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Sample records for monteverde golden toad

  1. Chemical profiling and cytotoxicity assay of bufadienolides in toad venom and toad skin.

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    Meng, Qiong; Yau, Lee-Fong; Lu, Jing-Guang; Wu, Zhen-Zhen; Zhang, Bao-Xian; Wang, Jing-Rong; Jiang, Zhi-Hong

    2016-07-01

    Toad venom and toad skin have been widely used for treating various cancers in China. Bufadienolides are regarded as the main anticancer components of toad venom, but the difference on composition and anticancer activities of bufadienolides between toad venom and toad skin remains unclear. Fractions enriched with free and conjugated bufadienolides were prepared from toad venom and toad skin. Bufadienolides in each fraction were comprehensively profiled by using a versatile UHPLC-TOF-MS method. Relative contents of major bufadienolides were determined by using three bufogenins and one bufotoxin as marker compounds with validated UHPLC-TOF-MS method. Furthermore, cytotoxicity of the fractions was examined by MTT assay. Two fractions, i.e., bufogenin and bufotoxin fractions (TV-F and TV-C) were isolated from toad venom, and one bufotoxin fraction (TS-C) was isolated from toad skin. Totally 56 bufadienolides in these three fractions were identified, and 29 were quantified or semi-quantified. Bufotoxins were identified in both toad venom and toad skin, whereas bufogenins exist only in toad venom. Bufalin-3-conjugated bufotoxins are major components in toad venom, whereas cinobufotalin and cinobufagin-3-conjugated bufotoxins are main bufotoxins in toad skin. MTT assay revealed potent cytotoxicity of all the fractions in an order of TV-F>TV-C>TS-C. Our study represents the most comprehensive investigation on the chemical profiles of toad venom and toad skin from both qualitative and quantitative aspects. Eight bufotoxins were identified in toad skin responsible for the cytotoxicity for the first time. Our research provides valuable chemical evidence for the appropriate processing method, quality control and rational exploration of toad skin and toad venom for the development of anticancer medicines. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Phytomedicinal potential of tropical cloudforest plants from Monteverde, Costa Rica

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    Mary C Setzer

    2003-09-01

    Full Text Available A pharmacological survey of plants from Monteverde, Costa Rica, including 165 species representing 61 families has been carried out. Crude plant extracts have been tested for in-vitro bactericidal and fungicidal activity as well as cytotoxic and anti-herpes activity. Of these, 123 extracts exhibited notable cytotoxicity, 62 showed antibacterial activity, 4 showed antifungal activity, and 8 showed promising antiviral activity. Thus, 101 of the plant species examined in this work, or 62%, showed marked bioactivity in one or more bioassays. These results underscore the phytomedicinal potential of Neotropical cloud forestsSe realizó un análisis farmacológico de plantas de Monteverde, Costa Rica, que incluye 165 especies representantes de 61 familias. Se probó in-vitro la actividad bactericida y fungicida, así como la actividad citotóxica y anti-herpes de extractos crudos de plantas. De estos, 123 extractos exhibieron una notable citotoxicidad, 62 mostraron actividad antibacterial, 4 presentaron actividad antihongos, y 8 mostraron una promisoria actividad antiviral. Así, de las 101 especies de plantas examinadas en este trabajo, 62% presentaron una marcada actividad biológica en uno o más de los bioensayos. Estos resultados subrayan el potencial fitomédico de los bosques nubosos Neotropicales

  3. Museum material reveals a frog parasite emergence after the invasion of the cane toad in Australia

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    Phalen David N

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background A parasite morphologically indistinguishable from Myxidium immersum (Myxozoa: Myxosporea found in gallbladders of the invasive cane toad (Bufo marinus was identified in Australian frogs. Because no written record exists for such a parasite in Australian endemic frogs in 19th and early 20th century, it was assumed that the cane toad introduced this parasite. While we cannot go back in time ourselves, we investigated whether material at the museum of natural history could be used to retrieve parasites, and whether they were infected at the time of their collection (specifically prior to and after the cane toad translocation to Australia in 1935. Results Using the herpetological collection at the Australian Museum we showed that no myxospores were found in any animals (n = 115 prior to the cane toad invasion (1879-1935. The green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea, the Peron's tree frog (Litoria peronii, the green tree frog (Litoria caerulea and the striped marsh frog (Limnodynastes peronii were all negative for the presence of the parasite using microscopy of the gallbladder content and its histology. These results were sufficient to conclude that the population was free from this disease (at the expected minimum prevalence of 5% at 99.7% confidence level using the 115 voucher specimens in the Australian Museum. Similarly, museum specimens (n = 29 of the green and golden bell frog from New Caledonia, where it was introduced in 19th century, did not show the presence of myxospores. The earliest specimen positive for myxospores in a gallbladder was a green tree frog from 1966. Myxospores were found in eight (7.1%, n = 112 frogs in the post cane toad introduction period. Conclusion Australian wildlife is increasingly under threat, and amphibian decline is one of the most dramatic examples. The museum material proved essential to directly support the evidence of parasite emergence in Australian native frogs. This parasite can be

  4. A suspected parasite spill-back of two novel Myxidium spp. (Myxosporea causing disease in Australian endemic frogs found in the invasive Cane toad.

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    Ashlie Hartigan

    Full Text Available Infectious diseases are contributing to the decline of endangered amphibians. We identified myxosporean parasites, Myxidium spp. (Myxosporea: Myxozoa, in the brain and liver of declining native frogs, the Green and Golden Bell frog (Litoria aurea and the Southern Bell frog (Litoria raniformis. We unequivocally identified two Myxidium spp. (both generalist affecting Australian native frogs and the invasive Cane toad (Bufo marinus, syn. Rhinella marina and demonstrated their association with disease. Our study tested the identity of Myxidium spp. within native frogs and the invasive Cane toad (brought to Australia in 1935, via Hawaii to resolve the question whether the Cane toad introduced them to Australia. We showed that the Australian brain and liver Myxidium spp. differed 9%, 7%, 34% and 37% at the small subunit rDNA, large subunit rDNA, internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2, but were distinct from Myxidium cf. immersum from Cane toads in Brazil. Plotting minimum within-group distance against maximum intra-group distance confirmed their independent evolutionary trajectory. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the brain stages localize inside axons. Myxospores were morphologically indistinguishable, therefore genetic characterisation was necessary to recognise these cryptic species. It is unlikely that the Cane toad brought the myxosporean parasites to Australia, because the parasites were not found in 261 Hawaiian Cane toads. Instead, these data support the enemy-release hypothesis predicting that not all parasites are translocated with their hosts and suggest that the Cane toad may have played an important spill-back role in their emergence and facilitated their dissemination. This work emphasizes the importance of accurate species identification of pathogens relevant to wildlife management and disease control. In our case it is paving the road for the spill-back role of the Cane toad and the parasite emergence.

  5. Chemical Compositions and Cytotoxic Activities of Leaf Essential Oils of Four Lauraceae Tree Species from Monteverde, Costa Rica

    OpenAIRE

    Maria C. Palazzo; Brittany R. Agius; Brenda S. Wright; William A. Haber; Debra M. Moriarity; William N. Setzer

    2009-01-01

    The leaf essential oils of four members of the Lauraceae Licaria excelsa, Licaria triandra, Perseaschiedeana, and Rhodostemonodaphne kunthiana, from Monteverde, Costa Rica, were obtained byhydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The leaf oil of L. excelsawas dominated by the monoterpenes a-pinene (42.9%), b-pinene (22.0%) and myrcene (17.2%), while L.triandra was also rich in pinenes (40.9% and 28.5%, respectively). Persea schiedeana had considerableamo...

  6. Cane toads a threat to West Indian wildlife: mortality of Jamaican boas attributable to toad ingestion

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    Byron S. Wilson; Susan E. Koenig; Rick van Veen; Erika Miersma; D. Craig. Rudolph

    2011-01-01

    The notorious ‘‘cane toad’’ (Bufo marinus) is considered to be one of the 100 worst invasive species in the world. A native of South and Central America, Mexico, and the Rio Grande Valley of the United States, this large toad was intentionally introduced to islands in the Caribbean, and subsequently throughout the southern Pacific, as a biological control agent to...

  7. Toad poisoning in three dogs: case reports

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    CM Barbosa

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Toad poisoning is frequent in dogs, but has been infrequently addressed in published case reports and review articles. Dogs can be poisoned when they bite a toad or otherwise ingest the venom. The venom effects manifest soon after the accident, since the toxin is rapidly absorbed by the mucous membrane of the digestive system. Hospital records of three dogs, diagnosed with toad poisoning, were retrospectively reviewed from January 2005 to July 2007. Poisoned dogs may present only local irritation or systemic signs in the gastrointestinal, cardiac and neurological systems. All three cases presented herein had clinical signs of gastrointestinal alterations including vomiting, sialorrhea and diarrhea. Two dogs developed abnormal cardiac rhythm and two exhibited neurological signs. A poisoned animal requires emergency care and symptomatic therapy with intense monitoring of its clinical parameters. Although there have been reports on the low mortality of dogs poisoned by toads, one animal died even after appropriate therapy. The severity of clinical signs and the risk of death must be considered by the veterinarian.

  8. The impact of invasive cane toads on native wildlife in southern Australia.

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    Jolly, Christopher J; Shine, Richard; Greenlees, Matthew J

    2015-09-01

    Commonly, invaders have different impacts in different places. The spread of cane toads (Rhinella marina: Bufonidae) has been devastating for native fauna in tropical Australia, but the toads' impact remains unstudied in temperate-zone Australia. We surveyed habitat characteristics and fauna in campgrounds along the central eastern coast of Australia, in eight sites that have been colonized by cane toads and another eight that have not. The presence of cane toads was associated with lower faunal abundance and species richness, and a difference in species composition. Populations of three species of large lizards (land mullets Bellatorias major, eastern water dragons Intellagama lesueurii, and lace monitors Varanus varius) and a snake (red-bellied blacksnake Pseudechis porphyriacus) were lower (by 84 to 100%) in areas with toads. The scarcity of scavenging lace monitors in toad-invaded areas translated into a 52% decrease in rates of carrion removal (based on camera traps at bait stations) and an increase (by 61%) in numbers of brush turkeys (Alectura lathami). The invasion of cane toads through temperate-zone Australia appears to have reduced populations of at least four anurophagous predators, facilitated other taxa, and decreased rates of scavenging. Our data identify a paradox: The impacts of cane toads are at least as devastating in southern Australia as in the tropics, yet we know far more about toad invasion in the sparsely populated wilderness areas of tropical Australia than in the densely populated southeastern seaboard.

  9. Factors limiting the recovery of boreal toads (Bufo b. boreas)

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    Carey, C.; Corn, P.S.; Jones, M.S.; Livo, L.J.; Muths, E.; Loeffler, C.W.; Lannoo, M.

    2005-01-01

    Boreal toads (Bufo b. boreas) are widely distributed over much of the mountainous western United States. Populations in the Southern Rocky Mountains suffered extensive declines in the late 1970s through early 1980s (Carey, 1993). At the time, these mass mortalities were thought to be associated with a bacterial infection (Carey, 1993). Although the few populations that survived the mass die-offs were not systematically monitored until at least 1993, no mass mortalities had been observed until 1996 when die-offs were observed. A mycotic skin infection associated with a chytrid fungus is now causing mortality of toads in at least two of the populations (M.S. Jones and D.E. Green, unpublished data; Muths et al., 2003). Boreal toads are now absent throughout large areas of their former distribution in Colorado and southern Wyoming and may be extinct in New Mexico (Corn et al., 1989; Carey, 1993; Stuart and Painter, 1994). These toads are classified as “endangered” by Colorado and New Mexico and are designated as a protected non-game species in Wyoming. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has categorized the Southern Rocky Mountain populations for federal listing and is currently reviewing their designation as a “warranted but precluded” species for possible listing in the next few years. For the management of boreal toads and their habitats, a Boreal Toad Recovery Team was formed by the Colorado Division of Wildlife in 1995 as part of a collaborative effort with federal agencies within the United States’ departments of the Interior and Agriculture and with agencies in two adjoining states. To date, conservation agreements have been signed by eight state and federal agencies and by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program. Although boreal toads were considered common throughout their range in Colorado, no comprehensive surveys of the numbers and sizes of their populations were conducted prior to mass die-offs in the 1970s. Surveys completed in the late 1980s to

  10. Will rare Tanzanian toad stall hydro operations?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pritchard, Suzanne

    2000-01-01

    Normal operations at the Kihansi power station in Tanzania may be endangering the spray toad (Nectophrynoides asperginis). The problem is that reduced water flows (as a result of abstraction for hydroelectricity) results in insufficient spray for the toads, but so far nobody knows what flow rate will ensure survival. Additional water sprays are provided to irrigate parts of the wetlands habitat. The problem has yet to be resolved

  11. Locomotor performance of cane toads differs between native-range and invasive populations.

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    Kosmala, Georgia; Christian, Keith; Brown, Gregory; Shine, Richard

    2017-07-01

    Invasive species provide a robust opportunity to evaluate how animals deal with novel environmental challenges. Shifts in locomotor performance-and thus the ability to disperse-(and especially, the degree to which it is constrained by thermal and hydric extremes) are of special importance, because they might affect the rate that an invader can spread. We studied cane toads ( Rhinella marina ) across a broad geographical range: two populations within the species' native range in Brazil, two invasive populations on the island of Hawai'i and eight invasive populations encompassing the eastern, western and southern limits of the toad invasion in Australia. A toad's locomotor performance on a circular raceway was strongly affected by both its temperature and its hydration state, but the nature and magnitude of those constraints differed across populations. In their native range, cane toads exhibited relatively low performance (even under optimal test conditions) and a rapid decrease in performance at lower temperatures and hydration levels. At the other extreme, performance was high in toads from southern Australia, and virtually unaffected by desiccation. Hawai'ian toads broadly resembled their Brazilian conspecifics, plausibly reflecting similar climatic conditions. The invasion of Australia has been accompanied by a dramatic enhancement in the toads' locomotor abilities, and (in some populations) by an ability to maintain locomotor performance even when the animal is cold and/or dehydrated. The geographical divergences in performance among cane toad populations graphically attest to the adaptability of invasive species in the face of novel abiotic challenges.

  12. Host-pathogen metapopulation dynamics suggest high elevation refugia for boreal toads

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    Mosher, Brittany A.; Bailey, Larissa L.; Muths, Erin L.; Huyvaert, Kathryn P

    2018-01-01

    Emerging infectious diseases are an increasingly common threat to wildlife. Chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is an emerging infectious disease that has been linked to amphibian declines around the world. Few studies exist that explore amphibian-Bd dynamics at the landscape scale, limiting our ability to identify which factors are associated with variation in population susceptibility and to develop effective in situdisease management. Declines of boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas boreas) in the Southern Rocky Mountains are largely attributed to chytridiomycosis but variation exists in local extinction of boreal toads across this metapopulation. Using a large-scale historic dataset, we explored several potential factors influencing disease dynamics in the boreal toad-Bd system: geographic isolation of populations, amphibian community richness, elevational differences, and habitat permanence. We found evidence that boreal toad extinction risk was lowest at high elevations where temperatures may be sub-optimal for Bd growth and where small boreal toad populations may be below the threshold needed for efficient pathogen transmission. In addition, boreal toads were more likely to recolonize high elevation sites after local extinction, again suggesting that high elevations may provide refuge from disease for boreal toads. We illustrate a modeling framework that will be useful to natural resource managers striving to make decisions in amphibian-Bdsystems. Our data suggest that in the southern Rocky Mountains high elevation sites should be prioritized for conservation initiatives like reintroductions.

  13. Seasonal and daily plasma corticosterone rhythms in American toads, Bufo americanus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pancak, M.K.; Taylor, D.H.

    1983-01-01

    Concentrations of corticosterone were measured in the plasma of American toads, Bufo americanus, on a seasonal basis using a radioimmunoassay technique. Two populations of toads, maintained under different light conditions, were monitored to observe the effects of photoperiod on the seasonal rhythm of plasma corticosterone. Under a natural photoperiod toads demonstrated a rhythm consisting of a spring peak and a fall peak in corticosterone concentration. Toads maintained under a 12L:12D photoperiod all year round demonstrated a similar rhythm with peaks in the spring and fall. This suggests that an endogenous (circannual) rhythm of corticosterone may be playing an important role in the seasonal change of overt behavior and physiology of Bufo americanus. A daily rhythm of corticosterone was also detected in toads when blood samples were taken every 4 hr. When compared to a previously published circadian rhythm study of locomotor activity, the surge in corticosterone concentration for the day occurred at 1730 just prior to the peak in locomotor activity

  14. Effects of an invasive plant on population dynamics in toads.

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    Greenberg, Daniel A; Green, David M

    2013-10-01

    When populations decline in response to unfavorable environmental change, the dynamics of their population growth shift. In populations that normally exhibit high levels of variation in recruitment and abundance, as do many amphibians, declines may be difficult to identify from natural fluctuations in abundance. However, the onset of declines may be evident from changes in population growth rate in sufficiently long time series of population data. With data from 23 years of study of a population of Fowler's toad (Anaxyrus [ = Bufo] fowleri) at Long Point, Ontario (1989-2011), we sought to identify such a shift in dynamics. We tested for trends in abundance to detect a change point in population dynamics and then tested among competing population models to identify associated intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The most informative models of population growth included terms for toad abundance and the extent of an invasive marsh plant, the common reed (Phragmites australis), throughout the toads' marshland breeding areas. Our results showed density-dependent growth in the toad population from 1989 through 2002. After 2002, however, we found progressive population decline in the toads associated with the spread of common reeds and consequent loss of toad breeding habitat. This resulted in reduced recruitment and population growth despite the lack of significant loss of adult habitat. Our results underscore the value of using long-term time series to identify shifts in population dynamics coincident with the advent of population decline. © 2013 Society for Conservation Biology.

  15. Habitat use and movement of the endangered Arroyo Toad (Anaxyrus californicus) in coastal southern California

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    Gallegos, Elizabeth; Lyren, Lisa M.; Lovich, Robert E.; Mitrovich, Milan J.; Fisher, Robert N.

    2011-01-01

    Information on the habitat use and movement patterns of Arroyo Toads (Anaxyrus californicus) is limited. The temporal and spatial characteristics of terrestrial habitat use, especially as it relates to upland use in coastal areas of the species' range, are poorly understood. We present analyses of radiotelemetry data from 40 individual adult toads tracked at a single site in coastal southern California from March through November of 2004. We quantify adult Arroyo Toad habitat use and movements and interpret results in the context of their life history. We show concentrated activity by both male and female toads along stream terraces during and after breeding, and, although our fall sample size is low, the continued presence of adult toads in the floodplain through the late fall. Adult toads used open sandy flats with sparse vegetation. Home-range size and movement frequency varied as a function of body mass. Observed spatial patterns of movement and habitat use both during and outside of the breeding period as well as available climatological data suggest that overwintering of toads in floodplain habitats of near-coastal areas of southern California may be more common than previously considered. If adult toads are not migrating out of the floodplain at the close of the breeding season but instead overwinter on stream terraces in near-coastal areas, then current management practices that assume toad absence from floodplain habitats may be leaving adult toads over-wintering on stream terraces vulnerable to human disturbance during a time of year when Arroyo Toad mortality is potentially highest.

  16. Serum and hepatic vitamin A levels in captive and wild marine toads (Bufo marinus).

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    Berkvens, Charlene N; Lentini, Andrew; Dutton, Christopher J; Pearl, David L; Barker, Ian K; Crawshaw, Graham J

    2014-01-01

    The captive breeding program for the endangered Puerto Rican crested toad (Peltophryne [Bufo] lemur) has been hampered by an undiagnosed condition called "Brown Skin Disease" (BSD). Toads develop widespread skin darkening, skin thickening and abnormal shedding and eventually succumb to a chronic loss of viability. This project evaluated the marine toad (Bufo marinus) as a model for the PRCT, examining vitamin A deficiency as a potential cause of BSD. Wild caught marine toads had significantly higher liver vitamin A concentrations (61.89 ± 63.49 µg/g) than captive born marine toads (0.58 ± 0.59 µg/g); P<0.001). A significant difference in serum vitamin A concentration was found between the captive and wild caught toads (P=0.013) and between the low vitamin A-fed and wild caught toads (P=0.004), when controlling for liver vitamin A concentrations. After captive toads were treated with topical and/or oral vitamin A, their hepatic vitamin A concentrations were similar to those of the wild toads, averaging 48.41 ± 37.03 µg/g. However, plasma vitamin A concentrations pre- and post-vitamin A supplementation did not differ statistically. We concluded that plasma vitamin A concentrations do not provide a linear indication of liver/body vitamin A status, and that both topical and oral supplementation with an oil-based vitamin A formulation can increase liver stores in amphibians. No evidence of BSD or other signs of deficiency were noted in the marine toads, although this feeding trial was relatively short (127 days). To date, clinical, pathological and research findings do not support vitamin A deficiency as a primary factor underlying BSD. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Vascular aspects of water uptake mechanisms in the toad skin: perfusion, diffusion, confusion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Willumsen, Niels; Viborg, Arne L; Hillyard, Stanley D

    2007-01-01

    Blood cell flow (BCF) in the water absorbing "seat patch" region of toad skin was measured with laser Doppler flow cytometry. BCF of dehydrated toads increased by a factor of 6-8 when water contact was made and declined gradually as toads rehydrated. Water absorption was initially stimulated...... and declined in parallel with BCF. Water absorption measured during the initial rehydration period did not correlate with BCF and hydrated toads injected with AVT increased water absorption without an increase in BCF indicating the lack of an obligate relation between blood flow and water absorption....... Aquaporins 1-3 were characterized by RT-PCR analysis of seat patch skin. AQP 1 was localized in the endothelium of subepidermal capillaries and serves as a pathway for water absorption in series with the apical and basolateral membranes of the epithelium. Dehydrated toads rehydrated more rapidly from dilute...

  18. Toad in the hole : Suncor finds amphibious life at tailings ponds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jaremko, D.

    2004-08-02

    Suncor, a giant oilsands operator, has discovered Canadian toads in five of its nine tailings ponds surveyed in 2002. The numbers are greater than any recorded in the boreal forests. Most are living in a dike along the company's oldest tailings pond which include slurries of sand, water, clay, residual bitumen and chemicals left from oilsands production. Reclamation efforts have involved emptying the tailings and filling the area with sand to create a combination of wet and dry lands. The presence of Canadian toads is a good indicator of environmental health. In the late 1990s, the species was among those listed at risk of declining levels. It is believed that the sandy soil layers in the reclamation ponds are ideal for toad hibernation. Suncor and Golder and Associations are currently examining the feasibility of having the reclaimed areas become future restorations of toad habitat.

  19. Diversity and habitat differentiation of mosses and liverworts in the cloud forest of. Monteverde, Costa Rica

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    Gradstein S. Rob

    2001-07-01

    Full Text Available An inventory of the understory and canopy of 4 ha oflower montane cloud forest at Monteverde, Costa Rica, yielded 190 bryophyte species: 133 hepatics, 56 mosses and 1 homwort. Thick branches of the lower canopy were by far the richest habitat in terms of number of species (99, trunks from 1m upwards had 65 species, lianas, shrubs, saplings, or living leaves in the understory had about 36-46 species each, and 16 species were found on rotten logs. The figures are illustrative of the great diversification of microhabitats of bryophytes in a tropical montane cloud forest. About 36% ofthe species, including more than half ofthe corticolous ones, occurred exclusively in the canopy. It appeared thatthe percentage ofbryophyte species restricted to the canopy may be the same in lowland and montane rain forests, in spite of the great differences in species abundance and composition in the two kinds of forest.  Ciento noventa especies de briofitas (133 hepáticas, 56 musgos, 1 antocerote fueron encontradas en un inventario hecho en 4 hectáreas del sotobosque y el dosel en el bosque nublado (1500 m de Monteverde, Costa Rica. Las ramas gruesas del dosel fueron la porción más rica en termino de numero de especies (99, en troncos había 65 especies, lianas, arbustos, árboles juveniles o hojas vivas en el sotobosque tenían entre 36-46 especies cada una, y 16 especies fueron encontradas en troncos en descomposición. Las cifras ilustran la gran diversidad de microhabitats de briofitas en el bosque nublado. Cerca de 36% de las especies, incluyendo mas de la mitad de los corticolos, se presentaron exclusivamente en el dosel. Parece que el porcentaje de especies de briofitas restringidas al dosel podría ser el mismo en bosques de tierras bajas y en bosques nublados, a pesar de la gran diferencia en abundancia y composición taxonómica de las briofitas en las dos clases de bosque.

  20. Fatal attraction: adaptations to prey on native frogs imperil snakes after invasion of toxic toads.

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    Hagman, Mattias; Phillips, Benjamin L; Shine, Richard

    2009-08-07

    Adaptations that enhance fitness in one situation can become liabilities if circumstances change. In tropical Australia, native snake species are vulnerable to the invasion of toxic cane toads. Death adders (Acanthophis praelongus) are ambush foragers that (i) attract vertebrate prey by caudal luring and (ii) handle anuran prey by killing the frog then waiting until the frog's chemical defences degrade before ingesting it. These tactics render death adders vulnerable to toxic cane toads (Bufo marinus), because toads elicit caudal luring more effectively than do native frogs, and are more readily attracted to the lure. Moreover, the strategy of delaying ingestion of a toad after the strike does not prevent fatal poisoning, because toad toxins (unlike those of native frogs) do not degrade shortly after the prey dies. In our laboratory and field trials, half of the death adders died after ingesting a toad, showing that the specialized predatory behaviours death adders use to capture and process prey render them vulnerable to this novel prey type. The toads' strong response to caudal luring also renders them less fit than native anurans (which largely ignored the lure): all toads bitten by adders died. Together, these results illustrate the dissonance in behavioural adaptations that can arise following the arrival of invasive species, and reveal the strong selection that occurs when mutually naive species first interact.

  1. Effects of amphibian chytrid fungus on individual survival probability in wild boreal toads

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    Pilliod, D.S.; Muths, E.; Scherer, R. D.; Bartelt, P.E.; Corn, P.S.; Hossack, B.R.; Lambert, B.A.; Mccaffery, R.; Gaughan, C.

    2010-01-01

    Chytridiomycosis is linked to the worldwide decline of amphibians, yet little is known about the demographic effects of the disease. We collected capture-recapture data on three populations of boreal toads (Bufo boreas [Bufo = Anaxyrus]) in the Rocky Mountains (U.S.A.). Two of the populations were infected with chytridiomycosis and one was not. We examined the effect of the presence of amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis [Bd]; the agent of chytridiomycosis) on survival probability and population growth rate. Toads that were infected with Bd had lower average annual survival probability than uninfected individuals at sites where Bd was detected, which suggests chytridiomycosis may reduce survival by 31-42% in wild boreal toads. Toads that were negative for Bd at infected sites had survival probabilities comparable to toads at the uninfected site. Evidence that environmental covariates (particularly cold temperatures during the breeding season) influenced toad survival was weak. The number of individuals in diseased populations declined by 5-7%/year over the 6 years of the study, whereas the uninfected population had comparatively stable population growth. Our data suggest that the presence of Bd in these toad populations is not causing rapid population declines. Rather, chytridiomycosis appears to be functioning as a low-level, chronic disease whereby some infected individuals survive but the overall population effects are still negative. Our results show that some amphibian populations may be coexisting with Bd and highlight the importance of quantitative assessments of survival in diseased animal populations. Journal compilation. ?? 2010 Society for Conservation Biology. No claim to original US government works.

  2. Immunolocation of mitochondria-rich cells in epidermis of the common toad, Bufo bufo L

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spies, Ingrid B.M.

    1997-01-01

    Adult toads, skin, flask-shaped cells, cytoskeleton, keratin expression, immunohistochemistry, differentiation.......Adult toads, skin, flask-shaped cells, cytoskeleton, keratin expression, immunohistochemistry, differentiation....

  3. Mapping the Relative Probability of Common Toad Occurrence in Terrestrial Lowland Farm Habitat in the United Kingdom.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosie D Salazar

    Full Text Available The common toad (Bufo bufo is of increasing conservation concern in the United Kingdom (UK due to dramatic population declines occurring in the past century. Many of these population declines coincided with reductions in both terrestrial and aquatic habitat availability and quality and have been primarily attributed to the effect of agricultural land conversion (of natural and semi-natural habitats to arable and pasture fields and pond drainage. However, there is little evidence available to link habitat availability with common toad population declines, especially when examined at a broad landscape scale. Assessing such patterns of population declines at the landscape scale, for instance, require an understanding of how this species uses terrestrial habitat.We intensively studied the terrestrial resource selection of a large population of common toads in Oxfordshire, England, UK. Adult common toads were fitted with passive integrated transponder (PIT tags to allow detection in the terrestrial environment using a portable PIT antenna once toads left the pond and before going into hibernation (April/May-October 2012 and 2013. We developed a population-level resource selection function (RSF to assess the relative probability of toad occurrence in the terrestrial environment by collecting location data for 90 recaptured toads.The predicted relative probability of toad occurrence for this population was greatest in wooded habitat near to water bodies; relative probability of occurrence declined dramatically > 50 m from these habitats. Toads also tended to select habitat near to their breeding pond and toad occurrence was negatively related to urban environments.

  4. Composición química del agua de lluvia y de niebla recolectada en la reserva biológica Monteverde

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tatiana Vásquez Morera

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Se determinó la composición química del agua de lluvia y de niebla en tres sitios en la Reserva Biológica Monteverde, Puntarenas; entre octubre 2009 y enero 2010. Debido a su estado de conservación y a su ubicación geográfica sobre la deriva continental, la Reserva Biológica Monteverde ofrece un sitio de estudio ideal, para el estudio de la composición de las aguas atmosféricas (agua de lluvia y de niebla. Las muestras de agua de niebla se recolectaron al utilizar muestreadores de niebla con líneas de teflón, mientras que las de agua de lluvia se recogieron al emplear muestreadores de lluvia simples y uno de cascada. En ambos tipos de agua se analizaron las especies iónicas más relevantes: H3O+, NH4 +, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+, Cl-, NO3 - y SO4 2-, al utilizar cromatografía de iones y detección por conductividad eléctrica. Las concentraciones promedio de estas especies en el agua de lluvia estuvieron entre 0,54 ± 0,02 μeq L-1 y 101± 3 μeq L-1, mientras que en el agua de niebla variaron entre 1,00 ± 0,02 μeq L-1 y 93 ± 4 μeq L-1. Además, se presentan el balance iónico y los factores de enriquecimiento con respecto al mar y el suelo de ambos tipos de muestras.

  5. Success of capture of toads improved by manipulating acoustic characteristics of lures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muller, Benjamin J; Schwarzkopf, Lin

    2017-11-01

    Management of invasive vertebrates is a crucial component of conservation. Trapping reproductive adults is often effective for control, and modification of traps may greatly increase their attractiveness to such individuals. Cane toads (Rhinella marina) are invasive, and males use advertisement vocalisations to attract reproductive females. In amphibians, including toads, specific structural parameters of calls (e.g. dominant frequency and pulse rate) may be attractive to females. Some cane toad traps use an artificial advertisement vocalisation to attract toads. We determined whether variation of the call's parameters (volume, dominant frequency and pulse rate) could increase the capture rate of gravid females. Overall, traps equipped with loud calls (80 dB at 1 m) caught significantly more toads, and proportionally more gravid females, than traps with quiet calls (60 dB at 1 m), and traps with low dominant frequency calls caught more gravid females than traps with median frequency calls. Traps with high pulse rate calls attracted more females than traps with low pulse rate calls. Approximately 91% of the females trapped using a low frequency and high pulse rate combination call were gravid, whereas in traps using a call with population median parameters only approximately 75% of captured females were gravid. Calls that indicated large-bodied males (low frequency) with high energy reserves (high pulse rate) are often attractive to female anurans and were effective lures for female toads in our study. The design of future trapping regimes should account for behavioural preferences of the target sex. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  6. Thermal ecology of the post-metamorphic Andean toad (Rhinella spinulosa) at elevation in the monte desert, Argentina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanabria, Eduardo A; Rodríguez, César Y; Vergara, Cristina; Ontivero, Emanuel; Banchig, Mariana; Navas, Ana L; Herrera-Morata, Mario A; Quiroga, Lorena B

    2015-08-01

    Rhinella spinulosa is an anuran toad species distributed latitudinal and altitudinal (1200-5000m) from Peru to Argentina, inhabiting mountain valleys in the Andes. Considering the broad range of habitats where they live, it is important to understand the thermal physiological mechanisms, thermal tolerances and physiological adaptations for surviving in rigorous environments. We investigated the thermal parameters (field body temperature, selected body temperature, locomotor performance in field and laboratory conditions, and thermal extremes) during diurnal activity for a population of juvenile, post-metamorphosed toads (Rhinella spinulosa) from the Monte Desert of San Juan, Argentina. Post-metamorphic toads are active from approximately 1100-1900 (in contrast to nocturnal adult toads). Our findings show that these toads have a wide thermal tolerance range, ranging from a critical thermal maximum of 36.9°C to crystallization temperatures below 0°C. During their active period, toads always showed suboptimal thermal conditions for locomotion. Despite the suboptimal condition for the locomotion, diurnal activity is likely to confer thermal advantages, allowing them to search for food and increase digestion and growth rates. We also found that the toads are capable of super-cooling, which prevents mortality from freezing when the environmental temperatures drop below 0°C. The environmental temperatures are below zero at night, when toads are inactive and take refuge under rocks. In summary, this toad population demonstrates high thermal plasticity, as shown by a relatively high level of activity sustained over a wide range of ambient temperature (~35°C). These thermal adaptations allow this species of juvenile toads to inhabit a wide range of altitudes and latitudes. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  7. 76 FR 70479 - Draft Environmental Assessment and Safe Harbor Agreement for the Houston Toad Within Nine Texas...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-14

    ...] Draft Environmental Assessment and Safe Harbor Agreement for the Houston Toad Within Nine Texas Counties... of the endangered Houston toad (Bufo houstonensis) as a result of conservation actions, land...: [email protected] . Include ``Clear Lake Ecological Services Field Office draft Houston Toad...

  8. Chloride channels in toad skin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Erik Hviid; Rasmussen, B E

    1982-01-01

    A study of the voltage and time dependence of a transepithelial Cl- current in toad skin (Bufo bufo) by the voltage-clamp method leads to the conclusion that potential has a dual role for Cl- transport. One is to control the permeability of an apical membrane Cl-pathway, the other is to drive Cl-...

  9. Clinical and electrocardiographic evaluation during experimental toad poisoning in dogs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    AC Camplesi

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Accidents involving toad poisoning are frequent and dogs are the most common victims; they become poisoned by biting or ingesting a toad. When released in the organism, the venom is absorbed by both the oral mucosa and the digestive tract, initiating its toxic action. The aim of this work was to evaluate the clinical and electrocardiographic aspects of dogs subjected to experimental toad poisoning, as well as their response to treatment with propranolol. Twenty dogs were divided into two groups, a control group (n = 5 and a poisoned group (n = 15. After general anesthesia, the control group received a placebo, while the poisoned group received a venom aliquot through an orogastric tube. Results were tested through multivariate analysis (p < 0.05. The animals in the poisoned group had gastrointestinal symptoms including emesis, intense salivation, hyperemic or congested oral mucosa and pasty diarrhea. Non-responsive mydriasis, nystagmus, depression, stupor, tachypnea, opisthotonus and ataxia were also manifested by 100% of the poisoned animals. Affected dogs had an increase in blood pressure, statistically significant throughout study. Five poisoned animals developed ventricular tachycardia and were treated with propranolol (0.5 mg/kg IV. All propranolol-treated animals returned to normal sinus rhythm, which evidences the efficacy of this drug to treat ventricular arrhythmias caused by toad venom.

  10. Seed predation by mammals in forest fragments in Monteverde, Costa Rica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Federico A Chinchilla

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Few studies have evaluated seed predation in fragmented landscapes, in which lower species diversity is expected to modifying ecological interactions. The rates of seed removal by mammals were investigated in a continuous forest and two fragmented patches of Premontane Tropical Moist Forest, in Monteverde, Costa Rica. The composition of mammalian seed-predators in each site was recorded during 16 months. The removal of four native tree species of experimental seeds: Ocotea valeriana and Ocotea whitei (Lauraceae, Panopsis costaricensis (Proteaceae and Billia colombiana (Hippocastanaceae in forest understories was followed during two annual fruiting seasons for each species. Results indicated similar species composition of seed-predators between continuous forest, the largest fragment (350 ha. However the smaller fragment (20 ha, had fewer seed predators. In this fragment, the specialized seed predator Heteromys desmarestianus (Rodentia was more abundant. Unexpectedly, seed-predation in the two forest fragments and the continuous forest did not differ statistically for any of the seed species. Apparently, the higher abundance of small seed-predators in the fragments was compensated by the absence of medium and large seed-predators, like Agouti paca, Dasyprocta punctata (both Rodentia and Pecari tajacu (Artiodactyla recorded in continuous forest. Removal of experimentally-placed seeds was higher when the number of naturally occurring seeds in the sites was lower. This result could best be attributed to differential satiation of seed predators rather than differences in richness or abundance of seed predators. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (3: 865-877. Epub 2009 September 30.Pocos estudios han evaluado la depredación de semillas en ambientes fragmentados, en éstos la menor diversidad de especies debe estar modificando las interacciones ecológicas. Se investigó la remoción de semillas por mamíferos en un bosque continuo y dos fragmentos en Monteverde

  11. Chemical Compositions and Cytotoxic Activities of Leaf Essential Oils of Four Lauraceae Tree Species from Monteverde, Costa Rica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria C. Palazzo

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The leaf essential oils of four members of the Lauraceae Licaria excelsa, Licaria triandra, Perseaschiedeana, and Rhodostemonodaphne kunthiana, from Monteverde, Costa Rica, were obtained byhydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS. The leaf oil of L. excelsawas dominated by the monoterpenes a-pinene (42.9%, b-pinene (22.0% and myrcene (17.2%, while L.triandra was also rich in pinenes (40.9% and 28.5%, respectively. Persea schiedeana had considerableamounts of the sesquiterpenes d-cadinene (18.5%, a-copaene (15.1%, and (E-caryophyllene (13.3%.Rhodostemonodaphne kunthiana leaf oil had germacrene D (64.4% and bicyclogermacrene (17.6% as themajor components. The leaf essential oils were screened for in-vitro cytotoxic activity against MDA-MB-231and Hs 578T human tumor cells. R. kunthiana leaf oil showed notable activity against MDA-MB-231.

  12. Effect of parathyroid hormone on transport by toad and turtle bladder

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sabatini, S.; Kurtzman, N.A.

    1987-01-01

    The authors recently demonstrated that parathyroid hormone (PTH) inhibited both vasopressin- and cyclic AMP-stimulated water transport in the toad bladder. This was associated with an increase in calcium uptake by isolated epithelial cells. They postulated that PTH exerts its action on H 2 O transport by directly stimulating calcium uptake. The current study was designed to compare the effects of PTH and the calcium ionophore, A23187, on H 2 O and Na transport and Hμ secretion in toad and turtle bladders. In toad bladder, PTH and A23187 decreased arginine vasopressin (AVP)-stimulated H 2 O flow and short-circuit current (SCC) after 60 min serosal incubation. In turtle bladder A23187 decreased SCC to 79.3 +/- 3.6% of base line (P + secretion in turtle bladders. Both PTH and A23187 increased 45 Ca uptake in toad bladder epithelial cells; only A23187 increased 45 Ca uptake in the turtle bladder. The different action of PTH in these two membranes, compared with that of the calcium ionophore, illustrates the selectivity of PTH on membrane transport. PTH increases calcium uptake and decreases transport only in a hormone-sensitive epithelium, whereas the ionophore works in virtually all living membranes. The mode of action of these two agents to increase calcium uptake is, therefore likely different

  13. Biogeographic patterns of Colombian frogs and toads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lynch, John D.; Ruiz Carranza, Pedro M; Ardila Robayo, Maria Cristina

    1997-01-01

    Using the data provided in Ruiz-Carranza et al. (1996) the distributions of the 540 species of frogs and toads are partitioned among ten ecogeographic units of Colombia defined on the basis of precipitation and elevation. Some lowlands areas (pacific lowlands, Amazonian) exhibit high diversity (85-94 species) but lowlands areas in general are impoverished (30-52 species), especially when contrasted with upland areas. The three Andean cordilleras harbor between 87 and 121 species of frogs and toads, demonstrating that the biodiversity of Colombia resides primarily in its montane components, not in its lowland rain forests. When biological endemicity is separated from political endemicity, five areas of high endemicity remain (the three Andean cordilleras, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, and the pacific lowlands). We endeavor to explain this description by recourse to cladistic analyses of several groups of leptodactylid frogs where we find that the general pattern of diversification is by means of horizontal diversification (allopatric speciation) with a minor contribution from vertical diversification

  14. The Paraguayan Rhinella toad venom: Implications in the traditional medicine and proliferation of breast cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmeda-Hirschmann, Guillermo; Gomez, Celeste Vega; Rojas de Arias, Antonieta; Burgos-Edwards, Alberto; Alfonso, Jorge; Rolon, Miriam; Brusquetti, Francisco; Netto, Flavia; Urra, Félix A; Cárdenas, César

    2017-03-06

    Toads belonging to genus Rhinella are used in Paraguayan traditional medicine to treat cancer and skin infections. The objective of the study was to determine the composition of venoms obtained from three different Paraguayan Rhinella species, to establish the constituents of a preparation sold in the capital city of Paraguay to treat cancer as containing the toad as ingredient, to establish the effect of the most active Rhinella schneideri venom on the cell cycle using human breast cancer cells and to assess the antiprotozoal activity of the venoms. The venom obtained from the toads parotid glands was analyzed by HPLC-MS-MS. The preparation sold in the capital city of Paraguay to treat cancer that is advertised as made using the toad was analyzed by HPLC-MS-MS. The effect of the R. schneideri venom and the preparation was investigated on human breast cancer cells. The antiprotozoal activity was evaluated on Leishmania braziliensis, L. infantum and murine macrophages. From the venoms of R. ornata, R. schneideri and R. scitula, some 40 compounds were identified by spectroscopic and spectrometric means. Several minor constituents are reported for the first time. The preparation sold as made from the toad did not contained bufadienolides or compounds that can be associated with the toad but plant compounds, mainly phenolics and flavonoids. The venom showed activity on human breast cancer cells and modified the cell cycle proliferation. The antiprotozoal effect was higher for the R. schneideri venom and can be related to the composition and relative ratio of constituents compared with R. ornata and R. scitula. The preparation sold in the capital city of Paraguay as containing the toad venom, used popularly to treat cancer did not contain the toad venom constituents. Consistent with this, this preparation was inactive on proliferation of human breast cancer cells. In contrast, the toad venoms of Rhinella species altered the cell cycle progression, affecting the

  15. Golden Ratio

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Keywords. Fibonacci numbers, golden ratio, Sanskrit prosody, solar panel. Abstract. Our attraction to another body increases if the body is symmetricaland in proportion. If a face or a structure is in proportion,we are more likely to notice it and find it beautiful.The universal ratio of beauty is the 'Golden Ratio', found inmany ...

  16. conservation efforts of kihansi spray toad nectophrynoides

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Mr and Mrs Goboro

    facilities. The KSTs in the facilities are under intensive medical care that includes the determination ... were sterilized to prevent the possible spread of chytrid fungi from equipment and .... medical drops on an individual toad, dipping .... materials and equipment for the teaching of .... Makange M, Kulaya N, Biseko E, Kalenga.

  17. Expert Oracle GoldenGate

    CERN Document Server

    Prusinski, Ben; Chung, Richard

    2011-01-01

    Expert Oracle GoldenGate is a hands-on guide to creating and managing complex data replication environments using the latest in database replication technology from Oracle. GoldenGate is the future in replication technology from Oracle, and aims to be best-of-breed. GoldenGate supports homogeneous replication between Oracle databases. It supports heterogeneous replication involving other brands such as Microsoft SQL Server and IBM DB2 Universal Server. GoldenGate is high-speed, bidirectional, highly-parallelized, and makes only a light impact on the performance of databases involved in replica

  18. Effects of Multiple Routes of Cadmium Exposure on the Hibernation Success of the American Toad (Bufo americanus)

    Science.gov (United States)

    James, S.M.; Little, E.E.; Semlitsch, R.D.

    2004-01-01

    The effects of multiple routes of cadmium exposure on juvenile American toads (Bufo americanus) were evaluated using environmentally relevant concentrations. During or after exposure, toads were individually hibernated for 172 days at approximately 4??C. The following experiments were conducted: (1) dermal exposure (hibernation in soil contaminated with up to 120 ??g Cd/ g (dry weight)); (2) injection exposure (single injection with cadmium to achieve a maximum whole-body nominal concentration of 3 ??g Cd/g (wet weight) 12 days before hibernation in uncontaminated soil); and, (3) oral exposure (feeding with mealworms containing ???16 ??g Cd/g (dry weight) for 50 days before hibernation in uncontaminated soil)., We hypothesized that sublethal levels of cadmium would become lethal during hibernation because of combined chemical and cold stress. No prehibernation mortality occurred in the injection and oral exposure studies. There was a significant treatment effect on whole-body cadmium concentration in toads orally or dermally exposed and on percent of cadmium retention in toads orally exposed. There was also a trend of increased time-to-burrowing and more toads partially buried with greater cadmium concentration in the dermal study, which indicated avoidance. In all 3 experiments, no significant differences were found among cadmium treatments in hibernation survival, percent of mass loss, or locomotor performance. However, toads fed mealworms averaging 4.7 ??g Cd/g (dry weight) had only 56% survival compared with 100% survival for controls. Although our results suggest that environmentally relevant levels of cadmium do not pose a great risk to American toads, factors such as soil type or prey species may increase cadmium bioavailability, and other amphibian species may be more sensitive to cadmium than B. americanus.

  19. Surveys for California red-legged frog and arroyo toad on the Los Padres National Forest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valerie K. Hubbartt; Thomas G. Murphey

    2005-01-01

    Starting in the spring of 1999 through the fall of 2000, USDA Forest Service biologists have conducted surveys throughout the Los Padres National Forest for the federally-listed California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii) and arroyo toad (Bufo californicus). Sites known to have frogs or toads present were monitored for...

  20. Greater reproductive investment, but shorter lifespan, in agrosystem than in natural-habitat toads

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco Javier Zamora-Camacho

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Global amphibian decline is due to several factors: habitat loss, anthropization, pollution, emerging diseases, and global warming. Amphibians, with complex life cycles, are particularly susceptible to habitat alterations, and their survival may be impaired in anthropized habitats. Increased mortality is a well-known consequence of anthropization. Life-history theory predicts higher reproductive investment when mortality is increased. In this work, we compared age, body size, and different indicators of reproductive investment, as well as prey availability, in natterjack toads (Epidalea calamita from agrosystems and adjacent natural pine groves in Southwestern Spain. Mean age was lower in agrosystems than in pine groves, possibly as a consequence of increased mortality due to agrosystem environmental stressors. Remarkably, agrosystem toads were larger despite being younger, suggesting accelerated growth rate. Although we detected no differences in prey availability between habitats, artificial irrigation could shorten aestivation in agrosystems, thus increasing energy trade. Moreover, agrosystem toads exhibited increased indicators of reproductive investment. In the light of life-history theory, agrosystem toads might compensate for lesser reproductive events—due to shorter lives—with a higher reproductive investment in each attempt. Our results show that agrosystems may alter demography, which may have complex consequences on both individual fitness and population stability.

  1. Thyroid anatomy and topography of toad (Bufo marinus ictericus)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, O.R. dos.

    1970-01-01

    The autoradiographic method is used for the study of the toad's thyroid of Bufo marinus ictericus by 131 I. Histolological proceedings are done. Comparative evaluations with bibliographic informations are presented. (M.A.C.) [pt

  2. CEPF Western Ghats Special Series: Description of tadpole stages of the Malabar Tree Toad Pedostibes tuberculosis Gunther, 1875 (Anura: Bufonidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K.P. Dinesh

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Pedostibes tuberculosus, the Malabar tree toad, was described 137 years ago from the Malabar region (now the coastal parts of Kerala of the Western Ghats. Since the description of this arboreal toad, not much information is available on the natural history, breeding habits and life cycle except for its description, range of distribution and advertisement call details. In the present account, the tadpole stages of this toad from Gosner tadpole Stage 21 to 45 are presented and the phytotelmatic mode of life of this toad has been confirmed by locating the tadpoles within the Ochlandra reed culm.

  3. Diazinon mediated biochemical changes in the African toad (Bufo regularis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isioma Tongo

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available The sublethal toxicity of diazinon to the adult African toad, Bufo regularis was assessed using an integration of biomarkers. Changes in acetylcholinesterase (AChE, corticosterone and total protein levels were assessed in the serum, brain, liver, lungs and gastrointestinal tract (GIT and the results supported by bioaccumulation data. The biomarkers were chosen as indicators of key physiological functions: AChE for neurotoxicity, corticosterone and total protein levels as indicators of oxidative stress. Toads were exposed to 0.01, 0.02, 0.03 and 0.04 g/L for 28 days. Brain AChE activity reduced by 96% in the highest concentration (0.04 g/L compared to the control brain. Similarly, AChE activities in serum, liver, lungs and GIT tissues (88%, 88%, 87, 87% umg-1 protein respectively were also inhibited in the toads. Corticosterone and total protein levels in the tissues decreased compared to the control. The accumulation results obtained showed accumulation in the tissues (liver>serum>brain> lung>GIT, with a direct relationship between tissue concentration and changes in the biochemical indices. The alterations in all the indices were significantly concentration dependent. The biomarkers described in this study could be useful complementary indices in the risk assessment of diazinon pesticide.

  4. Golden quantum oscillator and Binet–Fibonacci calculus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pashaev, Oktay K; Nalci, Sengul

    2012-01-01

    The Binet formula for Fibonacci numbers is treated as a q-number and a q-operator with Golden ratio bases q = φ and Q = −1/φ, and the corresponding Fibonacci or Golden calculus is developed. A quantum harmonic oscillator for this Golden calculus is derived so that its spectrum is given only by Fibonacci numbers. The ratio of successive energy levels is found to be the Golden sequence, and for asymptotic states in the limit n → ∞ it appears as the Golden ratio. We call this oscillator the Golden oscillator. Using double Golden bosons, the Golden angular momentum and its representation in terms of Fibonacci numbers and the Golden ratio are derived. Relations of Fibonacci calculus with a q-deformed fermion oscillator and entangled N-qubit states are indicated. (paper)

  5. Golden quantum oscillator and Binet-Fibonacci calculus

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pashaev, Oktay K; Nalci, Sengul, E-mail: oktaypashaev@iyte.edu.tr [Department of Mathematics, Izmir Institute of Technology, Urla-Izmir 35430 (Turkey)

    2012-01-13

    The Binet formula for Fibonacci numbers is treated as a q-number and a q-operator with Golden ratio bases q = {phi} and Q = -1/{phi}, and the corresponding Fibonacci or Golden calculus is developed. A quantum harmonic oscillator for this Golden calculus is derived so that its spectrum is given only by Fibonacci numbers. The ratio of successive energy levels is found to be the Golden sequence, and for asymptotic states in the limit n {yields} {infinity} it appears as the Golden ratio. We call this oscillator the Golden oscillator. Using double Golden bosons, the Golden angular momentum and its representation in terms of Fibonacci numbers and the Golden ratio are derived. Relations of Fibonacci calculus with a q-deformed fermion oscillator and entangled N-qubit states are indicated. (paper)

  6. Conservation efforts of Kihansi spray toad Nectophrynoides asperginis

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    There has been considerable success in KST husbandry in captivity and reintroduction trials of the toad to the wild while concurrently the operations of the hydropower plant and the catchment ecosystem services have continued to provide electricity for domestic & industrial development and support human livelihoods ...

  7. Phospholipid transfer activities in toad oocytes and developing embryos

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rusinol, A.; Salomon, R.A.; Bloj, B.

    1987-01-01

    The role of lipid transfer proteins during plasma membrane biogenesis was explored. Developing amphibia embryos were used because during their growth an active plasma membrane biosynthesis occurs together with negligible mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum proliferation. Sonicated vesicles, containing 14 C-labeled phospholipids and 3 H-labeled triolein, as donor particles and cross-linked erythrocyte ghosts as acceptor particles were used to measure phospholipid transfer activities in unfertilized oocytes and in developing embryos of the toad Bufo arenarum. Phosphatidylcholine transfer activity in pH 5.1 supernatant of unfertilized oocytes was 8-fold higher than the activity found in female toad liver supernatant, but dropped steadily after fertilization. After 20 hr of development, at the stage of late blastula, the phosphatidylcholine transfer activity had dropped 4-fold. Unfertilized oocyte supernatant exhibited phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylethanolamine transfer activity also, but at the late blastula stage the former had dropped 18-fold and the latter was no longer detectable under our assay conditions. Our results show that fertilization does not trigger a phospholipid transport process catalyzed by lipid transfer proteins. Moreover, they imply that 75% of the phosphatidylcholine transfer activity and more than 95% of the phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylethanolamine transfer activities present in pH 5.1 supernatants of unfertilized oocytes may not be essential for toad embryo development. Our findings do not rule out, however, that a phosphatidylcholine-specific lipid transfer protein could be required for embryo early growth

  8. Population dynamics of the critically endangered toad Atelopus cruciger and the fungal disease chytridiomycosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Señaris, Celsa; García, Carmen Zulay

    2017-01-01

    Harlequin toads (Atelopus) are among the most severely impacted amphibians by the emergence of chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease caused by the pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Many species disappeared while others suffered drastic contractions of their geographic distribution to lower altitudes. A diminished virulence of Bd in warm habitats was proposed to explain the survival of lowland populations of harlequin toads (i.e. thermal refuge hypothesis). To understand the mechanisms that allow some populations to reach an endemic equilibrium with this pathogen, we estimated demographic and epidemiological parameters at one remnant population of Atelopus cruciger in Venezuela using mark-recapture data from 2007–2013. We demonstrated that Bd is highly virulent for A. cruciger, increasing the odds of dying of infected adults four times in relation to uninfected ones and reducing the life expectancy of reproductive toads to a few weeks. Despite an estimated annual loss of 18% of the reproductive population due to Bd-induced mortality, this population has persisted in an endemic equilibrium for the last decade through the large recruitment of healthy adults every year. Given the high vulnerability of harlequin toads to Bd in lowland populations, thermal refuges need to be redefined as habitats of reduced transmission rather than attenuated virulence. PMID:28570689

  9. The Golden Section.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Runion, Garth E.

    The Golden Section, also known as the "Golden Mean" and the "Divine Proportion," is a ratio found in art and nature that has mathematical properties. This book explores these geometric and algebraic properties in a variety of activities. Construction problems, designs using the pentagon and pentagram, and opportunities to work…

  10. Modeling amphibian energetics, habitat suitability, and movements of western toads, Anaxyrus (=Bufo) boreas, across present and future landscapes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartelt, Paul E.; Klaver, Robert W.; Porter, Warren P.

    2010-01-01

    Effective conservation of amphibian populations requires the prediction of how amphibians use and move through a landscape. Amphibians are closely coupled to their physical environment. Thus an approach that uses the physiological attributes of amphibians, together with knowledge of their natural history, should be helpful. We used Niche Mapper™ to model the known movements and habitat use patterns of a population of Western toads (Anaxyrus (=Bufo) boreas) occupying forested habitats in southeastern Idaho. Niche Mapper uses first principles of environmental biophysics to combine features of topography, climate, land cover, and animal features to model microclimates and animal physiology and behavior across landscapes. Niche Mapper reproduced core body temperatures (Tc) and evaporation rates of live toads with average errors of 1.6 ± 0.4 °C and 0.8 ± 0.2 g/h, respectively. For four different habitat types, it reproduced similar mid-summer daily temperature patterns as those measured in the field and calculated evaporation rates (g/h) with an average error rate of 7.2 ± 5.5%. Sensitivity analyses indicate these errors do not significantly affect estimates of food consumption or activity. Using Niche Mapper we predicted the daily habitats used by free-ranging toads; our accuracy for female toads was greater than for male toads (74.2 ± 6.8% and 53.6 ± 15.8%, respectively), reflecting the stronger patterns of habitat selection among females. Using these changing to construct a cost surface, we also reconstructed movement paths that were consistent with field observations. The effect of climate warming on toads depends on the interaction of temperature and atmospheric moisture. If climate change occurs as predicted, results from Niche Mapper suggests that climate warming will increase the physiological cost of landscapes thereby limiting the activity for toads in different habitats.

  11. Effects of invasion history on physiological responses to immune system activation in invasive Australian cane toads

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Selechnik

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The cane toad (Rhinella marina has undergone rapid evolution during its invasion of tropical Australia. Toads from invasion front populations (in Western Australia have been reported to exhibit a stronger baseline phagocytic immune response than do conspecifics from range core populations (in Queensland. To explore this difference, we injected wild-caught toads from both areas with the experimental antigen lipopolysaccharide (LPS, to mimic bacterial infection and measured whole-blood phagocytosis. Because the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is stimulated by infection (and may influence immune responses, we measured glucocorticoid response through urinary corticosterone levels. Relative to injection of a control (phosphate-buffered saline, LPS injection increased both phagocytosis and the proportion of neutrophils in the blood. However, responses were similar in toads from both populations. This null result may reflect the ubiquity of bacterial risks across the toad’s invaded range; utilization of this immune pathway may not have altered during the process of invasion. LPS injection also induced a reduction in urinary corticosterone levels, perhaps as a result of chronic stress.

  12. Spatial and temporal ecology of oak toads (Bufo quercicus) on a Florida landscape.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Greenberg, Cathryn, H.; Tanner, George, W.

    2005-12-01

    ABSTRACT: We used data from 10 years of continuous, concurrent monitoring of oak toads at eight isolated, ephemeral ponds in Florida longleaf pine-wiregrass uplands to address: (1) did weather variables affect movement patterns of oak toads?; (2) did pond hydrology and the condition of surrounding uplands affect pond selection by adults or juvenile recruitment?; (3) were population trends evident?; and (4) did a classical metapopulation model best represent their population ecology? Of 4076 oak toads captured, 92.2% were adults. Substantial (n _ 30 exiting juveniles) recruitment occurred only three times (once each at three ponds during two years). Males outnumbered females (average for all years 2.3:1). Most captures occurred during May–September. Adult captures during June–August increased with heavier rainfall but were not influenced by the durations of preceding dry periods. Movement patterns of metamorphs suggested that oak toads emigrated when moisture conditions become favorable. Pond use by adults was correlated with maximum change in pond depth (May–September). Juvenile recruitment was negatively correlated with minimum pond depth and the number of weeks since a pond was last dry, and positively correlated with the maximum number of weeks a pond held water continuously. The number of breeding adults and juvenile recruitment were highest at ponds within the hardwood-invaded upland matrix. The direction of most immigrations and emigrations was nonrandom, but movement occurred from all directions, and the mean direction of pond entry and exit did not always correspond. A total of 21.1% of individuals was recaptured; 13.3% of first captures were recaptured during the same year, and 7.7% during a subsequent year. Only 1.9% of captured oak toads moved among ponds, mostly within a distance of 132 m. We did not detect adult population trends over the 10- yr studied. Presence or absence at ponds in any given year was a poor indicator of overall use. We saw

  13. Total On-line Access Data System (TOADS): Phase II Final Report for the Period August 2002 - August 2004

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yuracko, K. L. [YAHSGS LLC, Richland, WA (United States); Parang, M. [YAHSGS LLC, Richland, WA (United States); Landguth, D. C. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Coleman, R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2004-09-13

    TOADS (Total On-line Access Data System) is a new generation of real-time monitoring and information management system developed to support unattended environmental monitoring and long-term stewardship of U.S. Department of Energy facilities and sites. TOADS enables project managers, regulators, and stakeholders to view environmental monitoring information in realtime over the Internet. Deployment of TOADS at government facilities and sites will reduce the cost of monitoring while increasing confidence and trust in cleanup and long term stewardship activities. TOADS: Reliably interfaces with and acquires data from a wide variety of external databases, remote systems, and sensors such as contaminant monitors, area monitors, atmospheric condition monitors, visual surveillance systems, intrusion devices, motion detectors, fire/heat detection devices, and gas/vapor detectors; Provides notification and triggers alarms as appropriate; Performs QA/QC on data inputs and logs the status of instruments/devices; Provides a fully functional data management system capable of storing, analyzing, and reporting on data; Provides an easy-to-use Internet-based user interface that provides visualization of the site, data, and events; and Enables the community to monitor local environmental conditions in real time. During this Phase II STTR project, TOADS has been developed and successfully deployed for unattended facility, environmental, and radiological monitoring at a Department of Energy facility.

  14. Chloride transport in toad skin (Bufo viridis). The effect of salt adaptation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Katz, U; Larsen, Erik Hviid

    1984-01-01

    The steady-state Cl- current across the skin of Bufo viridis adapted to tap water was found to be rectified. In skins bathed with NaCl Ringer on both sides, a large outward current, carried by influx of Cl-, was observed at a clamping voltage (V) of less than -50 mV (outside of the skin negative......, and apparent leakage conductance was reduced. Application of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine to skin of fully salt-adapted toads increased the transepithelial Cl- conductance, and the time courses of voltage clamp currents became more like those of water-adapted toads. Apparent...... leakage conductance was increased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)...

