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Sample records for helisoma duryi wetherby

  1. Alimentação e fecundidade de planorbídeos criados em laboratórios: IV - Helisoma duryi (Wetherby, 1879. (Pulmonata, Planorbidae Feeding and fecundity of planorbidae bred in the laboratory: IV - Helisoma duryi (Wetherby, 1879. (Putmonata, Planorbidae

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    Roberto Milward-de-Andrade

    1978-03-01

    Full Text Available Utilizando dois tipos distintos de alimentos: "Aquariol" (alimento utilizado para alimentar peixes ornamentais e alface, isolados e associados, na criação de Helisoma (Seminolina duryi (Wetherby, 1879 em laboratório, foi verificado que; 1. Os caramujos alimentados com alface fresca liberaram, em 17 semanas, 826 desovas on 17.707 ovos. 2. Os especimens alimentados com "aquariol" depuseram 534 desovas on 11.361 ovos. 3. O oferecimento dos dois materiais associados resultou no aumento da fertilidade, obtendo-se, assim, 1.355 desovas ou 34.645 ovos. 4. Em termos médios, cada conjunto de quinze exemplares (com 10 a 14 mm de diâmetro liberou, diariamente, 95,5 - 148,8 e 291,1 ovos/dia, segundo o tipo de alimento consumido: "aquariol", alface fresca, ou ambos associados. O número de desovas/dia, na mesma ordem enunciada, foi de 4,5 - 6,9 e 11,4, respectivamente. 5, Os exemplares utilizados descendiam de uma cepa supostamente recém introduzida no município de Formosa, GO (Brasile originária da Região Neártica (EUA. Foi comentada a possibilidade de controle biológico de diferentes espécies de Biomphalaria através de H. duryi - questão sobre a qual vêm desenvolvendo investigações biológicas e ecológicas.After experiments with two types of food, lettuce and "aquariol" (i.e., animal protein flour for ornamental fish both isolated and in association, in the breeding of Helisoma (Seminolina duryi (Wetherby, 1879, the following results: were obtained: 1. Snails fed on fresh lettuce yielded, at the end of 17 weeks, 826 egglavings or, better, 17,707 eggs. 2. Specimens fed on "aquariol" produced 534 egg clutches or 11,361 eggs. 3. Snails fed on both fresh lettuce and "aquariol" happened to provide 1,355 egglayings or 34,645 eggs. 4. On the average, each batch of 15 snails or three group of 5 ones (each specimen displyaing 10-14 mm diameter liberated 95.5, 148.8 and 291.1 eggs/day, in accordance with their type of meal - lettuce, "aquariol" or

  2. Studies on the physiology and endocrinology of reproduction of Helisoma duryi (Mollusca: Pulmonata)

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    Miksys, S.L.

    1987-01-01

    Helisoma duryi is a hermaphroditic, freshwater, pulmonate snail native to North America. It has been proposed as a biological control agent against snail intermediate hosts of Schistosoma sp., a parasitic trematode in man. Very little is known of the physiology and endocrinology of reproduction of H. duryi. This thesis investigates vitello-genesis, endocrine control of the synthesis of albumen, a nutrient-rich fluid catabolized by developing embryos, and the possible endocrine role of the gonad. Light and electron microscopy, chemical extraction, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and radioimmunoassay are used to identify the yolk protein ferritin. It is proposed that ferritin synthesis, and its circulating levels, are regulated, probably indirectly, by a gonadal factor released into the blood. The rate of synthesis of albumen polysaccharides can be monitored in vitro by providing albumen gland explants with the precursor /sup 14/C-glucose and measuring /sup 14/C-polysaccharide produced. The basal synthetic activity of the gland reflects the reproductive activity of the snail.

