGARUH THE BIG FIVE PERSONALITY TERHADAP ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOR (OCB DAN KINERJA PERAWAT DI RS SANTA CLARA MADIUN

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    Desi Natalia Soepono

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Nurse performance shows the magnitude of the contribution made by nurses to hospital and reflects the performance of a hospital because patient will often relates and meets the nurse. One factor that affect the nurses performance is organizational citizenship behavior (OCB. OCB is extra-role behavior that nurses are willing to do tasks outside of their job discription and the big five personality is one of the factors that significantly influence the OCB. This study aims to examine the direct and indirect influence of the big five personality to the performance of nurses at Santa Clara Madiun Hospital through OCB as intervening variable. The sampel of this research were all nurses at Santa Clara Madiun Hospital. Data collection instruments using questionnaires. Data analysis techniques in this study included descriptive statistics, test data quality, classical assumption, hierarchical regression analysis, and path analysis using SPSS 17.0. The result showed that the big five personality significant positive effect on nurses performance, the big five personality significant positive effect on OCB, and OCB significant positive effect on the nurses performance. OCB has a full mediation effect to influence of the big five personality to the nurses performance

  6. The effect of low- and high-fiber diets on the population of entodiniomorphid ciliates Troglodytella abrassarti in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Petrželková, Klára Judita; Schovancová, Kateřina; Profousová, Ilona; Kišidayová, S.; Váradyová, Z.; Pekár, S.; Kamler, Jiří; Modrý, David

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 74, č. 7 (2012), s. 669-675 ISSN 0275-2565 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA524/06/0264; GA ČR GA206/09/0927 Institutional support: RVO:68081766 ; RVO:60077344 Keywords : entodiniomorphid ciliate * chimpanzee * fiber * starch Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 2.459, year: 2012

  7. The Anti-Oxidant Defense System of the Marine Polar Ciliate Euplotes nobilii: Characterization of the MsrB Gene Family

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    Francesca Ricci

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Organisms living in polar waters must cope with an extremely stressful environment dominated by freezing temperatures, high oxygen concentrations and UV radiation. To shed light on the genetic mechanisms on which the polar marine ciliate, Euplotes nobilii, relies to effectively cope with the oxidative stress, attention was focused on methionine sulfoxide reductases which repair proteins with oxidized methionines. A family of four structurally distinct MsrB genes, encoding enzymes specific for the reduction of the methionine-sulfoxide R-forms, were identified from a draft of the E. nobilii transcriptionally active (macronuclear genome. The En-MsrB genes are constitutively expressed to synthesize proteins markedly different in amino acid sequence, number of CXXC motifs for zinc-ion binding, and presence/absence of a cysteine residue specific for the mechanism of enzyme regeneration. The En-MsrB proteins take different localizations in the nucleus, mitochondria, cytosol and endoplasmic reticulum, ensuring a pervasive protection of all the major subcellular compartments from the oxidative damage. These observations have suggested to regard the En-MsrB gene activity as playing a central role in the genetic mechanism that enables E. nobilii and ciliates in general to live in the polar environment.

  8. Paleomagnetic record determined in cores from deep research wells in the Quaternary Santa Clara basin, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mankinen, Edward A.; Wentworth, Carl M.

    2016-01-01

    Paleomagnetic study of cores from six deep wells provides an independent temporal framework for much of the alluvial stratigraphy of the Quaternary basin beneath the Santa Clara Valley. This stratigraphy consists of 8 upward-fining cycles in the upper 300 m of section and an underlying 150 m or more of largely fine-grained sediment. The eight cycles have been correlated with the marine oxygen isotope record, thus providing one means of dating the section. The section has also proved to contain a rich paleomagnetic record despite the intermittent sedimentation characteristic of alluvial environments.

  9. Kupffer's vesicle is a ciliated organ of asymmetry in the zebrafish embryo that initiates left-right development of the brain, heart and gut.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Essner, Jeffrey J; Amack, Jeffrey D; Nyholm, Molly K; Harris, Erin B; Yost, H Joseph

    2005-03-01

    Monocilia have been proposed to establish the left-right (LR) body axis in vertebrate embryos by creating a directional fluid flow that triggers asymmetric gene expression. In zebrafish, dorsal forerunner cells (DFCs) express a conserved ciliary dynein gene (left-right dynein-related1, lrdr1) and form a ciliated epithelium inside a fluid-filled organ called Kupffer's vesicle (KV). Here, videomicroscopy demonstrates that cilia inside KV are motile and create a directional fluid flow just prior to the onset of asymmetric gene expression in lateral cells. Laser ablation of DFCs and surgical disruption of KV provide direct evidence that ciliated KV cells are required during early somitogenesis for subsequent LR patterning in the brain, heart and gut. Antisense morpholinos against lrdr1 disrupt KV fluid flow and perturb LR development. Furthermore, lrdr1 morpholinos targeted to DFC/KV cells demonstrate that Lrdr1 functions in these ciliated cells to control LR patterning. This provides the first direct evidence, in any vertebrate, that impairing cilia function in derivatives of the dorsal organizer, and not in other cells that express ciliogenic genes, alters LR development. Finally, genetic analysis reveals novel roles for the T-box transcription factor no tail and the Nodal signaling pathway as upstream regulators of lrdr1 expression and KV morphogenesis. We propose that KV is a transient embryonic 'organ of asymmetry' that directs LR development by establishing a directional fluid flow. These results suggest that cilia are an essential component of a conserved mechanism that controls the transition from bilateral symmetry to LR asymmetry in vertebrates.

  10. Pathogenic bacteriumVibrio harveyi: an endosymbiont in the marine parasitic ciliate protozoan Cryptocaryon irritans

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    QIAO Ying; WANG Jun; MAO Yong; LIU Min; CHEN Ruanni; SU Yongquan; KE Qiaozhen; HAN Kunhuang; ZHENG Weiqiang

    2017-01-01

    Vibrio harveyi, known as a pathogenic bacterium caused severe secondary bacterial infections of the large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea, was identified as an endosymbiont in the marine parasitic ciliate protozoan Cryptocaryon irritans. Meta 16S sequencing method was used to identify the bacterial flora in C. irritans, and V. harveyi was isolated via culture-dependent method.Vibrio harveyi was observed in cytoplasm of C. irritans at the stage of tomont both by transmission electron microscopy and by Fluorescencein situ hybridization; no signal, however, was detected in nucleus area. The relationship betweenV. harveyi and C. irritans and the role of endosymbioticV. harveyi inC. irritans merit further investigation.

  11. Mating of the stichotrichous ciliate Oxytricha trifallax induces production of a class of 27 nt small RNAs derived from the parental macronucleus.

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    Alan M Zahler

    Full Text Available Ciliated protozoans possess two types of nuclei; a transcriptionally silent micronucleus, which serves as the germ line nucleus, and a transcriptionally active macronucleus, which serves as the somatic nucleus. The macronucleus is derived from a new diploid micronucleus after mating, with epigenetic information contributed by the parental macronucleus serving to guide the formation of the new macronucleus. In the stichotrichous ciliate Oxytricha trifallax, the macronuclear DNA is highly processed to yield gene-sized nanochromosomes with telomeres at each end. Here we report that soon after mating of Oxytricha trifallax, abundant 27 nt small RNAs are produced that are not present prior to mating. We performed next generation sequencing of Oxytricha small RNAs from vegetative and mating cells. Using sequence comparisons between macronuclear and micronuclear versions of genes, we found that the 27 nt RNA class derives from the parental macronucleus, not the developing macronucleus. These small RNAs are produced equally from both strands of macronuclear nanochromosomes, but in a highly non-uniform distribution along the length of the nanochromosome, and with a particular depletion in the 30 nt telomere-proximal positions. This production of small RNAs from the parental macronucleus during macronuclear development stands in contrast to the mechanism of epigenetic control in the distantly related ciliate Tetrahymena. In that species, 28-29 nt scanRNAs are produced from the micronucleus and these micronuclear-derived RNAs serve as epigenetic controllers of macronuclear development. Unlike the Tetrahymena scanRNAs, the Oxytricha macronuclear-derived 27 mers are not modified by 2'O-methylation at their 3' ends. We propose models for the role of these "27macRNAs" in macronuclear development.

  12. Leonor de Sicilia y Santa Clara de Teruel: la fundación reginal de un convento de clarisas y su primer desarrollo

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    Roebert, Sebastian

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The history of the monastery of the Poor Clares of Teruel, also known as Santa Catalina or Santa Clara de Teruel, is virtually unknown. One reason for the lack of studies dedicated to this convent is the complete loss of its archive during the Spanish Civil War. The present study intends to reconstruct the foundation and initial development of Santa Clara de Teruel from its beginning in 1367 until the fi rst quarter of the 15th century, using mostly hitherto unknown sources from other archives. Special attention will be paid to the founder of the monastery, Leonor of Sicily (1349-1375, queen of the Crown of Aragon.La historia del monasterio de las clarisas de Teruel, conocido tanto por el nombre de Santa Catalina como por el de Santa Clara de Teruel, nos resulta hasta el día de hoy prácticamente desconocida. Seguramente, este hecho se debe en buena medida a la destrucción completa del archivo conventual durante la Guerra Civil. El presente estudio pretende reconstruir el proceso fundacional y analizar el primer desarrollo del monasterio, desde su creación en el año 1367 hasta el primer cuarto del siglo XV, a través de la documentación que se conserva en otros archivos y que permanece, en su mayor parte, inédita y sin estudiar. Además, se investigará el papel preponderante que desempeñó la fundadora y principal promotora del convento, Leonor de Sicilia (1349-1375, reina de la Corona de Aragón.

  13. Tintinnid ciliates of Amundsen Sea (Antarctica plankton communities

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    John R. Dolan

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available The Amundsen Sea has been described as one of the most productive and dynamic pelagic systems in Antarctica and is one of the least studied. Based on samples from 15 stations in the Amundsen Sea, we describe for the first time the composition of the tintinnid ciliate assemblage of the microzooplankton. We compared the species compositions of coastal polynya sites, where the phytoplankton communities are dominated by Phaeocystis, to those of the offshore deep water sites, which are dominated by diatoms. We found a total of 15 species. Polynya sites were dominated by a few species of tintinnids, mostly those endemic to the Southern Ocean. In contrast, the deep-water sites contained many widespread tintinnid species, which are known from a wide variety of systems as well as other areas of the Southern Ocean. We examined polymorphism known to characterize the Antarctic tintinnid species Cymatocylis affinis/convallaria and Codonellopsis gaussi. We found that the types or forms found appeared unrelated to the type of microplankton community, defined by the identity of the dominant phytoplankton taxa. However, the number of different morphotypes found at a site appeared related to the overall concentration of the species, suggesting that different morphologies, previously considered distinct species, may simply be developmental stages.

  14. New Record of Two Marine Ciliates (Ciliophora: Spirotrichea in South Korea

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    Kang-San Kim

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Two marine hypotrichous ciliates, Anteholosticha petzi and Ponturostyla enigmatica, were collected from the Yellow Sea and the Korea Strait, respectively, and described using live observation and protargol-impregnated specimens. Furthermore, the nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA gene of each was sequenced and compared to previously annotated sequences retrieved from the GenBank. Anteholosticha petzi is characterized by 3 frontal cirri (FC, 2 frontoterminal cirri (FTC, 8-12 transverse cirri (TC, 1 buccal cirrus (BC, 9-12 midventral pairs (MP, 3 bipolar dorsal kineties (DK, and 3 types of colorless cortical granules. Ponturostyla enigmatica is characterized by 8 FC, 5 ventral cirri (VC, 5-7 TC, 6-7 marginal rows (MR on each side, 4 complete and 2-3 partial DK, and greenish cortical granules. This is the first identification and description of these 2 species, A. petzi and P. enigmatica, in South Korea.

  15. ANÁLISIS ESPACIAL DE LA MORBIMORTALIDAD DEL CÁNCER DE MAMAY CÉRVIX. VILLA CLARA. CUBA. 2004-2009

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norma E. Batista Hernández

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Fundamentos: El cáncer de mama y el de cérvix continúan siendo un problema de salud, a pesar de la existencia de programas de prevención y de diagnóstico precoz. Por no existir en nuestra provincia estudios similares, se decidió realizar esta investigación, con el objetivo de identificar conglomerados espaciales y/o espacio-temporales que permitan el análisis de la morbimortalidad por cáncer de mama y cérvix en la provincia Villa Clara. Métodos: Estudio observacional descriptivo, focalizado en la detección de conglomerados espaciales y espacio-temporales de la incidencia y mortalidad del cáncer de mama y cérvix en Villa Clara, utilizando la técnica estadística de exploración espacio-temporal (programa SatScan v .7.01. La muestra abarcó la totalidad de mujeres diagnosticadas durante el año 2004 y de ellas las fallecidas hasta el cierre del año 2009. Resultados: El cáncer de mama mostró concordancia en los resultados tanto espaciales como espacio-temporales con un riesgo de padecer la enfermedad de 1,63 y 1,91 respectivamente, los municipios que conformaron conglomerados significativos se ubicaron hacia el centro y noreste de la provincia, encabezados por Santa Clara, cabecera provincial. El cáncer de cérvix evidenció desde el punto de vista temporal el diagnóstico de 100 casos frente a 68,8 esperados durante los meses de marzo a julio del 2004. El estudio espacio-temporal mostró un conglomerado de incidencia en los municipios ubicados al noreste de la provincia. El riesgo relativo de presentar la enfermedad para las mujeres que vivían en estas zonas fue 3,46 frente a las del resto de la provincia. Conclusiones: Se mostró la presencia de conglomerados estadísticamente significativos tanto espaciales como espacio-temporales en las áreas de mayor riesgo de enfermar por estos cánceres. No hubo conglomerados de muertes y diagnósticos tardíos.

  16. Subsurface and petroleum geology of the southwestern Santa Clara Valley ("Silicon Valley"), California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanley, Richard G.; Jachens, Robert C.; Lillis, Paul G.; McLaughlin, Robert J.; Kvenvolden, Keith A.; Hostettler, Frances D.; McDougall, Kristin A.; Magoon, Leslie B.

    2002-01-01

    Gravity anomalies, historical records of exploratory oil wells and oil seeps, new organic-geochemical results, and new stratigraphic and structural data indicate the presence of a concealed, oil-bearing sedimentary basin beneath a highly urbanized part of the Santa Clara Valley, Calif. A conspicuous isostatic-gravity low that extends about 35 km from Palo Alto southeastward to near Los Gatos reflects an asymmetric, northwest-trending sedimentary basin comprising low-density strata, principally of Miocene age, that rest on higher-density rocks of Mesozoic and Paleogene(?) age. Both gravity and well data show that the low-density rocks thin gradually to the northeast over a distance of about 10 km. The thickest (approx 4 km thick) accumulation of low-density material occurs along the basin's steep southwestern margin, which may be controlled by buried, northeast-dipping normal faults that were active during the Miocene. Movement along these hypothetical normal faults may been contemporaneous (approx 17–14 Ma) with sedimentation and local dacitic and basaltic volcanism, possibly in response to crustal extension related to passage of the northwestward-migrating Mendocino triple junction. During the Pliocene and Quaternary, the normal faults and Miocene strata were overridden by Mesozoic rocks, including the Franciscan Complex, along northeastward-vergent reverse and thrust faults of the Berrocal, Shannon, and Monte Vista Fault zones. Movement along these fault zones was accompanied by folding and tilting of strata as young as Quaternary and by uplift of the modern Santa Cruz Mountains; the fault zones remain seismically active. We attribute the Pliocene and Quaternary reverse and thrust faulting, folding, and uplift to compression caused by local San Andreas Fault tectonics and regional transpression along the Pacific-North American Plate boundary. Near the southwestern margin of the Santa Clara Valley, as many as 20 exploratory oil wells were drilled between 1891

  17. Seroprevalencia de babesiosis bovina en la hacienda Vegas de la Clara, Gómez Plata (Antioquia, 2008

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard Zapata Salas

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available La babesiosis es una enfermedad del ganado bovino transmitida por la garrapata Rhipicephalus (Boophilus microplus y causada por los parásitos protozoarios Babesia bovis y B. bigemina. Una zona se considera epizootiológicamente estable frente a Babesia spp, cuando el 75% de los bovinos entre las edades de 3 a 9 meses son serorreactivos (IgG frente a Babesia bovis y Babesia bigemina y no hay evidencia de signos clínicos. El objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar la seroprevalencia de Babesia bovis y Babesia bigemina en el ganado bovino de la hacienda Vegas de la Clara (Universidad de Antioquia, Gómez Plata, Antioquia, por medio de inmunofluorescencia indirecta. Se diseñó un estudio descriptivo prospectivo con análisis de corte transversal. Fue evaluada toda la población bovina de la hacienda Vegas de la Clara (n = 118. Las muestras fueron evaluadas por inmunofluorescencia indirecta para la detección de anticuerpos tipo IgG específicos contra Babesia bovis y B. bigemina. La serorreactividad obtenida en los bovinos evaluados, para al menos una especie de Babesia fue del 89,8%, para Babesia bovis del 83,8%, mientras que para B. bigemina del 61%. Se obtuvo una relación estadísticamente significativa entre la serorreactividad para B. bigemina y la frecuencia del tratamiento garrapaticida. La serorreactividad indica estabilidad enzoótica en el hato para B. bovis, mientras que para B. bigemina se encontró que la frecuencia del tratamiento garrapaticida interrumpe su ciclo de transmisión.

  18. Ciliated protists from the nepheloid layer and water column of sites affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moss, Joseph A.; McCurry, Chelsea; Tominack, Sarah; Romero, Isabel C.; Hollander, David; Jeffrey, Wade H.; Snyder, Richard A.

    2015-12-01

    Benthic marine protists have been well documented from shallow marine benthic habitats but remain understudied in deeper habitats on continental shelves and slopes, particularly in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico (NEGOM). This region was affected by a deep water oil well failure (BP-Deepwater Horizon, 2010). The combination of a lack of information on deep sea microbenthic communities and the potential for benthic microbial petroleum mineralization prompted this investigation. Water column and nepheloid layer samples were obtained via Niskin bottles and a multicorer respectively at stations across the NEGOM to: (1) determine whether nepheloid and water column communities are distinct and (2) assess benthic species richness relative to sediment PAH contamination. Phylum specific 18S rRNA gene amplification was used to construct clone libraries of ciliate assemblages. BLAST searches in the NCBI database indicated that a majority (~75%) of the clone sequences corresponded (94-100% similarity) with listed, yet unclassified sequences. Several putative species were common at most site locations and depths. Many known benthic ciliates, such as Uronychia transfuga, Uronychia setigera, and Spirotrachelostyla tani, were common in the nepheloid layer samples and not recovered in water column samples. Ciliated protist species richness increased with PAH levels found in surface sediments, suggesting a positive microbial response to petroleum enrichment of the benthos. The presence of previously unknown microbenthic communites in the nephaloid layer over oceanic clay-silt muds alters our view of microbial processes in the deep sea and merits investigation of the microbial processes and rates of microbial mineralization and biomass production important to global biogeochemistry.

  19. Nuclear Architecture and Patterns of Molecular Evolution Are Correlated in the Ciliate Chilodonella uncinata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maurer-Alcalá, Xyrus X; Katz, Laura A

    2016-06-08

    The relationship between nuclear architecture and patterns of molecular evolution in lineages across the eukaryotic tree of life is not well understood, partly because molecular evolution is traditionally explored as changes in base pairs along a linear sequence without considering the context of nuclear position of chromosomes. The ciliate Chilodonella uncinata is an ideal system to address the relationship between nuclear architecture and patterns of molecular evolution as the somatic macronucleus of this ciliate is composed of a peripheral DNA-rich area (orthomere) and a DNA-poor central region (paramere) to form a "heteromeric" macronucleus. Moreover, because the somatic chromosomes of C. uncinata are highly processed into "gene-sized" chromosomes (i.e., nanochromosomes), we can assess fine-scale relationships between location and sequence evolution. By combining fluorescence microscopy and analyses of transcriptome data from C. uncinata, we find that highly expressed genes have the greatest codon usage bias and are enriched in DNA-poor regions. In contrast, genes with less biased sequences tend to be concentrated in DNA abundant areas, at least during vegetative growth. Our analyses are consistent with recent work in plants and animals where nuclear architecture plays a role in gene expression. At the same time, the unusual localization of nanochromosomes suggests that the highly structured nucleus in C. uncinata may create a "gene bank" that facilitates rapid changes in expression of genes required only in specific life history stages. By using "nonmodel" organisms like C. uncinata, we can explore the universality of eukaryotic features while also providing examples of novel properties (i.e., the presence of a gene bank) that build from these features. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  20. Programa de promoción de salud para infantes preescolares de círculos infantiles Santa Clara

    OpenAIRE

    Quintero Fleites, Eva Josefina

    2011-01-01

    Con el objetivo de desarrollar un Programa de promoción de salud para infantes preescolares, se realizó una investigación de desarrollo en el área de promoción de salud, con el universo de 34 círculos infantiles del municipio Santa Clara. Las muestras fueron de dos círculos infantiles, tanto para el diagnóstico como para el estudio piloto, y de ocho círculos infantiles para la extensión de la experiencia (cinco experimentales y tres controles). Las etapas investigativas fueron: diagnóst...

  1. Sulfide assimilation by ectosymbionts of the sessile ciliate, Zoothamnium niveum

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Røy, Hans; Vopel, Kay; Huettel, Marcus

    2009-01-01

    with flow adjusted to in situ velocity. The water motion around the colonies was then characterized by particle tracking velocimetry. This shows that the feather-shaped colony of Z. niveum generates a unidirectional flow of seawater through the colony with no recirculation. The source of the feeding current......We investigated the constraints on sulfide uptake by bacterial ectosymbionts on the marine peritrich ciliate Zoothamnium niveum by a combination of experimental and numerical methods. Protists with symbionts were collected on large blocks of mangrove-peat. The blocks were placed in a flow cell...... bacteria due to Z. niveum's habitat preference and due to the feeding current. Z. niveum is capable of exploiting low concentrations of sulfide in near norm-oxic seawater. This links its otherwise dissimilar habitats and makes it functionally similar to invertebrates with thiotrophic symbionts in filtering...

  2. Ciliates (Protozoa from dried sediments of a temporary pond from Argentina Ciliados (Protozoa de sedimentos secos de una charca temporaria de la Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriela Cristina Küppers

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Temporary ponds represent special environments that are inhabited by organisms adapted to changing environmental conditions. Ciliates are able to survive complete loss of water in these transient habitats through cyst formation. However, ciliates from the Neotropical region in general have been poorly studied with modern techniques. The main goal of this study is to describe the ciliates in dried sediments of a temporary pond from Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, through sampling efforts that were performed 2003-2005. Soil samples were obtained during drought phases and re wetted in laboratory to establish raw and enriched cultures. Ciliates were then studied both in vivo and after impregnation with protargol. In this study, we present 4 new records for Argentina (Gonostomum affine (Stein, 1859 Sterki, 1878, Stylonychia bifaria (Stokes, 1887 Berger, 1999, Pleurotricha lanceolata (Ehrenberg, 1835 Stein, 1859, Meseres corlissi Petz and Foissner, 1992, 1 for South America (Blepharisma americanum (Suzuki, 1954 Hirshfield, Isquith and Bhandary, 1965, and 2 for the Neotropical Realm (Gonostomum strenuum (Engelmann, 1862 Sterki, 1878, Stylonychia lemnae Ammermann and Schlegel, 1983.Los cuerpos de agua temporarios son ambientes particulares que se encuentran habitados por organismos adaptados a condiciones fluctuantes. Los ciliados son capaces de sobrevivir a la pérdida completa de agua del ambiente gracias a la formación de estructuras de resistencia. Por otra parte, los ciliados de la región Neotropical han sido poco investigados con técnicas modernas. El objetivo de este estudio es referir los ciliados que se desarrollaron a partir de los sedimentos secos de una charca temporaria de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina, en la que se realizaron muestreos durante el período 2003-2005. Las muestras de suelo fueron obtenidas durante las fases de sequía y luego resuspendidas en el laboratorio para realizar cultivos naturales y enriquecidos. Los

  3. Ciliate protists from Cabiúnas Lagoon (Restinga de Jurubatiba, Macaé, Rio de Janeiro) with emphasis on water quality indicator Species and description of Oxytricha marcili sp. n.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paiva, T S; Silva-Neto, I D

    2004-08-01

    We found 34 species of ciliate protists in the samples collected by the margins of Cabiúnas Lagoon during 2001. The ciliates were cultivated in the laboratory, where they were examined in vivo and identified through silver impregnation techniques. A new species, Oxytricha marcili (Ciliophora, Oxytrichidae), was found and characterized as follows: in vivo length about 60-80 microm x 30-40 microm wide; on average 22 adoral membranelles; 18 left marginal cirri; 18 right marginal cirri; and 3 small caudal cirri. All specimens analyzed presented 7 frontal cirri (3 anterior + 4 posterior), 1 buccal cirrus, 4 ventral cirri (3 postoral + 1 pre-transverse), and 5 transverse cirri. Among the species found, some are considered as water quality indicators ranging from alpha-mesosaprobity to polysaprobity and isosaprobity.

  4. Marked seasonality and high spatial variation in estuarine ciliates are driven by exchanges between the ?abundant? and ?intermediate? biospheres

    OpenAIRE

    Sun, Ping; Huang, Liying; Xu, Dapeng; Huang, Bangqin; Chen, Nengwang; Warren, Alan

    2017-01-01

    We examined the spatial and temporal variability of ciliate community in a subtropical estuary by rRNA and rDNA-based high throughput sequencing of 97 samples collected along the entire salinity gradient at two-month intervals in 2014. Community divided statistically into three groups: freshwater (salinity??1%) OTUs. Further analyses demonstrated that the intermediate group not only encompassed comparable OTU richness to that of the total community and maintained high metabolic activity but a...

  5. Modeling the distribution of ciliate protozoa in the reticulo-rumen using linear programming.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hook, S E; Dijkstra, J; Wright, A-D G; McBride, B W; France, J

    2012-01-01

    The flow of ciliate protozoa from the reticulo-rumen is significantly less than expected given the total density of rumen protozoa present. To maintain their numbers in the reticulo-rumen, protozoa can be selectively retained through association with feed particles and the rumen wall. Few mathematical models have been designed to model rumen protozoa in both the free-living and attached phases, and the data used in the models were acquired using classical techniques. It has therefore become necessary to provide an updated model that more accurately represents these microorganisms and incorporates the recent literature on distribution, sequestration, and generation times. This paper represents a novel approach to synthesizing experimental data on rumen microorganisms in a quantitative and structured manner. The development of a linear programming model of rumen protozoa in an approximate steady state will be described and applied to data from healthy ruminants consuming commonly fed diets. In the model, protozoa associated with the liquid phase and protozoa attached to particulate matter or sequestered against the rumen wall are distinguished. Growth, passage, death, and transfer of protozoa between both pools are represented. The results from the model application using the contrasting diets of increased forage content versus increased starch content indicate that the majority of rumen protozoa, 63 to 90%, are found in the attached phase, either attached to feed particles or sequestered on the rumen wall. A slightly greater proportion of protozoa are found in the attached phase in animals fed a hay diet compared with a starch diet. This suggests that experimental protocols that only sample protozoa from the rumen fluid could be significantly underestimating the size of the protozoal population of the rumen. Further data are required on the distribution of ciliate protozoa in the rumen of healthy animals to improve model development, but the model described herein

  6. [The staphylococcal enterotoxin burden determines the ultrastructure of ciliated epithelia and inflammatory changes in maxillary sinus mucosa of rabbits].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Hongqi; Zhu, Zhengwen; Cao, Zhongsheng; Liu, Zhiyong; Wu, Xiaofan; Yuan, Hui

    2014-12-01

    To investigate the ultrastructure of ciliated epithelia and inflammatory changes upon repeated exposure to staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) of different concentrations in the maxillary sinus mucosa of rabbits. The rabbits were randomly divided into 2 groups (24 rabbits per group): low-dose SEA group and high-dose SEA group. The low-dose SEA group and high-dose SEA group received daily injections of 0.6 ng of SEA (2 ml) and 60 ng of SEA (2 ml) into the left maxillary sinus of rabbits for 28 days, respectively. Concurrent treatment of the right maxillary sinus with normal saline was used as control. Six rabbits chosen randomly in two groups were examined by computed tomography (CT) scans and then sacrificed to obtain the sinus mucosa from the two-side of maxillary sinuses for histological assessment on days 3, 7, 14 and 28. To characterize the inflammatory changes of the sinus mucosa examined using light microscope, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and toluidine blue staining was performed. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy were performed to observe ultrastructure of ciliated epithelia in the maxillary sinus mucosa. SPSS 13.0 software was used to analyze the data. On days 14 and 28, CT images showed opacification of the left maxillary sinus in the high-dose SEA group. The percentage of epithelial disruption was (22.73 ± 5.72) % and (30.79 ± 4.30)% in the high-dose SEA group respectively, and were significantly greater than those in the low-dose SEA group (5.12% ± 1.98% and 5.38% ± 1.64%, q value was 10.079 and 19.132) and control group (4.08% ± 1.29% and 4.81% ± 1.62%, q value was 11.016 and 19.592, respectively, all P microscope, loss of cilia was observed, a few compound cilia and cytoplasmic protrusion were found, an obvious stretching of the endoplasmic reticulum and an obvious turgescence of the mitochondria was also observed. However, in the low-dose SEA group on days 14 and 28, CT scan of the left maxillary sinus showed transparency; light

  7. Startup, testing, and operation of the Santa Clara 2MW direct carbonate fuel cell demonstration plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Skok, A.J.; Leo, A.J. [Fuel Cell Engineering Corp., Danbury, CT (United States); O`Shea, T.P. [Santa Clara Demonstration Project, CA (United States)

    1996-12-31

    The Santa Clara Demonstration Project (SCDP) is a collaboration between several utility organizations, Fuel Cell Engineering Corporation (FCE), and the U.S. Dept. Of Energy aimed at the demonstration of Energy Research Corporation`s (ERC) direct carbonate fuel cell (DFC) technology. ERC has been pursuing the development of the DFC for commercialization near the end of this decade, and this project is an integral part of the ERC commercialization effort. The objective of the Santa Clara Demonstration Project is to provide the first full, commercial scale demonstration of this technology. The approach ERC has taken in the commercialization of the DFC is described in detail elsewhere. An aggressive core technology development program is in place which is focused by ongoing interaction with customers and vendors to optimize the design of the commercial power plant. ERC has selected a 2.85 MW power plant unit for initial market entry. Two ERC subsidiaries are supporting the commercialization effort: the Fuel Cell Manufacturing Corporation (FCMC) and the Fuel Cell Engineering Corporation (FCE). FCMC manufactures carbonate stacks and multi-stack modules, currently from its production facility in Torrington, CT. FCE is responsible for power plant design, integration of all subsystems, sales/marketing, and client services. FCE is serving as the prime contractor for the design, construction, and testing of the SCDP Plant. FCMC has manufactured the multi-stack submodules used in the DC power section of the plant. Fluor Daniel Inc. (FDI) served as the architect-engineer subcontractor for the design and construction of the plant and provided support to the design of the multi-stack submodules. FDI is also assisting the ERC companies in commercial power plant design.

  8. First record of two ectoparasitic ciliates of the genus Trichodina (Ciliophora: Trichodinidae) parasitizing gills of an invasive freshwater fish, Micropercops swinhonis, in Tibet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhe; Deng, Qiong; Zhou, Tong; Yang, Hao; Gu, Zemao

    2018-07-01

    Although high diversity of parasitic ciliates has been reported in China, little is known about the species from high altitude areas, especially in Tibet. To investigate the species of parasitic ciliates in Tibet, a project was initiated in the Chabalang wetland in 2013. Two Trichodina species, namely, Trichodina sp. and T. reticulata Hirschmann & Partsch, 1955, were isolated from gills of an invasive fish, Micropercops swinhonis for the first time. In the present study, we provided the morphological, morphometrical, and molecular characterizations of the two species and conducted the phylogenetic analyses of mobilids based on the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSU rDNA) sequences. Both morphological characters and morphometric data of the T. reticulata agreed well with previous studies. Although two partial SSU rDNA sequences were obtained in the present study, only the sequence of T. reticulata population in the present study was thought to be reliable. The other sequence may not belong to the other species. Thus, we regarded the other species isolated in the present study as Trichodina sp. to avoid the wrong or confused species identification. Morphologically, Trichodina sp. is distinguished mainly by its large body shape with a broad adhesive disk, robust and obliquely quadrilateral blades, and well-developed rays. T. reticulata is mainly characterized with the 8-12 spherical or elliptical granules in the central zone of adhesive disk. Phylogenetic analyses consistently showed the two ectoparasites clustered with freshwater species of the genus Trichodina within the order Mobilida. Our study extended the host range of T. reticulata and supplemented the molecular data. Also, results reveal that invasion of exotic fish may cause a potential threat to native fish by introducing or dispersing parasitic ciliates.

  9. Ciliate protists from Cabiúnas Lagoon (Restinga de Jurubatiba, Macaé, Rio de Janeiro with emphasis on water quality indicator species and description of Oxytricha marcili sp. n.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. S. Paiva

    Full Text Available We found 34 species of ciliate protists in the samples collected by the margins of Cabiúnas Lagoon during 2001. The ciliates were cultivated in the laboratory, where they were examined in vivo and identified through silver impregnation techniques. A new species, Oxytricha marcili (Ciliophora, Oxytrichidae, was found and characterized as follows: in vivo length about 60-80 mum x 30-40 mum wide; on average 22 adoral membranelles; 18 left marginal cirri; 18 right marginal cirri; and 3 small caudal cirri. All specimens analyzed presented 7 frontal cirri (3 anterior + 4 posterior, 1 buccal cirrus, 4 ventral cirri (3 postoral + 1 pre-transverse, and 5 transverse cirri. Among the species found, some are considered as water quality indicators ranging from alpha-mesosaprobity to polysaprobity and isosaprobity.

  10. Estudio de la resistencia a compresión simple del adobe elaborado con suelos procedentes de Crescencio Valdés, Villa Clara, Cuba

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barroso, I. J.

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available In this article we study the resistance to simple compression of the adobe bricks with building purposes. The study was carried out with various clay soils from Crescencio Valdés village, municipality of Camajuaní, Villa Clara, Cuba. In order to select the best soils to construction we have considered 1 MPa (10 kg/cm2 as minimum resistance to simple compression. So the soils that do not verify that requirement have been improved only by adding sand.En este artículo se estudia la resistencia a compresión simple que presenta el adobe elaborado con diferentes suelos procedentes del pueblo de Crescencio Valdés, situado en el municipio de Camajuaní, Villa Clara, Cuba. Se valora la idoneidad de la utilización de cada suelo estudiado bajo la premisa de alcanzar con el adobe elaborado una resistencia a compresión simple de 1 MPa (10 kg/cm2, ya que dicho adobe será utilizado posteriormente para edificación en dicho pueblo

  11. Analysis of the radioactivity in the 'Elguea' spa, Villa Clara, Cuba; Analisis de la radiactividad en el balneario 'Elguea' , Villa Clara, Cuba

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fernandez G, I.M.; Zerquera, J.T.; Carrazana G, J.; Capote F, E.; Rodriguez C, G. [CPHR, La Habana (Cuba)]. e-mail: isis@cphr.edu.cu

    2006-07-01

    The 'Elguea' spa, located in the north coast of the county of Villa Clara, Cuba, is considered one of those more important spas of Latin America. The waters of this spa are rich in salts of chlorine, sodium, bromine, sulfides and its contain radon. As a result of measurements of environmental gamma dose rates carried out in the area of the spa, its were considered levels of dose between 0.13 and 2.3 mSv. The obtained results motivated that it was carried out a characterization, from the radiological point of view, of the spa. This characterization is of supreme importance to be able to evaluate the impact that it has and the discharges of its waters on the environment, as well as, those dose that the population potentially affected can receive by these discharges. With this end its were carried out quantitative determinations of those existent natural more significant radionuclides in different environmental objects coming from the area of the spa and its surroundings, as well as one characterization gamma 'in situ' of the same one. The obtained results are present in this work. (Author)

  12. The primitives of Santa Clara of Ubeda: stylistic and iconographic study, critical appraisals and vicissitudes of a dispersed heritage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clara Beltrán Catalán

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The authors study the stylistic and iconographic aspects of a collection of paintings on wood dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, originally in the Royal Monastery of Santa Clara at Úbeda. This collection was sold in the 1920s with the participation of the antique dealer Celestino Dupont. The research is complemented by an analysis of the critical appraisals given to these works and their history since their introduction into the art market.

  13. Calcium signaling in closely related protozoan groups (Alveolata): non-parasitic ciliates (Paramecium, Tetrahymena) vs. parasitic Apicomplexa (Plasmodium, Toxoplasma).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plattner, H; Sehring, I M; Mohamed, I K; Miranda, K; De Souza, W; Billington, R; Genazzani, A; Ladenburger, E-M

    2012-05-01

    The importance of Ca2+-signaling for many subcellular processes is well established in higher eukaryotes, whereas information about protozoa is restricted. Recent genome analyses have stimulated such work also with Alveolates, such as ciliates (Paramecium, Tetrahymena) and their pathogenic close relatives, the Apicomplexa (Plasmodium, Toxoplasma). Here we compare Ca2+ signaling in the two closely related groups. Acidic Ca2+ stores have been characterized in detail in Apicomplexa, but hardly in ciliates. Two-pore channels engaged in Ca2+-release from acidic stores in higher eukaryotes have not been stingently characterized in either group. Both groups are endowed with plasma membrane- and endoplasmic reticulum-type Ca2+-ATPases (PMCA, SERCA), respectively. Only recently was it possible to identify in Paramecium a number of homologs of ryanodine and inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate receptors (RyR, IP3R) and to localize them to widely different organelles participating in vesicle trafficking. For Apicomplexa, physiological experiments suggest the presence of related channels although their identity remains elusive. In Paramecium, IP3Rs are constitutively active in the contractile vacuole complex; RyR-related channels in alveolar sacs are activated during exocytosis stimulation, whereas in the parasites the homologous structure (inner membrane complex) may no longer function as a Ca2+ store. Scrutinized comparison of the two closely related protozoan phyla may stimulate further work and elucidate adaptation to parasitic life. See also "Conclusions" section. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Utilização do mecanismo de transposição de peixes da Usina Hidrelétrica Santa Clara por camarões (Palaemonidae, bacia do rio Mucuri, Minas Gerais, Brasil Use of Santa Clara Power Plant fish lift by Palaemonidae shrimps, Mucuri River basin, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo dos S. Pompeu

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Durante a operação do elevador para peixes da Usina Hidrelétrica Santa Clara, de novembro de 2003 a março de 2004, todos os crustáceos palaemonídeos adultos que utilizaram o mecanismo foram contados e o número de jovens estimado. Duas espécies foram registradas: Macrobrachium carcinus (Linnaeus, 1758 e Macrobrachium acanthurus (Wiegmann, 1836. A utilização do mecanismo por adultos foi bastante restrita, com apenas 185 exemplares registrados. Porém, o número de jovens de M. carcinus utilizando o elevador foi estimado em 19.120 indivíduos. Embora o mecanismo avaliado tenha permitido a passagem dos palaemonídeos para montante do barramento, ficou clara a necessidade de novos arranjos estruturais e de manejo específicos para esses animais. Essas ações se referem ao desenvolvimento de estruturas direcionadas para a sua passagem e a adoção de vertimentos programados durante o período reprodutivo para permitir o carreamento de larvas para jusante. Esses dois caminhos representam formas efetivas de manejo, imprescindíveis para a manutenção das populações deste importante componente da biota aquática.During the Santa Clara Power Plant fish lift operation, from November 2003 to March 2004, Palaemonidae adult specimens were counted and identified and estimated juveniles number. Two Palaemonidae species were recorded: Macrobrachium carcinus (Linnaeus, 1758 and Macrobrachium acanthurus (Wiegmann, 1836. The use of the fish lift by adults was restricted, since only 185 individuals were registered. However, the estimated juveniles number was 19,120 individuals. Although existing fish passage systems could be considered as an alternative for Palaemonidae migration, planned spills during the reproductive periods could allow the drift of larvae. Moreover, the constructions of specific structures for upstream migration should be considered as an alternative for the maintenance of this important component of aquatic biota.

  15. Monoculture of the ciliate protozoan Euplotes sp. (Ciliophora; Hypotrichia fed with different diets - doi: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v35i1.11795

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emílio Mateus Costa Melo

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Ciliate protozoa of the genus Euplotes commonly appears contaminating mass cultures of rotifers but also with potential to be used as live food in the larviculture of marine fish. To obtain a monoculture of Euplotes sp., three diets were tested: 1 microalgae Nannochloropsis oculata, 2 commercial diet for rotifers Culture Selco 3000, and 3 baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The ciliates were inoculated at 10 ind. mL-¹. On day 5, protozoa densities in the groups fed the commercial diet (1,911.0 ± 248.7 ind. mL-¹ and the baker’s yeast (2,600.0 ± 195.3 ind. mL-1 did not differ, but were higher than the group fed microalgae (2.0 ± 1.4 ind. mL-1 (p -¹ than in the groups fed microalgae (3.0 ± 1.4 ind. mL-¹ or commercial diet (11,287.0 ± 1,468.0 ind. mL-¹. An exponential growth curve was observed for the protozoa fed baker’s yeast (R² = 0.992; p Euplotes sp. can result in very high densities of this protozoan.  

  16. Epibiotic ciliates Scyphidia sp. and diatoms on Tigriopus fulvus (Copepoda: Harpacticoida exoskeleton

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luigi Pane

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Several microorganisms – epibionts – can adhere to living supports taking advantage for their survival, feeding and movement. Epibiosis occurs particularly in aquatic environments, on both benthic and planktonic organisms, among which copepods and cladocerans represent an important living support. The harpacticoid copepod Tigriopus fulvus, living in the splashpools of rocky coasts, was studied to recognize the occurrence of epibionts on the exoskeleton surface using scanning electon microscopy techniques. The first evidence of ciliate Scyphidia sp. on Tigriopus fulvus has been described and the occurrence of algae Cocconeis sp. has been observed as well. Epibionts were found to adhere to antennae, a site linked to the exploitation of water currents carrying food particles to mouthparts and to swimming legs. The reason of the occurrence on swimming legs is less clear and needs further observations. Pertinent results are described and discussed and the influence of epibionts on life cycle and behavior of Tigriopus fulvus is considered.

  17. Analysis of the radioactivity in the 'Elguea' spa, Villa Clara, Cuba

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernandez G, I.M.; Zerquera, J.T.; Carrazana G, J.; Capote F, E.; Rodriguez C, G.

    2006-01-01

    The 'Elguea' spa, located in the north coast of the county of Villa Clara, Cuba, is considered one of those more important spas of Latin America. The waters of this spa are rich in salts of chlorine, sodium, bromine, sulfides and its contain radon. As a result of measurements of environmental gamma dose rates carried out in the area of the spa, its were considered levels of dose between 0.13 and 2.3 mSv. The obtained results motivated that it was carried out a characterization, from the radiological point of view, of the spa. This characterization is of supreme importance to be able to evaluate the impact that it has and the discharges of its waters on the environment, as well as, those dose that the population potentially affected can receive by these discharges. With this end its were carried out quantitative determinations of those existent natural more significant radionuclides in different environmental objects coming from the area of the spa and its surroundings, as well as one characterization gamma 'in situ' of the same one. The obtained results are present in this work. (Author)

  18. Avaliação histopatológica e histoquímica das células claras em lesões odontogênicas císticas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cláudia Roberta Leite Vieira de Figueiredo

    Full Text Available Alterações degenerativas e metaplásicas são usualmente observadas no revestimento epitelial dos cistos odontogênicos. Nos tumores odontogênicos estes processos são considerados mais raros. Objetivo: demonstrar a presença de células claras no revestimento epitelial de uma série de lesões odontogênicas císticas. Métodos: realizou-se um estudo descritivo, em uma amostra de 22 lâminas histológicas, do total de lesões odontogênicas císticas procedentes do Laboratório de Patologia Bucal da Universidade Federal da Paraíba. As lâminas foram examinadas por dois avaliadores previamente calibrados e os blocos parafinados correspondentes às lesões em que se observaram células claras, foram novamente processados, e as lâminas foram coradas pela técnica do Ácido Periódico de Schiff após digestão pela diástase e avaliadas quanto à presença de células mucosas. Resultados: células contendo mucina estavam presentes em 12 (54,5 % das lesões coradas pelo Ácido Periódico de Schiff com diástase. Células mucosas foram observadas em 5 (41,66 % dos 12 casos de cistos radiculares, 1 (50 % dos 2 casos de tumores odontogênicos ceratocísticos, nos 4 (100 % casos de cistos dentígeros e em 2 (100 % casos de ameloblastomas unicísticos. Células claras foram muitas vezes observadas em áreas de inflamação. Conclusão: na amostra estudada, células mucosas puderam ser evidenciadas ocasionalmente no epitélio de lesões odontogênicas císticas.