  15. Efficacy of fenbendazole and levamisole treatments in captive Houston toads (Bufo [Anaxyrus] houstonensis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bianchi, Catherine M; Johnson, Cassidy B; Howard, Lauren L; Crump, Paul

    2014-09-01

    Effective disease monitoring and prevention is critical to the success of captive amphibian care. Nematodes, including the genera Rhabdias and Strongyloides, are known to contribute to mortality in captive amphibians and have been identified in the Houston Zoo's endangered Houston toad (Bufo [Anaxyrus] houstonensis) captive assurance colony. Five years of fecal data for the toad colony were compiled and analyzed in order to investigate the efficacy of two anthelminthic medications, fenbendazole (FBZ) and levamisole (LMS), which were used to control nematode infections. Both FBZ (dusted onto food items) and topical LMS (6.5 to 13.5 mg/kg) significantly reduced the number of nematode eggs, larvae, and adults observed by fecal parasitologic examination. There were no significant differences between treatments, and egg reappearance periods were difficult to compare as a result of low sample size. No adverse effects from either anthelminthic treatment were observed. Both topical LMS and oral FBZ appear to be safe and efficacious treatments for the reduction of the internal nematode burden in captive Houston toads.

  16. The Golden Section as Optical Limitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, Mark A; Kelly, Joy; Friedel, Jonas; Brodsky, Jennifer; Mulcahy, Paul

    2015-01-01

    The golden section, ϕ = (1 + √5)/2 = 1.618... and its companion ϕ = 1/ϕ = ϕ -1 = 0.618..., are irrational numbers which for centuries were believed to confer aesthetic appeal. In line with the presence of golden sectioning in natural growth patterns, recent EEG recordings show an absence of coherence between brain frequencies related by the golden ratio, suggesting the potential relevance of the golden section to brain dynamics. Using Mondrian-type patterns comprising a number of paired sections in a range of five section-section areal ratios (including golden-sectioned pairs), participants were asked to indicate as rapidly and accurately as possible the polarity (light or dark) of the smallest section in the patterns. They were also asked to independently assess the aesthetic appeal of the patterns. No preference was found for golden-sectioned patterns, while reaction times (RTs) tended to decrease overall with increasing ratio independently of each pattern's fractal dimensionality. (Fractal dimensionality was unrelated to ratio and measured in terms of the Minkowski-Bouligand box-counting dimension). The ease of detecting the smallest section also decreased with increasing ratio, although RTs were found to be substantially slower for golden-sectioned patterns under 8-paired sectioned conditions. This was confirmed by a significant linear relationship between RT and ratio (p < .001) only when the golden-sectioned RTs were excluded [the relationship was non-significant for the full complement of ratios (p = .217)]. Image analysis revealed an absence of spatial frequencies between 4 and 8 cycles-per-degree that was exclusive to the 8-paired (golden)-sectioned patterns. The significance of this was demonstrated in a subsequent experiment by addition of uniformly distributed random noise to the patterns. This provided a uniform spatial-frequency profile for all patterns, which did not influence the decrease in RT with increasing ratio but abolished the elevated

  17. The Golden Section as Optical Limitation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark A Elliott

    Full Text Available The golden section, ϕ = (1 + √5/2 = 1.618... and its companion ϕ = 1/ϕ = ϕ -1 = 0.618..., are irrational numbers which for centuries were believed to confer aesthetic appeal. In line with the presence of golden sectioning in natural growth patterns, recent EEG recordings show an absence of coherence between brain frequencies related by the golden ratio, suggesting the potential relevance of the golden section to brain dynamics. Using Mondrian-type patterns comprising a number of paired sections in a range of five section-section areal ratios (including golden-sectioned pairs, participants were asked to indicate as rapidly and accurately as possible the polarity (light or dark of the smallest section in the patterns. They were also asked to independently assess the aesthetic appeal of the patterns. No preference was found for golden-sectioned patterns, while reaction times (RTs tended to decrease overall with increasing ratio independently of each pattern's fractal dimensionality. (Fractal dimensionality was unrelated to ratio and measured in terms of the Minkowski-Bouligand box-counting dimension. The ease of detecting the smallest section also decreased with increasing ratio, although RTs were found to be substantially slower for golden-sectioned patterns under 8-paired sectioned conditions. This was confirmed by a significant linear relationship between RT and ratio (p < .001 only when the golden-sectioned RTs were excluded [the relationship was non-significant for the full complement of ratios (p = .217]. Image analysis revealed an absence of spatial frequencies between 4 and 8 cycles-per-degree that was exclusive to the 8-paired (golden-sectioned patterns. The significance of this was demonstrated in a subsequent experiment by addition of uniformly distributed random noise to the patterns. This provided a uniform spatial-frequency profile for all patterns, which did not influence the decrease in RT with increasing ratio but abolished

  18. Characterization of the Skin Microbiota of the Cane Toad Rhinella cf. marina in Puerto Rico and Costa Rica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan G. Abarca

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Rhinella marina is a toad native to South America that has been introduced in the Antilles, likely carrying high loads of microorganisms, potentially impacting local community diversity. The amphibian skin is involved in pathogen defense and its microbiota has been relatively well studied, however, research focusing on the cane toad microbiota is lacking. We hypothesize that the skin microbial communities will differ between toads inhabiting different geographical regions in Central America and the Caribbean. To test our hypothesis, we compared the microbiota of three populations of R. cf. marina toads, two from Costa Rican (native and one Puerto Rican (exotic locations. In Costa Rica, we collected 11 toads, 7 in Sarapiquí and 4 from Turrialba while in Puerto Rico, 10 animals were collected in Santa Ana. Separate swab samples were collected from the dorsal and ventral sites resulting in 42 samples. We found significant differences in the structure of the microbial communities between Puerto Rico and Costa Rica. We detected as much as 35 different phyla; however, communities were dominated by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. Alpha diversity and richness were significantly higher in toads from Puerto Rico and betadiversity revealed significant differences between the microbiota samples from the two countries. At the genus level, we found in Santa Ana, Puerto Rico, a high dominance of Kokuria, Niabella, and Rhodobacteraceae, while in Costa Rica we found Halomonas and Pseudomonas in Sarapiquí, and Acinetobacter and Citrobacter in Turrialba. This is the first report of Niabella associated with the amphibian skin. The core microbiome represented 128 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs mainly from five genera shared among all samples, which may represent the symbiotic Rhinella’s skin. These results provide insights into the habitat-induced microbial changes facing this amphibian species. The differences in the microbial

  19. 36 CFR 71.5 - Golden Eagle Passport.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... by any means other than private, noncommercial vehicle, to Designated Entrance Fee Areas. Golden... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Golden Eagle Passport. 71.5... RECREATION FEES § 71.5 Golden Eagle Passport. (a) The Golden Eagle Passport is an annual permit, valid on a...

  20. Integrating multiple distribution models to guide conservation efforts of an endangered toad

    Science.gov (United States)

    Treglia, Michael L.; Fisher, Robert N.; Fitzgerald, Lee A.

    2015-01-01

    Species distribution models are used for numerous purposes such as predicting changes in species’ ranges and identifying biodiversity hotspots. Although implications of distribution models for conservation are often implicit, few studies use these tools explicitly to inform conservation efforts. Herein, we illustrate how multiple distribution models developed using distinct sets of environmental variables can be integrated to aid in identification sites for use in conservation. We focus on the endangered arroyo toad (Anaxyrus californicus), which relies on open, sandy streams and surrounding floodplains in southern California, USA, and northern Baja California, Mexico. Declines of the species are largely attributed to habitat degradation associated with vegetation encroachment, invasive predators, and altered hydrologic regimes. We had three main goals: 1) develop a model of potential habitat for arroyo toads, based on long-term environmental variables and all available locality data; 2) develop a model of the species’ current habitat by incorporating recent remotely-sensed variables and only using recent locality data; and 3) integrate results of both models to identify sites that may be employed in conservation efforts. We used a machine learning technique, Random Forests, to develop the models, focused on riparian zones in southern California. We identified 14.37% and 10.50% of our study area as potential and current habitat for the arroyo toad, respectively. Generally, inclusion of remotely-sensed variables reduced modeled suitability of sites, thus many areas modeled as potential habitat were not modeled as current habitat. We propose such sites could be made suitable for arroyo toads through active management, increasing current habitat by up to 67.02%. Our general approach can be employed to guide conservation efforts of virtually any species with sufficient data necessary to develop appropriate distribution models.

  1. Coincident mass extirpation of neotropical amphibians with the emergence of the infectious fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Tina L; Rovito, Sean M; Wake, David B; Vredenburg, Vance T

    2011-06-07

    Amphibians highlight the global biodiversity crisis because ∼40% of all amphibian species are currently in decline. Species have disappeared even in protected habitats (e.g., the enigmatic extinction of the golden toad, Bufo periglenes, from Costa Rica). The emergence of a fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has been implicated in a number of declines that have occurred in the last decade, but few studies have been able to test retroactively whether Bd emergence was linked to earlier declines and extinctions. We describe a noninvasive PCR sampling technique that detects Bd in formalin-preserved museum specimens. We detected Bd by PCR in 83-90% (n = 38) of samples that were identified as positive by histology. We examined specimens collected before, during, and after major amphibian decline events at established study sites in southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. A pattern of Bd emergence coincident with decline at these localities is revealed-the absence of Bd over multiple years at all localities followed by the concurrent emergence of Bd in various species at each locality during a period of population decline. The geographical and chronological emergence of Bd at these localities also indicates a southbound spread from southern Mexico in the early 1970s to western Guatemala in the 1980s/1990s and to Monteverde, Costa Rica by 1987. We find evidence of a historical "Bd epidemic wave" that began in Mexico and subsequently spread to Central America. We describe a technique that can be used to screen museum specimens from other amphibian decline sites around the world.

  2. Using spatiotemporal models and distance sampling to map the space use and abundance of newly metamorphosed Western Toads (Anaxyrus boreas)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chelgren, Nathan D.; Samora, Barbara; Adams, Michael J.; McCreary, Brome

    2011-01-01

    High variability in abundance, cryptic coloration, and small body size of newly metamorphosed anurans have limited demographic studies of this life-history stage. We used line-transect distance sampling and Bayesian methods to estimate the abundance and spatial distribution of newly metamorphosed Western Toads (Anaxyrus boreas) in terrestrial habitat surrounding a montane lake in central Washington, USA. We completed 154 line-transect surveys from the commencement of metamorphosis (15 September 2009) to the date of first snow accumulation in fall (1 October 2009), and located 543 newly metamorphosed toads. After accounting for variable detection probability associated with the extent of barren habitats, estimates of total surface abundance ranged from a posterior median of 3,880 (95% credible intervals from 2,235 to 12,600) in the first week of sampling to 12,150 (5,543 to 51,670) during the second week of sampling. Numbers of newly metamorphosed toads dropped quickly with increasing distance from the lakeshore in a pattern that differed over the three weeks of the study and contradicted our original hypotheses. Though we hypothesized that the spatial distribution of toads would initially be concentrated near the lake shore and then spread outward from the lake over time, we observed the opposite. Ninety-five percent of individuals occurred within 20, 16, and 15 m of shore during weeks one, two, and three respectively, probably reflecting continued emergence of newly metamorphosed toads from the lake and mortality or burrow use of dispersed individuals. Numbers of toads were highest near the inlet stream of the lake. Distance sampling may provide a useful method for estimating the surface abundance of newly metamorphosed toads and relating their space use to landscape variables despite uncertain and variable probability of detection. We discuss means of improving the precision of estimates of total abundance.

  3. Allozyme comparison of three Trypanosoma species (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) of toads and frogs by starch-gel electrophoresis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, D S; Desser, S S; Hong, H

    1992-04-01

    Six metabolic enzymes, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glucosephosphate isomerase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucomutase, and purine nucleoside phosphorylase, from clonal isolates of 3 presumptive species of Trypanosoma (T. fallisi, T. ranarum, and T. rotatorium) from 3 anuran hosts (Bufo americanus, Rana clamitans, and Rana catesbeiana) were compared using starch-gel electrophoresis. Although bands were shared among the different zymodemes of isolates of the same host genus, low genetic polymorphism of the enzyme loci was observed with few apparent shared bands between samples isolated from frogs and toads. A distance value calculated between toad and frog trypanosome isolates suggests the likelihood of long-time separation of species. Cluster analysis based on overall similarity distinguished the trypanosomes of toads and frogs as separate taxa, suggesting that host specificity and observed morphological differences are consistent with heritable allozyme differences.

  4. Distribution and pathogenicity of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in boreal toads from the grand teton area of western wyoming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, P.J.; St-Hilaire, S.; Bruer, S.; Corn, P.S.; Peterson, C.R.

    2009-01-01

    The pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes the skin disease chytridiomycosis, has been linked to amphibian population declines and extinctions worldwide. Bd has been implicated in recent declines of boreal toads, Bufo boreas boreas, in Colorado but populations of boreal toads in western Wyoming have high prevalence of Bd without suffering catastrophic mortality. In a field and laboratory study, we investigated the prevalence of Bd in boreal toads from the Grand Teton ecosystem (GRTE) in Wyoming and tested the pathogenicity of Bd to these toads in several environments. The pathogen was present in breeding adults at all 10 sites sampled, with a mean prevalence of 67%. In an experiment with juvenile toadlets housed individually in wet environments, 106 zoospores of Bd isolated from GRTE caused lethal disease in all Wyoming and Colorado animals within 35 days. Survival time was longer in toadlets from Wyoming than Colorado and in toadlets spending more time in dry sites. In a second trial involving Colorado toadlets exposed to 35% fewer Bd zoospores, infection peaked and subsided over 68 days with no lethal chytridiomycosis in any treatment. However, compared with drier aquaria with dry refuges, Bd infection intensity was 41% higher in more humid aquaria and 81% higher without dry refuges available. Our findings suggest that although widely infected in nature, Wyoming toads may escape chytridiomycosis due to a slight advantage in innate resistance or because their native habitat hinders Bd growth or provides more opportunities to reduce pathogen loads behaviorally than in Colorado. ?? 2009 International Association for Ecology and Health.

  5. Activity patterns and fine-scale resource partitioning in the gregarious Kihansi spray toad Nectophrynoides asperginis in captivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rija, Alfan A; Goboro, Ezekiel M; Mwamende, Kuruthumu A; Said, Abubakari; Kohi, Edward M; Hassan, Shombe N

    2014-01-01

    Understanding the behavior of species threatened with extinction is important for conservation planning and for solving problems facing species in captivity and the wild. We examined diurnal activity budgets and habitat use of the extinct in the wild Kihansi spray toad to provide insights into ongoing conservation initiatives for this species. Observations on eight target behaviors were made each morning and evening for 14 days, in two subpopulations at Kihansi and University of Dar es Salaam captive breeding centers. There were significantly more bouts of resting than calling, amplexing, hunting, walking, climbing, or feeding. There was no difference in mean time spent in each activity between the two subpopulations. The use of habitat was variable between age classes, subpopulations and sampling time. Young toads spent significantly more time resting at the top of vegetation and on walls while adults rested more on logs. Further, adults foraged more on the walls and vegetation in the morning and on the ground in the evening. Contrastingly, young toads foraged more on the ground in the morning and switched to elevated patches during evening. The similarity of the toads' behavior suggests that important biological traits are still maintained in captivity and retained across toad generations. Furthermore, temporal and spatial variations in the use of habitat structures between age groups suggest fine-scale resource partitioning to reduce competition in this gregarious species. These results highlight the importance of maintaining diverse habitat structures in captivity and are useful for planning species reintroduction and future restocking programs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Your Golden Jubilee Party!

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    http://www.cern.ch/cern50/ All staff are invited to the Golden Jubilee Staff Party on the evening of 17 September. To mark CERN's 50th anniversary, the Director-General would like to invite all the people working at CERN to celebrate the success of the organization. Your Golden Jubilee Party Friday 17 September 2004 at 16:00 Restaurant 1, Main Building Programme Speech by Director-General Toast in honour of CERN Cocktails and ambient music Video projections of five decades of CERN and at 18:00 ... A surprise music show. Your effort, hard work and enthusiasm have been the key to CERN's success. The first of the main events celebrating the organization's Golden Jubilee is for you, so come along and celebrate! Early closure of Restaurant No. 1 (bldg. 501, Meyrin site): Friday 17 September at 2:00 p.m. On Friday, 17 September, Restaurant No. 1 (NOVAE) will close at 2:00 p.m. owing to the Golden Jubilee party for the CERN staff. No dinner will be served that evening.

  7. Finding golden mean in a physics exercise

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benedetto, Elmo

    2017-07-01

    The golden mean is an algebraic irrational number that has captured the popular imagination and is discussed in many books. Indeed, some scientists believe that it appears in some patterns in nature, including the spiral arrangement of leaves and other plant parts. Generally, the golden mean is introduced in geometry and the textbooks give the definition showing a graphical method to determine it. In this short note, we want to find this number by studying projectile motion. This could be a way to introduce the golden mean (also said to be the golden ratio, golden section, Fidia constant, divine proportion or extreme and mean ratio) in a physics course.

  8. Incorporation of Islamic Institutions into Political Structure of the Golden Horde and post-Golden Horde States »

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roman Pochekaev

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The article is dedicated to basic directions and mechanisms of incorporation of Islamic administrative and legal institutions into the Jochid Ulus. As this state included regions with well developed Islamic traditions, individual manifestations of influence of Islam on political and legal realities of the Golden Horde took place since the first stage of existing of this state. However, only after official conversion of the Jochid ulus to Islam during the reign of Uzbek Khan (in the 1320s Islamic political and juridical institutions became an integral part of state and legal structure of the Golden Horde. Their role substantially increased in the time of crisis of imperial state and legal system after disintegration of the Mongol Empire and then of its successors, the Chinggisid states. Influence of Islamic institutions on political and legal relations of the Golden Horde and post-Golden Horde states became apparent in different aspects. At first, it was participation of representatives of Islamic administration in executive power including tax collection: such functions of them are confirmed by yarliks of khans of the Golden Horde, as well as of the Crimean and Kazan khanates. Secondly, Islamic judges, the qadis were integrated into court system of the Golden Horde and later, within the post-Golden Horde states, they even ousted imperial judges, the jarguchis. Third, powerful representatives of Islamic clergy became participants of qurultays, where the khans were elected, and the ceremony of enthronement was supplemented by the oath of a new khan on Koran under their influence. At last, Islamic clergymen participated actively in diplomatic activity of the post-Golden Horde states and acted as mediators between rivals who pretended for the throne in the Jochid states. No doubts, the rise of influence of Islam and Islamic clergy in political and legal life of the later Golden Horde and post-Golden Horde states could be explained, from one side, by

  9. Long-term observations of Boreal Toads at an ARMI apex site

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corn, Paul Stephen; Muths, Erin L.; Pilliod, David S.

    2011-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey’s Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) is a national project with goals to monitor the status and trends of amphibians, conduct research on causes of declines, and provide information and support to management agencies for conservation of amphibian populations. ARMI activities are organized around extensive inventories and place-based monitoring (such as collaboration with the Greater Yellowstone Inventory and Monitoring Network), and intensive population studies and research at selected locations (apex sites). One such site is an oxbow pond on the Buffalo Fork near the Black Rock Ranger Station east of Grand Teton National Park. We have been conducting mark-recapture of boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas) at Black Rock since 2002. In concert with studies of other toad populations in the Rocky Mountains, we have documented a high rate of incidence of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and a negative rate of growth of the toad population, but not the population crash or extinction observed in other populations with high prevalence of Bd. Long-term observations at other ARMI apex sites have proven invaluable for studying effects of climate change on amphibian behavior, and the Black Rock site has been upgraded with onsite recording of weather data and auditory monitoring of other amphibian species. Continued research at Black Rock will be critical for understanding the interrelated effects of climate and disease on amphibians in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

  10. The ontogeny of kin recognition in tadpoles of the toad Bufo ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2016-08-26

    Aug 26, 2016 ... Logo of the Indian Academy of Sciences ... Embryos and tadpoles of the toad were reared as ... Preference of test tadpoles to associate near the end compartments whether empty or containing members of specific stimulus ...

  11. Foraging modality and plasticity in foraging traits determine the strength of competitive interactions among carnivorous plants, spiders and toads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jennings, David E; Krupa, James J; Rohr, Jason R

    2016-07-01

    Foraging modalities (e.g. passive, sit-and-wait, active) and traits are plastic in some species, but the extent to which this plasticity affects interspecific competition remains unclear. Using a long-term laboratory mesocosm experiment, we quantified competition strength and the plasticity of foraging traits in a guild of generalist predators of arthropods with a range of foraging modalities. Each mesocosm contained eight passively foraging pink sundews, and we employed an experimental design where treatments were the presence or absence of a sit-and-wait foraging spider and actively foraging toad crossed with five levels of prey abundance. We hypothesized that actively foraging toads would outcompete the other species at low prey abundance, but that spiders and sundews would exhibit plasticity in foraging traits to compensate for strong competition when prey were limited. Results generally supported our hypotheses. Toads had a greater effect on sundews at low prey abundances, and toad presence caused spiders to locate webs higher above the ground. Additionally, the closer large spider webs were to the ground, the greater the trichome densities produced by sundews. Also, spider webs were larger with than without toads and as sundew numbers increased, and these effects were more prominent as resources became limited. Finally, spiders negatively affected toad growth only at low prey abundance. These findings highlight the long-term importance of foraging modality and plasticity of foraging traits in determining the strength of competition within and across taxonomic kingdoms. Future research should assess whether plasticity in foraging traits helps to maintain coexistence within this guild and whether foraging modality can be used as a trait to reliably predict the strength of competitive interactions. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2016 British Ecological Society.

  12. 7 CFR 989.7 - Golden Seedless raisins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Golden Seedless raisins. 989.7 Section 989.7... GROWN IN CALIFORNIA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 989.7 Golden Seedless raisins. Golden Seedless raisins means raisins, the production of which includes soda dipping, sulfuring, and artificial...

  13. Variation of thermal parameters in two different color morphs of a diurnal poison toad, Melanophryniscus rubriventris (Anura: Bufonidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanabria, Eduardo A; Vaira, Marcos; Quiroga, Lorena B; Akmentins, Mauricio S; Pereyra, Laura C

    2014-04-01

    We study the variation in thermal parameters in two contrasting populations Yungas Redbelly Toads (Melanophryniscus rubriventris) with different discrete color phenotypes comparing field body temperatures, critical thermal maximum and heating rates. We found significant differences in field body temperatures of the different morphs. Temperatures were higher in toads with a high extent of dorsal melanization. No variation was registered in operative temperatures between the study locations at the moment of capture and processing. Critical thermal maximum of toads was positively related with the extent of dorsal melanization. Furthermore, we founded significant differences in heating rates between morphs, where individuals with a high extent of dorsal melanization showed greater heating rates than toads with lower dorsal melanization. The color pattern-thermal parameter relationship observed may influence the activity patterns and body size of individuals. Body temperature is a modulator of physiological and behavioral functions in amphibians, influencing daily and seasonal activity, locomotor performance, digestion rate and growth rate. It is possible that some growth constraints may arise due to the relationship of color pattern-metabolism allowing different morphs to attain similar sizes at different locations instead of body-size clines. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  14. Multi-constituent identification in Australian cane toad skin extracts using high-performance liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zulfiker, Abu Hasanat Md; Sohrabi, Mohsen; Qi, Ji; Matthews, Ben; Wei, Ming Q; Grice, I Darren

    2016-09-10

    Toad skins and venom glandular secretions have been widely used for centuries in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine for the treatment of various ailments such as cancer, sores, toothache, local inflammation and pain. The active chemical constituents from traditional oriental medicines have demonstrated potential in the development of effective therapeutic pharmaceuticals. Our primary focus in this research was to identify and characterise 'active' compounds or groups of compounds for their potential as neuropsychiatric disorder therapeutics. For this aim, we utilised a variety of solvents, i.e., the aqueous, 60% ethanol (aqueous) and acetic acid (aq) (at two different pHs) for extractions of Australian cane toad skins to identify chemical constituents. The identification of compounds was carried out using HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS based on the accurate mass measurement for molecular ions and MS/MS analysis, whereby accurate mass pseudo-molecular ions and characteristic fragment ions were compared to published reference data, including mass bank and NIST. As a result, we have to date identified 42 major constituents including alkaloids, amino acids, bufadienolides, fatty acids, nucleobases, nucleosides and vitamins mostly from the aqueous and 60% ethanol extracts. Of the 42 constituents identified, 29 were found in the aqueous extract, 35 were found in the ethanol (aq) extract and only 10 in the pH 1.78 acetic acid extract and 11 in the pH 2.17 acetic acid extract of the cane toad skins. Therefore, the aqueous and 60% ethanolic extracts present the greatest potential for ongoing development in our assays. There have been no previous reports on the identification of many of the constituents we have here identified in Australian cane toad skins. These findings, while somewhat consistent with findings in toad skins in other countries, identifies the presence of potential bioactive constituents. Our results showed that HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS is an effective method to

  15. Acute thermal stressor increases glucocorticoid response but minimizes testosterone and locomotor performance in the cane toad (Rhinella marina.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edward J Narayan

    Full Text Available Climatic warming is a global problem and acute thermal stressor in particular could be considered as a major stressor for wildlife. Cane toads (Rhinella marina have expanded their range into warmer regions of Australia and they provide a suitable model species to study the sub-lethal impacts of thermal stressor on the endocrine physiology of amphibians. Presently, there is no information to show that exposure to an acute thermal stressor could initiate a physiological stress (glucocorticoid response and secondly, the possible effects on reproductive hormones and performance. Answering these questions is important for understanding the impacts of extreme temperature on amphibians. In this study, we experimented on cane toads from Queensland, Australia by acclimating them to mildly warm temperature (25°C and then exposing to acute temperature treatments of 30°, 35° or 40°C (hypothetical acute thermal stressors. We measured acute changes in the stress hormone corticosterone and the reproductive hormone testosterone using standard capture and handling protocol and quantified the metabolites of both hormones non-invasively using urinary enzyme-immunoassays. Furthermore, we measured performance trait (i.e. righting response score in the control acclimated and the three treatment groups. Corticosterone stress responses increased in all toads during exposure to an acute thermal stressor. Furthermore, exposure to a thermal stressor also decreased testosterone levels in all toads. The duration of the righting response (seconds was longer for toads that were exposed to 40°C than to 30°, 35° or 25°C. The increased corticosterone stress response with increased intensity of the acute thermal stressor suggests that the toads perceived this treatment as a stressor. Furthermore, the results also highlight a potential trade-off with performance and reproductive hormones. Ultimately, exposure acute thermal stressors due to climatic variability could impact

  16. Acute thermal stressor increases glucocorticoid response but minimizes testosterone and locomotor performance in the cane toad (Rhinella marina).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayan, Edward J; Hero, Jean-Marc

    2014-01-01

    Climatic warming is a global problem and acute thermal stressor in particular could be considered as a major stressor for wildlife. Cane toads (Rhinella marina) have expanded their range into warmer regions of Australia and they provide a suitable model species to study the sub-lethal impacts of thermal stressor on the endocrine physiology of amphibians. Presently, there is no information to show that exposure to an acute thermal stressor could initiate a physiological stress (glucocorticoid) response and secondly, the possible effects on reproductive hormones and performance. Answering these questions is important for understanding the impacts of extreme temperature on amphibians. In this study, we experimented on cane toads from Queensland, Australia by acclimating them to mildly warm temperature (25°C) and then exposing to acute temperature treatments of 30°, 35° or 40°C (hypothetical acute thermal stressors). We measured acute changes in the stress hormone corticosterone and the reproductive hormone testosterone using standard capture and handling protocol and quantified the metabolites of both hormones non-invasively using urinary enzyme-immunoassays. Furthermore, we measured performance trait (i.e. righting response score) in the control acclimated and the three treatment groups. Corticosterone stress responses increased in all toads during exposure to an acute thermal stressor. Furthermore, exposure to a thermal stressor also decreased testosterone levels in all toads. The duration of the righting response (seconds) was longer for toads that were exposed to 40°C than to 30°, 35° or 25°C. The increased corticosterone stress response with increased intensity of the acute thermal stressor suggests that the toads perceived this treatment as a stressor. Furthermore, the results also highlight a potential trade-off with performance and reproductive hormones. Ultimately, exposure acute thermal stressors due to climatic variability could impact amphibians at

  17. Electronic golden structure of the periodic chart

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Malinowski, Leonard J. [Interdisciplinary Research Club, Monroeville, PA (United States)], E-mail: LJMalinowski@gmail.com

    2009-11-15

    The golden ratio has been studied since the ancient Greeks due to its inherent symmetry and aesthetic beauty, especially in the five Platonic Solids. The golden mean is now established as a pillar of El Naschie's E infinity where it achieves the physical manifestation of 0.618 034 MeV. The largest atomic electron orbital total energies average to the golden mean energy. This paper examines the golden ratio in order to expand upon a century old attempt to produce a relatively static, visual, geometric model of atomic structure.

  18. Electronic golden structure of the periodic chart

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malinowski, Leonard J.

    2009-01-01

    The golden ratio has been studied since the ancient Greeks due to its inherent symmetry and aesthetic beauty, especially in the five Platonic Solids. The golden mean is now established as a pillar of El Naschie's E infinity where it achieves the physical manifestation of 0.618 034 MeV. The largest atomic electron orbital total energies average to the golden mean energy. This paper examines the golden ratio in order to expand upon a century old attempt to produce a relatively static, visual, geometric model of atomic structure.

  19. Ultrastructure of the renal juxtaglomerular complex and peripolar cells in the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) and toad (Bufo marinus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanner, R H; Ryan, G B

    1980-01-01

    Renal juxtaglomerular regions were examined in the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum and toad (Bufo marinus). Prominent granulated peripolar epithelial cells were found surrounding the origin of the glomerular tuft in the axolotl. These cells resembled the peripolar cells recently discovered in mammalian species. They contained multiple electron-dense cytoplasmic granules, some of which showed a paracrystalline substructure and signs of exocytoxic activity. Such cells were difficult to find and smaller in the toad. In contrast, granulated juxtaglomerular arteriolar myoephithelial cells were much more readily found and larger in the toad than in the axolotl. No consistent differences were noted in juxtaglomerular cells or their granules in response to changes in environmental chloride concentration. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 Fig. 9 PMID:7410189

  20. Golden Rules for a Golden Age of Gas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2012-09-05

    Natural gas is poised to enter a golden age, but this future hinges critically on the successful development of the world's vast unconventional gas resources. North American experience shows unconventional gas - notably shale gas - can be exploited economically. Many countries are lining up to emulate this success. But some governments are hesitant, or even actively opposed. They are responding to public concerns that production might involve unacceptable environmental and social damage. This report, in the World Energy Outlook series, treats these aspirations and anxieties with equal seriousness. It features two new cases: a Golden Rules Case, in which the highest practicable standards are adopted, gaining industry a 'social licence to operate'; and its counterpart, in which the tide turns against unconventional gas as constraints prove too difficult to overcome.

  1. Golden Rules for a Golden Age of Gas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2012-09-05

    Natural gas is poised to enter a golden age, but this future hinges critically on the successful development of the world's vast unconventional gas resources. North American experience shows unconventional gas - notably shale gas - can be exploited economically. Many countries are lining up to emulate this success. But some governments are hesitant, or even actively opposed. They are responding to public concerns that production might involve unacceptable environmental and social damage. This report, in the World Energy Outlook series, treats these aspirations and anxieties with equal seriousness. It features two new cases: a Golden Rules Case, in which the highest practicable standards are adopted, gaining industry a 'social licence to operate'; and its counterpart, in which the tide turns against unconventional gas as constraints prove too difficult to overcome.

  2. Alkaloids from single skins of the Argentinian toad Melanophryniscus rubriventris (ANURA, BUFONIDAE): An unexpected variability in alkaloid profiles and a profusion of new structures

    OpenAIRE

    Garraffo, H Martin; Andriamaharavo, Nirina R; Vaira, Marcos; Quiroga, Mar?a F; Heit, Cecilia; Spande, Thomas F

    2012-01-01

    GC-MS analysis of single-skins of ten Melanophryniscus rubriventris toads (five collections of two toads each) captured during their breeding season in NW Argentina has revealed a total of 127 alkaloids of which 56 had not been previously detected in any frog or toad. Included among these new alkaloids are 23 new diastereomers of previously reported alkaloids. What is particularly distinguishing about the alkaloid profiles of these ten collections is the occurrence of many of the alkaloids, w...

  3. Sinal "S" de Golden

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Ricardo

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available O sinal de S Golden pode ser visto não só na radiografia do torax mas também na tomografia computorizada (TC. 1 O sinal também pode chamar-se de Sinal de S Golden Invertido porque lembra a forma de um “S” invertido.2,3 A pequena cisura, que delimita estas alterações, apresenta-se com a forma de “S” invertido, de concavidade inferior periférica, correspondente ao colapso pulmonar, e convexidade central, correspondente à massa hilar, o que pode ser apreciado na radiografia postero-anterior na TC do tórax. O lobo superior direito é o local onde mais frequentemente se desenvolvem neoplasias pulmonares, pelo que a presença do sinal “S” Golden deve levantar a suspeita de neoplasia primária.

  4. Diet of southern toads (Bufo terrestris) in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands subject to coarse woody debris manipulations.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moseley, Kurtis R.; Steven B. Castleberry; James L. Hanula; Mark Ford.

    2005-04-01

    ABSTRACT In the southeastern United States, coarse woody debris (CWD) typically harbors high densities of invertebrates. However, its importance as a foraging substrate for southeastern amphibians is relatively unknown. We examined effects of CWD manipulations on diet composition of southern toads (Bufo terrestris) in upland loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina. Twelve 9.3-ha plots were assigned one of the following treatments: removal- all CWD _10 cm in diameter and _60 cm long removed; downed- five-fold increase in volume of down CWD; and unmanipulated control stands. We collected southern toads _4 cm snout-vent length (SVL) during 14 d sampling periods in June and October 2002, June 2003 and during a 28 d sampling period in April 2003. We collected 80, 36 and 35 southern toads in control, downed and removal treatments, respectively. We found no difference in relative abundance or frequency of invertebrate groups consumed among treatments (P.0.05). Average body weight (g), SVL (cm) and stomach content weight (g wet) of individuals also were similar among treatments (P . 0.05). The role of CWD as a foraging substrate for southern toads in loblolly pine stands of the southeastern Coastal Plain may be negligible, at least in the early stages of decay.

  5. Observations on the breeding of toads in a restricted habitat ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The population consisted of two kinds of toads: Bufo gutturalis Power and a hybrid population believed to be derived from crosses between Bufo gutturalis Power and Bufo rangeri Hewitt. Individual animals can be distinguished by differences in the shape of dark spots on their backs. A record was made of every pair found ...

  6. Compositional Variation and Bioactivity of the Leaf Essential Oil of Montanoa guatemalensis from Monteverde, Costa Rica: A Preliminary Investigation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victoria D. Flatt

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Montanoa guatemalensis is a small to medium-sized tree in the Asteraceae that grows in Central America from Mexico south through Costa Rica. There have been no previous investigations on the essential oil of this tree. Methods: The leaf essential oils of M. guatemalensis were obtained from different individual trees growing in Monteverde, Costa Rica, in two different years, and were analyzed by gas chromatography—mass spectrometry. Results: The leaf oils from 2008 were rich in sesquiterpenoids, dominated by α-selinene, β-selinene, and cyclocolorenone, with lesser amounts of the monoterpenes α-pinene and limonene. In contrast, the samples from 2009 showed no α- or β-selinene, but large concentrations of trans-muurola-4(14,5-diene, β-cadinene, and cyclocolorenone, along with greater concentrations of α-pinene and limonene. The leaf oils were screened for cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities and did show selective cytotoxic activity on MDA-MB-231 breast tumor cells. Conclusion: M. guatemalensis leaf oil, rich in cyclocolorenone, α-selinene, and β-selinene, showed selective in vitro cytotoxic activity to MDA-MB-231 cells. The plant may be a good source of cyclocolorenone.

  7. Golden Tides: Problem or Golden Opportunity? The Valorisation of Sargassum from Beach Inundations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John J. Milledge

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available In recent years there have been massive inundations of pelagic Sargassum, known as golden tides, on the beaches of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and West Africa, causing considerable damage to the local economy and environment. Commercial exploration of this biomass for food, fuel, and pharmaceutical products could fund clean-up and offset the economic impact of these golden tides. This paper reviews the potential uses and obstacles for exploitation of pelagic Sargassum. Although Sargassum has considerable potential as a source of biochemicals, feed, food, fertiliser, and fuel, variable and undefined composition together with the possible presence of marine pollutants may make golden tides unsuitable for food, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals and limit their use in feed and fertilisers. Discontinuous and unreliable supply of Sargassum also presents considerable challenges. Low-cost methods of preservation such as solar drying and ensiling may address the problem of discontinuity. The use of processes that can handle a variety of biological and waste feedstocks in addition to Sargassum is a solution to unreliable supply, and anaerobic digestion for the production of biogas is one such process. More research is needed to characterise golden tides and identify and develop commercial products and processes.

  8. Depth perception in frogs and toads a study in neural computing

    CERN Document Server

    House, Donald

    1989-01-01

    Depth Perception in Frogs and Toads provides a comprehensive exploration of the phenomenon of depth perception in frogs and toads, as seen from a neuro-computational point of view. Perhaps the most important feature of the book is the development and presentation of two neurally realizable depth perception algorithms that utilize both monocular and binocular depth cues in a cooperative fashion. One of these algorithms is specialized for computation of depth maps for navigation, and the other for the selection and localization of a single prey for prey catching. The book is also unique in that it thoroughly reviews the known neuroanatomical, neurophysiological and behavioral data, and then synthesizes, organizes and interprets that information to explain a complex sensory-motor task. The book will be of special interest to that segment of the neural computing community interested in understanding natural neurocomputational structures, particularly to those working in perception and sensory-motor coordination. ...

  9. Towed Optical Assessment Device (TOAD) Data to Support Benthic Habitat Mapping since 2001

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Optical validation data were collected using a Tethered Optical Assessment Device (TOAD), an underwater sled equipped with an underwater digital video camera and...

  10. The Golden Horde Ethnology of Tatars: 1. The Epic and Historical “Golden Throne” (“Altyn Tәkhet”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D.M. Iskhakov

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The author of this article seeks to identify the historical origins of particular patronal place characteristic for the ulus of Jochi and later Turko-Tatar States established on its territory in the 15th–16th centuries. This patronal place was known as the “golden throne” and has been recorded by the Turko-Tatar (epics, chronicles, historical works and some Russian sources. An overview of historical sources reveals that according to the Turko-Tatar traditions of the 16th–18th centuries, the “golden throne” was a place, where the ruler (Khan, king was sitting in the Golden Horde and at the post-Horde political space. The author of this article emphasizes the important fact: in historical sources the “golden throne” was always associated with the place of enthronement of the Tatar ruler. As a result of detailed analysis of the available historical material, the author found that the often mentioned “golden throne” existed not only in the ulus of Jochi, but throughout the Mongol Empire. Moreover, further analysis of the available historical material (including a comparison with information contained in the parallel Persian, Chinese, and Latin sources showed that the “golden throne” was connected to another symbol of power, common in all Chinggisid States and recorded by a number of historical sources, that is, with special tent (yurt known as the “Great Golden horde”. This tent together with the throne seat symbolized the focus of the khan authority in the Mongol Empire and the subsequent Chinggisid States.

  11. Habitat suitability of patch types: A case study of the Yosemite toad

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christina T. Liang; Thomas J. Stohlgren

    2011-01-01

    Understanding patch variability is crucial in understanding the spatial population structure of wildlife species, especially for rare or threatened species.We used a well-tested maximum entropy species distribution model (Maxent) to map the Yosemite toad (Anaxyrus (= Bufo) canorus) in the Sierra Nevada...

  12. Characterization and quantification of corticosteroid-binding globulin in a southern toad, Bufo terrestris, exposed to coal-combustion-waste

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ward, C.K.; Fontes, C.; Breuner, C.W.; Mendonca, M.T. [Auburn University, Auburn, AL (USA). Dept. of Biological Science

    2007-05-15

    Corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) is a plasma protein that binds corticosterone and may regulate access of hormone to tissues. The role of CBG during a stress response is not clear. In this study, southern toads, Bufo terrestris, were exposed to a chronic pollutant (coal-combustion-waste), to determine changes in CBG and free corticosterone levels. Since toads exposed to chronic pollutants in previous studies did not exhibit the predicted changes in metabolic rate and mass, but did experience a significant elevation in total corticosterone, we hypothesized that CBG would likewise increase and thus, mitigate the effects of a chronic (i.e. 2 months) pollutant stressor. To conduct this study, we first characterized the properties of CBG in southern toads. After characterization, we monitored the changes in CBG, total corticosterone, and free corticosterone in male toads that were exposed to either coal-combustion-waste or control conditions. CBG increased in all groups throughout the experiment. Total corticosterone, on the other hand, was only significantly elevated at four weeks of exposure to coal-combustion-waste. The increase in CBG did not parallel the increase in total corticosterone; as a result, free corticosterone levels were not buffered by CBG, but showed a peak at four weeks similar to total corticosterone. This finding indicates that, in this species, CBG may not provide a protective mechanism during long-term pollution exposure.

  13. LHC: seven golden suppliers

    CERN Multimedia

    2005-01-01

    The fourth CERN Golden Hadron awards saw seven of the LHC's best suppliers receive recognition for the high quality of their work, compliance with delivery deadlines, flexibility and adaptability to the demanding working conditions of the project. The representatives of the seven companies which received awards during the Golden Hadron ceremony, standing with Lyn Evans, LHC Project Leader. 'The Golden Hadron awards are a symbol of our appreciation of not only the quality and timely delivery of components but also the collaborative and flexible way the firms have contributed to this very difficult project,' said Lyn Evans, head of the LHC project. The awards went to Kemppi-Kempower (Finland), Metso Powdermet (Finland), Transtechnik (Germany), Babcock Noell Nuclear (Germany), Iniziative Industriali (Italy), ZTS VVU Kosice (Slovakia), and Jehier (France). Babock Noell Nuclear (BNN) successfully produced one-third (416 cold dipole masses) of the LHC's superconducting dipole magnets, one of the most critical an...

  14. Inhibition of Caused by Bacteria Isolated from the Skin of Boreal Toads, , from Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shawna T. Park

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a significant cause of the worldwide decline in amphibian populations; however, various amphibian species are capable of coexisting with B. dendrobatidis. Among them are boreal toads ( Anaxyrus ( Bufo boreas boreas located in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP in Wyoming, USA. The purpose of this study was to identify cultivable bacterial isolates from the skin microbiota of boreal toads from GTNP and determine if they were capable of inhibiting B. dendrobatidis in vitro, and therefore might be a factor in the toad's coexistence with this pathogen. Isolates from 6 of 21 genera tested were found to inhibit the growth of B. dendrobatidis. These bacteria represent diverse lineages such as the Gammaproteobacteria, the Betaproteobacteria, and the Bacteroidetes/Chlorobium groups. We propose that these bacteria compete via microbial antagonism with B. dendrobatidis.

  15. Golden ratio beauty as scientific function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scott A. Olsen

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Normally when one is considering the golden ratio in the history of ideas, one is often looking at it as an aesthetic principle – usually associated with Greek art, sculpture and mathematics. However, in recent years the prevalence of the golden ratio within a broad range of scientific disciplines has brought its role in the perfection of science to the forefront. I would like to collapse these two areas by proposing a somewhat novel way of looking at the aesthetics of the golden ratio: its pervasive expression in scientific form and function is the basis of the aesthetics in the world. Therefore, science contains the same mathematical beauty as found in artistic expression. The golden ratio guides the Chaos Border of Kolmogorov, Arnold, and Moser (KAM theorem and it can be found hidden in all elementary particles, and even in the proportions of dark matter and energy relative to visible matter and energy. It is evident in the structure and growth functions of plants and animals and it can be found in the physiological functions of humans. It now appears that without the golden ratio, we would not have the form or function of the proton, cell, athlete, horse, species, planet, solar system or galaxy.

  16. Intoxicação por veneno de sapo em um canino Toad venom intoxication in a dog

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciana Sonne

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available O sapo do gênero Bufo possui nas suas glândulas paratóides uma secreção mucóide contendo toxinas como bufaginas e Bufotoxinas, que são esteróides cardiogênicos. Os cães podem atacar os sapos, entrando em contato com o veneno por meio das mucosas. Um canino, da raça Bulldog Francês, foi encaminhado ao Setor de Patologia Veterinária da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS para a necropsia com histórico de provável intoxicação por veneno de sapo. Na necropsia o canino apresentava pulmões aumentados de volume, avermelhados e com edema, e rins de coloração vermelho-escura. As alterações microscópicas indicaram congestão, hemorragia e edema pulmonar. Nos rins, no baço e nos linfonodos foi observada congestão. As análises toxicológicas para os venenos de rotina foram negativas. Porém, a investigação do veneno de sapo a partir de cromatografia por camada delgada e gasosa demonstrou resultado positivo, revelando ser esta a causa da morte do canino.The toads of the genus Bufo produce, in their parotoid glands, a mucoid secretion containing toxins such as bufagins and Bufotoxins, which are cardiogenic steroids. The mucous membranes of dogs can absorb this venom when they attack the toads. A French bulldog with a history of probable toad venom intoxication was referred to Veterinary Pathology Section of Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS for necropsy. The necropsy revealed enlarged, reddish, edematous lungs, and kidneys displaying a dark red color. The microscopic alterations indicated the presence of congestion, hemorrhage, and pulmonary edema. Congestion was observed in the kidneys, spleen and lymph nodes. The routine toxicological analyses for venom detection were negative. Nevertheless, the toad venom test result was positive as assessed by thin layer and gas chromatography, indicating that toad venom intoxication was the cause of death.

  17. Vortex Formation and Foraging in Polyphenic Spadefoot Toad Tadpoles

    OpenAIRE

    Bazazi, Sepideh; Pfennig, Karin S.; Handegard, Nils Olav; Couzin, Iain D.

    2012-01-01

    Animal aggregations are widespread in nature and can exhibit complex emergent properties not found at an individual level. We investigate one such example here, collective vortex formation by congeneric spadefoot toad tadpoles: Spea bombifrons and S. multiplicata. Tadpoles of these species develop into either an omnivorous or a carnivorous (cannibalistic) morph depending on diet. Previous studies show S. multiplicata are more likely to develop into omnivores and feed on suspended organic matt...

  18. Sufi Tradition in Spiritual Culture of the Golden Horde

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E.G. Sayfetdinova

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The author considers the special nature of the penetration of the Sufi tradition in the spiritual culture of the Golden Horde. Being a part of the spiritual culture, literary monuments from the Golden Horde epoch played a significant role in the spread of Islam in the Golden Horde. Islam rooted in the Golden Horde thanks to the fact that Sufism gave the Muslim form to the Turkic-Mongolian beliefs. The «Nahj al-Faradis» («Pathway to the Heavens», the literary monument from the Golden Horde era, narrates about the introduction and diffusion of Islam in the Turkic-Mongolian religious and mundane traditions.

  19. Population Genetic Structure and Species Status of Asiatic Toads (Bufo gargarizans) in Western China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Guannan; Yang, Weizhao; Fu, Jinzhong

    2015-10-01

    We investigated the population genetic structure of Asiatic toads (Bufo gargarizans) from the mountains of western China to determine their species status, using genotypic data of ten microsatellite DNA loci and DNA sequences from one mitochondrial gene. A total of 197 samples from eight sites were examined, which cover a large range of elevations (559-3457 m), as well as all three traditionally defined species (or subspecies). AMOVA did not reveal any particularly large among-groups structure, whether the sites were grouped by drainage, elevation, region, or species (subspecies). Individual assignment tests placed all samples into two genetic clusters, which largely corresponded to their geographic locations. An isolation-by-distance pattern was also detected when an outlier population (site 3) was excluded. Furthermore, a mitochondrial gene tree revealed deep divergence among haplotypes, sometimes within the same site. The clade patterns were partially associated with geographic distribution but had no resemblance to the traditional 2- or 3-species classification. Overall, these toad populations harbor a large amount of genetic diversity and have very high population differentiation, but taken together the evidence suggests that all populations belong to a single species. Our results are consistent with most previous molecular studies, and we recommend using Bufo gargarizans to represent all Asiatic toad populations from western China without subspecies division.

  20. Hormonal priming, induction of ovulation and in-vitro fertilization of the endangered Wyoming toad (Bufo baxteri

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seratt Jessica

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The endangered Wyoming toad (Bufo baxteri is the subject of an extensive captive breeding and reintroduction program. Wyoming toads in captivity rarely ovulate spontaneously and hormonal induction is used to ovulate females or to stimulate spermiation in males. With hormonal induction, ovulation is unreliable and egg numbers are low. The sequential administration of anovulatory doses of hormones (priming has increased egg numbers and quality in both anurans and fish. Consequently, we tested the efficacy of a combination of human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG and Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone analogue (LHRHa administered as one dose, or two or three sequential doses to Bufo baxteri on egg numbers, fertilization and early embryo development. Spawning toads deposited eggs into Simplified Amphibian Ringers (SAR solution to enable controlled in-vitro fertilization (IVF with sperm from hormonally induced male toads. Unprimed females receiving a single mixed normally ovulatory dose of 500 IU hCG plus 4 micrograms of LHRHa produced no eggs. Whereas females primed with this dose and an anovulatory dose (100 IU hCG and 0.8 micrograms of LHRHa of the same hormones, or primed only with an anovulatory dose, spawned after then receiving an ovulatory dose. Higher total egg numbers were produced with two primings than with one priming. Moreover, two primings produced significantly more eggs from each individual female than one priming. The cleavage rate of eggs was not found to differ between one or two primings. Nevertheless, embryo development with eggs from two primings gave a significantly greater percentage neurulation and swim-up than those from one priming. Of the male toads receiving a single dose of 300 IU hCG, 80% produced spermic urine with the greatest sperm concentration 7 hours post-administration (PA. However, peak sperm motility (95% was achieved at 5 hours PA and remained relatively constant until declining 20 hours PA. In

  1. Golden Rice is an effective source of vitamin A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Guangwen; Qin, Jian; Dolnikowski, Gregory G; Russell, Robert M; Grusak, Michael A

    2009-06-01

    Genetically engineered "Golden Rice" contains up to 35 microg beta-carotene per gram of rice. It is important to determine the vitamin A equivalency of Golden Rice beta-carotene to project the potential effect of this biofortified grain in rice-consuming populations that commonly exhibit low vitamin A status. The objective was to determine the vitamin A value of intrinsically labeled dietary Golden Rice in humans. Golden Rice plants were grown hydroponically with heavy water (deuterium oxide) to generate deuterium-labeled [2H]beta-carotene in the rice grains. Golden Rice servings of 65-98 g (130-200 g cooked rice) containing 0.99-1.53 mg beta-carotene were fed to 5 healthy adult volunteers (3 women and 2 men) with 10 g butter. A reference dose of [13C10]retinyl acetate (0.4-1.0 mg) in oil was given to each volunteer 1 wk before ingestion of the Golden Rice dose. Blood samples were collected over 36 d. Our results showed that the mean (+/-SD) area under the curve for the total serum response to [2H]retinol was 39.9 +/- 20.7 microg x d after the Golden Rice dose. Compared with that of the [13C10]retinyl acetate reference dose (84.7 +/- 34.6 microg x d), Golden Rice beta-carotene provided 0.24-0.94 mg retinol. Thus, the conversion factor of Golden Rice beta-carotene to retinol is 3.8 +/- 1.7 to 1 with a range of 1.9-6.4 to 1 by weight, or 2.0 +/- 0.9 to 1 with a range of 1.0-3.4 to 1 by moles. Beta-carotene derived from Golden Rice is effectively converted to vitamin A in humans. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00680355.

  2. Pollution chronology of the Golden Horn sediments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teksoez, G.; Yetis, U.; Tuncel, G.; Balkas, T.I.

    1990-01-01

    Sediment accumulation in the Golden Horn has been established by means of a useful geochronological technique; 210 Pb Radiometric Dating Method. The 210 Pb dating technique revealed a sediment accumulation rate of 3.5 cm yr -1 which is very reasonable given the characteristics of the Golden Horn. The 210 Pb profile also revealed three distinct levels in the sediments of the Golden Horn: a surface layer with nearly uniform activities, an exponential decay interval and a lower region with almost constant low activity. (author)

  3. Your Golden Jubilee Party!

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    http://www.cern.ch/cern50/All staff are invited to the Golden Jubilee Staff Party on the evening of 17 September. To mark CERN's 50th anniversary, the Director-General would like to invite all the people working at CERN to celebrate the success of the organization. The party will be held in the cafeteria and on the terrace (if the weather permits) of the Main Building on 17 September at 4:00 pm. The event will include an address by the DG, music, film clips, drinks, snacks and a surprise music show by the CERN Big Bang Orchestra! Your effort, hard work and enthusiasm have been the key to CERN's success. The first of the main events celebrating the organization's Golden Jubilee is for you, so come along and celebrate! Early closure of Restaurant No. 1 (Bldg. 501, Meyrin site): Friday 17 September at 2:00 p.m. On Friday, 17 September, Restaurant No. 1 (NOVAE) will close at 2:00 p.m. owing to the Golden Jubilee party for the CERN staff. No dinner will be served that evening.

  4. 77 FR 22185 - Golden Nematode; Removal of Regulated Areas

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-13

    ...-0036] Golden Nematode; Removal of Regulated Areas AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service..., without change, an interim rule that amended the golden nematode regulations by removing the townships of... that the fields in these two townships are free of golden nematode, and we determined that regulation...

  5. Chimeras and Mirages of the Golden Horde

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V.A. Ivanov

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The article examines the problem of so-called “imperial culture” of the Golden Horde. The author analyzes the archaeological material regarding it as a component of “imperial culture”. The author evaluates the quality of the archaeological material as well as the breadth and intensity of its distribution among the population of the Golden Horde and the neighboring tribal areas, which the author considers a priori as consumers of this “imperial culture”. Based on this analysis, the author concludes that in general, the concept of “imperial culture” of the Golden Horde is a chimera. In turn, the expected powerful effect of “imperial culture” of the Golden Horde in the culture of neighboring peoples of the Urals and the Volga region is a mirage created by the imagination of researchers.

  6. 76 FR 60357 - Golden Nematode; Removal of Regulated Areas

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-29

    .... APHIS-2011-0036] Golden Nematode; Removal of Regulated Areas AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Interim rule and request for comments. SUMMARY: We are amending the golden nematode... infested areas. Surveys have shown that the fields in these two townships are free of golden nematode, and...

  7. Oracle GoldenGate 12c implementer's guide

    CERN Document Server

    Jeffries, John P

    2015-01-01

    The book is aimed at Oracle database administrators, project managers, and solution architects who wish to extend their knowledge of GoldenGate. The reader is assumed to be familiar with Oracle databases. No knowledge of GoldenGate is required.

  8. The Golden Ratio--A Contrary Viewpoint

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falbo, Clement

    2005-01-01

    Many assertions about the occurrence of the golden ratio phi in art, architecture, and nature have been shown to be false, unsupported, or misleading. For instance, we show that the spirals found in sea shells, in particular the "Nautilus pompilius," are not in the shape of the golden ratio, as is often claimed. Some of the most interesting…

  9. Golden Horde History in the Works of A.N. Kurat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I.М. Mirgaleev

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available The article examines main works of the famous Turkish historian A.N. Kurat, his views and assessments of the Golden Horde history. It is known that A.N. Kurat introduced into scholarly circulation yarlyks-letters of the Golden Horde khans, which he found in the archives of the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. A number of his works and articles are devoted to the Golden Horde and its rulers. The article discusses the works of A.N. Kurat that are dedicated to the Golden Horde, as well as his main ideas, sources of the author. The works of A.N. Kurat still have not lost their significance. His works on the Golden Horde topics are mainly devoted to the source study, his reconstruction of events is based on primary sources of the Golden Horde origin. Kurat also noted the special importance of his own sources. In his works, he explored the following three Golden Horde documents: Bitik of Ulugh Muhammad Murad II, letter of Mahmud Khan bin Muhammad Khan bin Timur Khan to Fatih Sultan Mehmed, and letter of Ahmad Khan ibn Muhammad ibn Timur Khan to Fatih Sultan Mehmed. Kurat studied yarlyks and bitiks at a high scholarly level of source studies. They still are the basis for the study of the Golden Horde documents. Thanks to the good knowledge of the Ottoman, Russian, European sources, and historiography A.N. Kurat analyzed in detail the political situation in the Golden Horde; especially valuable are his works on the 15th century. His works on the period of Ulug Muhammad are still among the most important works devoted to this outstanding personage of the late Golden Horde. In his works Kurat asked himself: why the Golden Horde disintegrated? In search of answers to this question he put to the first place the confrontation between Tokhtamysh Khan and Timur Aksak. His conclusions about relationship between the Golden Horde and the Ottoman Empire are confirmed by the latest works on this topic.

  10. Quantifying anuran microhabitat use to infer the potential for parasite transmission between invasive cane toads and two species of Australian native frogs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lígia Pizzatto

    Full Text Available Parasites that are carried by invasive species can infect native taxa, with devastating consequences. In Australia, invading cane toads (Rhinella marina carry lungworm parasites (Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala that (based on previous laboratory studies can infect native treefrogs (Litoria caerulea and L. splendida. To assess the potential of parasite transmission from the invader to the native species (and from one infected native frog to another, we used surveys and radiotelemetry to quantify anuran microhabitat use, and proximity to other anurans, in two sites in tropical Australia. Unsurprisingly, treefrogs spent much of their time off the ground (especially by day, and in undisturbed forests but terrestrial activity was common at night (especially in anthropogenically modified habitats. Microhabitat overlap between cane toads and frogs was generally low, except at night in disturbed areas, whereas overlap between the two frog species was high. The situations of highest overlap, and hence with the greatest danger of parasite transmission, involve aggregations of frogs within crevices by day, and use of open ground by all three anuran species at night. Overall, microhabitat divergence between toads and frogs should reduce, but not eliminate, the transmission of lungworms from invasive toads to vulnerable native frogs.

  11. 7 CFR 52.1847 - Colors of golden seedless raisins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Colors of golden seedless raisins. 52.1847 Section 52... Raisins § 52.1847 Colors of golden seedless raisins. The color of Golden Seedless Raisins is not a factor of quality for the purpose of these grades. The color requirements applicable to the respective color...

  12. Portrait of a small population of boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muths, Erin; Scherer, Rick D.

    2011-01-01

    Much attention has been given to the conservation of small populations, those that are small because of decline, and those that are naturally small. Small populations are of particular interest because ecological theory suggests that they are vulnerable to the deleterious effects of environmental, demographic, and genetic stochasticity as well as natural and human-induced catastrophes. However, testing theory and developing applicable conservation measures for small populations is hampered by sparse data. This lack of information is frequently driven by computational issues with small data sets that can be confounded by the impacts of stressors. We present estimates of demographic parameters from a small population of Boreal Toads (Anaxyrus boreas) that has been surveyed since 2001 by using capture-recapture methods. Estimates of annual adult survival probability are high relative to other Boreal Toad populations, whereas estimates of recruitment rate are low. Despite using simple models, clear patterns emerged from the analyses, suggesting that population size is constrained by low recruitment of adults and is declining slowly. These patterns provide insights that are useful in developing management directions for this small population, and this study serves as an example of the potential for small populations to yield robust and useful information despite sample size constraints.

  13. Interactive effects of maternal and environmental exposure to coal combustion wastes decrease survival of larval southern toads (Bufo terrestris)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Metts, Brian S.; Buhlmann, Kurt A.; Scott, David E.; Tuberville, Tracey D.; Hopkins, William A.

    2012-01-01

    We conducted a mesocosm study to assess the individual and interactive effects of previous maternal exposure and larval exposure to trace element-laden sediments on southern toads (Bufo terrestris). Previous maternal exposure to coal combustion wastes (CCW) reduced larval survival to metamorphosis up to 57% compared to larvae of unexposed females. Larvae reared on CCW accumulated significant concentrations of trace elements resulting in extended larval periods, reduced growth rates, and reduced mass at metamorphosis. However, the effects were dependent on age of sediments, suggesting the effects of contaminants from CCW may be partially ameliorated over time through the reduced bioavailability of trace elements in aged CCW. Most importantly, maternal exposure to contaminants coupled with larval exposure to fresh CCW interacted to reduce survival to metamorphosis by 85% compared to reference conditions. Our study yields further evidence that disposal of CCW in aquatic basins potentially creates ecological traps for some amphibian populations. - Highlights: ► The interaction of maternal exposure and larval exposure to CCW reduced survival. ► Previous maternal exposure to CCW had a latent effect on survival to metamorphosis. ► Larval southern toads exposed to CCW experienced prolonged larval periods. ► Larval southern toads exposed to CCW had reduced growth rates. ► Larval southern toads exposed to CCW had reduced mass at metamorphosis. - Maternal and environmental exposure to coal combustion wastes interact to decrease survival in larval amphibians.