  3. A bird's eye survey of Central American planorbid molluscs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paraense, W Lobato

    2003-01-01

    In the course of two trips to Central America (June 1967 and JulyAugust 1976) I had the opportunity of collecting topotypic specimens of Planorbis nicaraguanus Morelet, 1849, anatomically defined in this paper, and of P. yzabalensis Crosse & Fischer, 1879, the identity of the latter with Drepanotrema anatinum (Orbigny, 1835) is confirmed. The following planorbid species were also found: Helisoma trivolvis (Say, 1817) in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Belize; H. duryi (Wetherby, 1879) in Costa Rica; Biomphalaria helophila (Orbigny, 1835) in Guatemala, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and El Salvador; B. kuhniana (Clessin, 1883) in Panama; B. obstructa (Morelet,1849) in Guatemala, Belize and El Salvador; B. straminea (Dunker, 1848) in Costa Rica; B. subprona (Martens, 1899) in Guatemala; D. anatinum (Orbigny,1835) in Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica; D. depressissimum (Moricand,1839) in Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama; D. lucidum (Pfeiffer, 1839) in Guatemala, Belize and Nicaragua; D. surinamense (Clessin, 1884) in Costa Rica and Panama; and Gyraulus percarinatus sp. n. in Panama. The occurrence of B. kuhniana and D. surinamense is first recorded in Central America, and Gyraulus percarinatus is the first representative of the genus provenly occurring in the American continent south of the United States. The following synonymy is proposed: Planorbis declivis Tate, 1870 = Biomphalaria helophila (Orbigny, 1835); Planorbis isthmicus Pilsbry, 1920 = Biomphalaria kuhniana (Clessin, 1883); Planorbis cannarum Morelet, 1849 and Segmentina donbilli Tristram, 1861 = Biomphalaria obstructa (Morelet, 1849); and Planorbis yzabalensis Crosse & Fischer, 1879 = Drepanotrema anatinum (Orbigny, 1835), confirming Aguayo (1933).

  4. Possible competitive displacement of planorbids by Melanoides tuberculata in Minas Gerais, Brazil

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    Carlos Tito Guimarães

    2001-09-01

    Full Text Available Several species of snails, including Pomacea haustrum, Marisa cornuarietis and Helisoma duryi, have been identified as probable competitors and/or predators of planorbid intermediate hosts of Schistosoma. During the last few years, studies carried out in the Caribbean region have shown reductions and even disappearances of populations of Biomphalaria glabrata and B. straminea in breeding places where the snail Melanoides tuberculata was introduced. Observations made over a period of 10 years in two lakes close to Belo Horizonte, MG, showed that there were marked reductions in autochthonous populations of B. glabrata and B. straminea after the arrival of M. tuberculata, both Biomphalaria species disappearing completely after eight years.

  5. Possible competitive displacement of planorbids by Melanoides tuberculata in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

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    Guimarães, C T; Souza, C P; Soares Dd

    2001-01-01

    Several species of snails, including Pomacea haustrum, Marisa cornuarietis and Helisoma duryi, have been identified as probable competitors and/or predators of planorbid intermediate hosts of Schistosoma. During the last few years, studies carried out in the Caribbean region have shown reductions and even disappearances of populations of Biomphalaria glabrata and B. straminea in breeding places where the snail Melanoides tuberculata was introduced. Observations made over a period of 10 years in two lakes close to Belo Horizonte, MG, showed that there were marked reductions in autochthonous populations of B. glabrata and B. straminea after the arrival of M. tuberculata, both Biomphalaria species disappearing completely after eight years.

  6. Effects of acute and chronic exposure to lead on the behavior of the pond snail Helisoma trivolvis

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    Bennett, V.T.; Copeland, J. [Georgia Southern Univ., Statesboro, GA (United States)

    1997-09-01

    The behavior of aquatic invertebrates may be useful as an indicator for the presence of toxicants in both freshwater and marine environments. The pond snail Helisoma trivolvis, the red ram`s horn, was exposed to low levels of lead (0.05 ppm). Chronic exposure significantly reduced the number of head movements but had no affect on radula movement or antenna twitches. Acute exposure resulted in curling of the foot that lasted 0.5 to 14.0 minutes. Electrochemical analysis of lead levels within treated snails indicated a higher concentration of lead in the tissue than that in the treated environment. Organ analysis of the digestive gland, 1 salivary gland, reproductive organs and the cerebral ganglion is currently being studied.