  19. Ultrastructure observation on the cells at different life history stages of Cryptocaryon irritans (Ciliophora: Prostomatea), a parasitic ciliate of marine fishes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Rui; Ni, Bing; Fan, Xinpeng; Warren, Alan; Yin, Fei; Gu, Fukang

    2016-09-01

    Cells of Cryptocaryon irritans at different life history stages were studied using both light and electron microscopy. The characteristics of several organelles were revealed for the first time at the ultrastructural level. It was confirmed that the cytostome of trophonts, protomonts and theronts was surrounded by cilium-palp triplets rather than ciliary triplets. The nematodesmata underlying the circumoral dikinetids were single bundles, whereas these were always paired in Prorodontids. Toxicysts were present in late-stage tomonts and theronts, but were absent in trophonts and protomonts. We posited that toxicysts might play a role in infection and invasion of host-fish tissue by theronts. The adoral brosse was unlike that of any other family of the class Prostomatea based on its location and morphology. Membranous folds were present in trophonts, protomonts and theronts. These folds were longer and more highly developed in C. irritans than in exclusively free-living prostome ciliates suggesting that they might be linked to parasitism in C. irritans. Trophonts, protomonts and theronts had multiple contractile vacuoles. The basic ultrastructure of the contractile vacuole of C. irritans was similar to that of other kinetofragminophoran ciliates. They might play different roles in different stages of the life cycle since their ultrastructure varied among trophonts, protomonts and theronts.

  20. A community model of ciliate Tetrahymena and bacteria E. coli. Part 1: Individual-based models of Tetrahymena and E. coli populations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jaworska, J.S.; Hallam, T.G.; Schultz, T.W. [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

    1996-03-01

    The dynamics of a microbial community consisting of a eucaryotic ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis and procaryotic. Escherichia coli in a batch culture is explored by employing an individual-based approach. In this portion of the article, Part 1, population models are presented. Because both models are individual-based, models of individual organisms are developed prior to construction of the population models. The individual models use an energy budget method in which growth depends on energy gain from feeding and energy sinks such as maintenance and reproduction. These models are not limited by simplifying assumptions about constant yield, constant energy sinks and Monod growth kinetics as are traditional models of microbial organisms. Population models are generated from individual models by creating distinct individual types and assigning to each type the number of real individuals they represent. A population is a compilation of individual types that vary in a phase of cell cycle and physiological parameters such as filtering rate for ciliates and maximum anabolic rate for bacteria. An advantage of the developed models is that they realistically describe the growth of the individual cells feeding on resource which varies in density and composition. Part 2, the core of the project, integrates models into a dynamic microbial community and provides model analysis based upon available data.

  1. Numerical simulation for cyclic steam injection at Santa Clara field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodriguez, Edwin; Barrios, Wilson; Sandoval, Roy; Santos, Nicolas; Cortes, Ingrid

    2008-01-01

    This article presents the methodology used and the results obtained in the construction, match and prediction of the first thermal composition simulation model done in Colombia by employing advanced thermal process commercial software, globally recognized because of its effectiveness in modeling these types of processes (CMG-STARS, 2005). The Santa Clara and Palermo fields were modeled and an excellent history match was achieved. All in all 28 wells and 17 years of production were matched. Two production scenes were proposed. The first involved primary production from existing wells, in other words: primary production; and a second scene where all the wells in the field are converted into injectors and producers, to simulate cyclic steam injection. This injection process included a series of sensitivity studies for several of the parameters involved in this technology, such as: pressure and temperature injection, time and rate of injection, heat injected, soaking period, steam quality, and injection cycles. This sensitivity study was focused on optimizing the processes to obtain the maximum end recovery possible. The information entered into the simulator was validated by laboratory tests developed at the Instituto Colombiano del Petroleo (ICP). Among the tests performed the following were assessed: rock compressibility, relative permeability curve behavior at different temperatures, formation sensitivity to injection fluids, DRX analysis and residual saturation of crude oil for steam injection. The aforementioned results are documented in this paper

  2. Distribution and Evolution of Peroxisomes in Alveolates (Apicomplexa, Dinoflagellates, Ciliates)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ludewig-Klingner, Ann-Kathrin; Michael, Victoria; Jarek, Michael; Brinkmann, Henner

    2018-01-01

    Abstract The peroxisome was the last organelle to be discovered and five decades later it is still the Cinderella of eukaryotic compartments. Peroxisomes have a crucial role in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species, the beta-oxidation of fatty acids, and the biosynthesis of etherphospholipids, and they are assumed to be present in virtually all aerobic eukaryotes. Apicomplexan parasites including the malaria and toxoplasmosis agents were described as the first group of mitochondriate protists devoid of peroxisomes. This study was initiated to reassess the distribution and evolution of peroxisomes in the superensemble Alveolata (apicomplexans, dinoflagellates, ciliates). We established transcriptome data from two chromerid algae (Chromera velia, Vitrella brassicaformis), and two dinoflagellates (Prorocentrum minimum, Perkinsus olseni) and identified the complete set of essential peroxins in all four reference species. Our comparative genome analysis provides unequivocal evidence for the presence of peroxisomes in Toxoplasma gondii and related genera. Our working hypothesis of a common peroxisomal origin of all alveolates is supported by phylogenetic analyses of essential markers such as the import receptor Pex5. Vitrella harbors the most comprehensive set of peroxisomal proteins including the catalase and the glyoxylate cycle and it is thus a promising model organism to investigate the functional role of this organelle in Apicomplexa. PMID:29202176

  3. Deformation from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake near the southwest margin of the Santa Clara Valley, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, Kevin M.; Ellen, Stephen D.; Peterson, David M.

    2014-01-01

    Damage to pavement and near-surface utility pipes, caused by the 17 October 1989, Loma Prieta earthquake, provides evidence for ground deformation in a 663 km2 area near the southwest margin of the Santa Clara Valley, California (USA). A total of 1427 damage sites, collected from more than 30 sources, are concentrated in four zones, three of which lie near previously mapped faults. In one of these zones, the channel lining of Los Gatos Creek, a 2-km-long concrete strip trending perpendicular to regional geologic structure, was broken by thrusts that were concentrated in two belts, each several tens of meters wide, separated by more than 300 m of relatively undeformed concrete.

  4. Current status of parasitic ciliates Chilodonella spp. (Phyllopharyngea: Chilodonellidae) in freshwater fish aquaculture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bastos Gomes, G; Jerry, D R; Miller, T L; Hutson, K S

    2017-05-01

    Freshwater fish farming contributes to more than two-thirds of global aquaculture production. Parasitic ciliates are one of the largest causes of production loss in freshwater farmed fishes, with species from the genus Chilodonella being particularly problematic. While Chilodonella spp. include 'free-living' fauna, some species are involved in mortality events of fish, particularly in high-density aquaculture. Indeed, chilodonellosis causes major productivity losses in over 16 species of farmed freshwater fishes in more than 14 countries. Traditionally, Chilodonella species are identified based on morphological features; however, the genus comprises yet uncharacterized cryptic species, which indicates the necessity for molecular diagnostic methods. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the biology, ecology and geographic distribution of harmful Chilodonella spp. and examines pathological signs, diagnostic methods and treatments. Recent advances in molecular diagnostics and the ability to culture Chilodonella spp. in vitro will enable the development of preventative management practices and sustained freshwater fish aquaculture production. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. A morphogenetic survey on ciliate plankton from a mountain lake pinpoints the necessity of lineage-specific barcode markers in microbial ecology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoeck, Thorsten; Breiner, Hans-Werner; Filker, Sabine; Ostermaier, Veronika; Kammerlander, Barbara; Sonntag, Bettina

    2014-02-01

    Analyses of high-throughput environmental sequencing data have become the 'gold-standard' to address fundamental questions of microbial diversity, ecology and biogeography. Findings that emerged from sequencing are, e.g. the discovery of the extensive 'rare microbial biosphere' and its potential function as a seed-bank. Even though applied since several years, results from high-throughput environmental sequencing have hardly been validated. We assessed how well pyrosequenced amplicons [the hypervariable eukaryotic V4 region of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene] reflected morphotype ciliate plankton. Moreover, we assessed if amplicon sequencing had the potential to detect the annual ciliate plankton stock. In both cases, we identified significant quantitative and qualitative differences. Our study makes evident that taxon abundance distributions inferred from amplicon data are highly biased and do not mirror actual morphotype abundances at all. Potential reasons included cell losses after fixation, cryptic morphotypes, resting stages, insufficient sequence data availability of morphologically described species and the unsatisfying resolution of the V4 SSU rRNA fragment for accurate taxonomic assignments. The latter two underline the necessity of barcoding initiatives for eukaryotic microbes to better and fully exploit environmental amplicon data sets, which then will also allow studying the potential of seed-bank taxa as a buffer for environmental changes. © 2013 The Authors. Environmental Microbiology published by Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Immunoexpression of P16INK4a, Rb and TP53 proteins in bronchiolar columnar cell dysplasia (BCCD in lungs resected due to primary non-small cell lung cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lech Chyczewski

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Lung cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide. High mortality comes out mainly of the fact that majority of the cases are diagnosed in advanced stadium. An expanded diagnostics of precancerous conditions would certainly contribute to lowering the mortality rate. Many of the molecular changes accompanying the multistep cancer development could be observed using the immunohistochemistry method. In this paper we describe the morphology and cell cycle proteins immunoexpression of the novel probable preinvasive lesion - bronchiolar columnar cell dysplasia (BCCD. Thirty cases of BCCD selected out of 193 patients population, treated for primary non-small cell lung cancer were investigated. Loss of P16INK4a protein was observed in 70% of all cases and was statistically significant in patients with adenocarcinoma. Two cases show abnormal cytoplasmic localization of this protein. TP53 protein accumulates in 26.7% of all BCCD. Rb protein was active in 48.3% of the BCCD cases. In two cases we observed differentiation of the cells composing BCCD into multilayer epithelium of the squamous type, which occurs with formation of desmosomes. We suppose that BCCD may be preneoplastic lesion leading to adenocarcinoma as well as to peripheral squamous cell lung cancer.

  7. Laminin-332 alters connexin profile, dye coupling and intercellular Ca2+ waves in ciliated tracheal epithelial cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olsen Colin E

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Tracheal epithelial cells are anchored to a dynamic basement membrane that contains a variety of extracellular matrix proteins including collagens and laminins. During development, wound repair and disease of the airway epithelium, significant changes in extracellular matrix proteins may directly affect cell migration, differentiation and events mediated by intercellular communication. We hypothesized that alterations in cell matrix, specifically type I collagen and laminin α3β3γ2 (LM-332 proteins within the matrix, directly affect intercellular communication in ciliated rabbit tracheal epithelial cells (RTEC. Methods Functional coupling of RTEC was monitored by microinjection of the negatively charged fluorescent dyes, Lucifer Yellow and Alexa 350, into ciliated RTEC grown on either a LM-332/collagen or collagen matrix. Coupling of physiologically significant molecules was evaluated by the mechanism and extent of propagated intercellular Ca2+ waves. Expression of connexin (Cx mRNA and proteins were assayed by reverse transcriptase – polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemistry, respectively. Results When compared to RTEC grown on collagen alone, RTEC grown on LM-332/collagen displayed a significant increase in dye transfer. Although mechanical stimulation of RTEC grown on either LM-332/collagen or collagen alone resulted in intercellular Ca2+ waves, the mechanism of transfer was dependent on matrix: RTEC grown on LM-332/collagen propagated Ca2+waves via extracellular purinergic signaling whereas RTEC grown on collagen used gap junctions. Comparison of RTEC grown on collagen or LM-332/collagen matrices revealed a reorganization of Cx26, Cx43 and Cx46 proteins. Conclusion Alterations in airway basement membrane proteins such as LM-332 can induce connexin reorganizations and result in altered cellular communication mechanisms that could contribute to airway tissue function.

  8. The trophic role and impact of plankton ciliates in the microbial web structure of a tropical polymictic lake dominated by filamentous cyanobacteria

    OpenAIRE

    Alfonso Esquivel; Aude Barani; Miroslav Macek; Ruth Ruth Soto-Castor; Celia Bulit

    2016-01-01

    The recent interest in the plankton structures and dynamics in tropical and subtropical lakes has revealed important trends that set these lakes apart from temperate lakes, and one of the main differences is the enhanced importance of the microbial food web with respect to net plankton. Ciliates are a key component of subtropical and tropical microbial webs because of their role as dominant picoplankton grazers and their ability to channel picoplankton production to the uppermost trophic leve...

  9. AON-mediated Exon Skipping Restores Ciliation in Fibroblasts Harboring the Common Leber Congenital Amaurosis CEP290 Mutation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xavier Gerard

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA is a severe hereditary retinal dystrophy responsible for congenital or early-onset blindness. The most common disease-causing mutation (>10% is located deep in intron 26 of the CEP290 gene (c.2991+1655A>G. It creates a strong splice donor site that leads to insertion of a cryptic exon encoding a premature stop codon. In the present study, we show that the use of antisense oligonucleotides (AONs allow an efficient skipping of the mutant cryptic exon and the restoration of ciliation in fibroblasts of affected patients. These data support the feasibility of an AON-mediated exon skipping strategy to correct the aberrant splicing.

  10. El sistema lacustre de la Formación Mollar en el depocentro triásico de Santa Clara (provincia de Mendoza, Argentina The lacustrine system of the Mollar Formation in the Triassic Santa Clara Depocenter (Mendoza Province, Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis A Spalletti

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available El depocentro triásico de Santa Clara, Cuenca Cuyana, se caracteriza por espesos depósitos generados en ambiente lacustre. Uno de ellos, con un registro de más de 345 m, corresponde a la Formación Mollar. El tramo inferior a medio está caracterizado por una monótona sucesión de lutitas bituminosas acumuladas por decantación suspensiva en el 'off shore' anóxico de un cuerpo lacustre hidrológicamente cerrado y que muestra alto contenido de materia orgánica amorfa de origen algal y de restos de plantas terrestres muy degradadas junto a sulfuros de hierro autígenos. Intercalan areniscas finas debidas a corrientes de turbidez diluidas y carbonatas estromatolíticos. En esta sucesión se definen ciclos granocrecientes de pequeña escala (PACs que se atribuyen a episodios de expansión-retracción lacustre controlados por cambios climáticos. Asociaciones de facies heterolíticas representan los depósitos de la transición entre los ambientes de 'nearshore' y 'offshore' lacustre. La sección superior de la Formación Mollar se compone de sucesiones pelíticas con profusa bioturbación que sugieren mayor oxigenación del sustrato y se asignan a ambiente de costa afuera de un sistema lacustre holomíctico hidrológicamente abierto. Intercalan areniscas producto de flujos hiperpicnales. Depósitos de areniscas con abundantes trazas fósiles y estructuras de olas y flujos unidireccionales, representan a sectores marginales del ambiente lacustre. Además de los ciclos de alta frecuencia, en la Formación Mollar se definen tres secuencias asimétricas de mayor escala atribuidas a episodios mayores de expansión-contracción lacustre debidos a la interacción entre factores climáticos y tectónicos. El diseño de superposición granocreciente de la Formación Mollar y la gradual transición a depósitos fluviales de la sobreyacente Formación Montaña refleja asimismo una constante reducción del espacio de acomodación sedimentaria en el

  11. Radionuclides and heavy metals in rainbow trout from Tsichomo, Nana Ka, Wen Povi, and Pin De Lakes in Santa Clara Canyon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fresquez, P.R.; Armstrong, D.R.; Naranjo, L. Jr.

    1998-04-01

    Radionuclide ( 3 H, 90 Sr, 137 Cs, 238 Pu, 239 Pu, and total uranium) and heavy metal (Ag, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, and TI) concentrations were determined in rainbow trout collected from Tsichomo, Nana Ka, Wen Povi, and Pin De lakes in Santa Clara Canyon in 1997. Most radionuclide and heavy metal concentrations in fish collected from these four lakes were within or just above upper limit background concentrations (Abiquiu reservoir), and as a group were statistically (p < 0.05) similar in most parameters to background

  12. Utility of combining morphological characters, nuclear and mitochondrial genes: An attempt to resolve the conflicts of species identification for ciliated protists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yan; Yi, Zhenzhen; Gentekaki, Eleni; Zhan, Aibin; Al-Farraj, Saleh A; Song, Weibo

    2016-01-01

    Ciliates comprise a highly diverse protozoan lineage inhabiting all biotopes and playing crucial roles in regulating microbial food webs. Nevertheless, subtle morphological differences and tiny sizes hinder proper species identification for many ciliates. Here, we use the species-rich taxon Frontonia and employ both nuclear and mitochondrial loci. We attempt to assess the level of genetic diversity and evaluate the potential of each marker in delineating species of Frontonia. Morphological features and ecological characteristics are also integrated into genetic results, in an attempt to resolve conflicts of species identification based on morphological and molecular methods. Our studies reveal: (1) the mitochondrial cox1 gene, nuclear ITS1 and ITS2 as well as the hypervariable D2 region of LSU rDNA are promising candidates for species delineation; (2) the cox1 gene provides the best resolution for analyses below the species level; (3) the V2 and V4 hypervariable regions of SSU rDNA, and D1 of LSU rDNA as well as the 5.8S rDNA gene do not show distinct barcoding gap due to overlap between intra- and inter-specific genetic divergences; (4) morphological character-based analysis shows promise for delimitation of Frontonia species; and (5) all gene markers and character-based analyses demonstrate that the genus Frontonia consists of three groups and monophyly of the genus Frontonia is questionable. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Clara Harrison Town and the origins of the first institutional commitment law for the "feebleminded": psychologists as expert diagnosticians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farreras, Ingrid G

    2014-11-01

    The first law providing for the commitment of "feeble-minded" individuals in the United States was passed in 1915, in the state of Illinois. House Bill 655 not only allowed for the permanent, involuntary institutionalization of feeble-minded individuals, but it shifted the commitment and discharge authority from the institution superintendents to the courts. Clara Harrison Town, a student of Lightner Witmer, and the state psychologist at the second largest institution for feeble-minded individuals in the country, was instrumental in this law passing and in ensuring that psychologists, for the first time, be viewed as court "experts" when testifying as to the feeble mindedness of individuals.

  14. Studies on the in vitro cultivation of ciliate protozoa from the kangaroo forestomach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dehority, Burk A; Wright, André-Denis G

    2014-08-01

    The methods used for culturing rumen protozoa were found to be unsatisfactory for growth of ciliate protozoa from the kangaroo forestomach. Based on published measurements of physical parameters in the marsupial forestomach, several modifications were incorporated into the procedure, i.e., an increase in % hydrogen in the gas phase, adjustment of initial pH of the medium to 6.9-7.0 range, feed only forage as a substrate and incubate at a lower temperature (33-36 °C). Only incubation at the lower temperature increased survival time of the kangaroo protozoa. Two species of Bitricha were still viable after 28 d in culture. Cultures had to be terminated at that time. One of the species differed considerably in size and shape from previously described species and based on 18S rRNA data, may represent a new species of Bitricha. The second species, present in low numbers was identified as Bitricha oblata. In a separate trial, Macropodinium yalanbense survived for 11 d, at which time these cultures also had to be terminated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  15. Un peu de désordre n'est pas du tout désagréable Clara Gaspar se passionne pour son métier au CERN, sans jamais oublier son Portugal

    CERN Multimedia

    Imhof, Michel

    2002-01-01

    Clara Gaspar is passionately fond of her job at CERN and enjoys the enrichment of life being in an international community. She misses some things and will never forget Portugal but counts Geneva as her home (2 pagees)

  16. Tem orixá no samba: Clara Nunes e a presença do candomblé e da umbanda na música popular brasileira

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel Rua Baptista Bakke

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Algumas informações sobre as religiões afro-brasileiras (candomblé e umbanda nos chegam por meios como a indústria fonográfica, o rádio e a televisão. Nesse cenário, a música popular brasileira (MPB ocupa importante papel de divulgadora dessa religiosidade. Em vista disso, nesse trabalho procuro interpretar os modos pelos quais os valores dessas religiões aparecem na MPB tendo como campo empírico a produção artística de Clara Nunes (análise de letra de música, da performance em shows, clipes e apresentações em programas de TV, assim como dos símbolos escolhidos na divulgação de seu trabalho, presentes em encartes e capas de LPs.Information about Afro-Brazilian religions (candomblé and umbanda often reaches the general public through the phonographic industry, radio and television. Brazilian Popular Music (MPB is also an important source of information about these religions. For this reason this paper attempts to interpret the ways in which the values from these religions appear on MPB, having as an empirical field the artistic production of Clara Nunes (analyzes of lyrics, performances in concerts, video clips and appearances in TV shows, as well as the symbols chosen to disseminate her work, shown in LP covers and inner-sleeves.

  17. Increased Expression of FoxM1 Transcription Factor in Respiratory Epithelium Inhibits Lung Sacculation and Causes Clara Cell Hyperplasia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, I-Ching; Zhang, Yufang; Snyder, Jonathan; Sutherland, Mardi J.; Burhans, Michael S.; Shannon, John M.; Park, Hyun Jung; Whitsett, Jeffrey A.; Kalinichenko, Vladimir V.

    2010-01-01

    Foxm1 is a member of the Forkhead Box (Fox) family of transcription factors. Foxm1 (previously called Foxm1b, HFH-11B, Trident, Win, or MPP2) is expressed in multiple cell types and plays important roles in cellular proliferation, differentiation and tumorigenesis. Genetic deletion of Foxm1 from mouse respiratory epithelium during initial stages of lung development inhibits lung maturation and causes respiratory failure after birth. However, the role of Foxm1 during postnatal lung morphogenesis remains unknown. In the present study, Foxm1 expression was detected in epithelial cells of conducting and peripheral airways and changing dynamically with lung maturation. To discern the biological role of Foxm1 in the prenatal and postnatal lung, a novel transgenic mouse line that expresses a constitutively active form of FoxM1 (FoxM1 N-terminal deletion mutant or FoxM1-ΔN) under the control of lung epithelial-specific SPC promoter was produced. Expression of the FoxM1-ΔN transgene during embryogenesis caused epithelial hyperplasia, inhibited lung sacculation and expression of the type II epithelial marker, pro-SPC. Expression of FoxM1-ΔN mutant during the postnatal period did not influence alveologenesis but caused focal airway hyperplasia and increased proliferation of Clara cells. Likewise, expression of FoxM1-ΔN mutant in conducting airways with Scgb1a1 promoter was sufficient to induce Clara cell hyperplasia. Furthermore, FoxM1-ΔN cooperated with activated K-Ras to induce lung tumor growth in vivo. Increased activity of Foxm1 altered lung sacculation, induced proliferation in the respiratory epithelium and accelerated lung tumor growth, indicating that precise regulation of Foxm1 is critical for normal lung morphogenesis and development of lung cancer. PMID:20816795

  18. Radionuclides and heavy metals in rainbow trout from Tsichomo, Nana Ka, Wen Povi, and Pin De Lakes in Santa Clara Canyon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fresquez, P.R.; Armstrong, D.R.; Naranjo, L. Jr.

    1998-04-01

    Radionuclide ({sup 3}H, {sup 90}Sr, {sup 137}Cs, {sup 238}Pu, {sup 239}Pu, and total uranium) and heavy metal (Ag, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, and TI) concentrations were determined in rainbow trout collected from Tsichomo, Nana Ka, Wen Povi, and Pin De lakes in Santa Clara Canyon in 1997. Most radionuclide and heavy metal concentrations in fish collected from these four lakes were within or just above upper limit background concentrations (Abiquiu reservoir), and as a group were statistically (p < 0.05) similar in most parameters to background.

  19. Marked seasonality and high spatial variation in estuarine ciliates are driven by exchanges between the 'abundant' and 'intermediate' biospheres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Ping; Huang, Liying; Xu, Dapeng; Huang, Bangqin; Chen, Nengwang; Warren, Alan

    2017-08-25

    We examined the spatial and temporal variability of ciliate community in a subtropical estuary by rRNA and rDNA-based high throughput sequencing of 97 samples collected along the entire salinity gradient at two-month intervals in 2014. Community divided statistically into three groups: freshwater (salinity  1%) OTUs. Further analyses demonstrated that the intermediate group not only encompassed comparable OTU richness to that of the total community and maintained high metabolic activity but also had the highest proportion in transition, either to abundance or rarity, thus offering a first view on how it varies across space and time and revealing the essential role it played in maintaining stability and functionality within the community.

  20. Acute respiratory bronchiolitis: an ultrastructural and autoradiographic study of epithelial cell injury and renewal in Rhesus monkeys exposed to ozone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castleman, W.L.; Dungworth, D.L.; Schwartz, L.W.; Tyler, W.S.

    1980-01-01

    The pathogenesis of acute respiratory bronchiolitis was examined in Rhesus monkeys exposed to 0.8 ppM ozone for 4 to 50 hours. Epithelial injury and renewal were qualitatively and quantitatively characterized by correlated techniques of scanning and transmission electron microscopy as well as by light-microscopic autoradiography following labeling with tritiated thymidine. Extensive degeneration and necrosis of Type 1 epithelial cells occurred on the respiratory bronchiolar wall during the initial 4 to 12 hours of exposure. Increased numbers of labeled epithelial cells were present in this region after 18 hours of exposure, and the highest labeling index (18%) was measured after 50 hours of exposure. Most (67 to 80%) of the labeled cells and all the mitotic epithelial cells (22) observed ultrastructurally were cuboidal bronchiolar epithelial cells. Of the labeled epithelial cells, 20 to 33% were Type 2 epithelial cells. After 50 hours of exposure the respiratory bronchiolar epithelium was hyperplastic. The predominant inflammatory cell in respiratory bronchiolar exudate was the alveolar macrophage. Monkeys that were exposed for 50 hours and allowed to recover in unozonized air for 7 days had incomplete resolution of respiratory bronchiolar epithelial hyperplasia. The results indicate that Type 1 epithelial cells lining respiratory bronchioles are the cell types most sensitive to injury and that both cuboidal bronchiolar epithelial cells and Type 2 epithelial cells function as stem cells in epithelial renewal

  1. C. elegans ciliated sensory neurons release extracellular vesicles that function in animal communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Juan; Silva, Malan; Haas, Leonard A; Morsci, Natalia S; Nguyen, Ken C Q; Hall, David H; Barr, Maureen M

    2014-03-03

    Cells release extracellular vesicles (ECVs) that play important roles in intercellular communication and may mediate a broad range of physiological and pathological processes. Many fundamental aspects of ECV biogenesis and signaling have yet to be determined, with ECV detection being a challenge and obstacle due to the small size (100 nm) of the ECVs. We developed an in vivo system to visualize the dynamic release of GFP-labeled ECVs. We show here that specific Caenorhabdidits elegans ciliated sensory neurons shed and release ECVs containing GFP-tagged polycystins LOV-1 and PKD-2. These ECVs are also abundant in the lumen surrounding the cilium. Electron tomography and genetic analysis indicate that ECV biogenesis occurs via budding from the plasma membrane at the ciliary base and not via fusion of multivesicular bodies. Intraflagellar transport and kinesin-3 KLP-6 are required for environmental release of PKD-2::GFP-containing ECVs. ECVs isolated from wild-type animals induce male tail-chasing behavior, while ECVs isolated from klp-6 animals and lacking PKD-2::GFP do not. We conclude that environmentally released ECVs play a role in animal communication and mating-related behaviors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. New set of convective heat transfer coefficients established for pools and validated against CLARA experiments for application to corium pools

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Michel, B., E-mail: benedicte.michel@irsn.fr

    2015-05-15

    Highlights: • A new set of 2D convective heat transfer correlations is proposed. • It takes into account different horizontal and lateral superficial velocities. • It is based on previously established correlations. • It is validated against recent CLARA experiments. • It has to be implemented in a 0D MCCI (molten core concrete interaction) code. - Abstract: During an hypothetical Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) or Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) severe accident with core meltdown and vessel failure, corium would fall directly on the concrete reactor pit basemat if no water is present. The high temperature of the corium pool maintained by the residual power would lead to the erosion of the concrete walls and basemat of this reactor pit. The thermal decomposition of concrete will lead to the release of a significant amount of gases that will modify the corium pool thermal hydraulics. In particular, it will affect heat transfers between the corium pool and the concrete which determine the reactor pit ablation kinetics. A new set of convective heat transfer coefficients in a pool with different lateral and horizontal superficial gas velocities is modeled and validated against the recent CLARA experimental program. 155 tests of this program, in two size configurations and a high range of investigated viscosity, have been used to validate the model. Then, a method to define different lateral and horizontal superficial gas velocities in a 0D code is proposed together with a discussion about the possible viscosity in the reactor case when the pool is semi-solid. This model is going to be implemented in the 0D ASTEC/MEDICIS code in order to determine the impact of the convective heat transfer in the concrete ablation by corium.

  3. Soil ciliate bioassay for the pore water habitat. A missing link between microflora and earthworm testing in soil toxicity assessment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berthold, A. [Lab. for Ecotoxicology, Univ. of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna (Austria); Jakl, T. [Chemicals Policy Unit, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, Vienna (Austria)

    2002-07-01

    Background, Scope and Goal. The chemical, pesticide and biocide legislation of the European Union assembles a variety of bioassays. Among the ecotoxicological tests involved, the testing strategy for the aquatic compartment builds up on three tests reflecting the main trophic levels (algae, Daphnia, fish). For the soil compartment at least one trophic level for a basic food chain is missing, namely between microflora and earthworms. Protozoa are an ideal missing link as they were shown to be the most prominent faunal contributors to nutrient cycling in soil ecosystems and as they represent the lacking first level consumers as well as the highly diverse microfauna. As protozoa inhabit the soil pore water, they can serve as direct indicators for the solved and thus bioavailable portion of xenobiotics. In order to widen the spectrum of available toxicity tests for a meaningful effect assessment for the soil compartment, a test with the soil ciliate Colpoda inflata (Ciliophora, Protozoa), introduced by Pratt et al. (1997), was improved. Methods. The novel improvements comprise a substantially refined inoculation and counting procedure, as well as the adaptation to yeast as a nutritional source. The test was designed to be rapid and easy to perform, in order to have both a higher degree of standardisation and reproducibility, as well as to be in compliance with international test guidelines. Results and Discussion. Five test substances, cadmium chloride, potassium dichromate, acetone, atrazine, and metolachlor, were used in single-compound, static, short-term exposure (24 h, 48 h) tests to examine the effect on the population growth of C. inflata. The median effective concentrations (EC50) were 0.17 to 0.26 mg/l for Cd, 34 to 63 mg/l for Cr, >3000 mg/l for acetone, 91-112 mg/l for atrazine and 83-119 mg/l for metolachlor. The equilibrium partitioning approach was used to extrapolate the results to total soil exposure and thus enable a sensitivity comparison to

  4. The effect of rumen ciliates on chitinolytic activity, chitin content and the number of fungal zoospores in the rumen fluid of sheep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miltko, Renata; Bełżecki, Grzegorz; Herman, Andrzej; Kowalik, Barbara; Skomiał, Jacek

    2016-12-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of selected protozoa on the degradation and concentration of chitin and the numbers of fungal zoospores in the rumen fluid of sheep. Three adult ewes were fed a hay-concentrate diet, defaunated, then monofaunated with Entodinium caudatum or Diploplastron affine alone and refaunated with natural rumen fauna. The average density of the protozoa population varied from 6.1 · 10(4) (D. affine) to 42.2 · 10(4) cells/ml rumen fluid (natural rumen fauna). The inoculation of protozoa in the rumen of defaunated sheep increased the total activity of chitinolytic enzymes from 2.9 to 3.6 μmol N-acetylglucosamine/g dry matter (DM) of rumen fluid per min, the chitin concentration from 6.3 to 7.2 mg/g DM of rumen fluid and the number of fungal zoospores from 8.1 to 10.9 · 10(5) cells/ml rumen fluid. All examined indices showed diurnal variations. Ciliate population density was highest immediately prior to feeding and lowest at 4 h thereafter. The opposite effects were observed for the numbers of fungal zoospores, the chitin concentration and chitinolytic activity. Furthermore, it was found that chitin from zoospores may account for up to 95% of total microbial chitin in the rumen fluid of sheep. In summary, the examined ciliate species showed the ability of chitin degradation as well as a positive influence on the development of the ruminal fungal population.

  5. Seasonal trends of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide over North Santa Clara, Cuba.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alejo, Daniellys; Morales, Mayra C; de la Torre, Jorge B; Grau, Ricardo; Bencs, László; Van Grieken, René; Van Espen, Piet; Sosa, Dismey; Nuñez, Vladimir

    2013-07-01

    Atmospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) levels were monitored simultaneously by means of Radiello passive samplers at six sites of Santa Clara city, Cuba, in the cold and the warm seasons in 2010. The dissolved ionic forms of NO2 and SO2 as nitrate and sulfite plus sulfate, respectively, were determined by means of ion chromatography. Analysis of NO2 as nitrite was also performed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. For NO2, significant t tests show good agreement between the results of IC and UV-Vis methods. The NO2 and SO2 concentrations peaked in the cold season, while their minimum levels were experienced in the warm season. The pollutant levels do not exceed the maximum allowable limit of the Cuban Standard 39:1999, i.e., 40 μg/m(3) and 50 μg/m(3) for NO2 and SO2, respectively. The lowest pollutant concentrations obtained in the warm season can be attributed to an increase in their removal via precipitation (scavenging) while to the decreased traffic density and industrial emission during the summer holidays (e.g., July and August).

  6. Distribution of the Entodiniomorphid ciliate Troglocorys cava Tokiwa, Modrý, Ito, Pomajbíková, Petrželková, & Imai, 2010, (Entodiniomorphida: Blepharocorythidae) in wild and captive chimpanzees

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Pomajbíková, K.; Petrželková, Klára Judita; Petrášová, J.; Profousová, Ilona; Kalousová, Barbora; Jirků, Miloslav; Sá, R. M.; Modrý, David

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 59, č. 1 (2012), s. 97-99 ISSN 1066-5234 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA524/06/0264; GA ČR GA206/09/0927; GA AV ČR KJB600930615 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60930519; CEZ:AV0Z60220518 Keywords : chimpanzees * Entodiniomorphida * intestinal ciliates * prevalence * Troglocorys cava Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 2.162, year: 2012

  7. En el Cincuentenario del Hospital Santa Clara

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gilberto Rueda Pérez

    1992-12-01

    Full Text Available

    El 16 de julio de 1942 nace el Hospital Sanatorio Antituberculoso Santa Clara en Santafé de Bogotá.
    Un siglo atrás, casi a la fecha, en 1843, nace en Alemania Roberto Koch, quien, 60 años antes de la fundación del Hospital, el 24 de marzo de 1882, presenta al mundo el descubrimiento del Micobacterium Tuberculosis, germen causante de la enfermedad que ataca alhombre desde sus más remotos orígenes y que aún nos acompaña, especialmente en los países subdesarrollados, causando severo impacto en la salud de las poblaciones más necesitadas, apesar de los grandes avances alcanzados en el campo de la Medicina a nivel mundial.
    Por haber sido destinado el Hospital altratamiento de los tuberculosos, destino que aún conserva primordialmente aunque, como se verá posteriormente, sus camas reciben enfermos de medicina general dada la evolución de los tratamientos y la modernización de los esquemas terapéuticos, se justifica ampliamente mencionar aquí los principales avances relacionados con el control de la Tuberculosis a través de los tiempos hasta la fundación del Hospital.

    Estos se pueden resumir así:

    • 'HIPOCRATES (460-377 a. C.:describe la consunción y la llama tisis; lanza el concepto de herencia que perdura por siglos.
    • ARISTOTELES(324-284a. C.:habla del contagio a través de la respiración.
    • CELSO (siglo I a. C.: describe el tubérculo y señala tres formas de consunción: atrofia, caquexia y tisis.
    • GALENO(181-261 d. C.: la agrupa con otras enfermedades transmisibles: la peste, la sarna, etc.
    • EDADMEDIA(sigloVII alXIIId. C.:se destaca únicamente como aporte nuevo Maimonides, filósofo judío radicado en Granada (11351204,quien describe la tisis de los animales.

    Posteriormente Girolamo Fracastoro (1478-1553, nacido en Verona,la asimila a la viruela y lanza la teoría microbiana.

    • PARACELSO(1493-1541pregona que: los

    • Moss ciliated protozoa as bioindicators. A study on the urban area of Pisa (Italy); Protozoi ciliati del muschio come biondicatori. Uno studio nell'area urbana di Pisa

      Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

      Verni, F.; Rosati, G. [Pisa Univ., Pisa (Italy). Dipt. di Etologia, Ecologia, Evoluzione

      2000-07-01

      Samples of moss were collected, every month for 7 months, from five zones of Pisa (S2, S3, S4, S5, S6) and a woody zone (S1) as control. For each sample the type and the number of the ciliate species as well as the number of individuals for each species were determined. Lead content was also measured. The data were statistically elaborated and compared. The diversity Shannon index (H) was calculated to determine the health state of ciliate communities. In any case an inverse correlation between H and the lead content was reported; the highest the H value, the lowest the lead content and vice versa. On the basis of the results here reported the use of Ciliates as biondicators appears suitable for the control of urban soil. An analysis like this appears advantageous as it is rather simple and cheap and allows to determine the possible variations in a real time. [Italian] Sono stati analizzati campioni di muschio prelevati, con cadenza mensile per 7 mesi, in 5 stazioni di Pisa (S2, S3, S4, S5, S6) e da una zona boscosa (S1), come controllo. Per ogni campione si e' proceduto all'identificazione dei Ciliati presenti, al conteggio delle specie e del numero di individui per specie, nonche' alla misurazione del piombo presente. I dati sono stati confrontati dopo elaborazione statistica. L'indice della diversita' di Shannon ha fornito informazioni sulla salute della comunita' dei Protozoi delle varie stazioni. In ogni caso risulta una correlazione inversa tra i valori dell'indice di Shannon e la quantita' di piombo: S5, la stazione piu' esposta al traffico, risulta quella piu' degradata. L'uso dei Ciliati come biondicatori risulta quindi appropriato e vantaggioso considerando che e' semplice, poco costoso e permette di valutare in tempi reali variazioni nell'ambiente.

    • Qualidade da água durante a formação de lagos profundos em cavas de mineração: estudo de caso do lago de Águas Claras - MG Water quality during the filling of deep mining lakes: case study of Aguas Claras pit lake - MG

      Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

      Eduardo von Sperling

      2004-09-01

      Full Text Available O trabalho apresenta os resultados do monitoramento de qualidade da água durante o processo inicial de formação do Lago de Águas Claras, cuja gênese é decorrente do enchimento da cava exaurida de uma mineração de ferro. Em sua configuração final o lago possuirá uma área de 0,7 km² e uma profundidade máxima de 234 m, o que o posicionaria atualmente como o ambiente hídrico mais profundo do país. Constata-se o predomínio de uma boa qualidade de água, com baixo grau de mineralização, excelentes condições de oxigenação e ausência de contaminação orgânica e mineral. No aspecto hidrobiológico destaca-se a frequente alternância no predomínio de grupos algais, indicando a instabilidade de ecossistemas que se encontram em processo de formação.The paper presents the results of a broad monitoring program carried out during the beginning of the filling process of Lake Aguas Claras, Brazil. This lake was created after the exhaustion of an iron ore mining activity. In its final conformation the lake will have a surface area of 0,7 km² and the maximum depth of 234 m, which will make it the deepest lake in the country. The results of a two years monitoring program show the prevalence of good water quality (well oxygenated, low degree of mineralization, absence of organic and mineral contamination, but also a quite interesting shift in the dominance of phytoplanktonic groups, indicating the high instability of lakes that are undergoing a process of formation.

    • Analysis of the stormwater drainage of the historic walls of Cartagena de Indias between the bastions of San Lucas, Santa Catalina and Santa Clara

      Science.gov (United States)

      Utria, A.; Saba, M.; Quiñones-Bolaños, E.

      2017-12-01

      The city walls of Cartagena between the Baluarte of San Lucas and Santa Clara reflects the consequences of poor stormwater drainage. In the present investigation the current drainage state of this area have been evaluated, assessing its sizing and conditions to be then modelled through SWMM 5 software for return periods of 5, 10, 15 and 20 years respectively. Finally, it has been determined that the physical deterioration of the drainage elements justifies the malfunction of the whole system, therefore cleaning and periodic maintenance of the drainage elements is strongly suggested.

    • Temporal variability of the microbial food web (viruses to ciliates under the influence of the Black Sea Water inflow (N. Aegean, E. Mediterranean

      Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

      A. GIANNAKOUROU

      2014-12-01

      Full Text Available Τhe entire pelagic microbial food web was studied during the winter-spring period in the frontal area of the North Aegean Sea. Abundance of viruses, heterotrophic bacteria, cyanobacteria, auto- and hetero-trophic flagellates, and ciliates, as well as bacterial production, were measured at three stations (MD1, MD2, MD3 situated along a N-S transect between the area directly influenced by the inflowing Black Sea water and the area covered by the Levantine water. Samples were collected in December 2009, and January, March, April, and May 2011. Station MD1 exhibited the highest values of abundance and integrated biomass of all microbial groups and bacterial production during all months, and MD3 the lowest. Bacteria dominated the total integrated biomass at all stations and months, followed by cyanobacteria, auto-, hetero-trophic flagellates and ciliates. On a temporal scale, the microbial food web was less important in March as all microbial parameters at all stations showed the lowest values. After the phytoplankton bloom in March, the heterotrophic part of the microbial food web (mainly strongly increased, though the intensity of the phenomenon was diminished from North to South. Pico-sized plankton was found to be heterotrophic whereas nanoplankton was autotrophic. It seems that the influence of the Black Sea water on station MD1, permanent throughout the study period of early winter to late spring, was reflected in all microbial populations studied, and produced a more productive pelagic food web system, with potential consequences for the upper trophic levels.

    • Discovery of a new hypotrich ciliate from petroleum contaminated soil.

      Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

      Santosh Kumar

      Full Text Available Pollution after oil spill represents extreme habitat for survival and is a major concern for loss of species diversity in the affected area. In this study, we investigated soil samples collected from a petrochemical industry, Ulsan, South Korea. The soil was in the phase of recovery from the contamination of crude oil spill. Detailed investigation, based on morphology, ontogenesis, and molecular phylogenetic methods, resulted in discovery of a novel hypotrich ciliate, i.e., Metasterkiella koreana n. gen., n. sp., which is morphologically characterized by a semirigid body, undulating membranes in Oxytricha pattern, 18 frontal-ventral-transverse cirri with cirrus V/3 placed posteriorly, one right and one left row of marginal cirri, four dorsal kineties, two dorsomarginal rows, and caudal cirri at the end of dorsal kineties 1, 2, and 4. Interestingly, during ontogenesis, formation of three common anlagen for the proter and the opisthe and involvement of cirrus V/3 in anlagen formation was observed. The dorsal ontogenesis was typical of oxytrichids, i.e., simple fragmentation of dorsal kinety 3 and formation of dorsomarginal rows close to the right marginal row. The new species was found to be similar with Sterkiella subtropica, except for some minor differences in morphometry, and at gene level with only one base pair difference. In phylogenetic analyses, based on SSU rRNA gene sequence, M. koreana cluster in a clade away from Sterkiella species, which could be explained by the differences in the morphogenetic pattern between these two genera. It is proposed that S. subtropica probably belongs to Metasterkiella; however, we do not perform changes and wait for the reinvestigation of its morphogenetic pattern.

    • SUGAR AGROINDUSTRY IMPACT IN LOCAL DEVELOPMENT OF ENCRUCIJADA MUNICIPALITY IN VILLA CLARA PROVINCE

      Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

      Ramón Sánchez Sánchez

      2017-07-01

      Full Text Available The purpose of this investigation is to show the impact in the economic, energy, ecological and sociocultural order that has experienced the sugar agroindustry in the local and territorial development of Encrucijada municipality, in Villa Clara province. The main methods and techniques used have been the surveys, the documentary analysis, the work with experts, agrarian commission’s reports of the municipal assembly, the matrix of weaknesses, strengths, threats, opportunities and the scenarios technique for the approach of strategic actions. In this work, a diagnosis study of the municipality is carried out, determining the main strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities with the corresponding strategies and actions for their improvement. Among the main results of the work is the contribution of 41 866,76 Cuban pesos in a sugar harvest for the contribution of sugar production, final honey, urea honey, cane bagasse for animal food, ice and the electric power generation as a contribution to the national net. Finally, the general procedure used is shown to directives and workers of the sector for the implementation and generalization of the work and its necessary level of consciousness of the value and importance of those productions for the improvement of conditions and quality of life of the citizens of this municipality. For the evaluation of this work the technique of consent index is used among experts.

    • Osmotic Effect of Conditioning on Seeds of Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L. Santa Clara Variety

      Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

      Brigitte Liliana Moreno Medina

      2013-12-01

      Full Text Available The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. is one of the most important vegetables in the world, taking into account its nutritional potential and high economic value. In this crop the quality of seed depends on various factors, one of which is its physiology, which is determined by a germination and viability test. Osmotic seed conditioning is reported to be a technique for improving the physiological quality through the uniformity of the germination percentage. For this reason, the objective of this research was to evaluate the osmotic conditioning on tomato seeds of the Santa Clara variety. Using treatments of four doses of potassium nitrate (0, 100, 200 and 400 mg L-1 , the seeds were imbibitioned for 24 hours in solution and then washed with distilled water. They were placed in petri dishes in random order with three replications for a total of 12 experimental units, consisting of 35 seeds. The method seeks to hydrate the seeds with a solution of given concentration and for a period of time, in order to activate the seed metabolism. The best result was obtained with the treatment of 200 mg L-1 of potassium nitrate, followed by 400 mg L-1 , represented by a lower TMG , lower and higher PG VMG.