  14. Assessment of virally vectored autoimmunity as a biocontrol strategy for cane toads.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jackie A Pallister

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The cane toad, Bufo (Chaunus marinus, is one of the most notorious vertebrate pests introduced into Australia over the last 200 years and, so far, efforts to identify a naturally occurring B. marinus-specific pathogen for use as a biological control agent have been unsuccessful. We explored an alternative approach that entailed genetically modifying a pathogen with broad host specificity so that it no longer caused disease, but carried a gene to disrupt the cane toad life cycle in a species specific manner. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The adult beta globin gene was selected as the model gene for proof of concept of autoimmunity as a biocontrol method for cane toads. A previous report showed injection of bullfrog tadpoles with adult beta globin resulted in an alteration in the form of beta globin expressed in metamorphs as well as reduced survival. In B. marinus we established for the first time that the switch from tadpole to adult globin exists. The effect of injecting B. marinus tadpoles with purified recombinant adult globin protein was then assessed using behavioural (swim speed in tadpoles and jump length in metamorphs, developmental (time to metamorphosis, weight and length at various developmental stages, protein profile of adult globin and genetic (adult globin mRNA levels measures. However, we were unable to detect any differences between treated and control animals. Further, globin delivery using Bohle iridovirus, an Australian ranavirus isolate belonging to the Iridovirus family, did not reduce the survival of metamorphs or alter the form of beta globin expressed in metamorphs. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: While we were able to show for the first time that the switch from tadpole to adult globin does occur in B. marinus, we were not able to induce autoimmunity and disrupt metamorphosis. The short development time of B. marinus tadpoles may preclude this approach.

  15. Assessment of virally vectored autoimmunity as a biocontrol strategy for cane toads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pallister, Jackie A; Halliday, Damien C T; Robinson, Anthony J; Venables, Daryl; Voysey, Rhonda D; Boyle, Donna G; Shanmuganathan, Thayalini; Hardy, Christopher M; Siddon, Nicole A; Hyatt, Alex D

    2011-01-25

    The cane toad, Bufo (Chaunus) marinus, is one of the most notorious vertebrate pests introduced into Australia over the last 200 years and, so far, efforts to identify a naturally occurring B. marinus-specific pathogen for use as a biological control agent have been unsuccessful. We explored an alternative approach that entailed genetically modifying a pathogen with broad host specificity so that it no longer caused disease, but carried a gene to disrupt the cane toad life cycle in a species specific manner. The adult beta globin gene was selected as the model gene for proof of concept of autoimmunity as a biocontrol method for cane toads. A previous report showed injection of bullfrog tadpoles with adult beta globin resulted in an alteration in the form of beta globin expressed in metamorphs as well as reduced survival. In B. marinus we established for the first time that the switch from tadpole to adult globin exists. The effect of injecting B. marinus tadpoles with purified recombinant adult globin protein was then assessed using behavioural (swim speed in tadpoles and jump length in metamorphs), developmental (time to metamorphosis, weight and length at various developmental stages, protein profile of adult globin) and genetic (adult globin mRNA levels) measures. However, we were unable to detect any differences between treated and control animals. Further, globin delivery using Bohle iridovirus, an Australian ranavirus isolate belonging to the Iridovirus family, did not reduce the survival of metamorphs or alter the form of beta globin expressed in metamorphs. While we were able to show for the first time that the switch from tadpole to adult globin does occur in B. marinus, we were not able to induce autoimmunity and disrupt metamorphosis. The short development time of B. marinus tadpoles may preclude this approach.

  16. Habitat suitability of patch types: a case study of the Yosemite toad

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Christina T.; Stohlgren, Thomas J.

    2011-01-01

    Understanding patch variability is crucial in understanding the spatial population structure of wildlife species, especially for rare or threatened species. We used a well-tested maximum entropy species distribution model (Maxent) to map the Yosemite toad (Anaxyrus (= Bufo) canorus) in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Twenty-six environmental variables were included in the model representing climate, topography, land cover type, and disturbance factors (e.g., distances to agricultural lands, fire perimeters, and timber harvest areas) throughout the historic range of the toad. We then took a novel approach to the study of spatially structured populations by applying the species-environmental matching model separately for 49 consistently occupied sites of the Yosemite toad compared to 27 intermittently occupied sites. We found that the distribution of the entire population was highly predictable (AUC = 0.95±0.03 SD), and associated with low slopes, specific vegetation types (wet meadow, alpine-dwarf shrub, montane chaparral, red fir, and subalpine conifer), and warm temperatures. The consistently occupied sites were also associated with these same factors, and they were also highly predictable (AUC = 0.95±0.05 SD). However, the intermittently occupied sites were associated with distance to fire perimeter, a slightly different response to vegetation types, distance to timber harvests, and a much broader set of aspect classes (AUC = 0.90±0.11 SD). We conclude that many studies of species distributions may benefit by modeling spatially structured populations separately. Modeling and monitoring consistently-occupied sites may provide a realistic snapshot of current species-environment relationships, important climatic and topographic patterns associated with species persistence patterns, and an understanding of the plasticity of the species to respond to varying climate regimes across its range. Meanwhile, modeling and monitoring of widely dispersing

  17. Your Golden Jubilee Party!

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    All staff are invited to the Golden Jubilee Staff Party on the evening of 17 September. To mark CERN's 50th anniversary, the Director General would like to invite all staff working at CERN to celebrate the success of the organization. The party will be held on the terrace of the Main Building on 17 September at 4:00 pm. The event will include an address by the DG, music, film clips, drinks and snacks. Your effort, hard work and enthusiasm have been the key to CERN's success. The first of the main events celebrating the organization's Golden Jubilee is for you, so come along and celebrate!

  18. The Golden Ratio in Time-based Media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily Verba

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Measure and proportion manifest themselves in all areas of beauty and virtue.–Socrates Mathematics and visual communication share a long historical, symbiotic relationship. In their pursuit of achieving order and beauty, they find common ground through geometry. The golden ratio is a mathematic and aesthetic phenomenon inherent in nature that has consistently evoked sensory enjoyment since antiquity. It may be assumed that the manifestation of the golden ratio in nature accounts for human’s innate enjoyment of it. Throughout the ages, the conscious application of the golden ratio to proportions found in art, architecture, poetry, literature and musical composition has consistently evoked subconscious sensory pleasure. However, the application of the golden ratio to visual temporal proportion, or time-based media, has seldom been investigated. This thesis investigates various applications of the golden ratio as a mathematical framework for choreographing visually harmonious temporal compositions through time-based media. The proliferation of moving images we face on a daily basis is cause for great concern, as we have increasingly less free time in our days. Informative and pleasing images are buried in an avalanche of visual rubbish, constantly streaming into our physical and virtual worlds. Time-based media has the ability to expand and contract movement, thus directing the way viewers experience and spend their time. This investigation presupposes that editing moving images via increments of time determined by the golden ratio may streamline messages, isolating what is most symbolic and effectively communicative within a mathematical framework. A physiological and psychological benefit is created for viewers; there is no wasted time or space. Image-makers and visual communicators have a responsibility to create only that which is useful and/or aesthetically pleasing. An investigation into the temporal structure of time-based media, using

  19. The human heart: application of the golden ratio and angle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henein, Michael Y; Zhao, Ying; Nicoll, Rachel; Sun, Lin; Khir, Ashraf W; Franklin, Karl; Lindqvist, Per

    2011-08-04

    The golden ratio, or golden mean, of 1.618 is a proportion known since antiquity to be the most aesthetically pleasing and has been used repeatedly in art and architecture. Both the golden ratio and the allied golden angle of 137.5° have been found within the proportions and angles of the human body and plants. In the human heart we found many applications of the golden ratio and angle, in addition to those previously described. In healthy hearts, vertical and transverse dimensions accord with the golden ratio, irrespective of different absolute dimensions due to ethnicity. In mild heart failure, the ratio of 1.618 was maintained but in end-stage heart failure the ratio significantly reduced. Similarly, in healthy ventricles mitral annulus dimensions accorded with the golden ratio, while in dilated cardiomyopathy and mitral regurgitation patients the ratio had significantly reduced. In healthy patients, both the angles between the mid-luminal axes of the pulmonary trunk and the ascending aorta continuation and between the outflow tract axis and continuation of the inflow tract axis of the right ventricle approximate to the golden angle, although in severe pulmonary hypertension, the angle is significantly increased. Hence the overall cardiac and ventricular dimensions in a normal heart are consistent with the golden ratio and angle, representing optimum pump structure and function efficiency, whereas there is significant deviation in the disease state. These findings could have anatomical, functional and prognostic value as markers of early deviation from normality. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Golden Haidegg, a new apple mutant clone with improved marketing value

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strempl, F.; Keppl, H.; Brunner, H.

    1988-01-01

    Full text: Golden Delicious and its derivatives are the leading apple cultivars in Austria. Traits limiting the economic yield are susceptibility to russeting, a heterogenous fruit assortment score and consumer preferences. Mutation breeding was started in 1972. Dormant five bud scions of Golden Delicious were irradiated with 40, 50 or 60 Gy gamma rays at a dose rate of 20 Gy min -1 and grafted on rootstocks M9. M 1 V 1 survival rates were 78% (40 Gy), 36% (50 Gy) and 6% (60 Gy). Surviving scions produced, on the average, two primary shoots from which three to five buds were used for summer budding. Primary shoots were pruned back to force M 1 V 2 shoots from the lower secondary buds. An incidental occurrence of viruses and mycoplasms was overcome by thermotherapy, but delayed completing procedures of selection, re-selection and confirmation of the selected traits till the M 1 V 6 generation. Desirable mutations in shoot vigor, growth type, fruit size and fruit quality characters were obtained from the 40 and 50 Gy treatments only, while 60 Gy produced generally grossly aberrant phenotypes. A mutant with smooth sheen fruits associated with a more flat shape and non-russeting was selected from the 50 Gy treatment. Smooth sheen and non-russeting are evidently independent traits. Among 18 different mutant clones tested in microtrials, only the russet-free, smooth sheen clone was superior to the parent cultivar in market value. This clone, named Golden Haidegg, was tested during four years in different environments, compared with other clones derived from Golden Delicious, i.e. Lysgolden, Belgolden, Supergolden, Cloden, Golden 1972, Golden s.r E9, Golden clone A and B, Golden Shay, Golden Missouri, Charden, Mutsu and Smoothe. All trees were virus free, grafted on rootstock M9 and trained as slender spindle; applied field management conditions were identical. The evaluation concerned yield, russeting, fruit-shape, colour, weight, assortment and cold-storability. Clone

  1. Geology and mammalian paleontology of the Horned Toad Hills, Mojave Desert, California, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    May, S.R.; Woodburne, M.O.; Lindsay, E.H.; Albright, L.B.; Sarna-Wojcicki, A.; Wan, E.; Wahl, D.B.

    2011-01-01

    The Horned Toad Formation includes five lithostratigraphic members that record alluvial fan, fluvial, lake margin, and lacustrine deposition within a relatively small basin just south of the active Garlock fault during the late Miocene to early Pliocene. These sediments experienced northwest-southeast contractional deformation during the Pliocene-Pleistocene associated with basement-involved reverse faults. Member Two of the Horned Toad Formation has yielded 24 taxa of fossil mammals, referred to as the Warren Local Fauna, including Cryptotis sp., cf. Scapanus, Hypolagus vetus, Hypolagus edensis,? Spermophilus sp., Prothomomys warrenensis n. gen., n. sp., Perognathus sp., Repomys gustelyi, Postcopemys valensis, Peromyscus sp. A, Peromyscus sp. B, Jacobsomys dailyi n. sp., Borophagus cf. B. secundus, cf. Agriotherium, Machairodus sp. cf. M. coloradensis, Rhynchotherium sp. cf. R. edensis, Pliomastodon vexillarius, Dinohippus edensis, Teleoceras sp. cf. T. fossiger, cf. Prosthennops, Megatylopus sp. cf. M. matthewi, Hemiauchenia vera, Camelidae gen. et. sp. indet., and the antilocaprid cf. Sphenophalos. The majority of fossil localities are confined to a 20 m thick stratigraphic interval within a reversed polarity magnetozone. The fauna demonstrates affinity with other late Hemphillian faunas from California, Nevada, Nebraska, Texas, and Mexico. The Lawlor Tuff, dated elsewhere in California at 4.83 ?? 0.04 Ma and geochemically identified in the Horned Toad Formation, overlies most of the fossil mammal localities. Magnetic polarity data are correlated with Chrons 3n.3r, 3n.3n, and 3n.2r, suggesting an age of approximately 5.0 - 4.6 Ma. These constraints indicate an age for the late Hemphillian Warren Local Fauna of 4.85 - 5.0 Ma. ?? Society of Vertebrate Paleontology November 2011.

  2. Putative golden proportions as predictors of facial esthetics in adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiekens, Rosemie M A; Kuijpers-Jagtman, Anne Marie; van 't Hof, Martin A; van 't Hof, Bep E; Maltha, Jaap C

    2008-10-01

    In orthodontics, facial esthetics is assumed to be related to golden proportions apparent in the ideal human face. The aim of the study was to analyze the putative relationship between facial esthetics and golden proportions in white adolescents. Seventy-six adult laypeople evaluated sets of photographs of 64 adolescents on a visual analog scale (VAS) from 0 to 100. The facial esthetic value of each subject was calculated as a mean VAS score. Three observers recorded the position of 13 facial landmarks included in 19 putative golden proportions, based on the golden proportions as defined by Ricketts. The proportions and each proportion's deviation from the golden target (1.618) were calculated. This deviation was then related to the VAS scores. Only 4 of the 19 proportions had a significant negative correlation with the VAS scores, indicating that beautiful faces showed less deviation from the golden standard than less beautiful faces. Together, these variables explained only 16% of the variance. Few golden proportions have a significant relationship with facial esthetics in adolescents. The explained variance of these variables is too small to be of clinical importance.

  3. The 'golden' matrices and a new kind of cryptography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stakhov, A.P.

    2007-01-01

    We consider a new class of square matrices called the 'golden' matrices. They are a generalization of the classical Fibonacci Q-matrix for continuous domain. The 'golden' matrices can be used for creation of a new kind of cryptography called the 'golden' cryptography. The method is very fast and simple for technical realization and can be used for cryptographic protection of digital signals (telecommunication and measurement systems)

  4. Golden Ratio

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Our attraction to another body increases if the body is symmetricaland in proportion. If a face or a structure is in proportion,we are more likely to notice it and find it beautiful.The universal ratio of beauty is the 'Golden Ratio', found inmany structures. This ratio comes from Fibonacci numbers.In this article, we explore this ...

  5. 7 CFR 301.85-9 - Movement of live golden nematodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Movement of live golden nematodes. 301.85-9 Section... INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DOMESTIC QUARANTINE NOTICES Golden Nematode Quarantine and Regulations § 301.85-9 Movement of live golden nematodes. Regulations requiring a permit for and otherwise...

  6. Sulfate transport in toad skin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Erik Hviid; Simonsen, K

    1988-01-01

    1. In short-circuited toad skin preparations exposed bilaterally to NaCl-Ringer's containing 1 mM SO2(-4), influx of sulfate was larger than efflux showing that the skin is capable of transporting sulfate actively in an inward direction. 2. This active transport was not abolished by substituting...... apical Na+ for K+. 3. Following voltage activation of the passive Cl- permeability of the mitochondria-rich (m.r.) cells sulfate flux-ratio increased to a value predicted from the Ussing flux-ratio equation for a monovalent anion. 4. In such skins, which were shown to exhibit vanishingly small leakage...... conductances, the variation of the rate coefficient for sulfate influx (y) was positively correlated with the rate coefficient for Cl- influx (x), y = 0.035 x - 0.0077 cm/sec (r = 0.9935, n = 15). 5. Addition of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine to the serosal bath of short...

  7. Your Golden Jubilee Party!

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    All staff are invited to the Golden Jubilee Staff Party on the evening of 17 September. To mark CERN's 50th anniversary, the Director General would like to invite all staff working at CERN to celebrate the success of the organization. The party will be held on the terrace of the Main Building on 17 September at 4:00 pm. The event will include an address by the DG, music, film clips, drinks and snacks! Your effort, hard work and enthusiasm have been the key to CERN's success. The first of the main events celebrating the organization's Golden Jubilee is for you, so come along and celebrate! http://www.cern.ch/cern50/

  8. Your Golden Jubilee Party!

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    All staff are invited to the Golden Jubilee Staff Party on the evening of 17 September To mark CERN's 50th anniversary, the Director General would like to invite all staff working at CERN to celebrate the success of the organization. The party will be held on the terrace of the Main Building on 17 September at 4:00 pm. The event will include an address by the DG, music, film clips, drinks and snacks. Your effort, hard work and enthusiasm have been the key to CERN's success. The first of the main events celebrating the organization's Golden Jubilee is for you, so come along and celebrate! http://www.cern.ch/cern50/

  9. Assessment of the golden ratio in pleasing smiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikgoo, Arash; Alavi, Kamiar; Alavi, Kavah; Mirfazaelian, Ali

    2009-01-01

    The golden ratio is a guideline to help harmoniously restore or replace missing teeth. However, this concept is controversial. This study assesses the validity of the golden ratio between the widths of the maxillary anterior teeth in individuals presenting with an attractive/nonattractive smile. A double-stage random cluster sample cross-sectional study included 903 students whose ages ranged from 18 to 30 years and met the inclusion criteria. Image-measurement software was used to assess the perceived mesiodistal widths of the maxillary anterior teeth on scanned photographs. A jury of two dental professionals, a portrait photographer, and a painter, along with the respective subject as the fifth judge, determined the attractiveness of each smile on a visual analog scale. The mean value determined whether an individual was allocated to the attractive or nonattractive smile group. Finally, the prevalence of the golden ratio was investigated in these two groups. Intraobserver correlation coefficient was 0.966. Cochran's chi-square test was used for data analysis. According to the jury, 143 individuals had an attractive smile and 289 had a nonattractive smile. Maxillary central to lateral incisor ratio showed the golden proportion in 50.3% of the students with an attractive smile as compared to 38.1% in the nonattractive smile group (P =.014). However, the golden ratio between the maxillary lateral incisors and the canines existed in only 16.8% of the individuals with an attractive smile as compared to 12.1% in the nonattractive smile group (P =.223). The golden ratio can be useful to achieve esthetic restorations of the maxillary central and lateral incisors. However, the golden ratio between the perceived widths of the maxillary lateral incisors to the canines does not seem to be decisive for an attractive smile and other factors should be considered. © 2009 BY QUINTESSENCE PUBLISHING CO, INC.

  10. Shihabutdin Marjani on the Golden Horde

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I.M. Mirgaleev

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Research objectives: The publication of the Russian translation of the section on the history of the Golden Horde from the work of Shihabutdin Marjani, “Mustafad al-akhbar fi akhvali Kazan va Bulgar” (Information Related to the History of Kazan and Bulgar. Research materials: This Russian translation of the section on the Golden Horde history from the well-known work of Sh. Marjani “Mustafad al-akhbar fi akhvali Kazan va Bulgar” is presented to the attention of specialists. This section was earlier excluded from the 1989 edition for ideological reasons. A translation of the first volume of this book in the Russian edition of 2005 turned out to be substandard. This section was also published in 2008 in the modern Tatar language. The authors decided to publish this work now in consideration of the fact that the 200th anniversary of Sh. Marjani’s birth will be celebrated this year. In his work, Sh. Marjani used many written sources by such authors as Rashid al-Din, Ibn Khaldun, Ibn Battuta, Mirkhond, Abu al-Ghazi, Ibn Arabshah, and others. He also used numismatics and epigraphic data, written documents, and historical legends. According to Sh. Marjani, the Golden Horde state became one of the greatest states of the Middle Ages. He pointed to the decline of education and culture, internal strife and feuds, and invasions of external enemies as the main causes for the dissolution of the Golden Horde. Research results and novelty: This work which the founder of Tatar historiography, Sh.Marjani, dedicated to the Golden Horde history will now be introduced into the present scholarly discussions.

  11. 75 FR 47236 - Golden Parachute and Indemnification Payments

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-08-05

    ... golden parachute, severance, indemnification or other agreement. Claims for employee welfare benefits or... legitimate employee severance payments and improper golden parachute payments. DATES: Comments must be... FICUs with greater clarity on the distinction between legitimate employee severance payments and...

  12. Golden Jubilee Celebrations

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    1985-01-01

    Jan 1, 1985 ... January 1985 No.9 Newsletter of the Indian Academy of Sciences. Golden ... ray research and cosmic ray physicists over the past fifty years in ...... some qualitative characters in chickpea (Cicer anetmum Ll;. N K Rao, R B 5 ...

  13. Mortalities of the Green Toad (Epidalea viridis (Laurenti, 1768 in Urban Environment: A Case Study from the City of Plovdiv

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miglena V. Valkanova

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available The current study analyzes the types of mortalities of the green toad (Epidalea viridis in the city of Plovdiv. Among all recorded mortalities (n=42, the road kill was the most common cause of death (65 % of the cases, followed by killing by humans (usually children – 31%. Killing of green toads by dogs (2% and domestic cats (2% has the lowest impact. Both most significant factors (road kill and killing by humans affect mainly the adult specimens. No statistically significant difference between the mortalities of the two sexes was detected.

  14. Golden Rice is an effective source of vitamin A1234

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Jian; Dolnikowski, Gregory G; Russell, Robert M; Grusak, Michael A

    2009-01-01

    Background: Genetically engineered “Golden Rice” contains up to 35 μg β-carotene per gram of rice. It is important to determine the vitamin A equivalency of Golden Rice β-carotene to project the potential effect of this biofortified grain in rice-consuming populations that commonly exhibit low vitamin A status. Objective: The objective was to determine the vitamin A value of intrinsically labeled dietary Golden Rice in humans. Design: Golden Rice plants were grown hydroponically with heavy water (deuterium oxide) to generate deuterium-labeled [2H]β-carotene in the rice grains. Golden Rice servings of 65–98 g (130–200 g cooked rice) containing 0.99–1.53 mg β-carotene were fed to 5 healthy adult volunteers (3 women and 2 men) with 10 g butter. A reference dose of [13C10]retinyl acetate (0.4–1.0 mg) in oil was given to each volunteer 1 wk before ingestion of the Golden Rice dose. Blood samples were collected over 36 d. Results: Our results showed that the mean (±SD) area under the curve for the total serum response to [2H]retinol was 39.9 ± 20.7 μg·d after the Golden Rice dose. Compared with that of the [13C10]retinyl acetate reference dose (84.7 ± 34.6 μg·d), Golden Rice β-carotene provided 0.24–0.94 mg retinol. Thus, the conversion factor of Golden Rice β-carotene to retinol is 3.8 ± 1.7 to 1 with a range of 1.9–6.4 to 1 by weight, or 2.0 ± 0.9 to 1 with a range of 1.0–3.4 to 1 by moles. Conclusion: β-Carotene derived from Golden Rice is effectively converted to vitamin A in humans. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00680355. PMID:19369372

  15. The Golden Horde Policies toward the Ilkhanate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I.М. Mirgaleev

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The author examines the foreign policy of the Golden Horde in relation to the Ilkhanate of Persia in the 13th–14th centuries. The basics of the Golden Horde foreign policy towards Hulaguids were laid down during the reign of Berke Khan and remained a priority until the collapse of the Ilkhanate.

  16. Golden Ratio

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Our attraction to another body increases if the body is sym- metrical and in proportion. If a face or a structure is in pro- portion, we are more likely to notice it and find it beautiful. The universal ratio of beauty is the 'Golden Ratio', found in many structures. This ratio comes from Fibonacci numbers. In this article, we explore this ...

  17. Alkaloids from single skins of the Argentinian toad Melanophryniscus rubriventris (ANURA, BUFONIDAE): An unexpected variability in alkaloid profiles and a profusion of new structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garraffo, H Martin; Andriamaharavo, Nirina R; Vaira, Marcos; Quiroga, María F; Heit, Cecilia; Spande, Thomas F

    2012-12-01

    GC-MS analysis of single-skins of ten Melanophryniscus rubriventris toads (five collections of two toads each) captured during their breeding season in NW Argentina has revealed a total of 127 alkaloids of which 56 had not been previously detected in any frog or toad. Included among these new alkaloids are 23 new diastereomers of previously reported alkaloids. What is particularly distinguishing about the alkaloid profiles of these ten collections is the occurrence of many of the alkaloids, whether known or new to us, in only one of the ten skins sampled, despite two skins being obtained from each breeding site of the five populations. Many of the alkaloids are of classes known to have structures with branched-chains (e.g. pumiliotoxins and tricyclic structures) that are considered to derive from dietary mites. A large number of previously reported and new alkaloids are also of unclassified structures. Only a very few 3,5-disubstituted-indolizidine or -pyrrolizidine alkaloids are observed that have a straight-chain carbon skeleton and are likely derived from ant prey. The possible relationship of these collections made during the toad's brief breeding episodes to sequestration of dietary arthropods and individual alkaloid profiles is discussed.

  18. WEO Special Report 2012: Golden Rules for a Golden Age of Gas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2012-09-06

    Natural gas is poised to enter a golden age, but this future hinges critically on the successful development of the world's vast unconventional gas resources. North American experience shows unconventional gas - notably shale gas - can be exploited economically. Many countries are lining up to emulate this success. But some governments are hesitant, or even actively opposed. They are responding to public concerns that production might involve unacceptable environmental and social damage. This report, in the World Energy Outlook series, treats these aspirations and anxieties with equal seriousness. It features two new cases: a Golden Rules Case, in which the highest practicable standards are adopted, gaining industry a {sup s}ocial licence to operate{sup ;} and its counterpart, in which the tide turns against unconventional gas as constraints prove too difficult to overcome.

  19. WEO Special Report 2012: Golden Rules for a Golden Age of Gas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2012-09-06

    Natural gas is poised to enter a golden age, but this future hinges critically on the successful development of the world's vast unconventional gas resources. North American experience shows unconventional gas - notably shale gas - can be exploited economically. Many countries are lining up to emulate this success. But some governments are hesitant, or even actively opposed. They are responding to public concerns that production might involve unacceptable environmental and social damage. This report, in the World Energy Outlook series, treats these aspirations and anxieties with equal seriousness. It features two new cases: a Golden Rules Case, in which the highest practicable standards are adopted, gaining industry a {sup s}ocial licence to operate{sup ;} and its counterpart, in which the tide turns against unconventional gas as constraints prove too difficult to overcome.

  20. golden crabbers cost data

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) considered (but ultimately rejected) instituting a golden crab individual transferable quota (ITQ) program in...

  1. The Golden Horde and the Mamluks.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marie Favereau

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Research objective: to discuss characteristics of the relations between the Mamluks and the Golden Horde. Research materials: Mamluk (royal biographies, official histories, chancellery manuals, inšā’ literature, Italian, Ilkhanid and Timurid sources. Results and novelty of the research: the Golden Horde and the Mamluk sultanate exchanged envoys during almost two centuries. The reasons why these two societies enjoyed relations over the long run were complex and changed over time. This study shows that the Mamluk-Jöchid relationship cannot be considered as a single, long-lasting alliance, but as a succession of silent periods and active exchanges. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that it aims at clarifying the motivations of the successive alliances set between the sultans and the khans by reconstructing the chronology of these exchanges and carefully investigating key moments. The traditional views on the “Mamluk-Jöchid diplomacy”, described by historians as a loose entente, is here reconsidered and the internal situations of both the Golden Horde and the Mamluk sultanate are taken into account. This study gives an overview of the long relationship of the Golden Horde and the Mamluk sultanate and offers some answers to the following questions: Did the fact that Mamluks and Jöchids shared the same enemies remain the essential cornerstone of their diplomatic relations? Can we speak of a “foreign policy” that went beyond the personal investment of a single ruler? As a result of our research we came to the conclusion that the long-term relationships of the Mamluk sultanate and the Golden Horde had a strong impact not only on both empires but also on the whole inter-regional balance.

  2. The economic power of the Golden Rice opposition

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wesseler, J.H.H.; Zilberman, D.

    2014-01-01

    Vitamin A enriched rice (Golden Rice) is a cost-efficient solution that can substantially reduce health costs. Despite Golden Rice being available since early 2000, this rice has not been introduced in any country. Governments must perceive additional costs that overcompensate the benefits of the

  3. Golden Eagle Territories and Ecology at Site 300

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fratanduono, M. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2015-09-29

    Garcia and Associates (GANDA) was contracted by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to collect information on golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) use of Site 300. During 2014, we conducted surveys at Site 300 and for an area including a 10-mile radius of Site 300. Those surveys documented 42 golden eagle territories including two territories that overlapped with Site 300. These were named ‘Tesla’ and ‘Linac Road’. In 2015, we conducted surveys to refine the territory boundaries of golden eagle territories that overlapped with Site 300 and to document eagle activity at Site 300.

  4. Golden Age

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2013-01-01

      Sometimes, a moment can announce the end of an age. The gold market is like that. Within two transaction days, the gold slumped by 13%and saw a 25%tumble from the high point in August 2011. According to the classic investment theory, a 20%-above decline means the shift from“a bull”to“a bear”market.   The super bear market of gold has lasted a dozen years. But the bull-to-bear shift was completed within only 20 minutes. Wall Street’s analysts and ordinary Chinese people had different understandings to the golden age.   Expecting a bear market, Wall Street continuously dumped gold, resulting in a diving of gold price. Seeing the benefits, leisure Chinese madams made a gold rush, causing a slight bounce of gold price. On April 23, renowned investment bank Goldman Sachs suspended the short sale. So,“Chinese aunts”beating back Wall Street’s analysts became the hottest topic online for the time being.   What are the decisive factors for the crash of gold price? Will the gold market complete a real bull-to-bear shift? Will the golden age of gold be farther or nearer?

  5. Concentration dependence of halide fluxes and selectivity of the anion pathway in toad skin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Harck, A F; Larsen, Erik Hviid

    1986-01-01

    The isolated toad (Bufo bufo) skin was mounted under voltage-clamp conditions in a chamber shown to cause no significant edge damage. The serosal side of the skin was bathed with NaCl-Ringer's, and the passive voltage-sensitive anion conductance studied in its fully voltage activated state, V = -...

  6. Genetic diversity of Morato's Digger Toad, Proceratophrys moratoi: spatial structure, gene flow, effective size and the need for differential management strategies of populations

    OpenAIRE

    Arruda, Mauricio P.; Costa, William P.; Recco-Pimentel, Shirlei M.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract The Morato's Digger Toad, Proceratophrys moratoi, is a critically endangered toad species with a marked population decline in southern Brazilian Cerrado. Despite this, new populations are being discovered, primarily in the northern part of the distribution range, which raises a number of questions with regard to the conservation status of the species. The present study analyzed the genetic diversity of the species based on microsatellite markers. Our findings permitted the identifica...

  7. A "Projective" Test of the Golden Section Hypothesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Chris; Adams-Webber, Jack

    1987-01-01

    In a projective test of the golden section hypothesis, 24 high school students rated themselves and 10 comic strip characters on basis of 12 bipolar constructs. Overall proportion of cartoon figures which subjects assigned to positive poles of constructs was very close to golden section. (Author/NB)

  8. Golden Hadron awards for the LHC's top suppliers.

    CERN Multimedia

    Maximilien Brice

    2003-01-01

    The following firms have been selected to receive a GOLDEN HADRON AWARD 2003, in recognition of their outstanding achievement: JDL TECHNOLOGIES, Belgium "in producing automatic cable inspection systems", FURUKAWA ELECTRIC COMPANY, Japan "in producing high quality superconducting cable", IHI Corporation, Japan, and LINDE KRYOTECHNIK, Switzerland "in producing novel 1.8 K refrigeration units based on advanced cold compressor technology" for the Large Hadron Collider.Photos 01, 02: Recipients of the 2003 Golden Hadron awards at the presentation ceremony on 16 May.Photo 03: LHC project leader Lyn Evans updates the award recipients on work for CERN's new accelerator.Photo 04: René Joannes of JDL Technologies (left) receives a Golden Hadron award from LHC project leader Lyn Evans.Shinichiro Meguro, managing director of Furukawa Electric Company, receives a Golden Hadron award from LHC project leader Lyn Evans.Photo 06: Kirkor Kurtcuoglu of Linde Kryotechnik (left) and Motoki Yoshinaga, associate director of IHI...

  9. Alternative Fuels Data Center: Golden Eagle Delivers Beer With Natural Gas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trucks Golden Eagle Delivers Beer With Natural Gas Trucks to someone by E-mail Share Alternative Fuels Data Center: Golden Eagle Delivers Beer With Natural Gas Trucks on Facebook Tweet about Alternative Fuels Data Center: Golden Eagle Delivers Beer With Natural Gas Trucks on Twitter Bookmark

  10. The Use of Golden Snail (Pomacea sp. as Animal Feed in the Philippines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serra, AB.

    1997-01-01

    Full Text Available The golden snail is introduced to the Philippines in early 80's for culture as food source. This herbivorous snail, a voracious feeder of live and fresh plant materials become a serious rice pest. Its elimination in the ecosystems is impossible. To use them as animal feed is much better alternative for their control and more environmentally friendly than the use of chemicals. Thus, this mini review paper aimed to collate any existing information on the use of golden snail as animal feed. The different meal forms that can be extracted are golden snail meal (30 % calcium and 15 % crude protein, golden snail meat meal (62 % crude protein and 3336 kcal/kg and golden shell meal (35 % calcium. Feeding trials indicate that golden snail meal can be a part of swine and chicken layer diets up to 15 %. Golden snail meat meal can be a part of broiler chicken diet up to 12 %. Feeding fresh and ground golden snail to ducks can replace 50 % of their diet under total confinement system. Whereas, golden snail meat meal (75 % of the diet plus rice bran can be beneficially fed to tilapia. With the information collated, golden snail can be a promising animal feed in the Philippines.

  11. Within- and among-population level differences in response to chronic copper exposure in southern toads, Anaxyrus terrestris

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lance, Stacey L.; Flynn, R. Wesley; Erickson, Matthew R.; Scott, David E.

    2013-01-01

    Environmental contaminants are implicated in the global decline of amphibian populations. Copper (Cu) is a widespread contaminant that can be toxic at concentrations just above the normal physiological range. In the present study we examined the effects of chronic Cu aqueous exposure on embryos and larvae of southern toads, Anaxyrus (Bufo) terrestris. Measurable levels of Cu were found in larvae, with tissue concentrations up to 27.5 μg Cu/g dry mass. Aqueous concentrations of Cu as low as 10 μg/L significantly reduced survival to the free-swimming stage and no larvae reached metamorphosis at concentrations above 15 μg/L. Clutches from populations with prior Cu exposure had the lowest survivorship. Among several populations there was significant variation in survivorship at different levels of Cu. More data are needed to understand the underlying causes of within- and among-population resilience to anthropogenic stressors. -- Highlights: ► Southern toad, Anaxyrus terrestris, embryos and larvae are highly sensitive to Cu. ► Significant variation in survivorship exists among clutches and populations. ► Clutches with prior Cu exposure had the lowest survivorship. ► Body burdens in larvae were up to 27.5 μg Cu/g dry mass. -- Capsule: Southern toad aquatic survival is significantly reduced at 15 μg Cu/L with variation in survivorship across clutches and populations

  12. Public Policy and Environment : The Golden Mussel Case

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luíz Ricardo Santana de Araújo Júnior

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The papper carries out an analysis of the National Task Force Control of Golden Mussel and Emergency Action Plan, which are considered environmental policies. The bibliographical research, using primary and secondary sources, make a conceptual approach to bioinvasion the Golden Mussel. Then it perfomes analysis of the general characteristics of the National Task Force and the Emergency Plan, pointing to inconsistencies that were found, either in the planning or implementation of policy, as a basis for an analysis of the environmental policy effectiveness. Finally, they analyse possible ways to avoid the appearance of inconsistencies that were found in the case of Golden Mussel.

  13. Golden mean energy equals highest atomic electron orbital energy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Malinowski, Leonard J. [Interdisciplinary Research Club, P.O. Box 371, Monroeville, PA 15146 (United States)], E-mail: LJMalinowski@gmail.com

    2009-12-15

    The golden mean numerical value {phi} = 0.5({radical}5 - 1) has been given a physical manifestation through E infinity theory. This short paper relates the golden mean energy 0.618034 MeV to atomic electron orbitals.

  14. Golden mean energy equals highest atomic electron orbital energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malinowski, Leonard J.

    2009-01-01

    The golden mean numerical value φ = 0.5(√5 - 1) has been given a physical manifestation through E infinity theory. This short paper relates the golden mean energy 0.618034 MeV to atomic electron orbitals.

  15. Effects of seasonal variation on oxidative stress physiology in natural population of toad Bufo melanostictus; clues for analysis of environmental pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samanta, Luna; Paital, Biswaranjan

    2016-11-01

    Natural population of Bufo melanostictus in response to environmental cues shows several physiologic changes such as reproductive activity, hibernation, aestivation and metabolic depression in different seasons. We investigated the effects of seasonal fluctuations on oxidative stress (OS) physiology biomarkers, such as endogenous (ELPx) and induced (ILPx) lipid peroxidation, front-line redox regulatory enzymes (superoxide dismutase: SOD and catalase) and two non-enzyme antioxidant metabolites (ascorbic acid and reduced glutathione) in liver, gonad and cerebral hemisphere of toads collected from the Bhubaneswar area of India, where temperature fluctuates considerably rising to the highest in summer (∼46 °C) and being lowest in winter (pollutants alone and/or as results of metabolic changes under hibernation, aestivation and due to reproductive activities. Therefore, seasonal changes in OS physiological responses in poikilothermic models especially in toads must be cautiously used as indicators to assess environmental impact, mainly soil pollution. Results of the present study may be used as baseline data for any future analyses of the physiological impacts of environmental changes using toads as model organism.

  16. Toad radiation reveals into-India dispersal as a source of endemism in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bossuyt Franky

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background High taxonomic level endemism in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot has been typically attributed to the subcontinent's geological history of long-term isolation. Subsequent out of – and into India dispersal of species after accretion to the Eurasian mainland is therefore often seen as a biogeographic factor that 'diluted' the composition of previously isolated Indian biota. However, few molecular studies have focussed on into-India dispersal as a possible source of endemism on the subcontinent. Using c. 6000 base pairs of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, we investigated the evolutionary history and biogeography of true toads (Bufonidae, a group that colonized the Indian Subcontinent after the Indo-Asia collision. Results Contrary to previous studies, Old World toads were recovered as a nested clade within New World Bufonidae, indicating a single colonization event. Species currently classified as Ansonia and Pedostibes were both recovered as being non-monophyletic, providing evidence for the independent origin of torrential and arboreal ecomorphs on the Indian subcontinent and in South-East Asia. Our analyses also revealed a previously unrecognized adaptive radiation of toads containing a variety of larval and adult ecomorphs. Molecular dating estimates and biogeographic analyses indicate that the early diversification of this clade happened in the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka during the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene. Conclusion Paleoclimate reconstructions have shown that the Early Neogene of India was marked by major environmental changes, with the transition from a zonal- to the current monsoon-dominated climate. After arrival in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka hotspot, toads diversified in situ, with only one lineage able to successfully disperse out of these mountains. Consequently, higher taxonomic level endemism on the Indian Subcontinent is not only the result of Cretaceous isolation, but also of invasion

  17. Non-invasive treatments of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone for inducing spermiation in American (Bufo americanus) and Gulf Coast (Bufo valliceps) toads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rowson, Angela D.; Obringer, Amy R.; Roth, Terri L.

    2001-01-01

    As many as 20% of all assessed amphibian species are threatened with extinction, and captive breeding programs are becoming important components of conservation strategies for this taxon. For some species, exogenous hormone administration has been integrated into breeding protocols to improve propagation. However, most treatments are administered by an intraperitoneal injection that can be associated with some risks. The general goal of this study was to identify a non-invasive method of applying luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), which reliably induces sperm release in toads. Specific objectives were to 1) test the spermiation response after topical application of different LHRH doses to the abdominal seat region, 2) evaluate the effects of adding the absorption enhancers dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), acetone, and glyceryl monocaprylate (GMC) to the LHRH, 3) assess the spermiation response after oral delivery of LHRH in a mealworm vehicle, and 4) compare sperm characteristics and spermiation responses to treatments in two different toad species. Male American (n = 9) and Gulf Coast (n = 7) toads were rotated systematically through a series of treatments. Urine was collected and evaluated for the presence of sperm at 0, 3, 7, 12, and 24 hours post-treatment. There were no statistical differences in spermiation induction or sperm characteristics between American and Gulf Coast toads after the treatments. Oral administration of 100 &mgr;g LHRH was occasionally successful in inducing spermiation, but results appeared largely unreliable. Ventral dermal application of 100 or 10 &mgr;g LHRH in 40% DMSO were more effective (P Zoo Biol 20:63-74, 2001. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  18. The golden ratio in Schwarzschild-Kottler black holes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cruz, Norman [Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencia, Santiago 2 (Chile); Olivares, Marco [Universidad Diego Portales, Facultad de Ingenieria, Santiago (Chile); Villanueva, J.R. [Universidad de Valparaiso, Instituto de Fisica y Astronomia, Valparaiso (Chile)

    2017-02-15

    In this paper we show that the golden ratio is present in the Schwarzschild-Kottler metric. For null geodesics with maximal radial acceleration, the turning points of the orbits are in the golden ratio Φ = (√(5)-1)/2. This is a general result which is independent of the value and sign of the cosmological constant Λ. (orig.)

  19. Golden Jubilee photos

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    We continue our series of CERN's Golden Jubilee photos, with some of the highlights of events and their preparation as well as occasional glimpses of the Laboratory's fifty-year history. Following last week's behind-the-scenes glance at the organisation of festivities, this week we take a look at a group of young artists. They are visiting the Laboratory with the aim of creating works of art, that will go on display during the Jubilee celebrations. Art and particle physics Particle physics can be a source of inspiration for artists, as illustrated by this week's visit1 to CERN of 17 students from British, Danish, Dutch, Greek, Irish and Swiss art schools. The students are here to find ideas for works of art that will be displayed this October in the framework of CERN's Golden Jubilee celebrations. In the opinion of the group's organiser, Andy Charalambous, the purpose of the visit is to confront the artists with a world that is totally alien to their own and to allow them an opportunity to immerse themselve...

  20. A New Book on the Law System of the Golden Horde: Pochekaev R.Yu. Legal Culture of the Golden Horde (Historical and Legal Essays (Moscow: Yurlitinform, 2015. 312 p.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D.V. Nefedov

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This book is a study at the intersection of such academic disciplines as general history, history of state and law and source study. The subcect of R.Yu. Pochevalev’s book appears very relevant since the interest of the scientific community and readership toward the Golden Horde and its role in the history of the Russian state remains traditionally high for several centuries. However, the author is trying to take a fresh look at this state and refute the stereotype of the Golden Horde as a some kind of bunch of nomads who lived only by plundering neighboring sedentary peoples. He succeeds in this by studying such an important part of the Golden Horde history as its law and legal culture. The book examines a number of questions on the history of state and law of the Golden Horde, which have not previously been the subject of a special study (for example, possessions of the Golden Horde in other uluses, dualism of power in different states, relations between authorities and traders, etc.. On some other issues that have already been studied by experts, he proposes new interpretations in the framework of historical and legal approach (for example, the causes of intestine strife in the Golden Horde in the mid-14th century, yarliks of the Golden Horde khans granted to the Russian Chruch, relations of the Golden Horde rulers and Italian colonies in the Northern Black Sea region. The author examines to a great extent the themes of state and legal regulation of economic relations: status of merchants in the Golden Horde and post-Golden Horde states, role of economic sanctions in the resolution of political conflicts. In other essays contained in the book, the author also emphasizes the role of the economic component of the political and legal relations. For example, R.Yu. Pochekaev convincingly shows that relations of the Golden Horde with other states of the Mongol Empire was based on the principle of mutual provision of possessions to the rulers of

  1. No evidence for effects of infection with the amphibian chytrid fungus on populations of yellow-bellied toads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, Norman; Neubeck, Claus; Guicking, Daniela; Finke, Lennart; Wittich, Martin; Weising, Kurt; Geske, Christian; Veith, Michael

    2017-02-08

    The parasitic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) can cause the lethal disease chytridiomycosis in amphibians and therefore may play a role in population declines. The yellow-bellied toad Bombina variegata suffered strong declines throughout western and northwestern parts of its range and is therefore listed as highly endangered for Germany and the federal state of Hesse. Whether chytridiomycosis may play a role in the observed local declines of this strictly protected anuran species has never been tested. We investigated 19 Hessian yellow-bellied toad populations for Bd infection rates, conducted capture-mark-recapture studies in 4 of them over 2 to 3 yr, examined survival histories of recaptured infected individuals, and tested whether multi-locus heterozygosity of individuals as well as expected heterozygosity and different environmental variables of populations affect probabilities of Bd infection. Our results show high prevalence of Bd infection in Hessian yellow-bellied toad populations, but although significant decreases in 2 populations could be observed, no causative link to Bd as the reason for this can be established. Mass mortalities or obvious signs of disease in individuals were not observed. Conversely, we show that growth of Bd-infected populations is possible under favorable habitat conditions and that most infected individuals could be recaptured with improved body indices. Neither genetic diversity nor environmental variables appeared to affect Bd infection probabilities. Hence, genetically diverse amphibian specimens and populations may not automatically be less susceptible for Bd infection.

  2. Kinematic gait analyses in healthy Golden Retrievers

    OpenAIRE

    Silva, Gabriela C.A.; Cardoso, Mariana Trés; Gaiad, Thais P.; Brolio, Marina P.; Oliveira, Vanessa C.; Assis Neto, Antonio; Martins, Daniele S.; Ambrósio, Carlos E.

    2014-01-01

    Kinematic analysis relates to the relative movement between rigid bodies and finds application in gait analysis and other body movements, interpretation of their data when there is change, determines the choice of treatment to be instituted. The objective of this study was to standardize the march of Dog Golden Retriever Healthy to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. We used a kinematic analysis system to analyse the gait of seven dogs Golden Retriever, female,...

  3. The golden section and American psychology, 1892-1938.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benjafield, John G

    2010-01-01

    The golden section has been said by many to be the most beautiful proportion. Fechner was the first to investigate it experimentally, and several late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century American psychologists followed up on his work. Among these were four prominent names: Lightner Witmer (1867-1956), Edward L. Thorndike (1874-1949), Robert S. Woodworth (1869-1962), and Robert M. Ogden (1877-1959). Why did such well-known psychologists bother with the golden section? In attempting to answer this question we discovered that the golden section was surprisingly well known during this period, not only in psychology but also in advertising and design. It would have been entirely congruent with their stature for prominent psychologists to take an interest in it.

  4. Four-Dimensional Golden Search

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fenimore, Edward E. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2015-02-25

    The Golden search technique is a method to search a multiple-dimension space to find the minimum. It basically subdivides the possible ranges of parameters until it brackets, to within an arbitrarily small distance, the minimum. It has the advantages that (1) the function to be minimized can be non-linear, (2) it does not require derivatives of the function, (3) the convergence criterion does not depend on the magnitude of the function. Thus, if the function is a goodness of fit parameter such as chi-square, the convergence does not depend on the noise being correctly estimated or the function correctly following the chi-square statistic. And, (4) the convergence criterion does not depend on the shape of the function. Thus, long shallow surfaces can be searched without the problem of premature convergence. As with many methods, the Golden search technique can be confused by surfaces with multiple minima.

  5. World Energy Outlook 2012 Special Report: Golden Rules for a Golden Age of Gas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2012-07-01

    Natural gas is poised to enter a golden age, but this future hinges critically on the successful development of the world’s vast unconventional gas resources. North American experience shows unconventional gas - notably shale gas - can be exploited economically. Many countries are lining up to emulate this success. But some governments are hesitant, or even actively opposed. They are responding to public concerns that production might involve unacceptable environmental and social damage. This report, in the World Energy Outlook series, treats these aspirations and anxieties with equal seriousness. It features two new cases: a Golden Rules Case, in which the highest practicable standards are adopted, gaining industry a {sup s}ocial licence to operate{sup ;} and its counterpart, in which the tide turns against unconventional gas as constraints prove too difficult to overcome.

  6. golden crabbers focus group transcript

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) considered (but ultimately rejected) instituting a golden crab individual transferable quota (ITQ) program in...

  7. Radiographic features of Golden Retriever muscular dystrophy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brumitt, Jason W; Essman, Stephanie C; Kornegay, Joe N; Graham, John P; Weber, William J; Berry, Clifford R

    2006-01-01

    Golden Retriever muscular dystrophy is an inherited, degenerative myopathy due to the absence of dystrophin and is used as a model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy of young boys. This report describes the radiographic abnormalities of Golden Retriever muscular dystrophy in 26 dogs. The thoracic abnormalities included diaphragmatic asymmetry (18/26), diaphragmatic undulation (18/26), and gastro-esophageal hiatal hernia (6/26). Pelvic abnormalities included narrowing of the body of the ilia (14/19), ventral deviation and curvature of the tuber ischii (14/19), elongation of the obturator foramen with a decrease in opacity of the surrounding bone (12/19), and lateral flaring of the wings of the ilia (12/19). Abdominal abnormalities consisted of hepatomegaly (14/22) and poor serosal detail (12/22). The unique thoracic abnormalities were a consistent finding in affected Golden Retriever muscular dystrophy dogs. The diagnosis of muscular dystrophy should be included in the differential list if the combination of diaphragm undulation and asymmetry, and gastro-esophageal hiatal hernia are identified. These diaphragmatic abnormalities are related to hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the diaphragm. Additionally, the skeletal changes of pelvic tilt, elongation of the pelvis, widening of the obturator foramina and thinning of the ischiatic tables appear to be specific to Golden Retriever muscular dystrophy in dogs. These pelvic abnormalities are most likely secondary to bone remodeling associated with the progressive skeletal myopathy and subsequent contracture/fibrosis.

  8. Golden mean Siegel disk universality and renormalization

    OpenAIRE

    Gaidashev, Denis; Yampolsky, Michael

    2016-01-01

    We provide a computer-assisted proof of one of the central open questions in one-dimensional renormalization theory -- universality of the golden-mean Siegel disks. We further show that for every function in the stable manifold of the golden-mean renormalization fixed point the boundary of the Siegel disk is a quasicircle which coincides with the closure of the critical orbit, and that the dynamics on the boundary of the Siegel disk is rigid. Furthermore, we extend the renormalization from on...

  9. Book Review: Stars (Copyright 1985, Golden Press; New York)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marigza, R. N., Jr.

    2009-06-01

    Stars is a part of the Golden Guides collection produced by Golden Press. It is a small 160 page paperback guide to the constellations, the sun, the moon, planets, and other celestial bodies. The book is convenient to carry along wherever you go, making it an easy to access reference material.

  10. Evaluation of landscape level habitat characteristics of golden eagle habitat in Northwestern Mexico

    OpenAIRE

    Bravo Vinaja, Maria Guadalupe

    2012-01-01

    Golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos canadensis Linnaeus 1758) are declining in some areas throughout their Nearctic range (Sauer et al. 2011). This reduction is linked to changes in their habitat caused by human activities. Golden eagles inhabit an extensive range of environments (Watson 1997, Kochert et al. 2002). In the American Continent, the golden eagleâ s range encompasses Alaska, Canada, the United States and the Northern and Central portions of Mexico. Northern golden eagle populations...

  11. Ecohydrology_GoldenHeaher_Data_052316

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Table of data used for statistical analyses. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Golden , H., H. Sander, C. Lane , C. Zhao, K. Price, E....

  12. DATABASE OF MIGRATION AND REPLICATION WITH ORACLE GOLDEN GATE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suharjito Suharjito

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The main goal of this research is to analyze and design a database configuration of migration and replication in PT Metro Batavia. Research methodologies used in this research are data collecting, analysis and design model. Data collecting method is conducted with library research and direct survey in the company. Analysis method is conducted by analyzing hangar system, migration and reflection process and the available problems. Design method is conducted by designing a prototype for migration process with the implementation of Oracle SQL Developer and replication process with implementation of Oracle Golden Gate. The result of this research is a prototype for configuration of migration and replication process by using Oracle Golden Gate, which can produce two sets of identical data for the purpose of backup and recovery, and also design a simple tool that is expected to help active-active or active-passive replication process. The conclusion of this research is migration process of MySQL database to Oracle database by using Oracle Golden Gate hasn’t been conducted, because Oracle Golden Gate still has bug related to binary log, so database of migration is conducted by using Oracle Golden Gate. However, replication of bi-directional in between database of Oracle by using Oracle SQL Developer can guarantee data availability and reduce work burden from primary database.

  13. Characterizing Golden Eagle risk to lead and anticoagulant rodenticide exposure: A review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herring, Garth; Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Buck, Jeremy A.

    2017-01-01

    Contaminant exposure is among the many threats to Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) populations throughout North America, particularly lead poisoning and anticoagulant rodenticides (AR). These threats may act in concert with others (e.g., lead poisoning and trauma associated with striking objects) to exacerbate risk. Golden Eagles are skilled hunters but also exploit scavenging opportunities, making them particularly susceptible to contaminant exposure from ingesting tissues of poisoned or shot animals. Lead poisoning has long been recognized as an important source of mortality for Golden Eagles throughout North America. More recently, ARs have been associated with both sublethal and lethal effects in raptor species worldwide. In this review, we examine the current state of knowledge for lead and AR exposure in Golden Eagles, drawing from the broader raptor contaminant ecology literature. We examine lead and AR sources within Golden Eagle habitats, exposure routes and toxicity, effects on individuals and populations, synergistic effects, and data and information needs. Continued research addressing data needs and information gaps will help with Golden Eagle conservation planning.

  14. Molecular architecture of silk fibroin of Indian golden silkmoth, Antheraea assama.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Adarsh K; Mita, Kazuei; Arunkumar, Kallare P; Nagaraju, Javaregowda

    2015-08-03

    The golden silk spun by Indian golden silkmoth Antheraea assama, is regarded for its shimmering golden luster, tenacity and value as biomaterial. This report describes the gene coding for golden silk H-fibroin (AaFhc), its expression, full-length sequence and structurally important motifs discerning the underlying genetic and biochemical factors responsible for its much sought-after properties. The coding region, with biased isocodons, encodes highly repetitious crystalline core, flanked by a pair of 5' and 3' non-repetitious ends. AaFhc mRNA expression is strictly territorial, confined to the posterior silk gland, encoding a protein of size 230 kDa, which makes homodimers making the elementary structural units of the fibrous core of the golden silk. Characteristic polyalanine repeats that make tight β-sheet crystals alternate with non-polyalanine repeats that make less orderly antiparallel β-sheets, β-turns and partial α-helices. Phylogenetic analysis of the conserved N-terminal amorphous motif and the comparative analysis of the crystalline region with other saturniid H-fibroins reveal that AaFhc has longer, numerous and relatively uniform repeat motifs with lower serine content that assume tighter β-crystals and denser packing, which are speculated to be responsible for its acclaimed properties of higher tensile strength and higher refractive index responsible for golden luster.

  15. Assessment of the distribution and conservation status of the viviparous toad Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis on Monts Nimba, Guinea

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hillers, A.; Loua, N.-S.; Rödel, M.-O.

    2008-01-01

    We investigated the distribution of the viviparous Nimba toad Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis throughout its potential range, the montane grasslands of the Monts Nimba massif, West Africa. Although predominantly part of a World Heritage Site, the Monts Nimba also comprise a mining enclave in the

  16. Golden Crab Logbook Survey (Vessels)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — In November 1995, a voluntary logbook program for the golden crab fishery in the waters under the jurisdiction of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council...

  17. TEXTILE DESIGN ON THE BASE OF THE GOLDEN GEOMETRY AND BULGARIAN NATIONAL TRADITION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ILIEVA Julieta

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The Golden and Fibonacci geometry forms are symbols of beauty and harmony. The shapes and symbols in the national traditions are always a source of creative ideas. The paper presents textile designs on the base of creations from the Golden and Fibonacci geometry and Bulgarian national tradition. Fourteen textile design project are presented with the use of the Golden spiral in the Golden square, Fibonacci series tiling with equalitarian triangles named Fibonacci rose and the spiral square with four Golden spirals from the Golden and Fibonacci geometry, and the three turtles – symbols from Kolobar tradition in Bulgarian national culture. The forms from the Golden and Fibonacci geometry are used directly as ornaments, constructional elements for ornaments, or as frames for entered elements. The symbols from Kolobar tradition are used directly as ornaments. Every design is presented in suitable two, three or four color model. The used geometrical forms from the Golden geometry and the Bulgarian national tradition are the base for successful textile design using the mirror, radial and translated symmetry and the plain rhythms as result from their combinations. The design is more successful when the geometrical ornaments are combined with suitable colors according to the connections between colors and lines on the base of their meaning, the latest fashion trends, and national traditions.

  18. Ground sounds: Seismic detection in the golden mole

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narins, Peter M.; Lewis, Edwin R.

    2004-05-01

    The Namib Desert golden mole is a nocturnal, surface-foraging mammal, possessing a massively hypertrophied malleus which presumably confers low-frequency, substrate-vibration sensitivity through inertial bone conduction. Foraging trails are punctuated with characteristic sand disturbances in which the animal's head dips under the sand. The function of this behavior is not known but it is thought that it may be used to obtain a seismic fix on the next mound to be visited. To test this, we measured the local seismic vibrations both on the top of a mound and on the flats. The spectrum recorded on the flats shows a relatively low-amplitude peak at about 120 Hz, whereas the spectral peak recorded from the mound is nearly 17 dB greater in amplitude and centered at 310 Hz. This suggests that mounds act as seismic beacons for the golden moles that would be detectable from distances corresponding to typical intermound distances of 20-25 m. In addition, out of the 117 species for which data are available, these golden moles have the greatest ossicular mass relative to body size (Mason, personal communication). Functionally, they appear to be low-frequency specialists, and it is likely that golden moles hear through substrate conduction. [Work supported by NIH.

  19. Conservation significance of alternative nests of golden eagles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brian A. Millsap

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos are long-lived raptors that maintain nesting territories that may be occupied for a century or longer. Within occupied nesting territories there is one nest in which eagles lay their eggs in a given year (i.e., the used nest, but there are usually other nests (i.e., alternative nests. Conservation plans often protect used nests, but not alternative nests or nesting territories that appear vacant. Our objective is to review literature on golden eagle use of alternative nests and occupancy of nesting territories to determine if alternative nests are biologically significant and warrant greater conservation consideration. Our review shows that: (1 alternative nests or their associated habitat are most often in core areas of golden eagle nesting territories; (2 alternative nests likely will become used in the future; (3 probability of an alternative nest becoming used is greatest where prey availability is high and alternative nest sites are limited; (4 likelihood of annual occupancy or reoccupancy of golden eagle nesting territories is high; and (5 prey availability is the most important determinant of nesting territory occupancy and breeding activity. We recommend alternative nests be treated with the same deference as used nests in land use planning.

  20. Interpreting and Expanding Confucius' Golden Mean through Neutrosophic Tetrad

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fu Yuhua

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Neutrosophy is a new branch of philosophy that studies the origin, nature, and scope of neutralities, as well as their interactions with different ideational spectra. There are many similarities between The Golden Mean and Neutrosophy. Chinese and international scholars need to toil towards expanding and developing The Golden Mean, towards its "modernization" and "globalization".

  1. Whooping crane preyed upon by golden eagle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Windingstad, Ronald M.; Stiles, Harry E.; Drewien, Roderick C.

    1981-01-01

    The Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is the largest predatory bird in North America and is well known for its predatory abilities. Attacks have been reported on mammals such as whitetail jackrabbits (Lepus townsendi) (McGahan 1967, J. Wildl. Mgmt. 31: 496), pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) (Bruhns 1970, Can. Field-Natur. 84: 301), Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) (Kelleher and O'Malia 1971, Auk 88: 186), and Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) (Carnie 1954, Condor 56: 3). This communication describes an attack on an immature Whooping Crane (Grus americana) by a Golden Eagle and the subsequent necropsy findings.

  2. 76 FR 7245 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Critical Habitat for the Arroyo Toad

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-09

    ... locations and wildfire effects are often exacerbated by drought and insect attack. In addition, fire... toads in critical habitat units 15, 16, 17, and 18. The Forest Service is studying the effects of feral... colonized by invasive weeds. In addition to rooting and habitat alteration, wild pigs prey on reptiles and...

  3. Putative golden proportions as predictors of facial esthetics in adolescents.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kiekens, R.M.A.; Kuijpers-Jagtman, A.M.; Hof, M.A. van 't; Hof, B.E. van 't; Maltha, J.C.

    2008-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: In orthodontics, facial esthetics is assumed to be related to golden proportions apparent in the ideal human face. The aim of the study was to analyze the putative relationship between facial esthetics and golden proportions in white adolescents. METHODS: Seventy-six adult laypeople

  4. Lichtheim’s Golden shot

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eling, P.A.T.M.

    2011-01-01

    Lichtheim belongs to the ranks of most famous aphasiologists, in particular because of a diagram often referred to as ‘Lichtheim’s House’. His single paper on aphasia has drawn the attention of the aphasiological community for many years and may be considered a golden shot. But it became, to

  5. More than a golden hello.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janstarkers

    2017-08-02

    Golden hellos for nurses are okay, but won't improve retention of staff. As soon as new recruits learn how short-staffed wards are and how few trained nurses are on shifts, they won't stay long anyway.

  6. Golden book

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    On 19 October, CERN reached the climax of its Jubilee with the official celebration in the presence of very high representatives of the Member and Observer States. Above, one of the high moments of the day: the signing of the golden book by the King of Spain, Juan Carlos, and at his right the Director-General of CERN, Robert Aymar, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Joseph Deiss, and the President of the Republic of France, Jacques Chirac. A complete report of this event will be in the next issue of the Bulletin.