  7. Dopamine suppresses neuronal activity of Helisoma B5 neurons via a D2-like receptor, activating PLC and K channels.

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    Zhong, L R; Artinian, L; Rehder, V

    2013-01-03

    Dopamine (DA) plays fundamental roles as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator in the central nervous system. How DA modulates the electrical excitability of individual neurons to elicit various behaviors is of great interest in many systems. The buccal ganglion of the freshwater pond snail Helisoma trivolvis contains the neuronal circuitry for feeding and DA is known to modulate the feeding motor program in Helisoma. The buccal neuron B5 participates in the control of gut contractile activity and is surrounded by dopaminergic processes, which are expected to release DA. In order to study whether DA modulates the electrical activity of individual B5 neurons, we performed experiments on physically isolated B5 neurons in culture and on B5 neurons within the buccal ganglion in situ. We report that DA application elicited a strong hyperpolarization in both conditions and turned the electrical activity from a spontaneously firing state to an electrically silent state. Using the cell culture system, we demonstrated that the strong hyperpolarization was inhibited by the D2 receptor antagonist sulpiride and the phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor U73122, indicating that DA affected the membrane potential of B5 neurons through the activation of a D2-like receptor and PLC. Further studies revealed that the DA-induced hyperpolarization was inhibited by the K channel blockers 4-aminopyridine and tetraethylammonium, suggesting that K channels might serve as the ultimate target of DA signaling. Through its modulatory effect on the electrical activity of B5 neurons, the release of DA in vivo may contribute to a neuronal output that results in a variable feeding motor program. Copyright © 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Development of Helisoma trivolvis pond snails as biological samplers for biomonitoring of current-use pesticides.

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    Morrison, Shane A; Belden, Jason B

    2016-09-01

    Nontarget aquatic organisms residing in wetlands are commonly exposed to current-use pesticides through spray drift and runoff. However, it is frequently challenging to measure exposure because of rapid dissipation of pesticides from water and reduced bioavailability. The authors' hypothesis is that freshwater snails can serve as bioindicators of pesticide exposure based on their capacity to passively accumulate tissue residues. Helisoma trivolvis snails were evaluated as biomonitors of pesticide exposure using a fungicide formulation that contains pyraclostrobin and metconazole and is frequently applied to crops surrounding depressional wetlands. Exposure-response studies indicate that H. trivolvis are tolerant of pyraclostrobin and metconazole at concentrations >10 times those lethal to many aquatic species, with a median lethal concentration based on pyraclostrobin of 441 μg/L (95% confidence interval of 359-555 μg/L). Bioconcentration factors ranged from 137 mL/g to 211 mL/g and from 39 mL/g to 59 mL/g for pyraclostrobin and metconazole, respectively. Elimination studies suggested one-compartmental elimination and snail tissue half-lives (t50 ) of approximately 15 h and 5 h for pyraclostrobin and metconazole, respectively. Modeling derived toxicokinetic parameters in the context of an environmentally relevant pulsed exposure suggests that residues can be measured in snails long after water concentrations fall below detection limits. With high fungicide tolerance, rapid accumulation, and slow elimination, H. trivolvis may be viable for biomonitoring of pyraclostrobin and should be investigated for other pesticides. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2320-2329. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

  9. Quantitative estimation of the cost of parasitic castration in a Helisoma anceps population using a matrix population model.

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    Negovetich, N J; Esch, G W

    2008-10-01

    Larval trematodes frequently castrate their snail intermediate hosts. When castrated, the snails do not contribute offspring to the population, yet they persist and compete with the uninfected individuals for the available food resources. Parasitic castration should reduce the population growth rate lambda, but the magnitude of this decrease is unknown. The present study attempted to quantify the cost of parasitic castration at the level of the population by mathematically modeling the population of the planorbid snail Helisoma anceps in Charlie's Pond, North Carolina. Analysis of the model identified the life-history trait that most affects lambda, and the degree to which parasitic castration can lower lambda. A period matrix product model was constructed with estimates of fecundity, survival, growth rates, and infection probabilities calculated in a previous study. Elasticity analysis was performed by increasing the values of the life-history traits by 10% and recording the percentage change in lambda. Parasitic castration resulted in a 40% decrease in lambda of H. anceps. Analysis of the model suggests that decreasing the size at maturity was more effective at reducing the cost of castration than increasing survival or growth rates of the snails. The current matrix model was the first to mathematically describe a snail population, and the predictions of the model are in agreement with published research.