    • Development of a local-scale urban stream assessment method using benthic macroinvertebrates: An example from the Santa Clara Basin, California

      Science.gov (United States)

      Carter, J.L.; Purcell, A.H.; Fend, S.V.; Resh, V.H.

      2009-01-01

      Research that explores the biological response to urbanization on a site-specific scale is necessary for management of urban basins. Recent studies have proposed a method to characterize the biological response of benthic macroinvertebrates along an urban gradient for several climatic regions in the USA. Our study demonstrates how this general framework can be refined and applied on a smaller scale to an urbanized basin, the Santa Clara Basin (surrounding San Jose, California, USA). Eighty-four sampling sites on 14 streams in the Santa Clara Basin were used for assessing local stream conditions. First, an urban index composed of human population density, road density, and urban land cover was used to determine the extent of urbanization upstream from each sampling site. Second, a multimetric biological index was developed to characterize the response of macroinvertebrate assemblages along the urban gradient. The resulting biological index included metrics from 3 ecological categories: taxonomic composition ( Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera), functional feeding group (shredder richness), and habit ( clingers). The 90th-quantile regression line was used to define the best available biological conditions along the urban gradient, which we define as the predicted biological potential. This descriptor was then used to determine the relative condition of sites throughout the basin. Hierarchical partitioning of variance revealed that several site-specific variables (dissolved O2 and temperature) were significantly related to a site's deviation from its predicted biological potential. Spatial analysis of each site's deviation from its biological potential indicated geographic heterogeneity in the distribution of impaired sites. The presence and operation of local dams optimize water use, but modify natural flow regimes, which in turn influence stream habitat, dissolved O2, and temperature. Current dissolved O2 and temperature regimes deviate from natural

    • Study of the reaction 22Ne(131 MeV) + 208Pb with a PIAVE-ALPI test beam and the PRISMA-CLARA set-up

      International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

      Mason, P.; Marginean, N.; Stefanini, A.M.

      2005-01-01

      An opportunity to study the system 22 Ne+ 208 Pb in the proximity of the Coulomb barrier with the PRISMACLARA apparatus was given by a test of the PIAVE-ALPI accelerator in mid-December 2005. The 22 Ne projectiles, having the kinetic energy of 131 MeV, collided with a 208 Pb target 300 μg/cm 2 thick. (The beam was run for ∼20 hours with a current of ∼6 particle-nA). The reaction products, mainly originated by scattering or transfer processes, were detected by the PRISMA spectrometer (positioned in the proximity of the grazing angle, ∼70 degrees), coupled to the CLARA array of germanium detectors

    • Application of seismic refraction tomography for tunnel design in Santa Clara Mountain, San Juan, Argentina Application of seismic refraction tomography for tunnel design in Santa Clara Mountain, San Juan, Argentina

      Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

      Imhof Armando Luis

      2011-12-01

      Full Text Available

      A geophysical survey involving seismic refraction tomography (SRT for mapping 'P' waves was carried out in Sierra Santa Clara, San Juan Province, Argentina in July 2009. The purpose of the geophysical survey was to determine the degree of fracturing and the rigidity of the rock mass through which it is planned to build a 290 m long road tunnel traversing the mountain almost perpendicular to the axis thereof, at around 100 m depth from the summit.

      Several difficulties arose from the operational point of view which made it almost impossible to conduct fieldwork in normal circumstances. Firstly, the topography had almost 45° slopes and 100 m research depths which would have involved having had to use explosives to generate seismic waves reaching sensors which had sufficient signal-to-noise ratio for distinguishing them. Legal restrictions regarding the use of explosives on the one hand and insufficient power when using hammer blows on the other made it necessary to design and build a gas-powered gun to achieve the minimum energy (2 kJ required for detecting seismic signals.

      Secondly, using conventional interpretation methods involving layered models was inoperable in such geological structures; seismic tomography methods were thus used which make use of the velocity gradient concept (both lateral and in-depth. This allowed mapping subsurface velocity variations in the form of velocity contour lines.

      The methodology used with the new seismic waves' source generator, as well as SRT application in this type of geological structure, demonstrated that satisfactory results could be obtained for this kind of geophysical study for geotechnical purposes.

      A geophysical survey involving seismic refraction tomography (SRT for mapping 'P' waves was

    • A description of Apocarchesium rosettum n. gen., n. sp. and a redescription of Ophrydium eichornii Ehrenberg, 1838, two freshwater peritrichous ciliates from Japan.

      Science.gov (United States)

      Ji, Daode; Kusuoka, Yasushi

      2009-01-01

      This paper includes the proposal of a new genus for a new species of peritrichous ciliate, Apocarchesium rosettum n. gen., n. sp., as well as the first description by modern techniques of another peritrich, Ophrydium eichornii Ehrenberg, 1838. The genus Apocarchesium is separated from the related genus Carchesium by the appearance of the stalk and the arrangement of zooids, and diagnosed as follows: colonial vorticellid, with all zooids attached in rosette fashion to the tip of their common stalk, which is unbranched and contracts spirally; pellicle with parallel silverlines. The morphology, infraciliature, and silverline system of both species were investigated by observation in vivo and silver-staining methods.

    • The Ecological Footprint of the Agrarian Sector in Villa Clara. A qualitative approximation

      Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

      Mario Reinoso Pérez

      2015-01-01

      Full Text Available This research deals with the environmental impacts and aspects and their relationship to the ecological footprint of the agrarian sector in Villa Clara. In order to achieve this goal, 23 enterprises were used as study cases, which were clustered according to the main land use: (i succession planting (17 and (ii livestock and animal production (6. The information collected was used to develop the environmental aspects and impacts matrixes associated to the productive processes in each enterprise. The environmental aspects with higher relative frequencies (> 0.60 were water and energy consumption, the existence of invasive plants, the soil use, the greenhouse gas emissions, the use of forest resources, the generation of solid wastes and the use of agro-chemicals. Such aspects are causing negative impacts on the environment, and consequently they are increasing the ecological print of the sector in this province. The use of heavy machineries, the generation of liquid and dangerous residues, the continuous grazing and the use of alien species had a significant impact with a relative frequency below 0.55. However, these environmental aspects should be under control. It is concluded that, in all of the studied cases, the environmental aspects had a negative incidence on the environment. And they contribute in many ways to increase the ecological footprint of the agrarian sector in the territory. The implementation of the Environmental Management System, according to the international standards, is recommended.

    • Determination of Clara cell protein urinary elimination as a marker of tubular dysfunction.

      Science.gov (United States)

      Martín-Granado, Ascensión; Vázquez-Moncholí, Carmen; Luis-Yanes, María Isabel; López-Méndez, Marisela; García-Nieto, Víctor

      2009-04-01

      Clara cell 16-kDa protein (CC16) is a protein expressed primarily by the bronchial cells. It is rapidly eliminated by glomerular filtration, reabsorbed almost entirely, and catabolized in proximal tubule cells. To date, normal values for urinary CC16 in healthy children have not been determined. We have studied 63 pediatric patients (mean age 8.17 +/- 3.91 years) and 31 healthy children (control group; mean age 8.83 +/- 3.65 years). In the control group, the CC16/creatinine ratio was 1.22 +/- 1.52 microg/g. In 16 out of 31 control children, the value of the ratio was zero. Fourteen patients (22.2%) showed a high CC16/creatinine ratio; in contrast, among these same patients, the ratio N-acetyl-beta-D: -glucosaminidase (NAG)/creatinine was elevated in seven cases (11.1%) and the ratio beta2-microglobulin/creatinine was elevated in seven cases (11.1%). The three parameters were in agreement in 51 patients (80.9%). Among the patients, the CC16/creatinine ratio was correlated with both the beta2-microglobulin/creatinina ratio (r = 0.76, P < 0.001) and the NAG/creatinine ratio (r = 0.6, P < 0.001). Our findings indicate that CC16 is a good marker of proximal tubular function in childhood. The highest observed values were in children with proximal tubulopathies, in children with chronic renal failure, and in those treated with cyclosporine.

  1. Characteristics of the digestive vacuole membrane of the alga-bearing ciliate Paramecium bursaria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kodama, Yuuki; Fujishima, Masahiro

    2012-07-01

    Cells of the ciliate Paramecium bursaria harbor symbiotic Chlorella spp. in their cytoplasm. To establish endosymbiosis with alga-free P. bursaria, symbiotic algae must leave the digestive vacuole (DV) to appear in the cytoplasm by budding of the DV membrane. This budding was induced not only by intact algae but also by boiled or fixed algae. However, this budding was not induced when food bacteria or India ink were ingested into the DVs. These results raise the possibility that P. bursaria can recognize sizes of the contents in the DVs. To elucidate this possibility, microbeads with various diameters were mixed with alga-free P. bursaria and traced their fate. Microbeads with 0.20μm diameter did not induce budding of the DVs. Microbeads with 0.80μm diameter produced DVs of 5-10μm diameter at 3min after mixing; then the DVs fragmented and became vacuoles of 2-5μm diameter until 3h after mixing. Each microbead with a diameter larger than 3.00μm induced budding similarly to symbiotic Chlorella. These observations reveal that induction of DV budding depends on the size of the contents in the DVs. Dynasore, a dynamin inhibitor, greatly inhibited DV budding, suggesting that dynamin might be involved in DV budding. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  2. Programación del riego de la papa en el “Valle del Yabú”, Santa Clara, Cuba.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Job

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the current research was to study the applied irrigation scheduling of the potato during two crop cycles (2009 -2009/10 in Cooperative No. 2 in the Yabú Valley of Santa Clara. Also to carry out corrections required in order to establish a scientifically based irrigation program. In the first crop cycle it was proven that the timing of irrigation application and the amount of water applied did not meet the technical criteria but was dependant on the decisions taken by persons with practical experience in relation to this activity and the programming of irrigation characterized by the application of small depths of irrigation which did not moisten below 20 cm of soil depth in a way which the irrigation interfered with the cultural and chemical processes and left the soil with a hydric deficit. In both crops tension meter were placed at 20 and 40 soil depth, taking periodic measurement of humidity and daily measurements of soil and balance water, because of this the number of irrigation was reduce during the second crop cycle.El objetivo del presente trabajo, ejecutado durante dos cosechas 2009 y 2009-10 fue estudiar la programación del riego de la papa que se realiza en la Unidad Cooperativa No.2 del “Valle del Yabú” de Santa Clara y realizar correcciones para lograr el establecimiento de una programación de riego científicamente fundamentada. En la primera cosecha, se comprobó que el momento de aplicación del riego y el volumen de agua aportado no obedecían a criterios técnicos, sino que dependían de decisiones empíricas de las personas que se relacionaban con esta actividad y la programación del riego se caracterizaba por aplicar muy pequeñas láminas de agua que no lograban humedecer 20 cm de profundidad de suelo, de modo que, el riego obstaculizaba las labores fitosanitarias y culturales y dejaba el suelo con déficit hídrico. En ambas cosechas, se colocaron tensiómetros a 20 y 40 cm de profundidad del suelo

  3. Modelos de perfil de velocidad para evaluación de consistencia del trazado en carreteras de la provincia de Villa Clara, Cuba Speed profile models for evaluation of design consistency in road of the province of Villa Clara, Cuba

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    René A. García Depestre

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Entre los aspectos relativos a la carretera que influyen en la accidentalidad, tiene un gran peso el diseño geométrico, internacionalmente el método más empleado para la evaluación del diseño es a partir de la consistencia del trazado con modelos de perfil de velocidades de operación. Cuba no cuenta con modelos propios que consideren las características de las carreteras y los conductores, por lo que es necesario desarrollar modelos de predicción de velocidades para la evaluación de la consistencia del trazado. El desarrollo de modelos de predicción del perfil de velocidades de operación para diferentes condiciones de alineación en carreteras rurales de dos carriles en el contexto de Cuba, se efectúa a partir de características geométricas y velocidades puntuales, con análisis estadístico de las principales variables que relacionan la velocidad con el diseño. Una vez desarrollados los modelos, se aplican a un tramo de carretera declarado como tramo de concentración de accidentes (TCA de la provincia de Villa Clara localizada en la región central de Cuba, los resultados obtenidos confirman la validez de los modelos desarrollados para determinar los perfiles de velocidad de operación y de esta forma, evaluar la consistencia del trazado, con el objetivo de detectar los lugares de mayores dificultades con relación al trazado.Among the aspects that influence road accidents, geometric design is the most relevant. The most used method for evaluating the design all over the world is based on the design consistency with speed profile models of operation. Cuba does not have proprietary models that consider the characteristics of the roads and drivers, so it is necessary to develop predictive models for the evaluation of design consistency. The development of operating speed profile prediction models for different alignment conditions on rural roads with two lanes in the context of Cuba is made from the geometric characteristics and

  4. Factors of risk for relapse of pulmonary tuberculosis in-patient of the Hospital Santa Clara from Bogota 1992/2000

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hidalgo Martinez, Patricia; Awad Garcia, Carlos; Pavia Albor, Jacqueline

    2002-01-01

    Pulmonary tuberculosis relapse is defined as these patients that make recurrence of tuberculosis after complete an adequate treatment, and these patients are again diagnosed bacteriologically with tuberculosis. We tried to identify the risk factors for relapse among adults, through an analytical study of cases and controls, with eighty patients among the tuberculosis programmed of Santa Clara Hospital between 1992-2000 with relapse diagnosis which meet criterion of case and eighty patients which meet criterion of control. We did a bivariate analysis with confidence intervals and univariate calculation with logistic regression analysis to predict the development of relapse for the different variables. Diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, silicosis are associated with relapse, but in our study we found another factors which are joined to relapse and we suggest that if we find these factors among tuberculosis patients would indicate the chance of relapse and this would create the necessity of use a larger number of doses of antituberculosis medicaments

  5. Características generales del campo mineral aurífero aguas claras en el contexto geológico regional de la provincia Holguín, Cuba

    OpenAIRE

    Costafreda Mustelier, Jorge Luis

    1996-01-01

    El Campo Mineral Aurífero de Aguas Claras se ubica al norte de Holguín, en una franja alargada de unos 15 kilómetros de longitud. Dentro de este campo mineral se encuentran cuatro minas principales: Nuevo Potosí: Formado por 3 tres cuerpos minerales en forma venas y diseminaciones auríferas (55.783 tn), espesor promedio es de 1,06 metros, contenido medio 7,89 g/t de Au y reserva de metal de 440,0 Kg. Agrupada: La mineralización aparece en venas de hasta 1.0 metro de espe...

  6. Effects of a radiosensitizer and radiation on the ciliated mucous membrane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Albertsson, M.

    1985-01-01

    Fractionated irradiation (2 Gy/F, TD:2-20 Gy) in vivo on the ciliated epithelium of the rabbit's trachea, caused measurable physiological alternations ten consecutive days after completion of irradiation with an initial heightening of the ciliary activity after 2 and 4 Gy, followed by a dose-dependent decrease. On scanning electron microscopy-pictures, knobs were observed on the cilia with the number being related to the dose. The addition of misonidazole potentiated the effects described above, with an enhancement ratio ( physiologically) of 1.2 and an enhancement ratio (morphologically) of 1.6. Furthermore, administration of misonidazole to the rabbits caused an increased vascularity in the subepithelial layer of the trachea, directly correlated to an oedema in the same region. Single doses (2,2.5,5,10,15,20,25, and 30 Gy) were given to the trachea in vivo and daily investigation of the ciliary beating and morphologic examinations of the tissue were made for ten days. The ciliary activity showed a dose-dependent reduction of about 50% after 30 Gy. A development of damage, in relation to the dose, was observed in the cilia. The changes were blebs, swollen tips, bent and curved tips, and broken cilia clustered together. During in vitro irradiation with 10 Gy Single Dose, an increase of the ciliary activity to about 25 % of its original value was observed without any morphological changes, while in vivo irradiation and examinations during 10 days thereafter, showed three different phases, day 1-3: Stimulation phase, day 4-8: Damage-phase, day 9-10: Repair-phase. The ciliary epithelium offers an exceptional system for the study of early radiobiological effects, since mutual comparisons can be made between physiology and morphology. (Author)

  7. GPSit: An automated method for evolutionary analysis of nonculturable ciliated microeukaryotes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiao; Wang, Yurui; Sheng, Yalan; Warren, Alan; Gao, Shan

    2018-05-01

    Microeukaryotes are among the most important components of the microbial food web in almost all aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. In order to gain a better understanding their roles and functions in ecosystems, sequencing coupled with phylogenomic analyses of entire genomes or transcriptomes is increasingly used to reconstruct the evolutionary history and classification of these microeukaryotes and thus provide a more robust framework for determining their systematics and diversity. More importantly, phylogenomic research usually requires high levels of hands-on bioinformatics experience. Here, we propose an efficient automated method, "Guided Phylogenomic Search in trees" (GPSit), which starts from predicted protein sequences of newly sequenced species and a well-defined customized orthologous database. Compared with previous protocols, our method streamlines the entire workflow by integrating all essential and other optional operations. In so doing, the manual operation time for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships is reduced from days to several hours, compared to other methods. Furthermore, GPSit supports user-defined parameters in most steps and thus allows users to adapt it to their studies. The effectiveness of GPSit is demonstrated by incorporating available online data and new single-cell data of three nonculturable marine ciliates (Anteholosticha monilata, Deviata sp. and Diophrys scutum) under moderate sequencing coverage (~5×). Our results indicate that the former could reconstruct robust "deep" phylogenetic relationships while the latter reveals the presence of intermediate taxa in shallow relationships. Based on empirical phylogenomic data, we also used GPSit to evaluate the impact of different levels of missing data on two commonly used methods of phylogenetic analyses, maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods. We found that BI is less sensitive to missing data when fast-evolving sites are removed. © 2018 John

  8. Propulsion of swimming microrobots inspired by metachronal waves in ciliates: from biology to material specifications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Palagi, Stefano; Mazzolai, Barbara; Beccai, Lucia; Jager, Edwin WH

    2013-01-01

    The quest for swimming microrobots originates from possible applications in medicine, especially involving navigation in bodily fluids. Swimming microorganisms have become a source of inspiration because their propulsion mechanisms are effective in the low-Reynolds number regime. In this study, we address a propulsion mechanism inspired by metachronal waves, i.e. the spontaneous coordination of cilia leading to the fast swimming of ciliates. We analyse the biological mechanism (referring to its particular embodiment in Paramecium caudatum), and we investigate the contribution of its main features to the swimming performance, through a three-dimensional finite-elements model, in order to develop a simplified, yet effective artificial design. We propose a bioinspired propulsion mechanism for a swimming microrobot based on a continuous cylindrical electroactive surface exhibiting perpendicular wave deformations travelling longitudinally along its main axis. The simplified propulsion mechanism is conceived specifically for microrobots that embed a micro-actuation system capable of executing the bioinspired propulsion (self-propelled microrobots). Among the available electroactive polymers, we select polypyrrole as the possible actuation material and we assess it for this particular embodiment. The results are used to appoint target performance specifications for the development of improved or new electroactive materials to attain metachronal-waves-like propulsion. (paper)

  9. Propulsion of swimming microrobots inspired by metachronal waves in ciliates: from biology to material specifications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palagi, Stefano; Jager, Edwin W H; Mazzolai, Barbara; Beccai, Lucia

    2013-12-01

    The quest for swimming microrobots originates from possible applications in medicine, especially involving navigation in bodily fluids. Swimming microorganisms have become a source of inspiration because their propulsion mechanisms are effective in the low-Reynolds number regime. In this study, we address a propulsion mechanism inspired by metachronal waves, i.e. the spontaneous coordination of cilia leading to the fast swimming of ciliates. We analyse the biological mechanism (referring to its particular embodiment in Paramecium caudatum), and we investigate the contribution of its main features to the swimming performance, through a three-dimensional finite-elements model, in order to develop a simplified, yet effective artificial design. We propose a bioinspired propulsion mechanism for a swimming microrobot based on a continuous cylindrical electroactive surface exhibiting perpendicular wave deformations travelling longitudinally along its main axis. The simplified propulsion mechanism is conceived specifically for microrobots that embed a micro-actuation system capable of executing the bioinspired propulsion (self-propelled microrobots). Among the available electroactive polymers, we select polypyrrole as the possible actuation material and we assess it for this particular embodiment. The results are used to appoint target performance specifications for the development of improved or new electroactive materials to attain metachronal-waves-like propulsion.

  10. Elastic stresses and plastic deformations in 'Santa Clara' tomato fruits caused by package dependent compression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    PEREIRA ADRIANA VARGAS

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this work was to study the fruit compression behavior aiming to develop new tomato packages. Deformations caused by compression forces were observed inside packages and in individual 'Santa Clara' tomato fruit. The forces applied by a transparent acrylic lever to the fruit surface caused pericarp deformation and the flattened area was proportional to the force magnitude. The deformation was associated to the reduction in the gas volume (Vg, caused by expulsion of the air from the loculus cavity and reduction in the intercellular air volume of the pericarp. As ripening advanced, smaller fractions of the Vg reduced by the compressive force were restored after the stress was relieved. The lack of complete Vg restoration was an indication of permanent plastic deformations of the stressed cells. Vg regeneration (elastic recovery was larger in green fruits than in the red ones. The ratio between the applied force and the flattened area (flattening pressure, which depends on cell turgidity, decreased during ripening. Fruit movements associated with its depth in the container were observed during storage in a transparent glass container (495 x 355 x 220 mm. The downward movement of the fruits was larger in the top layers because these movements seem to be driven by a summation of the deformation of many fruits in all layers.

  11. Tritiated thymidine incorporation and the development of an interstitial lesion in the bronchiolar-alveolar regions of the lungs of normal and complement deficient mice after inhalation of chrysotile asbestos

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McGavran, P.D.; Butterick, C.J.; Brody, A.R.

    1989-01-01

    Inhaled asbestos causes the proliferation of bronchiolar-alveolar epithelial and interstitial cells in rats and mice 19 to 72 hours after a single 5-hour exposure. This condition is associated with rapid macrophage accumulation and development of an interstitial fibrotic lesion at alveolar duct bifurcations. In an attempt to define the mechanisms mediating asbestos-induced cell proliferation and fibrogenesis, we studied mice exposed to chrysotile asbestos for five hours. The mice were normal and a congenic strain (B10.D2/oSn), deficient in the fifth component of complement (C5-). We knew that the latter exhibit a depressed asbestos-induced macrophage response and wanted to learn whether the depressed response correlated with measurements of cell proliferation and progression of an interstitial lesion. Sections of first alveolar duct bifurcations were prepared for light microscopic autoradiography and ultrastructural morphometry at varying times after animal exposure to asbestos. In sham-exposed C5+ and C5- animals, less than 1% of epithelial and interstitial cells of the terminal bronchioles and alveolar ducts incorporated tritiated thymidine (3H-TdR) at any time after exposure to asbestos. Between 19 and 72 hours after exposure, epithelial and interstitial cells in both strains of mice exhibited significantly increased levels of 3H-TdR incorporation. The response decreased by eight days postexposure, and 3H-TdR incorporation was normal one month after exposure. Similarly, morphometry showed that both the C5+ and C5- asbestos-exposed mice exhibited significant increases in the volume density of epithelial and interstitial cells 48 hours after exposure. However, one month after exposure, the normal C5+ asbestos-exposed mice developed a fibrotic lesion, whereas the C5- asbestos-exposed animals were no different from sham-exposed C5- controls

  12. Radionuclide and heavy metal concentrations in soil, vegetation, and fish collected around and within Tsicoma Lake in Santa Clara Canyon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fresquez, P.R.; Armstrong, D.R.; Naranjo, L. Jr.

    1996-03-01

    Radionuclide ( 3 H, 90 Sr, 137 Cs, 238 Pu, 239 Pu, total U) and heavy metal (Ag, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Tl) contents were determined in soil, vegetation (overstory and understory), and fish (rainbow trout) collected around and within Tsicoma Lake in Santa Clara Canyon in 1995. All heavy metal and most radionuclide contents around or within the lake, except for U in soil, vegetation, and fish, were within or just above upper limit background. Detectable levels (where the analytical result was greater than two times counting uncertainty) of U in soils, vegetation, and fish were found in slightly higher concentrations than in background samples. Overall, however, maximum total committed effective dose equivalent (CEDE)(95% confidence level)--based on consumption of 46 lb of fish--from Tsicoma Lake (0.066 mrem/y) was within the maximum total CEDE from the ingestion of fish from the Mescalero National Fish Hatchery (background)(0.113 mrem/y)

  13. Evaluación y modificación del Sistema de Tratamiento de Aguas Residuales de la Planta de Matanza del ITCR en Santa Clara, San Carlos

    OpenAIRE

    Deloya Martínez, Alma

    2006-01-01

    La planta de matanza de ganado vacuno y porcino del ITCR, Sede San Carlos, en Santa Clara, procesa en promedio 23 reses y 11 cerdos por día. El caudal de aguas residuales promedio generado durante el proceso de matanza varió de un máximo de 72 m3/día hasta un mínimo de 12 m3/día. Las aguas residuales son tratadas en un sistema de tratamiento biológico anaerobio, para controlar la contaminación del agua, según el Reglamento de vertido y reúso de aguas residuales. El sistema original consistió ...

  14. Diagnóstico mediante técnicas de ultrasonidos del forjado de madera del refectorio del Convento de Santa Clara en Carmona (Sevilla

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pérez Gálvez, Filomena

    2004-04-01

    Full Text Available Ultrasonic tests are an effective technique of getting adiagnosis of timber structures in historical buildings. Thistechnique is quite valuable to undertake a restoration job. Anew methodology of analysis and diagnosis of timber roofsthrough this non destructive technique is presented.The aim of this article is to get the state of damage and thebending strenght capacity of the timber roof of the Monasteryof Santa Clara in Carmona (Seville dining´s room by usingthis technology.From the results obtained about the bending strenghtcapacity of the studied beams, it can be affirmed that thetimber roof is not able to support safely enough the new useproposed.Considering the historic and artistic importance of thistimber roof, we propose as a restoration methodology basedon hanging the roof through bolts from a reinforced concreteplatform built-in the perimeter walls. This solutionguarantees that the timber roof does not work, just adjustingthe distance between the bolts.Los métodos de ultrasonidos son una técnica eficaz para eldiagnóstico de elementos estructurales de madera enedificios antiguos. Esta técnica proporciona una gran ayudaa la hora de acometer una obra de rehabilitación. Sepresenta una metodología de análisis y diagnostico deforjados de madera mediante dicha técnica no destructiva.El objetivo de este artículo es obtener el grado de deterioro yla capacidad resistente de la madera del alfarje delrefectorio del Convento de Santa Clara en Carmona (Sevillautilizando la metodología propuesta.Por extrapolación de los resultados obtenidos sobre lacapacidad resistente de las vigas estudiadas se puedeconcluir que el conjunto del forjado no es capaz de soportarcon seguridad suficiente el nuevo uso propuesto.Teniendo en cuenta el valor histórico artístico del alfarje sepropone y aporta como solución de rehabilitación laconsistente en colgar el forjado existente mediante pernos deuna losa de hormigón armado empotrada en los

  15. Neurochemical characterization of sea lamprey taste buds and afferent gustatory fibers: presence of serotonin, calretinin, and CGRP immunoreactivity in taste bud bi-ciliated cells of the earliest vertebrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barreiro-Iglesias, Antón; Villar-Cerviño, Verona; Villar-Cheda, Begoña; Anadón, Ramón; Rodicio, María Celina

    2008-12-01

    Neuroactive substances such as serotonin and other monoamines have been suggested to be involved in the transmission of gustatory signals from taste bud cells to afferent fibers. Lampreys are the earliest vertebrates that possess taste buds, although these differ in structure from taste buds in jawed vertebrates, and their neurochemistry remains unknown. We used immunofluorescence methods with antibodies raised against serotonin, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), calretinin, and acetylated alpha-tubulin to characterize the neurochemistry and innervation of taste buds in the sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus L. For localization of proliferative cells in taste buds we used bromodeoxyuridine labeling and proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunohistochemistry. Results with both markers indicate that proliferating cells are restricted to a few basal cells and that almost all cells in taste buds are nonproliferating. A large number of serotonin-, calretinin-, and CGRP-immunoreactive bi-ciliated cells were revealed in lamprey taste buds. This suggests that serotonin participates in the transmission of gustatory signals and indicates that this substance appeared early on in vertebrate evolution. The basal surface of the bi-ciliated taste bud cells was contacted by tubulin-immunoreactive fibers. Some of the fibers surrounding the taste bud were calretinin immunoreactive. Lamprey taste bud cells or afferent fibers did not exhibit TH, GABA, glutamate, or NPY immunoreactivity, which suggests that expression of these substances evolved in taste buds of some gnathostomes lines after the separation of gnathostomes and lampreys. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  16. Phototactic orientation mechanism in the ciliate Fabrea salina, as inferred from numerical simulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marangoni, R; Preosti, G; Colombetti, G

    2000-02-01

    The marine ciliate Fabrea salina shows a clear positive phototaxis, but the mechanism by which a single cell is able to detect the direction of light and orient its swimming accordingly is still unknown. A simple model of phototaxis is that of a biased random walk, where the bias due to light can affect one or more of the parameters that characterize a random walk, i.e., the mean speed, the frequency distribution of the angles of directional changes and the frequency of directional changes. Since experimental evidence has shown no effect of light on the mean speed of Fabrea salina, we have excluded models depending on this parameter. We have, therefore, investigated the phototactic orientation of Fabrea salina by computer simulation of two simple models, the first where light affects the frequency distribution of the angles of directional changes (model M1) and the second where the light bias modifies the frequency of directional changes (model M2). Simulated M1 cells directly orient their swimming towards the direction of light, regardless of their current swimming orientation; simulated M2 cells, on the contrary, are unable to actively orient their motion, but remain locked along the light direction once they find it by chance. The simulations show that these two orientation models lead to different macroscopic behaviours of the simulated cell populations. By comparing the results of the simulations with the experimental ones, we have found that the phototactic behaviour of real cells is more similar to that of the M2 model.

  17. Evaluate the potential environmental toxicity of quantum dots on ciliated protozoa by microcalorimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiao, Qi; Huang, Shan; Su, Wei; Li, Peiyuan; Liang, Zuocui; Ou, Jianzhen; Ma, Jianqiang; Liu, Yi

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► The toxic effects of QDs to T. thermophila BF 5 using a TAM air microcalorimeter. ► QDs were acutely toxic for T. thermophila BF 5 growth in a dose-dependent manner. ► The toxicity of different ligands-capped QDs on T. thermophila BF 5 was investigated. ► QDs could be ingested by cells and affect the morphology of T. thermophila BF 5 . - Abstract: In the present study, we evaluated the toxic effects of mercaptoacetic acid (MAA)-capped CdSe QDs and CdSe/ZnS QDs to particle-ingesting model ciliated protozoa Tetrahymena thermophila BF 5 (T. thermophila BF 5 ) by using a TAM air isothermal microcalorimeter. These results suggested that both MAA-CdSe QDs and MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs were indeed acutely toxic for T. thermophila BF 5 growth in a dose-dependent manner, and the toxicities of both MAA-CdSe QDs and MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs increased dramatically after UV irradiation due to the liberation of more toxic Cd 2+ , which indicated that the toxicity of MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs was less than that of MAA-CdSe QDs. Furthermore, the toxicity of different ligands-capped CdSe/ZnS QDs on T. thermophila BF 5 was also investigated. The uptake of MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs and adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP)-CdSe/ZnS QDs by cells and the morphological change during the process of T. thermophila BF 5 growth incubated with these QDs were further studied by fluorescence inverted microscopy.

  18. Scanning electron microscopy and recording of the physiological activity of tracheal ciliated cells treated by fractionated irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Albertsson, M.; Hakansson, C.H.; Mecklenburg, C. von

    1983-01-01

    The ciliated epithelium of the rabbit's trachea was irradiated with daily fractions of 2 Gy to an accumulated dose of 20 Gy. The beat frequency of the cilia was recorded and specimens were taken for SEM-, TEM- and LM-investigations. Examination was made 1-10 days after each fractionation schedule. An increased ciliary beat frequency was recorded at 2 Gy and 4 Gy. With increasing dose, there was an inverted relationship to the frequency. Light-microscopy showed edema and an increased amount of goblet cells in relation to the increasing dose. With SEM an increased number of ciliary blebs could be seen. These could be classified according to size and number, and showed a positive correlation to the dose. TEM-investigations showed signs of increased intracellular activity at higher doses in the form of multilobulated nuclei and an increasing number of nuclear pores. At lower doses, an increased amount of mitochondria appeared in the apical part of the cell. It is at present difficult to evaluate any correlation between the physiological activity and the morphology. More biological data are needed to explain the early irradiation effects

  19. Pathology, toxicology, and latency of irritant gases known to cause bronchiolitis obliterans disease: Does diacetyl fit the pattern?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brent D. Kerger

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Bronchiolitis obliterans (BO is a rare disease involving concentric bronchiolar fibrosis that develops rapidly following inhalation of certain irritant gases at sufficiently high acute doses. While there are many potential causes of bronchiolar lesions involved in a variety of chronic lung diseases, failure to clearly define the clinical features and pathological characteristics can lead to ambiguous diagnoses. Irritant gases known to cause BO follow a similar pathologic process and time course of disease onset in humans. Studies of inhaled irritant gases known to cause BO (e.g., chlorine, hydrochloric acid, ammonia, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, sulfur or nitrogen mustards, and phosgene indicate that the time course between causal chemical exposures and development of clinically significant BO disease is typically limited to a few months. The mechanism of toxic action exerted by these irritant gases generally involves widespread and severe injury of the epithelial lining of the bronchioles that leads to acute respiratory symptoms which can include lung edema within days. Repeated exposures to inhaled irritant gases at concentrations insufficient to cause marked respiratory distress or edema may lead to adaptive responses that can reduce or prevent severe bronchiolar fibrotic changes. Risk of BO from irritant gases is driven substantially by toxicokinetics affecting concentrations occurring at the bronchiolar epithelium. Highly soluble irritant gases that cause BO like ammonia generally follow a threshold-dependent cytotoxic mechanism of action that at sufficiently high doses results in severe inflammation of the upper respiratory tract and the bronchiolar epithelium concurrently. This is followed by acute respiratory distress, pulmonary edema, and post inflammatory concentric fibrosis that become clinically obvious within a few months. In contrast, irritant gases with lower solubility like phosgene also follow a threshold-dependent mechanism

  20. Purification and characterization of factors produced by Aspergillus fumigatus which affect human ciliated respiratory epithelium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amitani, R; Taylor, G; Elezis, E N; Llewellyn-Jones, C; Mitchell, J; Kuze, F; Cole, P J; Wilson, R

    1995-09-01

    The mechanisms by which Aspergillus fumigatus colonizes the respiratory mucosa are unknown. Culture filtrates of eight of nine clinical isolates of A. fumigatus slowed ciliary beat frequency and damaged human respiratory epithelium in vitro. These changes appeared to occur concurrently. Culture filtrates of two clinical isolates of Candida albicans had no effect on ciliated epithelium. We have purified and characterized cilioinhibitory factors of a clinical isolate of A. fumigatus. The cilioinhibitory activity was heat labile, reduced by dialysis, and partially extractable into chloroform. The activity was associated with both high- and low-molecular-weight factors, as determined by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50. A low-molecular-weight cilioinhibitory factor was further purified by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and shown by mass spectrometry to be gliotoxin, a known metabolite of A. fumigatus. Gliotoxin significantly slowed ciliary beat frequency in association with epithelial damage at concentrations above 0.2 microgram/ml; other Aspergillus toxins, i.e., fumagillin and helvolic acid, were also cilioinhibitory but at much higher concentrations. High-molecular-weight (> or = 35,000 and 25,000) cilioinhibitory materials had neither elastolytic nor proteolytic activity and remain to be identified. Thus, A. fumigatus produces a number of biologically active substances which slow ciliary beating and damage epithelium and which may influence colonization of the airways.

  1. Sampling strategies for improving tree accuracy and phylogenetic analyses: a case study in ciliate protists, with notes on the genus Paramecium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Zhenzhen; Strüder-Kypke, Michaela; Hu, Xiaozhong; Lin, Xiaofeng; Song, Weibo

    2014-02-01

    In order to assess how dataset-selection for multi-gene analyses affects the accuracy of inferred phylogenetic trees in ciliates, we chose five genes and the genus Paramecium, one of the most widely used model protist genera, and compared tree topologies of the single- and multi-gene analyses. Our empirical study shows that: (1) Using multiple genes improves phylogenetic accuracy, even when their one-gene topologies are in conflict with each other. (2) The impact of missing data on phylogenetic accuracy is ambiguous: resolution power and topological similarity, but not number of represented taxa, are the most important criteria of a dataset for inclusion in concatenated analyses. (3) As an example, we tested the three classification models of the genus Paramecium with a multi-gene based approach, and only the monophyly of the subgenus Paramecium is supported. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Pneumonia due to Chlamydia pecorum in a Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mackie, J T; Gillett, A K; Palmieri, C; Feng, T; Higgins, D P

    2016-11-01

    Chlamydiosis is a common infectious disease of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), but Chlamydia spp. have not yet been demonstrated to cause pneumonia in these animals. A juvenile male koala died following an episode of respiratory disease. At necropsy examination, the lung tissue was consolidated. Microscopical lesions in the lung included pyogranulomatous bronchopneumonia, proliferation of bronchiolar and alveolar epithelium and interstitial fibrosis. Hyperplastic bronchiolar epithelial cells contained aggregates of small basophilic punctate organisms, which were confirmed as chlamydiae by transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Real-time polymerase chain reaction identified these as Chlamydia pecorum. This report provides the best evidence to date of chlamydial infection causing pneumonia in a koala, and the first evidence that C. pecorum is capable of infecting the bronchiolar epithelium of the koala. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. A unique case of a huge mixed squamous cell and glandular papilloma of non-endobronchial origin with a peripheral growth

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    Kei Yabuki

    Full Text Available We report a case of a huge solitary non-endobronchial pulmonary tumor in a 76-year-old male smoker. The tumor measured 11 × 10 × 8 cm. It was ill-defined, and it was located periphery of the right lower lobe with the subpleural cystic spaces. He underwent right lower lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection and is free from tumor 30 months after surgery. Microscopically, it was composed of a proliferation of squamous and ciliated columnar epithelial cells with a few mucous cells. These cells were arranged in a papillary growth fashion extending along the fibrously thickened alveolar septa together with metaplastic bronchiolar and squamous epithelia displaying an usual interstitial pneumonia-pattern. Although the histologic features of the tumor were that of a mixed squamous cell and glandular papilloma (MSCGP, it was peripherally located and showed a lepidic growth, and it was much larger than previously reported MSCGPs. It is possible that the tumor developed in association with bronchial metaplasia in the periphery of the lung, and then extended along the surface of the reconstructed air spaces, which resulted in its unique histologic appearance. Further investigations of respiratory papilloma are needed to clarify the pathogenesis of these lesions. Keywords: Mixed squamous cell and glandular papilloma, Non-endobronchial, Cytology, Interstitial pneumonia, Pulmonary tumor

  4. Evaluate the potential environmental toxicity of quantum dots on ciliated protozoa by microcalorimetry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiao, Qi [College of Chemistry and Life Science, Guangxi Teachers Education University, Nanning 530001 (China); State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Huang, Shan, E-mail: huangs@whu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry and Life Science, Guangxi Teachers Education University, Nanning 530001 (China); State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Su, Wei [College of Chemistry and Life Science, Guangxi Teachers Education University, Nanning 530001 (China); Li, Peiyuan [College of Pharmacy, Guangxi Traditional Chinese Medical University, Nanning 530001 (China); Liang, Zuocui; Ou, Jianzhen; Ma, Jianqiang [College of Chemistry and Life Science, Guangxi Teachers Education University, Nanning 530001 (China); Liu, Yi, E-mail: prof.liuyi@263.net [State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China)

    2012-11-10

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The toxic effects of QDs to T. thermophila BF{sub 5} using a TAM air microcalorimeter. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer QDs were acutely toxic for T. thermophila BF{sub 5} growth in a dose-dependent manner. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The toxicity of different ligands-capped QDs on T. thermophila BF{sub 5} was investigated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer QDs could be ingested by cells and affect the morphology of T. thermophila BF{sub 5}. - Abstract: In the present study, we evaluated the toxic effects of mercaptoacetic acid (MAA)-capped CdSe QDs and CdSe/ZnS QDs to particle-ingesting model ciliated protozoa Tetrahymena thermophila BF{sub 5} (T. thermophila BF{sub 5}) by using a TAM air isothermal microcalorimeter. These results suggested that both MAA-CdSe QDs and MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs were indeed acutely toxic for T. thermophila BF{sub 5} growth in a dose-dependent manner, and the toxicities of both MAA-CdSe QDs and MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs increased dramatically after UV irradiation due to the liberation of more toxic Cd{sup 2+}, which indicated that the toxicity of MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs was less than that of MAA-CdSe QDs. Furthermore, the toxicity of different ligands-capped CdSe/ZnS QDs on T. thermophila BF{sub 5} was also investigated. The uptake of MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs and adenosine 5 Prime -monophosphate (AMP)-CdSe/ZnS QDs by cells and the morphological change during the process of T. thermophila BF{sub 5} growth incubated with these QDs were further studied by fluorescence inverted microscopy.

  5. Taxonomic descriptions of three marine colepid ciliates, Nolandia sinica spec. nov., Apocoleps caoi spec. nov. and Tiarina fusa (Claparede & Lachmann, 1858) Bergh, 1881 (Ciliophora, Prorodontida).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiangrui; Gao, Shan; Liu, Weiwei; Song, Weibo; Al-Rasheid, Khaled A S; Warren, Alan

    2012-03-01

    The morphology of three marine colepid ciliates, Nolandia sinica spec. nov., Apocoleps caoi spec. nov. and Tiarina fusa (Claparède & Lachmann, 1858) Bergh, 1881, isolated from Chinese coastal waters, was investigated. N. sinica spec. nov. may be separated from its congeners by the structure of its armour plates, each of which may have up to five reniform windows. A. caoi spec. nov. is characterized by its large body with broad anterior end and by having 10-12 long, sharp posterior spines. New data and an improved diagnosis are supplied for Tiarina fusa (Claparède & Lachmann, 1858) Bergh, 1881, which has a spindle-shaped body, about 16 ciliary rows and a single adoral organelle. Sequence similarities with other available colepid species were determined.

  6. Occupationally Health Hazards Posed by Inventory U.S. Army Smoke/ Obscurant Munitions (Review Update)

    Science.gov (United States)

    1994-02-14

    mr’ displayed terminal bronchiolar fibrosis after 4 weeks of exposure. This lesion increased in incidence and severity with increasing concentration...that pulmonary defense mechanisms are compromised after 13 weeks of exposure. In similar studies. a dec!ine in pulmonar " bacterialc:dal activity in...bronchiolar fibrosis ev,’ident after exposure to 400 mg m3 fcr 3.5 hours per day for four consecutive days. The lesion increased in incidence and

  7. Tissue mortality by Caribbean ciliate infection and white band disease in three reef-building coral species

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    Alejandra Verde

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Caribbean ciliate infection (CCI and white band disease (WBD are diseases that affect a multitude of coral hosts and are associated with rapid rates of tissue losses, thus contributing to declining coral cover in Caribbean reefs. In this study we compared tissue mortality rates associated to CCI in three species of corals with different growth forms: Orbicella faveolata (massive-boulder, O. annularis (massive-columnar and Acropora cervicornis (branching. We also compared mortality rates in colonies of A. cervicornis bearing WBD and CCI. The study was conducted at two locations in Los Roques Archipelago National Park between April 2012 and March 2013. In A. cervicornis, the rate of tissue loss was similar between WBD (0.8 ± 1 mm/day, mean ± SD and CCI (0.7 ± 0.9 mm/day. However, mortality rate by CCI in A. cervicornis was faster than in the massive species O. faveolata (0.5 ± 0.6 mm/day and O. annularis (0.3 ± 0.3 mm/day. Tissue regeneration was at least fifteen times slower than the mortality rates for both diseases regardless of coral species. This is the first study providing coral tissue mortality and regeneration rates associated to CCI in colonies with massive morphologies, and it highlights the risks of further cover losses of the three most important reef-building species in the Caribbean.