  7. CRED Optical Validation Data at the island of Ta'u in American Samoa, 2004 to Support Benthic Habitat Mapping (TOAD)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Optical validation data were collected using a Tethered Optical Assessment Device (TOAD), an underwater sled equipped with an underwater digital video camera and...

  8. CRED Optical Validation Data at the island of Ta'u in American Samoa, 2006 to support Benthic Habitat Mapping (TOAD)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Optical validation data were collected using a Tethered Optical Assessment Device (TOAD), an underwater sled equipped with an underwater digital video camera and...

  9. The effect of supplementation with vitamin A on serum and liver concentrations in Puerto Rican crested toads (Peltophryne lemur) and its lack of impact on brown skin disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutton, Christopher; Lentini, Andrew; Berkvens, Charlene; Crawshaw, Graham

    2014-01-01

    "Brown skin disease" (BSD) is a clinical syndrome of dysecdysis, chronic weight loss and death, previously reported in Puerto Rican crested toads (Peltophryne lemur). Although vitamin A deficiency has been suggested, its cause remains unknown and multiple treatments have failed to prevent or reverse the condition. This study compared the efficacy of vitamin A supplementation, administered in different forms and by different routes, in 48 captive born Puerto Rican crested toads fed from metamorphosis on gut-loaded, dusted, commercially raised crickets. Forty-five toads started to show clinical signs of BSD at 9 months of age; all toads were treated orally with an oil-based vitamin A formulation twice weekly for 2 months but continued to deteriorate. Two treatment groups were then compared: Animals in one group (n=19) received 2 IU injectable vitamin A (Aquasol-A) per gram bodyweight subcutaneously twice weekly for 3 months with no change in diet. Toads in the other group (n=22) received a single oral dose of vitamins A, D3 , and E, and were fed on earthworms and crickets gut-loaded with produce and a finely-ground alfalfa-based pellet, dusted with the same vitamin/mineral supplement. All affected animals developed severe BSD equally and died during, or were euthanized at the end of, the treatment regimen, with no clinical improvement. Animals supplemented with Aquasol-A had significantly higher liver vitamin A concentrations compared with the other treatment group, whereas serum retinol concentrations showed no significant difference. Vitamin A supplementation does not appear a successful treatment once BSD symptoms have developed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Biomarker analysis of American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) and grey tree frog (Hyla versicolor) tadpoles following exposure to atrazine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    The objective of the current study was to use a biomarker-based approach to investigate the influence of atrazine exposure on American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) and grey tree frog (Hyla versicolor) tadpoles. Atrazine is one of the most frequently detected herbicides in environme...

  11. Golden Eagle Monitoring Plan for the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiens, David; Kolar, Patrick; Katzner, Todd

    2018-01-01

    This report describes options for monitoring the status and population trends of the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) within the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) area of Southern California in maintaining stable or increasing population in the planning area. The report profiles the ecology of golden eagles in the region and provides a range of potential sampling options to address monitoring needs and objectives. This approach also focused on links between changes in human land-use, golden eagle nesting and foraging habitat conditions, and population dynamics. The report outlines how monitoring data from demographic, prey, and habitat studies were used to develop a predictive demographic model for golden eagles in the DRECP area. Results from the model simulations suggest increases in renewable energy development could have negative consequences for population trajectories. Results also suggest site-specific conservation actions could reduce the magnitude of negative impacts to the local population of eagles. A monitoring framework is proposed including: (1) annual assessments of site-occupancy and reproduction by territorial pairs of golden eagles (including rates at which sites become colonized or vacated over time); (2) estimates of survival, movements, and intensity of use of landscapes by breeding and non-breeding golden eagles; (3) periodic (conducted every two to four years) assessments of nesting and foraging habitats, prey populations, and associations with land-use and management activities; and (4) updating the predictive demographic model with new information obtained on eagles and associated population stressors. The results of this research were published in the Journal of Rapture Research, Wiens, David,Inman, Rich D., Esque, Todd C., Longshore, Kathleen M. and Nussear, Kenneth (2017). Spatial Demographic Models to Inform Conservation Planning of Golden Eagles in Renewable Energy Landscapes. 51(3):234-257.

  12. Defining the crack pattern of RC beams through the golden section

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fantilli, A P; Chiaia, B; Cennamo, C

    2011-01-01

    Both in architecture and arts, the golden section has been exclusively taken into consideration for its geometrical properties. Specifically, among all the proportions, the golden section can inspire beauty. Indeed, it has driven the construction of buildings for centuries. Nevertheless, as discussed for the first time in the present paper, static equilibrium of structures calls the golden section into play. This is the case of reinforced concrete beam in four point bending, whose average crack spacing in the constant moment zone increases of a factor equal to the irrational number 1.61803 when the geometrical dimensions of the beam are doubled. In other words, it can be argued that the centrality of golden section in the art of construction has profound physical meanings, as it can bring together the aesthetic of nature and architecture, and the equilibrium of stress flow in solid bodies.

  13. Defining the crack pattern of RC beams through the golden section

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fantilli, A P; Chiaia, B [Department of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Torino 10129 (Italy); Cennamo, C, E-mail: alessandro.fantilli@polito.it [Department of ' Cultura del Progetto' , Universita di Napoli SUN, via San Lorenzo, Aversa 81031 (Italy)

    2011-07-19

    Both in architecture and arts, the golden section has been exclusively taken into consideration for its geometrical properties. Specifically, among all the proportions, the golden section can inspire beauty. Indeed, it has driven the construction of buildings for centuries. Nevertheless, as discussed for the first time in the present paper, static equilibrium of structures calls the golden section into play. This is the case of reinforced concrete beam in four point bending, whose average crack spacing in the constant moment zone increases of a factor equal to the irrational number 1.61803 when the geometrical dimensions of the beam are doubled. In other words, it can be argued that the centrality of golden section in the art of construction has profound physical meanings, as it can bring together the aesthetic of nature and architecture, and the equilibrium of stress flow in solid bodies.

  14. Rod phototransduction determines the trade-off of temporal integration and speed of vision in dark-adapted toads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haldin, Charlotte; Nymark, Soile; Aho, Ann-Christine; Koskelainen, Ari; Donner, Kristian

    2009-05-06

    Human vision is approximately 10 times less sensitive than toad vision on a cool night. Here, we investigate (1) how far differences in the capacity for temporal integration underlie such differences in sensitivity and (2) whether the response kinetics of the rod photoreceptors can explain temporal integration at the behavioral level. The toad was studied as a model that allows experimentation at different body temperatures. Sensitivity, integration time, and temporal accuracy of vision were measured psychophysically by recording snapping at worm dummies moving at different velocities. Rod photoresponses were studied by ERG recording across the isolated retina. In both types of experiments, the general timescale of vision was varied by using two temperatures, 15 and 25 degrees C. Behavioral integration times were 4.3 s at 15 degrees C and 0.9 s at 25 degrees C, and rod integration times were 4.2-4.3 s at 15 degrees C and 1.0-1.3 s at 25 degrees C. Maximal behavioral sensitivity was fivefold lower at 25 degrees C than at 15 degrees C, which can be accounted for by inability of the "warm" toads to integrate light over longer times than the rods. However, the long integration time at 15 degrees C, allowing high sensitivity, degraded the accuracy of snapping toward quickly moving worms. We conclude that temporal integration explains a considerable part of all variation in absolute visual sensitivity. The strong correlation between rods and behavior suggests that the integration time of dark-adapted vision is set by rod phototransduction at the input to the visual system. This implies that there is an inexorable trade-off between temporal integration and resolution.

  15. Genetic diversity of Morato's Digger Toad, Proceratophrys moratoi: spatial structure, gene flow, effective size and the need for differential management strategies of populations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mauricio P. Arruda

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The Morato's Digger Toad, Proceratophrys moratoi, is a critically endangered toad species with a marked population decline in southern Brazilian Cerrado. Despite this, new populations are being discovered, primarily in the northern part of the distribution range, which raises a number of questions with regard to the conservation status of the species. The present study analyzed the genetic diversity of the species based on microsatellite markers. Our findings permitted the identification of two distinct management units. We found profound genetic structuring between the southern populations, on the left margin of the Tietê River, and all other populations. A marked reduction was observed in the contemporary gene flow among the central populations that are most affected by anthropogenic impacts, such as extensive sugar cane plantations, which presumably decreases habitat connectivity. The results indicated reduced diversity in the southern populations which, combined with a smaller effective population size, may make these populations more susceptible to extinction. We recommend the reclassification of P. moratoi as vulnerable and the establishment of a special protection program for the southern populations. Our results provide important insights about the local extinction of southern populations of this toad.

  16. Excitatory and depressant effects of dieldrin and aldrin-transdiol in the spinal cord of the toad (Xenopus laevis)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Akkermans, L.M.A.; Bercken, J. van den; Versluijs-Helder, M.

    1975-01-01

    An investigation was made into the action of the insecticide dieldrin and one of its metabolites, aldrin-transdiol, on the isolated spinal cord of the toad, Xenopus laevis. Conventional electrophysiological techniques were used for stimulating and recording of dorsal and ventral spinal roots. An

  17. Interpreting and Expanding Confucius' Golden Mean through Neutrosophic Tetrad

    OpenAIRE

    Fu, Yuhua

    2015-01-01

    Neutrosophy is a new branch of philosophy that studies the origin, nature, and scope of neutralities, as well as their interactions with different ideational spectra. There are many similarities between The Golden Mean and Neutrosophy. Chinese and international schol-ars need to toil towards expanding and developing The Golden Mean, towards its "modernization" and "globalization". Not only Chinese contemporary popular ideas and methods, but also international contemporary popular ideas and me...

  18. Influence of demography and environment on persistence in toad populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lambert, Brad A.; Schorr, Robert A.; Schneider, Scott C.; Muths, Erin L.

    2016-01-01

    Effective conservation of rare species requires an understanding of how potential threats affect population dynamics. Unfortunately, information about population demographics prior to threats (i.e., baseline data) is lacking for many species. Perturbations, caused by climate change, disease, or other stressors can lead to population declines and heightened conservation concerns. Boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas boreas) have undergone rangewide declines due mostly to the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), with only a few sizable populations remaining in the southern Rocky Mountains, USA, that are disease-free. Despite the apparent region-wide occurrence of Bd, our focal populations in central Colorado were disease free over a 14-year capture-mark-recapture study until the recent discovery of Bd at one of the sites. We used recapture data and the Pradel reverse-time model to assess the influence of environmental and site-specific conditions on survival and recruitment. We then forecast changes in the toad populations with 2 growth models; one using an average lambda value to initiate the projection, and one using the most recent value to capture potential effects of the incursion of disease into the system. Adult survival was consistently high at the 3 sites, whereas recruitment was more variable and markedly low at 1 site. We found that active season moisture, active season length, and breeding shallows were important factors in estimating recruitment. Population growth models indicated a slight increase at 1 site but decreasing trends at the 2 other sites, possibly influenced by low recruitment. Insight into declining species management can be gained from information on survival and recruitment and how site-specific environmental factors influence these demographic parameters. Our data are particularly useful because they provide baseline data on demographics in populations before a disease outbreak and enhance our ability to detect changes

  19. The impact of aesthetic preference in product design-golden ratio and Korean's preference proportion

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Joung, J.Y.; Badke-Schaub, P.G.

    2017-01-01

    Background Over the past decades a considerable number of studies have been done on the golden ratio and the relation between their aesthetics and design. These studies, after analyzing design icons with the golden ratio, seem to prove that the golden ratio is an important principle for good

  20. Golden proportion assessment between maxillary and mandibular teeth on Indian population

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Vaikunth Vijay; Rangarajan, Vedantham

    2012-01-01

    PURPOSE This study evaluated the existence of golden proportion between the widths of the maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth in Indian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS The clinical tooth width measurements were recorded with the digital vernier calipers on 576 patients of both sexes in the age group of 21 - 30 years. Flexible ruler was used to determine the width of maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth on the patients by the same operator. The data obtained was statistically analyzed using paired student t-test (α=.05). RESULTS The golden proportion was not found between the width of the right central and lateral incisors in 53% of women and 47% of men. The results revealed the golden percentage was rather inconstant in terms of relative tooth width. CONCLUSION The golden proportion is an inappropriate method to relate the successive widths of the maxillary anterior teeth in Indian population. PMID:22737310

  1. Mobius Assembly: A versatile Golden-Gate framework towards universal DNA assembly.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas I Andreou

    Full Text Available Synthetic biology builds upon the foundation of engineering principles, prompting innovation and improvement in biotechnology via a design-build-test-learn cycle. A community-wide standard in DNA assembly would enable bio-molecular engineering at the levels of predictivity and universality in design and construction that are comparable to other engineering fields. Golden Gate Assembly technology, with its robust capability to unidirectionally assemble numerous DNA fragments in a one-tube reaction, has the potential to deliver a universal standard framework for DNA assembly. While current Golden Gate Assembly frameworks (e.g. MoClo and Golden Braid render either high cloning capacity or vector toolkit simplicity, the technology can be made more versatile-simple, streamlined, and cost/labor-efficient, without compromising capacity. Here we report the development of a new Golden Gate Assembly framework named Mobius Assembly, which combines vector toolkit simplicity with high cloning capacity. It is based on a two-level, hierarchical approach and utilizes a low-frequency cutter to reduce domestication requirements. Mobius Assembly embraces the standard overhang designs designated by MoClo, Golden Braid, and Phytobricks and is largely compatible with already available Golden Gate part libraries. In addition, dropout cassettes encoding chromogenic proteins were implemented for cost-free visible cloning screening that color-code different cloning levels. As proofs of concept, we have successfully assembled up to 16 transcriptional units of various pigmentation genes in both operon and multigene arrangements. Taken together, Mobius Assembly delivers enhanced versatility and efficiency in DNA assembly, facilitating improved standardization and automation.

  2. The golden-mean surface pattern to enhance flow mixing in micro-channel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, J F; Liu, Y; Xu, Y S

    2009-04-01

    Mixing of analytes and reagents in microfluidic devices is often crucial to the effective functioning of lab-on-a-chip. It is possible to affect the mixing in microfluidics by intelligently controlling the thermodynamic and chemical properties of the substrate surface. Numerous studies have shown that the phase behavior of mixtures is significantly affected by surface properties of microfluidics. For example, the phase separation between the fluids can be affected by heterogeneous patterns on the substrate. The patterned substrate can offer an effective means to control fluid behavior and in turn to enhance mixing. The golden mean is a ratio that is present in the growth patterns of many biological systems--the spiral formed by a shell or the curve of a fern, for example. The golden mean or golden section was derived by the ancient Greeks. Like "pi" the golden mean ratio is an irrational number 1.618, or (square root{5} + 1) / 2. It was found that the golden mean was an optimum ratio in natural convection heat transfer problem (Liu and Phan-Thien, Numer Heat Transf 37:613-630, 2000). In this study, we numerically studied the effect of optimum surface pattern on mixing in a micro channel and found that the flow oscillation and chaotic mixing were enhanced apparently when the ratio of hydrophobic and hydrophilic boundary follows the golden mean.

  3. Reproductive characteristics of migratory golden eagles in Denali National Park, Alaska

    Science.gov (United States)

    McIntyre, Carol L.; Adams, Layne G.

    1999-01-01

    We describe reproductive characteristics of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) breeding in Denali National Park, Alaska during an entire snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) cycle, 1988-1997. Data on nesting eagles were collected at 58 to 72 nesting areas annually using two aerial surveys. Surveys were conducted during the incubation period to determine occupancy and nesting activities and late in the nestling period to count nestlings and determine nesting success. Annual occupancy rates of nesting areas did not vary significantly, whereas laying rates, success rates, and mean brood size varied significantly over the study period. Fledgling production for the study population varied sevenfold during the ten-year period. Laying rates, mean brood size, and overall population productivity were significantly correlated with abundance of cyclic snowshoe hare and Willow Ptarmigan (Lugopus lagopus) populations. Reproductive rates of Golden Eagles in Denali were similar to those of Golden Eagles from other high latitude study areas in North America, but lower than for Golden Eagles from temperate zone study areas in North America.

  4. Multilingualism and Cultural Interactions in the Golden Horde.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    István Vásáry

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: to examine linguistic and cultural interaction in the Golden Horde. Research materials: while addressing the issues of linguistic and cultural interaction in the Golden Horde the author analyzes various documentary and narrative sources, numismatic materials and conclusions of Russian and Western historiography. Results and novelty of the research: The author examines these issues in the case of two Western Mongol states: the Golden Horde and the state of Ilkhans in Iran. He defines the time frame of research as extending to the middle of the 14th century. The author concludes that despite the fact that the Mongolian language and writing became the official means of communication in the Empire they never replaced or supplanted the local languages since the established empire was multicultural and conquerors represented a linguistic minority within its boundaries. The author explains in turn the Golden Horde retardation from Iran in the process of Islamization with the fact that most of the conquered Turkic population (excluding the territories of the Volga Bulgars had not yet undergone the Islamization or had undergone it only superficially, while in Iran, Islam had for centuries been an integral part of Islamic civilization. Therefore, cultural and religious assimilation of the conquerors of Iran, who were in the minority, occurred much earlier. The novelty of the article is displayed in the author’s conclusions that despite the Mongols became Muslims, over time they could not and did not want to give up many of the traditions and customs of their ancestors. They retained the essential elements of the Mongol religious and legal system of Yasa consecrated by its founder – Chinggis Khan. In the first place, the so-called “Golden Branch” (altan uruγ of Chinggis’ dynasty retained the claim to universal world dominion, which for a long time remained in force even after the fall of the Mongol successor-states in the 14th

  5. Golden eagle population trends in the western United States: 1968-2010

    Science.gov (United States)

    Millsap, Brian A.; Zimmerman, Guthrie S.; Sauer, John R.; Nielson, Ryan M.; Otto, Mark; Bjerre, Emily; Murphy, Robert K.

    2013-01-01

    In 2009, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service promulgated permit regulations for the unintentional lethal take (anthropogenic mortality) and disturbance of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). Accurate population trend and size information for golden eagles are needed so agency biologists can make informed decisions when eagle take permits are requested. To address this need with available data, we used a log-linear hierarchical model to average data from a late-summer aerial-line-transect distance-sampling survey (WGES) of golden eagles in the United States portions of Bird Conservation Region (BCR) 9 (Great Basin), BCR 10 (Northern Rockies), BCR 16 (Southern Rockies/Colorado Plateau), and BCR 17 (Badlands and Prairies) from 2006 to 2010 with late-spring, early summer Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data for the same BCRs and years to estimate summer golden eagle population size and trends in these BCRs. We used the ratio of the density estimates from the WGES to the BBS index to calculate a BCR-specific adjustment factor that scaled the BBS index (i.e., birds per route) to a density estimate. Our results indicated golden eagle populations were generally stable from 2006 to 2010 in the 4 BCRs, with an estimated average rate of population change of −0.41% (95% credible interval [CI]: −4.17% to 3.40%) per year. For the 4 BCRs and years, we estimated annual golden eagle population size to range from 28,220 (95% CI: 23,250–35,110) in 2007 to 26,490 (95% CI: 21,760–32,680) in 2008. We found a general correspondence in trends between WGES and BBS data for these 4 BCRs, which suggested BBS data were providing useful trend information. We used the overall adjustment factor calculated from the 4 BCRs and years to scale BBS golden eagle counts from 1968 to 2005 for the 4 BCRs and for 1968 to 2010 for the 8 other BCRs (without WGES data) to estimate golden eagle population size and trends across the western United States for the period 1968 to 2010. In general, we

  6. 2010 ARRA Lidar: Golden Gate (CA)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Golden Gate LiDAR Project is a cooperative project sponsored by the US Geological Survey (USGS) and San Francisco State University (SFSU) that has resulted in...

  7. Visibility in a pure model of golden spiral phyllotaxis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrmann, Burghard

    2018-07-01

    This paper considers the geometry of plants with golden spiral phyllotaxis, i.e. growing leaf by leaf on a spiral with golden divergence angle, via the simplest mathematical model, a cylinder with regular arrangement of points on its surface. As is well-known, Fibonacci numbers appear by means of the order of parastichies. This fact is shown to be a straightforward application of logical consequences to a particular model with respect to pure visibility. This notion is very similar to that of contact parastichies. The 3-D cylindrical model of golden spiral phyllotaxis abstracts from the form of leaves and identifies them with points. Pure visibility is specified in the 2-D representation so that common sense parastichies can be scrutinized. The main Theorem states that the orders of the purely most visible parastichies are Fibonacci numbers. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Further Generalization of Golden Mean in Relation to Euler Divine Equation

    OpenAIRE

    Rakocevic, Miloje M.

    2006-01-01

    In the paper a new generalization of the Golden mean, as a further generalization in relation to Stakhov (1989) and to Spinadel (1999), is presented. Also it is first observed that the Euler divine equation represents a possible generalization of Golden mean. In this second version the Section 6 is added.

  9. Longshore sediment transport at Golden Sands (Bulgaria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hristo Nikolov

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the results of studies on the qualitative and quantitative features of the littoral drift at Golden Sands (Bulgaria, carried out jointly by Polish and Bulgarian researchers. The mathematical modelling of physical coastal processes took wave transformation (wave diffraction and refraction; the effects of shoaling and wave breaking and longshore sediment transport into account. The computations were carried out for the mean statistical annual wave climate, determined on the basis of IO BAS wave data, simulated using the WAM method from long-term Black Sea wind data. The results of sediment transport computations clearly show that its direction off the Golden Sands shore is from north to south.

  10. ['Gold standard', not 'golden standard'

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Claassen, J.A.H.R.

    2005-01-01

    In medical literature, both 'gold standard' and 'golden standard' are employed to describe a reference test used for comparison with a novel method. The term 'gold standard' in its current sense in medical research was coined by Rudd in 1979, in reference to the monetary gold standard. In the same

  11. When frequencies never synchronize: the golden mean and the resting EEG.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pletzer, Belinda; Kerschbaum, Hubert; Klimesch, Wolfgang

    2010-06-04

    The classical frequency bands of the EEG can be described as a geometric series with a ratio (between neighbouring frequencies) of 1.618, which is the golden mean. Here we show that a synchronization of the excitatory phases of two oscillations with frequencies f1 and f2 is impossible (in a mathematical sense) when their ratio equals the golden mean, because their excitatory phases never meet. Thus, in a mathematical sense, the golden mean provides a totally uncoupled ('desynchronized') processing state which most likely reflects a 'resting' brain, which is not involved in selective information processing. However, excitatory phases of the f1- and f2-oscillations occasionally come close enough to coincide in a physiological sense. These coincidences are more frequent, the higher the frequencies f1 and f2. We demonstrate that the pattern of excitatory phase meetings provided by the golden mean as the 'most irrational' number is least frequent and most irregular. Thus, in a physiological sense, the golden mean provides (i) the highest physiologically possible desynchronized state in the resting brain, (ii) the possibility for spontaneous and most irregular (!) coupling and uncoupling between rhythms and (iii) the opportunity for a transition from resting state to activity. These characteristics have already been discussed to lay the ground for a healthy interplay between various physiological processes (Buchmann, 2002). Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. 78 FR 1713 - Golden Nematode; Removal of Regulated Areas in Livingston and Steuben Counties, NY

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-09

    ...-0079] Golden Nematode; Removal of Regulated Areas in Livingston and Steuben Counties, NY AGENCY: Animal... are amending the golden nematode regulations by removing areas in Livingston and Steuben Counties in... areas in these two counties are free of golden nematode, and we have determined that regulation of these...

  13. Analysis of the respiratory component of heart rate variability in the Cururu toad Rhinella schneideri.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zena, Lucas A; Leite, Cléo A C; Longhini, Leonardo S; Dias, Daniel P M; da Silva, Glauber S F; Hartzler, Lynn K; Gargaglioni, Luciane H; Bícego, Kênia C

    2017-11-23

    Beat-to-beat variation in heart rate (f H ) has been used as a tool for elucidating the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic modulation of the heart. A portion of the temporal changes in f H is evidenced by a respiratory influence (cardiorespiratory interaction) on heart rate variability (HRV) with heartbeats increasing and decreasing within a respiratory cycle. Nevertheless, little is known about respiratory effects on HRV in lower vertebrates. By using frequency domain analysis, we provide the first evidence of a ventilatory component in HRV similar to mammalian respiratory sinus arrhythmia in an amphibian, the toad Rhinella schneideri. Increases in the heartbeats arose synchronously with each lung inflation cycle, an intermittent breathing pattern comprised of a series of successive lung inflations. A well-marked peak in the HRV signal matching lung inflation cycle was verified in toads whenever lung inflation cycles exhibit a regular rhythm. The cardiac beat-to-beat variation evoked at the moment of lung inflation accounts for both vagal and sympathetic influences. This cardiorespiratory interaction may arise from interactions between central and peripheral feedback mechanisms governing cardiorespiratory control and may underlie important cardiorespiratory adjustments for gas exchange improvement especially under extreme conditions like low oxygen availability.

  14. Differences and Similarities among Parotoid Macrogland Secretions in South American Toads: A Preliminary Biochemical Delineation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juliana Mozer Sciani

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Amphibians are known by cutaneous glands, spread over the skin, containing toxins (proteins, peptides, biogenic amines, steroidal bufadienolides, and alkaloids used as chemical defense against predators and microbial infection. Toads are characterized by the presence of parotoid macroglands. The common toads have lately been divided into two genera: Bufo (Europe, Asia, and Africa and Rhinella (South America. Basal Rhaebo genus is exclusively of Central America and Amazon region. Although Rhinella and Rhaebo are related, species may share differences due to the diversity of environments that they live in. In this work, we have performed a biochemical characterization of the components of the poison of eight Rhinella species and one Rhaebo by means of RP-HPLC with either UV or MS detection and by SDS-PAGE, in order to verify whether phylogenetic and biological differences, such as habitat, diet, and defensive strategies, between them may also be reflected in poison composition. Although some components were common among the secretions, we were able to identify exclusive molecules to some species. The fact that closely related animals living in different habitats secrete different molecules into the skin is an indication that biological features, and not only evolution, seem to directly influence the skin secretion composition.

  15. Relation between chloride exchange diffusion and a conductive chloride pathway across the isolated skin of the toad (Bufo bufo)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristensen, P; Larsen, Erik Hviid

    1978-01-01

    Substitution of chloride in the outside bathing medium of the toad skin with bromide, iodide, nitrate and sulphate leads to a reduction in the apparent exchange diffusion of chloride across this tissue, and also to a reduction of the chloride current recorded during hyperpolarization. A series...

  16. Toxicity Effects of Toad (Rhinella jimi Stevaux, 2002 Venom in Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivana Cristina Nunes Gadelha

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to evaluate the pathological changes that occur after administering different doses of R. jimi (Stevaux, 2002 parotoid glands secretion to Gallus gallus domesticus chicks. Twenty-three animals were used in this study and were divided into 5 groups that received a toad venom dose of 0, 3.0 mg/kg, 6.0 mg/kg, 10.0 mg/kg, and 25.0 mg/kg. After 48 h, the necropsy and pathological examinations were performed. No clinical signs of toxicity were observed in any group. Macroscopically, hepatomegaly, areas of liver necrosis, splenomegaly, necrotic and hemorrhagic cardiac regions, hydropericardium, dark necrotic lesions of Meckel’s diverticulum, and hemorrhages in the lungs and kidneys were detected. Histopathological changes included diffuse vacuolar degeneration of hepatocytes, severe sinusoidal congestion, focal areas of hemorrhage in the parenchyma, swollen cardiac fibers, necrotic myocardial fibers, moderate to acute diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, vacuolar degeneration of the renal tubular epithelium, necrosis of renal tubules, and extensive hemorrhagic areas below the brain and cerebellar meninges. In conclusion, pathological changes of the R. jimi toxins in chicks were noted in the heart, spleen, liver, Meckel’s diverticulum, lungs, and kidneys. Most of the changes were similar to those observed in humans and animals exposed to toxins from other toad species.

  17. Differential sensitivity to the antifouling chemical medetomidine between wood frog and American toad tadpoles with evidence for low-dose stimulation and high-dose inhibition of metamorphosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fong, Peter P; Lambert, Olivia J; Hoagland, Margot L; Kurtz, Emily R

    2018-05-05

    Antifouling chemicals are legacy contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. Previous experiments have shown that a 14-day exposure to the antifouling chemical medetomidine delays metamorphosis and reduces body mass in wood frog tadpoles. In the present study, we exposed wood frog tadpoles to medetomidine for 3, 7, and 10 days at 100 nM, 1 μM, and 10 μM. We also exposed American toad tadpoles to medetomidine for 3 days at four concentrations (10 nM, 100 nM, 1 μM, and 10 μM) in static renewal experiments. In each experiment, we measured growth, frequency and time to metamorphosis, and mass at metamorphosis. In both species, medetomidine significantly slowed development as measured by the Gosner stage. After 34 days in culture, wood frog tadpoles exposed to 1 and 10 μM medetomidine for as few as 3 days were significantly less developed compared to controls. Toads exposed to 1 μM medetomidine for 3 days were also significantly less developed on day 27, but by day 34, there was no difference from controls. For wood frogs, medetomidine significantly affected time to metamorphosis with a trend for tadpoles at lower concentrations metamorphosing sooner than those at higher concentrations. While medetomidine affected time to metamorphosis in wood frogs, it did not affect fresh mass, dry mass, or mortality compared to controls. Wood frog tadpoles that did not metamorphose after over 90 days in culture were more frequent in high-concentration groups than in the control. In toads, 10 μM medetomidine was 100% lethal within 23 days, but at the same concentration and duration, no wood frog tadpoles died. Lower concentrations were also significantly lethal to toads compared to controls, but tadpoles that survived in 10 and 100 nM metamorphosed sooner than those in 1 μM. Fresh mass of toad tadpoles exposed to 1 μm was significantly smaller at metamorphosis compared to that of controls. Medetomidine also affected the behavior of tadpoles. In toads, medetomidine

  18. Development of Taenia pisiformis in golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maravilla Pablo

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The life cycle of Taenia pisiformis includes canines as definitive hosts and rabbits as intermediate hosts. Golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus is a rodent that has been successfully used as experimental model of Taenia solium taeniosis. In the present study we describe the course of T. pisiformis infection in experimentally infected golden hamsters. Ten females, treated with methyl-prednisolone acetate were infected with three T. pisiformis cysticerci each one excised from one rabbit. Proglottids released in faeces and adults recovered during necropsy showed that all animals were infected. Eggs obtained from the hamsters' tapeworms, were assessed for viability using trypan blue or propidium iodide stains. Afterwards, some rabbits were inoculated with eggs, necropsy was performed after seven weeks and viable cysticerci were obtained. Our results demonstrate that the experimental model of adult Taenia pisiformis in golden hamster can replace the use of canines in order to study this parasite and to provide eggs and adult tapeworms to be used in different types of experiments.

  19. NHE-1 sequence and expression in toad, snake and fish red blood cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Steffen Nyegaard; Wang, Tobias; Kristensen, Torsten

    Red blood cells (RBC) from reptiles appear not to express regulatory volume increase (RVI) upon shrinkage (Kristensen et al., 2008). In other vertebrates, the RVI response is primarily mediated by activation of the Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE-1) and we, therefore decided to investigate whether red cells...... of reptiles express a different NHE-1 that responds less to volume activation compared to other vertebrates or simply lack the Na+/H+ exchanger. Using various tissues from the ball python (Python regius), Cane toad (Bufo marinus) and European perch (Perca fluviatilis), cDNA libraries were created...

  20. V International Golden Horde Forum (Kazan, Russian Federation, March 15–18, 2017

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E.G. Sayfetdinova

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available M.A.Usmanov Center for Research on the Golden Horde and Tatar Khanates of Sh.Marjani Institute of History of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences became the organizer of a major international academic event aimed at highlighting the source study of the history of the Golden Horde and the Turkic-Tatar khanates. The fifth international Golden Horde Forum was held in Kazan on March 15–18, 2017, which was attended by researchers from 18 countries: Russia, USA, France, England, Mongolia, Finland, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, etc. Two international conferences and two round tables were held in the framework of the Forum. The first research conference “Source Study of the History of the Golden Horde and Tatar Khanates: Textology, Translations, Interpretations” wad dedicated to important issues of source study of the history of the Golden Horde and the Turkic-Tatar khanates. The second research conference was dedicated to the topic “Coinage and Money Circulation in the Golden Horde and Turkic-Tatar Khanates in the Light of Source Studies”. The round table “Ecological and Epidemic Factor in Medieval Eurasia” was the third research event in the framework of the Forum. The round table “The Golden Horde on the Great Silk Road” was organized on March 16, 2017 in conjunction with the Council of Muftis of the Russian Federation. When summing up the results of the Forum, participants noted that all events were held at a high scholarly level, contributed to the strengthening of international academic relations and made it possible to make substantial progress in solving actual research problems and to outline the prospects for further research.

  1. Lead and mercury in fall migrant golden eagles from western North America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langner, Heiko W; Domenech, Robert; Slabe, Vincent A; Sullivan, Sean P

    2015-07-01

    Lead exposure from ingestion of bullet fragments is a serious environmental hazard to eagles. We determined blood lead levels (BLL) in 178 golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) captured during fall migration along a major North American flyway. These eagles spent the breeding season distributed over a large range and are the best currently available representation of free flying golden eagles on the continent. We found 58 % of these eagles containing increased BLL > 0.1 mg/L; 10 % were clinically lead poisoned with BLL > 0.6 mg/L; and 4 % were lethally exposed with BLL > 1.2 mg/L. No statistical difference in BLL existed between golden and bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). Golden eagles captured on carrion had higher BLL than those captured using live bait suggesting differences in feeding habits among individuals. Median BLL increased with age class. We propose a conceptual model for the long-term increase in BLL after ingestion of lead particles. The mean blood mercury level in golden eagles was 0.023 mg/L. We evaluate a field test for BLL that is based on anodic stripping voltammetry. This cost-effective and immediate method correlated well with results from inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, although results needed to be corrected for each calibration of the test kit.

  2. Assessment the Molluscicidal Properties of Azadirachtin Against Golden Apple Snail, Pomacea Canaliculata

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosdiyani Massaguni; Siti Noor Hajjar Mohd Latip

    2015-01-01

    Concern with the negative impact of synthetic pesticide on environment and human health have led this study in order to evaluate the molluscicidal efficacies of azadirachtin in neem seed crude extract on golden apple snail. Azadirachtin was extracted by maceration technique using four different solvents and the quantity of azadirachtin in extracts was compared to select the best solvent. Then, bioassays were performed on adult of golden apple snail to compare the molluscicidal activity of azadirachtin. A comparison of the extractive yields of different solvents indicated that the polarity of the solvents tested not significantly influence in enhanced the azadirachtin yields. The result on mortality rate of golden apple snail subjected to various concentration and solvent extracts indicated that neem seed crude extracts significantly killed the golden apple snail. The LC 50 values of the methanol extract (21.008 mg/ ml) were the lowest, indicating the highest potency, followed in order by ethanol extract (43.726 mg/ ml), acetone extract (48.110 mg/ ml) and water extract (53.654 mg/ ml). The mortality rate was correlated positively with the extract concentrations as the mortality of snail increased with the increase of extract concentration. Therefore, this study indicated that neem seed crude extracts possessed molluscicidal effect for controlling the golden apple snail. (author)

  3. Modeling Late-Summer Distribution of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in the Western United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nielson, Ryan M; Murphy, Robert K; Millsap, Brian A; Howe, William H; Gardner, Grant

    2016-01-01

    Increasing development across the western United States (USA) elevates concerns about effects on wildlife resources; the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is of special concern in this regard. Knowledge of golden eagle abundance and distribution across the western USA must be improved to help identify and conserve areas of major importance to the species. We used distance sampling and visual mark-recapture procedures to estimate golden eagle abundance from aerial line-transect surveys conducted across four Bird Conservation Regions in the western USA between 15 August and 15 September in 2006-2010, 2012, and 2013. To assess golden eagle-habitat relationships at this scale, we modeled counts of golden eagles seen during surveys in 2006-2010, adjusted for probability of detection, and used land cover and other environmental factors as predictor variables within 20-km2 sampling units randomly selected from survey transects. We found evidence of positive relationships between intensity of use by golden eagles and elevation, solar radiation, and mean wind speed, and of negative relationships with the proportion of landscape classified as forest or as developed. The model accurately predicted habitat use observed during surveys conducted in 2012 and 2013. We used the model to construct a map predicting intensity of use by golden eagles during late summer across our ~2 million-km2 study area. The map can be used to help prioritize landscapes for conservation efforts, identify areas where mitigation efforts may be most effective, and identify regions for additional research and monitoring. In addition, our map can be used to develop region-specific (e.g., state-level) density estimates based on the latest information on golden eagle abundance from a late-summer survey and aid designation of geographic management units for the species.

  4. OPERATIONS THROUGHPUT AS A DETERMINANT OF GOLDEN-HOUR IN MASS-GATHERING MEDICINE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. D. Khan

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Golden-hour, a time-tested concept for trauma-care, involves a systems approach encompassing healthcare, logistics, geographical, environmental and temporal variables. Golden-hour paradigm in mass-gathering-medicine such as the Hajj-pilgrimage entwines along healthcare availability, accessibility, efficiency and interoperability; expanding from the patient-centric to public-health centric approach. The realm of mass-gathering-medicine invokes an opportunity for incorporating operations-throughput as a determinant of golden-hour for overall capacity-building and interoperability. METHODS Golden-hour was evaluated during the Indian-Medical-Mission operations for Hajj-2016; which established, operated and coordinated a strategic network of round-the-clock medical operations. Throughput was evaluated as deliverables/time, against established Standard-Operating-Procedures for various clinical, investigation, drug-dispensing and patient-transfer algorithms. Patient encounter-time, waiting-time, turnaround-time were assessed throughout echeloned healthcare under a patient-centric healthcare-delivery model. Dynamic evaluation was carried out to cater for variation and heterogeneity. RESULTS Massive surge of 3,94,013 patients comprising 2,25,103 males (57.1% and 1,68,910 females (42.9% overwhelmed the throughput capacities of outpatient attendance, pharmacy, laboratory, imaging, ambulance, referrals and documentation. There was delay in attendance, suspicion, diagnosis and isolation of patients with communicable infections. The situational-analysis of operations-throughput highlights wasted turnaround-time due to mobilization of medical-team, diverting critical healthcare resources away from emergency situations. CONCLUSION Time being a crucial factor in the complexity of medical-care, operations-throughput remains an important determinant towards interoperability of bottlenecks, thereby being a determinant of golden-hour in mass

  5. 78 FR 9451 - Academy Express, L.L.C.-Acquisition of Property-Golden Ring Travel & Transportation, Inc.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-08

    ..., L.L.C.--Acquisition of Property--Golden Ring Travel & Transportation, Inc. AGENCY: Surface... authority under 49 U.S.C. 14303 to acquire the property of Golden Ring Travel & Transportation, Inc. (Golden... approximately 400 motor coaches and more than 500 drivers. Academy is indirectly controlled by the Tedesco...

  6. Sôbre u'a modificação do meio de Monteverde

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gobert Araujo Costa

    1955-05-01

    Full Text Available It is well known that the culture media used in the presumptive diagnosis of suspiciuous colonies from plates inoculated with stools for isolation of enteric organisms do not always correctly indicate the major groups of enterobacteria. In an effort to obtain a medium affording more exact indications, several media (1-9 have been tested. Modifications of some of these media have also been tested with the result that a satisfactory modification of Monteverde's medium was finaly selected. This proved to be most satisfactory, affording, as a result of only one inoculation, a complete series of basic indications. The modification involves changes in the formula, in the method of preparation and in the manner of storage. The formulae are: A. Thymol blue indicator: NaOH 0.1/N .............. 34.4 ml; Thymol blue .............. 1.6 g; Water .................... 65.6 ml. B. Andrade's indicator. C. Urea and sugar solution: Urea ..................... 20 g; Lactose ................... 30 g; Sucrose ................... 30 g; Water .................... 100 ml. The mixture (C. should be warmed slightly in order to dissolve the ingredients rapidly. Sterilise by filtration (Seitz. Keep stock in refrigeratior. The modification of Monteverde's medium is prepared in two parts. Semi-solid part - Peptone (Difco 2.0 g; NaCl 0.5 g; Agar 0.5 g; Water 100.0 ml. Boil to dissolve the ingredients. Adjust pH with NaOH to 7.3-7.4. Boil again for precipitation. Filter through cotton. Ad indicators "A" 0.3 ml and "B" 1.0 ml. Sterilise in autoclave 115ºC, 15 minutes in amounts not higher than 200 ml. Just before using, add solution "C" asseptically in amounts of 10 ml to 200 ml of the melted semi-solid medium, maintained at 48-50ºC. Solid part - Peptone (Difco 1.5 g; Trypticase (BBL 0.5 g; Agar 2.0 g; Water 100,00 ml. Boil to dissolve the ingredients. Adjust pH with NaOH to 7.3-7.4. Boils again. Filter through cotton. Add indicators "A" 0.3 ml and "B" 1.0 ml; ferrous ammonium

  7. Proportions of maxillary anterior teeth relative to each other and to golden standard in tabriz dental faculty students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parnia, Fereydoun; Hafezeqoran, Ali; Mahboub, Farhang; Moslehifard, Elnaz; Koodaryan, Rodabeh; Moteyagheni, Rosa; Saleh Saber, Fariba

    2010-01-01

    Various methods are used to measure the size and form of the teeth, including the golden pro-portion, and the width-to-length ratio of central teeth, referred to as the golden standard. The aim of this study was to eval-uate the occurrence of golden standard values and golden proportion in the anterior teeth. Photographs of 100 dentistry students (50 males and 50 females) were taken under standard conditions. The visible widths and lengths of maxillary right and left incisors were calculated and the ratios were compared with golden standard. Data was analyzed using SPSS 14 software. Review of the results of the means showed statistically significant differences between the width ratio of right lateral teeth to the central teeth width with golden proportion (Pmean differences showed that the mean difference between proportion of right laterals to centrals with golden proportion was significant (Pgolden proportion among maxillary incisors. The review of results of mean differences for single samples showed that the mean differences between the proportion of width-to-length of left and right central teeth was statistically significant by golden standard (Pgolden standard exists. In the evaluation of the width-to-width and width-to-length proportions of maxillary incisors no golden proportions and standards were detected, respectively.

  8. The Golden-Thompson inequality: Historical aspects and random matrix applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forrester, Peter J.; Thompson, Colin J.

    2014-01-01

    The Golden-Thompson inequality, Tr (e A+B ) ⩽ Tr (e A e B ) for A, B Hermitian matrices, appeared in independent works by Golden and Thompson published in 1965. Both of these were motivated by considerations in statistical mechanics. In recent years the Golden-Thompson inequality has found applications to random matrix theory. In this article, we detail some historical aspects relating to Thompson's work, giving in particular a hitherto unpublished proof due to Dyson, and correspondence with Pólya. We show too how the 2 × 2 case relates to hyperbolic geometry, and how the original inequality holds true with the trace operation replaced by any unitarily invariant norm. In relation to the random matrix applications, we review its use in the derivation of concentration type lemmas for sums of random matrices due to Ahlswede-Winter, and Oliveira, generalizing various classical results

  9. Modulation effects of cordycepin on the skeletal muscle contraction of toad gastrocnemius muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Li-Hua; Meng, Wei; Song, Rong-Feng; Xiong, Qiu-Ping; Sun, Wei; Luo, Zhi-Qiang; Yan, Wen-Wen; Li, Yu-Ping; Li, Xin-Ping; Li, Hai-Hang; Xiao, Peng

    2014-03-05

    Isolated toad gastrocnemius muscle is a typical skeletal muscle tissue that is frequently used to study the motor system because it is an important component of the motor system. This study investigates the effects of cordycepin on the skeletal muscle contractile function of isolated toad gastrocnemius muscles by electrical field stimulation. Results showed that cordycepin (20 mg/l to 100 mg/l) significantly decreased the contractile responses in a concentration-dependent manner. Cordycepin (50 mg/l) also produced a rightward shift of the contractile amplitude-stimulation intensity relationship, as indicated by the increases in the threshold stimulation intensity and the saturation stimulation intensity. However, the most notable result was that the maximum amplitude of the muscle contractile force was significantly increased under cordycepin application (122±3.4% of control). This result suggests that the skeletal muscle contractile function and muscle physical fitness to the external stimulation were improved by the decreased response sensitivity in the presence of cordycepin. Moreover, cordycepin also prevented the repetitive stimulation-induced decrease in muscle contractile force and increased the recovery amplitude and recovery ratio of muscle contraction. However, these anti-fatigue effects of cordycepin on muscle contraction during long-lasting muscle activity were absent in Ca2+-free medium or in the presence of all Ca2+ channels blocker (0.4 mM CdCl2). These results suggest that cordycepin can positively affect muscle performance and provide ergogenic and prophylactic benefits in decreasing skeletal muscle fatigue. The mechanisms involving excitation-coupled Ca2+ influxes are strongly recommended.

  10. The golden mean as clock cycle of brain waves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Weiss, Harald; Weiss, Volkmar E-mail: volkmar-weiss@t-online.de

    2003-11-01

    The principle of information coding by the brain seems to be based on the golden mean. For decades psychologists have claimed memory span to be the missing link between psychometric intelligence and cognition. By applying Bose-Einstein-statistics to learning experiments, Pascual-Leone obtained a fit between predicted and tested span. Multiplying span by mental speed (bits processed per unit time) and using the entropy formula for bosons, we obtain the same result. If we understand span as the quantum number n of a harmonic oscillator, we obtain this result from the EEG. The metric of brain waves can always be understood as a superposition of n harmonics times 2PHI, where half of the fundamental is the golden mean PHI (=1.618) as the point of resonance. Such wave packets scaled in powers of the golden mean have to be understood as numbers with directions, where bifurcations occur at the edge of chaos, i.e. 2PHI=3+phi{sup 3}. Similarities with El Naschie's theory for high energy particle's physics are also discussed.

  11. The golden mean as clock cycle of brain waves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weiss, Harald; Weiss, Volkmar

    2003-01-01

    The principle of information coding by the brain seems to be based on the golden mean. For decades psychologists have claimed memory span to be the missing link between psychometric intelligence and cognition. By applying Bose-Einstein-statistics to learning experiments, Pascual-Leone obtained a fit between predicted and tested span. Multiplying span by mental speed (bits processed per unit time) and using the entropy formula for bosons, we obtain the same result. If we understand span as the quantum number n of a harmonic oscillator, we obtain this result from the EEG. The metric of brain waves can always be understood as a superposition of n harmonics times 2PHI, where half of the fundamental is the golden mean PHI (=1.618) as the point of resonance. Such wave packets scaled in powers of the golden mean have to be understood as numbers with directions, where bifurcations occur at the edge of chaos, i.e. 2PHI=3+phi 3 . Similarities with El Naschie's theory for high energy particle's physics are also discussed

  12. Golden Gate and Pt. Reyes Acoustic Detections

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset contains detections of acoustic tagged fish from two general locations: Golden Gate (east and west line) and Pt. Reyes. Several Vemco 69khz acoustic...

  13. The Golden Horde State in the System of International Relations »

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I.М. Mirgaleev

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The present article examines the place of the Golden Horde in the system of international relations of the 13th–14th centuries as well as directions of its foreign policy. To determine the place of the ulus of Jochi in the international system the author suggests to disclose the subject through illumination of such important issues as: – the Mongol conquests and creation of the Chingisid state entities, the establishment of a new international order. – formation of the ulus of Jochi as an independent State and its role in the Chingisid States’ relations, the kurultai of 1269. – international activities of the Golden Horde State during the period of its might. – interstate coalitions in the global geopolitics and national interests of the ulus of Jochi in international systems. – The role and place of the Golden Horde in the international life of the second half of the 14th – early 15th centuries. The program activity of the Jochids in a new geopolitical situation of the late 14th – early 15th centuries. The author believes that the establishment of the Golden Horde State occurred in three phases (1207–1241, 1242–1259, 1260–1269. The Jochids’ policy towards their neighbors and other Chingisid states formed during this time. Both the Distemper of the 1360–70’s in the ulus of Jochi and destruction of all other Chingisid States resulted in the Golden Horde’s loss of its place in the system of international relations. Therefore, the program activity of the Jochids in a new geopolitical situation of the late 14th – early 15th centuries, was aimed at restoring the international authority of the State. The author considers the directions of the Golden Horde foreign policy, which were laid down during the reign of Berke khan and remained a priority until the end of the 14th century.

  14. AFSC/RACE/SAP/Long: Data from: Embryo development in golden king crab, Lithodes aequispina.

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The data from this study, describes embryo development in Golden king crab, Lithodes aequispinus. Six female multiparous golden king crab were captured from the...

  15. [Doctor HUANG Shi-ping's acupuncture with golden needles].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Teng-Fei; Ma, Zeng-Bin; Xin, Si-Yuan; Zhu, Jiang

    2013-08-01

    Taking Doctor HUANG Shi-ping as the representative, the school of Huang's golden needle is based on Chinese martial art. Golden needles are adopted as main tool. Attaching great importance on the combination of acupuncture and moxibustioin, it is also characterized with penetrating needling with long needles. Through the development of three generations, it once outshone other schools in the field of acupuncture, and became famous all over the world. It made great contribution to the development of the course of acupuncture. However, with the development of the history, the form of acupuncture education as well as apparatus were all undergone an unified reform. Therefore, Doctor HUANG Shi-ping's acupuncture school be lost gradually.

  16. A pilot golden eagle population study in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area, California

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hunt, G. [California Univ., Santa Cruz, CA (United States). Predatory Bird Research Group

    1995-05-01

    Orloff and Flannery (1992) estimated that several hundred reports are annually killed by turbine collisions, wire strikes, and electrocutions at the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area (WRA). The most common fatalities were those of red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), American kestrels (Falco sparvatius), and golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), with lesser numbers of turkey vultures (Cathartes aura), common ravens (Corvus corax), bam owls (Tyto alba), and others. Among the species of raptors killed at Altamont Pass, the one whose local population is most likely to be impacted is the golden eagle. Besides its being less abundant than the others, the breeding and recruitment rates of golden eagles are naturally slow, increasing their susceptibility to decline as a result of mortality influences. The golden eagle is a species afforded special federal protection because of its inclusion within the Bald Eagle Protection Act as amended in 1963. There are no provisions within the Act which would allow the killing ``taking`` of golden eagles by WRA structures. This report details the results of field studies conducted during 19941. The primary purpose of the investigation is to lay the groundwork for determining whether or not turbine strikes and other hazards related to energy at Altamont Pass may be expected to affect golden eagles on a population basis. We also seek an understanding of the physical and biotic circumstances which attract golden eagles to the WRA within the context of the surrounding landscape and the conditions under which they are killed by wind turbines. Such knowledge may suggest turbine-related or habitat modifications that would result in a lower incidence of eagle mortality.

  17. Golden eagle records from the Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey: information for wind energy management and planning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eakle, Wade; Haggerty, Patti; Fuller, Mark; Phillips, Susan L.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this Data Series report is to provide the occasions, locations, and counts when golden eagles were recorded during the annual Midwinter Bald Eagle Surveys. Golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are protected by Federal statutes including the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA) (16 USC 668-668c) and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) (16 USC 703-12). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) manages golden eagles with the goal of maintaining stable or increasing breeding populations (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2009). Development for the generation of electricity from wind turbines is occurring in much of the range of the golden eagle in the western United States. Development could threaten population stability because golden eagles might be disturbed by construction and operation of facilities and they are vulnerable to mortality from collisions with wind turbines (Smallwood and Thelander, 2008). Therefore, the Service has proposed a process by which wind energy developers can collect information that could lead to Eagle Conservation Plans (ECP), mitigation, and permitting that allow for golden eagle management in areas of wind energy development (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2011). The Service recommends that ECP be developed in stages, and the first stage is to learn if golden eagles occur at the landscape level where potential wind facilities might be located. Information about where eagles occur can be obtained from technical literature, agency files, and other sources of information including on-line biological databases. The broad North American distribution of golden eagles is known, but there is a paucity of readily available information about intermediate geographic scales and site-specific scales, especially during the winter season (Kochert and others, 2002).

  18. A synoptic overview of golden jackal parasites reveals high diversity of species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gherman, Călin Mircea; Mihalca, Andrei Daniel

    2017-09-15

    The golden jackal (Canis aureus) is a species under significant and fast geographic expansion. Various parasites are known from golden jackals across their geographic range, and certain groups can be spread during their expansion, increasing the risk of cross-infection with other carnivores or even humans. The current list of the golden jackal parasites includes 194 species and was compiled on the basis of an extensive literature search published from historical times until April 2017, and is shown herein in synoptic tables followed by critical comments of the various findings. This large variety of parasites is related to the extensive geographic range, territorial mobility and a very unselective diet. The vast majority of these parasites are shared with domestic dogs or cats. The zoonotic potential is the most important aspect of species reported in the golden jackal, some of them, such as Echinococcus spp., hookworms, Toxocara spp., or Trichinella spp., having a great public health impact. Our review brings overwhelming evidence on the importance of Canis aureus as a wild reservoir of human and animal parasites.

  19. Spatial and temporal patterns in golden eagle diets in the western United States, with implications for conservation planning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bedrosian, Geoffrey; Watson, James W.; Steenhof, Karen; Kochert, Michael N.; Preston, Charles R.; Woodbridge, Brian; Williams, Gary E.; Keller, Kent R.; Crandall, Ross H.

    2017-01-01

    Detailed information on diets and predatory ecology of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) is essential to prioritize prey species management and to develop landscape-specific conservation strategies, including mitigation of the effects of energy development across the western United States. We compiled published and unpublished data on Golden Eagle diets to (1) summarize available information on Golden Eagle diets in the western U.S., (2) compare diets among biogeographic provinces, and (3) discuss implications for conservation planning and future research. We analyzed 35 studies conducted during the breeding season at 45 locations from 1940–2015. Golden Eagle diet differed among western ecosystems. Lower dietary breadth was associated with desert and shrub-steppe ecosystems and higher breadth with mountain ranges and the Columbia Plateau. Correlations suggest that percentage of leporids in the diet is the factor driving overall diversity of prey and percentage of other prey groups in the diet of Golden Eagles. Leporids were the primary prey of breeding Golden Eagles in 78% of study areas, with sciurids reported as primary prey in 18% of study areas. During the nonbreeding season, Golden Eagles were most frequently recorded feeding on leporids and carrion. Golden Eagles can be described as both generalist and opportunistic predators; they can feed on a wide range of prey species but most frequently feed on abundant medium-sized prey species in a given habitat. Spatial variations in Golden Eagle diet likely reflect regional differences in prey community, whereas temporal trends likely reflect responses to long-term change in prey populations. Evidence suggests dietary shifts from traditional (leporid) prey can have adverse effects on Golden Eagle reproductive rates. Land management practices that support or restore shrub-steppe ecosystem diversity should benefit Golden Eagles. More information is needed on nonbreeding-season diet to determine what food resources

  20. Inconvenient glow: cliometrics and the "golden age" of capitalism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando M. Rugitsky

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to criticize the recent cliometrics literature on the so-called "golden age" of capitalism. The works of Nicholas Crafts, Gianni Toniolo, and Barry Eichengreen are reconstructed in order to reveal the main characteristics of this research program. Its narrow quantitative focus, its reliance on theoretical propositions borrowed from neoclassical economics, and its auspicious interpretation of the postwar reconstruction are the main focus of the criticism presented. Finally, the cliometricians' attempt to historicize the "golden age" and de-historicize the following decades is related to the ideological understanding of the recent decades as a period of "great moderation."

  1. Do the Golden-winged Warbler and Blue-winged Warbler Exhibit Species-specific Differences in their Breeding Habitat Use?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura L. Patton

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available We compared habitat features of Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera territories in the presence and absence of the Blue-winged Warbler (V. cyanoptera on reclaimed coal mines in southeastern Kentucky, USA. Our objective was to determine whether there are species specific differences in habitat that can be manipulated to encourage population persistence of the Golden-winged Warbler. When compared with Blue-winged Warblers, Golden-winged Warblers established territories at higher elevations and with greater percentages of grass and canopy cover. Mean territory size (minimum convex polygon was 1.3 ha (se = 0.1 for Golden-winged Warbler in absence of Blue-winged Warbler, 1.7 ha (se = 0.3 for Golden-winged Warbler coexisting with Blue-winged Warbler, and 2.1 ha (se = 0.3 for Blue-winged Warbler. Territory overlap occurred within and between species (18 of n = 73 territories, 24.7%. All Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers established territories that included an edge between reclaimed mine land and mature forest, as opposed to establishing territories in open grassland/shrubland habitat. The mean distance territories extended from a forest edge was 28.0 m (se = 3.8 for Golden-winged Warbler in absence of Blue-winged Warbler, 44.7 m (se = 5.7 for Golden-winged Warbler coexisting with Blue-winged Warbler, and 33.1 m (se = 6.1 for Blue-winged Warbler. Neither territory size nor distances to forest edges differed significantly between Golden-winged Warbler in presence or absence of Blue-winged Warbler. According to Monte Carlo analyses, orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata, green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica seedlings and saplings, and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia saplings were indicative of sites with only Golden-winged Warblers. Sericea lespedeza, goldenrod (Solidago spp., clematis vine (Clematis spp., and blackberry (Rubus spp. were indicative of sites where both species occurred. Our findings complement recent genetic studies and add

  2. Golden rice: scientific, regulatory and public information processes of a genetically modified organism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moghissi, A Alan; Pei, Shiqian; Liu, Yinzuo

    2016-01-01

    Historically, agricultural development evolved in three phases. During the first phase the plants were selected on the basis of the availability of a plant with desirable properties at a specific location. The second phase provided the agricultural community with crossbreeding plants to achieve improvement in agricultural production. The evolution of biological knowledge has provided the ability to genetically engineer (GE) crops, one of the key processes within genetically modified organisms (GMO). This article uses golden rice, a species of transgenic Asian rice which contains a precursor of vitamin A in the edible part of the plant as an example of GE/GMO emphasizing Chinese experience in agricultural evolution. It includes a brief review of agricultural evolution to be followed by a description of golden rice development. Golden rice was created as a humanitarian project and has received positive comments by the scientific community and negative voices from certain environmental groups. In this article, we use the Best Available Science (BAS) Concept and Metrics for Evaluation of Scientific Claims (MESC) derived from it to evaluate claims and counter claims on scientific aspects of golden rice. This article concludes that opposition to golden rice is based on belief rather than any of its scientifically derived nutritional, safety or environmental properties.

  3. Biotelemetery data for golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) captured in coastal southern California, February 2016–February 2017

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tracey, Jeff A.; Madden, Melanie C.; Sebes, Jeremy B.; Bloom, Peter H.; Katzner, Todd E.; Fisher, Robert N.

    2017-05-12

    Because of a lack of clarity about the status of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in coastal southern California, the USGS, in collaboration with local, State, and other Federal agencies, began a multi-year survey and tracking program of golden eagles to address questions regarding habitat use, movement behavior, nest occupancy, genetic population structure, and human impacts on eagles. Golden eagle trapping and tracking efforts began in September 2014. During trapping efforts from September 29, 2014, to February 23, 2016, 27 golden eagles were captured. During trapping efforts from February 24, 2016, to February 23, 2017, an additional 10 golden eagles (7 females and 3 males) were captured in San Diego, Orange, and western Riverside Counties. Biotelemetry data for 26 of the 37 golden eagles that were transmitting data from February 24, 2016, to February 23, 2017 are presented. These eagles ranged as far north as northern Nevada and southern Wyoming, and as far south as La Paz, Baja California, Mexico.

  4. Data Clustering on Breast Cancer Data Using Firefly Algorithm with Golden Ratio Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DEMIR, M.

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Heuristic methods are problem solving methods. In general, they obtain near-optimal solutions, and they do not take the care of provability of this case. The heuristic methods do not guarantee to obtain the optimal results; however, they guarantee to obtain near-optimal solutions in considerable time. In this paper, an application was performed by using firefly algorithm - one of the heuristic methods. The golden ratio was applied to different steps of firefly algorithm and different parameters of firefly algorithm to develop a new algorithm - called Firefly Algorithm with Golden Ratio (FAGR. It was shown that the golden ratio made firefly algorithm be superior to the firefly algorithm without golden ratio. At this aim, the developed algorithm was applied to WBCD database (breast cancer database to cluster data obtained from breast cancer patients. The highest obtained success rate among all executions is 96% and the highest obtained average success rate in all executions is 94.5%.

  5. Utilization Of Golden Snail As Alternative Liquid Organic Fertilizer LOF On Paddy Farmers In Dairi Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ameilia Zuliyanti Siregar

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Golden snail Pomaceae canaliculata is a pest of rice plants and used as a food source to be processed into satay seasoning spices biscuits pastry candy crackers animal feed and fertilizer. In Lae Parira village the golden snail is very diverse. Because of this reason the preliminary study and utilization of golden snail used for of liquid organic fertilizer called LOF or and microorganisms local MOL. The golden snail is obtained from a livestock that is still alive and then washed boiled and removed from its shell. The golden snail meat is cut into small pieces separated from the intestine and other visceral organs. Flesh of golden snail give coconut water dilute brown sugar EM4 and fermentation until 10-14 days. The use of mashed LOF can be sprayed on the surface of the soil or all parts of the plant. For fertilization in rice plants the recommended dose of 250 ml15 liters of water is sprayed on the rice age 10 days after planting and repeated again at interval distance of 15 days. Fertilization on the plant recommended 200ml 15 liters of water sprayed on leaves and soil 7 days after planting and repeated every 7 days. The golden snail is potensial used for fertilizer in paddy plantation environmentally.