  10. How Autism Affects Speech Understanding in Multitalker Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-12-01

    Allen, Cleary, Kublin, & Goldstein , 2002; Wetherby, Goldstein , Cleary, Allen, & Kublin, 2003; Wetherby & Prizant, 1993; Wetherby, Watt, Morgan...functioning individuals with autism or Asperger’s syndrome. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45(6), 1107-1114. Barker, B. A., & Newman, R...S. (2004). Listen to your mother! The role of talker familiarity in infant streaming. Cognition , 94(2), B45-B53. Bricker, D., Squires, J., Mounts

  11. Invading freshwater snails and biological control in Martinique Island, French West Indies.

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    Pointier, J P

    2001-01-01

    Eight alien freshwater snail species were introduced into Martinique Island during the last 50 years. The introduced snails include four planorbids (Biomphalaria straminea, Helisoma duryi, Amerianna carinata and Gyraulus sp.), three thiarids (Melanoides tuberculata, M. amabilis and Tarebia granifera) and one ampullarid (Marisa cornuarietis). Four of these species rapidly colonized the whole Martinican hydrographic system whereas the other four remained restricted to some particular sites. The invasion processes were documented during the last 20 years and showed (i) a rapid invasion of the island by several morphs of M. tuberculata at the beginning of the 80's; (ii) the introduction of T. granifera in 1991 and M. amabilis in 1997; and (iii) the rapid spread of these last two species throughout the island. In the years following its introduction, M. tuberculata was used in biological control experiments against the snail hosts of schistosomiasis, B. glabrata and B. straminea. Experiments were conducted with success in several groups of water-cress beds which constituted the latest transmission sites for schistosomiasis at the beginning of the 80's. A malacological survey carried out in 2000 all over the island showed the absence of B. glabrata but the presence of some residual populations of B. straminea. Long-term studies carried out in Martinique have shown that the thiarids are able to maintain relatively stable populations over a long period of time, thus preventing recolonization by the snail hosts. Within this context the invasion of the hydrographic system of Martinique by thiarid snails has resulted in an efficient and sustainable control of the intermediate hosts of schistosomiasis.

  12. Invading freshwater snails and biological control in Martinique Island, French West Indies

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    Jean-Pierre Pointier

    2001-09-01

    Full Text Available Eight alien freshwater snail species were introduced into Martinique Island during the last 50 years. The introduced snails include four planorbids (Biomphalaria straminea, Helisoma duryi, Amerianna carinata and Gyraulus sp., three thiarids (Melanoides tuberculata, M. amabilis and Tarebia granifera and one ampullarid (Marisa cornuarietis. Four of these species rapidly colonized the whole Martinican hydrographic system whereas the other four remained restricted to some particular sites. The invasion processes were documented during the last 20 years and showed (i a rapid invasion of the island by several morphs of M. tuberculata at the beginning of the 80's; (ii the introduction of T. granifera in 1991 and M. amabilis in 1997; and (iii the rapid spread of these last two species throughout the island. In the years following its introduction, M. tuberculata was used in biological control experiments against the snail hosts of schistosomiasis, B. glabrata and B. straminea. Experiments were conducted with success in several groups of water-cress beds which constituted the latest transmission sites for schistosomiasis at the beginning of the 80's. A malacological survey carried out in 2000 all over the island showed the absence of B. glabrata but the presence of some residual populations of B. straminea. Long-term studies carried out in Martinique have shown that the thiarids are able to maintain relatively stable populations over a long period of time, thus preventing recolonization by the snail hosts. Within this context the invasion of the hydrographic system of Martinique by thiarid snails has resulted in an efficient and sustainable control of the intermediate hosts of schistosomiasis.

  13. The Role of Spatial and Temporal Heterogeneity and Competition In Structuring Trematode Communities In the Great Pond Snail, Lymnaea stagnalis (L.)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Soldánová, Miroslava; Kuris, A. M.; Scholz, Tomáš; Lafferty, K. D.