  8. CLARA-A1: a cloud, albedo, and radiation dataset from 28 yr of global AVHRR data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K.-G. Karlsson

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available A new satellite-derived climate dataset – denoted CLARA-A1 ("The CM SAF cLoud, Albedo and RAdiation dataset from AVHRR data" – is described. The dataset covers the 28 yr period from 1982 until 2009 and consists of cloud, surface albedo, and radiation budget products derived from the AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer sensor carried by polar-orbiting operational meteorological satellites. Its content, anticipated accuracies, limitations, and potential applications are described. The dataset is produced by the EUMETSAT Climate Monitoring Satellite Application Facility (CM SAF project. The dataset has its strengths in the long duration, its foundation upon a homogenized AVHRR radiance data record, and in some unique features, e.g. the availability of 28 yr of summer surface albedo and cloudiness parameters over the polar regions. Quality characteristics are also well investigated and particularly useful results can be found over the tropics, mid to high latitudes and over nearly all oceanic areas. Being the first CM SAF dataset of its kind, an intensive evaluation of the quality of the datasets was performed and major findings with regard to merits and shortcomings of the datasets are reported. However, the CM SAF's long-term commitment to perform two additional reprocessing events within the time frame 2013–2018 will allow proper handling of limitations as well as upgrading the dataset with new features (e.g. uncertainty estimates and extension of the temporal coverage.

  9. Caracterización del proceso de formación de valores en los taekwondocas de Villa Clara

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    María T. González Abreu Mendoza

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available Actualmente los problemas relacionados con la educación de las futuras generaciones cobran mayor interés; no se circunscriben solamente al campo teórico, si no que abordan también aquellos aspectos de orden práctico como una forma de responder a los necesidades sociales que reclaman a un hombre integralmente formado en la lucha por colocarse a la altura de los requerimientos del mundo contemporáneo. Por este motivo la necesidad de una personalidad moral, es enfrentada como un ejercicio necesario que no puede separase de las aspiraciones sociales por lo que debe concretarse en cada una de sus esferas, lo que llama a la reflexión con posiciones teóricas y a la intervención pedagógica. A esta necesidad en la esfera deportiva recurre el proyecto ramal sobre la formación de valores de los deportistas cubanos en el alto rendimiento. El presente informe se propone caracterizar el proceso de educación en valores de los taekwondokas del alto rendimiento de Villa Clara. Los métodos y técnicas aplicadas posibilitaron precisar la escala de valores que moviliza las actuaciones de los atletas, los motivos que operan en este sentido y las necesidades más acuciantes que en el orden educativo poseen.

  10. CARCINOMA ODONTOGÉNICO DE CELULAS CLARAS. ESTUDIO CLÍNICO, RADIOLÓGICO Y PATOLÓGICO DE UN CASO.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosaura Rodríguez Flores

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Los tumores odontogénicos (TO son un grupo complejo y poco frecuente de neoplasias con características clínicas, radiológicas, histopatológicas y evolución muy variables. El Carcinoma odontogénico de células claras (COCC es una neoplasia maligna, de comportamiento agresivo variable que se presenta en maxilares. Histológicamente se constituye de nidos de células, frecuentemente de citoplasma claro, rico en glucógeno, rodeadas por bandas de colágena. Pertenece al grupo de los tumores odontogénicos epiteliales malignos. Se presenta el caso de un hombre de 57 años con un tumor en hueso y seno maxilar izquierdo, sometido a hemimaxilectomía subtotal izquierda. Los estudios de imagen demostraron una lesión destructiva mixta en maxilar y seno maxilar izquierdo y la histología reveló la imagen clásica de COCC y la inmunohistoquímica mostró inmunoreactividad para Queratina AE1/AE3, EMA y S-100 (focal. Se demostró abudante glucógeno mediante la reacción de PAS en el citoplasma de las células neoplásicas. El paciente ha tenido seguimiento por 5 años y está asintomático después de la cirugía sin tratamiento complementario con radioterapia.

  11. Gene expression in a paleopolyploid: a transcriptome resource for the ciliate Paramecium tetraurelia

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    Kapusta Aurélie

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The genome of Paramecium tetraurelia, a unicellular model that belongs to the ciliate phylum, has been shaped by at least 3 successive whole genome duplications (WGD. These dramatic events, which have also been documented in plants, animals and fungi, are resolved over evolutionary time by the loss of one duplicate for the majority of genes. Thanks to a low rate of large scale genome rearrangement in Paramecium, an unprecedented large number of gene duplicates of different ages have been identified, making this organism an outstanding model to investigate the evolutionary consequences of polyploidization. The most recent WGD, with 51% of pre-duplication genes still in 2 copies, provides a snapshot of a phase of rapid gene loss that is not accessible in more ancient polyploids such as yeast. Results We designed a custom oligonucleotide microarray platform for P. tetraurelia genome-wide expression profiling and used the platform to measure gene expression during 1 the sexual cycle of autogamy, 2 growth of new cilia in response to deciliation and 3 biogenesis of secretory granules after massive exocytosis. Genes that are differentially expressed during these time course experiments have expression patterns consistent with a very low rate of subfunctionalization (partition of ancestral functions between duplicated genes in particular since the most recent polyploidization event. Conclusions A public transcriptome resource is now available for Paramecium tetraurelia. The resource has been integrated into the ParameciumDB model organism database, providing searchable access to the data. The microarray platform, freely available through NimbleGen Systems, provides a robust, cost-effective approach for genome-wide expression profiling in P. tetraurelia. The expression data support previous studies showing that at short evolutionary times after a whole genome duplication, gene dosage balance constraints and not functional change are

  12. Development and evaluation of specific PCR primers targeting the ribosomal DNA-internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of peritrich ciliates in environmental samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Lei; Zhang, Qianqian; Gong, Jun

    2017-07-01

    Peritrich ciliates are highly diverse and can be important bacterial grazers in aquatic ecosystems. Morphological identifications of peritrich species and assemblages in the environment are time-consuming and expertise-demanding. In this study, two peritrich-specific PCR primers were newly designed to amplify a fragment including the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal rDNA from environmental samples. The primers showed high specificity in silico, and in tests with peritrich isolates and environmental DNA. Application of these primers in clone library construction and sequencing yielded exclusively sequences of peritrichs for water and sediment samples. We also found the ITS1, ITS2, ITS, D1 region of 28S rDNA, and ITS+D1 region co-varied with, and generally more variable than, the V9 region of 18S rDNA in peritrichs. The newly designed specific primers thus provide additional tools to study the molecular diversity, community composition, and phylogeography of these ecologically important protists in different systems.

  13. Proliferative and morphological changes in the pulmonary epithelium of the Syrian golden hamster during carcinogenesis initiated by 210Po alpha alpha-radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shami, S.G.; Thibodeau, L.A.; Kennedy, A.R.; Little, J.B.

    1982-01-01

    The role of cellular proliferation in a two-stage model of carcinogenesis in the hamster lung was investigated. Syrian golden hamsters were treated intratracheally with either one instillation of 0.2 microCi of 210Po (Po-0 group), seven weekly instillations of BP (0-BP group), or 0.2 microCi 210Po followed 15 weeks later by either seven instillations of 0.9% NaCl solution (Po-Sal group) or seven instillations of BP (Po-BP group). All BP instillations were 3 mg each of BP:ferric oxide (1:1, w/w) carrier particles). Serial sacrifices were performed for up to 85 weeks. Two hr before sacrifice, each animal was given i.p. injections of 200 microCi of [3H]thymidine. Glycol methacrylate section autoradiographs (1 micrometer) were prepared. Labeling indices in the alveolar region, labeling of terminal bronchiolar cells, and morphological changes were examined. Equal numbers of Po-Sal and Po-BP animals developed lung tumors. No tumors were found in Po-0 or 0-BP animals. Tumor development was preceded by the appearance of hyperplastic areas of bronchiolar-type cells in the alveolar region and by changes in morphology of bronchiolar cells. Labeling indices in the alveolar region of the treated groups were slightly increased relative to untreated controls. Labeling of terminal bronchiolar cells was highest in the Po-BP and 0-BP groups and was associated with much inflammation. A single 0.9% NaCl solution instillation also increased proliferation of bronchiolar cells. We conclude that 0.9% NaCl solution instillations may potentiate carcinogenesis in the hamster lung by acting as a nonspecific stimulus to proliferation; in addition, we conclude that not all hyperplasia progresses on to form lung tumors in the Po-BP and Po-Sal groups

  14. Morphology and Phylogeny of the Soil Ciliate Metopus yantaiensis n. sp. (Ciliophora, Metopida), with Identification of the Intracellular Bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omar, Atef; Zhang, Qianqian; Zou, Songbao; Gong, Jun

    2017-11-01

    The morphology and infraciliature of a new ciliate, Metopus yantaiensis n. sp., discovered in coastal soil of northern China, were investigated. It is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following features: nuclear apparatus situated in the preoral dome; 18-21 somatic ciliary rows, of which three extend onto the preoral dome (dome kineties); three to five distinctly elongated caudal cilia, and 21-29 adoral polykinetids. The 18S rRNA genes of this new species and two congeners, Metopus contortus and Metopus hasei, were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. The new species is more closely related to M. hasei and the clevelandellids than to other congeners; both the genus Metopus and the order Metopida are not monophyletic. In addition, the digestion-resistant bacteria in the cytoplasm of M. yantaiensis were identified, using a 16S rRNA gene clone library, sequencing, and fluorescence in situ hybridization. The detected intracellular bacteria are affiliated with Sphingomonadales, Rhizobiales, Rickettsiales (Alphaproteobacteria), Pseudomonas (Gammaproteobacteria), Rhodocyclales (Betaproteobacteria), Clostridiales (Firmicutes), and Flavobacteriales (Bacteroidetes). © 2017 The Author(s) Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology © 2017 International Society of Protistologists.

  15. Generation and analysis of expressed sequence tags from the ciliate protozoan parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis

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    Arias Covadonga

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The ciliate protozoan Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ich is an important parasite of freshwater fish that causes 'white spot disease' leading to significant losses. A genomic resource for large-scale studies of this parasite has been lacking. To study gene expression involved in Ich pathogenesis and virulence, our goal was to generate expressed sequence tags (ESTs for the development of a powerful microarray platform for the analysis of global gene expression in this species. Here, we initiated a project to sequence and analyze over 10,000 ESTs. Results We sequenced 10,368 EST clones using a normalized cDNA library made from pooled samples of the trophont, tomont, and theront life-cycle stages, and generated 9,769 sequences (94.2% success rate. Post-sequencing processing led to 8,432 high quality sequences. Clustering analysis of these ESTs allowed identification of 4,706 unique sequences containing 976 contigs and 3,730 singletons. These unique sequences represent over two million base pairs (~10% of Plasmodium falciparum genome, a phylogenetically related protozoan. BLASTX searches produced 2,518 significant (E-value -5 hits and further Gene Ontology (GO analysis annotated 1,008 of these genes. The ESTs were analyzed comparatively against the genomes of the related protozoa Tetrahymena thermophila and P. falciparum, allowing putative identification of additional genes. All the EST sequences were deposited by dbEST in GenBank (GenBank: EG957858–EG966289. Gene discovery and annotations are presented and discussed. Conclusion This set of ESTs represents a significant proportion of the Ich transcriptome, and provides a material basis for the development of microarrays useful for gene expression studies concerning Ich development, pathogenesis, and virulence.

  16. Different polyamine pathways from bacteria have replaced eukaryotic spermidine biosynthesis in ciliates Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium tetaurelia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bin; Kim, Sok Ho; Zhang, Yang; Hanfrey, Colin C; Elliott, Katherine A; Ealick, Steven E; Michael, Anthony J

    2015-09-01

    The polyamine spermidine is absolutely required for growth and cell proliferation in eukaryotes, due to its role in post-translational modification of essential translation elongation factor eIF5A, mediated by deoxyhypusine synthase. We have found that free-living ciliates Tetrahymena and Paramecium lost the eukaryotic genes encoding spermidine biosynthesis: S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) and spermidine synthase (SpdSyn). In Tetrahymena, they were replaced by a gene encoding a fusion protein of bacterial AdoMetDC and SpdSyn, present as three copies. In Paramecium, a bacterial homospermidine synthase replaced the eukaryotic genes. Individual AdoMetDC-SpdSyn fusion protein paralogues from Tetrahymena exhibit undetectable AdoMetDC activity; however, when two paralogous fusion proteins are mixed, AdoMetDC activity is restored and spermidine is synthesized. Structural modelling indicates a functional active site is reconstituted by sharing critical residues from two defective protomers across the heteromer interface. Paramecium was found to accumulate homospermidine, suggesting it replaces spermidine for growth. To test this concept, a budding yeast spermidine auxotrophic strain was found to grow almost normally with homospermidine instead of spermidine. Biosynthesis of spermidine analogue aminopropylcadaverine, but not exogenously provided norspermidine, correlated with some growth. Finally, we found that diverse single-celled eukaryotic parasites and multicellular metazoan Schistosoma worms have lost the spermidine biosynthetic pathway but retain deoxyhypusine synthase. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Characterization of four arginine kinases in the ciliate Paramecium tetraurelia: Investigation on the substrate inhibition mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yano, Daichi; Suzuki, Takaya; Hirokawa, Saki; Fuke, Kyoko; Suzuki, Tomohiko

    2017-08-01

    The ciliate Paramecium tetraurelia contains four arginine kinase genes (AK1-4). We detected cDNA for only three of the AKs (AK1-3) via PCR. Recombinant AK1-4 were expressed in Escherichia coli and their kinetics parameters determined. AK3 showed typical substrate inhibition toward arginine, and enzymatic activity markedly decreased when arginine concentration increased. This is the first example of substrate inhibition in wild-type phosphagen kinases. To explore the substrate inhibition mechanism, site-directed mutations were generated, targeting the amino acid sequence D-D-S-Q-V at positions 77-81 in P. tetraurelia AK3. Among the mutants, substrate inhibition was lost remarkably in the S79A mutant. In spite of high amino acid sequence identity (91%) between P. tetraurelia AK3 and AK4, the enzymatic activity of AK4 was less by 3% than that of AK3. We noticed that the conservative G298 was unusually replaced by R in P. tetraurelia AK4, and we constructed two mutants, R298G/AK4 and G298R/AK3. Enzymatic activity of the former mutant was comparable with that of the wild-type AK3, whereas that of the latter mutant was dramatically reduced. Thus, we concluded that the significantly low activity of P. tetraurelia AK4 is due to the residue R298. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Rumen ciliated protozoa of crossbred sheep kept in natural pasture of caatinga Protozoários ciliados do rúmen de ovinos mestiços mantidos em pastagem natural de caatinga

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ângela Maria Vieira Batista

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Effects of the sampling time and ruminal pH on the concentration of ciliate protozoa in the rumen of five fistulated Santa Inez crossbred sheep, reared in natural caatinga (scrubland pasture were evaluated. Ruminal content samples were obtained at zero hour (before the animals were released to the pasture, at 7:00h and 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 hours thereafter. Samples were fixed in formalin at 18.5% (v/v. It was identified and quantified organisms of the genera Dasytricha, Diplodinium, Diploplastron, Entodinium, Eodinium, Elytroplastron, Enoploplastron, Epidinium, Eremoplastron, Eudiplodinium, Isotricha, Metadinium and Ophryoscolex. Among them, only Diploplastron and Entodinium presented variations at their population concentrations in function of the sampling time. The number of ciliates undergoing division was not correlated with the sampling times. Stable division rate seemed to contribute the maintenance of ciliates concentrations in the rumen. Ruminal pH was negatively correlated with sampling time, and was not correlated with the number of protozoa, probably because the variations observed included parameters considered ideal for establishment and maintenance protozoa populations of rumen.Foram avaliados os efeitos do tempo de amostragem e do pH ruminal sobre a concentração de protozoários ciliados no rúmen de cinco ovinos mestiços Santa Inês, fistulados no rúmen, mantidos extensivamente em pastagem natural de caatinga no município de Sertânia, PE. As amostras de conteúdo ruminal foram obtidas nos seguintes horários: zero hora (antes dos animais serem soltos na pastagem, às 7:00h e 2, 4, 6, 8 e 10 horas depois de iniciado o pastejo. As amostras obtidas foram fixadas em formalina 18,5% (v/v. Foram identificados e quantificados organismos dos gêneros Dasytricha, Diplodinium, Diploplastron, Entodinium, Eodinium, Elytroplastron, Enoploplastron, Epidinium, Eremoplastron, Eudiplodinium, Isotricha, Metadinium e Ophryoscolex, sendo que

  19. Comparative study on acute toxicity of tetracycline and tetracycline hydrochloride to three ciliates%四环素和盐酸四环素对3种纤毛虫急性毒性效应的比较研究

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    赵也; 张辰笈; 丁霜; 蔡兴隆; 潘旭明; 陈瑛

    2017-01-01

    In this paper,three ciliates were selected as experimental subjects,and a wide range of tetracycline and tetracycline hydrochloride were employed to carry out a comparative study of acute toxicity effects.It was showed that the 24 h medial lethal concentrations (24 h-LC50) of tetracycline to Stylonyciia lemnae, Paramecium caudatum and Stentor coeruleus were 171.025 16,52.361 25,199.356 32 mg/L,respectively;the 24 h lowest observed effect concentrations (24 h-LOEC) of tetracycline were 65.168 84,15.199 17,139.370 22 mg/L,respectively.On the other hand,the 24 h-LC50 of tetracycline hydrochloride to Stylonyciia lemnae, Paramecium caudatum and Stentor coeruleus were 44.485 66,50.245 83,33.777 69 mg/L,respectively;the 24 h-LOEC were 20.031 34,24.671 75,13.444 98 mg/L,respectively.The results showed that the tolerance of three ciliates to tetracycline was in the following order: Stentor coeruleus > Stylonyciia lemnae > Paramecium caudatum.The tolerance difference of the three ciliates to tetracycline hydrochloride was not significant.The acute toxicity of Paramecium caudatum to tetracycline antibiotics was low,so it was suitable to use ciliates for early monitoring and early warning of tetracycline antibiotic contamination in water environments.%以3种纤毛虫为受试原生动物,比较了四环素和盐酸四环素对3种纤毛虫的急性毒性效应.结果表明:四环素对浮萍棘尾虫(Stylonyciia lemnae)、尾草履虫(Paramecium caudatum)和天蓝喇叭虫(Stentor coeruleus)的24 h半致死质量浓度(24 h-LC50)分别为171.025 16、52.361 25、199.356 32 mg/L,24 h最低有影响质量浓度(24 h-LOEC)分别为65.168 84、15.199 17、139.370 22 mg/L;盐酸四环素对浮萍棘尾虫、尾草履虫和天蓝喇叭虫的24 h-LC50分别为44.485 66、50.245 83、33.777 69 mg/L,24 h-LOEC分别为20.031 34、24.671 75、13.444 98 mg/L.3种纤毛虫对四环素的耐受性强度为天蓝喇叭虫>浮萍棘尾虫>尾草履虫;3

  20. Gestão da Qualidade de Vida dos idosos frequentadores do Centro de Convivência e Apoio ao idoso Casa de Clara

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    Josimeire Querollaine Alves de Sousa

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available A longevidade populacional é uma realidade cada vez mais presente na sociedade, em que o número de idosos irá se sobressair ao número de jovens e crianças até 2050, à vista disso, aumenta-se a preocupação em promover a qualidade de vida na terceira idade, no qual o governo por sua vez, criou um programa que incentivasse a prestação de serviços que contribuíssem para o bem-estar dos idosos. O conceito de qualidade de vida e bem-estar, segundo diversos autores, abrange inúmeros aspectos da vida, como o nível sociocultural e econômico, familiar, psicológico e biológico. Este artigo utilizou um estudo de caso no Centro de Convivência e Apoio ao Idoso Casa de Clara, em que foi aplicado o questionário do Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index (QLI, desenvolvido mediante rigorosos critérios metodológicos e fundamentado em diversos estudos internacionais.

  1. Interstitial lung disease associated with Equine Infectious Anemia Virus infection in horses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolfa, Pompei; Nolf, Marie; Cadoré, Jean-Luc; Catoi, Cornel; Archer, Fabienne; Dolmazon, Christine; Mornex, Jean-François; Leroux, Caroline

    2013-12-01

    EIA (Equine Infectious Anemia) is a blood-borne disease primarily transmitted by haematophagous insects or needle punctures. Other routes of transmission have been poorly explored. We evaluated the potential of EIAV (Equine Infectious Anemia Virus) to induce pulmonary lesions in naturally infected equids. Lungs from 77 EIAV seropositive horses have been collected in Romania and France. Three types of lesions have been scored on paraffin-embedded lungs: lymphocyte infiltration, bronchiolar inflammation, and thickness of the alveolar septa. Expression of the p26 EIAV capsid (CA) protein has been evaluated by immunostaining. Compared to EIAV-negative horses, 52% of the EIAV-positive horses displayed a mild inflammation around the bronchioles, 22% had a moderate inflammation with inflammatory cells inside the wall and epithelial bronchiolar hyperplasia and 6.5% had a moderate to severe inflammation, with destruction of the bronchiolar epithelium and accumulation of smooth muscle cells within the pulmonary parenchyma. Changes in the thickness of the alveolar septa were also present. Expression of EIAV capsid has been evidenced in macrophages, endothelial as well as in alveolar and bronchiolar epithelial cells, as determined by their morphology and localization. To summarize, we found lesions of interstitial lung disease similar to that observed during other lentiviral infections such as FIV in cats, SRLV in sheep and goats or HIV in children. The presence of EIAV capsid in lung epithelial cells suggests that EIAV might be responsible for the broncho-interstitial damages observed.

  2. Arrest in ciliated cell expansion on the bronchial lining of adult rats caused by chronic exposure to industrial noise

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliveira, Maria Joao R.; Pereira, Antonio S.; Ferreira, Paula G.; Guimara-tilde es, Laura; Freitas, Diamantino; Carvalho, Antonio P.O.; Grande, Nuno R.; Aguas, Artur P.

    2005-01-01

    Workers chronically exposed to high-intensity/low-frequency noise at textile plants show increased frequency of respiratory infections. This phenomenon prompted the herein investigation on the cytology of the bronchial epithelium of Wistar rats submitted to textile noise. Workplace noise from a cotton-mill room of a textile factory was recorded and reproduced in a sound-insulated animal room. The Wistar rats were submitted to a weekly schedule of noise treatment that was similar to that of the textile workers (8h/day, 5 days/week). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to compare the fine morphology of the inner surface of the bronchi in noise-exposed and control rats. SEM quantitative cytology revealed that exposure to noise for 5-7 months caused inhibition in the natural expansion of the area occupied by ciliated cells on the bronchial epithelium as adult rats grow older. This difference between noise-exposed and age-matched control rats was statistically significant (P0.05) and documents that the cytology of the rat bronchial epithelium is mildly altered by noise exposure. The decrease in the area of bronchial cilia may impair the mucociliar clearance of the respiratory airways and, thus, increase vulnerability to respiratory infection

  3. The response of the ciliated epithelium during and after exposure to ionizing radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baldetorp, B.

    1984-10-01

    Irradiation of the ciliated tissues of the body gives undesirable sideefects. In vitro irradiation (10 Gy) of the rabbit's trachea shows that 1.5 Gy of indirectly ionizing radiation (50 kV and 6 MV X-ray 60 Co-gamma 1.25 MeV) causes a 20 per cent increase of the ciliary beat frequency lasting 5-10 seconds, followed by a decline to normal ciliary activity during the ensuing course of irradiation. Electron radiation (4 MeV) proved to be three times more effective than photon radiation in regard to the physiological response of the cilia to ionizing radiation. This finding led to introduction of the concept Relative Physiological Efficiency (RPE) in this study, complementing the Relative Biological Efficiency (RBE) concept. This momentary increase in frequency can be caused by a radiation-induced increased hydrolysis of the ATP available in the cilia. The ciliary activity was 20 per cent lower than normal at 45 min following irradiation (10 Gy, 50 kV X-ray), whereupon it increased to 12 per cent above normal activity at two hours after initial irradiation. At re-irradiation (10 Gy, 50 kV X-ray) administered two hours after initial irradiation, the cilia showed a constant rate of activity. In vivo irradiation (10 Gy, 160 kV X-ray) of the trachea of the rabbit caused a heightened activity (10%) during the first three days after irradiation, indicating a stimulation of the ATP-synthesis. During days 4 to 8 after irradiation, the ciliary epithelium's morphology was damaged resulting in reduced transport ability. Repair took place during days 9 and 10 after irradiation, i.e. the function of the ciliary epithelium appeared to be restored. The membrane potential of the ciliary cell, registered during irradiation (10 Gy, 50 kV X-ray) showed no changes, which supports the assumption that the increased ciliary beat frequency recorded during irradiation can be due to rapid radiation-induced biochemical changes that are connected to the motility of the cilia. (author)

  4. Ultrastructural features of the uterus in the sexually immature ostrich (Struthio camelus during periods of ovarian inactivity and activity

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    M-C. Madekurozwa

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available The ultrastructure of the surface epithelium and tubular glands of the uterus in the immature ostrich is described. In ostriches with inactive ovaries the uterus is lined by a non-ciliated simple columnar epithelium, with basally located heterochromatic nuclei. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that these non-ciliated cells have a dense microvillous cover. A simple columnar to pseudostratified columnar epithelium, comprised of non-ciliated and ciliated cells, lines the uterus in birds with active ovaries. The ciliated cells possess a wide luminal region, which contains a nucleus and various organelles. An accumulation of secretory granules was observed in the apical regions of the non-ciliated cells, as well as in a few ciliated cells. In addition to non-ciliated and ciliated cells, a cell type with rarefied cytoplasm was also identified. These cells appear to correspond to calcium secreting cells identified in other avian species. The results of this study indicate that, although uterine differentiation is present in immature ostriches with active ovaries, the production of secretory product appears to occur mainly in non-ciliated epithelial cells.

  5. Os Meios de Comunicação e a Figura da Mulher: uma reflexão sobre a personagem Clara da telenovela Em Família

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    Maria Aparecida Baccega

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available O presente artigo tem por objetivo refletir acerca da construção da figura da mulher operada pelos meios de comunicação, através de um dos seus produtos culturais, a telenovela brasileira. Para tanto, propõe uma investigação que aborda a visibilidade da mulher na mídia, trazendo como arcabouço teórico Baccega (1994; 1999, Escosteguy (2011 e Hall (2013, no que tange aos discursos midiáticos; Lippmann (1966, Bourdieu (2002, Scott (1995, Butler (2015 e Louro (2000 para refletir sobre a figura da mulher. Levando em conta o contexto hegemônico, o presente artigo propõe discutir a ideologia bem como a indústria cultural a fim de analisar, como objeto empírico, a personagem Clara, protagonizada pela atriz Giovanna Antonelli, na telenovela brasileira Em Família, da TV Globo.

  6. Rational Engineering of a Cold-Adapted α-Amylase from the Antarctic Ciliate Euplotes focardii for Simultaneous Improvement of Thermostability and Catalytic Activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Guang; Yao, Hua; Mozzicafreddo, Matteo; Ballarini, Patrizia; Pucciarelli, Sandra; Miceli, Cristina

    2017-07-01

    The α-amylases are endo-acting enzymes that hydrolyze starch by randomly cleaving the 1,4-α-d-glucosidic linkages between the adjacent glucose units in a linear amylose chain. They have significant advantages in a wide range of applications, particularly in the food industry. The eukaryotic α-amylase isolated from the Antarctic ciliated protozoon Euplotes focardii ( Ef Amy) is an alkaline enzyme, different from most of the α-amylases characterized so far. Furthermore, Ef Amy has the characteristics of a psychrophilic α-amylase, such as the highest hydrolytic activity at a low temperature and high thermolability, which is the major drawback of cold-active enzymes in industrial applications. In this work, we applied site-directed mutagenesis combined with rational design to generate a cold-active Ef Amy with improved thermostability and catalytic efficiency at low temperatures. We engineered two Ef Amy mutants. In one mutant, we introduced Pro residues on the A and B domains in surface loops. In the second mutant, we changed Val residues to Thr close to the catalytic site. The aim of these substitutions was to rigidify the molecular structure of the enzyme. Furthermore, we also analyzed mutants containing these combined substitutions. Biochemical enzymatic assays of engineered versions of Ef Amy revealed that the combination of mutations at the surface loops increased the thermostability and catalytic efficiency of the enzyme. The possible mechanisms responsible for the changes in the biochemical properties are discussed by analyzing the three-dimensional structural model. IMPORTANCE Cold-adapted enzymes have high specific activity at low and moderate temperatures, a property that can be extremely useful in various applications as it implies a reduction in energy consumption during the catalyzed reaction. However, the concurrent high thermolability of cold-adapted enzymes often limits their applications in industrial processes. The α-amylase from the

  7. Variações temporais na passagem de peixes pelo elevador da Usina Hidrelétrica de Santa Clara, rio Mucuri, leste brasileiro Temporal patterns of fish passage in Santa Clara Power Plant's fish lift, Mucuri River, east Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo dos S. Pompeu

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available O presente estudo teve como objetivo determinar padrões temporais na passagem de peixes pelo elevador da Usina Hidrelétrica de Santa, localizado no rio Mucuri. Durante quatro meses, de novembro de 2003 a março de 2004, foram realizados ciclos de transposição a cada duas horas, quando todos os indivíduos foram contados e identificados. Durante este período foram transpostos 67.838 indivíduos de 31 espécies. A abundância de Characiformes migradores no elevador foi maior no período diurno, enquanto Siluriformes foram observados em maior quantidade à noite. A abundância de peixes no elevador foi relacionada significativamente com as vazões no rio Mucuri. O padrão encontrado torna possível a melhor utilização do elevador, priorizando sua operação durante o dia e em períodos de maior vazão.The current study had the objective of determining temporal patterns of fish passage in Santa Clara Power Plant's fish lift, Mucuri River. During four months, from November 2003 to March 2004, transposition cycles were performed each two hours, when the specimens were counted and identified. During this migration period 67,838 individuals of 31 species passed through the lift. Migratory Characiformes abundance was larger during the day, whereas the Siluriformes were registered mainly at night. Fish abundance in the lift was significantly related to the Mucuri river flow. The temporal pattern found makes possible a better utilization of the lift, focusing cycles during the day and high flows periods.

  8. The water-borne protein signals (pheromones) of the Antarctic ciliated protozoan Euplotes nobilii: structure of the gene coding for the En-6 pheromone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    La Terza, Antonietta; Dobri, Nicoleta; Alimenti, Claudio; Vallesi, Adriana; Luporini, Pierangelo

    2009-01-01

    The marine Antarctic ciliate, Euplotes nobilii, secretes a family of water-borne signal proteins, denoted as pheromones, which control vegetative proliferation and mating in the cell. Based on the knowledge of the amino acid sequences of a set of these pheromones isolated from the culture supernatant of wild-type strains, we designed probes to identify their encoding genes in the cell somatic nucleus (macronucleus). The full-length gene of the pheromone En-6 was determined and found to contain an open-reading frame specific for the synthesis of the En-6 cytoplasmic precursor (pre-pro-En-6), which requires 2 proteolytic cleavages to remove the signal peptide (pre) and the prosegment before secretion of the mature protein. In contrast to the sequence variability that distinguishes the secreted pheromones, the pre- and pro-sequences appear to be tightly conserved and useful for the construction of probes to clone every other E. nobilii pheromone gene. Potential intron sequences in the coding region of the En-6 gene imply the synthesis of more En-6 isoforms.

  9. Prototapirella ciliates from wild habituated Virunga mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in Rwanda with the descriptions of two new species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Akira; Eckardt, Winnie; Stoinski, Tara S; Gillespie, Thomas R; Tokiwa, Toshihiro

    2016-06-01

    The morphology of Prototapirella fosseyi n. sp., P. rwanda n. sp. and P. gorillaeImai, Ikeda, Collet, and Bonhomme, 1991 in the Entodiniomorphida were described from the mountain gorillas, Gorilla beringei beringei, in Rwanda. The ciliates have a retractable adoral ciliary zone, four non-retractable ciliary tufts in four caudalia, and one broad skeletal plate beneath the body surface. P. rwanda has a dorsal lobe and ventral lobes in two rows whereas P. fosseyi has no lobes. These two new species have an elongated body, a flat tail flap leaning to the ventral, a macronucleus with a tapering anterior end, a round posterior end and a shallow depression on the dorsal side, a micronucleus lying near the anterior end of macronucleus, a thin left region of the skeletal plate, a distinct skeletal rod plate, and four contractile vacuoles. P. gorillae has some variations in the nuclei and the skeletal plate. The infraciliary bands of three Prototapirella species were the same as some Triplumaria species; a C-shaped adoral polybrachykinety, a slender perivestibular polybrachykinety, and paralabial kineties in their retractable adoral ciliary zone and short lateral polybrachykineties in their four caudalia. The perivestibular polybrachykinety is joined only to the right end of adoral polybrachykinety. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  10. Chronic bronchiolitis in non-human primates after prolonged ozone exposure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eustis, S.L.

    1979-01-01

    Bonnet monkeys (Macaca radiata) were exposed to 0.0, 0.5, and 0.8 ppM ozone for 7, 28, or 90 consecutive d, eight h per d. Changes in the lung evoked by prolonged oxidant exposure were evaluated by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, autoradiography, and morphometry. Morphological changes were principally characterized as a low-grade chronic respiratory bronchiolitis. Proximal generations of respiratory bronchioles were the most consistently affected region of the pulmonary acinus. Major features of the bronchiolitis were intraluminal accumulations of macrophages and hypertrophy and hyperplasia of cuboidal bronchiolar epithelial cells. The degree of inflammation was greatest at the 0.8 ppM ozone concentration at each exposure period. The number of inflammatory cells observed at 90 d, however, was about one-half that observed at 7 d. Tritiated thymidine labeling and differential cell counts of respiratory bronchiolar epithelium demonstrated a proliferative response and an increase in the proportion of cubiodal bronchiolar cells which presumably function as the progenitor cell during cell renewal and repair of the epithelium. The labeling index remained elevated above control values through 90 d of ozone exposure despite a reduction below 7 d values at both 28 and 90 d. The epithelial hyperplasia persisted through 90 d at a level similar to but slightly above that present at 7 d. Since cell differentials remained shifted at 28 and 90 d, it appears that persistent ozone exposure delayed maturation and transformation of cubiodal bronchiolar cells to their mature phenotype

  11. Análisis de la seguridad y salud laboral en los aprovechamientos forestales de cortas de claras en España

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    Y. Ambrosio Torrijos

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available A lo largo de ocho años se han controlado de forma directa un total de 34 explotaciones forestales españolas, correspondientes a cortas de claras de masas de repoblación. Se ha reunido información sobre equipos materiales y humanos, riesgos de accidente y para la salud, pautas de seguridad e incidencias ocurridas a lo largo de más de 2,200 horas de cronometraje de las distintas operaciones de explotación y alrededor de 3,000 horas de presencia en el monte. El estudio pone en evidencia las deficiencias de equipamiento activo y pasivo que tienen los equipos utilizados, poniendo especial relevancia en los trabajos realizados manualmente, en donde la falta de profesionalidad, la forma de retribución y la falta de planes reales de seguridad y salud laboral en los aprovechamientos forestales llevan consigo una alta accidentabilidad. Respecto de los riesgos de salud, se ha incorporado como factores de riesgo importantes en los trabajos manuales, la enfermedad de los dedos blancos, causadas por las vibraciones que transmite la motosierra y la enfermedad de Leyme causada por las garrapatas, ambas consideradas enfermedades profesionales en muchos países de Europa pero que en España no se le reconoce su importancia.

  12. Association between occupational exposure to arsenic and neurological, respiratory and renal effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Halatek, Tadeusz; Sinczuk-Walczak, Halina; Rabieh, Sasan; Wasowicz, Wojciech

    2009-01-01

    Occupational exposure by inhalation in copper smelter is associated with several subclinical health phenomena. The respiratory tract is usually involved in the process of detoxication of inhaled noxious agents which, as arsenic, can act as inductors of oxidative stress (Lantz, R.C., Hays, A.M., 2006. Role of oxidative stress in arsenic-induced toxicity. Drug Metab. Rev. 38, 791-804). It is also known that irritating fumes affect distal bronchioles of non-ciliated, epithelial Clara cells, which secrete anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive Clara cell protein (CC16) into the respiratory tract. The study group comprised 39 smelters employed at different workplaces in a copper foundry, matched for age and smoking habits with the control group (n = 16). Subjective neurological symptoms (SNS), visual evoked potentials (VEP), electroneurographic (EneG) and electroencephalographic (EEG) results were examined in the workers and the relationships between As concentration in the air (As-Air) and urine (As-U) were assessed. Effects of exposure were expressed in terms of biomarkers: CC16 as early pulmonary biomarker and β 2 -microglobulin (β 2 M) in urine and serum and retinol binding protein (RBP) as renal markers, measured by sensitive latex immunoassay. The concentrations of arsenic exceeded about two times the Threshold Limit Values (TLV) (0.01 mg/m 3 ). The contents of lead did not exceed the TLV (0.05 mg/m 3 ). Low CC16 levels in serum (12.1 μg/l) of workers with SNS and VEP symptoms and highest level As-U (x a 39.0 μg/l) were noted earliest in relation to occupational time. Moreover, those effects were associated with increased levels of urinary and serum β 2 M and urinary RBP. Results of our study suggested the initiative key role of oxidative stress in triggering the processes that eventually lead to the subclinical effects of arsenic on the nervous system.

  13. EVALUATION OF THE RESIZING OF THE WASTE TREATMENT PLANT OF THE TEXTILE COMPANY "DESEMBARCO DEL GRANMA", SANTA CLARA

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    Isabel Cabrera Estrada

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The increase of the sewage is a serious global problem. The objective of this work is to make an technical, economic and environmental evaluation of the resizing of the plant for the treatment of waste water from the textile company "Desembarco del Granma", in Santa Clara and to offer a proposal to improve the functioning of the same company, specifically with its process of biological treatment using activated sludge. As a preliminary step, using experimental techniques, the characteristics of the tributary and the effluent from the system were evaluated. COD values higher than 90 mg/L showed adverse implications for the body receiver and an apparent inability of the system to remove organic matter to the levels required. The recalculation of the parameters of design/operation of the plant for the current conditions of the tributary was made. It is obtained that these parameters are not within the recommended values and finally, it was proposed and evaluated the increased to 50 and 75 % of the volume of the aeration tank and the commissioning of two or three of the air vents. With the expansion of the plant's capacity will be achieve a treatment that allows the effluent meet established standards for dumping and therefore avoids damage to the environment and the payment of fines for these concepts. The economic indicators NPV, IRR and PBP calculated, demonstrate the acceptability of the investment required to implement the modifications. All this together proves that the project is deployable.

  14. Molecular phylogeny and species separation of five morphologically similar Holosticha-complex ciliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora) using ARDRA riboprinting and multigene sequence data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Feng; Yi, Zhenzhen; Gong, Jun; Al-Rasheid Khaled, A. S.; Song, Weibo

    2010-05-01

    To separate and redefine the ambiguous Holosticha-complex, a confusing group of hypotrichous ciliates, six strains belonging to five morphospecies of three genera, Holosticha heterofoissneri, Anteholosticha sp. pop1, Anteholosticha sp. pop2, A. manca, A. gracilis and Nothoholosticha fasciola, were analyzed using 12 restriction enzymes on the basis of amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis. Nine of the 12 enzymes could digest the DNA products, four ( Hinf I, Hind III, Msp I, Taq I) yielded species-specific restriction patterns, and Hind III and Taq I produced different patterns for two Anteholosticha sp. populations. Distinctly different restriction digestion haplotypes and similarity indices can be used to separate the species. The secondary structures of the five species were predicted based on the ITS2 transcripts and there were several minor differences among species, while two Anteholosticha sp. populations were identical. In addition, phylogenies based on the SSrRNA gene sequences were reconstructed using multiple algorithms, which grouped them generally into four clades, and exhibited that the genus Anteholosticha should be a convergent assemblage. The fact that Holosticha species clustered with the oligotrichs and choreotrichs, though with very low support values, indicated that the topology may be very divergent and unreliable when the number of sequence data used in the analyses is too low.

  15. Cotterillia bromelicola nov. gen., nov. spec., a gonostomatid ciliate (Ciliophora, Hypotricha) from tank bromeliads (Bromeliaceae) with de novo originating dorsal kineties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foissner, Wilhelm; Stoeck, Thorsten

    2011-01-01

    Cotterillia bromelicola nov. gen., nov. spec. was discovered in the tanks of the Mexican bromeliad Tillandsia heterophylla. Its morphology, ontogenesis, and 18S rDNA were studied with standard methods. Cotterillia has many cirral rows on both sides of the body. Uniquely, and thus used to diagnose the new genus Cotterillia, it has dorsal kineties originating de novo, producing neokinetal waves where the parental dorsal kineties reorganize to "combined rows", consisting of dorsal bristles anteriorly and of cirri posteriorly. Thus, up to four generations of bristles and cirri occur on the dorsal body surface. Cotterillia bromelicola has a gonostomatid body and adoral zone of membranelles, while the dense ciliature and the neokinetal waves resemble kahliellid hypotrichs. However, the de novo origin of anlage 1 and the molecular analyses show convincingly that Cotterillia belongs to the GonostomatidaeSmall and Lynn, 1985, for which an improved diagnosis is provided. Thus, neokinetal waves originated several times independently. The molecular differences between Trachelostyla, Gonostomum, and Cotterillia are small (≤ 5%) compared to their distinct morphologies and ontogeneses, suggesting that the 18S rDNA underestimates generic diversity. Our study emphasizes the need of combined morphological, ontogenetic, and molecular investigations to unravel the complex phylogeny and evolution of hypotrich ciliates. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  16. Preliminary insights into the impact of dietary starch on the ciliate, Neobalantidium coli, in captive chimpanzees.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kateřina Schovancová

    Full Text Available Infections caused by the intestinal ciliate Neobalantidium coli are asymptomatic in most hosts. In humans and captive African great apes clinical infections occasionally occur, manifested mainly by dysentery; however, factors responsible for development of clinical balantidiasis have not been fully clarified. We studied the effect of dietary starch on the intensities of infection by N. coli in two groups of captive chimpanzees. Adult chimpanzees infected by N. coli from the Hodonín Zoo and from the Brno Zoo, Czech Republic, were fed with a high starch diet (HSD (average 14.7% of starch for 14 days, followed by a five-day transition period and subsequently with a period of low starch diet (LoSD (average 0.1% of starch for another 14 days. We collected fecal samples during the last seven days of HSD and LoSD and fixed them in 10% formalin. We quantified trophozoites of N. coli using the FLOTAC method. The numbers of N. coli trophozoites were higher during the HSD (mean ± SD: 49.0 ± 134.7 than during the LoSD (3.5 ± 6.8. A generalized linear mixed-effects model revealed significantly lower numbers of the N. coli trophozoites in the feces during the LoSD period in comparison to the HSD period (treatment contrast LoSD vs. HSD: 2.7 ± 0.06 (SE, z = 47.7; p<<0.001. We conclude that our data provide a first indication that starch-rich diet might be responsible for high intensities of infection of N. coli in captive individuals and might predispose them for clinically manifested balantidiasis. We discuss the potential nutritional modifications to host diets that can be implemented in part to control N. coli infections.

  17. Generation of Induced Progenitor-like Cells from Mature Epithelial Cells Using Interrupted Reprogramming

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Guo

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Summary: A suitable source of progenitor cells is required to attenuate disease or affect cure. We present an “interrupted reprogramming” strategy to generate “induced progenitor-like (iPL cells” using carefully timed expression of induced pluripotent stem cell reprogramming factors (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc; OSKM from non-proliferative Club cells. Interrupted reprogramming allowed controlled expansion yet preservation of lineage commitment. Under clonogenic conditions, iPL cells expanded and functioned as a bronchiolar progenitor-like population to generate mature Club cells, mucin-producing goblet cells, and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR-expressing ciliated epithelium. In vivo, iPL cells can repopulate CFTR-deficient epithelium. This interrupted reprogramming process could be metronomically applied to achieve controlled progenitor-like proliferation. By carefully controlling the duration of expression of OSKM, iPL cells do not become pluripotent, and they maintain their memory of origin and retain their ability to efficiently return to their original phenotype. A generic technique to produce highly specified populations may have significant implications for regenerative medicine. : In this article Waddell, Nagy, and colleagues present an “interrupted reprogramming” strategy to produce highly specified functional “induced progenitor-like cells” from mature quiescent cells. They propose that careful control of the duration of transient expression of iPSC reprogramming factors (OSKM allows controlled expansion yet preservation of parental lineage without traversing the pluripotent state. Keywords: generation of induced progenitor-like cells

  18. UV Radiation and Visible Light Induce hsp70 Gene Expression in the Antarctic Psychrophilic Ciliate Euplotes focardii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fulgentini, Lorenzo; Passini, Valerio; Colombetti, Giuliano; Miceli, Cristina; La Terza, Antonietta; Marangoni, Roberto

    2015-08-01

    The psychrophilic ciliate Euplotes focardii inhabits the shallow marine coastal sediments of Antarctica, where, over millions of years of evolution, it has reached a strict molecular adaptation to such a constant-temperature environment (about -2 °C). This long evolution at sub-zero temperatures has made E. focardii unable to respond to heat stress with the activation of its heat shock protein (hsp) 70 genes. These genes can, however, be expressed in response to other stresses, like the oxidative one, thus indicating that the molecular adaptation has exclusively altered the heat stress signaling pathways, while it has preserved hsp70 gene activation in response to other environmental stressors. Since radiative stress has proved to be affine to oxidative stress in several organisms, we investigated the capability of UV radiation to induce hsp70 transcription. E. focardii cell cultures were exposed to several different irradiation regimes, ranging from visible only to a mixture of visible, UV-A and UV-B. The irradiation values of each spectral band have been set to be comparable with those recorded in a typical Antarctic spring. Using Northern blot analysis, we measured the expression level of hsp70 immediately after irradiation (0-h-labeled samples), 1 h, and 2 h from the end of the irradiation. Surprisingly, our results showed that besides UV radiation, the visible light was also able to induce hsp70 expression in E. focardii. Moreover, spectrophotometric measurements have revealed no detectable endogenous pigments in E. focardii, making it difficult to propose a possible explanation for the visible light induction of its hsp70 genes. Further research is needed to conclusively clarify this point.