  6. Ion transport by mitochondria-rich cells in toad skin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Erik Hviid; Ussing, H H; Spring, K R

    1987-01-01

    The optical sectioning video imaging technique was used for measurements of the volume of mitochondria-rich (m.r.) cells of the isolated epithelium of toad skin. Under short-circuit conditions, cell volume decreased by about 14% in response to bilateral exposure to Cl-free (gluconate substitution....... Unilateral exposure to a Cl-free solution did not prevent ouabain-induced cell swelling. It is concluded that m.r. cells have an amiloride-blockable Na conductance in the apical membrane, a ouabain-sensitive Na pump in the basolateral membrane, and a passive Cl permeability in both membranes. From...... the initial rate of ouabain-induced cell volume increase the active Na current carried by a single m.r. cell was estimated to be 9.9 +/- 1.3 pA. Voltage clamping of the preparation in the physiological range of potentials (0 to -100 mV, serosa grounded) resulted in a cell volume increase with a time course...

  7. Radio-iodination of plasma membranes of toad bladder epithelium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodriguez, H J; Edelman, I S [California Univ., San Francisco (USA). Cardiovascular Research Inst.; California Univ., San Francisco (USA). Dept. of Medicine; California Univ., San Francisco (USA). Dept. of Biochemistry and Biophysics)

    1979-01-01

    The present report describes high yield enzymatic radio-iodination of the apical and basal-lateral plasma membranes of toad bladder epithelium with /sup 125/I-Na, by a procedure that does not breach the functional integrity of the epithelium, as assessed by the basal and vasopressin-sensitive short-circuit current (SCC). Iodination of basal-lateral plasma membranes, at a yield comparable to that obtained with apical labelling, was attained after about 30 min of exposure of the intact bladder to the labelling solutions. Approximately 25% of the basal-lateral labeling was lost when the epithelial cells were harvested after collagenase treatment, implying that some iodination of the basement membrane had taken place. Less than 10% of iodination of the apical or basal-lateral surfaces was accounted for by lipid-labeling. Analysis of the labeled apical and basal-lateral species by enzymatic digestion and thin layer chromatography disclosed that virtually all the radioactivity was present as mono-iodotyrosine (MIT). (orig./AJ).

  8. Effects of rearing environment and population origin on responses to repeated behavioural trials in cane toads (Rhinella marina).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruber, Jodie; Whiting, Martin J; Brown, Gregory; Shine, Richard

    2018-05-02

    Behavioural response to repeated trials in captivity can be driven by many factors including rearing environment, population of origin, habituation to captivity/trial conditions and an individual's behavioural type (e.g., bold versus shy). We tested the effect of rearing environment (captive raised common-garden versus wild-caught) and population origin (range-edge versus range-front) on the responses of invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina) to repeated exploration and risk-taking assays in captivity. We found that behavioural responses to identical assays performed on two occasions were complex and showed few consistent patterns based on rearing environment or population of origin. However, behavioural traits were repeatable across Trial Blocks when all sample populations were grouped together, indicating general consistency in individual toad behaviour across repeated behavioural assays. Our findings exemplify the complexity and unpredictability of behavioural responses and their effects on the repeatability and interpretation of behavioural traits across repeated behavioural assays in captivity. To meaningfully interpret the results from repeated behavioural assays, we need to consider how multiple factors may affect behavioural responses to these tests and importantly, how these responses may affect the repeatability of behavioural traits across time. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Translocation of sorbitol and other photosynthates in golden delicious apple shoots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steenkamp, J.; Terblanche, J.H.; De Villiers, O.T.

    1982-01-01

    This study was undertaken to determine to what extent sorbitol and other photosynthates are translocated in Golden Delicious apple shoots. The distribution of radioactivity in the different fractions, after the leaves had been exposed to radiocarbon, was found in segment of the shoots directly below the treatment leaves. The highest 14 C activity was in the carbohydrate fraction. The results indicate that sorbitol is the principal carbohydrate transported in Golden Delicious apple shoots

  10. Behavioral and neural responses of toads to salt solutions correlate with basolateral membrane potential of epidermal cells of the skin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hillyard, Stanley D; Baula, Victor; Tuttle, Wendy

    2007-01-01

    Dehydrated toads initiated water absorption response (WR) behavior and absorbed water from dilute NaCl solutions. With 200-250 mM NaCl, WR behavior and water absorption were both suppressed. With 200-250 mM Na-gluconate, WR initiation was significantly greater than with NaCl but water loss was gr...

  11. Geographic variation in morphometrics, molt, and migration suggests ongoing subspeciation in Pacific Golden-Plovers (

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jukema, J.; Van Rhijn, J.G.; Piersma, T.

    2015-01-01

    Breeding Pacific Golden-Plovers (Pluvialis fulva) cover 140 longitudinal degrees of Arctic tundra. Having examined 557 museum skins from across this huge distributional range, we conclude that Pacific Golden-Plovers breeding in Alaska are structurally larger than those breeding in Siberia,

  12. Proportions of Maxillary Anterior Teeth Relative to Each Other and to Golden Standard in Tabriz Dental Faculty Students

    OpenAIRE

    Fereydoun Parnia; Ali Hafezeqoran; Farhang Mahboub; Elnaz Moslehifard; Rodabeh Koodaryan; Rosa Moteyagheni; Fariba Saleh Saber

    2010-01-01

    Background and aims. Various methods are used to measure the size and form of the teeth, including the golden proportion, and the width-to-length ratio of central teeth, referred to as the golden standard. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of golden standard values and golden proportion in the anterior teeth. Materials and methods. Photographs of 100 dentistry students (50 males and 50 females) were taken under standard conditions. The visible widths and lengths...

  13. Swimming Performance and Metabolism of Golden Shiners

    Science.gov (United States)

    The swimming ability and metabolism of golden shiners, Notemigonus crysoleucas, was examined using swim tunnel respirometery. The oxygen consumption and tail beat frequencies at various swimming speeds, an estimation of the standard metabolic rate, and the critical swimming speed (Ucrit) was determ...

  14. X-ray induced dominant lethal mutations in mature and immature oocytes of guinea-pigs and golden hamsters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cox, B.D.; Lyon, M.F.

    1975-01-01

    The induction of dominant lethal mutations by doses of 100-400 rad X-rays in oocytes of the guinea-pig and golden hamster was studied using criteria of embryonic mortality. For both species higher yields were obtained from mature than from immature oocytes. Data on fertility indicated that in the golden hamster immature oocytes were more sensitive to killing by X-rays than mature oocytes but that the converse was true in the guinea-pig. The dose-response relationship for mutation to dominant lethals in pre-ovulatory oocytes of guinea-pigs and golden hamsters was linear, both when based on pre- and post-implantation loss only. The rate per unit dose was higher for the golden hamster, and the old golden hamsters were possibly slightly more sensitive than young ones

  15. From Fibonacci Sequence to the Golden Ratio

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alberto Fiorenza

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We consider the well-known characterization of the Golden ratio as limit of the ratio of consecutive terms of the Fibonacci sequence, and we give an explanation of this property in the framework of the Difference Equations Theory. We show that the Golden ratio coincides with this limit not because it is the root with maximum modulus and multiplicity of the characteristic polynomial, but, from a more general point of view, because it is the root with maximum modulus and multiplicity of a restricted set of roots, which in this special case coincides with the two roots of the characteristic polynomial. This new perspective is the heart of the characterization of the limit of ratio of consecutive terms of all linear homogeneous recurrences with constant coefficients, without any assumption on the roots of the characteristic polynomial, which may be, in particular, also complex and not real.

  16. Localization of water channels in the skin of two species of desert toads, Anaxyrus (Bufo) punctatus and Incilius (Bufo) alvarius.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shibata, Yuki; Takeuchi, Hiro-Aki; Hasegawa, Takahiro; Suzuki, Masakazu; Tanaka, Shigeyasu; Hillyard, Stanley D; Nagai, Takatoshi

    2011-09-01

    Anuran amphibians obtain water by osmosis across their ventral skin. A specialized region in the pelvic skin of semiterrestrial species, termed the seat patch, contains aquaporins (AQPs) that become inserted into the apical plasma membrane of the epidermis following stimulation by arginine vasotocin (AVT) to facilitate rehydration. Two AVT-stimulated AQPs, AQP-h2 and AQP-h3, have been identified in the epidermis of seat patch skin of the Japanese tree frog, Hyla japonica, and show a high degree of homology with those of bufonid species. We used antibodies raised against AQP-h2 and AQP-h3 to characterize the expression of homologous AQPs in the skin of two species of toads that inhabit arid desert regions of southwestern North America. Western blot analysis of proteins gave positive results for AQP-h2-like proteins in the pelvic skin and also the urinary bladder of Anaxyrus (Bufo) punctatus while AQP-h3-like proteins were found in extracts from the pelvic skin and the more anterior ventral skin, but not the urinary bladder. Immunohistochemical observations showed both AQP-h2- and AQP-h3-like proteins were present in the apical membrane of skin from the pelvic skin of hydrated and dehydrated A. punctatus. Further stimulation by AVT or isoproterenol treatment of living toads was not evident. In contrast, skin from hydrated Incilius (Bufo) alvarius showed very weak labeling of AQP-h2- and AQP-h3-like proteins and labeling turned intense following stimulation by AVT. These results are similar to those of tree frogs and toads that occupy mesic habitats and suggest this pattern of AQP expression is the result of phylogenetic factors shared by hylid and bufonid anurans.

  17. An investigation of application of the golden ratio and Fibonacci sequence in fashion design and pattern making

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kazlacheva, Z. I.

    2017-10-01

    The Golden ratio and Fibonacci sequence are used as proportions in design as symbols of beauty and harmony. That symbolism is a result of the strong connections in their mathematical nature. The Golden section is a number, introduced with Greek letter φ, which is found by dividing a line into two parts as the longer part divided by the smaller part is equal as the whole length of longer and smaller parts divided by the longer part. Fibonacci sequence is a series of numbers where every number is equal to the two numbers before it. An investigation of application of proportions based on the Golden ratio and Fibonacci sequence in the fashion design and pattern making of ladies’ clothing is the main aim of the paper. Based on the study it may be concluded that in fashion design and pattern making the Golden ratio and Fibonacci sequence can be used in creation of beautiful and harmonic forms directly or with the help of geometrical figures as: In directly use the Golden and Fibonacci numbers proportions can be in one and the same or different directions. In the application with the help of geometrical shapes the Golden and Fibonacci figures combine proportioning and form creation. The Golden and Fibonacci shapes can be used directly as forms or as frames of forms creation of elements and pieces. Its application can be in different directions and location according the bodice. The Golden section and Fibonacci sequence can combine proportions with other principles of design as symmetry, rhythm, etc.

  18. THINNING OF ‘GALA’ AND 'GOLDEN DELICIOUS' APPLES WITH BA, NAA AND THEIR COMBINATIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M STOPAR

    2002-07-01

    Full Text Available Apple trees, eight-year-old ‘Gala’/M.9 and four-year-old ‘Golden Delicious’/M.9 have been thinned with 6- benzyladenine (BA 50 ppm, 100 ppm and 200 ppm, with 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA 5 ppm, 10 ppm and 20 ppm, and with the tank mix combinations of BA 50 ppm + NAA 5 ppm or BA 20 ppm + NAA 5 ppm, all at 9-10 mm fruitlet diameter. All applied concentrations of BA and NAA thinned both cultivars significantly and no significant difference was found between BA or NAA thinning action. No concentration response on thinning was observed with neither BA nor NAA application. All BA or NAA separate treatments caused yield of fruit to shift to bigger size class. The only concentration response effect was found on evaluation of mean fruit weight data on ‘Golden Delicious’. The higher concentration of BA was used, the higher was the weight of ‘Golden Delicious’ fruit. On the opposite, the higher concentration of NAA was used, the lower was the weight of ‘Golden Delicious’ fruit (not significantly. When BA and NAA were sprayed on ‘Gala’ or ‘Golden Delicious’ as a tank mix combination, similar effect on thinning or fruit growth occurred comparing to BA or NAA when sprayed alone. Return bloom was enhanced on all thinned ‘Gala’ trees while flower formation of ‘Golden Delicious’ was better in the case of BA 200 ppm, NAA 5 ppm, NAA 20 ppm or tank mix spraying of BA 20 ppm + NAA 5 ppm.

  19. 78 FR 55093 - Dog Management Plan, Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Golden Gate National Recreation...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-09

    ....YP0000] Dog Management Plan, Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Golden Gate National Recreation... the Dog Management Plan (Plan/SEIS), Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), California. Current dog management in the park is based on a number of factors. Areas included in the GGNRA Citizens...

  20. The tactile-stimulated startle response of tadpoles: acceleration performance and its relationship to the anatomy of wood frog (Rana sylvatica), bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana), and American toad (Bufo americanus) tadpoles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eidietis, Laura

    2006-04-01

    I described the tactile-stimulated startle response (TSR) of wood frog (Rana sylvatica), bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana), and American toad (Bufo americanus) tadpoles. One purpose was to rank species in terms of maximum acceleration performance. Also, I tested whether anatomical indicators of performance potential were predictive of realized performance. TSRs were elicited in a laboratory setting, filmed at 250 Hz, and digitally analyzed. TSRs began with two, initial body curls during which tadpoles showed a broad spectrum of movement patterns. TSR performance was quantified by maximum linear acceleration and maximum rotational acceleration of the head/body, both of which tended to occur immediately upon initiation of motion ( wood frog > American toad. The species' rank order for the anatomical indicator of rotational acceleration potential was bullfrog > wood frog = American toad. Thus, the anatomical indicators roughly predicted the rank order of interspecific average performance. However, the anatomical indicators did not correlate with individual tadpole performance. Variability in behavioral patterns may obscure the connection between anatomy and performance. This is seen in the current lack of intraspecific correlation between a morphological indicator of acceleration capacity and acceleration performance.

  1. The Dream Comes True in the Golden Hall

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    JianZhong; ChenJianguo

    2004-01-01

    Nanjing Traditional Music Ensemble has long dreamed of performing in Vienna's Golden Hall.Now the dream has come true.the whole troupe felt so exciting that they did not even sleep well during the flight.

  2. Punctuation in the text of the Golden Age and in Don Quijote

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ignacio Arellano

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available This article examines the punctuation in Golden Age texts, in particular in Don Quixote. The author analyzes the discrepancies between theory and practice of the printers, the features of the punctuation in manuscripts, and the absence of a general system, due in part to the absence of a unique and precise system in Spanish. The article provides numerous examples of Golden Age text and of the Quixote.

  3. Instability of powers of the golden mean

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manchein, C.; Beims, M.W.

    2008-01-01

    In this paper we determine the Lyapunov exponents (LEs) for some Lebesgue measure zero periodic orbits from the Gauss map. This map generates the integers of a simple continued fractions representation (CFR). Only periodic orbits related to powers of the golden mean φ=(√(5)-1)/2 are considered. It is shown that the LE from the CFR of any power (1/φ i ) (i = ±1, ±2, ...) can be written as a multiple of λ φ , which is the LE related to the golden mean. When i is odd, the LEs are given by λ G (x i ) = iλ φ , and when i is even the LEs are λ G (x i ) = iλ φ /2. In general, the LE from the CFR of (1/φ i ) increases as i increases. Additionally, the LE is determined when (1/φ i ) is multiplied by an integer. We also present some examples of the instability of the CFRs related to quark's mass ratio

  4. Bufadienolides from parotoid gland secretions of Cuban toad Peltophryne fustiger (Bufonidae): Inhibition of human kidney Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perera Córdova, Wilmer H; Leitão, Suzana Guimarães; Cunha-Filho, Geraldino; Bosch, Roberto Alonso; Alonso, Isel Pascual; Pereda-Miranda, Rogelio; Gervou, Rodrigo; Touza, Natália Araújo; Quintas, Luis Eduardo M; Noël, François

    2016-02-01

    Parotoid gland secretions of toad species are a vast reservoir of bioactive molecules with a wide range of biological properties. Herein, for the first time, it is described the isolation by preparative reversed-phase HPLC and the structure elucidation by NMR spectroscopy and/or mass spectrometry of nine major bufadienolides from parotoid gland secretions of the Cuban endemic toad Peltophryne fustiger: ψ-bufarenogin, gamabufotalin, bufarenogin, arenobufagin, 3-(N-suberoylargininyl) marinobufagin, bufotalinin, telocinobufagin, marinobufagin and bufalin. In addition, the secretion was analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS which also allowed the identification of azelayl arginine. The effect of arenobufagin, bufalin and ψ-bufarenogin on Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity in a human kidney preparation was evaluated. These bufadienolides fully inhibited the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase in a concentration-dependent manner, although arenobufagin (IC50 = 28.3 nM) and bufalin (IC50 = 28.7 nM) were 100 times more potent than ψ-bufarenogin (IC50 = 3020 nM). These results provided evidence about the importance of the hydroxylation at position C-14 in the bufadienolide skeleton for the inhibitory activity on the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. Hilbert space, Poincare dodecahedron and golden mean transfiniteness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El Naschie, M.S.

    2007-01-01

    A rather direct connection between Hilbert space and E-infinity theory is established via an irrational-transfinite golden mean topological probability. Subsequently the ramifications for Kleinian modular spaces and the cosmological Poincare Dodecahedron proposals are considered

  6. AFSC/RACE/SAP/Urban: Golden King Crab tagging

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The data is comprised of the records of individual male golden king crab (GKC) tagged at the Kodiak Laboratory. Initial size, shell condition and missing limbs was...

  7. Predicting the risk of toxic blooms of golden alga from cell abundance and environmental covariates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patino, Reynaldo; VanLandeghem, Matthew M.; Denny, Shawn

    2016-01-01

    Golden alga (Prymnesium parvum) is a toxic haptophyte that has caused considerable ecological damage to marine and inland aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Studies focused primarily on laboratory cultures have indicated that toxicity is poorly correlated with the abundance of golden alga cells. This relationship, however, has not been rigorously evaluated in the field where environmental conditions are much different. The ability to predict toxicity using readily measured environmental variables and golden alga abundance would allow managers rapid assessments of ichthyotoxicity potential without laboratory bioassay confirmation, which requires additional resources to accomplish. To assess the potential utility of these relationships, several a priori models relating lethal levels of golden alga ichthyotoxicity to golden alga abundance and environmental covariates were constructed. Model parameters were estimated using archived data from four river basins in Texas and New Mexico (Colorado, Brazos, Red, Pecos). Model predictive ability was quantified using cross-validation, sensitivity, and specificity, and the relative ranking of environmental covariate models was determined by Akaike Information Criterion values and Akaike weights. Overall, abundance was a generally good predictor of ichthyotoxicity as cross validation of golden alga abundance-only models ranged from ∼ 80% to ∼ 90% (leave-one-out cross-validation). Environmental covariates improved predictions, especially the ability to predict lethally toxic events (i.e., increased sensitivity), and top-ranked environmental covariate models differed among the four basins. These associations may be useful for monitoring as well as understanding the abiotic factors that influence toxicity during blooms.

  8. QUALITY EVALUATION OF WHEAT-PUMPKIN-GOLDEN FLAXSEED COMPOSITE BREAD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Georgiana Gabriela CODINĂ

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to optimize the level of wheat, pumpkin seed (PSF and golden flaxseed flour (GFs that can be used in order to obtain high quality bread. The independent variables levels used were between 90 and 95 % for wheat flour and between 2.5% and 7.5% for pumpkin seed and golden flaxseed flour. The quality parameters analyzed were the following: loaf volume, porosity, elasticity and bread crumb structure. The mixture experiment design was used for optimization. Special quadratic mixture models were obtained for all the dependent variables. The optimum mixture levels were of 92.43% for wheat flour, 5.06% for pumkin seed flour and 2.51% for golden seed flour. The values of these flours in terms of loaf volume of bread, porosity and elasticity were of 422 cm3/100g, 76.15%, and 92.82%, respectively. The textural properties (hardness, cohesiveness, adhesiveness, viscosity, elasticity, gumminess, chewiness were analyzed for the control sample and the optimum bread sample obtained with PSF and GFs addition. For the last one mentioned hardness, elasticity, gumminess and chewiness increase with 25.03%, 7.31%, 23.41%, 25.77% while the cohesiveness value decreases with 1.47%.

  9. Stand and within-stand factors influencing Golden-winged Warbler use of regenerating stands in the central Appalachian Mountains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marja H. Bakermans

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera is currently being considered for protected status under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The creation of breeding habitat in the Appalachian Mountains is considered a conservation priority for this songbird, which is dependent on extensively forested landscapes with adequate availability of young forest. We modeled abundance of Golden-winged Warbler males in regenerating harvested forest stands that were 0-17 years postharvest at both mid-Appalachian and northeast Pennsylvania regional scales using stand and within-stand characteristics of 222 regenerating stands, 2010-2011. Variables that were most influential at the mid-Appalachian scale were different than those in the northeast region. Across the mid-Appalachian ecoregion, the proportion of young forest cover, i.e., shrub/scrub cover, within 1 km of regenerating stands best explained abundance of Golden-winged Warblers. Golden-winged Warbler response was best explained by a concave quadratic relationship in which abundance was highest with 5-15% land in young forest cover. We also found evidence that the amount of herbaceous cover, i.e., the amount of grasses and forbs, within a regenerating stand positively influenced abundance of Golden-winged Warblers. In northeastern Pennsylvania, where young forest cover is found in high proportions, the distance to the nearest regenerating stand best explained variation in abundance of Golden-winged Warblers. Abundance of Golden-winged Warblers was 1500 m away. When modeling within-stand features in the northeast region, many of the models were closely ranked, indicating that multiple variables likely explained Golden-winged Warbler response to within-stand conditions. Based on our findings, we have proposed several management guidelines for land managers interested in creating breeding habitat for Golden-winged Warblers using commercial timber operations. For example, we recommend when managing for

  10. The Golden Horde and Rus’: A Turkish View. Review of the Book: Kamalov I.H. The Golden Horde and the Russian Ulus (the Tatar Influence on Russia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R.Yu. Pochekaev

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This review contains an assessment of Ilyas Kh. Kamalov’s book on the relationship between the Jochid ulus and Russian principalities, as well as the subsequent influence of the Golden Horde’s civilization on the development of the Russian state. The book is analyzed within the context of the present state of research on the Golden Horde and its relations with Rus’. This inevitably leads to a comparison of the level of scientific value of the reviewed book with other contemporary publications on the history of the Jochid ulus. The review evaluates the structure of the book, the thoroughness of the analysis, highlights its strengths and weaknesses, and draws attention to a number of controversial elements. The author of review finds that the book of I.Kh. Kamalov, despite several drawbacks, could likely attract the interest of various reading audiences and stimulate further research and discussions on the history of the Golden Horde and its relations with the Russian principalities.

  11. Complete Genome Sequence of a Common Midwife Toad Virus-Like Ranavirus Associated with Mass Mortalities in Wild Amphibians in the Netherlands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hughes, Joseph; Saucedo, Bernardo; Rijks, Jolianne; Kik, Marja; Haenen, Olga L. M.; Engelsma, Marc Y.; Gröne, Andrea; Verheije, M. Helene; Wilkie, Gavin

    2014-01-01

    A ranavirus associated with mass mortalities in wild water frogs (Pelophylax spp.) and other amphibians in the Netherlands since 2010 was isolated, and its complete genome sequence was determined. The virus has a genome of 107,772 bp and shows 96.5% sequence identity with the common midwife toad virus from Spain. PMID:25540340

  12. Integrative Microbiology – The Third Golden Age Reflections

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Administrator

    and Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA. .... about the mechanisms that control gene expression in bacteria. How is the synthesis of .... The second Golden Age of microbiology materialized in the 1940's with the birth of.

  13. Quetzalcoatl and the Golden Age of Mesoamerica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramirez-Heil, Celia

    1978-01-01

    Quetzalcoatl was both man and god, myth and true history, and was worshipped through centuries in temples in the great sacred cities of Teotihuacan, Tollan, and Chichen Itza. The White god, ruler of the Toltec golden age, who sailed toward the east promising to return, remains a mystery. (Author/NQ)

  14. Bm-TFF2, a toad trefoil factor, promotes cell migration, survival and wound healing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Yong; Yu, Guoyu; Xiang, Yang; Wu, Jianbo; Jiang, Ping; Lee, Wenhui; Zhang, Yun

    2010-01-01

    Research highlights: → Bm-TFF2 binds to epithelial cells and induces cell migration and wound healing. → Bm-TFF2 suppresses cell apoptosis. → Bm-TFF2 has no effect on cell proliferation. -- Abstract: Toad skin is naked and continually confronted by various injurious factors. Constant skin renewal and repairs occur frequently. However, the mechanisms of the renewal and repair have not clearly elucidated. In our previous work, a trefoil factor (TFF), Bm-TFF2, has been purified from the Bombina maxima skin and characterized as a platelet agonist. The mRNA of TFFs in toad skin was up-regulated greatly during the metamorphosis, indicating a pivotal role of TFFs in amphibian skin. Here, we presented the effects of Bm-TFF2 on the cell migration, apoptosis and proliferation. Bm-TFF2 bound to epithelial cells and showed strong cell motility activity. At the concentrations of 1-100 nM, Bm-TFF2-induced migration of human epithelial AGS and HT-29 cells, and rat intestinal epithelial IEC-6 cell lines. The in vitro wound healing assay also verified the activity of Bm-TFF2. Bm-TFF2 could also inhibit cell apoptosis induced by ceramide and sodium butyrate. The cell migration-promoting activity was abolished by MEK1 inhibitors, U0126 and PD98059, suggesting that ERK1/2 activation is crucial for Bm-TFF2 to stimulate cell migration. Taken together, Bm-TFF2 promoted wound healing by stimulating cell migration via MAPK pathway and preventing cell apoptosis. The potent biological activity of Bm-TFF2 makes it a useful molecular tool for further studies of structure-function relationship of the related human TFFs.

  15. Bm-TFF2, a toad trefoil factor, promotes cell migration, survival and wound healing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Yong [Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223 (China); Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Yu, Guoyu [Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223 (China); Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Department of Biochemistry, Kunming Medical College, Kunming, Yunnan 650032 (China); Xiang, Yang [Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223 (China); Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Wu, Jianbo [Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223 (China); Jiang, Ping [Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223 (China); Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Lee, Wenhui [Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223 (China); Zhang, Yun, E-mail: zhangy@mail.kiz.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223 (China)

    2010-07-30

    Research highlights: {yields} Bm-TFF2 binds to epithelial cells and induces cell migration and wound healing. {yields} Bm-TFF2 suppresses cell apoptosis. {yields} Bm-TFF2 has no effect on cell proliferation. -- Abstract: Toad skin is naked and continually confronted by various injurious factors. Constant skin renewal and repairs occur frequently. However, the mechanisms of the renewal and repair have not clearly elucidated. In our previous work, a trefoil factor (TFF), Bm-TFF2, has been purified from the Bombina maxima skin and characterized as a platelet agonist. The mRNA of TFFs in toad skin was up-regulated greatly during the metamorphosis, indicating a pivotal role of TFFs in amphibian skin. Here, we presented the effects of Bm-TFF2 on the cell migration, apoptosis and proliferation. Bm-TFF2 bound to epithelial cells and showed strong cell motility activity. At the concentrations of 1-100 nM, Bm-TFF2-induced migration of human epithelial AGS and HT-29 cells, and rat intestinal epithelial IEC-6 cell lines. The in vitro wound healing assay also verified the activity of Bm-TFF2. Bm-TFF2 could also inhibit cell apoptosis induced by ceramide and sodium butyrate. The cell migration-promoting activity was abolished by MEK1 inhibitors, U0126 and PD98059, suggesting that ERK1/2 activation is crucial for Bm-TFF2 to stimulate cell migration. Taken together, Bm-TFF2 promoted wound healing by stimulating cell migration via MAPK pathway and preventing cell apoptosis. The potent biological activity of Bm-TFF2 makes it a useful molecular tool for further studies of structure-function relationship of the related human TFFs.

  16. Assessing the cumulative impacts of wind farms on peatland birds: a case study of golden plover Pluvialis apricaria in Scotland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J.W. Pearce-Higgins

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available The distribution of golden plover across Scotland was modelled using land cover and management variables, and used to highlight the spatial association between golden plover abundance and current and proposed wind farm developments. Overlap was greatest in three biogeographical zones (the Western Isles, the Western Central Belt and the Borders Hills and was estimated at ca. 5% of the biogeographical population in each case. New field data were used to predict the effects of wind farm development on golden plover populations, employing a conservative analytical approach to detect statistically significant wind farm related effects. The results provide evidence of significant avoidance of wind turbines by breeding golden plovers to a distance of at least 200 metres. Furthermore, wind farm sites appear to support lower densities of golden plover than predicted by the distribution model for sites without wind farms. Therefore, there is evidence for negative effects of wind farm developments on golden plover, and we suggest strategies to reduce any potential conflict between the need to promote wind energy and the need to maintain golden plover populations.

  17. Knemidocoptic Mange in Wild Golden Eagles, California, USA

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2014-09-21

    Dr. Mike Miller reads an abridged version of the article, Knemidocoptic Mange in Wild Golden Eagles, California, USA .  Created: 9/21/2014 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 10/15/2014.

  18. California golden trout and climate change: Is their stream habitat vulnerable to climate warming?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kathleen R. Matthews

    2010-01-01

    The California golden trout (CGT) Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita is one of the few native high-elevation fish in the Sierra Nevada. They are already in trouble because of exotic trout, genetic introgression, and degraded habitat, and now face further stress from climate warming. Their native habitat on the Kern Plateau meadows mostly in the Golden...

  19. Experimental population dynamics of Rhabdias bufonis (Nematoda) in toads (Bufo bufo): density-dependence in the primary infection

    OpenAIRE

    Goater, C. P.

    2017-01-01

    Density-dependence in worm establishment, numbers, biomass and larval production were examined in primary infections of 0, 10, 40, 80 and 160 larvae of the lung nematode, Rhabdias bufonis in the common toad, Bufo bufo. The infection procedure established 4 non-overlapping levels of infection which persisted until 6 weeks post-infection (p.i.), after which there was an overall decline up to 12 weeks p.i. Worm numbers had no direct effect on adult worm survival but temporal changes in worm weig...

  20. 76 FR 3652 - Dog Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-20

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service [8145-8B90-SZM] Dog Management Plan/Environmental...: Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Dog Management Plan, Golden Gate... the Dog Management Plan (Draft Plan/EIS), Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), California...

  1. The Bald And Golden Eagle Protection Act, Species-Based Legal Protection And The Danger Of Misidentification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johann C Knobel

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940 bestows legal protection on two North American eagle species in the United States of America. The Act was originally aimed at the legal protection of only one species: the Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus, the national symbol of the USA. Later the Act was amended to extend protection also to the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos. The Bald Eagle was an Endangered Species, but the Golden Eagle was not formally listed as Endangered nationwide in the USA. One of the reasons for extending legal protection to the Golden Eagle under the Act was to strengthen the legal protection of the Bald Eagle, because immature Bald Eagles were being misidentified as Golden Eagles and shot. Additional factors relating to Golden Eagle mortality also made legal protection of the Golden Eagle desirable. The danger that a rare and legally protected species can be misidentified and mistaken for a more common and unprotected species can therefore serve as a reason for bestowing legal protection on the more common species as well. Other factors may also indicate that legal protection of the more common species is desirable, making the case more compelling. If this line of reasoning is applied in respect of South African birds of prey, a strong case can be made in favour of extending legal protection under the national biodiversity legislation to more species than the small number of species currently enjoying such protection. Species that are listed as Vulnerable under South African national biodiversity legislation may be misidentified as species that are not subject to such protection. Additional factors are also present that make such an extension of legal protection desirable.

  2. A Golden Age? Dostoevsky, Daoism and Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Peter

    2016-01-01

    There is much of value for educationists in the work of the great Russian novelist and thinker, Fyodor Dostoevsky. This paper explores a key theme in Dostoevsky's later writings: the notion of a "Golden Age". It compares the ideal depicted in Dostoevsky's story "The Dream of a Ridiculous Man" with the implied utopia of the…

  3. Landscapes for Energy and Wildlife: Conservation Prioritization for Golden Eagles across Large Spatial Scales.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jason D Tack

    Full Text Available Proactive conservation planning for species requires the identification of important spatial attributes across ecologically relevant scales in a model-based framework. However, it is often difficult to develop predictive models, as the explanatory data required for model development across regional management scales is rarely available. Golden eagles are a large-ranging predator of conservation concern in the United States that may be negatively affected by wind energy development. Thus, identifying landscapes least likely to pose conflict between eagles and wind development via shared space prior to development will be critical for conserving populations in the face of imposing development. We used publically available data on golden eagle nests to generate predictive models of golden eagle nesting sites in Wyoming, USA, using a suite of environmental and anthropogenic variables. By overlaying predictive models of golden eagle nesting habitat with wind energy resource maps, we highlight areas of potential conflict among eagle nesting habitat and wind development. However, our results suggest that wind potential and the relative probability of golden eagle nesting are not necessarily spatially correlated. Indeed, the majority of our sample frame includes areas with disparate predictions between suitable nesting habitat and potential for developing wind energy resources. Map predictions cannot replace on-the-ground monitoring for potential risk of wind turbines on wildlife populations, though they provide industry and managers a useful framework to first assess potential development.

  4. Assessment of frequency and duration of point counts when surveying for golden eagle presence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skipper, Ben R.; Boal, Clint W.; Tsai, Jo-Szu; Fuller, Mark R.

    2017-01-01

    We assessed the utility of the recommended golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) survey methodology in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2013 Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance. We conducted 800-m radius, 1-hr point-count surveys broken into 20-min segments, during 2 sampling periods in 3 areas within the Intermountain West of the United States over 2 consecutive breeding seasons during 2012 and 2013. Our goal was to measure the influence of different survey time intervals and sampling periods on detectability and use estimates of golden eagles among different locations. Our results suggest that a less intensive effort (i.e., survey duration shorter than 1 hr and point-count survey radii smaller than 800 m) would likely be inadequate for rigorous documentation of golden eagle occurrence pre- or postconstruction of wind energy facilities. Results from a simulation analysis of detection probabilities and survey effort suggest that greater temporal and spatial effort could make point-count surveys more applicable for evaluating golden eagle occurrence in survey areas; however, increased effort would increase financial costs associated with additional person-hours and logistics (e.g., fuel, lodging). Future surveys can benefit from a pilot study and careful consideration of prior information about counts or densities of golden eagles in the survey area before developing a survey design. If information is lacking, survey planning may be best served by assuming low detection rates and increasing the temporal and spatial effort.

  5. Metabolic regulation of carotenoid-enriched Golden rice line

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dipak Gayen

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Vitamin A deficiency (VAD is the leading cause of blindness among children and is associated with high risk of maternal mortality. In order to enhance the bioavailability of vitamin A, high carotenoid transgenic golden rice has been developed by manipulating enzymes, such as phytoene synthase (psy and phytoene desaturase (crtI. In this study, proteome and metabolite analyses were carried out to comprehend metabolic regulation and adaptation of transgenic golden rice after the manipulation of endosperm specific carotenoid pathways. The main alteration was observed in carbohydrate metabolism pathways of the transgenic seeds. The 2D based proteomic studies demonstrated that carbohydrate metabolism-related enzymes, such as pullulanase, UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and glucose-1-phosphate adenylyl transferase, were primarily up-regulated in transgenic rice seeds. In addition, the enzyme PPDK was also elevated in transgenic seeds thus enhancing pyruvate biosynthesis, which is the precursor in the carotenoids biosynthetic pathway. GC-MS based metabolite profiling demonstrated an increase in the levels of glyceric acid, fructo-furanose, and galactose, while decrease in galactonic acid and gentiobiose in the transgenic rice compared to WT. It is noteworthy to mention that the carotenoid content, especially β-carotene level in transgenic rice (4.3 µg/g was significantly enhanced. The present study highlights the metabolic adaptation process of a transgenic golden rice line (homozygous T4 progeny of SKBR-244 after enhancing carotenoid biosynthesis. The presented information would be helpful in the development of crops enriched in carotenoids by expressing metabolic flux of pyruvate biosynthesis.

  6. The Golden Ratio in Time-based Media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily Verba

    2013-06-01

    The proliferation of moving images we face on a daily basis is cause for great concern, as we have increasingly less free time in our days. Informative and pleasing images are buried in an avalanche of visual rubbish, constantly streaming into our physical and virtual worlds. Time-based media has the ability to expand and contract movement, thus directing the way viewers experience and spend their time. This investigation presupposes that editing moving images via increments of time determined by the golden ratio may streamline messages, isolating what is most symbolic and effectively communicative within a mathematical framework. A physiological and psychological benefit is created for viewers; there is no wasted time or space. Image-makers and visual communicators have a responsibility to create only that which is useful and/or aesthetically pleasing. An investigation into the temporal structure of time-based media, using mathematical algorithms derived from the golden ratio, has led to the aim of creating through it a viable solution for the implementation of visual communication messages in today's society.

  7. First record of the silver-cheeked toad fish Lagocephalus scleratus (Gmelin, 1789 (Actinopterygii: Tetraodontidae from Chennai coastal waters, Southeast India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krishnan Silambarasan

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The silver-cheeked toad fish, Lagocephalus scleratus, was recorded for the first time on 25 September 2014. Two specimens of this fish species were collected from the by-catch landed by a commercial deep-sea trawler at Kasimedu Fishing Harbour, Chennai coast, Southeast India. The morphometric and meristic characters of the recorded specimens are described and discussed. The specimen was compared with earlier reports.

  8. Puzzling out Neutrino Mixing Through Golden and Silver Measurements

    CERN Document Server

    Mena, O

    2003-01-01

    We update a recent work devoted to resolve the degeneracies that appear in the simultaneous extraction of $\\theta_{13}$ and $\\delta$ at future Neutrino Factories (NF, that exploit the \\emph{golden} channels, i.e. $\

  9. LHC suppliers win Golden Hadron awards

    CERN Multimedia

    Maximilien Brice

    2004-01-01

    In a ceremony on 30 July, three of the 200 suppliers for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) were presented with Golden Hadron awards. It is the third year that the awards have been presented to suppliers, not only for their technical and financial achievements but also for their compliance with contractual deadlines. This year the three companies are all involved in the supplies for the LHC's main magnet system.

  10. Dorsal shaving affects concentrations of faecal cortisol metabolites in lactating golden hamsters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohrnberger, Sarah A.; Brinkmann, Katharina; Palme, Rupert; Valencak, Teresa G.

    2018-02-01

    Breeding of golden hamsters is classically performed at thermal conditions ranging from 20 to 24 °C. However, growing evidence suggests that lactating females suffer from heat stress. We hypothesised that shaving females dorsally to maximise heat dissipation may reduce stress during reproduction. We thus compared faecal cortisol metabolites (FCM) from shaved golden hamster mothers with those from unshaved controls. We observed significantly lower FCM levels in the shaved mothers ( F 1,22 = 8.69, p = 0.0075) pointing to lower stress due to ameliorated heat dissipation over the body surface. In addition, we observed 0.4 °C lower mean subcutaneous body temperatures in the shaved females, although this effect did not reach significance ( F 1,22 = 1.86, p = 0.18). Our results suggest that golden hamsters having body masses being more than four times that of laboratory mice provide a very interesting model to study aspects of lactation and heat production at the same time.

  11. Eurasian golden jackal as host of canine vector-borne protists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitková, Barbora; Hrazdilová, Kristýna; D'Amico, Gianluca; Duscher, Georg Gerhard; Suchentrunk, Franz; Forejtek, Pavel; Gherman, Călin Mircea; Matei, Ioana Adriana; Ionică, Angela Monica; Daskalaki, Aikaterini Alexandra; Mihalca, Andrei Daniel; Votýpka, Jan; Hulva, Pavel; Modrý, David

    2017-04-14

    Jackals are medium-sized canids from the wolf-like clade, exhibiting a unique combination of ancestral morphotypes, broad trophic niches, and close phylogenetic relationships with the wolf and dog. Thus, they represent a potential host of several pathogens with diverse transmission routes. Recently, populations of the Eurasian golden jackal Canis aureus have expanded into the Western Palaearctic, including most of Europe. The aim of our study was to examine Eurasian golden jackals from Romania, Czech Republic and Austria for a wide spectrum of vector-borne protists and to evaluate the role of this species as a reservoir of disease for domestic dogs and/or humans. Diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) DNA amplifications revealed 70% of jackals to be positive for Hepatozoon, 12.5% positive for piroplasms, and one individual positive for Leishmania infantum. Phylogenetic analyses of partial 18S rDNA sequences invariably placed sequenced isolates of Hepatozoon into the H. canis clade. For piroplasms, both the 18S and cox1 sequences obtained confirmed the presence of Babesia canis and "Theileria annae" in 5 and 2 individuals, respectively, providing the first records of these two piroplasmids in Eurasian golden jackals. A single animal from Dolj County (Romania) was PCR-positive for L. infantum, as confirmed also by sequencing of ITS1-5.8S. Apparently, expanding populations of jackals can play a significant role in spreading and maintaining new Babesia canis foci in Central Europe. The role of jackals in the epidemiology of "Theileria annae" and H. canis is probably similar to that of red foxes and should be taken into account in further research on these parasites. Also the presence of L. infantum deserves attention. Our study confirms that once established, the populations of Eurasian golden jackals constitute natural reservoirs for many canine vector-borne diseases, analogous to the role of the coyotes in North America.

  12. Biotelemetry data for golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) captured in coastal southern California, November 2014–February 2016

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tracey, Jeff A.; Madden, Melanie C.; Sebes, Jeremy B.; Bloom, Peter H.; Katzner, Todd E.; Fisher, Robert N.

    2016-04-21

    The status of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in coastal southern California is unclear. To address this knowledge gap, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in collaboration with local, State, and other Federal agencies began a multi-year survey and tracking program of golden eagles to address questions regarding habitat use, movement behavior, nest occupancy, genetic population structure, and human impacts on eagles. Golden eagle trapping and tracking efforts began in October 2014 and continued until early March 2015. During the first trapping season that focused on San Diego County, we captured 13 golden eagles (8 females and 5 males). During the second trapping season that began in November 2015, we focused on trapping sites in San Diego, Orange, and western Riverside Counties. By February 23, 2016, we captured an additional 14 golden eagles (7 females and 7 males). In this report, biotelemetry data were collected between November 22, 2014, and February 23, 2016. The location data for eagles ranged as far north as San Luis Obispo, California, and as far south as La Paz, Baja California, Mexico.

  13. Reproductive success and habitat characteristics of Golden-winged Warblers in high-elevation pasturelands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, Petra; Aldinger, Kyle R.

    2016-01-01

    The Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) is one of the most rapidly declining vertebrate species in the Appalachian Mountains. It is the subject of extensive range-wide research and conservation action. However, little is known about this species' breeding ecology in high-elevation pasturelands, a breeding habitat with conservation potential considering the U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service's Working Lands for Wildlife program targeting private lands in the Appalachian Mountains. We located 100 nests of Golden-winged Warblers in pastures in and around the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia during 2008–2012. Daily nest survival rate (mean ± SE  =  0.962 ± 0.006), clutch size (4.5 ± 0.1), and number of young fledged per nest attempt (2.0 ± 0.2) and successful nest (4.0 ± 0.1) fell within the range of values reported in other parts of the species' range and were not significantly affected by year or the presence/absence of cattle grazing. Classification tree analysis revealed that nests were in denser vegetation (≥52%) and closer to forest edges (Golden-winged Warblers. High-elevation pasturelands may provide a refuge for remaining populations of Golden-winged Warblers in this region.

  14. Review on the Book: Pochekaev R.Yu. The Golden Horde Law (Kazan, 2009. 260 p. » 231

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E.G. Sayfetdinova

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper contains a review of the R.Yu. Pochekaev’s book “The Golden Horde Law”. The reviewer points out that the Pochekaev’s book is a significant academic research in both the study of the Golden Horde history and the law system of the Eurasian Turkic-Mongol peoples. This book is published by the Center for Research on the Golden Horde Civilization at the Sh.Marjani Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan. For several years, the author of this book, R.Yu. Pochekaev, has been concerned with the the history of the Golden Horde State and its law system. He has published a number of works on this topic, the main conclusions of which are reflected in this generalizing work. The study is based on a wide range of sources (annals and chronicles, memoirs of contemporaries, bureaucratic and numismatic materials and numerous studies including the works of foreign specialists in the original language. In his book, the author organically combines the latest achievements of research on both the Golden Horde history and theory and history of law. The book will be of interest to experts of the Golden Horde history and Orientalists, who are often faced with the legal aspects of the material under study.

  15. A new place for death with dignity: the golden room.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keegan, Lynn; Drick, Carole Ann

    2011-12-01

    In this article, the authors consider how professional nurses can strive to advance death and dying to the next level in our evolution of compassionate end-of-life practices. The authors focus on describing the development of a place for dying that allows for a peaceful, profound experience that honors and respects human dignity and elevates the human family. Actual places called the Golden Room or Golden Room Centers are proposed to accommodate dying persons and their loved ones at end of life as they make the transition from physical life. The authors detail and propose a return to the sacredness of death and dying through access to a place for the physical transition.

  16. How fast do amphibians disperse? Introductions, distribution and dispersal of the common frog Rana temporaria and the common toad Bufo bufo on a coastal island in Central Norway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dag Dolmen

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The common frog (Rana temporaria and the common toad (Bufo bufo were introduced successfully to the coastal island of Frøya in Central Norway several times during 1960–2012. There is still a very high degree of conformity between sites where they were introduced and the present distribution of the two species. However, in western Frøya, a release of frogs about 1996 was followed by a quick expansion of their distribution area; in 2012 and 2013, breeding was registered close to 7 km westwards and eastwards, respectively, i.e. a population dispersal speed of approximately 0.4 km/yr. On eastern Frøya and some small islands in the archipelago, area expansions at another four frog localities have been prevented by ecological barriers like unfavourable limnetic or terrestrial habitats or salty water. Two local common toad populations on eastern Frøya do not show any expansion either. However, an apparently isolated record of the species on western Frøya in 2011 can possibly be explained by the expansion westwards of a population in northern central Frøya, where toads were introduced around 1995. This stretch is about 9.9 km, i.e. an average population dispersal speed of 0.6 km/yr.

  17. A New Book on the Law System of the Golden Horde: Pochekaev R.Yu. Legal Culture of the Golden Horde (Historical and Legal Essays) (Moscow: Yurlitinform, 2015. 312 p.)

    OpenAIRE

    D.V. Nefedov

    2016-01-01

    This book is a study at the intersection of such academic disciplines as general history, history of state and law and source study. The subcect of R.Yu. Pochevalev’s book appears very relevant since the interest of the scientific community and readership toward the Golden Horde and its role in the history of the Russian state remains traditionally high for several centuries. However, the author is trying to take a fresh look at this state and refute the stereotype of the Golden Horde as a...

  18. Golden Hadrons 2004: and the winners are …

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    For the third year running, CERN has awarded a prize to its best LHC suppliers. Three companies were presented with the Golden Hadron 2004. On Friday 30 July, three of the two hundred suppliers for the LHC were presented with Golden Hadron awards by Lyn Evans. This is the third year that the awards have been presented. This year it was the turn of Alstom-MSA (France), Ernesto Malvestiti S.p.A. (Italy) and Simic S.p.A. (Italy) to receive awards, not only for their technical and financial achievements but also for their compliance with contractual deadlines. From left to right: Sandro Ferraris (SIMIC), Guiseppi Ginola (SIMIC), Gérard Grunblatt (ALSTOM), Phillippe Mocaer (ALSTOM), Gianfranco Malvestiti (ERNESTO MALVESTITI), Ernesto Malvestiti (ERNESTO MALVESTITI) Alstom-MSA was awarded the prize for manufacturing superconducting cable for the LHC's main magnets, the dipoles designed to steer the particles round the accelerator and the quadrupoles designed to focus the particle beams. Seven thousand kilometres ...

  19. Confinement and asymptotic freedom seen with a golden eye

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elokaby, A.

    2009-01-01

    The present short note is an attempt to reconcile the current conventional understanding of quarks confinement and asymptotic freedom with the results found by El Naschie using the exact renormalization equation of his quantum golden field theory.

  20. An intergeneric hybrid of a native minnow, the golden shiner, and an exotic minnow, the rudd

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burkhead, N.M.; Williams, J.D.

    1991-01-01

    The hybrid golden shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas × rudd Scardinius erythrophthalmus is the first known nonsalmonid, intergeneric hybrid of an exotic species and a North American native species. The cross is also the first valid record of a viable hybrid involving the native golden shiner. Meristic and mensural characters of 30 artificially produced hybrids of male golden shiners and female rudds were analyzed. Forty-seven percent of the meristic traits exhibited character states intermediate between those of parents. Twenty-seven percent of the meristic characters were supernumerary, suggesting developmental instability of the hybrid genome. Mensural hybrid characters were significantly skewed to the golden shiner phenotype. The skewed mensural inheritance and other skewed patterns of morphological inheritance also suggest problems in canalization of the hybrid phenome or atypical patterns of dominance. All hybrids were identifiable by intermediate squamation of the cultrate abdomen: the keel was mostly scaled but exhibited a small fleshy ridge posteriorly. This minnow hybrid allows general inferences to be made about the phylogenetic affinity of the golden shiner to other cultrate cyprinids of Eurasia. The hybrid cross has important management and conservation implications for fishes in North America. The hybrid is an example of how an exotic species may negatively affect a native species.

  1. HEFCE Staff Recruitment Incentives: Consultation on "Golden Hellos".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higher Education Funding Council for England, Bristol.

    This "consultation" notifies interested parties of the plans by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to introduce recruitment incentives for teaching staff in higher education, also known as "golden hellos." These are being introduced from 2003-2004 to encourage new entrants to teaching in higher education…

  2. The Cost of Delaying Approval of Golden Rice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wesseler, J.H.H.; Kaplan, S.; Zilberman, D.

    2014-01-01

    More than 250,000 children go blind every year because of Vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A intake can be enhanced by consuming Golden Rice—a genetically engineered variety of rice. It was available for commercialization in 2002, but approval has been delayed. We estimate that this delay has resulted

  3. Hausdorff dimension of the multiplicative golden mean shift

    OpenAIRE

    Kenyon, Richard; Peres, Yuval; Solomyak, Boris

    2011-01-01

    We compute the Hausdorff dimension of the "multiplicative golden mean shift" defined as the set of all reals in $[0,1]$ whose binary expansion $(x_k)$ satisfies $x_k x_{2k}=0$ for all $k\\ge 1$, and show that it is smaller than the Minkowski dimension.

  4. The determination of vitamin C, organic acids, phenolic compounds concentration of Red and Golden delicious apple grown in Lorestan province

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ebrahim Falahi

    2013-08-01

    Results: Ascorbic acid concentrations in Red and Golden delicious apples were 9.49 and 9.09 mg and 9.29 mg in total per 100 grams. Malic acid concentrations in Red and Golden delicious apples were 0.26 and 0.27 and citric acid concentrations in Red and Golden delicious apples were 0.28 mg per 100 grams in both cultivars. Acidity of Red delicious was 4 and Golden delicious was about 3.7. The acidity of Red delicious was higher than the Golden one. α-farensene was the most phenolic compound in both cultivars. Conclusion: Finally, apple cultivars grown in Lorestan have 3 times more ascorbic acid than the amount which mentioned in Iranian Food Consumption Table. There were no significant relation about malic and citric acid in both cultivars.

  5. A Single Transcriptome of a Green Toad (Bufo viridis Yields Candidate Genes for Sex Determination and -Differentiation and Non-Anonymous Population Genetic Markers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jörn F Gerchen

    Full Text Available Large genome size, including immense repetitive and non-coding fractions, still present challenges for capacity, bioinformatics and thus affordability of whole genome sequencing in most amphibians. Here, we test the performance of a single transcriptome to understand whether it can provide a cost-efficient resource for species with large unknown genomes. Using RNA from six different tissues from a single Palearctic green toad (Bufo viridis specimen and Hiseq2000, we obtained 22,5 Mio reads and publish >100,000 unigene sequences. To evaluate efficacy and quality, we first use this data to identify green toad specific candidate genes, known from other vertebrates for their role in sex determination and differentiation. Of a list of 37 genes, the transcriptome yielded 32 (87%, many of which providing the first such data for this non-model anuran species. However, for many of these genes, only fragments could be retrieved. In order to allow also applications to population genetics, we further used the transcriptome for the targeted development of 21 non-anonymous microsatellites and tested them in genetic families and backcrosses. Eleven markers were specifically developed to be located on the B. viridis sex chromosomes; for eight markers we can indeed demonstrate sex-specific transmission in genetic families. Depending on phylogenetic distance, several markers, which are sex-linked in green toads, show high cross-amplification success across the anuran phylogeny, involving nine systematic anuran families. Our data support the view that single transcriptome sequencing (based on multiple tissues provides a reliable genomic resource and cost-efficient method for non-model amphibian species with large genome size and, despite limitations, should be considered as long as genome sequencing remains unaffordable for most species.

  6. Quantum golden field theory - Ten theorems and various conjectures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El Naschie, M.S.

    2008-01-01

    Ten theorems and few conjectures related to quantum field theory as applied to high energy physics are presented. The work connects classical quantum field theory with the golden mean renormalization groups of non-linear dynamics and E-Infinity theory

  7. Rubicon of the Golden Horde »

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T.F. Khaydarov

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with the natural-climatic and environmental factors in the history of the Golden Horde. From the very beginning of its existence the Jochid Ulus proved to be very dependent on the environment. Its existence as a major military and political union and an important element of the global economic system directly depended on recreational potential of the Lower Volga steppe biome in the recovery of the steppe’s original form. This could worsen the ecological situation both because of the active human impact on the ecology of the region, and as a consequence of climate change. Prudent economic policy of the Horde rulers during the favorable natural and climatic period allowed the Jochid ulus to become in the shortest time the center of attraction in the Black Sea-Caspian region. New Horde towns played a major role in this process. They represented mostly the enlarged nomadic camps with few fixed structures. Even after the development of economic and cultural relations along the Silk Road in the late 13th century and the subsequent economic recovery of the ancient urban centers in Central Asia, the Crimean and Bulgar uluses, new Horde towns of the Lower and Middle Volga regions and Western Siberia continued to bear the imprint of the nomadic settlements at a new stage. At the same time, signs of active construction of permanent structures emerged in these towns. Taking into account the urban achievements of eastern countries, these towns gradually became places of attraction for the urban districts and surrounding areas. The sharp level change of the Caspian, Azov and Aral Seas began in 1320. Along with an increase in seismic activity and climate instability, this change became a detonator of the catastrophic consequences for the Golden Horde. The epidemic (“Black Death”, demographic (famine and political-military (“Great zamyatnya” factors represented the Rubicon that the Jochid ulus could not cross. At the same time

  8. Neuropharmacological lesion localization in idiopathic Horner's syndrome in Golden Retrievers and dogs of other breeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simpson, Katherine M; Williams, David L; Cherubini, Giunio B

    2015-01-01

    To investigate whether idiopathic Horner's syndrome (HS) in Golden Retrievers is an exclusively preganglionic disorder based on denervation hypersensitivity pharmacological testing with phenylephrine. Medical records of dogs presented with HS between 2000 and 2012. Dogs presented with additional ocular or systemic signs were excluded. Clinical data examined included age, sex, duration of clinical signs, ancillary diagnostic test results, and time to mydriasis on topical ocular application of 1% phenylephrine. Lesions were diagnosed as postganglionic (mydriasis within 20 min) or preganglionic (mydriasis between 20 and 45 min). Medical records of 21 dogs of nine different breeds were included. An etiopathogenesis for Horner's syndrome was determined in five dogs, none of which were Golden Retrievers. All diagnoses correlated with pharmacological lesion localization. Ten Golden Retrievers were included (eight male and two female) with a mean age of 8.5 years (range: 4-13). Lesion localization was diagnosed as postganglionic in eight (mean: 10 min [range: 6-18]) and preganglionic in two Golden Retrievers (20 and 24 min). All cases were unilateral and had completely resolved within 15 weeks (range: 11-20). Recurrence was not reported in any of the patients. Idiopathic postganglionic HS was diagnosed in eight of 10 Golden Retrievers contradicting previous reports of a purely preganglionic localization. Etiopathogenesis of canine idiopathic HS remains to be determined; nevertheless, a vascular etiology cannot be excluded. Future studies using magnetic resonance angiography may aid in clarifying the pathogenesis. © 2013 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

  9. Central thermoregulatory effects of lactate in the toad Bufo paracnemis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Branco, L G; Steiner, A A

    1999-04-01

    Hypoxia induces a regulated decrease in body temperature (Tb; anapyrexia) in organisms ranging from protozoans to mammals, but very little is known about the mechanisms involved. Several candidates have been suggested to mediate hypoxia-induced anapyrexia, among them lactate, which is a classical compansion of hypoxic stress in vertebrates. The present study was designed to assess the central thermoregulatory effects of lactate in Bujo paracnemis. Toads equipped with a temperature probe were tested over a thermal gradient (10-40 degrees C). Lactate injected systemically (4.0 mmol kg-1) caused a significant reduction of Tb from 24.6 +/- 2.1 to 17.4 +/- 3.9 degrees C. To assess the role of central thermoregulatory mechanisms, a lower dose (0.4 mmol kg-1) of lactate was injected into the fourth cerebral ventricle or systemically. Intracerebroventricular injection of lactate caused a similar decrease in Tb, whereas systemic injection caused no change. The data indicate that lactate may play a role in hypoxia-induced anapyrexia in central rather than peripheral sites.

  10. Earless toads sense low frequencies but miss the high notes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Womack, Molly C; Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jakob; Coloma, Luis A

    2017-01-01

    Sensory losses or reductions are frequently attributed to relaxed selection. However, anuran species have lost tympanic middle ears many times, despite anurans' use of acoustic communication and the benefit of middle ears for hearing airborne sound. Here we determine whether pre-existing alternat......Sensory losses or reductions are frequently attributed to relaxed selection. However, anuran species have lost tympanic middle ears many times, despite anurans' use of acoustic communication and the benefit of middle ears for hearing airborne sound. Here we determine whether pre......-existing alternative sensory pathways enable anurans lacking tympanic middle ears (termed earless anurans) to hear airborne sound as well as eared species or to better sense vibrations in the environment. We used auditory brainstem recordings to compare hearing and vibrational sensitivity among 10 species (six eared......, four earless) within the Neotropical true toad family (Bufonidae). We found that species lacking middle ears are less sensitive to high-frequency sounds, however, low-frequency hearing and vibrational sensitivity are equivalent between eared and earless species. Furthermore, extratympanic hearing...

  11. Spatial demographic models to inform conservation planning of golden eagles in renewable energy landscapes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiens, J. David; Schumaker, Nathan H.; Inman, Richard D.; Esque, Todd C.; Longshore, Kathleen M.; Nussear, Kenneth E

    2017-01-01

    Spatial demographic models can help guide monitoring and management activities targeting at-risk species, even in cases where baseline data are lacking. Here, we provide an example of how site-specific changes in land use and anthropogenic stressors can be incorporated into a spatial demographic model to investigate effects on population dynamics of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). Our study focused on a population of Golden Eagles exposed to risks associated with rapid increases in renewable energy development in southern California, U.S.A. We developed a spatially explicit, individual-based simulation model that integrated empirical data on demography of Golden Eagles with spatial data on the arrangement of nesting habitats, prey resources, and planned renewable energy development sites. Our model permitted simulated eagles of different stage-classes to disperse, establish home ranges, acquire prey resources, prospect for breeding sites, and reproduce. The distribution of nesting habitats, prey resources, and threats within each individual's home range influenced movement, reproduction, and survival. We used our model to explore potential effects of alternative disturbance scenarios, and proposed conservation strategies, on the future distribution and abundance of Golden Eagles in the study region. Results from our simulations suggest that probable increases in mortality associated with renewable energy infrastructure (e.g., collisions with wind turbines and vehicles, electrocution on power poles) could have negative consequences for population trajectories, but that site-specific conservation actions could reduce the magnitude of negative effects. Our study demonstrates the use of a flexible and expandable modeling framework to incorporate spatially dependent processes when determining relative effects of proposed management options to Golden Eagles and their habitats.

  12. Shake flask decolourization of direct dye solar golden yellow R by pleurotus ostreatus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jilani, K.; Asghar, M.; Bhatti, H.N.; Mushtaq, Z.