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 98, č. 3 (2012), s. 460-471 ISSN 0022-3395 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP505/10/1562; GA ČR GD206/09/H026; GA MŠk LC522 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60220518 Keywords : LARVAL TREMATODES * HELISOMA-ANCEPS * INTERSPECIFIC INTERACTIONS * DIPLOSTOMUM-SPATHACEUM * CENTRAL-EUROPE * ANTAGONISM * PARASITES * HOST * PATTERNS * DYNAMICS Subject RIV: GJ - Animal Vermins ; Diseases, Veterinary Medicine Impact factor: 1.321, year: 2012

  14. Operation & Maintenance Environmental Impact Statement for the Federal Facilities at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, Addressing Limited Season Extension of Operation. Supplement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1979-10-01

    azteca Aca r ina I sopoda Ar renur us Asellus Lirceus Castropoda Anic ola Diptera Campe loma Tipulidae (S) Gyraulus Ceratopogonidae Helisoma...turbidity could affect the primary productivity in the area for a brief period. Solar energy entering a body of water is converted by microscopic...8217. 4 U 0 Cd co m4 Z i C4 i dio C. ’. U ’U d 0 . C dd W 𔃾 Cd 4 d d > d - U 0 - C ’. i d . - d 44tl n C> - _4 In 0 0 -d W - C C. U : A i ’U 0 di -0 A

  15. Bioaccumulation of sup(95m)Tc in fish and snails

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blaylock, B.G.; Frank, M.L.; DeAngelis, D.L. (Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA))

    1982-03-01

    Concentration factors for technetium recommended in radiological assessment models for freshwater biota are default values based on the behavior of iodine in the environment. A small experimental freshwater pond was spiked with sup(95m)Tc to obtain data for calculating concentration factors for fish and snails. A model using the pond data was developed to calculate steady-state body burdens for freshwater biota. The concentration factors based on the calculated body burden for carp (Caprinus carpio), mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), and snails (Helisoma sp.) were 11,75 and 121, respectively. The concentration factor for carp was less than the recommended value of 15 listed in the USNRC Regulatory Guide 1.109 for calculating radiation dose to man; however, the concentration factors for mosquitofish and snails exceeded the recommended values by 5 and 25 times, respectively.

  16. Bioaccumulation of /sup 95m/Tc in fish and snails

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blaylock, B.G.; Frank, M.L.; DeAngelis, D.L.

    1982-03-01

    Concentration factors for technetium recommended in radiological assessment models for freshwater biota are default values based on the behavior of iodine in the environment. In this study a small experimental freshwater pond was spiked with /sup 95/mTc to obtain data for calculating concentration factors for fish and snails. A model using the pond data was developed to calculate steady-state body burdens for freshwater biota. The concentration factors based on the calculated body burden for carp (Caprinus carpio), mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), and snails (Helisoma sp.) were 11, 75 and 121, respectively. The concentration factor for carp was less than the recommended value of 15 listed in the USNRC Regulatory Guide 1.109 for calculating radiation dose to man; however, the concentration factors for mosquitofish and snails exceeded the recommended values by 5 and 24 times, respectively.

  17. Preference of redear sunfish on zebra mussels and rams-horn snails

    Science.gov (United States)

    French, John R. P.; Morgan, Michael N.

    1995-01-01

    We tested prey preferences of adult (200- to 222-mm long) redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus) on two size classes of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and two-ridge rams-horns (Helisoma anceps) in experimental aquaria. We also tested physical limitations on consuming these mollusks and determined prey bioenergetic profitability. Redear sunfish strongly preferred rams-horns over zebra mussels, but they displayed no size preference for either prey. Ingestion was not physically limited since both prey species up to 15-mm long fit within the pharyngeal gapes of redear sunfish. Rams-horns were more bioenergetically profitable than zebra mussels and ingestion of rams-horn shell fragments was about three times less than zebra mussels. Rams-horns were somewhat more resistant to shell-crushing, but all size ranges of both prey species tested were crushable by redear sunfish. These studies suggested that the redear sunfish should not be considered a panacea for biological control of zebra mussels.

  18. The relationship between prelinguistic vocalization and later expressive vocabulary in young children with developmental delay.

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    McCathren, R B; Yoder, P J; Warren, S F

    1999-08-01

    This study tested the relationship between prelinguistic vocalization and expressive vocabulary 1 year later in young children with mild to moderate developmental delays. Three vocalization variables were tested: rate of all vocalization, rate of vocalizations with consonants, and rate of vocalizations used interactively. The 58 toddlers in the study were 17-34 months old, not sensory impaired, and had Bayley Mental Development Indices (Bayley, 1969; Bayley, 1993) from 35-85. In addition, the children had fewer than 3 words in their expressive vocabularies and during classroom observation each showed at least one instance of intentional prelinguistic communication before testing. Selected sections of the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales procedures (CSBS; Wetherby & Prizant, 1993) were administered at the beginning and at the end of the study. The vocal measures were obtained in the initial CSBS session. One measure of expressive vocabulary was obtained in the CSBS session at the end of the study. In addition, expressive vocabulary was measured in a nonstructured play session at the end of the study. We predicted that rate of vocalization, rate of vocalizations with consonants, and rate of vocalizations used interactively would all be positively related to later expressive vocabulary. The results confirmed the predictions.