  19. Morphology and SSU rDNA sequence analysis of two hypotrichous ciliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora, Hypotrichia) including the new species Metaurostylopsis parastruederkypkeae n. sp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Borong; Wang, Chundi; Huang, Jie; Shi, Yuhong; Chen, Xiangrui

    2016-10-01

    The morphology and phylogeny of two hypotrichous ciliates, Metaurostylopsis parastruederkypkeae n. sp. and Neourostylopsis flavicana (Wang et al., 2011) Chen et al., 2013 were investigated based on morphology, infraciliature and the small subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA gene (rRNA) sequence. The new species, M. parastruederkypkeae n. sp. was identified according to its characteristics: body shape ellipsoidal, size about (165-200) × (45-60) μm in vivo, cell color reddish; two types of cortical granules including wheat grain-like and yellow-greenish larger ones along the marginal cirri rows and dorsal kineties and dot-like and reddish smaller ones, grouped around marginal cirri on ventral side and arranged in short lines on dorsal side; 26-41 adoral membranelles; three frontal and one parabuccal, five to seven frontoterminal, one buccal, and three to six transverse cirri; seven to thirteen midventral pairs; five to nine unpaired ventral cirri, five to seven left and three to five right marginal rows; and three complete dorsal kineties. Phylogenetic analysis based on SSU rDNA sequences showed that both Metaurostylopsis and Neourostylopsis are monophyletic. As the internal relationship between and within both genera are not clear, further studies on the species in these two genera are necessary. The key characteristics of all known twelve Metaurostylopsis-Apourostylopsis-Neourostylopsis species complex were updated.

  20. An Antarctic hypotrichous ciliate, Parasterkiella thompsoni (Foissner) nov. gen., nov. comb., recorded in Argentinean peat-bogs: morphology, morphogenesis, and molecular phylogeny.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Küppers, Gabriela Cristina; Paiva, Thiago da Silva; Borges, Bárbara do Nascimento; Harada, Maria Lúcia; Garraza, Gabriela González; Mataloni, Gabriela

    2011-05-01

    The ciliate Parasterkiella thompsoni (Foissner, 1996) nov. gen., nov. comb. was originally described from Antarctica. In the present study, we report the morphology, morphogenesis during cell division, and molecular phylogeny inferred from the 18S-rDNA sequence of a population isolated from the Rancho Hambre peat bog, Tierra del Fuego Province (Argentina). The study is based on live and protargol-impregnated specimens. Molecular phylogeny was inferred from trees constructed by means of the maximum parsimony, neighbor joining, and Bayesian analyses. The interphase morphology matches the original description of the species. During the cell division, stomatogenesis begins with the de novo proliferation of two fields of basal bodies, each one left of the postoral ventral cirri and of transverse cirri, which later unify. Primordia IV-VI of the proter develop from disaggregation of cirrus IV/3, while primordium IV of the opisthe develops from cirrus IV/2 and primordia V and VI from cirrus V/4. Dorsal morphogenesis occurs in the Urosomoida pattern-that is, the fragmentation of kinety 3 is lacking. Three macronuclear nodules are generated before cytokinesis. Phylogenetic analyses consistently placed P. thompsoni within the stylonychines. New data on the morphogenesis of the dorsal ciliature justifies the transference of Sterkiella thompsoni to a new genus Parasterkiella. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  1. Macrophages are related to goblet cell hyperplasia and induce MUC5B but not MUC5AC in human bronchus epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Manuel A; Bercik, Premysl

    2012-06-01

    Airway goblet cell hyperplasia (GCH)--detectable by mucin staining--and abnormal macrophage infiltrate are pathological features present in many chronic respiratory disorders. However, it is unknown if both factors are associated. Using in-vivo and in-vitro models, we investigated whether macrophages are related with GCH and changes in mucin immunophenotypes. Lung sections from Sprague-Dawley rats treated for 48 h with one intra-tracheal dose of PBS or LPS (n=4-6 per group) were immunophenotyped for rat-goblet cells, immune, and proliferation markers. Human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) were pre-treated with or without LPS, immunophenotyped, and their supernatant, as well as cytokines at levels equivalent to supernatant were used to challenge primary culture of normal human bronchus epithelial cells (HBEC) in air-liquid interface, followed by MUC5B and MUC5AC mucin immunostaining. An association between increased bronchiolar goblet cells and terminal-bronchiolar proliferative epithelial cells confirmed the presence of GCH in our LPS rat model, which was related with augmented bronchiolar CD68 macrophage infiltration. The in-vitro experiments have shown that MUC5AC phenotype was inhibited when HBEC were challenged with supernatant from MDM pre-treated with or without LPS. In contrast, TNF-α and interleukin-1β at levels equivalent to supernatant from LPS-treated MDM increased MUC5AC. MUC5B was induced by LPS, supernatant from LPS-treated MDM, a mix of cytokines including TNF-α and TNF-α alone at levels present in supernatant from LPS-treated MDM. We demonstrated that macrophages are related with bronchiolar GCH, and that they induced MUC5B and inhibited MUC5AC in HBEC, suggesting a role for them in the pathogenesis of airway MUC5B-related GCH.

  2. An Expanded Role for the RFX Transcription Factor DAF-19, with Dual Functions in Ciliated and Nonciliated Neurons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Stasio, Elizabeth A; Mueller, Katherine P; Bauer, Rosemary J; Hurlburt, Alexander J; Bice, Sophie A; Scholtz, Sophie L; Phirke, Prasad; Sugiaman-Trapman, Debora; Stinson, Loraina A; Olson, Haili B; Vogel, Savannah L; Ek-Vazquez, Zabdiel; Esemen, Yagmur; Korzynski, Jessica; Wolfe, Kelsey; Arbuckle, Bonnie N; Zhang, He; Lombard-Knapp, Gaelen; Piasecki, Brian P; Swoboda, Peter

    2018-03-01

    Regulatory Factor X (RFX) transcription factors (TFs) are best known for activating genes required for ciliogenesis in both vertebrates and invertebrates. In humans, eight RFX TFs have a variety of tissue-specific functions, while in the worm Caenorhabditis elegans , the sole RFX gene, daf-19 , encodes a set of nested isoforms. Null alleles of daf-19 confer pleiotropic effects including altered development with a dauer constitutive phenotype, complete absence of cilia and ciliary proteins, and defects in synaptic protein maintenance. We sought to identify RFX/ daf-19 target genes associated with neuronal functions other than ciliogenesis using comparative transcriptome analyses at different life stages of the worm. Subsequent characterization of gene expression patterns revealed one set of genes activated in the presence of DAF-19 in ciliated sensory neurons, whose activation requires the daf-19c isoform, also required for ciliogenesis. A second set of genes is downregulated in the presence of DAF-19, primarily in nonsensory neurons. The human orthologs of some of these neuronal genes are associated with human diseases. We report the novel finding that daf-19a is directly or indirectly responsible for downregulation of these neuronal genes in C. elegans by characterizing a new mutation affecting the daf-19a isoform ( tm5562 ) and not associated with ciliogenesis, but which confers synaptic and behavioral defects. Thus, we have identified a new regulatory role for RFX TFs in the nervous system. The new daf-19 candidate target genes we have identified by transcriptomics will serve to uncover the molecular underpinnings of the pleiotropic effects that daf-19 exerts on nervous system function. Copyright © 2018 by the Genetics Society of America.

  3. Involvement of the different lung compartments in the pathogenesis of pH1N1 influenza virus infection in ferrets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vidaña, Beatriz; Martínez, Jorge; Martorell, Jaime; Montoya, María; Córdoba, Lorena; Pérez, Mónica; Majó, Natàlia

    2016-11-08

    Severe cases after pH1N1 infection are consequence of interstitial pneumonia triggered by alveolar viral replication and an exacerbated host immune response, characterized by the up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the influx of inflammatory leukocytes to the lungs. Different lung cell populations have been suggested as culprits in the unregulated innate immune responses observed in these cases. This study aims to clarify this question by studying the different induction of innate immune molecules by the distinct lung anatomic compartments (vascular, alveolar and bronchiolar) of ferrets intratracheally infected with a human pH1N1 viral isolate, by means of laser microdissection techniques. The obtained results were then analysed in relation to viral quantification in the different anatomic areas and the histopathological lesions observed. More severe lung lesions were observed at 24 h post infection (hpi) correlating with viral antigen detection in bronchiolar and alveolar epithelial cells. However, high levels of viral RNA were detected in all anatomic compartments throughout infection. Bronchiolar areas were the first source of IFN-α and most pro-inflammatory cytokines, through the activation of RIG-I. In contrast, vascular areas contributed with the highest induction of CCL2 and other pro-inflammatory cytokines, through the activation of TLR3.

  4. Analysis of seismic waves crossing the Santa Clara Valley using the three-component MUSIQUE array algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hobiger, Manuel; Cornou, Cécile; Bard, Pierre-Yves; Le Bihan, Nicolas; Imperatori, Walter

    2016-10-01

    We introduce the MUSIQUE algorithm and apply it to seismic wavefield recordings in California. The algorithm is designed to analyse seismic signals recorded by arrays of three-component seismic sensors. It is based on the MUSIC and the quaternion-MUSIC algorithms. In a first step, the MUSIC algorithm is applied in order to estimate the backazimuth and velocity of incident seismic waves and to discriminate between Love and possible Rayleigh waves. In a second step, the polarization parameters of possible Rayleigh waves are analysed using quaternion-MUSIC, distinguishing retrograde and prograde Rayleigh waves and determining their ellipticity. In this study, we apply the MUSIQUE algorithm to seismic wavefield recordings of the San Jose Dense Seismic Array. This array has been installed in 1999 in the Evergreen Basin, a sedimentary basin in the Eastern Santa Clara Valley. The analysis includes 22 regional earthquakes with epicentres between 40 and 600 km distant from the array and covering different backazimuths with respect to the array. The azimuthal distribution and the energy partition of the different surface wave types are analysed. Love waves dominate the wavefield for the vast majority of the events. For close events in the north, the wavefield is dominated by the first harmonic mode of Love waves, for farther events, the fundamental mode dominates. The energy distribution is different for earthquakes occurring northwest and southeast of the array. In both cases, the waves crossing the array are mostly arriving from the respective hemicycle. However, scattered Love waves arriving from the south can be seen for all earthquakes. Combining the information of all events, it is possible to retrieve the Love wave dispersion curves of the fundamental and the first harmonic mode. The particle motion of the fundamental mode of Rayleigh waves is retrograde and for the first harmonic mode, it is prograde. For both modes, we can also retrieve dispersion and ellipticity

  5. Cilia walls influence on peristaltically induced motion of magneto-fluid through a porous medium at moderate Reynolds number: Numerical study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R.E. Abo-Elkhair

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available This article addresses, effects of a magneto-fluid through a Darcy flow model with oscillatory wavy walled whose inner surface is ciliated. The equations that governing the flow are modeled without using any approximations. Adomian Decomposition Method (ADM is used to evaluate the solution of our system of nonlinear partial differential equations. Stream function, velocity and pressure gradient components are obtained by using the vorticity formula. The effects for our arbitrary physical parameters on flow characteristics are analyzed by plotting diagrams and discussed in details. With the help of stream lines the trapping mechanism has also been discussed. The major outcomes for the ciliated channel walls are: The axial velocity is higher without a ciliated walls than that for a ciliated walls and an opposite behaviour is shown near the ciliated channel walls. The pressure gradients in both directions are higher for a ciliated channel walls. More numbers of the trapped bolus in the absent of the eccentricity of the cilia elliptic path.

  6. Cell division and density of symbiotic Chlorella variabilis of the ciliate Paramecium bursaria is controlled by the host's nutritional conditions during early infection process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kodama, Yuuki; Fujishima, Masahiro

    2012-10-01

    The association of ciliate Paramecium bursaria with symbiotic Chlorella sp. is a mutualistic symbiosis. However, both the alga-free paramecia and symbiotic algae can still grow independently and can be reinfected experimentally by mixing them. Effects of the host's nutritional conditions against the symbiotic algal cell division and density were examined during early reinfection. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that algal cell division starts 24 h after mixing with alga-free P. bursaria, and that the algal mother cell wall is discarded from the perialgal vacuole membrane, which encloses symbiotic alga. Labelling of the mother cell wall with Calcofluor White Stain, a cell-wall-specific fluorochrome, was used to show whether alga had divided or not. Pulse labelling of alga-free P. bursaria cells with Calcofluor White Stain-stained algae with or without food bacteria for P. bursaria revealed that the fluorescence of Calcofluor White Stain in P. bursaria with bacteria disappeared within 3 days after mixing, significantly faster than without bacteria. Similar results were obtained both under constant light and dark conditions. This report is the first describing that the cell division and density of symbiotic algae of P. bursaria are controlled by the host's nutritional conditions during early infection. © 2012 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  7. Viscosity of egg white from hens of different strains fed with commercial and natural additives Viscosidade da clara de ovo proveniente de poedeiras de diferentes espécies com aditivos comerciais e naturais

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda Papa Spada

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Yolk color and egg white (albumen cleanliness and viscosity are important parameters by which consumers judge the quality of eggs. This study aimed to investigate changes in albumen viscosity during storage of eggs for up to 36 days from two different commercial laying hen strains (Carijo Barbada and Isa Brown fed a diet containing annatto (1.5 and 2.0% or a synthetic additive without synthetic colorants (control. Analyses of humidity, albumen height, pH, viscosity, foam formation, and stability were carried out on eggs. Carijo Barbada strain had smaller albumen, lower humidity and higher egg white viscosity than Isa Brown strain; however, with storage, viscosity lowered significantly on both strains. Initially, the addition of 2.0% of annatto or a synthetic additive increased viscosity in both strains, but with storage only the control maintained longer viscosity. Lower viscosity did not change foam density and stability.A coloração da gema, transparência e viscosidade da clara (albúmen são parâmetros importantes que os consumidores consideram na avaliação dos ovos. O objetivo do estudo foi verificar as trocas que ocorrem na armazenagem por 36 dias em relação à viscosidade da clara de ovos produzidos por poedeiras de duas diferentes linhagens (Carijo Barbada eIsa Brown , as quais receberam dietas contendo urucum (1,5 e 2,0% ou aditivo sintético. Foram realizadas as análises de umidade, altura do albúmen, pH, viscosidade, formação e estabilidade da espuma. A linhagem Carijó Barbada apresentou menor quantidade de albúmen, menor umidade e maior viscosidade que a linhagem Isa Brown, entretanto, com a estocagem, a viscosidade diminuiu significativamente para ambas as linhagens. Inicialmente, a adição de 2,0% de urucum ou aditivo sintético foi suficiente para aumentar a viscosidade em ovos obtidos de ambas as linhagens, mas com a estocagem, somente o controle manteve maior viscosidade. A baixa viscosidade não interferiu na

  8. Ku-mediated coupling of DNA cleavage and repair during programmed genome rearrangements in the ciliate Paramecium tetraurelia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antoine Marmignon

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available During somatic differentiation, physiological DNA double-strand breaks (DSB can drive programmed genome rearrangements (PGR, during which DSB repair pathways are mobilized to safeguard genome integrity. Because of their unique nuclear dimorphism, ciliates are powerful unicellular eukaryotic models to study the mechanisms involved in PGR. At each sexual cycle, the germline nucleus is transmitted to the progeny, but the somatic nucleus, essential for gene expression, is destroyed and a new somatic nucleus differentiates from a copy of the germline nucleus. In Paramecium tetraurelia, the development of the somatic nucleus involves massive PGR, including the precise elimination of at least 45,000 germline sequences (Internal Eliminated Sequences, IES. IES excision proceeds through a cut-and-close mechanism: a domesticated transposase, PiggyMac, is essential for DNA cleavage, and DSB repair at excision sites involves the Ligase IV, a specific component of the non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ pathway. At the genome-wide level, a huge number of programmed DSBs must be repaired during this process to allow the assembly of functional somatic chromosomes. To understand how DNA cleavage and DSB repair are coordinated during PGR, we have focused on Ku, the earliest actor of NHEJ-mediated repair. Two Ku70 and three Ku80 paralogs are encoded in the genome of P. tetraurelia: Ku70a and Ku80c are produced during sexual processes and localize specifically in the developing new somatic nucleus. Using RNA interference, we show that the development-specific Ku70/Ku80c heterodimer is essential for the recovery of a functional somatic nucleus. Strikingly, at the molecular level, PiggyMac-dependent DNA cleavage is abolished at IES boundaries in cells depleted for Ku80c, resulting in IES retention in the somatic genome. PiggyMac and Ku70a/Ku80c co-purify as a complex when overproduced in a heterologous system. We conclude that Ku has been integrated in the Paramecium

  9. Significación y trascendencia del género epistolar en la política cortesana: la correspondencia inédita entre la Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia y el Marqués de Velada

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Santiago Martínez Hernández

    2004-08-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is make known the unpublished correspondence maintained between the Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia and the Marquis of Velada, her lord high steward for a period of eleven years in the early seventeenth century. This private correspondence has become a vital source of information, especially for the historiography of the court, specifically in comparison with official correspondence. The content of the letters brings nuance and personal judgements which, by virtue of the freedom with which they were written, prove to have a much greater value than the public documents. Certainly, the letters not only transmitted news but also became a powerful means for maintaining the relationship over a considerable distance. This correspondence provides a number of insights into the political and personal relations between a princess and a courtier. The article also includes a transcription and abstract of the letters.

  10. Mass entrapment and lysis of Mesodinium rubrum cells in mucus threads observed in cultures with Dinophysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ojamäe, Karin; Hansen, Per Juel; Lips, Inga

    2016-01-01

    The entrapment and death of the ciliate Mesodinium rubrum in the mucus threads in cultures with Dinophysis is described and quantified. Feeding experiments with different concentrations and predator–prey ratios of Dinophysis acuta, Dinophysis acuminata and M. rubrum to study the motility loss...... and aggregate formation of the ciliates and the feeding behaviour of Dinophysis were carried out. In cultures of either Dinophysis species, the ciliates became entrapped in the mucus, which led to the formation of immobile aggregates of M. rubrum and subsequent cell lysis. The proportion of entrapped ciliates...... was influenced by the concentration of Dinophysis and the ratio of predator and prey in the cultures. At high cell concentrations of prey (136 cells mL−1) and predator (100 cells mL−1), a maximum of 17% of M. rubrum cells became immobile and went through cell lysis. Ciliates were observed trapped in the mucus...

  11. The protein pheromone Er-1 of the ciliate Euplotes raikovi stimulates human T-cell activity: Involvement of interleukin-2 system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cervia, Davide, E-mail: d.cervia@unitus.it [Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems (DIBAF), University of Tuscia, Viterbo (Italy); Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, “Luigi Sacco” University Hospital, University of Milan, Milano (Italy); Catalani, Elisabetta; Belardinelli, Maria Cristina [Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems (DIBAF), University of Tuscia, Viterbo (Italy); Perrotta, Cristiana [Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, “Luigi Sacco” University Hospital, University of Milan, Milano (Italy); Picchietti, Simona [Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems (DIBAF), University of Tuscia, Viterbo (Italy); Alimenti, Claudio [Department of Environmental and Natural Sciences, University of Camerino, Camerino (Italy); Casini, Giovanni; Fausto, Anna Maria [Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems (DIBAF), University of Tuscia, Viterbo (Italy); Vallesi, Adriana [Department of Environmental and Natural Sciences, University of Camerino, Camerino (Italy)

    2013-02-01

    Water-soluble protein signals (pheromones) of the ciliate Euplotes have been supposed to be functional precursors of growth factors and cytokines that regulate cell–cell interaction in multi-cellular eukaryotes. This work provides evidence that native preparations of the Euplotes raikovi pheromone Er-1 (a helical protein of 40 amino acids) specifically increases viability, DNA synthesis, proliferation, and the production of interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, and IL-13 in human Jurkat T-cells. Also, Er-1 significantly decreases the mRNA levels of the β and γ subunits of IL-2 receptor (IL-2R), while the mRNA levels of the α subunit appeared to be not affected. Jurkat T-cell treatments with Er-1 induced the down-regulation of the IL-2Rα subunit by a reversible and time-dependent endocytosis, and increased the levels of phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK). The cell-type specificity of these effects was supported by the finding that Er-1, although unable to directly influence the growth of human glioma U-373 cells, induced Jurkat cells to synthesize and release factors that, in turn, inhibited the U-373 cell proliferation. Overall, these findings imply that Er-1 coupling to IL-2R and ERK immuno-enhances T-cell activity, and that this effect likely translates to an inhibition of glioma cell growth. -- Highlights: ► Euplotes pheromone Er-1 increases the growth of human Jurkat T-cells. ► Er-1 increases the T-cell production of specific cytokines. ► Er-1 activates interleukin-2 receptor and extracellular signal-regulated kinases. ► The immuno-enhancing effect of Er-1 on Jurkat cells translates to an inhibition of human glioma cell growth.

  12. Metalloproteinase Profiling in Lung Transplant Recipients With Good Outcome and Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heijink, Irene H.; Rozeveld, Dennie; van der Heide, Sicco; Bij, van der Wim; Bischoff, Rainer; Oosterhout, van Antoon J,; van der Toorn, Marco

    Background. Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), the major cause of death on lung transplantation, is characterized by bronchiolar inflammation and tissue remodeling. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in these processes, although it is still unclear whether MMP activity and

  13. Further studies on the role of protozoa in landfill

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Finlay, B.J.; Clarke, K.J.; Cranwell, P.A.; Embley, T.M.; Hindle, R.M.; Simon, B.M.

    1993-11-01

    The specific objectives of this study were: to determine the growth requirements of methanogen-bearing protozoa living in landfill; to measure the rate of methane generation by these `protozoan consortia`; to quantify the role of protozoan grazing in stimulating overall microbial activity; to determine the identity of both symbiotic methanogens and host ciliates in different landfill sites. The results showed that the landfill ciliated protozoon, Metopus palaeformis, showed net growth in the temperature range 7-35{sup o}C, if the landfill material contained at least 40% water by weight. The methanogens living inside one cell of M.palaeformis produced, on average, 0.37 x 10{sup -12}mol CH{sub 4}/hour. In laboratory studies, the initial rate of methane generation from landfill material was twice as great when ciliates were present. There was no experimental evidence that this was due to ciliate grazing activity stimulating the re-cycling of essential nutrients to free-living bacteria. It is theoretically possible that acetate excreted by ciliates was converted to methane by free-living methanogens and that this was the source of ciliate-enhanced methane production. It was shown that the methanogenic bacteria living symbiotically within the ciliates are quite distinct from free-living methanogens previously described from landfill refuse. It is unlikely that the ciliates act as vectors for the transmission of methanogens between landfill sites. In conclusion, protozoon may be an important component of the landfill microbial community because they stimulate the rate of anaerobic decomposition and hence the rate of methane production. But protozoa are important only when the landfill material is wet (> 40% water) and when the temperature of the landfill does not exceed 30{sup o}C. (author)

  14. Produção e características físico-químicas dos cachos da videira 'BRS Clara' sob cobertura plástica e sombrite em safra fora de época

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lilian Yukari Yamamoto

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Devido às condições climáticas favoráveis à ocorrência de doenças fúngicas em uvas de mesa, tem-se buscado a adoção de tecnologias que propiciem a redução nos custos de produção, sendo uma alternativa o cultivo de uvas sob cobertura plástica. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a produção e as características físico-químicas dos cachos da videira 'BRS Clara' enxertada sobre o porta-enxerto IAC-766 'Campinas', em cultivo protegido durante a safra fora de época, visando à redução da aplicação de fungicidas para o controle do míldio. Os experimentos foram realizados em pomares comerciais localizados em Uraí e Marialva-PR. As videiras foram conduzidas no sistema latada, em espaçamento de 4,0 x 4,0 m, em Uraí, e de 2,0 x 5,0 m, em Marialva. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, com dois sistemas de cultivo protegido (sob cobertura plástica e sob sombrite e sete repetições. No experimento conduzido em Uraí, não foram verificadas diferenças entre os sistemas de cultivo protegido quanto às características produtivas e químicas das bagas, como o teor de sólidos solúveis totais, índice de maturação e pH. Verificou-se a ocorrência do míldio somente nas folhas, sendo a incidência e a severidade menor nas videiras sob cobertura plástica (0,5 e 0,02%, respectivamente. Em Marialva, também não houve influência das coberturas nas características produtivas das videiras. Entretanto, o teor de sólidos solúveis totais das bagas sob cobertura plástica foi superior em relação àquelas sob sombrite (19,6 e 17,2ºBrix, respectivamente. Não foi detectada a ocorrência de míldio em nenhum dos sistemas de cultivo protegido nessa localidade. Conclui-se que o uso da cobertura plástica permite a redução do número de aplicações de fungicidas para o controle do míldio, sem alterar as características produtivas da uva 'BRS Clara'.

  15. Effects of Predation by Protists on Prokaryotic Community Function, Structure, and Diversity in Anaerobic Granular Sludge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirakata, Yuga; Oshiki, Mamoru; Kuroda, Kyohei; Hatamoto, Masashi; Kubota, Kengo; Yamaguchi, Takashi; Harada, Hideki; Araki, Nobuo

    2016-09-29

    Predation by protists is top-down pressure that regulates prokaryotic abundance, community function, structure, and diversity in natural and artificial ecosystems. Although the effects of predation by protists have been studied in aerobic ecosystems, they are poorly understood in anoxic environments. We herein studied the influence of predation by Metopus and Caenomorpha ciliates-ciliates frequently found in anoxic ecosystems-on prokaryotic community function, structure, and diversity. Metopus and Caenomorpha ciliates were cocultivated with prokaryotic assemblages (i.e., anaerobic granular sludge) in an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor for 171 d. Predation by these ciliates increased the methanogenic activities of granular sludge, which constituted 155% of those found in a UASB reactor without the ciliates (i.e., control reactor). Sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons using Illumina MiSeq revealed that the prokaryotic community in the UASB reactor with the ciliates was more diverse than that in the control reactor; 2,885-3,190 and 2,387-2,426 operational taxonomic units (>97% sequence similarities), respectively. The effects of predation by protists in anaerobic engineered systems have mostly been overlooked, and our results show that the influence of predation by protists needs to be examined and considered in the future for a better understanding of prokaryotic community structure and function.

  16. Model of pulmonary fluid traffic homeostasis based on respiratory cycle pressure, bidirectional bronchiolo-pulmonar shunting and water evaporation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurbel, Sven; Kurbel, Beatrica; Gulam, Danijela; Spajić, Borislav

    2010-06-01

    The main puzzle of the pulmonary circulation is how the alveolar spaces remain dry over a wide range of pulmonary vascular pressures and blood flows. Although normal hydrostatic pressure in pulmonary capillaries is probably always below 10 mmHg, well bellow plasma colloid pressure of 25 mmHg, most textbooks state that some fluid filtration through capillary walls does occur, while the increased lymph drainage prevents alveolar fluid accumulation. The lack of a measurable pressure drop along pulmonary capillaries makes the classic description of Starling forces unsuitable to the low pressure, low resistance pulmonary circulation. Here presented model of pulmonary fluid traffic describes lungs as a matrix of small vascular units, each consisting of alveoli whose capillaries are anastomotically linked to the bronchiolar capillaries perfused by a single bronchiolar arteriole. It proposes that filtration and absorption in pulmonary and in bronchiolar capillaries happen as alternating periods of low and of increased perfusion pressures. The model is based on three levels of filtration control: short filtration phases due to respiratory cycle of the whole lung are modulated by bidirectional bronchiolo-pulmonar shunting independently in each small vascular unit, while fluid evaporation from alveolar groups further tunes local filtration. These mechanisms are used to describe a self-sustaining regulator that allows optimal fluid traffic in different settings. The proposed concept is used to describe development of pulmonary edema in several clinical entities (exercise in wet or dry climate, left heart failure, people who rapidly move to high altitudes, acute cyanide and carbon monoxide poisoning, large pulmonary embolisms). .

  17. Facoemulsificação por córnea clara no meridiano mais curvo Phacoemulsification using clear cornea incision in steepest meridian

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando Pistarini Gonçalves

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: Avaliar o efeito da facoemulsificação com incisão em córnea clara no meridiano mais curvo sobre a magnitude do astigmatismo ceratométrico pré-operatório. Mapear a magnitude do astigmatismo cirurgicamente induzido por incisões nas posições nasal (N, temporal (T, temporal superior (TS e temporal inferior (TI. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado estudo ceratométrico prospectivo em 48 olhos de 48 pacientes, submetidos a facoemulsificação com incisão do meridiano mais curvo. As medidas ceratométricas foram realizadas no pré-operatório e um mês após a realização da cirurgia. O astigmatismo cirurgicamente induzido foi determinado pelo método das coordenadas retangulares em 10 passos, modificado. RESULTADOS: Foram operados 21 olhos direitos e 27 olhos esquerdos e, de acordo com a posição das incisões em córnea clara, foram divididos em: 16 olhos N, 4 olhos T, 22 olhos TS, 6 olhos TI. A média da ametropia cilíndrica pré-operatória foi de 1,06D ± 0,65 e a pós-operatória de 0,89D ± 0,80. Houve diminuição estatisticamente significativa no astigmatismo corneal preexistente (p=0,016. A média total de astigmatismo cirurgicamente induzido foi de 0,94D ± 0,56. Em relação aos grupos o astigmatismo cirurgicamente induzido foi de 1,06D ± 0,66 em N, 0,87D ± 0,20 em T, 0,95D ± 0,55 em TS e 0,61D ± 0,25 em TI. Não houve diferença estatística com relação ao astigmatismo cirurgicamente induzido nos grupos N, T, TS e TI (p=0,426. CONCLUSÃO: A técnica se mostrou efetiva na redução do astigmatismo ceratométrico pré-operatório. A média do astigmatismo cirurgicamente induzido foi de 1,06D ± 0,66 em N, 0,95D ± 0,55 em TS, 0,61D ± 0,25 em T e 0,87D ± 0,20 em TI.PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of phacoemulsification through clear cornea incision in the steepest meridian (ISM, on the magnitude of preoperative keratometric astigmatism. To map the magnitude of surgically induced astigmatism (SIA by clear cornea incision

  18. New records of Thecacineta cothurnioides and Trematosoma rotunda (Ciliophora, Suctorea) as epibionts on nematodes from the Indian Ocean

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Dovgal, I.; Chatterjee, T.; Ingole, B.S.

    . 2008. An overview of suctorian ciliates (Ciliophora, Suctorea) as epibionts of halacarid mites (Acari, Halacaridae). Zootaxa. 1810, 60-68. Fisher R. 2003. Ciliate hitch-hikers-nematode ecto-commensals from tropical Australian sea-grass meadows...

  19. Desempenho de um “wetland” vertical aplicado ao tratamento do efluente de um filtro anaeróbio em uma estação de tratamento de águas cinzas claras visando o reúso não potável em edificações residenciais

    OpenAIRE

    Sarnaglia, Solange Aparecida Alho

    2014-01-01

    No tratamento de água cinza com vistas ao reúso predial os “wetlands” têm se mostrado como uma opção viável devido à boa remoção de poluentes, ao baixo custo de implantação e operação, além do baixo impacto ambiental quando comparados a outros sistemas. O presente estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar físico-química e microbiologicamente a água cinza clara gerada em um edifício universitário avaliar a influência das cargas hidráulica e orgânica na remoção de matéria orgânica, turbidez e de c...

  20. Molecular aspects of calcium signalling at the crossroads of unikont and bikont eukaryote evolution--the ciliated protozoan Paramecium in focus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plattner, Helmut

    2015-03-01

    The ciliated protozoan, Paramecium tetraurelia has a high basic Ca(2+) leakage rate which is counteracted mainly by export through a contractile vacuole complex, based on its V-type H(+)-ATPase activity. In addition Paramecium cells dispose of P-type Ca(2+)-ATPases, i.e. a plasmamembrane and a sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (PMCA, SERCA). Antiporter systems are to be expected, as inferred from indirect evidence. Among the best known cytosolic Ca(2+)-binding proteins, calmodulin activates Ca(2+) influx channels in the somatic cell membrane, but inactivates Ca(2+) influx channels in cilia, where it, thus, ends ciliary reversal induced by depolarization via channels in the somatic cell membrane. Centrin inactivates Ca(2+) signals after stimulation by its high capacity/low affinity binding sites, whereas its high affinity sites regulate some other functions. Cortical Ca(2+) stores (alveolar sacs) are activated during stimulated trichocyst exocytosis and thereby mediate store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE). Ca(2+) release channels (CRCs) localised to alveoli and underlying SOCE are considered as Ryanodine receptor-like proteins (RyR-LPs) which are members of a CRC family with 6 subfamilies. These also encompass genuine inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) and intermediates between the two channel types. All IP3R/RyR-type CRCs possess six carboxyterminal transmembrane domains (TMD), with a pore domain between TMD 5 and 6, endowed with a characteristic selectivity filter. There are reasons to assume a common ancestor molecule for such channels and diversification further on in evolution. The distinct distribution of specific CRCs in the different vesicles undergoing intracellular trafficking suggests constitutive formation of very locally restricted Ca(2+) signals during vesicle-vesicle interaction. In summary, essential steps of Ca(2+) signalling already occur at this level of evolution, including an unexpected multitude of CRCs. For dis

  1. Effect of controlled human exposure to diesel exhaust and allergen on airway surfactant protein D, myeloperoxidase and club (Clara) cell secretory protein 16.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biagioni, B J; Tam, S; Chen, Y-W R; Sin, D D; Carlsten, C

    2016-09-01

    Air pollution is a major cause of global morbidity and mortality. Air pollution and aeroallergens aggravate respiratory illness, but the variable effects of air pollutants and allergens in the lung are poorly understood. To determine the effects of diesel exhaust (DE) and bronchial allergen challenge as single and dual exposures on aspects of innate immunity in the airway as reflected by surfactant protein D (SPD), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and club (Clara) cell secretory protein 16 (CC16) in 18 atopic individuals. In this double-blind, randomized crossover study, atopic individuals were exposed to DE or filtered air, followed by endobronchial allergen or saline 1 hour after inhalational exposure. Bronchoalveolar lavage, bronchial washings, nasal lavage and blood samples were obtained 48 hours after exposures and assayed for CC16, MPO and SPD by ELISA. In bronchial samples, the concentration of SPD increased from 53.3 to 91.8 ng/mL after endobronchial allergen, with no additional contribution from DE. MPO also increased significantly in response to allergen (6.8 to 14.7 ng/mL), and there was a small additional contribution from exposure to DE. The concentration of CC16 decreased from 340.7 to 151.0 ng/mL in response to DE, with minor contribution from allergen. These changes were not reflected in nasal lavage fluid or plasma samples. These findings suggest that allergen and DE variably influence different aspects of the innate immune response of the lung. SPD and MPO, known markers of allergic inflammation in the lung, are strongly increased by allergen while DE has a minor effect therein. DE induces a loss of CC16, a protective protein, while allergen has a minor effect therein. Results support site- and exposure-specific responses in the human lung upon multiple exposures. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Experimental and mathematical model of the interactions in the mixed culture of links in the “producer-consumer” cycle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pisman, T. I.

    2009-07-01

    The paper presents a experimental and mathematical model of interactions between invertebrates (the ciliates Paramecium caudatum and the rotifers Brachionus plicatilis) in the "producer-consumer" aquatic biotic cycle with spatially separated components. The model describes the dynamics of the mixed culture of ciliates and rotifers in the "consumer" component, feeding on the mixed algal culture of the "producer" component. It has been found that metabolites of the algae Scenedesmus produce an adverse effect on the reproduction of the ciliates P. caudatum. Taking into account this effect, the results of investigation of the mathematical model were in qualitative agreement with the experimental results. In the "producer-consumer" biotic cycle it was shown that coexistence is impossible in the mixed culture of invertebrates of the "consumer" component. The ciliates P. caudatum are driven out by the rotifers B. plicatilis.

  3. Association of serum Clara cell protein CC16 with respiratory infections and immune response to respiratory pathogens in elite athletes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurowski, Marcin; Jurczyk, Janusz; Jarzębska, Marzanna; Moskwa, Sylwia; Makowska, Joanna S; Krysztofiak, Hubert; Kowalski, Marek L

    2014-04-15

    Respiratory epithelium integrity impairment caused by intensive exercise may lead to exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. Clara cell protein (CC16) has anti-inflammatory properties and its serum level reflects changes in epithelium integrity and airway inflammation. This study aimed to investigate serum CC16 in elite athletes and to seek associations of CC16 with asthma or allergy, respiratory tract infections (RTIs) and immune response to respiratory pathogens. The study was performed in 203 Olympic athletes. Control groups comprised 53 healthy subjects and 49 mild allergic asthmatics. Serum levels of CC16 and IgG against respiratory viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae were assessed. Allergy questionnaire for athletes was used to determine symptoms and exercise pattern. Current versions of ARIA and GINA guidelines were used when diagnosing allergic rhinitis and asthma, respectively. Asthma was diagnosed in 13.3% athletes, of whom 55.6% had concomitant allergic rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis without asthma was diagnosed in 14.8% of athletes. Mean CC16 concentration was significantly lower in athletes versus healthy controls and mild asthmatics. Athletes reporting frequent RTIs had significantly lower serum CC16 and the risk of frequent RTIs was more than 2-fold higher in athletes with low serum CC16 (defined as equal to or less than 4.99 ng/ml). Athletes had significantly higher anti-adenovirus IgG than healthy controls while only non-atopic athletes had anti-parainfluenza virus IgG significantly lower than controls. In all athletes weak correlation of serum CC16 and anti-parainfluenza virus IgG was present (R = 0.20, p athletes a weak positive correlations of CC16 with IgG specific for respiratory syncytial virus (R = 0.29, p = 0.009), parainfluenza virus (R = 0.31, p = 0.01) and adenovirus (R = 0.27, p = 0.02) were seen as well. Regular high-load exercise is associated with decrease in serum CC16 levels. Athletes with decreased CC16 are

  4. California GAMA Program: Sources and transport of nitrate in shallow groundwater in the Llagas Basin of Santa Clara County, California

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moran, J E; McNab, W; Esser, B; Hudson, G; Carle, S; Beller, H; Kane, S; Tompson, A B; Letain, T; Moore, K; Eaton, G; Leif, R; Moody-Bartel, C; Singleton, M

    2005-01-01

    A critical component of the State Water Resource Control Board's Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program is to assess the major threats to groundwater resources that supply drinking water to Californians (Belitz et al., 2004). Nitrate is the most pervasive and intractable contaminant in California groundwater and is the focus of special studies under the GAMA program. This report presents results of a study of nitrate contamination in the aquifer beneath the cities of Morgan Hill and Gilroy, CA, in the Llagas Subbasin of Santa Clara County, where high nitrate levels affect several hundred private domestic wells. The main objectives of the study are: (1) to identify the main source(s) of nitrate that issue a flux to the shallow regional aquifer (2) to determine whether denitrification plays a role in the fate of nitrate in the subbasin and (3) to assess the impact that a nitrate management plan implemented by the local water agency has had on the flux of nitrate to the regional aquifer. Analyses of 56 well water samples for major anions and cations, nitrogen and oxygen isotopes of nitrate, dissolved excess nitrogen, tritium and groundwater age, and trace organic compounds, show that synthetic fertilizer is the most likely source of nitrate in highly contaminated wells, and that denitrification is not a significant process in the fate of nitrate in the subbasin except in the area of recycled water application. In addition to identifying contaminant sources, these methods offer a deeper understanding of how the severity and extent of contamination are affected by hydrogeology and groundwater management practices. In the Llagas subbasin, the nitrate problem is amplified in the shallow aquifer because it is highly vulnerable with high vertical recharge rates and rapid lateral transport, but the deeper aquifers are relatively more protected by laterally extensive aquitards. Artificial recharge delivers low-nitrate water and provides a means of long

  5. ORTHOIMAGERY, Santa Clara, CA

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security — Digital orthographic imagery datasets contain georeferenced images of the Earth's surface, collected by a sensor in which object displacement has been removed for...

  6. Santa Clara County, California

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — LAS format files, raw LiDAR data in its native format, classified bare-earth LiDAR DEM and photogrammetrically derived breaklines generated from LiDAR Intensity...

  7. Lung response to ultrafine Kevlar aramid synthetic fibrils following 2-year inhalation exposure in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, K P; Kelly, D P; O'Neal, F O; Stadler, J C; Kennedy, G L

    1988-07-01

    Four groups of 100 male and 100 female rats were exposed to ultrafine Kevlar fibrils at concentrations of 0, 2.5, 25, and 100 fibrils/cc for 6 hr/day, 5 days/week for 2 years. One group was exposed to 400 fibrils/cc for 1 year and allowed to recover for 1 year. At 2.5 fibrils/cc, the lungs had normal alveolar architecture with a few dust-laden macrophages (dust cell response) in the alveolar airspaces. At 25 fibrils/cc, the lungs showed a dust cell response, slight Type II pneumocyte hyperplasia, alveolar bronchiolarization, and a negligible amount of collagenized fibrosis in the alveolar duct region. At 100 fibrils/cc, the same pulmonary responses were seen as at 25 fibrils/cc. In addition, cystic keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma (CKSCC) was found in 4 female rats, but not in male rats. Female rats had more prominent foamy alveolar macrophages, cholesterol granulomas, and alveolar bronchiolarization. These pulmonary lesions were related to the development of CKSCC. The lung tumors were derived from metaplastic squamous cells in areas of alveolar bronchiolarization. At 400 fibrils/cc following 1 year of recovery, the lung dust content, average fiber length, and the pulmonary lesions were markedly reduced, but slight centriacinar emphysema and minimal collagenized fibrosis were found in the alveolar duct region. One male and 6 female rats developed CKSCC. The lung tumors were a unique type of experimentally induced tumors in the rats and have not been seen as spontaneous tumors in man or animals. Therefore, the relevance of this type of lung tumor to the human situation is minimal.

  8. Nanostructuring of Aluminum Alloy Powders by Cryogenic Attrition with Hydrogen-Free Process Control Agent

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-02-01

    Nanostructuring of Aluminum Alloy Powders by Cryogenic Attrition with Hydrogen-Free Process Control Agent by Frank Kellogg , Clara Hofmeister...Process Control Agent Frank Kellogg Bowhead Science and Technology Clara Hofmeister Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center...NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Frank Kellogg , Clara Hofmeister, Anit Giri, and Kyu Cho 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e

  9. SSU rDNA sequence diversity and seasonally differentiated distribution of nanoplanktonic ciliates in neritic Bohai and Yellow Seas as revealed by T-RFLP.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Jun; Shi, Fei; Li, Han; Zhang, Xiaoming; Hu, Xiaozhong; Gong, Jun

    2014-01-01

    Nanociliates have been frequently found to be important players in the marine microbial loop, however, little is known about their diversity and distribution in coastal ecosystems. We investigated the molecular diversity and distribution patterns of nanoplanktonic oligotrich and choreotrich (OC) ciliates in surface water of three neritic basins of northern China, the South Yellow Sea (SYS), North Yellow Sea (NYS), and Bohai Sea (BS) in June and November 2011. SSU rRNA gene clone libraries generated from three summertime samples (sites B38, B4 and H8) were analyzed and revealed a large novel ribotype diversity, of which many were low-abundant phylotypes belonging to the subclass Oligotrichia, but divergent from described morphospecies. Based on the data of terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis of all 35 samples, we found that the T-RF richness was generally higher in the SYS than in the BS, and negatively correlated with the molar ratio of P to Si. Overall, multidimensional scaling and permutational multivariate analysis of variance of the community turnover demonstrated a distinct seasonal pattern but no basin-to-basin differentiation across all samples. Nevertheless, significant community differences among basins were recognized in the winter dataset. Mantel tests showed that the environmental factors, P:Si ratio, water temperature and concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO), determined the community across all samples. However, both biogeographic distance and environment shaped the community in winter, with DO being the most important physicochemical factor. Our results indicate that the stoichiometric ratio of P:Si is a key factor, through which the phytoplankton community may be shaped, resulting in a cascade effect on the diversity and community composition of OC nanociliates in the N-rich, Si-limited coastal surface waters, and that the Yellow Sea Warm Current drives the nanociliate community, and possibly the microbial food webs

  10. La estria supranuclear de las células ciliadas en la rinitis alérgica Supranuclear stria of ciliated cells in allergic rhinitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Zerdiew

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available Se estudiaron 80 pacientes adultos alérgicos, que cursaron con los siguientes cuadros clínicos: 16 casos de rinitis intermitente y 64 de rinitis persistente. Se realizó el recuento porcentual de la estría supranuclear de las células ciliadas, respecto de los leucocitos presentes en los extendidos obtenidos por toma endonasal. Con los datos obtenidos se clasificaron los extendidos en 4 grupos; Grupo A (N=23: predominio leucocitario eosinófilo con eosinofilia nasal >10%, Grupo B (N=15: abundantes leucocitos neutrófilos y eosinofilia nasal >10%, Grupo C (N=29: con escasos leucocitos, Grupo D (N=13: con abundantes leucocitos de predominio neutrófilo sin eosinofilia. Se observó que el incremento porcentual de estría supranuclear se correlacionó con eosinofilia nasal >10% y con las muestras que presentaron escasos leucocitos. Sin embargo se evidenció una marcada disminución del porcentaje de estría supranuclear en la leucocitosis neutrófila de etiología bacteriana.Nasal secretions were studied in 80 allergic adults patients: 16 with intermittent rhinitis and 64 with persistent rhinitis. The percentage of supranuclear stria of ciliated cells with regard to leucocytes was studied by nasal scraping. Four groups of patients were classified according to nasal leucocytic predominance: patients with eosinophilic predominance with eosinophils > 10% in Group A (N=23, patients with abundant neutrophils and eosinophils >10% in Group B (N=15, patients with scant leucocytes in Group C (N=29, patients with neutrophilic predominance without eosinophils in Group D (N=13. An increase of supranuclear stria percentage was correlated to eosinophils > 10% and also correlated to scant leucocytes. Nevertheless, a significant decrease of supranuclear stria percentage was observed in neutrophilic leukocytosis of bacterial etiology.