    2011-01-01

    Different on site treatment technologies are in practice for industrial wastewaters but bioremediation using white rot fungi is the most attractive option due to complete degradation of the pollutants to non toxic end products. Three direct dyes (Solar golden yellow R, Solar brilliant red BA and Solar orange RSN) were decolourized using white rot fungus (WRF) Pleurotus ostreatus. The best decolourized dye Solar golden yellow R was selected for subsequent optimization studies for decolourization. Under optimum conditions Pleurotus ostreatus caused 90.32 % decolourization of 0.01 % Solar golden yellow R solution within two days of shake flask incubation at pH 3.5 and 30 deg. C temperature in Kirk's basal nutrient medium with added 1 % starch and 0.01 % ammonium sulphate as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. Ligninolytic enzyme activities were correlated to dye decolourization and maximum laccase activity of 356.23 U/ml was also noted in the maximally decolourized medium. (author)

  13. Characterization of sida golden mottle virus isolated from Sida santaremensis Monteiro in Florida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Aqeel, H A; Iqbal, Zafar; Polston, J E

    2018-06-21

    The genome of sida golden mottle virus (SiGMoV) (GU997691 and GU997692) isolated from Sida santaremensis Monteiro in Manatee County, Florida, was sequenced and characterized. SiGMoV was determined to be a bipartite virus belonging to the genus Begomovirus with a genome organization typical of the New World viruses in the genus. SiGMoV DNA-A had the highest identity scores (89%) and showed the closest evolutionary relationships to sida golden mosaic Buckup virus (SiGMBuV) (JX162591 and HQ008338). However, SiGMoV DNA-B had the highest identity scores (93%) and showed the closest evolutionary relationship to corchorus yellow spot virus (DQ875869), SiGMBuV (JX162592) and sida golden mosaic Florida virus (SiGMFlV) (HE806443). There was extensive recombination in the SiGMoV DNA-A and much less in DNA-B. Full-length clones of SiGMoV were infectious and were able to infect and cause symptoms in several plant species.

  14. 78 FR 19068 - Requested Administrative Waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws: Vessel GOLDEN BOY II; Invitation for...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Maritime Administration [Docket No. MARAD-2013 0036] Requested Administrative Waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws: Vessel GOLDEN BOY II; Invitation for Public Comments AGENCY... GOLDEN BOY II is: Intended Commercial Use Of Vessel: Limited charter of passengers for luxury day...

  15. Genetic Diversity and Structure among Isolated Populations of the Endangered Gees Golden Langur in Assam, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biswas, Jihosuo; Nag, Sudipta; Shil, Joydeep; Umapathy, Govindhaswamy

    2016-01-01

    Gee’s golden langur (Trachypithecus geei) is an endangered colobine primate, endemic to the semi-evergreen and mixed-deciduous forests of Indo-Bhutan border. During the last few decades, extensive fragmentation has caused severe population decline and local extinction of golden langur from several fragments. However, no studies are available on the impact of habitat fragmentation and the genetic diversity of golden langur in the fragmented habitats. The present study aimed to estimate the genetic diversity in the Indian population of golden langur. We sequenced and analyzed around 500 bases of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) hypervariable region-I from 59 fecal samples of wild langur collected from nine forest fragments. Overall, genetic diversity was high (h = 0.934, π = 0.0244) and comparable with other colobines. Populations in smaller fragments showed lower nucleotide diversity compared to the larger forest fragments. The median-joining network of haplotypes revealed a genetic structure that corresponded with the geographical distribution. The Aie and Champabati Rivers were found to be a barrier to gene flow between golden langur populations. In addition, it also established that T. geei is monophyletic but revealed possible hybridization with capped langur, T. pileatus, in the wild. It is hoped that these findings would result in a more scientific approach towards managing the fragmented populations of this enigmatic species. PMID:27564405

  16. Primate numts and reticulate evolution of capped and golden leaf ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    PRAKASH KUMAR

    A recent phylogenetic study of langurs and leaf monkeys of South Asia suggested a reticulate evolution of capped and golden leaf ..... Accordingly, transversions were weighted .... lineages. Most taxonomic schemes published till date place.

  17. Autoradiography in fetal golden hamsters treated with tritiated diethylnitrosamine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reznik-Schueller, H.M.; Hague, B.F. Jr.

    1981-01-01

    Tritiated diethylnitrosamine was administered to female Syrian golden hamsters on each of the last 4 days (days 12-15) of pregnancy. The distribution of bound radioactivity was monitored by light microscopic autoradiography of fetal tracheas and livers, the placentas, and the maternal livers. In the trachea, the fetal target organ, bound radioactivity was restricted to the respiratory epithelium, where diethylnitrosamine-induced tracheal tumors arise. Mucous cells and nonciliated stem cells were identified as the principal sites of binding; other cell types within the tracheal epithelium contained only small amounts of bound radioactivity. The level of binding observed in the fetal trachea increased steadily from day 12 to day 15, which correlated well with the levels of differentiation of this tissue during this period. This observation also agrees with the previously reported observation that tumor incidence increases from 40 to 95% in Syrian golden hamsters between days 12 and 15

  18. Golden Eagle Migratory Behaviors in Response to Arctic Warming

    Science.gov (United States)

    LaPoint, S.; Bohrer, G.; Davidson, S. C.; Gurarie, E.; Mahoney, P.; Boelman, N.

    2017-12-01

    Understanding how animals adapt to climate change is a conservation priority, particularly in arctic landscapes where these changes are accelerated. Doing so however, remains challenging because animal behavior datasets are typically conducted at site- or population-specific scales and are often short term (e.g., 2-3 years). We have overcome this challenge by compiling a long-term (25 years), large-scale (northwestern North America) dataset of > 0.5 million locations collected via 86 adult-aged golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) fitted with satellite and GPS data loggers. We used mechanistic range shift analyses to identify the locations and dates when each eagle performed a behavioral switch from a stationary phase (e.g., over-wintering or breeding) to migration and vice-versa. We annotated these spatio-temporal data with a suite of environmental data, including: %snow cover, time-to snow cover, time-to greening, air temperature, and wind direction and magnitude. Preliminary generalized additive mixed-models suggest these eagles have performed significant shifts in their departure dates, yet their arrival dates have remained relatively consistent. We will use a survival analysis (e.g., Cox proportional-hazard regression model) to quantify the influence of the environmental variables on these dates. It appears golden eagles migrating across northwestern North America are adapting to changes in the timing and duration of artic winters, by arriving to their northern breeding grounds earlier every spring, presumably to extend their breeding and chick rearing phases. Golden eagles exhibit some resiliency to changes in the arctic climate, but further work is warranted across other taxa and populations.

  19. Laryngeal rhabdomyoma in a Golden Retriever

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clercx, C.; Desmecht, D.; Michiels, L.; McEntee, K.; Hardy, N.; Henroteaux, M.

    1998-01-01

    A three-year-old male golden retriever had had progressive dyspnoea, exercise intolerance, stridor, and a modified bark for five months. A mass 2 cm in diameter was present dorsal to the right side of the larynx. Histological examination revealed cross-striations in some elongated cells, consistent with a diagnosis of rhabdomyoma, a diagnosis which was confirmed by positive immunohistochemical staining for myoglobin and desmin. The mass could not be removed without total laryngectomy and a permanent tracheostomy and the dog was euthanased

  20. Golden Sine Algorithm: A Novel Math-Inspired Algorithm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    TANYILDIZI, E.

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available In this study, Golden Sine Algorithm (Gold-SA is presented as a new metaheuristic method for solving optimization problems. Gold-SA has been developed as a new search algorithm based on population. This math-based algorithm is inspired by sine that is a trigonometric function. In the algorithm, random individuals are created as many as the number of search agents with uniform distribution for each dimension. The Gold-SA operator searches to achieve a better solution in each iteration by trying to bring the current situation closer to the target value. The solution space is narrowed by the golden section so that the areas that are supposed to give only good results are scanned instead of the whole solution space scan. In the tests performed, it is seen that Gold-SA has better results than other population based methods. In addition, Gold-SA has fewer algorithm-dependent parameters and operators than other metaheuristic methods, increasing the importance of this method by providing faster convergence of this new method.

  1. Aerobic scope and cardiovascular oxygen transport is not compromised at high temperatures in the toad Rhinella marina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Overgaard, Johannes; Andersen, Jonas L; Findsen, Anders; Pedersen, Pil B M; Hansen, Kasper; Ozolina, Karlina; Wang, Tobias

    2012-10-15

    Numerous recent studies convincingly correlate the upper thermal tolerance limit of aquatic ectothermic animals to reduced aerobic scope, and ascribe the decline in aerobic scope to failure of the cardiovascular system at high temperatures. In the present study we investigate whether this 'aerobic scope model' applies to an air-breathing and semi-terrestrial vertebrate Rhinella marina (formerly Bufo marinus). To quantify aerobic scope, we measured resting and maximal rate of oxygen consumption at temperatures ranging from 10 to 40°C. To include potential effects of acclimation, three groups of toads were acclimated chronically at 20, 25 and 30°C, respectively. The absolute difference between resting and maximal rate of oxygen consumption increased progressively with temperature and there was no significant decrease in aerobic scope, even at temperature immediately below the lethal limit (41-42°C). Haematological and cardiorespiratory variables were measured at rest and immediately after maximal activity at benign (30°C) and critically high (40°C) temperatures. Within this temperature interval, both resting and active heart rate increased, and there was no indication of respiratory failure, judged from high arterial oxygen saturation, P(O2) and [Hb(O2)]. With the exception of elevated resting metabolic rate for cold-acclimated toads, we found few differences in the thermal responses between acclimation groups with regard to the cardiometabolic parameters. In conclusion, we found no evidence for temperature-induced cardiorespiratory failure in R. marina, indicating that maintenance of aerobic scope and oxygen transport is unrelated to the upper thermal limit of this air-breathing semi-terrestrial vertebrate.

  2. The Generalized Principle of the Golden Section and its applications in mathematics, science, and engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stakhov, A.P.

    2005-01-01

    The 'Dichotomy Principle' and the classical 'Golden Section Principle' are two of the most important principles of Nature, Science and also Art. The Generalized Principle of the Golden Section that follows from studying the diagonal sums of the Pascal triangle is a sweeping generalization of these important principles. This underlies the foundation of 'Harmony Mathematics', a new proposed mathematical direction. Harmony Mathematics includes a number of new mathematical theories: an algorithmic measurement theory, a new number theory, a new theory of hyperbolic functions based on Fibonacci and Lucas numbers, and a theory of the Fibonacci and 'Golden' matrices. These mathematical theories are the source of many new ideas in mathematics, philosophy, botanic and biology, electrical and computer science and engineering, communication systems, mathematical education as well as theoretical physics and physics of high energy particles

  3. Preliminary Screening a Potential AChE Inhibitor in Thai Golden Shower (Leguminosae mimosoideae Extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jakkaphun Nanuam

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Pesticides are used to control pests of agriculture products in many countries including Thailand. Since they can exert harmful effects not only on target pests but also on other useful organisms, alternative agents are investigated. We studied the capacity of the Thai golden shower (Leguminosae mimosoideae extracts (root and pod to inhibit acetyl cholinestarese (AChE in the golden apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata as a pest representative. The results showed that the percentage of AChE inhibition increased with increasing in exposure times. The inhibition expressed the same trend in both male and female apple snails. AChE inhibition was higher in extracts from root than from pod. Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS chromatograms demonstrated anthraquinone, an AChE inhibitor, in extracts of golden shower. Our data indicate that a potential AChE inhibitor tends to accumulate more in the root part than in the pod.

  4. Contribution of Golden Apple Snail Flour to Enhance Omega- 3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids Contents in Weaning Food

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marsyha, D. D.; Wijayanti, H. S.; Nuryanto; Anjani, G.

    2018-02-01

    The case of undernourished children in Grobogan District (15.3%) is caused by children nutrients intake less than the Recommendation Dietary Allowance (RDA). To enhance children nutrients intake, be required formulation of weaning food using high-nutrient local food such as golden apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata). Golden apple snail flour contains high contents of zinc, iron, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. This study aims to analyze the effect of golden apple snail flour substitution on nutrients content and organoleptic properties of weaning food (baby porridge). This is an experimental research by substitution of golden apple snail flour in the making of weaning food with four treatments of substitution (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%). Substitution of golden apple snails flour could affect the nutrient content levels of fat, zinc, iron (p=0.0001), carbohydrate (p=0.011), water (p=0.003), ash (p=0.001), omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Whereas, it could not affect the content of energy (p=0.678), protein (p=0.129) and fiber (p=0.482). Furthermore, the substitution could affect the organoleptic properties include color, texture and taste (p=0.0001) while not for the aroma (p=0.798). Based on nutrient content analysis, substitution of golden apple snail flour could enhance the zinc, iron, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids contents of weaning food.

  5. Representing the Past by Solid Modeling + Golden Ratio Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Suining

    2008-01-01

    This paper describes the procedures of reconstructing ancient architecture using solid modeling with geometric analysis, especially the Golden Ratio analysis. In the past the recovery and reconstruction of ruins required bringing together fragments of evidence and vast amount of measurements from archaeological site. Although researchers and…

  6. M1114 -- Golden HMMWV Power: Electrical Systems Used in Theater

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Aboona, Jonathan

    2007-01-01

    .... Chart 2 presents 2 tables. One table shows power draws for 12 M1114 electrical systems under steady state and surge on the Golden's 200A alternator, which can provide between 110-180 Amps of usable power...

  7. Molecular characterization of classical and nonclassical MHC class I genes from the golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Q-Q; Zhong, G-H; He, K; Sun, D-D; Wan, Q-H

    2016-02-01

    Classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I allelic polymorphism is essential for competent antigen presentation. To improve the genotyping efforts in the golden pheasant, it is necessary to differentiate more accurately between classical and nonclassical class I molecules. In our study, all MHC class I genes were isolated from one golden pheasant based on two overlapping PCR amplifications. In total, six full-length class I nucleotide sequences (A-F) were identified, and four were novel. Two (A and C) belonged to the IA1 gene, two (B and D) were alleles derived from the IA2 gene through transgene amplification, and two (E and F) comprised a third novel locus, IA3 that was excluded from the core region of the golden pheasant MHC-B. IA1 and IA2 exhibited the broad expression profiles characteristic of classical loci, while IA3 showed no expression in multiple tissues and was therefore defined as a nonclassical gene. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the three IA genes in the golden pheasant share a much closer evolutionary relationship than the corresponding sequences in other galliform species. This observation was consistent with high sequence similarity among them, which likely arises from the homogenizing effect of recombination. Our careful distinction between the classical and nonclassical MHC class I genes in the golden pheasant lays the foundation for developing locus-specific genotyping and establishing a good molecular marker system of classical MHC I loci. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Golden Rules of Financing Related to the Life Cycle of Czech Automotive Firms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Konecny Zdenek

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Companies go through their life cycle and it is only possible to moderate but not completely eliminate the switchover from one phase to another. Each phase is connected with different financial results as a consequence of financial conditions and financial decisions. The aim of this article is to find out whether the golden rules of financing are (or are not respected, dependent on financial strategy, in sub-phases of the corporate life cycle. It is caused by the fact that the golden rules are indicators of the rate of financial risk and some providers can consider their respecting by deciding to lend capital. However, golden rules of financing are not set strictly and therefore the comparison with market averages is necessary. The research is implemented by analyzing secondary data from financial statements and documents of the Ministry of Industryand Trade of the Czech Republic for years from 2007 to 2011. The sample consists of 43 companies limited by guarantee and joint-stock companies, regardless their size, acting in the Czech automotive industry. Phases of the corporate life cycle are identified according to the model by Dickinson (2010 based on combinations of cash flow values. The research showed that the golden rule of risk compensation is respected especially during maturity, whilst during introduction it is broken and on the market this rule is not respected either. Almost in all companies, regardless the phase, as well as on the whole market are long-term assets financed with long-term sources. During maturity, shake-out and decline the recommended liquidity of the second level is reached, but not the liquidity of the third level, whereas during the introduction and growth is not reached the recommended liquidity of any levels. The market is characterizedwith a sufficient liquidity of the second and insufficient liquidity of the third level. A surprising finding is that the golden ratio rule is, in most periods, respected on the

  9. Population traits of the burrowing toad Rhinella fernandezae (Gallardo, 1957 (Anura, Bufonidae Características populacionais do sapo Rhinella fernandezae (Anura, Bufonidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LC. Sanchez

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Size distribution, sex ratio and use of burrows of the burrowing toad Rhinella fernandezae were studied in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Two sites separated by approximately 300 m were studied: one was a road next to a swamp, and the other a garden of a country house located further from the swamp. We identified toad burrows, and individuals were sexed, measured and given an individual mark. Burrows were examined in subsequent months after the first sampling to assess the presence of toads. We found significant differences in the size distribution between areas, being the proportion of juveniles greater at the site next to the swamp where the reproduction of the species was observed. This result may suggest that the site located near to the swamp functions as a source habitat of individuals that migrate to the other site, where recruitment would be very scarce. Sex proportion of adults did not differ from 1:1 in neither the total population nor in each site, suggesting that there was not differential mortality by sex. Some toads changed burrows throughout the study period, but there were not differences in the frequency of change between adults and juveniles.Distribuição de tamanho, razão sexual operacional, e uso de covas do sapo Rhinella fernandezae foram estudados na província de Buenos Aires, Argentina, em dois sítios afastados 300 m. Um deles é uma trilha próxima a um pântano, o outro, um jardim de uma casa rural, mais afastado do pântano. Identificamos as covas dos sapos, e os indivíduos dentro delas foram sexados, medidos e marcados individualmente. As covas foram monitoradas mensalmente, depois da primeira amostragem para avaliar a presença dos sapos. Achamos diferenças na distribuição de tamanhos entres os sítios, sendo a proporção de juvenis maior naquele próximo ao pântano, onde a reprodução da espécie foi observada. O resultado sugere que o sítio próximo ao pântano funciona como um habitat fonte de indiv

  10. Alkaloids in bufonid toads (melanophryniscus): temporal and geographic determinants for two argentinian species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daly, J W; Wilham, J M; Spande, T F; Garraffo, H M; Gil, R R; Silva, G L; Vaira, M

    2007-04-01

    Bufonid toads of the genus Melanophryniscus represent one of several lineages of anurans with the ability to sequester alkaloids from dietary arthropods for chemical defense. The alkaloid profile for Melanophryniscus stelzneri from a location in the province of Córdoba, Argentina, changed significantly over a 10-year period, probably indicating changes in availability of alkaloid-containing arthropods. A total of 29 alkaloids were identified in two collections of this population. Eight alkaloids were identified in M. stelzneri from another location in the province of Córdoba. The alkaloid profiles of Melanophryniscus rubriventris collected from four locations in the provinces of Salta and Jujuy, Argentina, contained 44 compounds and differed considerably between locations. Furthermore, alkaloid profiles of M. stelzneri and M. rubriventris strongly differed, probably reflecting differences in the ecosystem and hence in availability of alkaloid-containing arthropods.

  11. JC Knobel THE BALD AND GOLDEN EAGLE PROTECTION ACT

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    USC 1531) (USA); and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity ... Province); Bophuthatswana Nature Conservation Act 3 of 1973 (Northwest Province, Free State) ... scientist may find it difficult to correctly identify members of the two species ..... usually sites its nest in trees close to water, the Golden Eagle usually breeds ...

  12. The Golden mean, Fibonacci matrices and partial weakly super-increasing sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esmaeili, M.; Gulliver, T.A.; Kakhbod, A.

    2009-01-01

    A source S={s 1 ,s 2 ,...}, with at least i+1 source symbols, having a binary Huffman code with codeword lengths satisfying l 1 =1,l 2 =2,...,l i =i, is called an i-level partial weakly super-increasing (PWSI) source. Connections between these sources, Fibonacci matrices and the Golden mean are studied. It is shown that the Euclidean projection of the distributions associated with these sources is given by Fibonacci-Hessenberg matrices. While there is no upper bound on the expected codeword length of Huffman codes representing PWSI sources (and hence no upper bound on their entropy), the Fibonacci sequence and the Golden mean (1+√(5))/2 provide a lower bound on the maximum expected codeword length of these codes.

  13. Thallium in spawn, juveniles, and adult common toads (Bufo bufo) living in the vicinity of a zinc-mining complex, Poland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dmowski, Krzysztof; Rossa, Monika; Kowalska, Joanna; Krasnodębska-Ostręga, Beata

    2015-01-01

    A breeding population of the common toad Bufo bufo living in the vicinity of a Zn-Pb smelting works in Bukowno, Poland was studied for the presence of thallium. Tl concentration was measured in the bottom sediments of the spawning pond, in the laid eggs, in juveniles after metamorphosis, and in the selected tissues of the adult individuals. A very high concentration of Tl was detected in the spawn (13.97 ± 8.90 mg/kg d.w.). In 50% of the spawn samples, levels exceeded 20 mgTl/kg d.w. The issue of maternal transfer of thallium from females to oocytes is discussed. Due to a significant accumulation of thallium, spawn analysis can be used as a sensitive indicator of the presence of this element in the environment and may replace more invasive methods that involve the killing of adult animals. In those regions that are abundant in Zn-Pb ores, the spawn of amphibians may be a very important source of thallium contamination for predators. From among all tissues of the Bukowno adult toads, the livers have shown the highest accumulation of thallium (mean 3.98 mg/kg d.w. and maximum value--18.63). For as many as 96.5% of livers, concentrations exceeded 1.0 mgTl/kg d.w. which is treated as indicative of poisoning.

  14. The Generalized Principle of the Golden Section and its applications in mathematics, science, and engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stakhov, A.P. [International Club of the Golden Section, 6 McCreary Trail, Bolton, ON, L7E 2C8 (Canada)] e-mail: goldenmuseum@rogers.com

    2005-10-01

    The 'Dichotomy Principle' and the classical 'Golden Section Principle' are two of the most important principles of Nature, Science and also Art. The Generalized Principle of the Golden Section that follows from studying the diagonal sums of the Pascal triangle is a sweeping generalization of these important principles. This underlies the foundation of 'Harmony Mathematics', a new proposed mathematical direction. Harmony Mathematics includes a number of new mathematical theories: an algorithmic measurement theory, a new number theory, a new theory of hyperbolic functions based on Fibonacci and Lucas numbers, and a theory of the Fibonacci and 'Golden' matrices. These mathematical theories are the source of many new ideas in mathematics, philosophy, botanic and biology, electrical and computer science and engineering, communication systems, mathematical education as well as theoretical physics and physics of high energy particles.

  15. Effects of plant phenology and solar radiation on seasonal movement of golden takin in the Qinling Mountains, China

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zeng, Z.G.; Beck, P.S.A.; Wang, T.; Skidmore, A.K.; Song, Y.L.; Gong, H.S.; Prins, H.H.T.

    2010-01-01

    The golden takin (Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi) is a large, forest-dwelling ungulate endemic to the Qinling Mountains, China. A recent study showed that golden takin move to different elevations depending on the season, remaining at high elevations in summer, intermediate elevations in winter, and at

  16. Conservation significance of alternative nests of golden eagles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brian A. Millsap; Teryl G. Grubb; Robert K. Murphy; Ted Swem; James W. Watson

    2015-01-01

    Golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are long-lived raptors that maintain nesting territories that may be occupied for a century or longer. Within occupied nesting territories there is one nest in which eagles lay their eggs in a given year (i.e., the used nest), but there are usually other nests (i.e., alternative nests). Conservation plans often protect used nests, but...

  17. Diet composition of golden jackal, Canis aureus in the Ngorongoro ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    TEMU

    storks (Ciconia abdimii) contributed the most to the diet of golden jackal in the dry and wet season respectively. ... eastern Europe, Middle East and South Asia up to Burma and ..... Suppression, and Body Mass in Canids. In: Solomon N and ...

  18. Golden Trail: Retrieving the Data History that Matters from a Comprehensive Provenance Repository

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paolo Missier

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Experimental science can be thought of as the exploration of a large research space, in search of a few valuable results. While it is this “Golden Data” that gets published, the history of the exploration is often as valuable to the scientists as some of its outcomes. We envision an e-research infrastructure that is capable of systematically and automatically recording such history – an assumption that holds today for a number of workflow management systems routinely used in e-science. In keeping with our gold rush metaphor, the provenance of a valuable result is a “Golden Trail”. Logically, this represents a detailed account of how the Golden Data was arrived at, and technically it is a sub-graph in the much larger graph of provenance traces that collectively tell the story of the entire research (or of some of it.In this paper we describe a model and architecture for a repository dedicated to storing provenance traces and selectively retrieving Golden Trails from it. As traces from multiple experiments over long periods of time are accommodated, the trails may be sub-graphs of one trace, or they may be the logical representation of a virtual experiment obtained by joining together traces that share common data.The project has been carried out within the Provenance Working Group of the Data Observation Network for Earth (DataONE NSF project. Ultimately, our longer-term plan is to integrate the provenance repository into the data preservation architecture currently being developed by DataONE.

  19. Reproductive success and habitat characteristics of Golden-winged Warblers in high-elevation pasturelands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, Petra; Aldinger, Kyle R.

    2016-01-01

    The Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) is one of the most rapidly declining vertebrate species in the Appalachian Mountains. It is the subject of extensive range-wide research and conservation action. However, little is known about this species' breeding ecology in high-elevation pasturelands, a breeding habitat with conservation potential considering the U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service's Working Lands for Wildlife program targeting private lands in the Appalachian Mountains. We located 100 nests of Golden-winged Warblers in pastures in and around the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia during 2008–2012. Daily nest survival rate (mean ± SE  =  0.962 ± 0.006), clutch size (4.5 ± 0.1), and number of young fledged per nest attempt (2.0 ± 0.2) and successful nest (4.0 ± 0.1) fell within the range of values reported in other parts of the species' range and were not significantly affected by year or the presence/absence of cattle grazing. Classification tree analysis revealed that nests were in denser vegetation (≥52%) and closer to forest edges (the male's territory. Successful nests had significantly more woody cover (≥9%) within 1 m than failed nests. Our results suggest that cattle grazing at 1.2–2.4 ha of forage/animal unit with periodic mowing can create and maintain these characteristics without interfering with the nesting of Golden-winged Warblers. High-elevation pasturelands may provide a refuge for remaining populations of Golden-winged Warblers in this region.

  20. Talking about Livet ‘life’ in Golden Age Danish

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hamann, Magnus; Levisen, Carsten

    2017-01-01

    discourses of “the good life” in English and the related Danish calque det gode liv. We argue that era-specific cultural semantics should not be seen as being substantially different from other kinds of culture-specific discourses and that historical varieties such as Golden Age Danish can help us dismantle...

  1. 7 CFR 51.1144 - U.S. No. 1 Golden.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ...) For tolerances see § 51.1151. (b) Internal quality: Lots meeting the internal requirements for “U.S... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false U.S. No. 1 Golden. 51.1144 Section 51.1144 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing...

  2. Estimation of occupancy, breeding success, and predicted abundance of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in the Diablo Range, California, 2014

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiens, J. David; Kolar, Patrick S.; Fuller, Mark R.; Hunt, W. Grainger; Hunt, Teresa

    2015-01-01

    We used a multistate occupancy sampling design to estimate occupancy, breeding success, and abundance of territorial pairs of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in the Diablo Range, California, in 2014. This method uses the spatial pattern of detections and non-detections over repeated visits to survey sites to estimate probabilities of occupancy and successful reproduction while accounting for imperfect detection of golden eagles and their young during surveys. The estimated probability of detecting territorial pairs of golden eagles and their young was less than 1 and varied with time of the breeding season, as did the probability of correctly classifying a pair’s breeding status. Imperfect detection and breeding classification led to a sizeable difference between the uncorrected, naïve estimate of the proportion of occupied sites where successful reproduction was observed (0.20) and the model-based estimate (0.30). The analysis further indicated a relatively high overall probability of landscape occupancy by pairs of golden eagles (0.67, standard error = 0.06), but that areas with the greatest occupancy and reproductive potential were patchily distributed. We documented a total of 138 territorial pairs of golden eagles during surveys completed in the 2014 breeding season, which represented about one-half of the 280 pairs we estimated to occur in the broader 5,169-square kilometer region sampled. The study results emphasize the importance of accounting for imperfect detection and spatial heterogeneity in studies of site occupancy, breeding success, and abundance of golden eagles.

  3. 78 FR 36566 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Technical Agency Draft Recovery Plan for Golden Sedge

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-18

    ... draft recovery plan for the endangered golden sedge, a species endemic to the coastal plain in North... framework for the recovery of this species so that protection under the Act is no longer necessary. Golden... ``protected'' to mean the site has been fee simple acquired and put into long-term conservation by a local or...

  4. “Hot Spring for Cure of Diseases”: On the Practice of Hydropathy in the Golden Horde.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abzalov L.F.

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Based on the achievements of hydrotherapy and balneology, the author of this article examines the practice of hydrotherapy in the Golden Horde. Research materials and results: The materials presented below largely complement our understanding of the Golden Horde’s society and shed light on such a poorly studied historical aspect of it as the history of medicine – this determines the novelty of the study. An analysis of the brief reports of the Arab authors al-‘Umari and Ibn Battuta allows us to conclude that hydrotherapy was practiced in the Golden Horde along with the active use of mineral waters for their curative properties. Hydrotherapeutic procedures were carried out in accordance with certain norms, which could be empirical or theoretical – that is, based on the works of famous doctors. Archaeological research points to the widespread use of baths that could be used for the treatment of diseases. Thus, water procedures for the treatment of various diseases were not only known in the Golden Horde, but also actively practiced there. It is possible that they were more common than was earlier considered to be the case. At the same time, it should be pointed out that healing and mineral water springs could be found in virtually every region of the Golden Horde, and each constituent people had their own concepts regarding the “element” of water, health, and what constituted a healthy lifestyle. This determined the specific methods of hydrotherapy, based on the features of a particular ethno-cultural community’s worldview.

  5. Non-destructive EDXRF-analysis of the golden haloes of Giotto's frescos in the Chapel of the Scrovegni in Padua

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cesareo, Roberto

    2003-01-01

    The famous frescos by Giotto in the 'Chapel of the Scrovegni in Padua' were systematically analysed in more than 300 points with various types of portable equipments based on energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence. A large number of golden haloes in particular were analysed, several black haloes where a golden leaf had come off, as well as several black haloes with no gold. From the measurements it could be deduced that the golden leaf is composed of pure gold, with a mean thickness of about 1.6 μm

  6. The Combination of Nomadic and Hierarchic Principles within the State Organization in the Golden Horde »

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R.S. Khakimov

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available On the one hand, the state system of the Golden Horde inherits a number of features from the former political culture of the Turkic states. On the other hand, it brings fundamental changes that determine the characteristics of the Eurasian empire. We introduce the concept of zero-point of history to explain periodization of Tatar history. In the history, the smooth flow of events breaks near the bifurcation point, when society enters into an unstable phase and a radical dismantling of social structures begins. Elements of the past remain as invariants. But they find themselves in the new assembly, which cannot be reduced to the same combinations of social elements. This is essentially new historical phase, in which one coordinate system of space-time is replaced by another and history launches a new countdown. The Golden Horde is the pinnacle of a nomadic civilization. Its prosperity was based on metallurgy, agriculture, and trade. Moreover, its main export was corn. Hundreds of cities and seaports were built in the Golden Horde, which distinguishes it from the Great Steppe. At the same time, despite the increase in sedentary population, the Golden Horde civilization retained its nomadic mentality. Chinese or European models of governance were basically impossible due to the presence of nomadic economy: it was necessary to control precisely the clans occupying certain territories. Clans were able to ensure both the collection of taxes from the mobile population and training of soldiers for the army. The clan system gave stability in the conditions of semi-nomadic life, while also allowing to control the sedentary population. The Golden Horde was a highly developed State with a strong financial system, with the state apparatus divided into two parts, one of which was associated with control of the nomadic population, and the other with the sedentary one. Territory, state structures, traditions, and political culture of the Golden Horde became the

  7. Genetic variation in aggression-related traits in Golden Retriever dogs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Liinamo, A.E.; Berg, van den L.; Leegwater, P.A.J.; Schilder, M.B.H.; Arendonk, van J.A.M.; Oost, van B.A.

    2007-01-01

    In this study, heritabilities of several measures of aggression were estimated in a group of 325 Golden Retrievers, using the Restricted Maximum Likelihood method. The studied measures were obtained either through owner opinions or by using the Canine Behavioural Assessment and Research

  8. The effects of fasting and cold exposure on metabolic rate and mitochondrial proton leak in liver and skeletal muscle of an amphibian, the cane toad Bufo marinus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trzcionka, M; Withers, K W; Klingenspor, M; Jastroch, M

    2008-06-01

    Futile cycling of protons across the mitochondrial inner membrane contributes significantly to standard metabolic rate in a variety of ectothermic and endothermic animals, but adaptations of the mitochondrial bioenergetics to different environmental conditions have rarely been studied in ectotherms. Changes in ambient temperature and nutritional status have a great effect on the physiological demands of ectothermic amphibians and may require the adjustment of mitochondrial efficiency. In order to investigate the effect of temperature and nutritional status on the mitochondrial level, we exposed male cane toads to either 10 degrees C or 30 degrees C and fasted half of the animals in each group. Cold exposure resulted in a fourfold reduction of the resting metabolic rate whereas nutritional status had only minor effects. The mitochondrial adjustments to each condition were observed by comparing the proton leak kinetics of isolated liver and skeletal muscle mitochondria at 25 degrees C. In response to cold exposure, liver mitochondria showed a decrease in proton conductance while skeletal muscle mitochondria were unchanged. Additional food deprivation had minor effects in skeletal muscle, but in liver we uncovered surprising differences in energy saving mechanisms between the acclimation temperatures: in warm-acclimated toads, fasting resulted in a decrease of the proton conductance whereas in cold-acclimated toads, the activity of the respiratory chain was reduced. To investigate the molecular mechanism underlying mitochondrial proton leakage, we determined the adenine-nucleotide transporter (ANT) content, which explained tissue-specific differences in the basal proton leak, but neither the ANT nor uncoupling protein (UCP) gene expression correlated with alterations of the proton leak in response to physiological stimuli.

  9. Changes of body fluid and hematology in toad and their rehabilitation following intermittent exposure to simulated high altitude

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biswas, H. M.; Boral, M. C.

    1986-06-01

    Three groups of adult male toads were exposed intermittently in a decompression chamber for a daily period of 4 and 8 hours at a time for 6 consecutive days to an “altitude” of 12,000; 18,000 and 24,000 feet (3658; 5486; 7315 m) respectively. Most of the exposed animals were sacrificed immediately after the last exposure, but only a few animals experiencing 8 hours of exposure were sacrificed after a further 16 hours of exposure at normal atmospheric pressure. Eight hours of daily exposure for 6 days causes a decrease of body fluids and an increase of hematological parameters in all the altitude exposed animals compared with to the changes noted in the animals having 4 hours of daily exposure for 6 days at the same altitude levels. The animals that were exposed to pressures equivalent to altitudes of 12,000 and 18,000 feet daily for 8 hours were found to return nearly to their normal body fluids and hematological balance after 16 hours of exposure to normal atmospheric pressure, whereas the animals exposed for a similar period at an equivalent 24,000 feet failed to get back their normal balance of body fluids and hematology after 16 hours of exposure at normal atmospheric pressure. The present experiment shows that the body weight loss and changes of body fluid and hematological parameters in the toad after exposure to simulated high altitude are due not only to dehydration, but suggest that hypoxia may also have a role.

  10. Comparative effect of carotenoid complex from golden neo-life ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Summary: The immunomodulatory effect of Carotenoid complex from Golden Neo-Life Dynamite (GNLD) and carrot extracted Carotenoid was assessed using 24 albino Wistar rats. The rats were assigned to 4 groups of 6 rats each consisting of group 1(control group treated with distilled water), group 2 (treated with olive oil) ...

  11. Cross-Field Comparison of Ethics Education: Golden Rules and Particulars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulhearn, Tyler J; Watts, Logan L; Torrence, Brett S; Todd, E Michelle; Turner, Megan R; Connelly, Shane; Mumford, Michael D

    2017-01-01

    Research misconduct negatively impacts the scientific community and society in general. Providing training in the responsible conduct of research (RCR) to researchers is one viable approach to minimizing research misconduct. Although recent evidence suggests ethics training can indeed be effective, little empirical work has examined the similarities and differences across fields. In the present study, we analyzed 62 empirical studies in engineering, biomedical science, social science, and mixed fields. The findings suggest certain instructional principles, or "golden rules," apply generally to all fields. These golden rules include maintaining a field-specific or field-general approach and emphasizing processes in training. The findings also suggest that content areas contributing to instructional effectiveness vary as a function of field. Generally, it appears that all fields may benefit from taking a multi-pronged approach to ethics education wherein the salient field issues are covered. Implications for RCR education are discussed.

  12. Vitamin A values of wild-caught Cuban tree frogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis) and marine toads (Rhinella marina) in whole body, liver, and serum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sullivan, Kathleen E; Fleming, Greg; Terrell, Scott; Smith, Dustin; Ridgley, Frank; Valdes, Eduardo V

    2014-12-01

    Recent issues surrounding captive amphibians are often nutritionally related problems, such as hypovitaminosis A. Although supplementation of frogs with vitamin A is a topic of investigation, the underlying issue is understanding vitamin A metabolism in amphibian species. To develop a range of "normal" vitamin A concentrations for captive amphibians, baseline vitamin A concentrations must be established in wild amphibian species. In this study, two species, Cuban tree frogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis; n = 59) and marine toads (Rhinella marina; n = 20) were collected from the wild as part of an invasive species control program at Zoo Miami, Miami, Florida. Serum, liver, and whole body samples were analyzed for vitamin A content. The Cuban tree frogs showed higher concentrations on average of vitamin A in serum (82.8 ppb), liver (248.3 IU/g), and whole body (5474.7 IU/kg) samples compared with marine toads (60.1 ppb; 105.3 IU/g; 940.7 IU/kg, respectively), but differences were not significant (P = 0.22). What can be considered "normal" values of vitamin A concentrations across different amphibian species requires further investigation. Although all amphibians collected in this study appeared healthy, a larger sample size of animals, with known health histories and diets, may provide stronger evidence of normal expectations.

  13. Golden Genesis and the Teotonio Vilela Foundation: commercializing PV residential electrification with a not-for-profit partner

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    D' Addario, P.J. [International Fund for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, New York, NY (United States)

    2000-11-01

    This article presents a case study of a project which provides photovoltaic-based rural electrification in the state of Alagoas in northeastern Brazil. The project, the Luz do Sol Programme (LdS), was initiated in mid-1996 by the Golden Genesis Company (Golden) and the Fundacao Teotonio Vilela (FTV). The article emphasizes some noteworthy characteristics of the project: the partnership between US commercial and Brazilian philanthropic interests; the financial aspect, a dedicated line of credit requiring only the equipment itself as security; and the local ownership and management of system operations, collections, and routine maintenance. In 1996, the Golden Genesis Company had developed a central battery charging system to bring the price of electrification within the range of the rural poor; it financed the US content of the systems, with the Bank of the Northeast of Brazil (BN) financing the Brazilian content. The article traces the long and arduous path to establish the programme, including both bureaucratic and technical challenges. These difficulties brought the project to an impasse in August of 1998, and Golden withdrew. FTV then re-negotiated the agreement with BN, changing the technical approach to individual solar home systems. This improved the situation, and the project has since enjoyed 100% loan repayment rates from the entrepreneurs. In June 1999, BP/Solarex became FTV's new commercial partner. The project currently shows promise of becoming the commercially viable programme originally envisaged by Golden, with commercial and technical decision-making at the local level. (author)

  14. In Search of the Golden Age Hip-Hop Sound (1986–1996

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ben Duinker

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The notion of a musical repertoire's "sound" is frequently evoked in journalism and scholarship, but what parameters comprise such a sound? This question is addressed through a statistically-driven corpus analysis of hip-hop music released during the genre's Golden Age era. The first part of the paper presents a methodology for developing, transcribing, and analyzing a corpus of 100 hip-hop tracks released during the Golden Age. Eight categories of aurally salient musical and production parameters are analyzed: tempo, orchestration and texture, harmony, form, vocal and lyric profiles, global and local production effects, vocal doubling and backing, and loudness and compression. The second part of the paper organizes the analysis data into three trend categories: trends of change (parameters that change over time, trends of prevalence (parameters that remain generally constant across the corpus, and trends of similarity (parameters that are similar from song to song. These trends form a generalized model of the Golden Age hip-hop sound which considers both global (the whole corpus and local (unique songs within the corpus contexts. By operationalizing "sound" as the sum of musical and production parameters, aspects of popular music that are resistant to traditional music-analytical methods can be considered.

  15. Multiracial Facial Golden Ratio and Evaluation of Facial Appearance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alam, Mohammad Khursheed; Mohd Noor, Nor Farid; Basri, Rehana; Yew, Tan Fo; Wen, Tay Hui

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the association of facial proportion and its relation to the golden ratio with the evaluation of facial appearance among Malaysian population. This was a cross-sectional study with 286 randomly selected from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Health Campus students (150 females and 136 males; 100 Malaysian Chinese, 100 Malaysian Malay and 86 Malaysian Indian), with the mean age of 21.54 ± 1.56 (Age range, 18-25). Facial indices obtained from direct facial measurements were used for the classification of facial shape into short, ideal and long. A validated structured questionnaire was used to assess subjects' evaluation of their own facial appearance. The mean facial indices of Malaysian Indian (MI), Malaysian Chinese (MC) and Malaysian Malay (MM) were 1.59 ± 0.19, 1.57 ± 0.25 and 1.54 ± 0.23 respectively. Only MC showed significant sexual dimorphism in facial index (P = 0.047; Pmean score of 2.18 ± 0.97 for overall impression and 2.15 ± 1.04 for facial parts, compared to MM and MI, with mean score of 1.80 ± 0.97 and 1.64 ± 0.74 respectively for overall impression; 1.75 ± 0.95 and 1.70 ± 0.83 respectively for facial parts. 1) Only 17.1% of Malaysian facial proportion conformed to the golden ratio, with majority of the population having short face (54.5%); 2) Facial index did not depend significantly on races; 3) Significant sexual dimorphism was shown among Malaysian Chinese; 4) All three races are generally satisfied with their own facial appearance; 5) No significant association was found between golden ratio and facial evaluation score among Malaysian population.

  16. The effect of soil composition and hydration on the bioavailability and toxicity of cadmium to hibernating juvenile American toads (Bufo americanus)

    Science.gov (United States)

    James, Stacy M.; Little, Edward E.; Semlitsch, Raymond D.

    2004-01-01

    The soil ecotoxicology literature has focused primarily on a few major taxa, to the neglect of other fossorial organisms such as amphibians. We selected cadmium (Cd) and the American toad (Bufo americanus) as a model contaminant and biological species to assess the impact of soil contamination on amphibian hibernation survival and post-hibernation condition. Soil sand composition (50, 70, 90%) and hydration (100, 150% water holding capacity (WHC)) were manipulated in addition to Cd concentration (0, 56, 165, 483 μg/g) to determine whether these soil properties affect toxicity. Soil Cd concentration significantly reduced survival and locomotor performance, and was correlated negatively with percent mass loss and positively with whole body Cd concentration. Higher sand content resulted in less mass loss and greater Cd uptake. Toads that were hibernated in 50% sand hydrated to 100% WHC had higher survival, less mass loss, and better sprint performance than those hibernated in 50% sand, 150% WHC. This study demonstrates that concentrations of Cd found in soil at highly contaminated sites can be bioaccumulated by hibernating amphibians and may reduce fitness. Differences in microhabitat use may cause species to vary in their exposure and susceptibility to soil contamination. The toxicity of Cd to amphibians could be greater in natural systems where there are multiple stressors and fluctuations in environmental variables.

  17. Padronização de parâmetros ecocardiográficos de cães da raça Golden Retriever clinicamente sadios Standardization of echocardiographic parameters of healthy Golden Retriever dogs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arine Pellegrino

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available A distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD em humanos é uma alteração neuromuscular hereditária, de caráter recessivo, ligada ao cromossomo X e causada pela ausência ou disfunção da distrofina. Clinicamente, caracteriza-se por severa alteração na musculatura esquelética, resultando em morte precoce do indivíduo acometido. Em cães da raça Golden Retriever, a mutação que leva à distrofia muscular ocorre espontaneamente e a extensa homologia entre a patogênese da DMD e da distrofia muscular do Golden Retriever permite qualificar o cão como principal substituto de humanos nos testes clínicos de novas terapias. O miocárdio deficiente em distrofina é mais vulnerável à sobrecarga de pressão e os pacientes com DMD podem desenvolver cardiomiopatia dilatada e hipertensão arterial; à ecocardiografia, verificam-se anormalidades na função diastólica, além de insuficiência sistólica em alguns pacientes mais velhos. No presente estudo, 41 cães da raça Golden Retriever, clinicamente sadios, foram submetidos ao exame ecocardiográfico com a finalidade de se obterem os citados parâmetros na referida raça, o que futuramente poderá servir de referência na identificação de cães portadores ou afetados pela distrofia muscular.The Duchenne's muscular dystrophy (DMD in humans is a recessive X-linked neuromuscular disease, caused either by the absence or dysfunction of the dystrophin. Clinically it is characterized by severe alteration in the skeletal musculature, resulting in precocious death of the affected patient. In Golden Retriever dogs, the mutation that determines the muscular dystrophy occurs spontaneously and the extensive homology among the pathogenesis of DMD and of Golden Retriever muscular dystrophy allows to qualify the dog as the main substitute of humans in the clinical tests of new therapies. The deficient myocardium in dystrophin is more vulnerable to the pressure overload, and the patients with DMD can develop

  18. Golden rain tree leaf extracts as potential inhibitor of lipid ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study was designed to evaluate the peroxyl radical scavenging capacity and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) protective effect of extract/fractions of Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm. (Golden rain tree) in lipid peroxidation assay and calf thymus DNA protection assay. The leaves of the plant were extracted with different ...

  19. Eurasian golden jackal as host of canine vector-borne protists

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Mitková, B.; Hrazdilová, K.; D'Amico, G.; Duscher, G. G.; Suchentrunk, F.; Forejtek, P.; Gherman, C.M.; Matei, I.A.; Ionică, A.M.; Daskalaki, A.A.; Mihalca, A. D.; Votýpka, Jan; Hulva, P.; Modrý, David

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 10, APR 14 (2017), č. článku 183. ISSN 1756-3305 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Eurasian golden jackal * Babesia * Hepatozoon * Theileria annae * Leishmania Subject RIV: GJ - Animal Vermins ; Diseases, Veterinary Medicine OBOR OECD: Veterinary science Impact factor: 3.080, year: 2016

  20. [Conseqquences of dorso-ventral and anterior-posterior reversion of early neurula lateral mesoblast on development of urogenital system in common toad, Bufo bufo. (Amphibia anura)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hakim, J; Gipouloux, J D

    1975-10-27

    At early neurula stage of the toad, cranio-caudal and dorso-ventral reversal of lateral mesoblast is performed. The genito-urinary system is therefore missing after this intervention. The three following factors of the formation of this system anlage are anlyzed: lateral mesoderm competence, stimulative activites of dorso-caudal endoblast on the one hand, of chordo-mesoderm on the other hand.

  1. Hematologic reference values for clinically healthy captive golden conures (Guaruba guarouba).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prioste, Fabíola Eloisa Setim; Zwarg, Ticiana; Teixeira, Rodrigo Hidalgo; Vanstreels, Ralph Eric Thijl; Rocha, Arnaldo; Matushima, Eliana Reiko

    2012-12-01

    Golden conures or ararajubas (Guaruba guarouba) are endangered parrots endemic to the Brazilian Amazon forest. Body mass, blood cell counts, and total plasma protein were determined for 70 clinically healthy golden conures captive at zoologic parks and private breeder facilities in Brazil. Hematologic results (mean +/- SD) were: Erythrocytes 3.6 +/- 0.5 x 10(6) cells/mm3, hemoglobin 12.8 +/- 1.4 g/dl, packed cell volume 46 +/- 3.8%, mean corpuscular volume 132 +/- 20 fl, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) 36 +/- 5.7 pg, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) 28 +/- 3.5%, thrombocytes 26.3 +/- 9.3 x 10(3) cells/mm3, leukocytes 11.9 +/- 4.5 x 10(3) cells/mm3, heterophils 6284 +/- 2715 cells/mm3, lymphocytes 5473 +/- 2408 cells/ mm3, monocytes 113 +/- 162 cells/mm3, eosinophils 10 +/- 42 cells/mm3, basophils 27 +/- 64 cells/mm3. Body mass was 254 +/- 24.9 g and total plasma protein (TPP) was 3.54 +/- 0.58 g/dl. No statistical differences were observed between genders within age groups. Differences between juveniles (J) and adults (A) were identified for TPP (J A), and MCHC (J > A). These results provide reliable reference values for the clinical interpretation of hematologic results for the species. Hematology may be an important tool for population health investigations on free-ranging golden conure populations and will also be essential to survey the health of release candidates in future reintroduction programs.

  2. Biosynthesis of sorbitol and other compounds in Golden Delicious apple leaves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steenkamp, J.; Terblanche, J.H.; De Villiers, O.T.

    1981-01-01

    The distribution of radioactivity in the principal alcohol-soluble fractions of Golden Delicious apple leaves after exposure to 14 CO 2 for periods from 5 s to 60 min showed that the main products of photosynthesis were located in the phosphorylated and sugar fractions. Although the phosphorylated fraction consistently contained the highest radioactivity, no attempt was made to separate and identify the different compounds. As the percentage activity in the sugar (and sorbitol) and phosphorylated fractions increased with time, that in the organic acid and amino acid fractions decreased. Since the sugar and sorbitol fraction contained 45% of the total radioactivity after 60 min exposure to 14 CO 2 , and since sorbitol contained 82% of the radioactivity in this fraction, it appears that sorbitol is the principal non-phosphorylated end-product of photosynthesis in Golden Delicious apple leaves. Similar results were obtained with plum and apricot leaves. Since after only 60 s of photosynthesis sorbitol contained the highest radioactivity, it is apparent that the formation of this compound is very rapid, plays a role in the metabolism of Golden Delicious apple leaves, and that it is probably associated with the chloroplasts, as was found for plum leaves. The fact that amino acids and other organic acids also contained an appreciable amount of radioactivity (especially after short periods of photosynthesis) indicates a close relationship between these compounds and the primary products of photosynthesis

  3. CERN recognizes LHC suppliers with Golden Hadron awards

    CERN Multimedia

    Patrice Loïez

    2002-01-01

    The recipients of CERN's first 'Golden Hadron' awards for outstanding supplier performance are the Russian institute BINP, the Belgian firm Cockerill-Sambre and the US company Wah-Chang. LHC project leader Lyn Evans (centre) with Santo Comel of Cockerill-Sambre (left) and Lynn Davis of Wah-Chang. The third recipient, Alexander Skrinsky of the Budker Institute, was unable to attend the ceremony and will collect the Institute's award in September.

  4. Study of Optical Band Gap of CuO Using Fermi's Golden Rule

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nemade, K R; Waghuley, S A

    2012-01-01

    Quantum size effect where the electronic and optical properties of solids are altered due to changes in the band structures, enhanced the surface/volume ratio in nano dimensions forces more than 33% of the atoms to be on the surface (for 10nm dot 35), which drastically altering the physical properties such as having lower melting temperature and lower sintering temperature, and higher diffusion force at elevated temperatures. Consequently, its Fermi's golden rule analysis becomes crucial. Cupric oxide (CuO) is an important transition metal oxide with the basis of several high temperature superconductors and giant magnetoresistance materials. In present investigation, optical Band Gap from UV data using Fermi's golden rule for single step chemically synthesized CuO was computed.

  5. Vortex Formation and Foraging in Polyphenic Spadefoot Toad Tadpoles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bazazi, Sepideh; Pfennig, Karin S; Handegard, Nils Olav; Couzin, Iain D

    2012-06-01

    Animal aggregations are widespread in nature and can exhibit complex emergent properties not found at an individual level. We investigate one such example here, collective vortex formation by congeneric spadefoot toad tadpoles: Spea bombifrons and S. multiplicata. Tadpoles of these species develop into either an omnivorous or a carnivorous (cannibalistic) morph depending on diet. Previous studies show S. multiplicata are more likely to develop into omnivores and feed on suspended organic matter in the water body. The omnivorous morph is frequently social, forming aggregates that move and forage together, and form vortices in which they adopt a distinctive slowly-rotating circular formation. This behaviour has been speculated to act as a means to agitate the substratum in ponds and thus could be a collective foraging strategy. Here we perform a quantitative investigation of the behaviour of tadpoles within aggregates. We found that only S. multiplicata groups exhibited vortex formation, suggesting that social interactions differ between species. The probability of collectively forming a vortex, in response to introduced food particles, increased for higher tadpole densities and when tadpoles were hungry. Individuals inside a vortex moved faster and exhibited higher (by approximately 27%) tailbeat frequencies than those outside the vortex, thus incurring a personal energetic cost. The resulting environmental modification, however, suggests vortex behaviour may be an adaptation to actively create, and exploit, a resource patch within the environment.

  6. Research on golden-winged warblers: recent progress and current needs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henry M. Streby; Ronald W. Rohrbaugh; David A. Buehler; David E. Andersen; Rachel Vallender; David I. King; Tom. Will

    2016-01-01

    Considerable advances have been made in knowledge about Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera) in the past decade. Recent employment of molecular analysis, stable-isotope analysis, telemetry-based monitoring of survival and behavior, and spatially explicit modeling techniques have added to, and revised, an already broad base of published...

  7. Status of Asiatic Golden Cat Catopuma temminckii Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 (Carnivora: Felidae in Bhutan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tashi Dhendup

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The Asiatic Golden Cat is a Near Threatened wild cat species as listed by the IUCN. Being a lesser studied species, there is a general paucity of data and hence, global assessment of its true status has been very difficult. In Bhutan, available information on this species is mainly from biodiversity surveys on big mammals such as Tiger and Snow Leopard. A modest attempt has been made to review all available literature on Asiatic Golden Cat in Bhutan and abroad to describe the current status of the species in the country and the need for further studies. 

  8. 33 CFR 165.1187 - Security Zones; Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, San Francisco Bay...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Limited Access Areas Eleventh Coast Guard District § 165.1187 Security Zones; Golden Gate Bridge and the... Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, in San Francisco Bay, California. (b... siren, radio, flashing light, or other means, the operator of a vessel shall proceed as directed. [COTP...

  9. Metabolic evidence that serosal sodium does not recycle through the active transepithelial transport pathway of toad bladder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canessa, M; Labarca, P; Leaf, A

    1976-12-25

    The possibility that sodium from the serosal bathing medium "back diffuses" into the active sodium transport pool within the mucosal epithelial cell of the isolated toad bladder was examined by determining the effect on the metabolism of the tissue of removing sodium from the serosal medium. It was expected that if recycling of serosal sodium did occur through the active transepithelial transport pathway of the isolated toad bladder, removal of sodium from the serosal medium would reduce the rate of CO2 production by the tissue and enhance of stoichiometric ratio of sodium ions transported across the bladder per molecula of sodium transport dependent CO2 produced simultaneously by the bladder (JNa/JCO2). The data revealed no significant change in this ratio (17.19 with serosal sodium and 16.13 after replacing serosal sodium with choline). Further, when transepithelial sodium transport was inhibited (a) by adding amiloride to the mucosal medium, or (b) by removing sodium from the mucosal medium, subsequent removal of sodium from the serosal medium, or (c) addition of ouabain failed to depress the basal rate of CO2 production by the bladder [(a)rate of basal, nontransport related, CO2 production (JbCO2) equals 1.54 +/- 0.52 with serosal sodium and 1.54 +/- 0.37 without serosal sodium; (b) Jb CO2 equals 2.18 +/- 0.21 with serosal sodium and 2.09 +/- 0.21 without serosal sodium; (c) 1.14 +/- 0.26 without ouabain and 1.13 +/- 0.25 with ouabain; unite of JbCO2 are nmoles mg d.w.-1 min-1]. The results support the hypothesis that little, if any, recycling of serosal sodium occurs in the total bladder.

  10. Analisis Strategi dan Taktik Pemasaran dalam Aktivitas E-Commerce untuk Meningkatkan Pertumbuhan PT Golden Rama Express

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annetta Gunawan

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Opportunities for tour & travel industry in Indonesia is increasing, thus attracting a lot of players to compete. PT Golden Rama Express as an industry leader in the tour industry wants to continue to grow the business. The development of information technology led to changes in consumer behavior, encouraging Golden Rama to take advantage of gaps that occur to become a leader in e-commerce activities. The purpose of this project consulting is to devise marketing strategies and tactics in order to improve the effectiveness of e-commerce activity for the Golden Rama. This study used questionnaire, interview, and literature study as a means to collect the data. Then the results of the data analysis of both quantitative and qualitative were used to plan growth based on the concept of Matrix Nine. The results of this study revealed that the existing customers of PT Golden Rama Express which can be expanded to the e-commerce market are upper middle families who have often gone abroad. Wife has significant role in filtering and selecting information and its potential customers are families who are beginners in terms of holidaying abroad are active in the virtual world with the characteristics as early adopters. This study is expected to be input to the PT Golden Rama Express in determining marketing strategies are needed in the market work is done by integrating the activities of online, offline, and mobile, based on the concept communitization, confirmation, and the clarification, which is equipped with the concept of Crossing the Chasm. Then the marketing tactics is based on the concept of communal activation and conversation, improve Web site content, as well as applying the principle of contextual marketing.

  11. Biographical Compilation by as-Safadi Salah al-Din as a Source of the Golden Horde History

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zaynuddinov D.R.

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Publication and translation into Russian of extracts of sources on the Golden Horde history remains topical issue of contemporary source studies. Research objective: to introduce into academic circulation materials on the Golden Horde history from a previously unknown medieval Arab source. Research materials: Biographical Collection Aʿyān al-ʿAṣrwa-Aʿwān al-Naṣr (Outstanding personalities of this century, and the champions of victory belonging to the pen of the Mamluk historian al-Safadi, Salah al-Din (696 AH / 1297 – 764 GH./1363. Results and novelty of the research: The work was written by the author in Egypt and Syria in the second half of the 14th century, that is, during the heyday of the Golden Horde. It was first published in 1998 in Beirut in six volumes, the latter being composed of indexes. The amount of volume ranges from 685 (Volume 4 to 736 (Vol.1 pages, which makes a total of 3578 pages (without indexes. The novelty of the paper consists in the fact that it introduces for the first time into scholarly circulation Russian translation of biographies of the Golden Horde khans Tokhta and Uzbek, of the Mamluk physician al-Numan, of amir Kusun and Sultan al-Nasir. The article also contains an analysis of the collection as well as translation of certain sections of the work related to the history of Dasht-i Kipchak, together with brief comments. In conclusion, I would like to note that the introduction into the scholarly circulation of Salah al-Din al-Safadi’s biographical collection Aʿyān al-ʿAṣrwa-Aʿwān al-Naṣr will provide a lot of useful information and help to clarify the available data on the history of the Golden Horde.

  12. Improved coagulation and blood conservation in the golden hours after cardiopulmonary bypass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beckmann, Scott R; Carlile, Dee; Bissinger, Randall C; Burrell, M; Winkler, Thomas; Shely, William W

    2007-06-01

    The Hemobag (HB) technique allows the open-heart team to safely concentrate the residual cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit contents and return a high volume of concentrated clotting factors and blood cells back to the patient as autotransfusion. Hematocrit, platelet count, fibrinogen concentration ([Fib]), prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), and international normalized ratio (INR) were compared between two prospective convenience groups of cardiac surgical patients whose residual circuit blood was processed by the HB (n=10) or by the Cell Saver (CS; n=10) at two times after CPB: (a) after acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) infusion and protamine administration and (b) after admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), approximately 1 hour after CPB and HB content infusion. Minimal cell processing was also used in the HB patients to conserve blood. "Golden hours" is defined as the first few hours after CPB and protamine sulfate administration and extend into the ICU, when maintaining hemostasis is vital during cardiac surgery and is the most susceptible period for blood product administration and the opportunity to improve patient outcome. Except for PTT, all parameters changed significantly from the ANH infusion and protamine administration to approximately 1 hour after HB blood infusion and arrival in the ICU. Fibrinogen (p = .048) and hematocrit (p = .046) were significantly higher in the HB group compared with the CS group at the end of the golden hour despite infusion of significantly more allogeneic blood products (p = .070) and more washed red blood cells (RBCs; p = .001) in the CS group. All but one of the HB patients did not receive any allogeneic blood products during the golden hours. Use of the HB technique for salvaging blood is associated with significant increases in the patient's protein and cellular concentrations and lowered coagulation times in the important, first few golden hours after CPB, and except for one patient

  13. Establishing quantitative habitat targets for a "Critically Endangered" neotropical migrant (golden-cheeked warbler Dendroica chrysoparia) during the non-breeding season

    Science.gov (United States)

    David I. King; Carlin C. Chandler; John H. Rappole; Richard B. Chandler; David W. Mehlman

    2012-01-01

    The Golden-cheeked Warbler Dendroica chrysoparia is a federally endangered Neotropical migrant that inhabits montane pine-oak forests in Mexico and northern Central America during the non-breeding season. Although it is known that Golden-cheeked Warblers are closely associated with ‘encino’ oaks (...

  14. Time-dependent aldosterone metabolism in toad urinary bladder

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brem, A.S.; Pacholski, M.; Morris, D.J.