  19. Repetitive and stereotyped movements in children with autism spectrum disorders late in the second year of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Lindee; Wetherby, Amy M; Barber, Angie

    2008-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine group differences and relationships with later developmental level and autism symptoms using a new clinical tool developed to measure repetitive and stereotyped movements (RSM) in young children. Videotaped behavior samples using the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile (CSBS; Wetherby & Prizant, 2002) were coded for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD; n = 50), developmental delays without ASD (DD; n = 25), and typical development (TD; n = 50) between 18 and 24 months of age. Children with ASD demonstrated significantly higher rate and larger inventory of RSM with objects and body during a systematic behavior sample than both the DD and TD groups. Measures of RSM were related to concurrent measures of social communication and predicted developmental outcomes and autism symptoms in the fourth year for the ASD group. None of the correlations between RSM and autism symptoms remained significant when controlling for CSBS Symbolic level. RSM with objects predicted unique variance in the severity of autism symptoms in the fourth year beyond that predicted by social communication measures alone. This study provides support for the diagnostic significance of RSM in children under 24 months of age and documents the utility of this RSM measurement tool as a companion to the CSBS.

  20. Self-recognition: a constraint on the formation of electrical coupling in neurons.

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    Guthrie, P B; Lee, R E; Rehder, V; Schmidt, M F; Kater, S B

    1994-03-01

    Electrical coupling between specific neurons is important for proper function of many neuronal circuits. Identified cultured neurons from the snail Helisoma show a strong correlation between electrical coupling and presence of gap junction plaques in freeze-fracture replicas. Gap junction plaques, however, were never seen between overlapping neurites from a single neuron, even though those same neurites formed gap junctions with neurites from another essentially identical identified neuron. This observation suggests that a form of self-recognition inhibits reflexive gap junction formation between sibling neurites. When one or both of those growth cones had been physically isolated from the neuronal cell body, both electrical coupling and gap junction plaques, between growth cones from the same neuron, were observed to form rapidly (within 30 min). Thus, inhibition of electrical coupling between sibling neurites apparently depends on cytoplasmic continuity between neurites, and not the molecular composition of neurite membrane. The formation of gap junctions is not likely due to the isolation process; rather, the physical isolation appears to release an inhibition of reflexive gap junction formation. These data demonstrate the existence of a previously unknown constraint on the formation of electrical synapses.

  1. Species-specific and transgenerational responses to increasing salinity in sympatric freshwater gastropods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suski, Jamie G.; Salice, Christopher J.; Patino, Reynaldo

    2012-01-01

    Freshwater salinization is a global concern partly attributable to anthropogenic salt contamination. The authors examined the effects of increased salinity (as NaCl, 250-4,000 µS/cm, specific conductance) on two sympatric freshwater gastropods (Helisoma trivolvis and Physa pomillia). Life stage sensitivities were determined by exposing naive eggs or naive juveniles (through adulthood and reproduction). Additionally, progeny eggs from the juvenile-adult exposures were maintained at their respective parental salinities to examine transgenerational effects. Naive H. trivolvis eggs experienced delayed development at specific conductance > 250 µS/cm; reduced survivorship and reproduction were also seen in juvenile H. trivolvis at 4,000 µS/cm. Survival and growth of P. pomilia were not affected by increased salinity following egg or juvenile exposures. Interestingly, the progeny of H. trivolvis exposed to higher salinity may have gained tolerance to increased salinity whereas P. pomilia progeny may have experienced negative transgenerational effects. The present study demonstrates that freshwater snail species vary in their tolerance to salinization and also highlights the importance of multigenerational studies, as stressor impacts may not be readily apparent from shorter term exposures.