  11. A splice acceptor mutation in C. elegans daf-19/Rfx disrupts functional specialization of male-specific ciliated neurons but does not affect ciliogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wells, Kristen L; Rowneki, Mazhgan; Killian, Darrell J

    2015-04-01

    RFX transcription factors are master regulators of ciliogenesis in diverse animal species. The sole Caenorhabditis elegans RFX homolog, DAF-19, plays at least two roles in the formation of functional cilia. The DAF-19(C) isoform is required for ciliogenesis and the DAF-19(M) isoform is required for the functional specialization of a subset of male-specific ciliated neurons called PKD neurons. Here we report the identification of a novel mutation, daf-19(sm129), which disrupts the functional specification of PKD neurons and thus suggests that daf-19m activity is compromised. However, ciliogenesis is not disrupted in daf-19(sm129) mutants suggesting that daf-19c activity is retained. The sm129 mutation disrupts a splice acceptor site adjacent to an exon common to the daf-19c and daf-19m isoforms resulting in aberrant splicing in a proportion of transcripts. While aberrant splicing of daf-19c to upstream cryptic sites results in in-frame and functional products, a large proportion of daf-19m mRNAs include the entire upstream intron, which introduces a frameshift and stop codons. At least 15% of disease-causing mutations affect splicing of the gene bearing the mutation, thus it is important to understand the consequences of splice site mutations on gene function. However, predicting the effects of a splice site mutation remains difficult and experimental determination is still required. Using daf-19(sm129) as a model, our results suggest that this problem is exacerbated when a splice acceptor mutation is used by multiple isoforms of the same gene because the effects on each isoform can be dramatically different. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. The Response of Heterotrophic Prokaryote and Viral Communities to Labile Organic Carbon Inputs Is Controlled by the Predator Food Chain Structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandaa, Ruth-Anne; Pree, Bernadette; Larsen, Aud; Våge, Selina; Töpper, Birte; Töpper, Joachim P; Thyrhaug, Runar; Thingstad, Tron Frede

    2017-08-23

    Factors controlling the community composition of marine heterotrophic prokaryotes include organic-C, mineral nutrients, predation, and viral lysis. Two mesocosm experiments, performed at an Arctic location and bottom-up manipulated with organic-C, had very different results in community composition for both prokaryotes and viruses. Previously, we showed how a simple mathematical model could reproduce food web level dynamics observed in these mesocosms, demonstrating strong top-down control through the predator chain from copepods via ciliates and heterotrophic nanoflagellates. Here, we use a steady-state analysis to connect ciliate biomass to bacterial carbon demand. This gives a coupling of top-down and bottom-up factors whereby low initial densities of ciliates are associated with mineral nutrient-limited heterotrophic prokaryotes that do not respond to external supply of labile organic-C. In contrast, high initial densities of ciliates give carbon-limited growth and high responsiveness to organic-C. The differences observed in ciliate abundance, and in prokaryote abundance and community composition in the two experiments were in accordance with these predictions. Responsiveness in the viral community followed a pattern similar to that of prokaryotes. Our study provides a unique link between the structure of the predator chain in the microbial food web and viral abundance and diversity.

  13. Molecular phylogeny and comparative morphology indicate that odontostomatids (Alveolata, Ciliophora) form a distinct class-level taxon related to Armophorea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandes, Noemi M; Vizzoni, Vinicius F; Borges, Bárbara do N; A G Soares, Carlos; Silva-Neto, Inácio D da; S Paiva, Thiago da

    2018-04-18

    The odontostomatids are among the least studied ciliates, possibly due to their small sizes, restriction to anaerobic environments and difficulty in culturing. Consequently, their phylogenetic affinities to other ciliate taxa are still poorly understood. In the present study, we analyzed newly obtained ribosomal gene sequences of the odontostomatids Discomorphella pedroeneasi and Saprodinium dentatum, together with sequences from the literature, including Epalxella antiquorum and a large assemblage of ciliate sequences representing the major recognized classes. The results show that D. pedroeneasi and S. dentatum form a deep-diverging branch related to metopid and clevelandellid armophoreans, corroborating the old literature. However E. antiquorum clustered with the morphologically discrepant plagiopylids, indicating that either the complex odontostomatid body architecture evolved convergently, or the positioning of E. antiquorum as a plagiopylid is artifactual. A new ciliate class, Odontostomatea n. cl., is proposed based on molecular analyses and comparative morphology of odontostomatids with related taxa. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  14. Experimental and mathematical model of the interactions in the mixed culture of links in the "producer-consumer" cycle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pisman, T. I.; Galayda, Ya. V.

    The paper presents experimental and mathematical model of interactions between invertebrates the ciliates Paramecium caudatum and the rotifers Brachionus plicatilis and algae Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus quadricauda in the producer -- consumer aquatic biotic cycle with spatially separated components The model describes the dynamics of the mixed culture of ciliates and rotifers in the consumer component feeding on the mixed algal culture of the producer component It has been found that metabolites of the algae Scenedesmus produce an adverse effect on the reproduction of the ciliates P caudatum Taking into account this effect the results of investigation of the mathematical model were in qualitative agreement with the experimental results In the producer -- consumer biotic cycle it was shown that coexistence is impossible in the mixed algal culture of the producer component and in the mixed culture of invertebrates of the consumer component The ciliates P caudatum are driven out by the rotifers Brachionus plicatilis

  15. Heterogeneous gene expression signatures correspond to distinct lung pathologies and biomarkers of disease severity in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DePianto, Daryle J; Chandriani, Sanjay; Abbas, Alexander R; Jia, Guiquan; N'Diaye, Elsa N; Caplazi, Patrick; Kauder, Steven E; Biswas, Sabyasachi; Karnik, Satyajit K; Ha, Connie; Modrusan, Zora; Matthay, Michael A; Kukreja, Jasleen; Collard, Harold R; Egen, Jackson G; Wolters, Paul J; Arron, Joseph R

    2015-01-01

    There is microscopic spatial and temporal heterogeneity of pathological changes in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) lung tissue, which may relate to heterogeneity in pathophysiological mediators of disease and clinical progression. We assessed relationships between gene expression patterns, pathological features, and systemic biomarkers to identify biomarkers that reflect the aggregate disease burden in patients with IPF. Gene expression microarrays (N=40 IPF; 8 controls) and immunohistochemical analyses (N=22 IPF; 8 controls) of lung biopsies. Clinical characterisation and blood biomarker levels of MMP3 and CXCL13 in a separate cohort of patients with IPF (N=80). 2940 genes were significantly differentially expressed between IPF and control samples (|fold change| >1.5, p<0.05). Two clusters of co-regulated genes related to bronchiolar epithelium or lymphoid aggregates exhibited substantial heterogeneity within the IPF population. Gene expression in bronchiolar and lymphoid clusters corresponded to the extent of bronchiolisation and lymphoid aggregates determined by immunohistochemistry in adjacent tissue sections. Elevated serum levels of MMP3, encoded in the bronchiolar cluster, and CXCL13, encoded in the lymphoid cluster, corresponded to disease severity and shortened survival time (p<10(-7) for MMP3 and p<10(-5) for CXCL13; Cox proportional hazards model). Microscopic pathological heterogeneity in IPF lung tissue corresponds to specific gene expression patterns related to bronchiolisation and lymphoid aggregates. MMP3 and CXCL13 are systemic biomarkers that reflect the aggregate burden of these pathological features across total lung tissue. These biomarkers may have clinical utility as prognostic and/or surrogate biomarkers of disease activity in interventional studies in IPF. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  16. A novel pulmonary polyomavirus in alpacas (Vicugna pacos).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dela Cruz, Florante N; Li, Linlin; Delwart, Eric; Pesavento, P A

    2017-03-01

    Viral metagenomic analysis detected a novel polyomavirus in a 6-month old female alpaca (Vicugna pacos) euthanized after a diagnosis of disseminated lymphosarcoma. The viral genome was fully sequenced, found to be similar to other polyomaviruses in gene architecture and provisionally named Alpaca polyomavirus or AlPyV. Viral nucleic acid was detected by PCR in venous blood, spleen, thymus, and lung. AlPyV phylogenetically clustered in the "Wuki" group of PyVs, which includes WU and KI polyomaviruses, commonly found in human respiratory samples. In an ISH analysis of 17 alpaca necropsies, 7 had detectable virus within the lung. In animals without pneumonia, probe hybridization was restricted to the nuclei of scattered individual bronchiolar epithelial cells. Three of the ISH positive alpacas had interstitial pneumonia of unknown origin, and in these animals there was viral nucleic acid detected in bronchiolar epithelium, type II pneumocytes, and alveolar macrophages. The pattern of AlPyV distribution is consistent with a persistent respiratory virus that has a possible role in respiratory disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Microfaunal indicators, Ciliophora phylogeny and protozoan population shifts in an intermittently aerated and fed bioreactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ntougias, Spyridon; Tanasidis, Spartakos; Melidis, Paraschos

    2011-01-01

    Microfauna community structure was examined in the mixed liquor of a bench-scale bioreactor equipped with an intermittent aeration and feeding system. The reactor was operated under an intermittent aeration of 25 min in every 1 h and varying feeding conditions (0.264, 0.403 and 0.773 kg BOD 5 /m 3 d). A total of 14 protozoan and metazoan taxa were identified by microscopic examination. Sessile ciliates, followed by crawling ciliates, were the major protozoan groups under 0.403 kg BOD 5 /m 3 d organic loading conditions, while sessile ciliate population was remarkably increased under an organic loading of 0.773 kg BOD 5 /m 3 d. Principal Component Analysis and Pearson correlation coefficient tests were performed in order to reveal relationships between microfauna community and operational parameters. Ciliophora specific-18S rRNA gene clone library was constructed to identify ciliate diversity under 0.773 kg BOD 5 /m 3 d organic loading conditions. Ciliophora diversity consisted of members of Aspidiscidae, Epistylidae, Opisthonectidae and Vorticellidae, with the majority of the clones being associated with the species Vorticella fusca. At least one novel phylogenetic linkage among Ciliophora was identified. Comparisons made after molecular characterization and microscopic examination of Ciliophora community showed that the estimation of broad ciliate groups is useful for ecological considerations and evaluation of the operational conditions in wastewater treatment plants.

  18. Epithelial trafficking of Sonic hedgehog by megalin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morales, Carlos R; Zeng, Jibin; El Alfy, Mohamed; Barth, Jeremy L; Chintalapudi, Mastan Rao; McCarthy, Robert A; Incardona, John P; Argraves, W Scott

    2006-10-01

    We present here evidence of in vivo epithelial endocytosis and trafficking of non-lipid-modified Sonic hedgehog (ShhN) when infused into rat efferent ducts via microinjection. Initially, exogenous ShhN is detected in endocytic vesicles and early endosomes located near the apical plasma membrane of non-ciliated cells. Within 30-60 min following infusion, ShhN can be detected in lysosomes and at basolateral regions of non-ciliated cells. Basolaterally, ShhN was observed along the extracellular surfaces of interdigitated plasma membranes of adjacent cells and in the extracellular compartment underlying the efferent duct epithelium. Uptake and subcellular trafficking of infused ShhN by non-ciliated cells could be blocked by either anti-megalin IgG or the megalin antagonist, RAP. Ciliated cells, which do not express megalin, displayed little if any apical internalization of ShhN even though they were found to express Patched-1. However, ShhN was found in coated pits of lateral plasma membranes of ciliated cells as well as in underlying endocytic vesicles. We conclude that megalin-mediated endocytosis of ShhN can occur in megalin-expressing epithelia in vivo, and that the internalized ShhN can be targeted to the lysosome or transcytosed in the plane of the epithelium or across the epithelium. These findings highlight the multiple mechanisms by which megalin may influence Shh morphogen gradients in vivo.

  19. Effects of Predation by Protists on Prokaryotic Community Function, Structure, and Diversity in Anaerobic Granular Sludge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirakata, Yuga; Oshiki, Mamoru; Kuroda, Kyohei; Hatamoto, Masashi; Kubota, Kengo; Yamaguchi, Takashi; Harada, Hideki; Araki, Nobuo

    2016-01-01

    Predation by protists is top-down pressure that regulates prokaryotic abundance, community function, structure, and diversity in natural and artificial ecosystems. Although the effects of predation by protists have been studied in aerobic ecosystems, they are poorly understood in anoxic environments. We herein studied the influence of predation by Metopus and Caenomorpha ciliates—ciliates frequently found in anoxic ecosystems—on prokaryotic community function, structure, and diversity. Metopus and Caenomorpha ciliates were cocultivated with prokaryotic assemblages (i.e., anaerobic granular sludge) in an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor for 171 d. Predation by these ciliates increased the methanogenic activities of granular sludge, which constituted 155% of those found in a UASB reactor without the ciliates (i.e., control reactor). Sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons using Illumina MiSeq revealed that the prokaryotic community in the UASB reactor with the ciliates was more diverse than that in the control reactor; 2,885–3,190 and 2,387–2,426 operational taxonomic units (>97% sequence similarities), respectively. The effects of predation by protists in anaerobic engineered systems have mostly been overlooked, and our results show that the influence of predation by protists needs to be examined and considered in the future for a better understanding of prokaryotic community structure and function. PMID:27431197

  20. 77 FR 73490 - Proposed Flood Hazard Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-10

    ... Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070. Town of Los Gatos Engineering Services, 110 East Main Street, Los Gatos, CA 95030. Unincorporated Areas of Santa Clara Santa Clara Office of Planning, County. 70 West...

  1. Efeitos de rações com níveis crescentes de cana-de-açúcar em substituição à silagem de milho sobre a população de protozoários ciliados no rúmen de ovinos Effects of diets with increasing levels of sugar cane in substitution of corn silage on rumen population ciliate protozoa in sheep

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Helena Tieghi Franzolin

    2000-10-01

    Full Text Available Oito ovinos machos com fístulas ruminais foram delineados em dois quadrados latinos, em quatro períodos de 35 dias cada e quatro tratamentos, compreendendo níveis crescentes de cana-de-açúcar (CA em substituição à silagem de milho (SM: A 100% SM; B 67% SM e 33% CA; C 33% SM e 67% CA; e D 100% CA, para avaliação da população de protozoários ciliados no rúmen. As concentrações totais de protozoários ciliados no rúmen e de Entodinium diminuíram e os valores de pH do conteúdo ruminal aumentaram linearmente com o incremento das quantidades de cana-de-açúcar na ração. Não houve diferenças entre tratamentos para o volume ruminal e a taxa de passagem da fase líquida do rúmen.Eight rumen fistulated rams were delineated in two Latin Squares in four periods of 35 days each and four treatments consisted of increasing levels of sugar cane (SC in substitution to the corn silage (CS: A 100% CS, B 67% CS and 33% SC, C 33% CS and 67% SC and D 100% SC, to evaluate the population of ciliate protozoa in the rumen. The total concentrations of rumen ciliate protozoa and of Entodinium decreased and the values of pH of the ruminal content increased linearly as dietary sugar cane levels increased. No differences between treatments were observed for the rumen volume and the rumen liquid turnover rate.

  2. Biological effects in beagle dogs of inhaled radon daughters, uranium ore dust, and cigarette smoke

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Palmer, R.F.; Filipy, R.E.; Stuart, B.O.; Hackett, P.; Ragan, H.A.; McDonald, K.E.

    1975-01-01

    After 5 years of daily inhalation exposures to 600 WL radon daughters plus uranium ore dust and/or cigarette smoking, observed pulmonary lesions include macrophage proliferation, septal fibrosis, epithelial hyperplasia, emphysema, endothelial proliferation, and bronchiolar-alveolar epithelial changes involving multiple foci of squamous metaplasia with atypia. Epithelial neoplasms were found in the respiratory tracts of three dogs. (U.S.)

  3. Growth and grazing on the 'Texas brown tide' alga Aureoumbra lagunensis by the tintinnid Amphorides quadrilineata

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jakobsen, Hans Henrik; Hyatt, C.; Buskey, E.J.

    2001-01-01

    Growth and ingestion by the loricate ciliate Amphorides quadrilineata exposed to increasing dietary doses of the Texas brown tide alga Aureoumbra lagunensis were investigated. The ciliate grew at a maximum rate of 0.38 d(-1), ingesting 0.032 ppm (similar to6.4 x 10(2) cells) prey d(-1) on a diet...

  4. Mechanically induced tube damage in the artificial hydrosalpinx.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleinstein, J; Neubüser, D; Mussmann, J

    1982-01-01

    One-sided artificial hydrosalpinx was caused in mature New Zealand rabbits by proximal and distal ligature. After 2 weeks the average secretion accumulation was 2.1 ml, after 8 weeks 6.3 ml. A fold relief could no longer be detected after 8 weeks. The light-microscopical study of the epithelium showed signs of cell degeneration with cell dedifferentiation, pyknosis of the nucleus, and perinuclear aerolae. The ciliation of 66% ciliated cells for the normal oviduct (pars ampullaris) was reduced to 15% after 8 weeks of artificial hydrosalpinx. Based on the hypertrophy of the muscularis the percentage loss of E2 receptors within 4 weeks was smaller in comparison with the percentage reduction of the ciliation during the same time. Finally, after 8 weeks an amount of 15% for the estrogen receptors as well as for the ciliation was achieved--both compared to the untreated oviduct. It is possible that the oviduct damage, caused only by the mechanical influence of the secretion congestion, is the reason for the unfavorable pregnancy rate after salpingoneostomy of a chronic atrophied hydrosalpinx.

  5. Role of four conserved aspartic acid residues of EF-loops in the metal ion binding and in the self-assembly of ciliate Euplotes octocarinatus centrin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Wen; Duan, Lian; Sun, Tijian; Yang, Binsheng

    2016-12-01

    Ciliate Euplotes octocarinatus centrin (EoCen) is an EF-hand calcium-binding protein closely related to the prototypical calcium sensor protein calmodulin. Four mutants (D37K, D73K, D110K and D146K) were created firstly to elucidate the importance of the first aspartic acid residues (Asp37, Asp73, Asp110 and Asp146) in the beginning of the four EF-loops of EoCen. Aromatic-sensitized Tb 3+ fluorescence indicates that the aspartic acid residues are very important for the metal-binding of EoCen, except for Asp73 (in EF-loop II). Resonance light scattering (RLS) measurements for different metal ions (Ca 2+ and Tb 3+ ) binding proteins suggest that the order of four conserved aspartic acid residues for contributing to the self-assembly of EoCen is Asp37 > Asp146 > Asp110 > Asp73. Cross-linking experiment also exhibits that Asp37 and Asp146 play critical role in the self-assembly of EoCen. Asp37, in site I, which is located in the N-terminal domain, plays the most important role in the metal ion-dependent self-assembly of EoCen, and there is cooperativity between N-terminal and C-terminal domain (especially the site IV). In addition, the dependence of Tb 3+ induced self-assembly of EoCen and the mutants on various factors, including ionic strength and pH, were characterized using RLS. Finally, 2-p-toluidinylnaphthalene-6-sulfonate (TNS) binding, ionic strength and pH control experiments indicate that in the process of EoCen self-assembly, molecular interactions are mediated by both electrostatic and hydrophobic forces, and the hydrophobic interaction has the important status.

  6. SSU rDNA sequence diversity and seasonally differentiated distribution of nanoplanktonic ciliates in neritic Bohai and Yellow Seas as revealed by T-RFLP.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Dong

    Full Text Available Nanociliates have been frequently found to be important players in the marine microbial loop, however, little is known about their diversity and distribution in coastal ecosystems. We investigated the molecular diversity and distribution patterns of nanoplanktonic oligotrich and choreotrich (OC ciliates in surface water of three neritic basins of northern China, the South Yellow Sea (SYS, North Yellow Sea (NYS, and Bohai Sea (BS in June and November 2011. SSU rRNA gene clone libraries generated from three summertime samples (sites B38, B4 and H8 were analyzed and revealed a large novel ribotype diversity, of which many were low-abundant phylotypes belonging to the subclass Oligotrichia, but divergent from described morphospecies. Based on the data of terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP analysis of all 35 samples, we found that the T-RF richness was generally higher in the SYS than in the BS, and negatively correlated with the molar ratio of P to Si. Overall, multidimensional scaling and permutational multivariate analysis of variance of the community turnover demonstrated a distinct seasonal pattern but no basin-to-basin differentiation across all samples. Nevertheless, significant community differences among basins were recognized in the winter dataset. Mantel tests showed that the environmental factors, P:Si ratio, water temperature and concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO, determined the community across all samples. However, both biogeographic distance and environment shaped the community in winter, with DO being the most important physicochemical factor. Our results indicate that the stoichiometric ratio of P:Si is a key factor, through which the phytoplankton community may be shaped, resulting in a cascade effect on the diversity and community composition of OC nanociliates in the N-rich, Si-limited coastal surface waters, and that the Yellow Sea Warm Current drives the nanociliate community, and possibly the

  7. Microfaunal indicators, Ciliophora phylogeny and protozoan population shifts in an intermittently aerated and fed bioreactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ntougias, Spyridon, E-mail: sntougia@env.duth.gr [Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Environmental Engineering, Laboratory of Wastewater Management and Treatment Technologies, Vas. Sofias 12, 67100 Xanthi (Greece); Tanasidis, Spartakos; Melidis, Paraschos [Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Environmental Engineering, Laboratory of Wastewater Management and Treatment Technologies, Vas. Sofias 12, 67100 Xanthi (Greece)

    2011-02-28

    Microfauna community structure was examined in the mixed liquor of a bench-scale bioreactor equipped with an intermittent aeration and feeding system. The reactor was operated under an intermittent aeration of 25 min in every 1 h and varying feeding conditions (0.264, 0.403 and 0.773 kg BOD{sub 5}/m{sup 3} d). A total of 14 protozoan and metazoan taxa were identified by microscopic examination. Sessile ciliates, followed by crawling ciliates, were the major protozoan groups under 0.403 kg BOD{sub 5}/m{sup 3} d organic loading conditions, while sessile ciliate population was remarkably increased under an organic loading of 0.773 kg BOD{sub 5}/m{sup 3} d. Principal Component Analysis and Pearson correlation coefficient tests were performed in order to reveal relationships between microfauna community and operational parameters. Ciliophora specific-18S rRNA gene clone library was constructed to identify ciliate diversity under 0.773 kg BOD{sub 5}/m{sup 3} d organic loading conditions. Ciliophora diversity consisted of members of Aspidiscidae, Epistylidae, Opisthonectidae and Vorticellidae, with the majority of the clones being associated with the species Vorticella fusca. At least one novel phylogenetic linkage among Ciliophora was identified. Comparisons made after molecular characterization and microscopic examination of Ciliophora community showed that the estimation of broad ciliate groups is useful for ecological considerations and evaluation of the operational conditions in wastewater treatment plants.

  8. Aspects of pulmonary emphysema on high resolution computed tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Angelo Junior, J.R.L.; Castro Lessa Angelo, M.T. de; Silva, F.M.D.; Costa, N.S.S.; Kavakama, J.; Carvalho, C.R.R.; Cerri, G.G.

    1995-01-01

    Pulmonary emphysema is an entity characterized by enlargement of the air-space with bronchiolar walls destruction with-out evident fibrosis. It is classified according to anatomic distribution of the areas of lung destruction into these types: centrilobular, panlobular, paraseptal, and paracicatricial. TCAR is superior to chest radiographs and conventional CT is detecting these areas of pulmonary destruction. (author). 10 refs, 7 figs

  9. Aspects of pulmonary emphysema on high resolution computed tomography; Aspectos do enfisema pulmonar na tomografia computadorizada de alta resolucao

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Angelo Junior, J.R.L.; Castro Lessa Angelo, M.T. de; Silva, F.M.D.; Costa, N.S.S.; Kavakama, J.; Carvalho, C.R.R.; Cerri, G.G. [Sao Paulo Univ., SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Medicina. Hospital das Clinicas

    1995-03-01

    Pulmonary emphysema is an entity characterized by enlargement of the air-space with bronchiolar walls destruction with-out evident fibrosis. It is classified according to anatomic distribution of the areas of lung destruction into these types: centrilobular, panlobular, paraseptal, and paracicatricial. TCAR is superior to chest radiographs and conventional CT is detecting these areas of pulmonary destruction. (author). 10 refs, 7 figs.

  10. Functional live cell imaging of the pulmonary neuroepithelial body microenvironment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    De Proost, Ian; Pintelon, Isabel; Brouns, Inge; Kroese, A; Riccardi, Daniela; Kemp, Paul J.; Timmermans, Jean-Pierre; Adriaensen, Dirk

    Pulmonary neuroepithelial bodies (NEBs) are densely innervated groups of neuroendocrine cells invariably accompanied by Clara-like cells. Together with NEBs, Clara-like cells form the so-called "NEB microenvironment," which recently has been assigned a potential pulmonary stem cell niche. Conclusive

  11. Regeneration of tracheal epithelium using mouse induced pluripotent stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ikeda, Masakazu; Imaizumi, Mitsuyoshi; Yoshie, Susumu; Otsuki, Koshi; Miyake, Masao; Hazama, Akihiro; Wada, Ikuo; Omori, Koichi

    2016-01-01

    Conclusion The findings demonstrated the potential use of induced pluripotent stem cells for regeneration of tracheal epithelium. Objective Autologous tissue implantation techniques using skin or cartilage are often applied in cases of tracheal defects with laryngeal inflammatory lesions and malignant tumor invasion. However, these techniques are invasive with an unstable clinical outcome. The purpose of this study was to investigate regeneration in a tracheal defect site of nude rats after implantation of ciliated epithelium that was differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells. Method Embryoid bodies were formed from mouse induced pluripotent stem cells. They were cultured with growth factors for 5 days, and then cultured at the air-liquid interface. The degree of differentiation achieved prior to implantation was determined by histological findings and the results of real-time polymerase chain reaction. Embryoid bodies including ciliated epithelium were embedded into collagen gel that served as an artificial scaffold, and then implanted into nude rats, creating an 'air-liquid interface model'. Histological evaluation was performed 7 days after implantation. Results The ciliated epithelial structure survived on the lumen side of regenerated tissue. It was demonstrated histologically that the structure was composed of ciliated epithelial cells.

  12. alpha-Tubulin of Histriculus cavicola (Ciliophora; Hypotrichea).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Romero, P; Villalobo, E; Díaz-Ramos, C; Calvo, P; Santos-Rosa, F; Torres, A

    1997-03-01

    An alpha-tubulin gene fragment amplified by PCR from the hypotrichous ciliate Histriculus cavicola has been sequenced. This fragment, 1,182 bp long, contains an in-frame "stop" codon (UAA), which in other hypotrichous species codes for a glutamine residue. The comparison of the alpha-tubulin genes from several ciliates classes have revealed amino acid positions which could serve to distinguish these taxonomic groups.

  13. A study of nutritional status of Finnish reindeer (Rangifer Tarandus L. in differents months: I. Composition and volume of the rumen microbiota

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liisa Syrjälä

    1973-12-01

    Full Text Available The rumen microbiota were studied in free-ranging semi-domestic reindeer in Finnish Lapland under the nutritional conditions obtaining at two different sampling times. Qualitative and quantitative investigations were made of the rumen ciliate fauna and quantitative investigations of the rumen bacterial flora. The volume coefficients for rumen ciliates obtained by Westerling (1970 and that for rumen bacteria obtained by Warner (1962 were used to obtain an indication of the volume of the rumen microbe mass in reindeer. The rumen samples were collected in connection with the round-up and slaughter of reindeer, being taken from 30 animals in December and 29 animals in March. The reindeer slaughtered in December had normal access to food, but those slaughtered in March had grazed on better pastures and received a supplementary feed of hay. The total number of ciliate cells was over six times as high in March as in December, the numbers being 1 182900 and 188 300 per ml rumen contents, respectively. The corresponding total numbers of bacterial cells were 9.65 x 109 in March and 6.65 x 109 in December. The reason for the statistically significantly (P < 0.01 higher numbers in March than in December is probably the better nutritional conditions of the herd slaughtered in March, not the time of the year. The ciliate fauna consisted of 19 different species, although not all the species were found in every sample. The percentage composition of the ciliate fauna did not vary considerably between the two sampling times. The volume of the total microbe mass constituted 8.2% of the rumen contents in March and 1.9 % in December, the average being 5.1 %. The proportion of the ciliate volume in the total microbe mass was clearly higher than that of the bacteria at both sampling times: 7.2 times as high in March and 1.7 times in December, the average being 4.7 times.

  14. Prion protein protects mice from lethal infection with influenza A viruses.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junji Chida

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The cellular prion protein, designated PrPC, is a membrane glycoprotein expressed abundantly in brains and to a lesser extent in other tissues. Conformational conversion of PrPC into the amyloidogenic isoform is a key pathogenic event in prion diseases. However, the physiological functions of PrPC remain largely unknown, particularly in non-neuronal tissues. Here, we show that PrPC is expressed in lung epithelial cells, including alveolar type 1 and 2 cells and bronchiolar Clara cells. Compared with wild-type (WT mice, PrPC-null mice (Prnp0/0 were highly susceptible to influenza A viruses (IAVs, with higher mortality. Infected Prnp0/0 lungs were severely injured, with higher inflammation and higher apoptosis of epithelial cells, and contained higher reactive oxygen species (ROS than control WT lungs. Treatment with a ROS scavenger or an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase (XO, a major ROS-generating enzyme in IAV-infected lungs, rescued Prnp0/0 mice from the lethal infection with IAV. Moreover, Prnp0/0 mice transgenic for PrP with a deletion of the Cu-binding octapeptide repeat (OR region, Tg(PrPΔOR/Prnp0/0 mice, were also highly susceptible to IAV infection. These results indicate that PrPC has a protective role against lethal infection with IAVs through the Cu-binding OR region by reducing ROS in infected lungs. Cu content and the activity of anti-oxidant enzyme Cu/Zn-dependent superoxide dismutase, SOD1, were lower in Prnp0/0 and Tg(PrPΔOR/Prnp0/0 lungs than in WT lungs. It is thus conceivable that PrPC functions to maintain Cu content and regulate SOD1 through the OR region in lungs, thereby reducing ROS in IAV-infected lungs and eventually protecting them from lethal infection with IAVs. Our current results highlight the role of PrPC in protection against IAV infection, and suggest that PrPC might be a novel target molecule for anti-influenza therapeutics.

  15. The histopathologic reaction of rabbit lungs after intrabronchial application of contrast agents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Hyo Soon; Kim, Jae Kyu; Shen, Yu Lan; Oh, Jeong Won; Chang, Nam Kyu; Shin, Sang Soo; Park, Jin Gyoon; Kang, Heoung Keun

    2006-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine a safe gastrointestinal contrast agent that could be used in various clinical situations where there is a risk of aspiration using a rabbit model. 30 healthy white rabbits were used. The rabbits were divided into 5 groups containing six animals each, one control group (anesthesia only) and 4 groups receiving various contrast agents [Solotop (Barium sulphate suspension), Gastrografin (sodium and meglumine amidotrizoate), and Telebrix (Meglumine ioxitalamate), Visipaque (Iodixanol)]. The contrast agents were injected selectively into a main bronchus via a catheter inserted under fluoroscopy guidance. The rabbits were sacrificed either 1 day or 7 days after injecting the contrast agents, and the tissue reaction of the bronchi and lungs were examined both macro-and microscopically. The level of alveolar septal thickening, peribronchiolar lymphocytic infiltration, pulmonary congestion and edema, inflammatory exudate in the alveoli or bronchiolar lumina, microabscess formation, necrosis, pigmentation of materials injected, and fibropurulent pleurisy were evaluated and graded according to the severity as follows: no change, mild, moderate, marked in degree. The common microscopic findings were alveolar septal thickening and peribronchiolar lymphocytic infiltration. Pulmonary congestion and edema, inflammatory exudate in the alveoli of bronchiolar lumina were observed in 21 out of 24 rabbits receiving the contrast agents. Pigmentation of the materials injected was observed only in the group receiving Solotop. An inflammatory exudate in the alveoli and bronchiolar/bronchial lumina, microabscess formation, and necrosis were noted in most groups, but was more frequent and severe in the group receiving Gastrografin. The histopathological reactions of the rabbit lungs after the intrabronchial application of a contrast agent showed variable degrees of inflammatory reaction. Gastrografin produced most severe and extensive reaction, Solotop

  16. Factores de protección ante el uso de tabaco y alcohol en jóvenes menores de edad

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. ARBINAGA IBARZÁBAL

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available El presente trabajo analiza el peso de 23 posibles factores de protección frente al inicio del consumo de tabaco y alcohol en jóvenes escolarizados. Se empleó una muestra de 112 sujetos menores de 18 años. Siete factores resultaron significativos (p<0,05: apego familiar, normas claras en la familia, alta autoestima, alto rendimiento escolar, cumplimiento de normas como ciudadano, normas claras en la escuela, autosatisfacción con el físico. Para el inicio en el consumo de alcohol se obtuvieron ocho factores significativos; apego familiar, normas claras en la familia, miedo a las drogas, alto rendimiento escolar, cumplimiento de normas como ciudadano, normas claras en la escuela, recibir buena formación en la escuela y búsqueda de consejo en la familia ante la realización nuevas actividades. Dichos factores resultaron afectados por las siguientes variables: sexo, antecedentes familiares y consumo en el grupo de iguales.

  17. Estudios histológico e histoquímico del sistema digestivo de la almeja catarina Argopecten ventricosus (Sowerby, 1842)

    OpenAIRE

    Cáceres, C.; Alarcón, F. J.

    2002-01-01

    Histological and histochemical studies on the digestive system of Argopecten ventricosus (Sowerby, 1842) was carried out. Lips show a ciliated columnar epithelium with glycoproteins and acid and alkaline phosphatases, and α-D glucosidase activity. Esophagus and lips epitheliums are similar. Acid and alkaline phosphatases, α-D glucosidase and leucil aminopeptidase activities were detected. The epithelium of the stomach is ciliated and contains glands which secrete glycoproteins. Acid and alkal...

  18. Evaluación y modificación del Sistema de Tratamiento de Aguas Residuales de la Planta de Matanza del ITCR en Santa Clara, San Carlos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alma Deloya Martínez

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available La planta de matanza de ganado vacuno y porcino del ITCR, Sede San Carlos, en Santa Clara, procesa en promedio 23 reses y 11 cerdos por día. El caudal de aguas residuales promedio generado durante el proceso de matanza varió de un máximo de 72 m3/día hasta un mínimo de 12 m3/día. Las aguas residuales son tratadas en un sistema de tratamiento biológico anaerobio, para controlar la contaminación del agua, según el Reglamento de vertido y reúso de aguas residuales. El sistema original consistió en un tanque de aireación y un sedimentador integrado al tanque de aireación. La aireación se suministraba por rotores mecánicos. Durante el desarrollo del proyecto, se encontró que el principal problema en la operación y control del sistema eran los sólidos suspendidos totales y los sólidos sedimentables, no presentándose problemas de calidad del efluente en términos de DBO, DQO y otros parámetros. Para solucionar el problema de los sólidos, en el efluente del sistema de tratamiento se modificó el sistema aerobio existente a un sistema anaerobio (para reducir la producción de sólidos, usando como ayuda del tratamiento un compuesto biológico, que actúa como floculante y coagulante, lo que mejora la sedimentación de los sólidos. Con la modificación del sistema, se alcanzaron eficiencias de remoción de los sólidos sedimentables en un 95%, de la demanda bioquímica de oxígeno DBO en un 83% y la DQO en un 75%, cumpliéndose con la normativa para todos los parámetros exigidos por el Ministerio de Salud.

  19. The conjugation-specific Die5 protein is required for development of the somatic nucleus in both Paramecium and Tetrahymena.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsuda, Atsushi; Shieh, Annie Wan-Yi; Chalker, Douglas L; Forney, James D

    2010-07-01

    Development in ciliated protozoa involves extensive genome reorganization within differentiating macronuclei, which shapes the somatic genome of the next vegetative generation. Major events of macronuclear differentiation include excision of internal eliminated sequences (IESs), chromosome fragmentation, and genome amplification. Proteins required for these events include those with homology throughout eukaryotes as well as proteins apparently unique to ciliates. In this study, we identified the ciliate-specific Defective in IES Excision 5 (DIE5) genes of Paramecium tetraurelia (PtDIE5) and Tetrahymena thermophila (TtDIE5) as orthologs that encode nuclear proteins expressed exclusively during development. Abrogation of PtDie5 protein (PtDie5p) function by RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated silencing or TtDie5p by gene disruption resulted in the failure of developing macronuclei to differentiate into new somatic nuclei. Tetrahymena DeltaDIE5 cells arrested late in development and failed to complete genome amplification, whereas RNAi-treated Paramecium cells highly amplified new macronuclear DNA before the failure in differentiation, findings that highlight clear differences in the biology of these distantly related species. Nevertheless, IES excision and chromosome fragmentation failed to occur in either ciliate, which strongly supports that Die5p is a critical player in these processes. In Tetrahymena, loss of zygotic expression during development was sufficient to block nuclear differentiation. This observation, together with the finding that knockdown of Die5p in Paramecium still allows genome amplification, indicates that this protein acts late in macronuclear development. Even though DNA rearrangements in these two ciliates look to be quite distinct, analysis of DIE5 establishes the action of a conserved mechanism within the genome reorganization pathway.

  20. The Conjugation-Specific Die5 Protein Is Required for Development of the Somatic Nucleus in both Paramecium and Tetrahymena▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsuda, Atsushi; Shieh, Annie Wan-Yi; Chalker, Douglas L.; Forney, James D.

    2010-01-01

    Development in ciliated protozoa involves extensive genome reorganization within differentiating macronuclei, which shapes the somatic genome of the next vegetative generation. Major events of macronuclear differentiation include excision of internal eliminated sequences (IESs), chromosome fragmentation, and genome amplification. Proteins required for these events include those with homology throughout eukaryotes as well as proteins apparently unique to ciliates. In this study, we identified the ciliate-specific Defective in IES Excision 5 (DIE5) genes of Paramecium tetraurelia (PtDIE5) and Tetrahymena thermophila (TtDIE5) as orthologs that encode nuclear proteins expressed exclusively during development. Abrogation of PtDie5 protein (PtDie5p) function by RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated silencing or TtDie5p by gene disruption resulted in the failure of developing macronuclei to differentiate into new somatic nuclei. Tetrahymena ΔDIE5 cells arrested late in development and failed to complete genome amplification, whereas RNAi-treated Paramecium cells highly amplified new macronuclear DNA before the failure in differentiation, findings that highlight clear differences in the biology of these distantly related species. Nevertheless, IES excision and chromosome fragmentation failed to occur in either ciliate, which strongly supports that Die5p is a critical player in these processes. In Tetrahymena, loss of zygotic expression during development was sufficient to block nuclear differentiation. This observation, together with the finding that knockdown of Die5p in Paramecium still allows genome amplification, indicates that this protein acts late in macronuclear development. Even though DNA rearrangements in these two ciliates look to be quite distinct, analysis of DIE5 establishes the action of a conserved mechanism within the genome reorganization pathway. PMID:20495055

  1. Remodeling of bovine oviductal epithelium by mitosis of secretory cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Sayaka; Kobayashi, Yoshihiko; Yamamoto, Yuki; Kimura, Koji; Okuda, Kiyoshi

    2016-11-01

    Two types of oviductal epithelial cells, secretory and ciliated, play crucial roles in the first days after fertilization in mammals. Secretory cells produce various molecules promoting embryo development, while ciliated cells facilitate transport of oocytes and zygotes by ciliary beating. The proportions of the two cell types change during the estrous cycle. The proportion of ciliated cells on the oviductal luminal surface is abundant at the follicular phase, whereas the proportion of secretory cells gradually increases with the formation of the corpus luteum. In the present study, we hypothesize that the proportions of ciliated and secretory epithelial cells are regulated by mitosis. The proportion of the cells being positive for FOXJ1 (a ciliated cell marker) or Ki67 (a mitosis marker) in epithelial cells during the estrous cycle were immunohistochemically examined. Ki67 and FOXJ1 or PAX8 (a secretory cell marker), were double-stained to clarify which types of epithelial cells undergo mitosis. In the ampulla, the percentage of FOXJ1-positive cells was highest at the day of ovulation (Day 0) and decreased by about 50 % by Days 8-12, while in the isthmus it did not change during the estrous cycle. The proportion of Ki67-positive cells was highest at around the time of ovulation in both the ampulla and isthmus. All the Ki67-positive cells were PAX8-positive and FOXJ1-negative in both the ampulla and isthmus. These findings suggest that epithelial remodeling, which is regulated by differentiation and/or proliferation of secretory cells of the oviduct, provides the optimal environment for gamete transport, fertilization and embryonic development.

  2. Composition, diversity and distribution of microbenthos across the intertidal zones of Ryazhkov Island (the White Sea).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azovsky, Andrey; Saburova, Maria; Tikhonenkov, Denis; Khazanova, Ksenya; Esaulov, Anton; Mazei, Yuri

    2013-11-01

    The composition and distribution of the main unicellular eukaryotic groups (diatom algae, ciliates, dinoflagellates (DF), other phototrophic (PF) and heterotrophic flagellates (HF)) were investigated in sandy sediments at five stations allocated across the tidal sheltered beach of the White Sea. Overall, 75 diatoms, 98 ciliates, 16 DF, 3 PF and 34 HF species were identified; some are new records for the White Sea. Common species for each group are illustrated. Diatoms and ciliates showed high alpha-diversity (species richness per sample), whereas flagellates were characterized by high beta-diversity (species turnover across the intertidal flat). Each group demonstrated its own spatial pattern that was best matched with its own subset of abiotic variables, reflecting group-specific responses to environmental gradients. Species richness increased from the upper intertidal zone seaward for ciliates but decreased for HF, whereas autotrophs showed a relatively uniform pattern with a slight peak at the mid-intertidal zone. Across the littoral zone, all groups showed distinct compositional changes; however, the position of the boundary between "upper" and "lower" intertidal communities varied among groups. Most of the species found at Ryazhkov Island are known from many other regions worldwide, indicating a wide geographic distribution of microbial eukaryotic species. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  3. The infection of chicken tracheal epithelial cells with a H6N1 avian influenza virus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ching-I Shen

    Full Text Available Sialic acids (SAs linked to galactose (Gal in α2,3- and α2,6-configurations are the receptors for avian and human influenza viruses, respectively. We demonstrate that chicken tracheal ciliated cells express α2,3-linked SA, while goblet cells mainly express α2,6-linked SA. In addition, the plant lectin MAL-II, but not MAA/MAL-I, is bound to the surface of goblet cells, suggesting that SA2,3-linked oligosaccharides with Galβ1-3GalNAc subterminal residues are specifically present on the goblet cells. Moreover, both α2,3- and α2,6-linked SAs are detected on single tracheal basal cells. At a low multiplicity of infection (MOI avian influenza virus H6N1 is exclusively detected in the ciliated cells, suggesting that the ciliated cell is the major target cell of the H6N1 virus. At a MOI of 1, ciliated, goblet and basal cells are all permissive to the AIV infection. This result clearly elucidates the receptor distribution for the avian influenza virus among chicken tracheal epithelial cells and illustrates a primary cell model for evaluating the cell tropisms of respiratory viruses in poultry.

  4. Et fast greb i rebet

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Degerbøl, Stine Klein

    2012-01-01

    The article concerns the lived experiences of Clara practicing to become a contemporary circus artist. Clara’s narratives reflect contemporary circus as a movement pedagogical practice in relation to aesthetic learning and in relation to the aims of the circus performer education itself. Furtherm......The article concerns the lived experiences of Clara practicing to become a contemporary circus artist. Clara’s narratives reflect contemporary circus as a movement pedagogical practice in relation to aesthetic learning and in relation to the aims of the circus performer education itself...... the establishment of contemporary circus schools. Clara´s narratives are the empirical touchstones while body phenomenology and narrativity are the main inspirations theoretically and methodologically....