    1988-01-01

    Aldosterone (Aldo) metabolism was examined in the toad bladder. Bladders were incubated with [ 3 H]aldosterone (10(-7) M) for 5 h, 1 h, or 10 min. Tissues were analyzed for metabolites using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). In separate experiments, Na+ transport was assessed by the short-circuit current (SCC) technique. Following a 5-h tissue incubation, about 25% of the [ 3 H]-aldosterone was converted into metabolites including a polar monosulfate metabolite, 20 beta-dihydroaldo (20 beta-DHAldo), small quantities of 5 beta-reduced products, and a variety of 5 alpha-reduced Aldo products including 5 alpha-DHAldo, 3 alpha,5 alpha-tetrahydroaldo (3 alpha,5 alpha-THAldo), and 3 beta,5 alpha-THAldo. Tissues metabolized approximately 10% of the labeled hormone into the same compounds by 1 h. Measurable quantities of these metabolites were also synthesized by bladders exposed to Aldo for only 10 min and then incubated in buffer for an additional 50 min without Aldo. Bladders pretreated with the spironolactone, K+-canrenoate (3.5 X 10(-4) M), and stimulated with Aldo (10(-7) M) generated a peak SCC 44 +/- 6% of that observed in matched pairs stimulated with Aldo (P less than 0.001; n = 6). K+-canrenoate also markedly diminished [ 3 H]aldosterone metabolism at both 5 and 1 h. Thus, metabolic transformation of Aldo begins prior to hormone-induced increases in Na+ transport. Both the generation of certain metabolites (e.g., 5 alpha-reductase pathway products) and the increase in Na+ transport can be selectively inhibited by K+-canrenoate

  15. Prediction of Golden Time for Recovering the Safety Injection System in Severe LOCA Circumstances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoo, Kwae Hwan; Kim, Dong Young; Choi, Geon Pil; Back, Ju Hyun; Na, Man Gyun

    2015-01-01

    In this study, the core uncovery and RV failure according to LOCA break sizes were analyzed by using the MAAP4 code when safety injection system (SIS) was not operating normally. We predicted the golden time of SIS recovery for accomplishing the reactor cold shutdown and preventing RV failure. MAAP4 code was used for severe accident analysis. The LOCA simulations were performed with break size in order to predict the golden time to recovery SIS. We predicted the golden time according to the SIS operation cases through the simulation of OPR1000. When LOCA occurred, the normal operation of SIS is very important in maintaining the integrity of NPPs. However if the SIS does not work or its actuation is delayed due to failure of the equipment, the DBA will lead to a severe accident. In this study, accident situations that SIS does not work normally were assumed and a number of MAAP4 code simulations were conducted. In addition, core uncovery time and RV failure time were predicted. If the recovery time of SIS for accident recovery is predicted, the core will not be exposed through appropriate action

  16. Molecular and morphological differentiation of Secret Toad-headed agama, Phrynocephalus mystaceus, with the description of a new subspecies from Iran (Reptilia, Agamidae)

    OpenAIRE

    N. Solovyeva, Evgeniya; N. Dunayev, Evgeniy; A. Nazarov, Roman; Rajabizadeh, Mehdi; Poyarkov Jr., Nikolay A.

    2018-01-01

    The morphological and genetic variation of a wide-ranging Secret Toad-headed agama, Phrynocephalus mystaceus that inhabits sand deserts of south-eastern Europe, Middle East, Middle Asia, and western China is reviewed. Based on the morphological differences and high divergence in COI (mtDNA) gene sequences a new subspecies of Ph. mystaceus is described from Khorasan Razavi Province in Iran. Partial sequences of COI mtDNA gene of 31 specimens of Ph. mystaceus from 17 localities from all major p...

  17. Radioactivity levels in mussels and sediments of the Golden Horn by the Bosphorus Strait, Marmara Sea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kılıç, Önder; Belivermiş, Murat; Gözel, Furkan; Carvalho, Fernando P

    2014-09-15

    The Golden Horn is an estuary located in the center of İstanbul receiving freshwater discharges from two creeks and connecting to the Bosphorus Strait. Activity concentrations of natural and artificial radionuclides were determined in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and sediments from the Golden Horn sampled in February 2012. Mean activity concentrations of (137)Cs, (40)K, (226)Ra, (228)Ra, (210)Po and (210)Pb in the mussels were determined at 1.03±0.23, 389±41.6, 2.61±1.23, not detected (ND), 91.96±37.88 and 11.48±4.85 Bq kg(-1), respectively. In sediments, it was observed that (137)Cs, (40)K, (226)Ra, (228)Ra, (210)Po and (210)Pb activity concentrations inolden Horn were much lower than in mussels from other coastal regions and this was related to low plankton productivity and eutrophication of the Golden Horn. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Signing the golden book on CERN's 50th Anniversary

    CERN Multimedia

    Patrice Loiez; Michel Blanc

    2004-01-01

    CERN's 50th Anniversary Official Celebration: one of the high moments of the day, the signing of the golden book by the King of Spain, Juan Carlos; the President of the Republic of France, Jacques Chirac and the President of the Swiss Confederation, Joseph Deiss. Spanning the Franco-Swiss border, and formed soon after the Second World War, CERN relies heavily on international cooperation at every level.

  19. Golden half ring sign for identification of pseudophacocele

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shivcharan Lal Chandravanshi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Dislocation of intraocular lens (IOL is a serious complication of blunt ocular trauma in pseudophakic eyes. Here, a 72-year-old male patient with subconjunctival dislocation of an IOL (pseudophacocele secondary to bull horn injury was reported. In this case report, a new sign named as "golden half ring sign" was described for easy identification and localization of subconjunctival dislocation of IOL in patient with open globe injury (surgical wound dehiscence associated dense subconjunctival hemorrhage.

  20. Ambient temperature affects postnatal litter size reduction in golden hamsters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohrnberger, Sarah A; Monclús, Raquel; Rödel, Heiko G; Valencak, Teresa G

    2016-01-01

    To better understand how different ambient temperatures during lactation affect survival of young, we studied patterns of losses of pups in golden hamsters ( Mesocricetus auratus ) at different ambient temperatures in the laboratory, mimicking temperature conditions in natural habitats. Golden hamsters produce large litters of more than 10 young but are also known to wean fewer pups at the end of lactation than they give birth to. We wanted to know whether temperature affects litter size reductions and whether the underlying causes of pup loss were related to maternal food (gross energy) intake and reproductive performance, such as litter growth. For that, we exposed lactating females to three different ambient temperatures and investigated associations with losses of offspring between birth and weaning. Overall, around one third of pups per litter disappeared, obviously consumed by the mother. Such litter size reductions were greatest at 30 °C, in particular during the intermediate postnatal period around peak lactation. Furthermore, litter size reductions were generally higher in larger litters. Maternal gross energy intake was highest at 5 °C suggesting that mothers were not limited by milk production and might have been able to raise a higher number of pups until weaning. This was further supported by the fact that the daily increases in litter mass as well as in the individual pup body masses, a proxy of mother's lactational performance, were lower at higher ambient temperatures. We suggest that ambient temperatures around the thermoneutral zone and beyond are preventing golden hamster females from producing milk at sufficient rates. Around two thirds of the pups per litter disappeared at high temperature conditions, and their early growth rates were significantly lower than at lower ambient temperatures. It is possible that these losses are due to an intrinsic physiological limitation (imposed by heat dissipation) compromising maternal energy intake and

  1. The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, species-based legal ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940 bestows legal protection on two North American eagle species in the United States of America. The Act was originally aimed at the legal protection of only one species: the Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus, the national symbol of the USA. Later the Act was amended to ...

  2. Concerning the Nomadic Culture of the Golden Horde »

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R.S. Khakimov

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Researchers consider nomadic and sedentary cultures as evolutionary stages. The nomadic phase precedes a settled one as an inferior stage of civilization. The evolutionary view does not explain the combination of nomadic and settled cultures in the Golden Horde and the preservation of many features of nomadism in the future, up to the present day. A number of experts, in particular, Thomas Barfield believes that nomadic societies exist by levying tribute from the settled state, which raises doubts. The Eurasian nomadic civilization is associated with the organization of vital activity in the conditions of steppe climate zone requiring constant migrations aimed at producing a sufficient amount of livestock. Robbery and receiving tribute from other societies is not its main characteristic. More important for it is a specific arrangement of humans, animals, and vehicles allowing the movement of large numbers of people over long distances. The nomads were not so strongly tied to the land as sedentary people. The structure of society was not built according to a vertical hierarchy but on the clan system. The nomads provoked the Great Migration and created a number of nomadic empires as well as the Golden Horde, the top of nomadic civilization. The ability to integrate different peoples in the uniform State was associated with openness and toleration of nomadic culture. The nomads took advantage of warfare methods through mobility, effective combinations of weapons, horses, vehicles, and skills training of combat operations. Their army was not hired or regular but represented the people-army. The ability to effective warfare contributed to the nomadic expansion and exploration of the Eurasian space. The nomadic culture of the Golden Horde had its own characteristics associated with the conjunction of nomadic and settled population in the uniform State. Nomadism does not disappear as a culture and mentality over time. Large spaces and lack of

  3. Multiracial Facial Golden Ratio and Evaluation of Facial Appearance.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Khursheed Alam

    Full Text Available This study aimed to investigate the association of facial proportion and its relation to the golden ratio with the evaluation of facial appearance among Malaysian population. This was a cross-sectional study with 286 randomly selected from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM Health Campus students (150 females and 136 males; 100 Malaysian Chinese, 100 Malaysian Malay and 86 Malaysian Indian, with the mean age of 21.54 ± 1.56 (Age range, 18-25. Facial indices obtained from direct facial measurements were used for the classification of facial shape into short, ideal and long. A validated structured questionnaire was used to assess subjects' evaluation of their own facial appearance. The mean facial indices of Malaysian Indian (MI, Malaysian Chinese (MC and Malaysian Malay (MM were 1.59 ± 0.19, 1.57 ± 0.25 and 1.54 ± 0.23 respectively. Only MC showed significant sexual dimorphism in facial index (P = 0.047; P<0.05 but no significant difference was found between races. Out of the 286 subjects, 49 (17.1% were of ideal facial shape, 156 (54.5% short and 81 (28.3% long. The facial evaluation questionnaire showed that MC had the lowest satisfaction with mean score of 2.18 ± 0.97 for overall impression and 2.15 ± 1.04 for facial parts, compared to MM and MI, with mean score of 1.80 ± 0.97 and 1.64 ± 0.74 respectively for overall impression; 1.75 ± 0.95 and 1.70 ± 0.83 respectively for facial parts.1 Only 17.1% of Malaysian facial proportion conformed to the golden ratio, with majority of the population having short face (54.5%; 2 Facial index did not depend significantly on races; 3 Significant sexual dimorphism was shown among Malaysian Chinese; 4 All three races are generally satisfied with their own facial appearance; 5 No significant association was found between golden ratio and facial evaluation score among Malaysian population.

  4. Golden Proportion in Frontal Social Smile from Orthodontic Viewpoint

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    z Tabatabaei

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Physical attraction has a significant effect on all aspects of personal life, and in this category facial appearance is the most important part of the body in prediction of attractiveness. In the face, mouth and specially shape and size of anterior teeth is important to gain dental and facial esthetic. The aim of this study is evaluation of golden proportion from orthodontic view in maxillary anterior teeth in both sexes. Methods: Considering inclusion and exclusion criteria, 100 students of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences were selected, and photographs of their frontal social smile were taken by a standard method from 30cm distance. Then visible part of central, lateral and canine teeth was measured by Photoshop software (Adobe Photoshop ver8 with 0.1mm precision. Data was evaluated by descriptive statistical analysis and sample T-test using SPSS. Results: According to descriptive statistical analysis and sample T- test, mean ratio of central to lateral teeth in the left side in men and women was 1.209±0.199 and 1.157±0.156 and in the right side in men and women was 1.179± 0.27 and 1.158± 0.145, respectively. The ratio of lateral to canine teeth in the left side in men and women was 1.522±0.146 and 1.494±0.127 and in the right side in men and women was 1.55±0.164 and 1.51±0.114, respectively. Golden proportion was seen between central and lateral teeth in 16% in the right side and 3.4% in the left side only in men. Conclusion: Golden proportion was seen between central and lateral in the left side and right side in men, but due to large canine in men, this proportion was not seen between lateral and canine teeth and so due to small lateral in women, it was not seen between anterior teeth.

  5. And the winner of the Golden CinéGlobe is…

    CERN Multimedia

    Laëtitia Pedroso

    2010-01-01

    Three years after the first CinéGlobe festival, the CERN film club has just organised a second international festival of short films and science documentaries, attended by a host of film-makers and film fans alike. Six special prizes were awarded.   One of the Golden CinéGlobe awards The second Golden CinéGlobe award ceremony was held in the Globe on the evening of Saturday, 20 February. Now something of a magnet for local fans of short films and science documentaries, the CinéGlobe festival has become one of the most successful events organised by a CERN club. "Organising the festival has been a gratifying experience as many people have taken part in and enjoyed the event", says Quentin King, vice-chairman of the CERN film club, Open Your Eyes Films. "Time was our worst enemy. It took us a year to bring the project to fruition but we could have done with another year to refine some of the details". The 18 screenings...

  6. Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) habitat selection as a function of land use and terrain, San Diego County, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tracey, Jeff A.; Madden, Melanie C.; Bloom, Peter H.; Katzner, Todd E.; Fisher, Robert N.

    2018-04-16

    Beginning in 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with Bloom Biological, Inc., began telemetry research on golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) captured in the San Diego, Orange, and western Riverside Counties of southern California. This work was supported by the San Diego Association of Governments, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Since 2014, we have tracked more than 40 eagles, although this report focuses only on San Diego County eagles.An important objective of this research is to develop habitat selection models for golden eagles. Here we provide predictions of population-level habitat selection for golden eagles in San Diego County based on environmental covariates related to land use and terrain.

  7. Radioactivity levels in mussels and sediments of the Golden Horn by the Bosphorus Strait, Marmara Sea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kılıç, Önder; Belivermiş, Murat; Gözel, Furkan; Carvalho, Fernando P.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The first comprehensive study related to radioactivity concentrations in the study area. • Assessment of several radionuclides such as Cs-137, K-40, Ra-226, Ra-228, Po-210 and Pb-210 in mussel and sediment. • Investigation of relationship amongst radionuclides, organic matter percent, pH value and particle size of sediment. - Abstract: The Golden Horn is an estuary located in the center of İstanbul receiving freshwater discharges from two creeks and connecting to the Bosphorus Strait. Activity concentrations of natural and artificial radionuclides were determined in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and sediments from the Golden Horn sampled in February 2012. Mean activity concentrations of 137 Cs, 40 K, 226 Ra, 228 Ra, 210 Po and 210 Pb in the mussels were determined at 1.03 ± 0.23, 389 ± 41.6, 2.61 ± 1.23, not detected (ND), 91.96 ± 37.88 and 11.48 ± 4.85 Bq kg −1 , respectively. In sediments, it was observed that 137 Cs, 40 K, 226 Ra, 228 Ra, 210 Po and 210 Pb activity concentrations in <63 μm particle fraction of sediment were generally higher than those determined in mussels. Po-210 and 210 Po/ 210 Pb ratios in mussels from the Golden Horn were much lower than in mussels from other coastal regions and this was related to low plankton productivity and eutrophication of the Golden Horn

  8. Trafficking Golden Crescent Drugs into Western China: An Analysis and Translation of a Recent Chinese Police Research Article

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    illegal drug exchanges and consumption markets in Xinjiang, and soon this heroin even exceeded the market position of traditional Golden Triangle heroin...tons of the precursor chemical acetic anhydride {cusucmgan; WiW. iff) being smuggled out of the border. • 800,000 tabs of the psychoactive drug ...Trafficking Golden Crescent Drugs into Western China: An Analysis and Translation of a Recent Chinese Police Research Article Dr. Murray Scot

  9. Organochlorine insecticide poisoning in Golden Langurs Trachypithecus geei

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D.C. Pathak

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Organochlorine insecticide poisoning was recorded in three Golden Langurs (Trachypithecus geei in Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS in Kokrajhar district of Assam during the month of December, 2008. The poisoning was due to prolonged ingestion of rubber plant leaves sprayed with the insecticide in a rubber plantation adjacent to the sanctuary. Though no specific gross lesions were observed, histopathologically, centilobular hepatic necrosis, mild renal degeneration, necrotic enteritis, pulmonary congestion and neuronal degeneration were recorded in all three animals.

  10. Signing the golden book on CERN's 50th Anniversary

    CERN Multimedia

    Patrice Loiez; Michel Blanc

    2004-01-01

    CERN's 50th Anniversary Official Celebration: one of the high moments of the day was the signing of the golden book by the King of Spain, Juan Carlos; the President of the Republic of France, Jacques Chirac and the President of the Swiss Confederation, Joseph Deiss. Spanning the Franco-Swiss border and formed just after the Second World War, CERN heavily relies on international cooperation at every level.

  11. Golden Eagle predation on experimental Sandhill and Whooping Cranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellis, D.H.; Clegg, K.R.; Lewis, J.C.; Spaulding, E.

    1999-01-01

    There are very few published records of Golden Eagles preying upon cranes, especially in North America. During our experiments to lead cranes on migration behind motorized craft in the western United States, we experienced 15 attacks (four fatal) and believe many more attacks would have occurred (and more would have been fatal) without human intervention. We recognize eagle predation as an important risk to cranes especially during migration.

  12. Report on the International Workshop “The Golden Horde in a Global Perspective: Imperial Strategies”, Leiden University, May 7–8, 2015 »

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roman Hautala

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available This article contains a report on the international conference organized by the University of Leiden in May 2015. According to its organizers, this conference has become the first Western European symposium dedicated to the study of the long history of the Golden Horde. The conference became a fruitful meeting place of the leading Russian and Tatar historians and archaeologists with their Western colleagues from the Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States of America, Hungary, Poland, and Finland. International participants of the Leiden conference discussed the most topical issues of historiography associated with eventful history of the Golden Horde. In particular, the conference participants paid special attention to the study of the administration of the ulus of Jochi that naturally combined governmental models of the Mongol Empire of the Chingizids with local administrative elements. A separate section of the conference was devoted to the analysis of the religious policy of the Golden Horde khans, where special attention was paid to the historiographical debate on the Islamization of the ulus of Jochi. The conference participants also paid considerable attention to the consideration of the material culture of the Golden Horde known both from written sources and, above all, from the materials of archaeological findings. Also, a number of reports of the confe­rence was devoted to foreign and domestic policies of the Golden Horde rulers, at the same time reflecting the central geopolitical role of the ulus of Jochi on the Eurasian continent and the high level of civilization of the Golden Horde. The main achievement of the Leiden conference was a statement on the need of deeper study of the Golden Horde history in order to overcome a number of stereotypes regarding misconceptions of the ulus of Jochi represented as backward and parasitic State formation. The conference participants agreed in general opinion about the necessity of similar

  13. Microsatellite analysis of the natterjack toad (Bufo calamita) in Denmark: populations are islands in a fragmented landscape

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Allentoft, Morten Erik; Siegismund, Hans Redlef; Briggs, Lars

    2009-01-01

    The European natterjack toad (Bufo calamita) has declined rapidly in recent years, primarily due to loss of habitat, and in Denmark it is estimated that 50% of the isolated populations are lost each decade. To efficiently manage and conserve this species and its genetic diversity, knowledge...... of isolation by distance within major regions supported this apparent lack of a gene flow continuum. Indications of a genetic bottleneck were found in three populations. The analyses suggest that the remaining Bufo calamita populations in Denmark are genetically isolated, and represent independent units...... in a highly fragmented gene pool. Future conservation management of this species is discussed in light of these results....

  14. Looking Like Gold: Chlorite and Talc Transformation in the Golden Slip Ware Production (Swat Valley, North-Western Pakistan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lara Maritan

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The archaeometric study of the “golden slip” ware (second century BCE—fourth century CE at the site of Barikot (Swat, north-western Pakistan aimed to define its manufacturing technology and provenance of the raw materials used. For this reason, a multianalytical approach consisting of the microscopic, microstructural and mineralogical analysis of both the golden slip and the ceramic paste was adopted. The slip was found to be composed by platy minerals, microchemically identified as talc and chlorite; their intimate association indicated clearly that they derived from a chlorite-talc schist. This rock is geologically available near the site in the “green stones” lenses within the Mingora ophiolites outcropping in the Swat valley. Due to the use of this stone also for the production of stone tools, it cannot be excluded that the chlorite-talc schist used for the golden slip can be derived from manufacturing residues of the Gandharan sculptures. In order to constrain the firing production technology, laboratory replicas were produced using a locally collected clay and coating them with ground chlorite-talc schist. On the basis of the mineralogical association observed in both the slip and the ceramic paste and the thermodynamic stability of the pristine mineral phases, the golden slip pottery underwent firing under oxidising conditions in the temperature interval between 800 °C and 850 °C. The golden and shining looks of the slip were here interpreted as the result of the combined light reflectance of the platy structure of the talc-based coating and the uniform, bright red colour of the oxidized ceramic background.

  15. Repeated thermal stressor causes chronic elevation of baseline corticosterone and suppresses the physiological endocrine sensitivity to acute stressor in the cane toad (Rhinella marina).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayan, Edward J; Hero, Jean-Marc

    2014-04-01

    Extreme environmental temperature could impact the physiology and ecology of animals. The stress endocrine axis provides necessary physiological stress response to acute (day-day) stressors. Presently, there are no empirical evidences showing that exposure to extreme thermal stressor could cause chronic stress in amphibians. This could also modulate the physiological endocrine sensitivity to acute stressors and have serious implications for stress coping in amphibians, particularly those living in fragmented and disease prone environments. We addressed this important question using the cane toad (Rhinella marina) model from its introduced range in Queensland, Australia. We quantified their physiological endocrine sensitivity to a standard acute (capture and handling) stressor after exposing the cane toads to thermal shock at 35°C for 30min daily for 34 days. Corticosterone (CORT) responses to the capture and handling protocol were measured on three sampling intervals (days 14, 24, and 34) to determine whether the physiological endocrine sensitivity was maintained or modulated over-time. Two control groups (C1 for baseline CORT measurement only and C2 acute handled only) and two temperature treatment groups (T1 received daily thermal shock up to day 14 only and a recovery phase of 20 days and T2 received thermal shock daily for 34 days). Results showed that baseline CORT levels remained high on day 14 (combined effect of capture, captivity and thermal stress) for both T1 and T2. Furthermore, baseline CORT levels decreased for T1 once the thermal shock was removed after day 14 and returned to baseline by day 29. On the contrary, baseline CORT levels kept on increasing for T2 over the 34 days of daily thermal shocks. Furthermore, the magnitudes of the acute CORT responses or physiological endocrine sensitivity were consistently high for both C1 and T1. However, acute CORT responses for T2 toads were dramatically reduced between days 24 and 34. These novel findings

  16. Interactive effects of mechano- and chemo-receptor inputs on cardiorespiratory outputs in the toad.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, T; Taylor, E W; Reid, S G; Milsom, W K

    2004-04-20

    Arterial blood pressure (P(b)), pulmocutaneous blood flow (Q(pc)), heart rate (f(H)), and fictive ventilation (motor activity in the Vth cranial nerve, V(int)), were recorded from decerebrated, paralysed toads receiving unidirectional ventilation with experimental gas mixtures over a range of lung inflation. At the onset of spontaneous bouts of fictive ventilation, (Q(pc)) and P(b) increased immediately, often with changes in heart rate, implying central cardiorespiratory interactions. Inflation of the lungs with different gas mixtures revealed that the effect of hypercarbia on V(int) was reduced by lung inflation and that feedback from pulmonary stretch receptors may summate with central feedforward control of f(H) and (Q(pc)) in an interactive fashion. The results of bolus injections of cyanide into the carotid or the pulmonary circulations suggest there are oxygen sensitive receptors in both circuits that affect the cardiovascular system directly and respiratory activity by complex central interactions with inputs from central chemoreceptors and pulmonary stretch receptors.

  17. Padronização de parâmetros eletrocardiográficos de cães da raça Golden Retriever clinicamente sadios Standardization of electrocardiographic parameters in healthy Golden Retrievers dogs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arine Pellegrino

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available A distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD em humanos é uma alteração neuromuscular hereditária, de caráter recessivo, ligada ao cromossomo X e causada pela ausência ou disfunção da distrofina. Clinicamente, caracteriza-se por grave alteração na musculatura esquelética, resultando em morte precoce do indivíduo acometido. Em cães da raça Golden Retriever, a mutação que leva à distrofia muscular ocorre espontaneamente e a extensa homologia entre a patogênese da DMD e da distrofia muscular do Golden Retriever permite qualificar o cão como o principal substituto de humanos nos testes clínicos de novas terapias. O miocárdio deficiente em distrofina é mais vulnerável à sobrecarga de pressão e os pacientes com DMD podem desenvolver cardiomiopatia dilatada, hipertensão arterial e o eletrocardiograma pode se apresentar distintamente anormal. No presente estudo, foram avaliados exames eletrocardiográficos de 38 cães da raça Golden Retriever clinicamente sadios (20 animais de até 12 meses de idade e 18 animais entre 12 e 36 meses de idade, com a finalidade de se obter parâmetros para a padronização do eletrocardiograma nessa referida raça, o que futuramente poderá servir de referência na identificação de cães portadores ou afetados pela distrofia muscular. Os valores eletrocardiográficos obtidos encontraram-se dentro dos valores de normalidade e referência para as diferentes raças de cães; e as variáveis peso e idade alteraram significativamente a freqüência cardíaca e a amplitude do complexo QRS.The Duchenne's muscular dystrophy (DMD in humans is a X-linked neuromuscular disease, of recessive character, caused either by the absence or dysfunction of the dystrophin. Clinically, it is characterized by severe alteration in the skeletal musculature, resulting in precocious death. In Golden Retriever dogs, the mutation that takes to the muscular dystrophy happens spontaneously and the extensive homology among the

  18. Organic filler from golden apple snails shells to improve the silicone rubber insulator properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tepsila, Sujirat; Suksri, Amnart

    2018-02-01

    This paper investigates the effect of an addition of filler compound using golden apple snail shell as an organic filler to the silicone rubber insulator. The filler obtained from golden apple snail shell is found mostly contained calcium carbonate. The organic calcium carbonate (CaCO3) with particle size of 45, 75, 100 and 300 micron were prepared. Sample of silicone rubber that were filled with fillers were tested under ASTM D638-02a type standard for mechanical test. Also, electrical test such as I-V characteristics (ASTM D257-07) and dry arc test according to ASTM D495-14 have been performed. The results revealed that using larger particle size of organic filler obtained from the golden apple snail shell resulted to higher value of dielectric constant as well as higher dielectric strength. Also, the filler helps slow down the tracking activity at an insulator surface due to its crystals of calcium carbonate. However, when using excessive amount of filler, the sample will have a drawbacks in mechanical properties. By using agriculture waste as a filler compound, one can reduced the usage of commercial CaCO3 as an inorganic materials and to lower the investment cost to a final silicone rubber product.

  19. Growth Performance of Pekin Ducks Fed with Golden Snail and Fresh Banana Peelings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ulep, LJL.

    1995-01-01

    Full Text Available The growth performance and economics of feeding confined Pekin ducks with three different levels of golden snail fresh meat and banana peelings in equal percentage for replacing 50 %, 70 % or 90 % of the commercial feed of the diet was studied. Body weight gains and feed consumption of ducks, cost of feed and profit above feed and stock cost different significantly among treatments. Feed conversion varied during the first month of feeding but became comparable after the second month. Ducks fed the diet with 45 % banana peel and 45 % golden snail meat gave the best performance, were the most economical and yielded the highest profit. Snail meat and banana peeling utilization as replacement to commercial diet for ducks is advantageaous in terms of growth performance and cost benefit.

  20. Golden Era of Cataclysmic Variables and Related Objects: concluding remarks

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hudec, René

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 83, č. 2 (2012), s. 883-890 ISSN 0037-8720. [Workshop on the golden age of cataclysmic variables and related objects /2./. Palermo , 09.09.2013-14.09.2013] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA205/08/1207 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : stars * variable stars * cataclysmic variables Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics

  1. UPLC-PDA quantification of chemical constituents of two different varieties (golden and royal) of apple leaves and their antioxidant activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walia, Mayanka; Kumar, Shiv; Agnihotri, Vijai K

    2016-03-30

    Malus domestica is the most widely cultivated fruit tree and is well known for its therapeutic value. Apple leaves are known to contain phenolic compounds but the nature of these has not been explored to the same extent as in apple fruit. A simple, rapid and sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (UPLC-DAD) quantification method has been developed. Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, as well as the antioxidant activity of golden and royal apple leaves were evaluated. Four compounds, namely rutin, 3-hydroxyphloridzin, phloridzin and quercetin-3-O-arabinoside were identified by UPLC. The separation was achieved in less than 7 min. Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were found to be slightly higher in apple golden variety than royal variety. The IC50 values determined by the DPPH assay were 49.94 µg mL(-1) for golden apple leaves and 43.89 µg mL(-1) for royal apple leaves. IC50 values determined by the ABTS assay were 47.10 and 66.53 µg mL(-1) for golden and royal apple leaves, respectively. Antioxidant activity was determined as 24.45 and 21.15 mg ascorbic acid g(-1) for golden and royal apple leaves, respectively, by using the FRAP assay. This study showed that apple leaves (both varieties) contain considerable amounts of polyphenols and flavonoids and are also a promising source of phloridzin. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  2. Fertigation of stillage in the culture of brown and golden linseed ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In Brazil, the stillage is mainly used in fertigation of sugarcane plantations, however, little is known about its effect on the nutritional supplementation and irrigation cultivation of linseed. Because of the shortage of work in the area, the present study aimed to evaluate the development of the culture of brown and golden ...

  3. Latin Sources on the Religious Situation in the Golden Horde in the Early Reign of Uzbek Khan »

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Hautala

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The author of this article presents the content of selected Latin sources on the Franciscan missionary activity on the territory of the Golden Horde in the 14th century. These sources are of particular interest for the study of the history of the ulus of Jochi since they were written within the Golden Horde during the reign of khan Uzbek (1312–1341. In particular, these sources contain valuable information about religious policy of the rulers of the ulus of Jochi, which allows us to re-evaluate the process of the spread of Islam in the Golden Horde and the degree of Islamization of nomads during the reign of khan Uzbek. First, the author presents the yarlyk that khan Uzbek granted to the Minorites of Kaffa in 1314. The author points to specific conformity of its content with well-known yarlyks granted by the Golden Horde khans to the metropolitans of the Orthodox Church of Rus’. This yarlyk of Uzbek is essential for clarifying the nature of Uzbek’s religious policy in the initial period of his reign. Its information allows us to review the accuracy of the information contained in the well-known Muslim sources. Further, the author points to the importance of the information contained in a later letter by the Franciscans of Caffa, sent by them to the West in 1323. This letter mentions the substantial proselytizing successes of the Franciscans and, more importantly, indicates that Uzbek’s administration did not obstruct the Minorites’ missionary activities deployed by them among the nomads of the ulus of Jochi. At the end of the article, the author pays attention to frequent conflicts between the Catholics and Muslim residents of the Golden Horde and focuses on the information of the Latin sources, which allows us to determine the reasons for these conflicts.

  4. Variation in the leaf sodium content of the Hordeum vulgare (barley) cultivar Maythorpe and its derived mutant cv. Golden Promise

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forster, B.P.; Pakniyat, H.; Macaulay, M.; Matheson, W.; Phillips, M.S.; Thomas, W.T.B.; Powell, W.

    1994-01-01

    Tests for shoot and root sodium content were carried out on various barley cultivars (Hordeum vulgare) and experimental lines including wild barley (H. spontaneum) and derivatives. Lines were grown in hydroculture with and without the addition of salt (NaCl), and sodium concentrations in shoots and roots were determined. Variation in shoot sodium content was found between the various lines; in contrast, no significant differences were found between the lines tested for root sodium content. The most significant finding was the variation in shoot sodium content between the two cultivars Golden Promise and Maythorpe. Golden Promise is a direct gamma-ray induced mutant of the cultivar Maythorpe and the reduced shoot sodium content of Golden Promise can be attributed to radiation treatment. (author)

  5. Organochlorine insecticide poisoning in Golden Langurs Trachypithecus geei

    OpenAIRE

    D.C. Pathak

    2011-01-01

    Organochlorine insecticide poisoning was recorded in three Golden Langurs (Trachypithecus geei) in Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS) in Kokrajhar district of Assam during the month of December, 2008. The poisoning was due to prolonged ingestion of rubber plant leaves sprayed with the insecticide in a rubber plantation adjacent to the sanctuary. Though no specific gross lesions were observed, histopathologically, centilobular hepatic necrosis, mild renal degeneration, necrotic enteritis, pu...

  6. Between Politics and Religion – In Search of the Golden Mean

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pawel Tarasiewicz

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The author undertakes the problem of the identity of Western civilization in the light of a correlation between politics and religion. First, he traces the theoretical debates about the mutual correspondence of politics and religion in ancient Greece. Following two extreme errors depicted by Sophocles in his “Antigone,” and by Plato in his “Apology of Socrates,” he infers that the “Golden Mean” is necessary in resolving the problem of politics and religion. Then, he examines the underlying errors put forward in the history. His investigations show the erroneousness of endowing either politics or religion with sovereign status in culture. There is always a conflict between politics and religion unless man regains his own sovereignty from them. Ultimately the author arrives at the conclusion that the “Golden Mean” correlating politics and religion distinctly strengthens the identity of the Western Civilization, and consists in respecting all real and universal parameters of human person life, such as cognition, freedom (and responsibility, love, agency in law, ontological sovereignty, and religious dignity.

  7. Succession to the Throne in the Golden Horde: Rep­lacement of the Batuids by the Tuqai-Timurids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I.M. Mirgaleev

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Research objectives: To find out both the principle of succession to the throne in the Golden Horde after the extinction of Batuid family – the ruling dynasty line of the Jochids – and the reasons for the rise of the Tuqai-Timurids. Research materials: In his analysis, the author is based on the genealogical sources and compares them with the Arab-Persian historical works and chronicles. Results and novelty of the research: After the death of Berdibek, the principle of succession in the Golden Horde was disrupted since the Batuid family ceased to exist. The remaining Jochid families had to decide whose line will have had the right to sovereignty. The Time of Troubles of the 1360–70s ended with a Tuqai-Timurid Tokhtamysh’s victory. Replacement of the Batuids by the Tuqai-Timurids was in effect only during the reign of khan Tokhtamysh and therefore it can not be regarded as definitive and generally accepted solution to the problem. In addition to the Tuqai-Timurids, also representatives of the Shibanids will have become khans in the Turko-Tatar yurts in the future. It was precisely the process of disintegration of the Golden Horde and the unsolved problem of succession that led to the fact that hereinafter “any” Jochid could lay claim to the throne in post-Golden Horde yurts.

  8. Golden Rice: no progress to be seen. Do we still need it?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wesseler, J.H.H.; Zilberman, David

    2017-01-01

    In the December 2014 issue of Environment and Development Economics, we published the article, "The economic power of the Golden Rice opposition" by Wesseler and Zilberman. The paper generated substantial interest, not only in academia but also among civil society groups. In this note, we address

  9. Pulmonary artery imaging under free-breathing using golden-angle radial bSSFP MRI: a proof of concept.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fyrdahl, Alexander; Vargas Paris, Roberto; Nyrén, Sven; Holst, Karen; Ugander, Martin; Lindholm, Peter; Sigfridsson, Andreas

    2018-03-14

    To evaluate the feasibility of an improved motion and flow robust methodology for imaging the pulmonary vasculature using non-contrast-enhanced, free-breathing, golden-angle radial MRI. Healthy volunteers (n = 10, age 46 ± 11 years, 50% female) and patients (n = 2, ages 27 and 84, both female) were imaged at 1.5 T using a Cartesian and golden-angle radial 2D balanced SSFP pulse sequence. The acquisitions were made under free breathing without contrast agent enhancement. The radial acquisitions were reconstructed at 3 temporal footprints. All series were scored from 1 to 5 for perceived diagnostic quality, artifact level, and vessel sharpness in multiple anatomical locations. In addition, vessel sharpness and blood-to-blood clot contrast were measured. Quantitative measurements showed higher vessel sharpness for golden-angle radial (n = 76, 0.79 ± 0.11 versus 0.71 ± 0.16, p golden-angle radial in the 2 patients. At comparable temporal footprints, golden-angle radial was scored higher for diagnostic quality (mean ± SD, 2.3 ± 0.7 versus 2.2 ± 0.6, p < .01) and vessel sharpness (2.2 ± 0.8 versus 2.1 ± 0.5, p < .01), whereas the artifact level did not differ (3.0 ± 0.9 versus 3.0 ± 1.0, p = .80). The ability to retrospectively choose a temporal resolution and perform sliding-window reconstructions was demonstrated in patients. In pulmonary artery imaging, the motion and flow robustness of a radial trajectory does both improve image quality over Cartesian trajectory in healthy volunteers, and allows for flexible selection of temporal footprints and the ability to perform real-time sliding window reconstructions, which could potentially provide further diagnostic insight. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

  10. A population study of golden eagles in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource area. Second-year progress report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1997-07-01

    Since January 1994, the Predatory Bird Research Group, University of California, Santa Cruz, has been conducting a field investigation of the ecology of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in the vicinity of the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area (WRA). The 190 km{sup 2} facility lies just east of San Francisco Bay in California and contains about 6,500 wind turbines. Grassland and oak savanna habitats surrounding the WRA support a substantial resident population of golden eagles. Each year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service receivers reports from the wind industry of about 30 golden eagle casualties occurring at the WRA, and it is probable that many more carcasses go unnoticed. Over 90 percent of the casualties are attributed to collisions with wind turbines. The main purpose of this study is to estimate the effect of turbine-related mortality on the golden eagle population of the area. Assessing the impact of the WRA kills on the population requires quantification of both survival and reproduction. To estimate survival rates of both territorial and non-territorial golden eagles, we tagged 179 individuals with radio-telemetry transmitters expected to function for about four years and equipped with mortality sensors. Population segments represented in the tagged sample include 79 juveniles, 45 subadults, 17n floaters (non-territorial adults), and 38 breeders. Effective sample sizes in the older segments increase as younger eagles mature or become territorial. Since the beginning of the study, we have conducted weekly roll-call surveys by airplane to locate the tagged eagles in relation to the WRA and to monitor their survival. The surveyed area extends from the Oakland Hills southeast through the Diablo Mountain Range to San Luis Reservoir about 75 km southeast of the WRA. The surveys show that breeding eagles rarely enter the WRA while the non-territorial eagles tend to move about freely throughout the study area and often visit the WRA.

  11. Fertilization and development of eggs of the South African clawed toad, Xenopus laevis, on sounding rockets in space.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ubbels, G A; Berendsen, W; Kerkvliet, S; Narraway, J

    1992-01-01

    Egg rotation and centrifugation experiments strongly suggest a role for gravity in the determination of the spatial structure of amphibian embryos. Decisive experiments can only be made in Space. Eggs of Xenopus laevis, the South African clawed toad, were the first vertebrate eggs which were successfully fertilized on Sounding Rockets in Space. Unfixed, newly fertilized eggs survived reentry, and a reasonable number showed a seemingly normal gastrulation but died between gastrulation and neurulation. Only a few reached the larval stage, but these developed abnormally. In the future, we intend to test whether this abnormal morphogenesis is due to reentry perturbations, or due to a real microgravity effect, through perturbation of the reinitiation of meiosis and other processes, or started by later sperm penetration.

  12. Role of golden jackals (Canis aureus) as natural reservoirs of Dirofilaria spp. in Romania.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ionică, Angela Monica; Matei, Ioana Adriana; D'Amico, Gianluca; Daskalaki, Aikaterini Alexandra; Juránková, Jana; Ionescu, Dan Traian; Mihalca, Andrei Daniel; Modrý, David; Gherman, Călin Mircea

    2016-04-28

    Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens are mosquito-transmitted zoonotic nematodes, causing heartworm disease and skin lesions, respectively, in carnivores. In Europe, the domestic dog is apparently the main definitive host, but patent infections occur also in other species of carnivores. The rapid spread of the golden jackals (Canis aureus) throughout Europe opens a question of involvement of this species in the sylvatic cycle of pathogens in the colonised territories, including Dirofilaria spp. Between January 2014 and May 2015, 54 golden jackals from 18 localities in Romania were examined by full necropsy for the presence of adult filarioid nematodes and blood samples from all animals were screened for the presence of microfilariae of D. immitis, D. repens and Acanthocheilonema reconditum by multiplex PCR DNA amplification. Nematodes morphologically identified as D. immitis were found in 18.52% of the animals, originating from the southern part of Romania. No D. repens or A. reconditum were found at necropsy. The molecular prevalence in blood samples from the same animals was 9.26% for D. immitis and 1.85% for D. repens. All samples were negative by PCR for A. reconditum. The relatively high prevalence of Dirofilaria spp. infections in golden jackals from Romania together with the increasing density of the jackal populations highlight their potential role in the transmission of these zoonotic parasites and in the maintenance of natural disease foci.

  13. 78 FR 51802 - Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: “Silla: Korea's Golden...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-21

    ... Golden Kingdom,'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural... determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York...

  14. Resistance or tolerance to the golden mosaic virus of bean plant (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), obtained by mutation induction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tulmann Neto, A.

    1979-09-01

    Experiments were carried out with the objective of selecting, evaluation and using induced mutants of Phaseolus vulgaris L. resistant or tolerant to golden mosaic - a virus disease of beans. Seeds from three bean cultivars were treated with gamma-ray or the chemical mutagen ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS). After golden mosaic inoculation of 50,000 M 2 seedlings, in a insectary, screening was made and a tolerant mutant (TMD-1) was selected. Evaluation of TMD-1 was carried out by comparing it with the parent cultivar Carioca, indicating that, although showing lower productivity than the original material, (what prevented it from being used directly on a commercial basis), it maintained the same reaction to rust, bacterial blight, and common mosaic. Studies on the genetic basis of the mutation were also done. The possibility of using this mutant in a plant breeding programme aimed at obtaining resistance to golden mosaic was demonstrated in crosses between TMD-1 and two cultivars, to which transference of tolerance was possible. (Author) [pt

  15. Effects of golden hour thrombolysis: a Prehospital Acute Neurological Treatment and Optimization of Medical Care in Stroke (PHANTOM-S) substudy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebinger, Martin; Kunz, Alexander; Wendt, Matthias; Rozanski, Michal; Winter, Benjamin; Waldschmidt, Carolin; Weber, Joachim; Villringer, Kersten; Fiebach, Jochen B; Audebert, Heinrich J

    2015-01-01

    The effectiveness of intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke is time dependent. The effects are likely to be highest if the time from symptom onset to treatment is within 60 minutes, termed the golden hour. To determine the achievable rate of golden hour thrombolysis in prehospital care and its effect on outcome. The prospective controlled Prehospital Acute Neurological Treatment and Optimization of Medical Care in Stroke study was conducted in Berlin, Germany, within an established infrastructure for stroke care. Weeks were randomized according to the availability of a specialized ambulance (stroke emergency mobile unit (STEMO) from May 1, 2011, through January 31, 2013. We included 6182 consecutive adult patients for whom a stroke dispatch (44.1% male; mean [SD] age, 73.9 [15.0] years) or regular care (45.0% male; mean [SD] age, 74.2 [14.9] years) were included. The STEMO was deployed when the dispatchers suspected an acute stroke during emergency calls. If STEMO was not available (during control weeks, when the unit was already in operation, or during maintenance), patients received conventional care. The STEMO is equipped with a computed tomographic scanner plus a point-of-care laboratory and telemedicine connection. The unit is staffed with a neurologist trained in emergency medicine, a paramedic, and a technician. Thrombolysis was started in STEMO if a stroke was confirmed and no contraindication was found. Rates of golden hour thrombolysis, 7- and 90-day mortality, secondary intracerebral hemorrhage, and discharge home. Thrombolysis rates in ischemic stroke were 200 of 614 patients (32.6%) when STEMO was deployed and 330 of 1497 patients (22.0%) when conventional care was administered (P golden hour thrombolysis was 6-fold higher after STEMO deployment (62 of 200 patients [31.0%] vs 16 of 330 [4.9%]; P golden hour thrombolysis had no higher risks for 7- or 90-day mortality (adjusted odds ratios, 0.38 [95% CI, 0.09-1.70]; P = .21 and 0.69 [95% CI

  16. Review of the Monograph: Seleznev Yu.V. Russkie knyaz’ya pri dvore khanov Zolotoy Ordy (Russian Princes at the Court of the Golden Horde Khans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nesin M.A.

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This article contains a review of the monograph by Yu.V. Seleznev published in early 2017 and dedicated to the relations of Russian princes with the Golden Horde’s khans and their status among the Golden Horde’s nobility. This work is the first comprehensive study in the historiography of this issue for all two and a half centuries of the Tartar domination. The monograph was published for the first time in 2013 and served as the basis for a doctoral dissertation, which Seleznev defended in 2015. The book was reprinted with certain changes in 2017. The book commendably contains an abundance of factual material through the use of diverse sources and strands of historiography. Seleznev examines the social terminology of Golden Horde-Russian relations, the structure of the Golden Horde’s nobility and the trips of princes to the Horde, drawing attention not only to the status of the great Vladimir and Moscow princes, but also that of other great and appanage princes. He makes a significant contribution to the resolving the debate regarding the nature of the Golden Horde’s domination in Rus’ by examining in detail the relationship of the Russian princes with the Golden Horde’s authorities in different years. The book’s author proposed to divide the Golden Horde’s “yoke” into seven periods characterized by “changes in the degree of sovereignty and jurisdiction of the khan in relation to Russian principalities”. The author of this review agrees with the main conclusions of the book under review, but at the same time he notes some reservations and criticisms, which do not, however, reduce the academic caliber of the monograph.

  17. Roles of sex hormones on the regulation of leptin secretion in pregnant golden hamster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Cheng; Yang Liguo

    2003-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the effect of sex hormones on the secretion of leptin and the causative factor of the gestational leptin spike in the golden hamster. Methods: Three months old female golden hamster were used as animal model. As a source of high level estradiol and progesterone, silicane rubber tubes impregnates with estradiol and progesterone were prepared and their bioactivity were determined. Antisera against estradiol and progesterone were prepared and activity tested to be used, for the elimination of the effects of endogenous hormones on leptin secretion in the subsequent experiments. Biological activity of the antiserum was determined by evaluating effects of these antisera on the weight of uterus or ovary. Groups of pregnant animals were ovariectomied during day 11 of pregnancy to explore the effect of the gonad on the secretion of leptin. Groups of virgin animals were ovariectomied and the silicone rubber tubes containing estradiol and progesterone were implanted to determine the effect of high-level estradiol and progesterone on the secretion of leptin in vivo. Results: Plasma concentration of leptin decreased and the gestational leptin profile disappeared with absence of the secretion spike on day 12 after ovariectomy on the day 11 of pregnancy. Injections of antiserum against estradiol or progesterone had no significant effect on the plasma concentration of leptin. Leptin level significantly decreased after ovariectomy in the virgin golden hamsters (p < 0.05). Implantation of silicone rubber tubes of estradiol or progesterone after ovariectomy could not restore leptin levels, but implantation of tubes containing both estradiol and progesterone could prevent the decrease of leptin levels. Conclusion: Our results suggested that sex hormones had important regulatory effect on the secretion of leptin. Estradiol plus progesterone had stimulatory effects on the secretion of leptin in vivo. High estradiol and progesterone levels during pregnancy was

  18. Counterbalancing effects of maternal mercury exposure during different stages of early ontogeny in American toads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergeron, Christine M; Hopkins, William A; Bodinof, Catherine M; Budischak, Sarah A; Wada, Haruka; Unrine, Jason M

    2011-10-15

    Maternal transfer of environmental contaminants is a disadvantageous parental effect which can have long-lasting implications for offspring fitness. We investigated the effects of mercury (Hg) on the reproductive success of female amphibians and the subsequent effects of maternal transfer on the development of their offspring. American toads (Bufo americanus) maternally transferred Hg to their eggs, and there was a negative relationship between Hg concentrations and the percentage of viable hatchlings produced in clutches. However, when we continued to monitor larvae that successfully hatched, we found 21% greater metamorphic success in larvae from Hg-exposed mothers compared to reference larvae. The negative effect in the embryonic stage and positive effect in the larval stage counterbalanced one another, ultimately resulting in no difference in predicted terrestrial recruitment, regardless of maternal Hg exposure. Our findings demonstrate that maternal effects on survival manifesting at different stages in ontogeny have the potential to produce complicated outcomes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Extended Meeting of the Editorial Board of the “Golden Horde Review” (Kazan, March 18, 2017

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L.S. Giniyatullina

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The extended meeting of the Editorial Board of the “Golden Horde Review” dedicated to the fifth anniversary of the first issue of the journal was held in Kazan on March 18, 2017. Responsible for the journal’s policy reported on the directions of their work with the following reports: Mirgaleev I.M., Cand. Sci. (History, Head of Usmanov Center for Research on the Golden Horde and Tatar Khanates, Sh. Marjani Institute of History of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Editor-in-Chief of the journal. Report on the Journal’s Work: Strategic Vision of the Journal’s Development. Khakimov R.S., Dr. Sci. (History, Director of Sh. Marjani Institute of History of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Vice President of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Academician of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the Editorial Board. Report on the Editorial Board’s Work. Giniyatullina L.S., Research Fellow of Usmanov Center for Research on the Golden Horde and Tatar Khanates, Sh. Marjani Institute of History of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Technical Editor. Plan for the Development of the Site of the Journal. The Role of the Online Version in Promoting the Journal and Its Indexing in Russian and International Scientific Citation Bases. Roman Hautala, Ph.D. (History, Senior Research Fellow of Usmanov Center for Research on the Golden Horde and Tatar Khanates, Sh. Marjani Institute of History of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences; Docent, Department of History, University of Oulu (Finland, English Texts’ Editor. The Development Strategy of the English-Language Part of the Journal. Sayfetdinova E.G., Cand. Sci. (History, Senior Research Fellow of Usmanov Center for Research on the Golden Horde and Tatar Khanates, Sh. Marjani Institute of History of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Issuing Editor. Aksanov A.V., Cand. Sci. (History, Senior Research Fellow of Usmanov Center for Research on the Golden Horde and Tatar Khanates, Sh. Marjani Institute of History of Tatarstan

  20. Imagem radiográfica da cavidade torácica de cães Golden Retriever acometidos pela distrofia muscular Radiologic images of the thoracic cavity of Golden Retriever dogs affected by muscular dystrophy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Flávio R. Alves

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available A distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD é uma doença de origem genética, cuja principal manifestação clínica é enfraquecimento e atrofia progressiva dos músculos. Os cães da raça Golden Retriever podem apresentar distrofia muscular, com características genotípicas e fenotípicas muito próximas à distrofia muscular humana, sendo considerado o modelo animal mais apropriado para o estudo da DMD. Foram realizadas radiografias torácicas látero-laterais e dorsoventrais de 10 cães Golden Retriever afetados pela distrofia muscular, com o objetivo de relatar as alterações radiográficas associadas a essa patologia. O exame radiográfico da cavidade torácica evidenciou: (a padrão pulmonar intersticial e alveolar predominante, (b um quadro de pneumonia e edema pulmonar em fase inicial, (c a cardiomegalia como o principal achado de comprometimento circulatório na cavidade torácica, (d O megaesôfago torácico foi observado deslocando a traquéia e silhueta cardíaca ventralmente e, (e a cúpula diafragmática apresentou modificação morfológica, mostrando protrusão para o interior da cavidade torácica e hérnia hiatal, com deslocamento do estômago para o espaço mediastino caudal. Os achados de necropsia evidenciaram efusão pleural e enfisema pulmonar e lesões compatíveis com processos degenerativos e metaplásicos da musculatura diafragmática e intercostal. A avaliação radiográfica constituiu-se como um meio diagnóstico auxiliar essencial na identificação de doença cardíaca e respiratória em cães Golden Retriever acometidos pela Distrofia Muscular, capaz de identificar processos pneumônicos primários, permitindo o estabelecimento de terapêutica adequada de tratamento, com prognóstico reservado nos estágios mais avançados desta alteração.Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD is a genetic disorder with clinical signs of muscular weaknesses and progressive atrophy. Golden Retriever dogs show similar genotypic and

  1. A Geometrical Method for Sound-Hole Size and Location Enhancement in Lute Family Musical Instruments: The Golden Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soheil Jafari

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a new analytical approach, the Golden Method, to enhance sound-hole size and location in musical instruments of the lute family in order to obtain better sound damping characteristics based on the concept of the golden ratio and the instrument geometry. The main objective of the paper is to increase the capability of lute family musical instruments in keeping a note for a certain time at a certain level to enhance the instruments’ orchestral characteristics. For this purpose, a geometry-based analytical method, the Golden Method is first described in detail in an itemized feature. A new musical instrument is then developed and tested to confirm the ability of the Golden Method in optimizing the acoustical characteristics of musical instruments from a damping point of view by designing the modified sound-hole. Finally, the new-developed instrument is tested, and the obtained results are compared with those of two well-known instruments to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method. The experimental results show that the suggested method is able to increase the sound damping time by at least 2.4% without affecting the frequency response function and other acoustic characteristics of the instrument. This methodology could be used as the first step in future studies on design, optimization and evaluation of musical instruments of the lute family (e.g., lute, oud, barbat, mandolin, setar, and etc..

  2. Laser Nanosoldering of Golden and Magnetite Particles and its Possible Application in 3D Printing Devices and Four-Valued Non-Volatile Memories

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaworski Jacek

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available In recent years the 3D printing methods have been developing rapidly. This article presents researches about a new composite consisted of golden and magnetite nanoparticles which could be used for this technique. Preparation of golden nanoparticles by laser ablation and their soldering by laser green light irradiation proceeded in water environment. Magnetite was obtained on chemical way. During experiments it was tested a change of a size of nanoparticles during laser irradiation, surface plasmon resonance, zeta potential. The obtained golden - magnetite composite material was magnetic after laser irradiation. On the end there was considered the application it for 3D printing devices, water filters and four-valued non-volatile memories.

  3. The genome sequence of the emerging common midwife toad virus identifies an evolutionary intermediate within ranaviruses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mavian, Carla; López-Bueno, Alberto; Balseiro, Ana; Casais, Rosa; Alcamí, Antonio; Alejo, Alí

    2012-04-01

    Worldwide amphibian population declines have been ascribed to global warming, increasing pollution levels, and other factors directly related to human activities. These factors may additionally be favoring the emergence of novel pathogens. In this report, we have determined the complete genome sequence of the emerging common midwife toad ranavirus (CMTV), which has caused fatal disease in several amphibian species across Europe. Phylogenetic and gene content analyses of the first complete genomic sequence from a ranavirus isolated in Europe show that CMTV is an amphibian-like ranavirus (ALRV). However, the CMTV genome structure is novel and represents an intermediate evolutionary stage between the two previously described ALRV groups. We find that CMTV clusters with several other ranaviruses isolated from different hosts and locations which might also be included in this novel ranavirus group. This work sheds light on the phylogenetic relationships within this complex group of emerging, disease-causing viruses.

  4. Metabolomic profiling and sensorial quality of 'Golden Delicious', 'Liberty', 'Santana', and 'Topaz' apples grown using organic and integrated production systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanzo, Andreja; Jenko, Mojca; Vrhovsek, Urska; Stopar, Matej

    2013-07-03

    Apple quality was investigated in the scab-resistant 'Liberty', 'Santana', and 'Topaz' cultivars and the scab-susceptible 'Golden Delicious' cultivar. Trees subjected to the same crop load were cultivated using either an organic (ORG) or an integrated production (IP) system. Physicochemical properties, phenolic content, and sensorial quality of fruit from both systems were compared. There were no significant differences in fruit mass, starch, and total soluble solid content (the latter was higher in ORG 'Liberty') between ORG and IP fruit, whereas significantly higher flesh firmness was found in ORG fruit (except no difference in 'Golden Delicious'). Significantly higher total phenolic content in ORG fruit was found in 'Golden Delicious', whereas differences in other cultivars were not significant. Targeted metabolomic profiling of multiple classes of phenolics confirmed the impact of the production system on the 'Golden Delicious' phenolic profile as higher levels of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, neo- and chlorogenic acids, phloridzin, procyanidin B2+B4, -3-O-glucoside and -3-O-galactoside of quercetin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, and rutin being found in ORG fruit. The results obtained suggested that scab resistance influenced the phenolic biosynthesis in relation to the agricultural system. Sensorial evaluation indicated significantly better flavor (except for 'Topaz') and better appearance of IP fruit.

  5. The BINP receives its Golden Hadron award

    CERN Multimedia

    2002-01-01

    On Thursday, 14 September, the LHC Project Leader, Lyn Evans, handed over a Golden Hadron award to Alexander Skrinsky of Russia's Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics (BINP). The prize is awarded in recognition of exceptional performances by suppliers and this year prizes were awarded to two firms, Cockerill-Sambre (Belgium) and Wah-Chang (United States), and to the Budker Institute, which was unable to receive the award at the same time as the two other recipients (see Bulletin No 34/2002, of 19 August 2002). The Russian institute has been rewarded for the particularly high-quality production of 360 dipole magnets and 185 quadrupole magnets for the LHC proton beam transfer lines.

  6. Phytogeographic patterns and cryptic diversity in an aposematic toad from NW Argentina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clemente-Carvalho, Rute B; Vaira, Marcos; King, Laura E; Koscinski, Daria; Bonansea, Maria I; Lougheed, Stephen C

    2017-11-01

    The Yungas Redbelly Toad, Melanophryniscus rubriventris, is patchily distributed in Argentina, confined to the upland portion (1000-2000m above sea level) of the montane forests of northern and central regions of Salta, and in central-eastern and south-eastern Jujuy. This species is known for its striking aposematic color variation across its geographic distribution, and was once treated as a complex of three subspecies based on distinctive color patterns. Here we assess the geographical genetic variation within M. rubriventris and quantify divergence in color and pattern among individuals sampled from Northwestern Argentina. We compare multi-gene phylogeography of M. rubriventris to patterns of dorsal and ventral coloration to test whether evolutionary affinities predict variation in warning color. Our results reveal two well-supported species lineages: one confined to the extreme northern portion of our sampling area, and the other extending over most of the Argentine portion of the species' range, within which there are two populations. However, these well-supported evolutionary relationships do not mirror the marked variation in warning coloration. This discordance between DNA genealogy and warning color variation may reflect selection brought about by differences in local predation pressures, potentially coupled with effects of sexual selection and thermoregulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Factors affecting golden-cheeked warbler nest survival in urban and rural landscapes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jenifer L. Reidy; Frank R. Thompson; Rebecca G. Peak

    2009-01-01

    We evaluated hypotheses concerning temporal, landscape, and habitat effects on nest survival of golden-cheeked warblers (Dendroica chrysoparia) in an urban and a rural landscape during the breeding seasons of 2005 and 2006 in central Texas, USA. We found support for temporal effects of year and cubic effect of date and included them in candidate...

  8. Predators as prey at a Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos eyrie in Mongolia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellis, D.H.; Tsengeg, Pu; Whitlock, P.; Ellis, Merlin H.

    2000-01-01

    Although golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) have for decades been known to occasionally take large or dangerous quarry, the capturing of such was generally believed to be rare and/or the act of starved birds. This report provides details of an exceptional diet at a golden eagle eyrie in eastern Mongolia with unquantified notes on the occurrence of foxes at other eyries in Mongolia. Most of the prey we recorded were unusual, including 1 raven (Corvus corax), 3 demoiselle cranes (Anthropoides virgo), 1 upland buzzard (Buteo hemilasius), 3 owls, 27 foxes, and 11 Mongolian gazelles. Some numerical comparisons are of interest. Our value for gazelle calves (10 minimum count, 1997) represents 13% of 78 prey items and at least one adult was also present. Our total of only 15 hares (Lepus tolai) and 4 marmots (Marmota sibirica) compared to 27 foxes suggests not so much a preference for foxes, but rather that populations of more normal prey were probably depressed at this site. Unusual prey represented 65% of the diet at this eyrie.

  9. Nestling diets and provisioning rates of sympatric Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schroeder, Evonne L.; Boal, Clint W.; Glasscock, Selma N.

    2013-01-01

    We examined comparative food use and provisioning of Golden-fronted (Melanerpes aurifrons) and Ladder-backed (Picoides scalaris) woodpeckers at the Rob and Bessie Welder Wildlife Foundation Refuge, in San Patricio County, Texas. We combined video surveillance and direct observations to monitor provisioning rates and identify items delivered by adult woodpeckers to nestlings. We collected 328 hours of data at Ladder-backed Woodpecker nest cavities and 230 hours of data at Golden-fronted Woodpecker nest cavities. Ladder-backed Woodpecker nestling diets consisted of 100% animal matter, comprised of invertebrate larvae (99%) and invertebrate adults (nestlings were also high in animal matter (77%) with more invertebrate adults (55%) and fewer invertebrate larvae (27%), but also included vegetable matter (16%). Morisita's measure of overlap suggested a relatively low dietary overlap of 31% between nestlings of these two sympatric woodpecker species. Foraging methods used by these species may explain their low dietary overlap and facilitate their coexistence.