  2. Comparison of four species of snails as potential decoys to intercept schistosome miracidia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laracuente, A; Brown, R A; Jobin, W

    1979-01-01

    Preliminary studies have shown that various species of aquatic snails may be used as decoys or "sponges" to intercept schistosome miracidia, thereby preventing the miracidia from reaching the snails which normally serve as their intermediate host. In this study, four species of snails were evaluated as candidate decoys for field trials: Marisa cornuarietis, Pomacea australis, Helisoma caribaeum, and Tarebia granifera. In the laboratory all four species caused considerable reductions in the proportion of Biomphalaria glabrata infected by miracidia of Schistosoma mansoni. The most effective decoys were M. cornuarietis and H. caribaeum, both of which caused experimental infection levels of 90% to decrease to 25% when five decoy snails were present for each target snail. When ten decoy snails were present for each target snail, the proportion infected decreased to 1%. M. cornuarietis was chosen as the candidate for field trials because it was found more frequently in Puerto Rico than was H. caribaeum. Initial field trials in two ponds showed that M. cornuarietis blocked infections at a ratio of 6 decoys to 1 target snail, confirming the laboratory results. Further studies in flowing water are needed before the technique can be generally evaluated in an endemic area.

  3. The suitability of several aquatic snails as intermediate hosts for Angiostrongylus cantonensis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yousif, F; Lämmler, G

    1975-10-16

    Sixteen species of aquatic snails of four families were tested by quantitative technique under standardized conditions for their suitability as intermediate hosts for Angiostrongylus cantonensis. These species were the planorbid snails Biomphalaria glabrata, Biomphalaria alexandrina, Planorbis planorbis, Planorbis intermixtus, Bulinus truncatus, Bulinus contortus, Bulinus africanus, Bulinus tropicus and Helisoma sp.; the lymnaeid snails Lymnaea natalensis, Lymnaea tomentosa, Lymnaea stagnalis, and Stagnicola elodes; the physid snail Physa acuta (an Egyptian and a German strain) and the ampullariid snails Marisa cornuarietis and Lanistes carinatus. All these snail species proved to be susceptible to infection with A. cantonensis, and first stage larvae reached the infective third stage in all of them. However, the rate and intensity of infection varied with different species. B. glabrata was the most susceptible snail species with a 100% infection rate and an average percentage recovery of third stage larvae of 26.1. This was followed by S. elodes and B. africanus, with a 100% infection rate and an average percentage recovery of third stage larvae of 15.6 and 14.6 respectively. The rest of snail species proved to be less susceptible. For comparative evaluation of the suitability of the various snail species as intermediate hosts of A. cantonensis a "Capacity Index" was determined. This index should provide a useful method for the evaluation of the suitability of various snails as intermediate hosts of nematode parasites under standardized conditions in the laboratory.

  4. A comparison of neuronal growth cone and cell body membrane: electrophysiological and ultrastructural properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guthrie, P B; Lee, R E; Kater, S B

    1989-10-01

    This study investigated a broad set of general electrophysiological and ultrastructural features of growth cone and cell body membrane of individual neurons where membrane from different regions of the same neuron can be directly compared. Growth cones were surgically isolated from identified adult Helisoma neurons in culture and compared with the cell body using whole-cell patch-clamp recording techniques. All isolated growth cones generated overshooting regenerative action potentials. Five neurons (buccal neurons B4, B5, and B19; pedal neurons P1 and P5) were selected that displayed distinctive action potential waveforms. In all cases, the growth cone action potential was indistinguishable from the cell body action potential and different from growth cones from other identified neurons. Two of these neurons (B5 and B19) were studied further using voltage-clamp procedures; growth cones and cell bodies again revealed major similarities within one neuron type and differences between neuron types. The only suggested difference between the growth cone and cell body was an apparent reduction in the magnitude of the A-current in the growth cone. Peak inward and outward current densities, as with other electrophysiological features, were different between neuron types, but were, again, similar between the growth cone and the cell body of the same neuron. Freeze-fracture analysis of intramembraneous particles (IMPs) was also performed on identified regions of the same neuron in culture. Both the density and the size distribution of IMPs were the same in growth cone, cell body, and neurite membranes. In these general electrophysiological and ultrastructural characteristics, therefore, growth cone membranes appear to retain the identity of the parent neuron cell body membrane.