  5. Cyc17, a meiosis-specific cyclin, is essential for anaphase initiation and chromosome segregation in Tetrahymena thermophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Guan-Xiong; Dang, Huai; Tian, Miao; Zhang, Jing; Shodhan, Anura; Ning, Ying-Zhi; Xiong, Jie; Miao, Wei

    2016-07-17

    Although the role of cyclins in controlling nuclear division is well established, their function in ciliate meiosis remains unknown. In ciliates, the cyclin family has undergone massive expansion which suggests that diverse cell cycle systems exist, and this warrants further investigation. A screen for cyclins in the model ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila showed that there are 34 cyclins in this organism. Only 1 cyclin, Cyc17, contains the complete cyclin core and is specifically expressed during meiosis. Deletion of CYC17 led to meiotic arrest at the diakinesis-like metaphase I stage. Expression of genes involved in DNA metabolism and chromosome organization (chromatin remodeling and basic chromosomal structure) was repressed in cyc17 knockout matings. Further investigation suggested that Cyc17 is involved in regulating spindle pole attachment, and is thus essential for chromosome segregation at meiosis. These findings suggest a simple model in which chromosome segregation is influenced by Cyc17.

  6. Clear cell and endometrioid carcinomas: are their differences attributable to distinct cells of origin?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cochrane, Dawn R; Tessier-Cloutier, Basile; Lawrence, Katherine M; Nazeran, Tayyebeh; Karnezis, Anthony N; Salamanca, Clara; Cheng, Angela S; McAlpine, Jessica N; Hoang, Lien N; Gilks, C Blake; Huntsman, David G

    2017-09-01

    Endometrial epithelium is the presumed tissue of origin for both eutopic and endometriosis-derived clear cell and endometrioid carcinomas. We had previously hypothesized that the morphological, biological and clinical differences between these carcinomas are due to histotype-specific mutations. Although some mutations and genomic landscape features are more likely to be found in one of these histotypes, we were not able to identify a single class of mutations that was exclusively present in one histotype and not the other. This lack of genomic differences led us to an alternative hypothesis that these cancers could arise from distinct cells of origin within endometrial tissue, and that it is the cellular context that accounts for their differences. In a proteomic screen, we identified cystathionine γ-lyase (CTH) as a marker for clear cell carcinoma, as it is expressed at high levels in clear cell carcinomas of the ovary and endometrium. In the current study, we analysed normal Müllerian tissues, and found that CTH is expressed in ciliated cells of endometrium (both eutopic endometrium and endometriosis) and fallopian tubes. We then demonstrated that other ciliated cell markers are expressed in clear cell carcinomas, whereas endometrial secretory cell markers are expressed in endometrioid carcinomas. The same differential staining of secretory and ciliated cells was demonstrable in a three-dimensional organoid culture system, in which stem cells were stimulated to differentiate into an admixture of secretory and ciliated cells. These data suggest that endometrioid carcinomas are derived from cells of the secretory cell lineage, whereas clear cell carcinomas are derived from, or have similarities to, cells of the ciliated cell lineage. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. Clinicopathological findings in symptomatic Rathke's cleft cyst. Correlation between enhancement effects on MRI and histopathology of the cyst wall

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niwa, Jun; Tanabe, Sumiyoshi; Ibayashi, Yukihiro; Hashi, Kazuo; Satoh, Masaaki

    1996-01-01

    We have studied MR images and the histopathology of eight patients with symptomatic Rathke's cleft cysts. Six cases showed visual disturbance and two showed galactorrhea. In five, the cyst fluid had low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and high intensity on T2-weighted images; in 2, the cyst fluid had high intensity on both T1- and T2-weighted images; in 1, the cyst fluid had high intensity on T1-weighted images and low intensity on T2-weighted images. Enhancement of the cyst wall by Gd-DTPA was able to be distinguished in 6 patients: 2 showed no enhancement, 2 showed thin enhancement and the remaining 2, thick enhancement. Fluid aspiration and total resection of the cyst wall was performed in all patients (3 by the transcranial approach and 5 by the transsphenoidal approach). Normal pituitary glands were found in all cases during the operations. Histopathologically, ciliated epithelium with goblet cells was recognized in 3. Non-ciliated epithelium was recognized in the other 5. Stratified squamous component was recognized in 1 and secondary inflammation, in another. Normal pituitary tissue was recognized in 5. Immunohistochemically, ciliated and non-ciliated epithelium was successfully stained for detecting antibody against epithelial membrane antigen and/or carcinoembryonic antigen. Two cases with no enhancement of the cyst wall by Gd-DTPA showed only ciliated epithelium. Two patients with thin enhancement of the cyst wall had single layer epithelium with normal pituitary tissue. Two patients with thick enhancement of the cyst wall showed single layer epithelium with its stratified squamous component or with secondary inflammation. A close relationship was suggested between the enhancement effect on MRI and histopathology of the cyst wall. (author)

  8. Wildfire in the valley of the wild roses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linda Moon Stumpff

    2015-01-01

    Santa Clara Indian Pueblo lands are adjacent to the Jemez National Forest, Bandelier National Monument and Valles Caldera National Preserve. This paper explores Pueblo vulnerability and resilience after repeated and devastating fires in this century as a result of drought and climate change. Santa Clara Pueblo holds a rich store of traditional knowledge about the fire-...

  9. Protozoa and metazoa relations to technological conditions of non-woven textile filters for wastewater treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spychała, Marcin; Sowińska, Aleksandra; Starzyk, Justyna; Masłowski, Adam

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was a preliminary identification of basic groups of micro-organisms in the cross-sectional profile of geotextile filters for septic tank effluent (STE) treatment and their relations to technological conditions. Reactors with textile filters treating wastewater were investigated on a semi-technical scale. Filters were vertically situated and STE was filtered through them under hydrostatic pressure at a wastewater surface height of 7-20 cm. Filters were made of four layers of non-woven TS 20 geotextile of 0.9 mm thickness. Various groups of organisms were observed; the most abundant group comprised free-swimming and crawling ciliates, less abundant were stalked ciliates and the least numerous were nematodes. The individual counts of all groups of micro-organisms investigated during the study were variable according to time and space. The high abundance of Opercularia, a commonly observed genus of stalked ciliates, was related to the high efficiency of wastewater treatment and dissolved oxygen concentration of about 1.0 g/m3. Numbers of free-swimming and crawling ciliates had a tendency to decrease in relation to the depth of filter cross-sectional profile. The variability in counts of particular groups of organisms could be related to the local stress conditions. No correlation between identified organism count and total mass concentration in the cross-sectional filter profile was found.

  10. Coexistence via resource partitioning fails to generate an increase in community function.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John P DeLong

    Full Text Available Classic ecological theory suggests that resource partitioning facilitates the coexistence of species by reducing inter-specific competition. A byproduct of this process is an increase in overall community function, because a greater spectrum of resources can be used. In contrast, coexistence facilitated by neutral mechanisms is not expected to increase function. We studied coexistence in laboratory microcosms of the bactivorous ciliates Paramecium aurelia and Colpidium striatum to understand the relationship between function and coexistence mechanism. We quantified population and community-level function (biomass and oxygen consumption, competitive interactions, and resource partitioning. The two ciliates partitioned their bacterial resource along a size axis, with the larger ciliate consuming larger bacteria than the smaller ciliate. Despite this, there was no gain in function at the community level for either biomass or oxygen consumption, and competitive effects were symmetrical within and between species. Because other potential coexistence mechanisms can be ruled out, it is likely that inter-specific interference competition diminished the expected gain in function generated by resource partitioning, leading to a system that appeared competitively neutral even when structured by niche partitioning. We also analyzed several previous studies where two species of protists coexisted and found that the two-species communities showed a broad range of biomass levels relative to the single-species states.

  11. The luminal surface of thyroid cysts in SEM

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zelander, T; Kirkeby, S

    1978-01-01

    Four of the five kinds of cells constituting the walls of thyroid cysts can be identified in the SEM. These are cuboidal cells, mucous cells, cells with large granules and ciliated cells. A correlation between SEM and TEM observations is attempted.......Four of the five kinds of cells constituting the walls of thyroid cysts can be identified in the SEM. These are cuboidal cells, mucous cells, cells with large granules and ciliated cells. A correlation between SEM and TEM observations is attempted....

  12. Avian Influenza Virus Glycoproteins Restrict Virus Replication and Spread through Human Airway Epithelium at Temperatures of the Proximal Airways

    OpenAIRE

    Scull, Margaret A.; Gillim-Ross, Laura; Santos, Celia; Roberts, Kim L.; Bordonali, Elena; Subbarao, Kanta; Barclay, Wendy S.; Pickles, Raymond J.

    2009-01-01

    Transmission of avian influenza viruses from bird to human is a rare event even though avian influenza viruses infect the ciliated epithelium of human airways in vitro and ex vivo. Using an in vitro model of human ciliated airway epithelium (HAE), we demonstrate that while human and avian influenza viruses efficiently infect at temperatures of the human distal airways (37 degrees C), avian, but not human, influenza viruses are restricted for infection at the cooler temperatures of the human p...

  13. DCS Hydrology, Santa Clara County, California

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security — Hydrology data include spatial datasets and data tables necessary for documenting the hydrologic procedures for estimating flood discharges for a flood insurance...

  14. Responses of protists with different feeding habits to the changes of activated sludge conditions: a study based on biomass data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Bo; Qi, Rong; An, Wei; Yang, Min

    2012-01-01

    Changes of protists, which were categorized into different functional groups primarily according to their feeding habits, in two full-scale municipal wastewater treatment systems experiencing sludge bulking were investigated over a period of 14 months. Protist biomass represented 3.7% to 5.2% of total biomass on average under normal sludge conditions, and the percentage increased significantly (p protists. On the other hand, the bactivorous protists represented more than 96% of total protist biomass, and the biomass of this group, particularly the attached ciliates, increased significantly (p < 0.05) when sludge bulking occurred. The significant increase of the attached ciliates may have possibly facilitated the growth of filamentous bacteria through selectively preying on non-filamentous bacteria and further exacerbated sludge bulking. The redundancy analysis and correlation analysis results showed that the biomass changes of the attached ciliates were primarily related to the sludge volume index and to some extent related to five-day biochemical oxygen demand loading and hydraulic retention time.

  15. Ground-Water Quality Data in the Santa Clara River Valley Study Unit, 2007: Results from the California GAMA Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montrella, Joseph; Belitz, Kenneth

    2009-01-01

    Ground-water quality in the approximately 460-square-mile Santa Clara River Valley study unit (SCRV) was investigated from April to June 2007 as part of the statewide Priority Basin project of the Ground-Water Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basin project was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The study was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of the quality of raw ground water used for public water supplies within SCRV, and to facilitate a statistically consistent basis for comparing water quality throughout California. Fifty-seven ground-water samples were collected from 53 wells in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. Forty-two wells were selected using a randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study area (grid wells). Eleven wells (understanding wells) were selected to further evaluate water chemistry in particular parts of the study area, and four depth-dependent ground-water samples were collected from one of the eleven understanding wells to help understand the relation between water chemistry and depth. The ground-water samples were analyzed for a large number of synthetic organic constituents (volatile organic compounds [VOC], pesticides and pesticide degradates, potential wastewater-indicator compounds, and pharmaceutical compounds), a constituent of special interest (perchlorate), naturally occurring inorganic constituents (nutrients, major and minor ions, and trace elements), radioactive constituents, and microbial constituents. Naturally occurring isotopes (tritium, carbon-13, carbon-14 [abundance], stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in water, stable isotopes of nitrogen and oxygen in nitrate, chlorine-37, and bromine-81), and dissolved noble gases also were measured to help identify the source

  16. Acquired phototrophy in Mesodinium and Dinophysis – A review of cellular organization, prey selectivity, nutrient uptake and bioenergetics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Per Juel; Nielsen, Lasse Tor; Johnson, Matthew

    2013-01-01

    Acquired phototrophy, i.e. the use of chloroplasts from ingested prey, can be found among some species of dinoflagellates and ciliates. The best studied examples of this phenomenon in these groups are within the ciliate genus Mesodinium and the dinoflagellate genus Dinophysis, both ecologically...... growth. Both Mesodinium and Dinophysis spp. can survive for months in the light without food. The potential role for modeling in exploring the complex balance of phototrophy and phago-heterotrophy, and its ecological implications for the mixotroph and their prey, is discussed....

  17. Five-year clinical and functional multislice computed tomography angiographic results after coronary implantation of the fully resorbable polymeric everolimus-eluting scaffold in patients with de novo coronary artery disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Onuma, Yoshinobu; Dudek, Dariusz; Thuesen, Leif

    2013-01-01

    This study sought to demonstrate the 5-year clinical and functional multislice computed tomography angiographic results after implantation of the fully resorbable everolimus-eluting scaffold (Absorb BVS, Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, California).......This study sought to demonstrate the 5-year clinical and functional multislice computed tomography angiographic results after implantation of the fully resorbable everolimus-eluting scaffold (Absorb BVS, Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, California)....

  18. Effect of Entodinium caudatum on starch intake and glycogen formation by Eudiplodinium maggii in the rumen and reticulum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bełżecki, Grzegorz; McEwan, Neil R; Kowalik, Barbara; Michałowski, Tadeusz; Miltko, Renata

    2017-02-01

    This study aimed to quantify the engulfed starch and reserve α-glucans (glycogen) in the cells of the ciliates Eudiplodinium maggii, as well the α-glucans in defaunated and selectively faunated sheep. The content of starch inside the cell of ciliates varied from 21 to 183mg/g protozoal DM relative to the rumen fauna composition whereas, the glycogen fluctuated between 17 and 126mg/g dry matter (DM) of this ciliate species. Establishment of the population Entodinium caudatum in the rumen of sheep already faunated with E. maggii caused a drop in both types of quantified carbohydrates. The content of α-glucans in the rumen of defaunated sheep varied from 4.4 to 19.9mg/g DM and increased to 7.4-29.9 or 11.8-33.9mg/g DM of rumen contents in the presence of only E. maggii or E. maggii and E. caudatum, respectively. The lowest content of the carbohydrates was always found just before feeding and the highest at 4h thereafter. The α-glucans in the reticulum varied 7.5-40.1, 14.3-76.8 or 21.9-106.1mg/g DM of reticulum content for defaunated, monofaunated or bifaunated sheep, respectively. The results indicated that both ciliate species engulf starch granules and convert the digestion products to the glycogen, diminishing the pool of starch available for amylolytic bacteria. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  19. A new index for characterizing micro-bead motion in a flow induced by ciliary beating: Part II, modeling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mathieu Bottier

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Mucociliary clearance is one of the major lines of defense of the human respiratory system. The mucus layer coating the airways is constantly moved along and out of the lung by the activity of motile cilia, expelling at the same time particles trapped in it. The efficiency of the cilia motion can experimentally be assessed by measuring the velocity of micro-beads traveling through the fluid surrounding the cilia. Here we present a mathematical model of the fluid flow and of the micro-beads motion. The coordinated movement of the ciliated edge is represented as a continuous envelope imposing a periodic moving velocity boundary condition on the surrounding fluid. Vanishing velocity and vanishing shear stress boundary conditions are applied to the fluid at a finite distance above the ciliated edge. The flow field is expanded in powers of the amplitude of the individual cilium movement. It is found that the continuous component of the horizontal velocity at the ciliated edge generates a 2D fluid velocity field with a parabolic profile in the vertical direction, in agreement with the experimental measurements. Conversely, we show than this model can be used to extract microscopic properties of the cilia motion by extrapolating the micro-bead velocity measurement at the ciliated edge. Finally, we derive from these measurements a scalar index providing a direct assessment of the cilia beating efficiency. This index can easily be measured in patients without any modification of the current clinical procedures.

  20. Severe scuticociliate (Philasterides dicentrarchi) infection in a population of sea dragons (Phycodurus eques and Phyllopteryx taeniolatus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossteuscher, S; Wenker, C; Jermann, T; Wahli, T; Oldenberg, E; Schmidt-Posthaus, H

    2008-07-01

    Scuticociliatosis is a disease of fish induced by ciliated parasites of the genus Scuticociliatida. It has been described in sea horses (Hippocampus sp.), flounders (Paralichthys olivaceus), and turbots (Scophthalmus maximus). Here we present a case study of a population of sea dragons chronically infected with scuticociliates identified as Philasterides dicentrarchi by histopathology and PCR. Beginning in 2004, over a period of 19 months, 10 sea dragons (Phycodurus eques and Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) were found dead in an aquarium of the Zoological Garden Basle, Switzerland. Clinically, the animals showed only faint symptoms of disease over a short period of time. At necropsy, macroscopic lesions were confined to the skin with multiple, often hemorrhagic, ulcerations. Histologically, epidermal ulcers were associated with necrosis and inflammation of the underlying dermis and musculature. Numerous ciliates, with a morphology consistent with scuticociliates, were present in these lesions. In several animals these ciliates had invaded blood vessels and were detected in gills and internal organs including kidney, thyroid gland, and central nervous system (CNS). In these organs, mild degenerative lesions and inflammatory reactions were evident. The ciliates were identified as Philasterides dicentrarchi based on small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSUrRNA) gene sequences obtained by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on DNA extracted from paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Our report shows that scuticociliate infections of sea dragons can develop into a systemic infection and that both species of sea dragons can be affected.

  1. Taxonomy and Physiology of un-wanted bacterial flora in activated sludge process. Study in a pilot plant; Taxonomia y fisiologia de la flora bacteriana indeseable en el proceso de fangos activados. Estudio de una plant piloto

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berrocal Escobar, M.; Lopez Fernandez, C. L.; Arias Fernandez, M. E.; Perez Leblic, M. I.; Zapatero Martin, I.; Leton Garcia, P.; Garcia Calvo, E. [Universidad de Alcala de Henares. Madrid (Spain); Aznar Munoz, R.; Rodriguez Medina, P. [Departamento Tecnico y de Calidad de Seragua, S.A. Madrid (Spain)

    1998-12-31

    The activated sludge used in the wastewater depuration in treatment plants could be considered as an artificial microbial ecosystem in balance. In this community which is constituted by free and flocculated bacteria, protozoa, rotifers, nematodes and a few other invertebrates, the stability of the system is maintained by the continuous food competition. The breakdown of this stability due to a high proliferation of filametous bacteria drive to the phenomenon called bulking. Nowadays, to avoid bulking is one of the main objectives in research because is the main cause of the malfunction of wastewater depuration interfering with compaction, settling, thickening and, concentration of activated sludge. In the present work, a taxonomical and physiological study of the microbial community which carries out the cleaning of wastewater in an activated sludge system has been performed by using an airlift bioreactor working in continuous. Activated sludge coming from a conventional wastewater plant was used as inoculum (starter culture). The nutritional conditions and bioreactor system parameters in which the filamentous bacteria grow in excess have been established. Several of filamentous bacteria responsible for bulking have been identified: Sphaerotilus natans, type 021N, Nocardia spp., Microthrix parvicella, Thiotrix I, Thiotrix II, type 0803, type 0581, Nostocoida limicola I and III and, type 1863. In addition, protozoa of groups involved in the depuration process (free-swimming ciliates, attached ciliates, crawling ciliates, carnivorous ciliates, flagellates and amoebae) were observed as well as rotifer and nematode populations. (Author) 13 refs.

  2. On combinatorial properties of elementary intramolecular operations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladimir Rogojin

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Here we tackle a problem from biology in terms of discrete mathematics. We are interested in a complex DNA manipulation process happening in eukaryotic organisms of a subclass of ciliate species called {\\it Stichotrichia} during so-called gene assembly. This process is in particular interesting since one can interpret gene assembly in ciliates as sorting of permutations. We survey here results related to studies on sorting permutations with some specific rewriting rules that formalize elementary intramolecular gene assembly operations. The research question is ``what permutation may be sorted with our operations?"

  3. The effects of high dose of two manganese supplements (organic and inorganic) on the rumen microbial ecosystem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kišidayová, Svetlana; Pristaš, Peter; Zimovčáková, Michaela; Blanár Wencelová, Monika; Homol'ová, Lucia; Mihaliková, Katarína; Čobanová, Klaudia; Grešáková, Ľubomíra; Váradyová, Zora

    2018-01-01

    Little is known about the effects of the high dose and types of manganese supplements on rumen environment at manganese intake level close above the limit of 150 mg/kg of dry feed matter. The effects of high dose of two manganese supplements (organic and inorganic) on rumen microbial ecosystem after four months of treatment of 18 lambs divided into three treatment groups were studied. We examined the enzyme activities (α-amylase, xylanase, and carboxymethyl cellulase), total and differential microscopic counts of rumen ciliates, total microscopic counts of bacteria, and fingerprinting pattern of the eubacterial and ciliates population analyzed by PCR-DGGE. Lambs were fed a basal diet with a basal Mn content (34.3 mg/kg dry matter; control) and supplemented either with inorganic manganous sulfate or organic Mn-chelate hydrate (daily 182.7, 184 mg/kg dry matter of feed, respectively). Basal diet, offered twice daily, consisted of ground barley and hay (268 and 732 g/kg dry matter per animal and day). The rumens of the lambs harbored ciliates of the genera of Entodinium, Epidinium, Diplodinium, Eudiplodinium, Dasytricha, and Isotricha. No significant differences between treatment groups were observed in the total ciliate number, the number of ciliates at the genus level, as well as the total number of bacteria. Organic Mn did decrease the species richness and diversity of the eubacterial population examined by PCR-DGGE. No effects of type of Mn supplement on the enzyme activities were observed. In comparison to the control, α-amylase specific activities were decreased and carboxymethyl-cellulase specific activities were increased by the Mn supplements. Xylanase activities were not influenced. In conclusion, our results suggested that the intake of tested inorganic and organic manganese supplements in excess may affect the specific groups of eubacteria. More studies on intake of Mn supplements at a level close to the limit can reveal if the changes in microbial

  4. The effect of dietary vitamin A on NO2 exposure on the hamster lung

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, J.C.

    1978-01-01

    The effect of dietary vitamin A and NO2 exposure on the hamster lung was evaluated by histopathology, electron microscopy, and thymidine uptake studies. Hamsters were maintained on deficient (0 micrograms), adequate (100 micrograms), and high (200 micrograms) dose levels of vitamin A while being exposed repeatedly to 10 ppm of NO2 for 5 hours once a week over an 8-week period. Hamsters of the deficient group exhibited clinical and morphologic changes characteristic of vitamin A deficiency. Animals maintained on adequate and high dose levels of vitamin A were not affected by vitamin A deficiency. Hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the epithelial cells of the terminal bronchiolar alveolar region of lungs of adequately and highly dosed animals were greater than those observed in the deficient animals, when NO2 exposure was given. However, the extent of the lesions observed in all three groups was less than that seen in normal hamsters given a single, 5-hour NO2 exposure. Ultrastructural changes observed in vitamin A-deficient hamsters exposed to NO2 were hypertrophy and hyperplasia of bronchiolar epithelial cells, diffuse loss of cilia, membrane damage, and mitochondrial damage manifested by calcium deposition. Tritiated thymidine uptake studies of lungs of animals exposed repeatedly revealed a rather erratic cell renewal pattern following NO2 exposure in comparison to the group of animals exposed singly

  5. Sex determination: ciliates' self-censorship.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloomfield, Gareth

    2014-07-07

    Differentiation involves the expression of certain latent cellular characteristics and the repression of others. A new study has revealed how Paramecium uses short RNAs to delete information from the somatic genome of one of its two sexes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Fibrosing organising pneumonia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beardsley, Brooke; Rassl, Doris

    2013-10-01

    Organising pneumonia (otherwise referred to as bronchiolitis obliterans organising pneumonia) is characterised histologically by plugs of granulation tissue, which are present predominantly within small airways, alveolar ducts and peri-bronchiolar alveoli. This pattern is not specific for any disorder or cause, but is one type of inflammatory response to pulmonary injury, which may be seen in a wide variety of clinical conditions. Typically, organising pneumonia responds very well to corticosteroid treatment; however, a small percentage of patients appear to develop progressive fibrosis.

  7. Parasitismo intestinal en manipuladores de alimentos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Nicolás Gómez Vital

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available El parasitismo intestinal representa un significativo problema en la salud mundial. Se realiza un estudio epidemiológico descriptivo en manipuladores de alimentos de los principales centros de elaboración de la ciudad de Santa Clara, provincia Villa Clara, durante 1998. Los enteroparásitos patógenos encontrados por orden de frecuencia fueron la Giardia lamblia y la Entamoeba hitolytica; detectados por método directo y de ritchie para dichos parásitos. La técnica de kato katz fue más eficaz para el diagnóstico de los geohelmintos. Se resalta la función del personal médico en centros de trabajo.Intestinal parasitism is a significant problem for world health. An epidemiological and descriptive study was conducted among food handlers at the main centers of elaboration in the city of Santa Clara, Villa Clara province, during 1998. The pathogenic enteroparasites found by order of frequency were Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba hitolytica, which were detected by using Ritchie's and direct method for such parasites. The Katokatz's technique was more efficient for the diagnosis of geohelminth. It was underlined the function of the medical team at the working centers.

  8. Parasitismo intestinal en círculos infantiles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Gómez Vital

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available Se estudiaron 1 113 niños asistentes a 5 círculos infantiles del municipio de Santa Clara, Villa Clara; con el propósito de analizar la incidencia de parasitismo intestinal. Se les procesaron las muestras de heces fecales mediante 3 métodos coproparasitológicos; demostrándose que el 42,2 % de la muestra estaba parasitada. Las especies más frecuentes fueron la Giardia lamblia, el Enterobius vermicularis y la Entamoeba histolytica, con asociaciones de parásitos en varios casos. Estos son más frecuentes a partir del tercer año de vida. Se resalta la influencia positiva del médico y enfermera de la familia en estas instituciones.1 113 children attending 5 day cae centers in Santa Clara, Villa Clara, were studied aimed at analyzing the incidence of intestinal parasitism. Faeces samples were processed by 3 coproparasitological methods and it was proved that 42.2 % of the samples had parasites. The most frequent species found were Giardia lamblia, enterobius vernmicularis and Entamoeba histolytica with associations of parasites in several cases. These are commoner from the third year of life on. The positive influence of the family physician and nurse in these institutions are stressed.

  9. Particle sorting by Paramecium cilia arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayne, Richard; Whiting, James G H; Wheway, Gabrielle; Melhuish, Chris; Adamatzky, Andrew

    Motile cilia are cell-surface organelles whose purposes, in ciliated protists and certain ciliated metazoan epithelia, include generating fluid flow, sensing and substance uptake. Certain properties of cilia arrays, such as beating synchronisation and manipulation of external proximate particulate matter, are considered emergent, but remain incompletely characterised despite these phenomena having being the subject of extensive modelling. This study constitutes a laboratory experimental characterisation of one of the emergent properties of motile cilia: manipulation of adjacent particulates. The work demonstrates through automated videomicrographic particle tracking that interactions between microparticles and somatic cilia arrays of the ciliated model organism Paramecium caudatum constitute a form of rudimentary 'sorting'. Small particles are drawn into the organism's proximity by cilia-induced fluid currents at all times, whereas larger particles may be held immobile at a distance from the cell margin when the cell generates characteristic feeding currents in the surrounding media. These findings can contribute to the design and fabrication of biomimetic cilia, with potential applications to the study of ciliopathies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Genus-specific PCR Primers Targeting Intracellular Parasite Euduboscquella (Dinoflagellata: Syndinea)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Jae-Ho; Choi, Jung Min; Kim, Young-Ok

    2018-03-01

    We designed a genus-specific primer pair targeting the intracellular parasite Euduboscquella. To increase target specificity and inhibit untargeted PCR, two nucleotides were added at the 3' end of the reverse primer, one being a complementary nucleotide to the Euduboscquella-specific SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) and the other a deliberately mismatched nucleotide. Target specificity of the primer set was verified experimentally using PCR of two Euduboscquella species (positive controls) and 15 related species (negative controls composed of ciliates, diatoms and dinoflagellates), and analytical comparison with SILVA SSU rRNA gene database (release 119) in silico. In addition, we applied the Euduboscquella-specific primer set to four environmental samples previously determined by cytological staining to be either positive or negative for Euduboscquella. As expected, only positive controls and environmental samples known to contain Euduboscquella were successfully amplified by the primer set. An inferred SSU rRNA gene phylogeny placed environmental samples containing aloricate ciliates infected by Euduboscquella in a cluster discrete from Euduboscquella groups a-d previously reported from loricate, tintinnid ciliates.

  11. Stress and Protists: No life without stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slaveykova, Vera; Sonntag, Bettina; Gutiérrez, Juan Carlos

    2016-08-01

    We report a summary of the symposium "Stress and Protists: No life without stress", which was held in September 2015 on the VII European Congress of Protistology in partnership with the International Society of Protistologists (Seville, Spain). We present an overview on general comments and concepts on cellular stress which can be also applied to any protist. Generally, various environmental stressors may induce similar cell responses in very different protists. Two main topics are reported in this manuscript: (i) metallic nanoparticles as environmental pollutants and stressors for aquatic protists, and (ii) ultraviolet radiation - induced stress and photoprotective strategies in ciliates. Model protists such as Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Tetrahymena thermophila were used to assess stress caused by nanoparticles while stress caused by ultraviolet radiation was tested with free living planktonic ciliates as well as with the symbiont-bearing model ciliate Paramecium bursaria. For future studies, we suggest more intensive analyses on protist stress responses to specific environmental abiotic and/or biotic stressors at molecular and genetic levels up to ecological consequences and food web dynamics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  12. A novel mitochondrial nuclease-associated protein: a major executor of the programmed nuclear death in Tetrahymena thermophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osada, Eriko; Akematsu, Takahiko; Asano, Tomoya; Endoh, Hiroshi

    2014-03-01

    Programmed nuclear death (PND) in the ciliate Tetrahymena is an apoptosis-like phenomenon that occurs in a restricted space of cytoplasm during conjugation. In the process, only the parental macronucleus is selectively eliminated from the progeny cytoplasm, in conjunction with differentiation of new macronuclei for the next generation. For the last decade, mitochondria have been elucidated to be a crucial executioner like apoptosis: apoptosis-inducing factor and yet-unidentified nucleases localised in mitochondria are major factors for PND. To identify such nucleases, we performed a DNase assay in a PAGE (SDS-DNA-PAGE) using total mitochondrial proteins. Some proteins showed DNase activity, but particularly a 17 kDa protein exhibited the highest and predominant activity. Mass spectrometric analysis revealed a novel mitochondrial nuclease, named TMN1, whose homologue has been discovered only in the ciliate Paramecium tetraurelia, but not in other eukaryotes. Gene disruption of TMN1 led to a drastic reduction of mitochondrial nuclease activity and blocked nuclear degradation during conjugation, but did not affect accumulation of autophagic and lysosomal machinery around the parental macronucleus. These observations strongly suggest that the mitochondrial nuclease-associated protein plays a key role in PND as a major executor. Taking the novel protein specific to ciliates in consideration, Tetrahymena would have diverted a different protein from common apoptotic factors shared in eukaryotes to PND in the course of ciliate evolution. © 2014 Société Française des Microscopies and Société de Biologie Cellulaire de France. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Abundance and size structure of planktonic protist communities in a Neotropical floodplain: effects of top-down and bottom-up controls

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bianca Ramos de Meira

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: Aim: We aimed to assess the influence of bottom-up and top-down control mechanisms on the abundance and size structure of protist communities (heterotrophic flagellates and ciliates. We formulated the following hypothesis: bottom-up control mechanisms, related to the availability of resources in the environment, are responsible for structuring the abundance of these communities, whereas top-down control mechanisms, related to predation effects, determine the size pattern of these organisms. Methods Samples for planktonic organisms were taken in 20 shallow lakes belonging to the upper Paraná River floodplain. We evaluated linear regression models to select the best model which predicts the patterns observed according to Akaike Information Criterion. Results The best models selected to explain the abundance of heterotrophic flagellates included negative relations with picophytoplankton abundance and positive with rotifers abundance, while for their size structure, negative relationships were found with heterotrophic bacteria, ciliates and rotifers biovolumes. In relation to the ciliates, their abundances were positively related to the rotifers and picophytoplankton abundances and negatively with the heterotrophic bacteria abundance. On the other hand, for the size structure, the best models selected strong negative relations with the microcrustaceans biovolumes, in addition to relations with the different fractions of the phytoplankton. Conclusion For both flagellates and ciliates, their abundance is being mainly regulated by a bottom up control mechanism, whereas for the size structure the results showed that both food resources and predators were important, indicating that bottom-up and top-down mechanisms act simultaneously in determining the size of these microorganisms.

  14. Lectin histochemical evaluation of glycoconjugates in dog efferent ductules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wakui, S; Furusato, M; Takahashi, H; Motoya, M; Ushigome, S

    1996-06-01

    Glycoconjugates in the epithelial cells of the efferent ductules in the dog were investigated using lectin histochemistry. These ductules connect the extratesticular rete with the epididymis. The epithelium of the ductules consisted both of ciliated and nonciliated cells. Whereas the apical zone of ciliated cells showed selective binding with WGA, SWGA, SNA, MAA and neuraminidase-PNA, that of nonciliated cells bound to all lectins used in the present study: WGA, SWGA, SNA, MAA, PNA, neuraminidase-PNA, RCA1, DBA and SBA. The nonciliated cells were divided into 3 types: type A cells which lacked both specific granules and vacuoles, type B cells which were characterised by a few specific apical vacuoles and many large specific granules, and type C cells which were characterised by some specific apical vacuoles and small basal granules. The specific granules and vacuoles of type B cells showed binding with WGA, SWGA and MAA. The specific granules of type C cells showed binding with WGA, SWGA, SNA, MAA, PNA and neuraminidase-PNA, while their specific vacuoles showed binding with WGA, SWGA, SNA and MAA. The Golgi zone both of ciliated and type A cells did not bind with any lectins used in this study, while type B and C cells showed similar lectin binding patterns between the Golgi zone and their specific granules. Specific lectin binding patterns revealed a different carbohydrate composition of each type of cell, indicating a biological difference between the ciliated cells and the 3 types of nonciliated cells in dog efferent ductules.

  15. Disentangling the Taxonomy of Rickettsiales and Description of Two Novel Symbionts ("Candidatus Bealeia paramacronuclearis" and "Candidatus Fokinia cryptica") Sharing the Cytoplasm of the Ciliate Protist Paramecium biaurelia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szokoli, Franziska; Castelli, Michele; Sabaneyeva, Elena; Schrallhammer, Martina; Krenek, Sascha; Doak, Thomas G; Berendonk, Thomas U; Petroni, Giulio

    2016-12-15

    In the past 10 years, the number of endosymbionts described within the bacterial order Rickettsiales has constantly grown. Since 2006, 18 novel Rickettsiales genera inhabiting protists, such as ciliates and amoebae, have been described. In this work, we characterize two novel bacterial endosymbionts from Paramecium collected near Bloomington, IN. Both endosymbiotic species inhabit the cytoplasm of the same host. The Gram-negative bacterium "Candidatus Bealeia paramacronuclearis" occurs in clumps and is frequently associated with the host macronucleus. With its electron-dense cytoplasm and a distinct halo surrounding the cell, it is easily distinguishable from the second smaller symbiont, "Candidatus Fokinia cryptica," whose cytoplasm is electron lucid, lacks a halo, and is always surrounded by a symbiontophorous vacuole. For molecular characterization, the small-subunit rRNA genes were sequenced and used for taxonomic assignment as well as the design of species-specific oligonucleotide probes. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that "Candidatus Bealeia paramacronuclearis" clusters with the so-called "basal" Rickettsiales, and "Candidatus Fokinia cryptica" belongs to "Candidatus Midichloriaceae." We obtained tree topologies showing a separation of Rickettsiales into at least two groups: one represented by the families Rickettsiaceae, Anaplasmataceae, and "Candidatus Midichloriaceae" (RAM clade), and the other represented by "basal Rickettsiales," including "Candidatus Bealeia paramacronuclearis." Therefore, and in accordance with recent publications, we propose to limit the order Rickettsiales to the RAM clade and to raise "basal Rickettsiales" to an independent order, Holosporales ord. nov., inside Alphaproteobacteria, which presently includes four family-level clades. Additionally, we define the family "Candidatus Hepatincolaceae" and redefine the family Holosporaceae IMPORTANCE: In this paper, we provide the characterization of two novel bacterial symbionts

  16. Floods of December 1966 in southwestern Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butler, Elmer; Mundorff, J.C.

    1970-01-01

    Severe floods occurred in parts of southwestern Utah on December 5-6, 1966, as a result of precipitation of about 1 inch to more than 12 inches during December 3-6. The flood on the Virgin River was the greatest since the first settlers arrived in 1860.The peak discharge of the Virgin River at Virgin, Utah, was 22,830 cubic feet per second on December 6; this exceeded the previous maximum discharge of 13,500 cubic feet per second on March 3, 1938, and September 17, 1961, and probably has a recurrence interval of 100 years. At eight other gage sites in the flood area, the peak discharge in December 1966 was the highest of record; the recurrence intervals of some of the peak discharges may be 100 years. The flood peaks were generally of short duration and most streams receded to near base flow within 24 hours.The dissolved-solids content was significantly lower in the Virgin River at Virgin than at St. George, about 25 miles downstream; the water was of the calcium sulfate type at both sites. Data for the Santa Clara River above Winsor Dam and the Santa Clara River near Santa Clara show a significant increase in dissolved solids between the two sites. The water above Winsor Dam was of the calcium bicarbonate type, and the water near Santa Clara was of the calcium bicarbonate sulfate type.The suspended-sediment discharge, during the period December 5-8, 1966, at Santa Clara River above Winsor Dam, near Santa Clara was about foyer times greater than all the suspended-sediment discharge during the preceding 3 years ; the suspended-sediment discharge of the Virgin River at Virgin was greater during the 4-day period than during any one of the preceding 3 years.Nearly all the flood damage in the area occurred in the Virgin River basin. According to the Soil Conservation Service, total damage in the Dixie Soil Conservation District in Washington County was about $835,000; 60 percent of the damage was caused by floodwater and 40 percent by deposited sediment.

  17. Uso do 1-metilciclopropeno para retardar a maturação de tomate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krammes Juliana Golin

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Tomates (Lycopersicon esculentum, cultivar 'Santa Clara' e o híbrido 'Carmen' (longa vida, tratados no estádio verde-maduro com 1-metilciclopropeno (1-MCP, apresentaram retardo nos picos de produção de etileno e CO2, redução nas taxas respiratórias, maior acidez titulável, maior retenção de firmeza e retardo no desenvolvimento de cor vermelha em relação a frutos não tratados, durante vida de prateleira a 23ºC. Os teores de sólidos solúveis totais não foram afetados pelo tratamento com 1-MCP. As doses de 1-MCP necessárias para retardar os picos de produção de etileno e CO2 e aumentar a acidez foram de 300 nl L-1 e 500 nl L-1, para tomates 'Santa Clara' e 'Carmen', respectivamente. Todavia, a retenção de firmeza e o retardo na evolução de cor vermelha da casca foram substanciais com a dose 150 nl L-1 para a cultivar 'Santa Clara', e com a dose de 250 nl L-1 para o híbrido 'Carmen'. Estes resultados mostram o grande potencial de emprego comercial do 1-MCP para retardar a maturação de tomates 'Santa Clara' e 'Carmen' em temperaturas ambientes.

  18. Esker Ri Nursing Home, Kilnabinnia, Clara, Offaly.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    McKenna, Malachi

    2017-03-01

    Atypical femur fractures (AFFs) are associated with long-term bisphosphonate (BP) therapy. Early identification of AFF prior to their completion provides an opportunity to intervene, potentially reducing morbidity associated with these fractures. Single-energy X-ray absorptiometry (SE) is an imaging method recently shown to detect incomplete AFF (iAFF) prior to fracture completion.

  19. Floodplain Mapping, SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, USA

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security — The Floodplain Mapping/Redelineation study deliverables depict and quantify the flood risks for the study area. The primary risk classifications used are the...

  20. Summer Arctic sea ice albedo in CMIP5 models

    OpenAIRE

    Koenigk, T.; Devasthale, A.; Karlsson, K.-G.

    2014-01-01

    Spatial and temporal variations of summer sea ice albedo over the Arctic are analyzed using an ensemble of historical CMIP5 model simulations. The results are compared to the CLARA-SAL product that is based on long-term satellite observations. The summer sea ice albedo varies substantially among CMIP5 models, and many models show large biases compared to the CLARA-SAL product. Single summer months show an extreme spread of ice albedo among models; July values vary between 0....

  1. Lung radiology and pulmonary function of children chronically exposed to air pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calderón-Garcidueñas, Lilian; Mora-Tiscareño, Antonieta; Fordham, Lynn A; Chung, Charles J; Valencia-Salazar, Gildardo; Flores-Gómez, Silvia; Solt, Anna C; Gomez-del Campo, Alberto; Jardón-Torres, Ricardo; Henríquez-Roldán, Carlos; Hazucha, Milan J; Reed, William

    2006-09-01

    We analyzed the chest radiographs (CXRs) of 249 clinically healthy children, 230 from southwest Mexico City and 19 from Tlaxcala. In contrast to children from Tlaxcala, children from southwest Mexico City were chronically exposed to ozone levels exceeding the U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standards for an average of 4.7 hr/day and to concentrations of particulate matter (PM) with aerodynamic diameters bronchiolar, peribronchiolar, and/or alveolar duct inflammation, possibly caused by ozone, PM, and lipopolysaccharide exposure. The epidemiologic implications of these findings are important for children residing in polluted environments, because bronchiolar disease could lead to chronic pulmonary disease later in life.

  2. Attenuated lung fibrosis in interleukin 6 knock-out mice after C-ion irradiation to lung

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saito-Fujita, Tomoko; Iwakawa, Mayumi; Nakamura, Etsuko; Nakawatari, Miyako; Fujita, Hidetoshi; Moritake, Takashi; Imai, Takashi

    2011-01-01

    There is a great deal of evidence that a cyclic cascade of inflammatory cytokines, together with the activation of macrophages, is initiated very early after irradiation to develop lung fibrosis in a late phase. To understand the persistent effects of cytokines, the cytokine gene of knock out or transgenic mouse is one of the useful tools. In this study, we evaluated a role of a key molecule, interleukin-6 (IL-6), in the late-phase inflammatory response and subsequent fibrotic changes after irradiation using wild-type (WT) and IL-6 knock out (IL-6 KO) mice. The mice underwent thoracic irradiation with 10 Gy of C-ion beam or sham-irradiation and were examined by histology. Immunoreactivity for IL-6 was induced at the site of bronchiolar epithelium, in pneumocytes and in monocytes by C-ion irradiation. At 24 weeks after irradiation, the infiltration of macrophages, detected by positive immunohistological staining with Mac3 antibody, was observed in alveolar spaces both in WT and IL-6 KO mice. The thickening of bronchiolar and alveolar walls exhibited in WT mice, but not KO mice, and fibrotic changes detected by Masson-Trichrome staining, were observed only in the lungs of WT mice, while it was attenuated in IL-6 KO mice. These results indicated that IL-6 might not be essential for activating macrophages in the late phase, but plays an important role for fibrotic changes of the alveolar wall after irradiation. (author)

  3. Utilisation des protozoaires ciliés (Paramecium africanum, Colpidium uncinatum, Neobursaridium gigas pour l'épuration bactériologique des eaux polluées en microcosme

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nguedji, JBT.

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available An Microcosm Use of Ciliate Protozoa (Paramecium africanum, Colpidium uncinatum, Neobursaridium gigas for Bacterial Purification of Polluted Water. Tests on the grazing of ciliated protozoa Paramecium africanum, Colpidium uncinatum and Neobursaridium gigas on the bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus sp. were carried out in an microcosm aquatic environment. These tests aimed at assessment of the role of these predators protozoa in the bacterial purification of polluted water. The evolution of the feeding kinetics of these protozoa shows a phase of adaptation of the predator to the prey, with a slow feeding rate and a phase of accelerate of feeding. The two phases are separated by a short period of recognition. The polynomial functions of the kinetics of predation show that C. uncinatum and P. africanum graze faster on E. coli than on Staphylococcus sp., meanwhile N. gigas feeds slowly on E. coli than on Staphylococcus sp. The time of contact between the ciliated protozoa and the bacteria, the predatory protozoa specie and the specie of the bacteria, should be considered simultaneously when evaluating the variation of bacterial concentrations in aquatic environment being purified.

  4. Influence of crude oil and pulp and paper mill effluent on mixed infections of Trichodina cottidarium and T. saintjohnsi (Ciliophora) parasitizing Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus and M. scorpius

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, R.A.; Barker, D.E.; Williams-Ryan, K.; Hooper, R.G.

    1994-01-01

    Samples of longhorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus) were exposed to sediment contaminated with crude oil or pulp and paper mill effluent for periods up to 13 months in the laboratory. Other samples were collected at sites where crude oil or effluent from a pulp and paper mill are discharged. The intensity of gill infections of Trichodina spp. on exposed fish was significantly higher than on controls 5, 9, and 13 months after exposure. The intensity of the ciliates was also greater on sculpins collected near an oil-receiving terminal than on those sampled 5 km from the polluted site. Field collections of longhorn and shorthorn (Myoxocephalus scorpius) sculpins at and distant from a pulp and paper mill had high and low intensities of the ciliates, respectively. Similarly, the intensity of trichodinid ciliates was also significantly greater in longhorn sculpins exposed to effluent-contaminated sediment than in controls 5 months after exposure. The results suggest that the intensity of gill-inhibiting species such as trichodinids in susceptible fish hosts increases after chronic exposure to crude oil and to pulp and paper mill effluent, and the parasites may serve as indicators of pollution. 24 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

  5. The Rab GTPase Rab8 as a shared regulator of ciliogenesis and immune synapse assembly: From a conserved pathway to diverse cellular structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patrussi, Laura; Baldari, Cosima T

    2016-01-01

    Rab GTPases, which form the largest branch of the Ras GTPase superfamily, regulate almost every step of vesicle-mediated trafficking. Among them, Rab8 is an essential participant in primary cilium formation. In a report recently published in the Journal of Cell Science, Finetti and colleagues identify Rab8 as a novel player in vesicular traffic in the non-ciliated T lymphocytes, which contributes to the assembly of the specialized signaling platform known as the immune synapse. By interacting with the v-SNARE VAMP-3, Rab8 is indeed responsible for the final docking/fusion step in T cell receptor (TCR) recycling to the immune synapse. A second important take-home message which comes to light from this work is that VAMP-3 also interacts with Rab8 at the base of the cilium in NIH-3T3 cells, where it regulates ciliary growth and targeting of Smoothened at the plasma membrane. Hence the data presented in this report, in addition to identifying Rab8 as a novel player in vesicular traffic to the immune synapse, reveal how both ciliated and non-ciliated cells take advantage of a conserved pathway to build highly specific cellular structures.

  6. Secondary structural analyses of ITS1 in Paramecium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoshina, Ryo

    2010-01-01

    The nuclear ribosomal RNA gene operon is interrupted by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 and ITS2. Although the secondary structure of ITS2 has been widely investigated, less is known about ITS1 and its structure. In this study, the secondary structure of ITS1 sequences for Paramecium and other ciliates was predicted. Each Paramecium ITS1 forms an open loop with three helices, A through C. Helix B was highly conserved among Paramecium, and similar helices were found in other ciliates. A phylogenetic analysis using the ITS1 sequences showed high-resolution, implying that ITS1 is a good tool for species-level analyses.

  7. Mainzer-Saldino Syndrome Is a Ciliopathy Caused by IFT140 Mutations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perrault, Isabelle; Saunier, Sophie; Hanein, Sylvain; Filhol, Emilie; Bizet, Albane A.; Collins, Felicity; Salih, Mustafa A.M.; Gerber, Sylvie; Delphin, Nathalie; Bigot, Karine; Orssaud, Christophe; Silva, Eduardo; Baudouin, Véronique; Oud, Machteld M.; Shannon, Nora; Le Merrer, Martine; Roche, Olivier; Pietrement, Christine; Goumid, Jamal; Baumann, Clarisse; Bole-Feysot, Christine; Nitschke, Patrick; Zahrate, Mohammed; Beales, Philip; Arts, Heleen H.; Munnich, Arnold; Kaplan, Josseline; Antignac, Corinne; Cormier-Daire, Valérie; Rozet, Jean-Michel

    2012-01-01

    Mainzer-Saldino syndrome (MSS) is a rare disorder characterized by phalangeal cone-shaped epiphyses, chronic renal failure, and early-onset, severe retinal dystrophy. Through a combination of ciliome resequencing and Sanger sequencing, we identified IFT140 mutations in six MSS families and in a family with the clinically overlapping Jeune syndrome. IFT140 is one of the six currently known components of the intraflagellar transport complex A (IFT-A) that regulates retrograde protein transport in ciliated cells. Ciliary abundance and localization of anterograde IFTs were altered in fibroblasts of affected individuals, a result that supports the pivotal role of IFT140 in proper development and function of ciliated cells. PMID:22503633

  8. Characterization of maturity and quality of Brazilian apirenic grapes in the São Francisco river Valley Caracterização da maturidade e qualidade de uvas apirênicas brasileiras no Vale do São Francisco

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robson de Jesus Mascarenhas

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to characterize and correlate maturity and quality of the first varieties of Brazilian seedless grapes 'BRS Clara', 'BRS Linda', 'BRS Morena', and 'Advanced Selection 8' compared with the American variety 'Crimson Seedless' in compliance with the Brazilian Normative/2002 and export standards Advanced Selection 8' is dark reddish, has large clusters, and is a very large ellipsoid berry; 'BRS Morena' is black with medium sized clusters and large berry shaped as ellipsoid to globoid; 'BRS Linda' is light green and has large sized clusters; 'Crimson' is pink and has small clusters with berries varying from medium to large sizes and ellipsoid shaped; and 'BRS Clara' is green yellowish has medium sized clusters and small berry of elongated ellipsoid shape. All varieties evaluated meet the standard for domestic market established as berry size minimum diameter 12 mm. 'BRS Clara' does not meet the export requirements of diameter. Berries of the red grapes 'BRS Morena' and 'Crimson Seedless' are firmer. The pH, titratable acidity, and soluble solids meet the official standards. Larger clusters are less acidic and present higher soluble solids/titratable acidity ratios implying that they are the sweetest type when ripe.O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar e correlacionar a maturidade e qualidade das primeiras variedades de uvas apirênicas 'BRS Clara', 'BRS Linda', 'BRS Morena', mais a 'Seleção Avançada 8' em fase de lançamento, comparado-as com a variedade norte-americana 'Crimson Seedless', conforme as Normativas Brasileiras/2002 e os padrões para exportação. A Seleção Avançada 8 é avermelhada escura, possui cacho grande, com baga muito grande tipo elipsoide; a 'BRS Morena' é preta com cacho médio, baga grande tipo elipsoide a globosa; a 'BRS Linda' é verde clara, de cacho grande; e a 'Crimson', rósea de cacho pequeno, ambas, com bagas médias a grandes e elipsoides; a 'BRS Clara' éverde amarelada

  9. Influence on pregestacional obesity on the pre-eclampsia/eclampsia risk

    OpenAIRE

    Suárez González, Juan Antonio; Preciado Guerrero, Richard; Gutiérrez Machado, Mario; Cabrera Delgado, María Rosa; Marín Tápanes, Yoani; Cairo González, Vivian

    2013-01-01

    Introducción: una de las condiciones maternas que con mayor frecuencia complica el periodo de gestación y el parto es la obesidad. Objetivo: determinar la influencia de la obesidad en los resultados maternos y perinatales de gestantes con riesgo de preeclampsia/eclampsia. Métodos: estudio analítico y ambispectivo en el Hospital Universitario Ginecobstétrico "Mariana Grajales" de Santa Clara, provincia de Villa Clara, en el año 2010 en un grupo de gestantes con riesgo de preeclampsia/eclampsia...

  10. Escala Para Medir Agencia Personal y Empoderamiento (ESAGE)

    OpenAIRE

    Susan Pick; Jenna Sirkin; Isaac Ortega; Pavel Osorio; Rocío Martínez; Ulises Xocolotzin; Martha Givaudan

    2007-01-01

    Existe en la literatura una discusión muy extensa, aunque no siempre clara, acerca de la importancia del desarrollo humano. Por ello es necesario contar con las capacidades que permitan fomentar su crecimiento y sustentabilidad. Los conceptos de agencia personal y empoderamiento son centrales en esta discusión. La distinción entre ambos no siempre ha sido clara. De hecho, muchas veces se usan indistintamente. Con base en la experiencia empírica de diseñar, implementar y evaluar pr...

  11. Produção de cultivares de tomateiro em hidroponia e fertirrigação sob razões de nitrogênio e potássio Production of tomato cultivars in hydroponics and fertigation with different ratios between nitrogen and potassium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gláucio C Genuncio

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Os cultivos protegidos de tomate apresentam elevada demanda por potássio para altas produções e qualidade de frutos, não tendo sido estudada suficientemente a relação de aplicação entre nitrogênio e potássio que proporcione tais resultados. Avaliou-se a produção e qualidade de frutos de quatro cultivares de tomateiro em sistemas de cultivo hidropônico e fertirrigado sob duas razões entre N e K fornecidas às plantas. Dois experimentos foram conduzidos simultaneamente em casa de vegetação, em esquema fatorial 4x2 com quatro repetições, combinando quatro genótipos (cvs. Cereja 261, San Marzano, Santa Clara e o híbrido Cereja Chipano com duas razões N:K (1:1,5 e 1:2 no hidropônico, e 1:2 e 1:3 no fertirrigado. A produção média de frutos comerciais foi de 2,5 e 1,8 kg/planta no sistema hidropônico e fertirrigado, respectivamente, atingindo 3,3 kg/planta na cv. Santa Clara em hidroponia. Em hidroponia, as razões N:K não afetaram a produção de frutos comerciais e o teor de sólidos solúveis, apesar de um aumento de 6,5% na produção na razão N:K 1:2. A razão N:K 1:2 em hidroponia aumentou a massa e o diâmetro médio dos frutos comerciais, reduzindo a concentração de K nos frutos. No sistema fertirrigado, a razão N:K 1:3 estimulou o crescimento vegetativo do tomateiro, mas não afetou a produção e a qualidade dos frutos. As cultivares San Marzano e Santa Clara tiveram maior produção de frutos nos dois sistemas. A produção de frutos e o teor de sólidos solúveis das cvs. San Marzano e Santa Clara foram maiores no sistema hidropônico em comparação ao fertirrigado. O sistema hidropônico propiciou maior produção de frutos que o sistema fertirrigado para as cultivares San Marzano e Santa Clara e, em hidroponia a razão N:K 1:2 forneceu frutos de maior qualidade comercial.Protected tomato cultivation presents a high potassium demand for obtaining high fruit yield and quality, but the ratio between nitrogen

  12. Feeding non-preference by Spodoptera frugiperda and Spodoptera eridania on tomato genotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Henrique Sardinha de Souza

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Larvae of the genus Spodoptera spp. are highly polyphagous and can cause economical losses in several agricultural crops. Given their growing importance in the tomato crop, especially for industry, this work aimed to evaluate the feeding non-preference by larvae of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797 and Spodoptera eridania (Cramer, 1782 on tomato genotypes and classify them by the levels of resistance. The commercial cultivar Santa Clara was set as the susceptible standard and line PI 134417 as the resistant standard to evaluate the lines PI 134418, PI 126931, LA 462 and LA 716. Feeding non-preference tests were performed under non-choice and free-choice conditions to evaluate the genotype attractiveness to larvae at predetermined times after their release, as well as the leaf area consumed. Overall, the genotypes LA 716 and PI 126931 were the least attractive to S. frugiperda, whereas Santa Clara was the most attractive and consumed. For S. eridania, the genotypes PI 126931, LA 462, LA 716 and PI 134418 were the least preferred for feeding, and Santa Clara and PI 134417 were the most attractive and consumed. The genotypes LA 716 and PI 126931 are moderately resistant to S. frugiperda and S. eridania; PI 134418 and LA 462 are moderately resistant to S. eridania; PI 134417 is susceptible to S. frugiperda and S. eridania; and Santa Clara is highly susceptible to both S. frugiperda and S. eridania.

  13. Resultados del tratamiento quirúrgico en aneurismas intracraneales múltiples de la circulación anterior

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Armando Alemán Rivera

    2001-09-01

    Full Text Available Se realiza un análisis de 10 pacientes con aneurismas múltiples de la porción anterior del polígono de Willis, los cuales representan el 10 % de todos los pacientes con aneurismas operados en el Servicio de Neurocirugía del Hospital Universitario «Arnaldo Milián Castro» de Santa Clara, Villa Clara. En 2 pacientes, los sacos aneurismáticos se localizaban bilateralmente. En un enfermo, la operación fue unilateral, mientras que en el otro, donde los aneurismas se localizaban en ambas arterias cerebrales medias, segmento M2 (aneurismas en espejo, el abordaje se realizó en 2 tiempos quirúrgicos. Todos los sacos aneurismáticos se presillaron y se reportó una mortalidad del 10 %An analysis of 10 patients with multiple aneurysms of the anterior portion of the circle of Willis that accounted for 10 % of all patients with aneurysms operated on at the Neurosurgery Service of "Arnaldo Milián Castro" Teaching Hospital of Santa Clara, Villa Clara, was made. The aneurysmatic sacs were bilaterally located in 2 patients. In one patient, the operation was unilateral, whereas in the other one, in whom the aneurysms were located in both middle cerebral arteries, M2 segment (mirror aneurysms, the operation was performed in 2 surgical times. All the aneurysmatic sacs were stapled and a 10 % mortality was re

  14. Arrhenius-kinetics evidence for quantum tunneling in microbial “social” decision rates

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    Social-like bacteria, fungi and protozoa communicate chemical and behavioral signals to coordinate their specializations into an ordered group of individuals capable of fitter ecological performance. Examples of microbial “social” behaviors include sporulation and dispersion, kin recognition and nonclonal or paired reproduction. Paired reproduction by ciliates is believed to involve intra- and intermate selection through pheromone-stimulated “courting” rituals. Such social maneuvering minimizes survival-reproduction tradeoffs while sorting superior mates from inferior ones, lowering the vertical spread of deleterious genes in geographically constricted populations and possibly promoting advantageous genetic innovations. In a previous article, I reported findings that the heterotrich Spirostomum ambiguum can out-complete mating rivals in simulated social trials by learning behavioral heuristics which it then employs to store and select sets of altruistic and deceptive signaling strategies. Frequencies of strategy use typically follow Maxwell-Boltzmann (MB), Fermi-Dirac (FD) or Bose-Einstein (BE) statistical distributions. For ciliates most adept at social decision making, a brief classical MB computational phase drives signaling behavior into a later quantum BE computational phase that condenses or favors the selection of a single fittest strategy. Appearance of the network analogue of BE condensation coincides with Hebbian-like trial-and-error learning and is consistent with the idea that cells behave as heat engines, where loss of energy associated with specific cellular machinery critical for mating decisions effectively reduces the temperature of intracellular enzymes cohering into weak Fröhlich superposition. I extend these findings by showing the rates at which ciliates switch serial behavioral strategies agree with principles of chemical reactions exhibiting linear and nonlinear Arrhenius kinetics during respective classical and quantum computations

  15. Ciliates as engineers of phototrophic biofilms.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Weerman, E.J.; van der Geest, H.G.; van der Meulen, M.D; Manders, E.M.M.; van de Koppel, J.; Herman, P.M.J.; Admiraal, W.

    2011-01-01

    1. Phototrophic biofilms consist of a matrix of phototrophs, non-photosynthetic bacteria and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) which is spatially structured. Despite widespread exploitation of algae and bacteria within phototrophic biofilms, for example by protozoans, the ‘engineering’

  16. Ciliates as engineers of phototrophic biofilms

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Weerman, Ellen J.; van der Geest, Harm G.; van der Meulen, Myra D.; Manders, Erik M. M.; van de Koppel, Johan; Herman, Peter M. J.; Admiraal, Wim

    1. Phototrophic biofilms consist of a matrix of phototrophs, non-photosynthetic bacteria and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) which is spatially structured. Despite widespread exploitation of algae and bacteria within phototrophic biofilms, for example by protozoans, the 'engineering'

  17. Ciliates as engineers of phototrophic biofilms.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Weerman, E.J.; Geest, H.G.; Meulen, M.D.; Manders, E.M.M.; Van de Koppel, J.; Herman, P.M.J.; Admiraal, W.

    2011-01-01

    1.Phototrophic biofilms consist of a matrix of phototrophs, non-photosynthetic bacteria and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) which is spatially structured. Despite widespread exploitation of algae and bacteria within phototrophic biofilms, for example by protozoans, the ‘engineering’ effects

  18. Feeding non-preference by Spodoptera frugiperda and Spodoptera eridania on tomato genotypes Não preferência para alimentação em genótipos de tomateiro por Spodoptera frugiperda e Spodoptera eridania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Henrique Sardinha de Souza

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Larvae of the genus Spodoptera spp. are highly polyphagous and can cause economical losses in several agricultural crops. Given their growing importance in the tomato crop, especially for industry, this work aimed to evaluate the feeding non-preference by larvae of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797 and Spodoptera eridania (Cramer, 1782 on tomato genotypes and classify them by the levels of resistance. The commercial cultivar Santa Clara was set as the susceptible standard and line PI 134417 as the resistant standard to evaluate the lines PI 134418, PI 126931, LA 462 and LA 716. Feeding non-preference tests were performed under non-choice and free-choice conditions to evaluate the genotype attractiveness to larvae at predetermined times after their release, as well as the leaf area consumed. Overall, the genotypes LA 716 and PI 126931 were the least attractive to S. frugiperda, whereas Santa Clara was the most attractive and consumed. For S. eridania, the genotypes PI 126931, LA 462, LA 716 and PI 134418 were the least preferred for feeding, and Santa Clara and PI 134417 were the most attractive and consumed. The genotypes LA 716 and PI 126931 are moderately resistant to S. frugiperda and S. eridania; PI 134418 and LA 462 are moderately resistant to S. eridania; PI 134417 is susceptible to S. frugiperda and S. eridania; and Santa Clara is highly susceptible to both S. frugiperda and S. eridania.Lagartas do gênero Spodoptera spp. são altamente polífagas, podendo causar danos econômicos em diversas culturas agrícolas. Em vista de sua emergente importância na cultura do tomate, principalmente o destinado à indústria, este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a não preferência, para alimentação, de lagartas de Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797 e Spodoptera eridania (Cramer, 1782 por genótipos de tomateiro, e classificá-los quanto aos graus de resistência. Como padrão susceptível, utilizou-se o cultivar comercial Santa

  19. Biological and chemical data determined in mesocosm experiments by Dauphin Island Sea Lab in June and August of 2011 (NODC Accession 0118680)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Abundances of viruses, prokaryotes, diatoms, dinoflagellates, ciliates and heterotrophic nanoflagellates were determined over time in mesocosm experiments measuring...

  20. Transposon Invasion of the Paramecium Germline Genome Countered by a Domesticated PiggyBac Transposase and the NHEJ Pathway

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubois, Emeline; Bischerour, Julien; Marmignon, Antoine; Mathy, Nathalie; Régnier, Vinciane; Bétermier, Mireille

    2012-01-01

    Sequences related to transposons constitute a large fraction of extant genomes, but insertions within coding sequences have generally not been tolerated during evolution. Thanks to their unique nuclear dimorphism and to their original mechanism of programmed DNA elimination from their somatic nucleus (macronucleus), ciliates are emerging model organisms for the study of the impact of transposable elements on genomes. The germline genome of the ciliate Paramecium, located in its micronucleus, contains thousands of short intervening sequences, the IESs, which interrupt 47% of genes. Recent data provided support to the hypothesis that an evolutionary link exists between Paramecium IESs and Tc1/mariner transposons. During development of the macronucleus, IESs are excised precisely thanks to the coordinated action of PiggyMac, a domesticated piggyBac transposase, and of the NHEJ double-strand break repair pathway. A PiggyMac homolog is also required for developmentally programmed DNA elimination in another ciliate, Tetrahymena. Here, we present an overview of the life cycle of these unicellular eukaryotes and of the developmentally programmed genome rearrangements that take place at each sexual cycle. We discuss how ancient domestication of a piggyBac transposase might have allowed Tc1/mariner elements to spread throughout the germline genome of Paramecium, without strong counterselection against insertion within genes. PMID:22888464

  1. Protozoans bacterivory in a subtropical environment during a dry/cold and a rainy/warm season

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karina F. Hisatugo

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In aquatic ecosystems, bacteria are controlled by several organisms in the food chain, such as protozoa, that use them as food source. This study aimed to quantify the ingestion and clearance rates of bacteria by ciliates and heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNF in a subtropical freshwater reservoir (Monjolinho reservoir -São Carlos -Brazil during one year period, in order to verify their importance as consumers and controllers of bacteria in two seasons, a dry/cold and a rainy/warm one. For this purpose, in situ bacterivory experiments were carried out bimonthly using fluorescently labeled bacteria with 5-(4,6 diclorotriazin-2yl aminofluorescein (DTAF. Although ciliates have shown the highest individual ingestion and clearance rates, bacterivory was dominated by HNF, who showed higher population ingestion rates (mean of 9,140 bacteria h-1mL-1 when compared to ciliates (mean of 492 bacteria h-1mL-1. The greater predation impact on bacterial communities was caused mainly by the small HNF (< 5 µm population, especially in the rainy season, probably due to the abundances of these organisms, the precipitation, trophic index state and water temperature that were higher in this period. Thus, the protozoan densities together with environmental variables were extremely relevant in determining the seasonal pattern of bacterivory in Monjolinho reservoir.

  2. Is there a link between shell morphology and parasites of zebra mussels?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minguez, Laëtitia; Lang, Anne-Sophie; Beisel, Jean-Nicolas; Giambérini, Laure

    2012-02-01

    The shell morphology of zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha, was analyzed to determine if alterations in shell shape and asymmetry between valves were related to its infection status, i.e. infected or not by microparasites like ciliates Ophryoglena spp. or intracellular bacteria Rickettsiales-like organisms (RLOs), and by macroparasites like trematodes Phyllodistomum folium and Bucephalus polymorphus. For microparasites, two groups of mussels were observed depending on shell measurements. Mussels with the more concave shells were the most parasitized by ciliates. This could be more a consequence than a cause and we hypothesized that a modification of the water flow through the mantle cavity could promote the infection with a ciliate. There were more RLOs present in the most symmetrical individuals. A potential explanation involved a canalization of the left-right asymmetry as a by-product of the parasite infection. Trematode infections were associated with different responses in valve width. Females infected by P. folium displayed significantly higher symmetry in valve width compared with non-infected congeners, whereas the infection involved an opposite pattern in males. B. polymorphus was also linked to a decrease in valve width asymmetry. This study suggested that a relationship exists between parasitism and shell morphology through the physiological condition of host zebra mussels. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Protozooplankton in the Deep Oligotrophic Traunsee (Austria) Influenced by Discharges of Soda and Salt Industries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sonntag, Bettina; Posch, Thomas; Klammer, Susanne; Griebler, Christian; Psenner, Roland

    2002-01-01

    Traunsee is a deep oligotrophic lake in Austria characterised by an artificial enrichment of chloride in the hypolimnion (up to 170 mg L -1 ) caused by waste disposal of soda and salt industries. Protists were collected monthly over one year, observed alive and after Quantitative Protargol Staining (ciliates) or via epifluorescence microscopy (heterotrophic flagellates). Three sites within the lake (0-40 m depths) were compared to deeper water layers from 60-160 m depths where chloride concentrations and conductivity were increased. In addition, we observed the protozooplankton of two neighbouring lakes, i.e. reference systems, during one sampling occasion. In Traunsee the abundance of ciliates was low (200-36 600 cells L -1 ) in contrast to high species diversity (at least 60 different species; H S = 2.6) throughout the year. The main pelagic species in terms of abundance were small oligotrichs and prostomatids like Rimostrombidium brachykinetum/hyalinum, Balanion planctonicum and Urotricha spp. throughout the investigation period. Among free-living heterotrophic flagellates, which occurred at densities of 40-2800 cells mL -1 , small morphotypes dominated in the pelagial. No differences at the community level between the three lakes could be observed and pelagic ciliates and flagellates seemed not to be affected by increased chloride concentrations or by enhanced conductivity

  4. Protozooplankton in the Deep Oligotrophic Traunsee (Austria) Influenced by Discharges of Soda and Salt Industries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sonntag, Bettina, E-mail: bettina.sonntag@uibk.ac.at; Posch, Thomas [University of Innsbruck, Institute of Zoology and Limnology (Austria); Klammer, Susanne [University of Innsbruck, Institute of Microbiology (Austria); Griebler, Christian [University of Tuebingen, Centre for Applied Earth Science (Germany); Psenner, Roland [University of Innsbruck, Institute of Zoology and Limnology (Austria)

    2002-07-15

    Traunsee is a deep oligotrophic lake in Austria characterised by an artificial enrichment of chloride in the hypolimnion (up to 170 mg L{sup -1}) caused by waste disposal of soda and salt industries. Protists were collected monthly over one year, observed alive and after Quantitative Protargol Staining (ciliates) or via epifluorescence microscopy (heterotrophic flagellates). Three sites within the lake (0-40 m depths) were compared to deeper water layers from 60-160 m depths where chloride concentrations and conductivity were increased. In addition, we observed the protozooplankton of two neighbouring lakes, i.e. reference systems, during one sampling occasion. In Traunsee the abundance of ciliates was low (200-36 600 cells L{sup -1}) in contrast to high species diversity (at least 60 different species; H{sub S} = 2.6) throughout the year. The main pelagic species in terms of abundance were small oligotrichs and prostomatids like Rimostrombidium brachykinetum/hyalinum, Balanion planctonicum and Urotricha spp. throughout the investigation period. Among free-living heterotrophic flagellates, which occurred at densities of 40-2800 cells mL{sup -1}, small morphotypes dominated in the pelagial. No differences at the community level between the three lakes could be observed and pelagic ciliates and flagellates seemed not to be affected by increased chloride concentrations or by enhanced conductivity.

  5. Proteolytic processing of the cilium adhesin MHJ_0194 (P123J ) in Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae generates a functionally diverse array of cleavage fragments that bind multiple host molecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raymond, Benjamin B A; Jenkins, Cheryl; Seymour, Lisa M; Tacchi, Jessica L; Widjaja, Michael; Jarocki, Veronica M; Deutscher, Ania T; Turnbull, Lynne; Whitchurch, Cynthia B; Padula, Matthew P; Djordjevic, Steven P

    2015-03-01

    Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, the aetiological agent of porcine enzootic pneumonia, regulates the presentation of proteins on its cell surface via endoproteolysis, including those of the cilial adhesin P123 (MHJ_0194). These proteolytic cleavage events create functional adhesins that bind to proteoglycans and glycoproteins on the surface of ciliated and non-ciliated epithelial cells and to the circulatory host molecule plasminogen. Two dominant cleavage events of the P123 preprotein have been previously characterized; however, immunoblotting studies suggest that more complex processing events occur. These extensive processing events are characterized here. The functional significance of the P97 cleavage fragments is also poorly understood. Affinity chromatography using heparin, fibronectin and plasminogen as bait and peptide arrays were used to expand our knowledge of the adhesive capabilities of P123 cleavage fragments and characterize a novel binding motif in the C-terminus of P123. Further, we use immunohistochemistry to examine in vivo, the biological significance of interactions between M. hyopneumoniae and fibronectin and show that M. hyopneumoniae induces fibronectin deposition at the site of infection on the ciliated epithelium. Our data supports the hypothesis that M. hyopneumoniae possesses the molecular machinery to influence key molecular communication pathways in host cells. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Characterization of AVHRR global cloud detection sensitivity based on CALIPSO-CALIOP cloud optical thickness information: demonstration of results based on the CM SAF CLARA-A2 climate data record

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karlsson, Karl-Göran; Håkansson, Nina

    2018-02-01

    The sensitivity in detecting thin clouds of the cloud screening method being used in the CM SAF cloud, albedo and surface radiation data set from AVHRR data (CLARA-A2) cloud climate data record (CDR) has been evaluated using cloud information from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) onboard the CALIPSO satellite. The sensitivity, including its global variation, has been studied based on collocations of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and CALIOP measurements over a 10-year period (2006-2015). The cloud detection sensitivity has been defined as the minimum cloud optical thickness for which 50 % of clouds could be detected, with the global average sensitivity estimated to be 0.225. After using this value to reduce the CALIOP cloud mask (i.e. clouds with optical thickness below this threshold were interpreted as cloud-free cases), cloudiness results were found to be basically unbiased over most of the globe except over the polar regions where a considerable underestimation of cloudiness could be seen during the polar winter. The overall probability of detecting clouds in the polar winter could be as low as 50 % over the highest and coldest parts of Greenland and Antarctica, showing that a large fraction of optically thick clouds also remains undetected here. The study included an in-depth analysis of the probability of detecting a cloud as a function of the vertically integrated cloud optical thickness as well as of the cloud's geographical position. Best results were achieved over oceanic surfaces at mid- to high latitudes where at least 50 % of all clouds with an optical thickness down to a value of 0.075 were detected. Corresponding cloud detection sensitivities over land surfaces outside of the polar regions were generally larger than 0.2 with maximum values of approximately 0.5 over the Sahara and the Arabian Peninsula. For polar land surfaces the values were close to 1 or higher with maximum values of 4.5 for the parts

  7. Desempenho de cultivares nacionais de batata para produtividade de tubérculos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giovani Olegario da Silva

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar o desempenho dos cultivares de batata nacionais BRS Ana e BRS Clara, em comparação com os cultivares importados Ágata e Asterix, em relação à produtividade de tubérculos. Os experimentos foram realizados no município de Canoinhas, SC. Foram avaliados quatro cultivares de batata: BRS Ana, BRS Clara, Asterix e Ágata. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições. As parcelas continham quatro linhas com 20 plantas em cada linha. Cento e dez dias após o plantio foi realizada a colheita e, os tubérculos de cada parcela, avaliados para caracteres relacionados com a produtividade de tubérculos. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância e agrupamento de médias, por Skott & Knott, a 5% de probabilidade. Os cultivares de batata nacionais BRS Ana e BRS Clara foram mais produtivos do que os importados Asterix e Ágata; no entanto, são mais tardios, quanto ao ciclo vegetativo.

  8. Canines as sentinel species for assessing chronic exposures to air pollutants: part 1. Respiratory pathology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calderón-Garcidueñas, L; Mora-Tiscareño, A; Fordham, L A; Chung, C J; García, R; Osnaya, N; Hernández, J; Acuña, H; Gambling, T M; Villarreal-Calderón, A; Carson, J; Koren, H S; Devlin, R B

    2001-06-01

    A complex mixture of air pollutants is present in the ambient air in urban areas. People, animals, and vegetation are chronically and sequentially exposed to outdoor pollutants. The objective of this first of 2 studies is to evaluate by light and electron microscopy the lungs of Mexico City dogs and compare the results to those of 3 less polluted cities in MEXICO: One hundred fifty-two clinically healthy stray mongrel dogs (91 males/61 females), including 43 dogs from 3 less polluted cities, and 109 from southwest and northeast metropolitian Mexico City (SWMMC, NEMMC) were studied. Lungs of dogs living in Mexico City and Cuernavaca exhibited patchy chronic mononuclear cell infiltrates along with macrophages loaded with particulate matter (PM) surrounding the bronchiolar walls and extending into adjacent vascular structures; bronchiolar epithelial and smooth muscle hyperplasia, peribronchiolar fibrosis, microthrombi, and capillary and venule polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) margination. Ultrafine PM was seen in alveolar type I and II cells, endothelial cells, interstitial macrophages (Mtheta), and intravascular Mtheta-like cells. Bronchoalveolar lavage showed significant numbers of alveolar macrophages undergoing proliferation. Exposure to complex mixtures of pollutants-predominantly particulate matter and ozone-is causing lung structural changes induced by the sustained inflammatory process and resulting in airway and vascular remodeling and altered repair. Cytokines released from both, circulating inflammatory and resident lung cells in response to endothelial and epithelial injury may be playing a role in the pathology described here. Deep concern exists for the potential of an increasing rise in lung diseases in child populations exposed to Mexico City's environment.

  9. Protein kinase D is increased and activated in lung epithelial cells and macrophages in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gan, Huachen; McKenzie, Raymond; Hao, Qin; Idell, Steven; Tang, Hua

    2014-01-01

    Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a relentlessly progressive and usually fatal lung disease of unknown etiology for which no effective treatments currently exist. Hence, there is a profound need for the identification of novel drugable targets to develop more specific and efficacious therapeutic intervention in IPF. In this study, we performed immunohistochemical analyses to assess the cell type-specific expression and activation of protein kinase D (PKD) family kinases in normal and IPF lung tissue sections. We also analyzed PKD activation and function in human lung epithelial cells. We found that PKD family kinases (PKD1, PKD2 and PKD3) were increased and activated in the hyperplastic and regenerative alveolar epithelial cells lining remodeled fibrotic alveolar septa and/or fibroblast foci in IPF lungs compared with normal controls. We also found that PKD family kinases were increased and activated in alveolar macrophages, bronchiolar epithelium, and honeycomb cysts in IPF lungs. Interestingly, PKD1 was highly expressed and activated in the cilia of IPF bronchiolar epithelial cells, while PKD2 and PKD3 were expressed in the cell cytoplasm and nuclei. In contrast, PKD family kinases were not apparently increased and activated in IPF fibroblasts or myofibroblasts. We lastly found that PKD was predominantly activated by poly-L-arginine, lysophosphatidic acid and thrombin in human lung epithelial cells and that PKD promoted epithelial barrier dysfunction. These findings suggest that PKD may participate in the pathogenesis of IPF and may be a novel target for therapeutic intervention in this disease.

  10. Lung deposition of sub-micron aerosols calculated as a function of age and breathing rate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    James, A.C.

    1978-01-01

    Experimental measurements of lung deposition and especially of regional deposition, of aerosols in the sub-micron size range have been so few that it is worthwhile establishing a method of calculation. A computer routine has therefore been developed to calculate aerosol deposition in successive bronchial and bronchiolar generations of the Weibel 'A' model of human lung for the sub-micron size range where deposition occurs solely by diffusion. This model can be scaled to represent lungs at various ages and vital capacities. Some calculated results are presented here and compared with measurements of lung deposition made under carefully controlled conditions in humans. (author)

  11. Equine recurrent airway obstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Artur Niedźwiedź

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Equine Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO, also known as heaves or broken wind, is one of the most common disease in middle-aged horses. Inflammation of the airway is inducted by organic dust exposure. This disease is characterized by neutrophilic inflammation, bronchospasm, excessive mucus production and pathologic changes in the bronchiolar walls. Clinical signs are resolved in 3-4 weeks after environmental changes. Horses suffering from RAO are susceptible to allergens throughout their lives, therefore they should be properly managed. In therapy the most importanthing is to eliminate dustexposure, administration of corticosteroids and use bronchodilators to improve pulmonary function.

  12. ¿Cómo son los MOOC sobre educación? Un análisis de cursos de temática pedagógica que se ofertan en castellano

    OpenAIRE

    Calvo Salvador, Adelina; Rodríguez Hoyos, Carlos; Fernández Díaz, Elia María

    2016-01-01

    RESUMEN: En esta investigación se analizan MOOCs cuya lengua vehicular es el castellano y que versan sobre temáticas pedagógicas/educativas. El análisis, de clara inspiración cualitativa, se centra en 5 dimensiones: 1) Datos básicos (título, temática, objetivo, institución y plataforma que lo aloja), 2) Metodología, 3) Recursos, 4) Tipos de videos y 5) Evaluación. Los resultados muestran las temáticas hegemónicas en los cursos, así como la clara presencia de una metodología magistral, apoyada...

  13. Some lower food web organisms in the nutrition of marine harpacticoid copepods: an experimental study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rieper, Marianna

    1985-12-01

    Some lower food web organisms from the marine littoral environment were studied as food for harpacticoid copepods. In laboratory experiments, it could be shown that, among the ciliates, the slow-moving Uronema sp. was taken up while the fast-moving Euplotes sp. was not. Asterionella glacialis, a pennate diatom with spiny projections, was unsuitable as food. The centric diatom Skeletonema costatum was ingested by all harpacticoid species tested, including Tisbe holothuriae, Paramphiascella vararensis, Amphiascoides debilis and Dactylopodia vulgaris. All are epibenthic and phytal species occurring in the shallow waters of Helgoland (North Sea). The amount of ciliate and algal carbon taken up was less than that provided by bacteria under laboratory conditions. However, some diatom food may be essential for the development of D. vulgaris.

  14. Escape response of planktonic protists to fluid mechanical signals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jakobsen, Hans Henrik

    2001-01-01

    The escape response to fluid mechanical signals was examined in 6 protists, 4 ciliates and 2 dinoflagellates. When exposed to a siphon flow. 3 species of ciliates, Balanion comatum, Strobilidium sp., and Mesodinium pulex, responded with escape jumps. The threshold deformation rates required...... times lower than that of a non-jumping similar sized protist when the predator was Temora longicornis, which captures prey entrained in a feeding current. However, when the predator was the ambush- feeding copepod Acartia tonsa, the predation mortalities of jumping and non-jumping protists were...... of similar magnitude. Escape responses may thus be advantageous in some situations. However, jumping behaviour may also enhance susceptibility to some predators, explaining the different predator avoidance strategies (jumping or not) that have evolved in planktonic protists....

  15. The protozoan associates of some crustaceans

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Santhakumari, V.; Gopalan, U.K.

    produced by high turbidity and low oxygen tension in the infested tanaidacean were carried out. Most of the infested tanaidaceans were found dead, showing the potentially harmful nature of this ciliate...

  16. Disentangling the Taxonomy of Rickettsiales and Description of Two Novel Symbionts (“Candidatus Bealeia paramacronuclearis” and “Candidatus Fokinia cryptica”) Sharing the Cytoplasm of the Ciliate Protist Paramecium biaurelia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szokoli, Franziska; Castelli, Michele; Sabaneyeva, Elena; Schrallhammer, Martina; Krenek, Sascha; Doak, Thomas G.; Berendonk, Thomas U.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT In the past 10 years, the number of endosymbionts described within the bacterial order Rickettsiales has constantly grown. Since 2006, 18 novel Rickettsiales genera inhabiting protists, such as ciliates and amoebae, have been described. In this work, we characterize two novel bacterial endosymbionts from Paramecium collected near Bloomington, IN. Both endosymbiotic species inhabit the cytoplasm of the same host. The Gram-negative bacterium “Candidatus Bealeia paramacronuclearis” occurs in clumps and is frequently associated with the host macronucleus. With its electron-dense cytoplasm and a distinct halo surrounding the cell, it is easily distinguishable from the second smaller symbiont, “Candidatus Fokinia cryptica,” whose cytoplasm is electron lucid, lacks a halo, and is always surrounded by a symbiontophorous vacuole. For molecular characterization, the small-subunit rRNA genes were sequenced and used for taxonomic assignment as well as the design of species-specific oligonucleotide probes. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that “Candidatus Bealeia paramacronuclearis” clusters with the so-called “basal” Rickettsiales, and “Candidatus Fokinia cryptica” belongs to “Candidatus Midichloriaceae.” We obtained tree topologies showing a separation of Rickettsiales into at least two groups: one represented by the families Rickettsiaceae, Anaplasmataceae, and “Candidatus Midichloriaceae” (RAM clade), and the other represented by “basal Rickettsiales,” including “Candidatus Bealeia paramacronuclearis.” Therefore, and in accordance with recent publications, we propose to limit the order Rickettsiales to the RAM clade and to raise “basal Rickettsiales” to an independent order, Holosporales ord. nov., inside Alphaproteobacteria, which presently includes four family-level clades. Additionally, we define the family “Candidatus Hepatincolaceae” and redefine the family Holosporaceae. IMPORTANCE In this paper, we provide the

  17. The importance of protozoan bacterivory in a subtropical environment (Lobo-Broa Reservoir, SP, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    AS Mansano

    Full Text Available This study evaluated the importance of heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNF and ciliates bacterivory in a mesotrophic subtropical environment (Lobo-Broa Reservoir, Brazil by the quantification of their ingestion rates. The in situ experiments using fluorescently labelled bacteria (FLB were carried out bimonthly over one year (three surveys in the dry season and three in the rainy one at the sub-surface of two sampling points that have different trophic degrees. The ingestion rates for both ciliates and HNF were higher in the meso-eutrophic region (point 2 due to the higher water temperatures, which accelerate the metabolism of protozoans and the higher bacteria densities. Concerning total protozoan bacterivory, the HNF had the greatest grazing impact on bacterial community, especially the HNF <5µm. The data showed that HNF grazing, in addition to regulating the bacteria abundance, also induced changes to the bacterial community structure, such as increasing size and numbers of bacterial filaments. The ciliates were also important to the system bacterivory, especially in point 2, where there were high densities and ingestion rates. The protozoan bottom-up control was more important in the dry season and the top-down control was more important in the rainy season, so, these two forces are equally important to the bacterial abundance regulation in this reservoir in an annual basis.

  18. Gastrointestinal protists and helminths of habituated agile mangabeys (Cercocebus agilis) at Bai Hokou, Central African Republic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pafčo, Barbora; Tehlárová, Zuzana; Jirků Pomajbíková, Kateřina; Todd, Angelique; Hasegawa, Hideo; Petrželková, Klára J; Modrý, David

    2018-02-01

    Infectious diseases including those caused by parasites can be a major threat to the conservation of endangered species. There is thus a great need for studies describing parasite infections of these species in the wild. Here we present data on parasite diversity in an agile mangabey (Cercocebus agilis) group in Bai Hokou, Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas (DSPA), Central African Republic. We coproscopically analyzed 140 mangabey fecal samples by concentration techniques (flotation and sedimentation). Agile mangabeys hosted a broad diversity of protistan parasites/commensals, namely amoebas (Entamoeba spp., Iodamoeba buetschlli), a Buxtonella-like ciliate and several parasitic helminths: strongylid and spirurid nematodes, Primasubulura sp., Enterobius sp., and Trichuris sp. Importantly, some of the detected parasite taxa might be of potential zoonotic importance, such as Entamoeba spp. and the helminths Enterobius sp., Trichuris sp., and strongylid nematodes. Detailed morphological examination of ciliate cysts found in mangabeys and comparison with cysts of Balantioides coli from domestic pigs showed no distinguishing structures, although significant differences in cyst size were recorded. Scanning or transmission electron microscopy combined with molecular taxonomy methods are needed to properly identify these ciliates. Further studies using molecular epidemiology are warranted to better understand cross-species transmission and the zoonotic potential of parasites in sympatric non-human primates and humans cohabiting DSPA. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Grazing experiments and model simulations of the role of zooplankton in Phaeocystis food webs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verity, P. G.

    2000-08-01

    A combined empirical and modelling study was conducted to further examine the potential importance of grazing by zooplankton in pelagic food webs in which Phaeocystis is a significant or dominant component. Laboratory experiments were designed to measure ingestion of Phaeocystis and other potential prey items which co-occur with Phaeocystis. Grazers included copepods and ciliates, and prey included Phaeocystis colonies and solitary cells, diatoms, ciliates, bacteria, and detritus. These data were expressed in the model currency of nitrogen units, and fit to hyperbolic tangent equations which included minimum prey thresholds. These equations and literature data were used to constrain a food web model whose purpose was to investigate trophic interactions rather than to mimic actual events. Nevertheless, the model output was similar to the general pattern and magnitude of development of Phaeocystis-diatom communities in some environments where they occur, e.g. north Norwegian waters. The model included three forms of nitrogen, three phytoplankton groups, bacteria, two zooplankton groups, and detritus, with detailed flows between compartments. An important component of the model was inclusion of variable prey preferences for zooplankton. The experiments and model simulations suggest several salient conclusions. Phaeocystis globosa colonies were eaten by a medium-sized copepod species, but ingestion appeared to be strongly dependent upon a proper size match between grazer and prey. If not, colonies were eaten little if at all. Phaeocystis solitary cells were ingested rapidly by ciliate microzooplankton, in agreement with prior literature observations. In contrast, detritus was eaten comparatively slowly by both ciliates and copepods. Both types of zooplankton exhibited apparent minimum prey thresholds below which grazing did not occur or was inconsequential. Model simulations implied that transitions between life cycle stages of Phaeocystis may potentially be important

  20. Effect of substrate on periphyton communities and relationships among food web components in shallow hypertrophic lake

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomasz Mieczan

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available We studied the role of natural (common reed and artificial substrata (bamboo in structuring the abundance and taxonomic composition of periphyton assemblages. Investigations were conducted in a shallow, hypertrophic lake situated in the area of Polesie Lubelskie (Eastern Poland. Periphyton communities (algae, ciliates, small metazoa and chironomids on both types of substratum were sampled monthly, from May to November of 2007. Water samples for chemical analysis were collected together with biological samples. We selected the group of ten environmental variables which are the most important in determining the habitat conditions in highly eutrophic lakes: temperature, Secchi disc visibility, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, periphytic chlorophyll-a, N-NO3, N-NH4, TP, P-PO4 and total organic carbon (TOC. The abundances of periphytic algae, ciliates, metazoa and chironomids were significantly affected by season and substrate. On natural substrata, in all studied months, periphyton communities showed higher abundances. The results of PCA analysis confirmed the distinction between periphyton communities on natural and artificial substrata. The Monte Carlo permutation test showed that the periphyton communities on common reed were the most significantly affected by temperature, N-NO3, Secchi disc visibility and TOC. The communities on artificial substrata were significantly influenced by temperature, P-PO4 and TOC. On natural substrata biomass of periphytic algae was significantly negatively correlated with abundances of all groups of potential grazers (ciliates, metazoa, chironomids. On artificial substrata the relations between components of periphytic food web were stronger; correlation coefficients between algae, protists and chironomids were significant at P<0.01. The results of analysis indicate that periphytic algae can play an important role as food source for higher trophic levels. These interactions are less significant on natural (reed