  5. Bioaccumulation and distribution of /sup 95m/Tc in an experimental freshwater pond

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blaylock, B.G.; Frank, M.L.

    1981-01-01

    An acute release of /sup 95m/Tc was made to a small experimental freshwater pond to determine the behavior of technetium in a freshwater ecosystem. The objectives of the study were (1) to determine the distribution of /sup 95m/Tc in the components of the ecosystem and (2) to determine the concentration in freshwater biota. Prior to the release of /sup 95m/Tc, the pond was stocked with aquatic macrophytes, fish, and invertebrates. All components of the pond were sampled for a period of 37 d. Analyses of filtered and unfiltered water samples showed that /sup 95m/Tc did not sorb significantly to particulates suspended in the water but remained dissolved. Sediments accumulated /sup 95m/Tc slowly as the experiment progressed. In the biota, periphyton accumulated /sup 95m/Tc rapidly, reaching the highest concentration (3482 dpm/g dry wt) 4 h after the release and maintaining a relatively high concentration throughout the experiment. Fish and invertebrates accumulated /sup 95m/Tc gradually. Elimination studies and tissue analyses showed that a large percentage of the body burden was in the digestive system of all fish, suggesting that fish were accumulating /sup 95m/Tc through the food chain. Biological half-lives determined from elimination studies for carp (Cyprinus carpio), mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), and snails (Helisoma sp.) were 2.5, 4.3, and 21.3 d, respectively. Calculated concentration factors for the same species were 11 for carp, 75 for mosquito fish, and 121 for snails. The estimated size of the biomass components in the ecosystem in descending order were: periphyton, macrophytes, invertebrates, fish, and algae. Based on biomass estimates and concentrations of the /sup 95m/Tc in the aquatic biota, approximately 1% of the /sup 95m/Tc accumulated in the biota

  6. Cesium accumulation by aquatic organisms at different trophic levels following an experimental release into a small reservoir

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pinder, J.E., E-mail: jepinder@uga.ed [Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, P. O. Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802 (United States); Hinton, T.G., E-mail: thomas.hinton@irsn.f [Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, P. O. Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802 (United States); Taylor, B.E., E-mail: TaylorB@dnr.sc.go [Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, P. O. Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802 (United States); Whicker, F.W., E-mail: ward.whicker@colostate.ed [Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado, State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1618 (United States)

    2011-03-15

    The rates of accumulation and subsequent loss of stable cesium ({sup 133}Cs) by organisms at different trophic levels within plankton-based and periphyton-based food chains were measured following the addition of {sup 133}Cs into a small reservoir near Aiken, South Carolina, USA. An uptake parameter u (L kg{sup -1} d{sup -1} dry mass) and a loss rate parameter k (d{sup -1}) were estimated for each organism using time-series measurements of {sup 133}Cs concentrations in water and biota, and these parameters were used to estimate maximum concentrations, times to maximum concentrations, and concentration ratios (C{sub r}). The maximum {sup 133}Cs concentrations for plankton, periphyton, the insect larva Chaoborus punctipennis, which feeds on plankton, and the snail Helisoma trivolvis, which feeds on periphyton, occurred within the first 14 days following the addition, whereas the maximum concentrations for the fish species Lepomis macrochirus and Micropterus salmoides occurred after 170 days. The C{sub r} based on dry mass for plankton and C. punctipennis were 1220 L kg{sup -1} and 5570 L kg{sup -1}, respectively, and were less than the C{sub r} of 8630 L kg{sup -1} for periphyton and 47,700 L kg{sup -1} for H. trivolvis. Although the C{sub r} differed between plankton-based and periphyton-based food chains, they displayed similar levels of biomagnification. Biomagnification was also indicated for fish where the C{sub r} for the mostly nonpiscivorous L. macrochirus of 22,600 L kg{sup -1} was three times less than that for mostly piscivorous M. salmoides of 71,500 L kg{sup -1}. Although the C{sub r} for M. salmoides was greater than those for periphyton and H. trivolvis, the maximum {sup 133}Cs concentrations for periphyton and H. trivolvis were greater than that for M. salmoides. - Research highlights: {yields} A simple uptake and loss model described the Cs dynamics in all the various biota. {yields} Concentrations of Cs were greater in periphyton than in plankton