  10. Golden Eagle fatalities and the continental-scale consequences of local wind-energy generation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katzner, Todd E; Nelson, David M; Braham, Melissa A; Doyle, Jacqueline M; Fernandez, Nadia B; Duerr, Adam E; Bloom, Peter H; Fitzpatrick, Matthew C; Miller, Tricia A; Culver, Renee C E; Braswell, Loan; DeWoody, J Andrew

    2017-04-01

    Renewable energy production is expanding rapidly despite mostly unknown environmental effects on wildlife and habitats. We used genetic and stable isotope data collected from Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) killed at the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area (APWRA) in California in demographic models to test hypotheses about the geographic extent and demographic consequences of fatalities caused by renewable energy facilities. Geospatial analyses of δ 2 H values obtained from feathers showed that ≥25% of these APWRA-killed eagles were recent immigrants to the population, most from long distances away (>100 km). Data from nuclear genes indicated this subset of immigrant eagles was genetically similar to birds identified as locals from the δ 2 H data. Demographic models implied that in the face of this mortality, the apparent stability of the local Golden Eagle population was maintained by continental-scale immigration. These analyses demonstrate that ecosystem management decisions concerning the effects of local-scale renewable energy can have continental-scale consequences. © 2016 Society for Conservation Biology.

  11. Semi-automated XML markup of biosystematic legacy literature with the GoldenGATE editor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sautter, Guido; Böhm, Klemens; Agosti, Donat

    2007-01-01

    Today, digitization of legacy literature is a big issue. This also applies to the domain of biosystematics, where this process has just started. Digitized biosystematics literature requires a very precise and fine grained markup in order to be useful for detailed search, data linkage and mining. However, manual markup on sentence level and below is cumbersome and time consuming. In this paper, we present and evaluate the GoldenGATE editor, which is designed for the special needs of marking up OCR output with XML. It is built in order to support the user in this process as far as possible: Its functionality ranges from easy, intuitive tagging through markup conversion to dynamic binding of configurable plug-ins provided by third parties. Our evaluation shows that marking up an OCR document using GoldenGATE is three to four times faster than with an off-the-shelf XML editor like XML-Spy. Using domain-specific NLP-based plug-ins, these numbers are even higher.

  12. Review on methods of golden mussel control in pires

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edemir Luiz Kowalski

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available At the beginning of the 90’s, they were detected in Rio da Prata in Argentina the first samples of the exotic specie named limnoperna fortunei, from Asia, maybe introduced through ballast water of ships came from Asia. In Brazil the first samples were detected in Lagoa dos Patos in Rio Grande do Sul in the 90’s, possibly by the same reason. A second axis was verified in Campo Grande in Mato Grosso do Sul derived probably from Argentina because of the navigation through the Paraguay river going down to Lagoa de Itaipú causing its contamination. The invader specie has the capacity of fouling pipings where the contaminated water circulates, causing considerable financial damage to the infected industries. In Brazil the indrustries located in Rio Grande do Sul as well as hydroelectric plants as Itaipu, they manage these problems stopping the equipments for their maintenance and cleaning more times than the habitual. The United States of America and Canada already have the same kind of problem with the similar specie found here in Brazil. The target of this work is to introduce a review about the main methods to control the golden mussel mollusk without using any kind of chemical products, based on The USA and Canada’s experiences, where there are similar problems but with the specie zebra mussel. Key-words: Non Chemicals Methods, Golden Mussel, Zebra Mussel

  13. Peptide IC-20, encoded by skin kininogen-1 of the European yellow-bellied toad, Bombina variegata, antagonizes bradykinin-induced arterial smooth muscle relaxation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mu Yang

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: The objectives were to determine if the skin secretion of the European yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata, in common with other related species, contains a bradykinin inhibitor peptide and to isolate and structurally characterize this peptide. Materials and Methods: Lyophilized skin secretion obtained from this toad was subjected to reverse phase HPLC fractionation with subsequent bioassay of fractions for antagonism of the bradykinin activity using an isolated rat tail artery smooth muscle preparation. Subsequently, the primary structure of the peptide was established by a combination of microsequencing, mass spectroscopy, and molecular cloning, following which a synthetic replicate was chemically synthesised for bioassay. Results: A single peptide of molecular mass 2300.92 Da was resolved in HPLC fractions of skin secretion and its primary structure determined as IYNAIWP-KH-NK-KPGLL-. Database interrogation with this sequence indicated that this peptide was encoded by skin kininogen-1 previously cloned from B. variegata. The blank cycles were occupied by cysteinyl (C residues and the peptide was located toward the C-terminus of the skin kininogen, and flanked N-terminally by a classical -KR- propeptide convertase processing site. The peptide was named IC-20 in accordance (I = N-terminal isoleucine, C = C-terminal cysteine, 20 = number of residues. Like the natural peptide, its synthetic replicate displayed an antagonism of bradykinin-induced arterial smooth muscle relaxation. Conclusion: IC-20 represents a novel bradykinin antagonizing peptide from amphibian skin secretions and is the third such peptide found to be co-encoded with bradykinins within skin kininogens.

  14. End of the Golden Age for X-ray Astronomy: Technical and Fiscal Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elvis, Martin

    2012-09-01

    Golden Ages don't last much more than 50 years (viz. Athens 4th century BCE, Renaissance Italy, Dutch Golden Age) - that's why they're golden. X-ray astronomy is now 50 years old. Should we expect it to continue to flourish? Or is this the end of our Golden Age? Technologically there is tremendous promise. New optics and detectors are set to deliver great improvements along all axes: collecting area, angular and spectral resolution, field of view, polarimetry. To be optimal along a given axis, missions should not try to combine all these improvements in a single mission. Hence specialized missions of modest size (similar to NASA's Explorer class) should be pursued world-wide. Multiple missions also support a wide, varied, and creative community, not only of observers but also of instrument builders, operations staff and data/archive developers. All are necessary for a healthy field. We should encourage our agencies to adopt vigorous modest-mission programs, and to encourage open access to promote intellectual creativity. But some axes are almost certainly out of reach for Explorer-class missions. Most likely equaling or bettering Chandra angular resolution with larger area will require an Observatory-class, flagship, mission. While the technology is promising, the world-wide prospects for such a mission are grim. This is not merely the result of current economic woes, although they have brought the crisis to a head. Each generation of mission has to be an order of magnitude better than its predecessor in order to win funding. But to achieve this costs go up by a factor of a few each time. The progression: rockets - UHURU - Einstein - Chandra illustrates this clearly. The same exponentiation is evident in UV/visible astronomy and, perhaps, in Mars exploration. We have now hit the "funding wall" where each flagship mission costs so much that they pop into politicians notice. JWST is now a budget line item in the US, a precarious position previously held by the

  15. Golden mean relevance for chaos inhibition in a system of two coupled modified van der Pol oscillators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stan, Cristina; Cristescu, C.P.; Agop, M.

    2007-01-01

    In this work, we present a novel evidence of the importance of the golden mean criticality of a system of oscillators in agreement with El Naschie's E-infinity theory. We focus on chaos inhibition in a system of two coupled modified van der Pol oscillators. Depending on the coupling between the two oscillators, the system shows chaotic behavior for different ranges of the coupling parameter. Chaos suppression, as a transition from irregular behavior to a periodical one, is induced by perturbing the system with a harmonic signal with amplitude considerably lower than the value which causes entrainment. The frequency of the perturbation is related to the main frequencies in the spectrum of the freely running system (without perturbation) by the golden mean. We demonstrate that this effect is also obtained for a perturbation with frequency such that the ratio of half the frequency of the first main component in the freely running chaotic spectrum over the frequency of the perturbation is very close (five digits coincidence) to the golden mean. This result is shown to hold for arbitrary values of the coupling parameter in the various ranges of chaotic dynamics of the free running system

  16. La golden share como instrumento de control estatal en empresas privatizadas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helga Maria Saboia Bezerra

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Este artículo expone el mecanismo de la golden share, invento británico llevado a cabo con la función de servir de instrumento de control estatal en las empresas privatizadas a partir de la década de ochenta del siglo pasado, emulado por los demás países europeos con diversa denominación y similar finalidad. Presenta la jurisprudencia del Tribunal de Justicia de la Unión Europea en la materia, que le ha llevado a anular varios preceptos legales de Estados miembros que vulneraban, a través de tales restricciones, el principio de libre circulación de capitales y de libertad de establecimiento. Analiza, por fin, la adaptación del mecanismo a la legislación brasileña bajo el título de ação de classe especial, su previsión en los estatutos de concretas empresas privatizadas y el reciente protagonismo que tales instrumentos han tenido en los últimos años, ocasionando el temor a la reestatización por parte de los inversores.Abstract: This paper is concerned with the mechanism of golden share, a British invention carried out in order to serve as a state’s control instrument in privatized enterprises since the 1980’s, emulated by the other European countries with varied denomination and similar purpose. It presents European Courtof Justice’s case law on golden share that has prompted it to annul many Member State’s rules that infringed, through such restrictions,the principles of free movement of capital and freedom of establishment. Finally, it examines the adjustment of the mechanismto the Brazilian legislation, under the title of ação de classe especial (action of special class, its disposal in the articles of association of specific privatized enterprises and the prominence that such instruments have had in the latest years, causing the fear of renationalization by investors.

  17. First molecular evidence of Hepatozoon canis infection in red foxes and golden jackals from Hungary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farkas, Róbert; Solymosi, Norbert; Takács, Nóra; Hornyák, Ákos; Hornok, Sándor; Nachum-Biala, Yaarit; Baneth, Gad

    2014-07-02

    Recently, Hepatozoon canis infection has been detected among shepherd, hunting and stray dogs in the southern part of Hungary, which is considered to be free of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato and close to the border with Croatia. The aim of this study was to acquire information on the possibility that red foxes and/or golden jackals could play a role in the appearance and spread of H. canis in Hungary. A conventional PCR was used to amplify a 666 bp long fragment of the Hepatozoon 18S rRNA gene from blood samples collected from 334 foxes shot in 231 locations in 16 counties and 15 golden jackals shot in 9 locations in two southwestern counties close to Croatia. A second PCR assay was performed in some of the samples positive by the first PCR to amplify a larger segment (approximately 1500 bp) of the 18S rRNA gene of Hepatozoon spp. for further phylogenetic analysis. Hepatozoon infection was detected in canids shot in 30 locations and 9 counties. Altogether 26 foxes (8.0%, 95% CI: 5-11%) and 9 jackals (60%, 95% CI: 33-81%) were PCR positive. Hepatozoon canis sequences were obtained from 12 foxes and 7 jackals. DNA sequences from 16 animals were 99-100% similar to H. canis from Croatian foxes or dogs while two of the sequences were 99% similar to an Italian fox. Half (13/26) of the infected red foxes and all golden jackals were shot in the two southwestern counties. This is the first report on molecular evidence of H. canis in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and golden jackals (Canis aureus) from Hungary, which is considered free from the tick vector of H. canis, R. sanguineus. Although no R. sanguineus sensu lato had been found on infected or non-infected wild canids, the detection of authochnous canine hepatozoonosis in Hungary might imply that the range of R. sanguineus sensu lato has reached this country.

  18. Potential of golden potatoes to improve vitamin A and vitamin E status in developing countries.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chureeporn Chitchumroonchokchai

    Full Text Available Potato (Solanum tuberosum L. is the third most widely consumed plant food by humans. Its tubers are rich in starch and vitamin C, but have low or null levels of essential nutrients such as provitamin A and vitamin E. Transformation of potato with a bacterial mini-pathway for β-carotene in a tuber-specific manner results in a "golden" potato (GP tuber phenotype resulting from accumulation of provitamin A carotenoids (α- and β-carotene and xanthophylls. Here, we investigated the bioaccessibility of carotenoids and vitamin E as α-tocopherol (αTC in boiled wild type and golden tubers using in vitro digestion. Golden tubers contained up to 91 μg provitamin A carotenes (PAC/g D, increased levels of xanthophylls, phytoene and phytofluene, as well as up to 78 μg vitamin E/g DW. Cubes from wild type and GP tubers were boiled and subjected to simulated digestion to estimate bioaccessibility of carotenoids and αTC. Retention in boiled GPs exceeded 80% for β-carotene (βC, α-carotene (αC, lutein, phytoene ± and αTC, but less than 50% for phytofluene. The efficiency of partitioning of total βC, αC, E-lutein, phytoene, phytofluene and αTC in the mixed micelle fraction during small intestinal digestion was influenced by genotype, tuber content and hydrophobicity. Apical uptake of the compounds that partitioned in mixed micelles by monolayers of human intestinal Caco-2 cells during incubation for 4h was 14-20% for provitamin A and xanthophylls, 43-45% for phytoene, 23-27% for phytofluene, and 53% for αTC. These results suggest that a 150 g serving of boiled golden potatoes has the potential to contribute 42% and 23% of the daily requirement of retinol activity equivalents (RAE, as well as 34 and 17% of the daily vitamin E requirement for children and women of reproductive age, respectively.

  19. Evolução dos pigmentos durante o amadurecimento de mamão 'Sunrise Solo' e 'Golden'

    OpenAIRE

    Fonseca,Marcos José de Oliveira; Leal,Nilton Rocha; Cenci,Sérgio Agostinho; Cecon,Paulo Roberto; Bressan-Smith,Ricardo Enrique; Balbino,José Mauro de Souza

    2007-01-01

    O objetivo deste estudo foi explicar as diferenças na coloração da polpa e da casca entre os frutos dos mamoeiros 'Sunrise Solo' e 'Golden', e desenvolver escalas de maturação visual. Os frutos foram colhidos em sete estádios de maturação, baseando-se no percentual de coloração amarela na casca, em pomar comercial localizado em Linhares-ES. O mamão 'Golden' mostrou-se difícil de classificar por meio de escala visual, devido a sua coloração mais clara. O mamão 'Sunrise Solo' possui teores mais...

  20. The effects of golden sea cucumber extract (Stichopus hermanii on the number of lymphocytes during the healing process of traumatic ulcer on wistar rat’s oral mucous

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ira Arundina

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Indonesia is a country with the world’s biggest potential and producer of sea cucumbers. Golden sea cucumber contains glicosaminoglycans, such as heparan sulphate and chondroitin sulphate, which could have a positive implication on wound healing process. This acceleration of wound healing process could be observed through the increasing of lymphocytes on ulcus traumaticus. Purpose: This study aims to analyze the effects of golden sea cucumber extract on the number of lymphocytes during the healing process of traumatic ulcer on Wistar rat’s oral mucous. Method: Golden sea cucumber extrat was made with freeze-dried method, and then gel was prepared using PEG 400 and PEG 4000 solvent. Twenty male rats with mucosal ulcus made were divided into a control group and three treatment groups with 20%, 40% and 80% golden sea cucumber extracts. All samples were euthanized on day 4 and then a preparation for histopathological examination was made to examine the number of lymphocytes. Result: The biggest number of lymphocytes was found in the treatment group with 40% golden sea cucumber extract, while the lowest one was found in the control group. The results of one way Anova test then showed a significant difference between the control group and the treatment groups. And, the results of Tukey HSD showed a significant difference between the control group and the treatment group with 40% golden sea cucumber extract. Conclusion: It can be concluded that 40% golden sea cucumber (Stichopus hermanii extract can increase the number of lymphocytes during the healing process of traumatic ulcer on Wistar rat’s oral mucous.

  1. Diet of the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos (Aves: Accipitridae in Sarnena Sredna Gora Mountains (Bulgaria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dilian G. Georgiev

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available The material of pellets and food remains (as bone and shell fragments, hair, and feathers was collected after the breeding season from below and within one nest of Golden Eagles on rocks at Sarnena Sredna Gora Mts., north-east of Stara Zagora town. Our study was carried out during a three year period (1999, 2000 and 2002. Total 65 specimens from minimum 10 species of preys were identified among the food remains from which the reptiles dominated. Mostly preyed by the Golden Eagles couple were the tortoises (Testudo sp. with 55.4% from all registered individual preys. The most common prey from mammals was the hedgehog (Erinaceus roumanicus with 13.8%. Interesting fact was and the relatively high percentage of the cats with 7.7% (possibly most of them domestic ones.

  2. Geology of the Golden Gate Highlands National Park

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G.H. Groenewald

    1986-11-01

    Full Text Available The Golden Gate Highlands National Park is underlain by stratigraphic units belonging to the upper part of the Karoo Sequence. These units include part of the Beaufort Group and the Molteno, Elliot, Clarens and Drakensberg Formations. Dolerite dykes and sills are intruded into the succession while recent alluvium and scree cover the valley floors and mountain slopes. The Beaufort Group is represented by red mudstone and light brown fine-grained feldspathic sandstone of the Tarkastad Subgroup. The Molteno Formation consists of medium- to coarse-grained trough cross-bedded sandstone, while the Elliot Formation comprises a thick succession of red mudstone, siltstone and interlayered fine- to medium-grained, light yellow-brown sandstone. The most characteristic feature of the park is the yellowish sandstone cliffs of the Clarens Formation. Cave formation is caused by exudation, differential weathering due to different degrees of carbonate cementation and undercutting of the sandstone. The highest peaks are capped by numerous layers of amygdaloidal and massive varieties of basaltic lava of the Drakensberg Formation. A possible volcanic pipe occurs in the eastern part of the park. The Elliot and Clarens Formations are rich in vertebrate fossil remains, especially Massospondylus sp. Remains of Notochampsa sp., Pachygenelus monus, Clarencea gracilis, Lanasaurus scalpridens and a cluster of unidentified dinosaur eggs have also been found. The formations underlying the Golden Gate Highlands National Park were formed during the Late Triassic Epoch and the Jurassic Period (roughly 150 to 230 million years ago. The strata in the park show very little structural deformation and the only obvious structures are faults which are intruded by dolerite.

  3. Silk fibroin film from golden-yellow Bombyx mori is a biocomposite that contains lutein and promotes axonal growth of primary neurons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pistone, Assunta; Sagnella, Anna; Chieco, Camilla; Bertazza, Gianpaolo; Varchi, Greta; Formaggio, Francesco; Posati, Tamara; Saracino, Emanuela; Caprini, Marco; Bonetti, Simone; Toffanin, Stefano; Di Virgilio, Nicola; Muccini, Michele; Rossi, Federica; Ruani, Giampiero; Zamboni, Roberto; Benfenati, Valentina

    2016-05-01

    The use of doped silk fibroin (SF) films and substrates from Bombyx mori cocoons for green nanotechnology and biomedical applications has been recently highlighted. Cocoons from coloured strains of B. mori, such as Golden-Yellow, contain high levels of pigments that could have a huge potential for the fabrication of SF based biomaterials targeted to photonics, optoelectronics and neuroregenerative medicine. However, the features of extracted and regenerated SF from cocoons of B. mori Golden-Yellow strain have never been reported. Here we provide a chemophysical characterization of regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) fibers, solution, and films obtained from cocoons of a Golden-Yellow strain of B. mori, by SEM, (1) H-NMR, HPLC, FT-IR, Raman and UV-Vis spectroscopy. We found that the extracted solution and films from B. mori Golden-Yellow fibroin displayed typical Raman spectroscopic and optical features of carotenoids. HPLC-analyses revealed that lutein was the carotenoid contained in the fiber and RSF biopolymer from yellow cocoons. Notably, primary neurons cultured on yellow SF displayed a threefold higher neurite length than those grown of white SF films. The results we report pave the way to expand the potential use of yellow SF in the field of neuroregenerative medicine and provide green chemistry approaches in biomedicine. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Memory Recall and Participation Levels in the Elderly: A Study of Golden Age Radio.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durham, Pamela R.; Whittemore, Margaret P.

    1993-01-01

    Twelve women (mean age 90) in a nursing home listened to Golden Age radio programs and answered trivia questions. Reactions to musical programs showed they encouraged reminiscence; trivia stimulated recall of historical and life events. In contrast, comedy programs evoked little response. (SK)

  5. Ballooning behavior in the golden orbweb spider Nephilapilipes (Araneae: Nephilidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanessa M.J. Lee

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Ballooning, a mode of aerial dispersal in spiders, is an innate behavior that requires appropriate physiological and meteorological conditions. Although only rarely reported in the golden orbweb spiders, family Nephilidae, the large geographic distributions of most nephilids—in particular of Nephila species—would imply that these spiders likely routinely disperse by ballooning in spite of giant female sizes. Here we study ballooning behavior in the golden orbweb spider Nephila pilipes (Fabricius, 1793. Specifically, we test for the propensity of spiderlings to deploy ballooning as a dispersal mechanism. We subjected a total of 59 first-instar spiderlings to a wind experiment at two wind speeds (2.17 ± 0.02 m s-1 and 3.17 ± 0.02 m s-1 under laboratory conditions. Under an average wind speed of 3.17 m s-1, none of the spiderlings exhibited pre-ballooning or ballooning behavior. However, at an average wind speed of 2.17 m s-1, 53 (89.8% spiderlings showed pre-ballooning behavior, and 17 (32.1% of the pre-ballooners ultimately ballooned. Our results concur with prior reports on spiderlings of other families that pre-ballooning behavior is a requirement for ballooning to occur. Furthermore, although we cannot rule out other dispersal mechanisms such as synanthropic spread, our findings suggest that the widespread N. pilipes uses ballooning to colonize remote oceanic islands.

  6. Duncan Wheeler, Golden Age Drama in Contemporary Spain. The Comedia on Page, Stage and Screen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alba Carmona

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Review of Duncan Wheeler, Golden Age Drama in Contemporary Spain. The Comedia on Page, Stage and Screen, University of Wales Press, Cardiff, 2012, 295 pp. ISBN: 978-0-7083-2474-5.

  7. Protein expression and genetic variability of canine Can f 1 in golden and Labrador retriever service dogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breitenbuecher, Christina; Belanger, Janelle M; Levy, Kerinne; Mundell, Paul; Fates, Valerie; Gershony, Liza; Famula, Thomas R; Oberbauer, Anita M

    2016-01-01

    Valued for trainability in diverse tasks, dogs are the primary service animal used to assist individuals with disabilities. Despite their utility, many people in need of service dogs are sensitive to the primary dog allergen, Can f 1, encoded by the Lipocalin 1 gene (LCN1). Several organizations specifically breed service dogs to meet special needs and would like to reduce allergenic potential if possible. In this study, we evaluated the expression of Can f 1 protein and the inherent variability of LCN1 in two breeds used extensively as service dogs. Saliva samples from equal numbers of male and female Labrador retrievers (n = 12), golden retrievers (n = 12), and Labrador-golden crosses (n = 12) were collected 1 h after the morning meal. Can f 1 protein concentrations in the saliva were measured by ELISA, and the LCN1 5' and 3' UTRs and exons sequenced. There was no sex effect (p > 0.2) nor time-of-day effect; however, Can f 1 protein levels varied by breed with Labrador retrievers being lower than golden retrievers (3.18 ± 0.51 and 5.35 ± 0.52 μg/ml, respectively, p < 0.0075), and the Labrador-golden crosses having intermediate levels (3.77 ± 0.48 μg/ml). Although several novel SNPs were identified in LCN1, there were no significant breed-specific sequence differences in the gene and no association of LCN1 genotypes with Can f 1 expression. As service dogs, Labrador retrievers likely have lower allergenic potential and, though there were no DNA sequence differences identified, classical genetic selection on the estimated breeding values associated with salivary Can f 1 expression may further reduce that potential.

  8. Analysis of Ca and Mg in blood of golden hamster using NAA technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aguiar, Rodrigo O.; Zamboni, Cibele B.; Medeiros, Jose A.G.

    2009-01-01

    Neutron activation analysis (NAA) technique has been used to determine simultaneously Ca and Mg concentrations in whole blood of Golden Hamster. The reference values for Ca (0.17 - 0.29 gL -1 ) and Mg (0.042 - 0.074 gL -1 ) can be used to performed biochemistry investigation using whole blood. (author)

  9. Introduction pathway and climate trump ecology and life history as predictors of establishment success in alien frogs and toads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rago, Alfredo; While, Geoffrey M; Uller, Tobias

    2012-01-01

    A major goal for ecology and evolution is to understand how abiotic and biotic factors shape patterns of biological diversity. Here, we show that variation in establishment success of nonnative frogs and toads is primarily explained by variation in introduction pathways and climatic similarity between the native range and introduction locality, with minor contributions from phylogeny, species ecology, and life history. This finding contrasts with recent evidence that particular species characteristics promote evolutionary range expansion and reduce the probability of extinction in native populations of amphibians, emphasizing how different mechanisms may shape species distributions on different temporal and spatial scales. We suggest that contemporary changes in the distribution of amphibians will be primarily determined by human-mediated extinctions and movement of species within climatic envelopes, and less by species-typical traits. PMID:22957152

  10. The influence of weather on Golden Eagle migration in northwestern Montana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yates, R.E.; McClelland, B.R.; Mcclelland, P.T.; Key, C.H.; Bennetts, R.E.

    2001-01-01

    We analyzed the influence of 17 weather factors on migrating Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) near the Continental Divide in Glacier National Park, Montana, U.S.A. Local weather measurements were recorded at automated stations on the flanks of two peaks within the migration path. During a total of 506 hr of observation, the yearly number of Golden Eagles in autumn counts (1994-96) averaged 1973; spring counts (1995 and 1996) averaged 605 eagles. Mean passage rates (eagles/hr) were 16.5 in autumn and 8.2 in spring. Maximum rates were 137 in autumn and 67 in spring. Using generalized linear modeling, we tested for the effects of weather factors on the number of eagles counted. In the autumn model, the number of eagles increased with increasing air temperature, rising barometric pressure, decreasing relative humidity, and interactions among those factors. In the spring model, the number of eagles increased with increasing wind speed, barometric pressure, and the interaction between these factors. Our data suggest that a complex interaction among weather factors influenced the number of eagles passing on a given day. We hypothesize that in complex landscapes with high topographic relief, such as Glacier National Park, numerous weather factors produce different daily combinations to which migrating eagles respond opportunistically. ?? 2001 The Raptor Research Foundation, Inc.

  11. Impacts of golden alga Prymnesium parvum on fish populations in reservoirs of the upper Colorado River and Brazos River basins, Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    VanLandeghem, Matthew M.; Farooqi, Mukhtar; Farquhar, B.; Patino, Reynaldo

    2013-01-01

    Several reservoirs in the upper Colorado River and Brazos River basins in Texas have experienced toxic blooms of golden alga Prymnesium parvum and associated fish kills since 2001. There is a paucity of information, however, regarding the population-level effects of such kills in large reservoirs, species-specific resistance to or recovery from kills, or potential differences in the patterns of impacts among basins. We used multiple before-after, control-impact analysis to determine whether repeated golden alga blooms have led to declines in the relative abundance and size structure of fish populations. Sustained declines were noted for 9 of 12 fish species surveyed in the upper Colorado River, whereas only one of eight species was impacted by golden alga in the Brazos River. In the upper Colorado River, White Bass Morone chrysops, White Crappie Pomoxis annularis, Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides, Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus, River Carpsucker Carpiodes carpio, Freshwater Drum Aplodinotus grunniens, Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus, Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris, and Blue Catfish I. furcatus exhibited sustained declines in relative abundance, size structure, or both; Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum, Longnose Gar Lepisosteus osseus, and Common Carp Cyprinus carpio did not exhibit those declines. In the Brazos River, only the relative abundance of Blue Catfish was impacted. Overall, toxic golden alga blooms can negatively impact fish populations over the long-term, but the patterns of impact can vary considerably among river basins and species. In the Brazos River, populations of most fish species appear to be healthy, suggesting a positive angling outlook for this basin. In the upper Colorado River, fish populations have been severely impacted, and angling opportunities have been reduced. Basin-specific management plans aimed at improving water quality and quantity will likely reduce bloom intensity and allow recovery of fish populations to the

  12. The induction by X-rays of chromosome aberrations in male guinea-pigs, rabbits and golden hamsters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lyon, M.F.; Cox, B.D.

    1975-01-01

    The induction by X-rays of translocations in spermatogonia was studied by cytological means in spermatocytes derived from them. In the rabbit and guinea-pig, hump-shaped dose-response curves were obtained, with a linear relationship at the low doses. The shapes of the curves were similar to those reported for the mouse, except that the maximum occurred at 600-700 rad in the mouse as opposed to 300 rad in the guinea-pig and rabbit. Unlike the guinea-pig and rabbit, the golden hamster showed a hump dose-response curve without a definite peak value and with little decrease in yield at high radiation doses. Over the low dose range 100-300 rad, the slopes of the curves of translocation yield were in the order: mouse (highest), rabbit, guinea-pig and hamster. Data on sterile periods suggested that the amount of spermatogonial killing in the rabbit and guinea-pig was as great or greater than in the mouse, and that in the golden hamster it was most severe. It is suggested that the differing shapes of the dose-response curves can be explained by a lower sensitivity to translocation induction in the test species and, also especially in the golden hamster, a greater sensitivity to cell killing. The possibility of extrapolating from these data to other species is discussed

  13. Identification of facial shape by applying golden ratio to the facial measurements: an interracial study in malaysian population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Packiriswamy, Vasanthakumar; Kumar, Pramod; Rao, Mohandas

    2012-12-01

    The "golden ratio" is considered as a universal facial aesthetical standard. Researcher's opinion that deviation from golden ratio can result in development of facial abnormalities. This study was designed to study the facial morphology and to identify individuals with normal, short, and long face. We studied 300 Malaysian nationality subjects aged 18-28 years of Chinese, Indian, and Malay extraction. The parameters measured were physiognomical facial height and width of face, and physiognomical facial index was calculated. Face shape was classified based on golden ratio. Independent t test was done to test the difference between sexes and among the races. The mean values of the measurements and index showed significant sexual and interracial differences. Out of 300 subjects, the face shape was normal in 60 subjects, short in 224 subjects, and long in 16 subjects. As anticipated, the measurements showed variations according to gender and race. Only 60 subjects had a regular face shape, and remaining 240 subjects had irregular face shape (short and long). Since the short and long shape individuals may be at risk of developing various disorders, the knowledge of facial shapes in the given population is important for early diagnostic and treatment procedures.

  14. Protein synthesis inhibitors attenuate water flow in vasopressin-stimulated toad urinary bladder

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoch, B.S.; Ast, M.B.; Fusco, M.J.; Jacoby, M.; Levine, S.D.

    1988-01-01

    Vasopressin stimulates the introduction of aggregated particles, which may represent pathways for water flow, into the luminal membrane of toad urinary bladder. It is not known whether water transport pathways are degraded on removal from membrane or whether they are recycled. The authors examined the effect of the protein synthesis inhibitors cycloheximide and puromycin using repeated 30-min cycles of vasopressin followed by washout of vasopressin, all in the presence of an osmotic gradient, a protocol that maximizes aggregate turnover. High dose cycloheximide inhibited flow immediately. Low dose cycloheximide did not affect initial flow. In the absence of vasopressin, inhibition did not develop. Despite the inhibition of flow in vasopressin-treated tissues, the cAMP-dependent protein kinase ratio was elevated in cycloheximide-treated tissues, suggesting modulation at a distal site in the stimulatory cascade. [ 14 C]urea permeability was not inhibited by cycloheximide. Puromycin also inhibited water flow by the fourth challenge with vasopressin. The data suggest that protein synthesis inhibitors attenuate flow at a site that is distal to cAMP-dependent protein kinase. However, the reversal of inhibition in MIX-treated tissues suggests that the water pathway can be fully manifested given suitable stimulation. They conclude that either large stores of the transport system are available or that the transport system is extensively recycled on retrieval from the membrane

  15. Radio-transmitters do not affect seasonal productivity of female Golden-winged Warblers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Streby, Henry M.; Peterson, Sean M.; Gesmundo, Callie; Johnson, Michael K.; Fish, Alexander C.; Lehman, Justin A.; Andersen, David E.

    2013-01-01

    Investigating the potential effects of handling and marking techniques on study animals is important for correct interpretation of research results and to effect progress in data-collection methods. Few investigators have compared the reproductive output of radio-tagged and non-radio-tagged songbirds, and no one to date has examined the possible effect of radio-tagging adult songbirds on the survival of their fledglings. In 2011 and 2012, we compared several parameters of reproductive output of two groups of female Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera) breeding in Minnesota, including 45 females with radio-transmitters and 73 females we did not capture, handle, or mark. We found no difference between groups in clutch sizes, hatching success, brood sizes, length of incubation and nestling stages, fledging success, number of fledglings, or survival of fledglings to independence. Thus, radio-tags had no measurable impact on the productivity of female Golden-winged Warblers. Our results build upon previous studies where investigators have reported no effects of radio-tagging on the breeding parameters of songbirds by also demonstrating no effect of radio-tagging through the post-fledging period and, therefore, the entire breeding season.

  16. Vomeronasal organ lesion disrupts social odor recognition, behaviors and fitness in golden hamsters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yingjuan; Zhang, Jinhua; Liu, Dingzhen; Zhang, Jianxu

    2014-06-01

    Most studies support the viewpoint that the vomeronasal organ has a profound effect on conspecific odor recognition, scent marking and mating behavior in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). However, the role of the vomeronasal organ in social odor recognition, social interaction and fitness is not well understood. Therefore, we conducted a series of behavioral and physiological tests to examine the referred points in golden hamster. We found that male hamsters with vomeronasal organ lesion showed no preference between a predator odor (the anal gland secretion of the Siberian weasels (Mustela sibirica) and putative female pheromone components (myristic acid and palmitic acid), but were still able to discriminate between these 2 kinds of odors. In behavioral tests of anxiety, we found that vomeronasal organ removal causes female hamsters to spend much less time in center grids and to cross fewer center grids and males to make fewer crossings between light and dark boxes than sham-operated controls. This indicates that a chronic vomeronasal organ lesion induced anxious responses in females. In aggressive behavioral tests, we found that a chronic vomeronasal organ lesion decreased agonistic behavior in female hamsters but not in males. The pup growth and litter size show no differences between the 2 groups. All together, our data suggested that vomeronasal organ ablation disrupted the olfactory recognition of social chemosignals in males, and induced anxiety-like and aggressive behavior changes in females. However, a vomeronasal organ lesion did not affect the reproductive capacity and fitness of hamsters. Our studies may have important implications concerning the role of the vomeronasal organ in golden hamsters and also in rodents. © 2013 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  17. Analysis of Ca and Mg in blood of golden hamster using NAA technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aguiar, Rodrigo O.; Zamboni, Cibele B.; Medeiros, Jose A.G. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN-CNEN/SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)], e-mail: rodrigoaguiar@usp.br, e-mail: czamboni@ipen.br, e-mail: jageiros@yahoo.com.br

    2009-07-01

    Neutron activation analysis (NAA) technique has been used to determine simultaneously Ca and Mg concentrations in whole blood of Golden Hamster. The reference values for Ca (0.17 - 0.29 gL{sup -1} ) and Mg (0.042 - 0.074 gL{sup -1} ) can be used to performed biochemistry investigation using whole blood. (author)

  18. First report of the complete sequence of Sida golden yellow vein virus from Jamaica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, Cheryl S; Kon, Tatsuya; Gilbertson, Robert L; Roye, Marcia E

    2011-08-01

    Begomoviruses are phytopathogens that threaten food security [18]. Sida spp. are ubiquitous weed species found in Jamaica. Sida samples were collected island-wide, DNA was extracted via a modified Dellaporta method, and the viral genome was amplified using degenerate and sequence-specific primers [2, 11]. The amplicons were cloned and sequenced. Sequence analysis revealed that a DNA-A molecule isolated from a plant in Liguanea, St. Andrew, was 90.9% similar to Sida golden yellow vein virus-[United States of America:Homestead:A11], making it a strain of SiGYVV. It was named Sida golden yellow vein virus-[Jamaica:Liguanea 2:2008] (SiGYVV-[JM:Lig2:08]). The cognate DNA-B, previously unreported, was successfully cloned and was most similar to that of Malvastrum yellow mosaic Jamaica virus (MaYMJV). Phylogenetic analysis suggested that this virus was most closely related to begomoviruses that infect malvaceous hosts in Jamaica, Cuba and Florida in the United States.

  19. Presence of Leishmania and Brucella Species in the Golden Jackal Canis aureus in Serbia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Duško Ćirović

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The golden jackal Canis aureus occurs in south-eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Africa. In Serbia, jackals neared extinction; however, during the last 30 years, the species started to spread quickly and to increase in number. Few studies in the past have revealed their potential role as carriers of zoonotic diseases. Animal samples were collected over a three-year period (01/2010–02/2013 from 12 sites all over Serbia. Of the tissue samples collected, spleen was chosen as the tissue to proceed; all samples were tested for Leishmania species and Brucella species by real-time PCR. Of the 216 samples collected, 15 (6.9% were positive for Leishmania species, while four (1.9% were positive for B. canis. The potential epidemiologic role of the golden jackal in carrying and dispersing zoonotic diseases in Serbia should be taken under consideration when applying surveillance monitoring schemes.

  20. The Golden Rule and its Consequences: A Practical and Effective Solution for World Peace

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahra Rakhshani

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Peace is something desirable and requested by all nations in the world. What makes it necessary to address this issue is the critical, undesirable state of the current world that, despite statements by international organizations with the theme of peace, reveals growing conflict and war and irreversible damages caused by them. This article seeks to provide a practical and effective solution for achieving peace in the global community. To this end, it introduces the golden rule (treating others as you wish others to treat you as a rule common to all nations. This rule which has a special place in moral philosophy and has been the common denominator of all religions and schools of thought from ancient times until the present provides peace throughout the world through its mechanism. With the use of analytical methods, this study examines and explains it. The results show that the most effective and powerful way to achieve world peace is the adherence to the golden rule.

  1. The Golden Stag Festival In Ceausescu’s Romania (1968-1971

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandru Matei

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available After his appointment as leader of the Romanian Communist Party in 1965, Ceausescu was very interested in gathering popular support for his economic plans. It was in this context that Romanian television could contribute for a short while to a liberalization of Romanian mass culture by means of cultural and entertainment programmes. Between 1968 and 1972, Romanian television (TVR organized the international pop music festival ‘Cerbul de Aur’ (the Golden Stag, which brought together some of the best European singers at the time.

  2. Freshwater fishes of Golden Gate Highlands National Park

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I.A. Russell

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available The study aimed to determine the distribution and relative abundance of freshwater fishes in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. A total of 1778 fish specimens from three species were collected during surveys carried out in the Little Caledon River during 2002. The chubbyhead barb Barbus anoplus was the only indigenous species recorded, and comprised 99.5 of the total catch. Two of the three recorded species were alien {Cypnnus carpio, Oncorhynchus mykiss}. A further nine indigenous species could potentially occur within the park, though are unlikely to be permanent residents. Barriers formed by instream impoundments may prevent temporary immigration of indigenous fishes, but also limit the further spread of alien species in the park's rivers.

  3. Benefit of multiple trait selection to increase reproductive traits; experimental evidence from Golden hamsters.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Satoh, M.; Nishida, A.; Arendonk, van J.A.M.; Lende, van der T.

    1997-01-01

    Fifteen generations of selection were conducted to study responses for litter size at birth (LSB), weight at weaning of standardized litter (LWW), and individual body weight at 8 wk of age (BW8) using golden hamsters as an experimental model for pigs. The experiment involved three lines: selection

  4. Muscular dystrophy-related quantitative and chemical changes in adenohypophysis GH-cells in golden retrievers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    de Lima, A R; Nyengaard, Jens Randel; Jorge, A A L

    2007-01-01

    investigated the morphological aspects of the adenohypophysis as well as the total number and size of GH-granulated cells using design-based stereological methods in a limited number of dystrophic and healthy golden retrievers. GH-cells were larger (32.4%) in dystrophic dogs than in healthy animals (p=0...

  5. Consumption of Mullerian Bodies by Golden-olive Woodpecker (Colaptes rubiginosus) in Nicaragua's Highlands

    Science.gov (United States)

    M.A. Torrez; Wayne Arendt; L. Diaz

    2016-01-01

    The Golden-olive Woodpecker is a generalist species found in a wide range of habitats, being particularly common in coffee plantations within Nicaraguan cloud forests. Observations of an individual feeding at the base of Cecropia leaves revealed it was consuming Mullerian bodies that the Cecropia produces to feed Azteca ants as part of a host-inhabitant mutualistic...

  6. Removal of cadmium from aqueous solution using waste shells of golden apple snail

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benliang Zhao; Jia-en Zhang; Wenbin Yan; Xiaowu Kang; Chaogang Cheng; Ying Ouyang

    2016-01-01

    Golden apple snail (GAS) is one of the 100 worst invasive alien species. With the application of molluscicides to kill and control the spreading of these snails, a large amount of dead GAS shells are remained in many farms. This study ascertained the characteristics and removal of cadmium (Cd) by the GAS shell (GASS) powders and the associate mechanisms....

  7. Within- and among-population level differences in response to chronic copper exposure in southern toads, Anaxyrus terrestris.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lance, Stacey L; Flynn, R Wesley; Erickson, Matthew R; Scott, David E

    2013-06-01

    Environmental contaminants are implicated in the global decline of amphibian populations. Copper (Cu) is a widespread contaminant that can be toxic at concentrations just above the normal physiological range. In the present study we examined the effects of chronic Cu aqueous exposure on embryos and larvae of southern toads, Anaxyrus (Bufo) terrestris. Measurable levels of Cu were found in larvae, with tissue concentrations up to 27.5 μg Cu/g dry mass. Aqueous concentrations of Cu as low as 10 μg/L significantly reduced survival to the free-swimming stage and no larvae reached metamorphosis at concentrations above 15 μg/L. Clutches from populations with prior Cu exposure had the lowest survivorship. Among several populations there was significant variation in survivorship at different levels of Cu. More data are needed to understand the underlying causes of within- and among-population resilience to anthropogenic stressors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Beta-adrenergic activation of solute coupled water uptake by toad skin epithelium results in near-isosmotic transport

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Robert; Larsen, Erik Hviid

    2007-01-01

    (V) with a [Na+] of the transported fluid of 130+/-24 mM ([Na+]Ringer's solution = 117.4 mM). Addition of bumetanide to the inside solution reduced J(V). Water was transported uphill and J(V) reversed at an excess outside osmotic concentration, deltaC(S,rev) = 28.9+/-3.9 mOsm, amiloride decreased delta......C(S,rev) to 7.5+/-1.5 mOsm. It is concluded that water uptake is accomplished by osmotic coupling in the lateral intercellular space (lis), and hypothesized that a small fraction of the Na+ flux pumped into lis is recirculated via basolateral NKCC transporters.......Transepithelial potential (V(T)), conductance (G(T)), and water flow (J(V)) were measured simultaneously with good time resolution (min) in isolated toad (Bufo bufo) skin epithelium with Ringer on both sides. Inside application of 5 microM isoproterenol resulted in the fast increase in G(T) from 1...

  9. Problems of Ruler and Statehood in the Golden Horde Literature »

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khatip Minnegulov

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Already in ancient and medieval times, the Turks and their ancestors – Proto-Turks – established their own states and accumulated considerable political and administrative experience in the management and administration of their own countries. Their activities in this field was conditioned by the historical reality. They have also been displayed, in varying degrees, in the written literature, in particular: in runic inscriptions and the writings of Yusuf Balasaguni, Yugneki, Kul Gali and other authors. As is known, during two centuries of its existence, the Golden Horde left a deep mark in the statehood history and spiritual life of the peoples of Eurasia and even of the Northern Africa (Mamluk Egypt. Various problems of social and spiritual life are reflected in the preserved written literature of the Jochid ulus. Issues related to the ruler and his relationship with his subjects occupy an important place among these problems, as well as the problem of creating such a society, which would be reigned by “prosperity”, “happiness” and “justice”. Professor Kh.Yu. Minnegulov examines these ques­tions by analyzing the works of such leading Turkish-Tatar writers and poets of the Golden Horde as: Rabguzi, Qutb, Khwarizmi, Mahmud Bulgari, Hisam Kyatib, Saif Sarayi, Ahmed Urgendzhi and others. The author points out that almost all the masters of the pen wanted the Lord being the ideal, perfect man (“Kamil Insan” in every respect, especially fair, educated, morally mannered person. In their opinion, not the people but the sovereign should serve his subjects as a “shepherd” (“chuban” and a “healer”. Some writings do not give preference to ordinary rulers, but to the reigning prophets (“Kyyssas al-Anbiya”, 1310; “Nahj al-Faradis”, 1358. In turn, in his poem “Jumjuma Sultan” (1369, the Sufi poet Hisam Kyatib even condemns and denies, to a certain extent, the “sultan’s power”. The writers urge the Golden

  10. The Second Plague Pandemic in the Golden Horde and Its Consequences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T.F. Khaydarov

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The article reviews the reasons for origin and consequences of spreading for the second plague pandemic in the Golden Horde. By applying scientific data from biology, climatology, medicine, and history, authors come to a conclusion that a large number of natural plague pestholes existed initially in the Ulus of Jochi. Numerous historical sources mentioned plague outbreaks but all of them were of purely local character. The bubonic type of plague characterized by a longer period of illness and an insignificant number of lethal episodes was spread more widely. In the mid-40s of the 14th century a new form of disease, the lung plague, came into existence. It was corpse blackening of the deceased from this type of plague that gave name to the whole pandemic – the “Black Death”. The speed of its progress and spreading significantly exceeded those of the bubonic type and 100% of mortality was recorded among the diseased. However, as historical data show, the outbreak of the lung plague continued in the territory of the Golden Horde from 1346 to 1349. In their article authors prove that one of the most important reasons for the emergence of the lung type was the change in migration flows of Eurasian rodents caused by depletion of nutritional resources in the steppe and serious climatic changes. All other outbreaks of the Black Death are viewed as continuation of the first wave of the disease and their emergence is explained through activity of two natural pestholes (the Relict North-Western and the Lower Volga ones. Consequences of the the first wave were much less substantial for the Ulus of Jochi than those of the following outbreaks (in 1364, 1374, and 1395. The main consequences of the next waves of the disease were: final establishment of 4 political centers (Grand Duchy of Moscow, the Bulgar and the Crimean uluses, and the Blue Horde striving for political leadership in the territory of the former Golden Horde; establishment of a new ethnic

  11. [The effects of anterio-posterior and dorso-ventral inversions of the lateral mesoblast of the neurula on the formation of the mesonephric, medullary, and adrenal anlage of the common toad, Bufo bufo L. (Amphibia, Anoura)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gipouloux, J D; Hakim, J

    1975-10-13

    The experimental results of cranio-caudal reversal and dorso-ventral reversal of the lateral mesoblast of the toad early neurula prove that, at this stage, the cranio-caudal polarity of this tissue is fixed but not the dorso-ventral one. External factors are responsible for the formation of mesonephric, adrenal and gonadal medullary anlage by the lateral mesoblast.

  12. Development of Chronic and Acute Golden Syrian Hamster Infection Models with Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo

    Science.gov (United States)

    The golden Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is frequently used as a model to study virulence for several species of Leptospira. Onset of an acute, lethal infection following infection with several pathogenic Leptospira species has been widely adopted for vaccine testing. An important exceptio...

  13. Highlighting High Performance: National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Visitors Center, Golden, Colorado

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burgert, S.

    2001-01-01

    The National Renewable Energy Laboratory Visitors Center, also known as the Dan Schaefer Federal Building, is a high-performance building located in Golden, Colorado. The 6,400-square-foot building incorporates passive solar heating, energy-efficient lighting, an evaporative cooling system, and other technologies to minimize energy costs and environmental impact. The Visitors Center displays a variety of interactive exhibits on energy efficiency and renewable energy, and the building includes an auditorium, a public reading room, and office space

  14. China Confronts Afghan Drugs: Law Enforcement Views of The Golden Crescent

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-03-01

    tabs of the psychoactive drug amfepramone (jingshen yaopin anfeilatong; 精神药品安非拉酮).18 Although no data are available that would permit Western... consumption market for their drugs arriving from the Golden Crescent. These analysts attribute this change in behavior to the length of time it can take to...entire global consumption of heroin.” Whenever the Taliban decide it is profitable to do so, they will begin “ferociously hurling those drugs onto the

  15. Bio-field array: a dielectrophoretic electromagnetic toroidal excitation to restore and maintain the golden ratio in human erythrocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purnell, Marcy C; Butawan, Matthew B A; Ramsey, Risa D

    2018-06-01

    Erythrocytes must maintain a biconcave discoid shape in order to efficiently deliver oxygen (O 2 ) molecules and to recycle carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) molecules. The erythrocyte is a small toroidal dielectrophoretic (DEP) electromagnetic field (EMF) driven cell that maintains its zeta potential (ζ) with a dielectric constant (ԑ) between a negatively charged plasma membrane surface and the positively charged adjacent Stern layer. Here, we propose that zeta potential is also driven by both ferroelectric influences (chloride ion) and ferromagnetic influences (serum iron driven). The Golden Ratio, a function of Phi φ, offers a geometrical mathematical measure within the distinct and desired curvature of the red blood cell that is governed by this zeta potential and is required for the efficient recycling of CO 2 in our bodies. The Bio-Field Array (BFA) shows potential to both drive/fuel the zeta potential and restore the Golden Ratio in human erythrocytes thereby leading to more efficient recycling of CO 2 . Live Blood Analyses and serum CO 2 levels from twenty human subjects that participated in immersion therapy sessions with the BFA for 2 weeks (six sessions) were analyzed. Live Blood Analyses (LBA) and serum blood analyses performed before and after the BFA immersion therapy sessions in the BFA pilot study participants showed reversal of erythrocyte rheological alterations (per RBC metric; P = 0.00000075), a morphological return to the Golden Ratio and a significant decrease in serum CO 2 (P = 0.017) in these participants. Immersion therapy sessions with the BFA show potential to modulate zeta potential, restore this newly defined Golden Ratio and reduce rheological alterations in human erythrocytes. © 2018 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.

  16. Allometric and radioautographic study on developing parotid gland of the golden hamster at early postnatat period

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Luca, I M.S. de [Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP (Brazil). Inst. de Biologia

    1989-02-01

    The post-natal development of golden hamster parotid gland and the rate of proliferation of the cells are studied in the first month of the life. A comparative evaluation with other rodents is presented. (M.A.C.).

  17. Retina damage after exposure to UVA radiation on the early developmental stages of the Egyptian toad Bufo regularis Reuss

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alaa El-Din H. Sayed

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The present study was carried out to investigate the histological and histochemical changes in the retina on different developmental stages of Egyptian toad Bufo regularis. Our experiment started when tadpoles begin to feed. The adapted embryos are divided into 3 large tanks of 200 embryos each, collections of samples started from feeding age every three days. Both histological and histochemical results showed that the general architecture of the retina organ is correlated with the state of development. Therefore, it displayed different characteristic features depending on the investigated developmental stage starting from the larval stage (feeding began, stage 44 and ending with the post-metamorphic stage 66. Also, the present work aimed to study the chronic effects of UVA on the retina structure of B. regularis during development and metamorphosis for the first time.

  18. The fourth CERN Golden Hadron awards saw seven of the LHC's best suppliers receive recognition

    CERN Multimedia

    Maximilien Brice

    2005-01-01

    'The Golden Hadron awards are a symbol of our appreciation of not only the quality and timely delivery of components but also the collaborative and flexible way the firms have contributed to this very difficult project,' said Lyn Evans, head of the LHC project.

  19. The Golden Age of Cataclysmic Variables and Related Objects - II Concluding Address

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Giovannelli

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Before to conclude officially this workshop — far from me the idea to attempt some concluding remarks already dealt at the meeting with various burning by Joseph Patterson, Mariko Kato, Dmitry Bisikalo, and Rene Hudec —, I would like to comment few highlights coming out from our fruitful week of discussions about The Golden Age of Cataclysmic Variables and Related Objects - II, without any pretension of completeness.

  20. Human permanent teeth are divided into two parts at the cemento-enamel junction in the divine golden ratio.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anand, Rahul; Sarode, Sachin C; Sarode, Gargi S; Patil, Shankargouda

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to find out whether tooth length (crown length + root length) follows the rule of most divine and mysterious phi (ϕ) or the golden ratio. A total of 140 teeth were included in the study. The crown-root ratio was manually calculated using vernier caliper and its approximation to golden ratio or the divine number phi (ϕ) was examined. The average root-crown ratio (R/C) for maxillary central incisor was 1.627 ± 0.04, and of its antagonist, mandibular central incisor was 1.628 ± 0.02. The tooth-root ratio (T/R) for the same was 1.609 ± 0.016 and 1.61 ± 0.008, respectively. Similar values were appreciated for lateral incisors where the R/C ratio in the maxillary and mandibular teeth was 1.632 ± 0.015 and 1.641 ± 0.012 and the T/R ratio was 1.606 ± 0.005 and 1.605 ± 0.005, respectively. On measuring the tooth length in linear fashion from the cusp tip to the root apex, we found that the tooth was divided into two parts at the cemento-enamel junction in the golden ratio. This information can be exploited in restorative and implant dentistry in future.

  1. Studies on the relationship between leptin secretion and several pregnancy-related hormones during pregnancy in the golden hamster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Chen; Yang Liguo; Gen Watanabe; Kazuyoshi Taya

    2003-01-01

    Objective: To determine the relationships between leptin secretion and several pregnancy related hormones, the body weight as well as food intaken in the golden hamster during pregnancy and early lactation. Methods: 100 golden hamsters were mated and divided into 16 groups. Blood specimens were taken at 11:00 daily and were determined for plasma leptin, growth hormone (GH), follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), progesterone estradiol and inhibin with RIA. Relationships between leptin level and food intake as well as material body weight were also noted. Results: A plasma leptin peak level occurred on day 12 of the pregnancy. Leptin levels were significantly correlated with levels of gonadal hormones but not with pituitary hormones. Food intake and material total body weight (including the fetus) bore no significant correlationship with plasma leptin throughout the whole pregnancy stage. However, if the fetus weight was subtracted, the net maternal body weight would be significantly correlated with the leptin concentration. Conclusion: These results suggest that leptin-resistance may exits in the golden hamster during pregnancy. Some pregnancy-related hormones, especially gonadal hormones, have regulatory effect on the secretion of leptin. Positive correlation between leptin and net maternal body weight suggests that leptin is still a signal of the body weight to the central nerves system during pregnancy

  2. Integrated pest management of "Golden Delicious" apples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simončič, A; Stopar, M; Velikonja Bolta, Š; Bavčar, D; Leskovšek, R; Baša Česnik, H

    2015-01-01

    Monitoring of plant protection product (PPP) residues in "Golden Delicious" apples was performed in 2011-2013, where 216 active substances were analysed with three analytical methods. Integrated pest management (IPM) production and improved IPM production were compared. Results were in favour of improved IPM production. Some active compounds determined in IPM production (boscalid, pyraclostrobin, thiacloprid and thiametoxam) were not found in improved IPM production. Besides that, in 2011 and 2012, captan residues were lower in improved IPM production. Risk assessment was also performed. Chronic exposure of consumers was low in general, but showed no major differences for IPM and improved IPM production for active substances determined in both types of production. Analytical results were compared with the European Union report of 2010 where 1.3% of apple samples exceeded maximum residue levels (MRLs), while MRL exceedances were not observed in this survey.

  3. 50 CFR 22.25 - What are the requirements concerning permits to take golden eagle nests?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... nests are inactive, if the taking is compatible with the preservation of the area nesting population of... Director—Attention: Migratory Bird Permit Office. You can find addresses for the appropriate Regional... applicant must calculate the area nesting population of golden eagles and identify on an appropriately...

  4. Total, Soluble and Insoluble Oxalate Contents of Ripe Green and Golden Kiwifruit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyễn, Hà Vũ Hồng; Savage, Geoffrey P

    2013-03-05

    Three bulk samples of two different cultivars of kiwifruit, green ( Actinidia deliciosa L . ) and golden ( Actinidia chinensis L . ) were bought ripe, ready to eat from a local market. The aim of the study was to determine the oxalate composition of each of the three fractions of kiwifruit, namely skin, pulp and seeds. The pulp consisted of 90.4% of the edible portion of the two cultivars while the skin and seeds made up a mean of 8.0% and 1.6% respectively. Total oxalate was extracted with 2.0 M HCL at 21 °C for 15 min and soluble oxalates extracted at 21 °C in water for 15 min from each fraction. The total and soluble oxalate compositions of each fraction were determined using ion exchange HPLC chromatography. The pulp of golden kiwifruit contained lower amounts of total oxalates (15.7 vs. 19.3 mg/100 g FW) and higher amounts of soluble oxalates (8.5 vs. 7.6 mg/100 g FW) when compared to the green cultivar. The skin of the green cultivar contained lower levels of insoluble oxalates (36.9 vs. 43.6 mg/100 g FW), while the seeds of the green cultivar contained higher levels of insoluble oxalates 106.7 vs. 84.7 mg/100 g FW.

  5. An Interview with Larry Golden: Long-Time Marriage and Family Counselor and Counselor Educator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juhnke, Gerald A.; Yu, Fangzhou

    2010-01-01

    Larry Golden started the marriage and family therapy program at Our Lady of the Lake University and was founding chair of the Department of Counseling at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He has contributed substantially to the literature in marriage and family counseling. This interview secured his unique perspective on developments in the…

  6. Presentation of the Book “The Golden Horde in World History” (Oxford, Great Britain, April 7–8, 2017

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L.S. Giniyatullina

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available April 8, 2017 the multi-authored monograph “The Golden Horde in World History” (Kazan, Sh.Marjani Institute of History of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences Publ., 2017. 968 p. + 28 p. with colour insert was presented at the conference “Tatars in World History” (April 7–8, 2017, Oxford, Great Britain. The conference was organized by the University of Oxford and Sh.Marjani Institute of History of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences. The idea was also supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the World Congress of Tatars, the Alliance of Tatars of Europe and the Association of Tatars of Great Britain. The conference was opened with welcoming speeches by the deputy mayor of Oxford, Ray Hamberstone; Head of Sh.Marjani Institute of History of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Rafael Khakimov; famous British historian, specialist in early medieval Russia, the Caucasus and Byzantium, Professor Jonathan Shepard. Also the adviser on information, press and culture, Konstantin Shlykov, welcomed the guests and participants of the conference on behalf of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In his welcoming address, Head of Sh.Marjani Institute of History of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Rafael Khakimov, noted that the monograph “The Golden Horde in World History” is the fruit of the joint work of the researchers of Sh.Marjani Institute of History of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences and the University of Oxford. Now these works are also available in English at the Bodleian Library of Oxford University. The chief editor of “The Golden Horde in World History”, a researcher at the University of Oxford, Marie Favereau, thanked colleagues from the Institute of History of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences and from the Institute of Russian History of the Russian Academy of Sciences for fruitful academic cooperation and stressed the importance of conducting further research on

  7. Lethal and sublethal measures of chronic copper toxicity in the eastern narrowmouth toad, Gastrophryne carolinensis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flynn, R Wesley; Scott, David E; Kuhne, Wendy; Soteropoulos, Diana; Lance, Stacey L

    2015-03-01

    Many metals are acutely toxic to aquatic organisms at high concentrations and for some metals, such as copper (Cu), even low-level chronic contamination may be cause for conservation concern. Amphibian susceptibility to Cu has been examined in only a few species, and susceptibility is highly variable. The lethal and sublethal effects were examined of chronic aqueous Cu exposure on embryonic and larval eastern narrowmouth toads, Gastrophryne carolinensis. Copper levels as low as 10 μg Cu/L reduced embryonic and larval survival. Embryonic survivorship varied within- and between-source populations, with embryos derived from uncontaminated-wetland parents having greater survival at lower Cu levels than embryos from parents from a metal-contaminated constructed wetland. At 30 μg/L, embryos from the contaminated site had greater survival. Overall survival from oviposition to metamorphosis was 68.9% at 0 μg/L and 5.4% at 10 μg/L. Similarly, embryos exposed to ≥50 μg/L demonstrated developmental delays in transition from embryo to free-swimming larva. These results demonstrate a negative population-specific response to environmentally relevant levels of Cu. © 2014 SETAC.

  8. Real and complex dynamics of a family of birational maps of the plane: the golden mean subshift

    OpenAIRE

    Bedford, Eric; Diller, Jeffrey

    2003-01-01

    We give a detailed description of the dynamics of a family of birational mappings of the plane. The organizing theme of our analysis is that this family is essentially conjugate to the golden mean subshift.

  9. 76 FR 22917 - Dog Management Plan/Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Golden Gate National Recreation Area...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-04-25

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service [NPS-PWR-PWRO--0315-696; 8145-8B90-SZM] Dog... Impact Statement/Dog Management Plan, Golden Gate National Recreation Area. SUMMARY: The National Park Service has prepared a Draft Dog Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (Plan/DEIS). The Plan...

  10. Ultrastructural and Molecular Changes in the Developing Small Intestine of the Toad Bufo regularis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. A. Sakr

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The ontogenetic development of the small intestine of the toad Bufo regularis was investigated using twofold approaches, namely, ultrastructural and molecular. The former has been done using transmission electron microscope and utilizing the developmental stages 42, 50, 55, 60, 63, and 66. The most prominent ultrastructural changes were recorded at stage 60 and were more evident at stage 63. These included the appearance of apoptotic bodies/nuclei within the larval epithelium, the presence of macrophages, swollen mitochondria, distorted rough endoplasmic reticulum, chromatin condensation, and irregular nuclear envelop, and the presence of large vacuoles and lysosomes. The molecular investigation involved examining DNA content and fragmentation. The results showed that the DNA content decreased significantly during the metamorphic stages 60 and 63 compared with both larval (50 and 55 and postmetamorphic (66 stages. The metamorphic stages (60 and 63 displayed extensive DNA laddering compared with stages 50, 55, and 66. The percentage of DNA damage was 0.00%, 12.91%, 57.26%, 45.48%, and 4.43% for the developmental stages 50, 55, 60, 63, and 66, respectively. In conclusion, the recorded remodeling of the small intestine represents a model for clarifying the mechanism whereby cell death and proliferation are controlled.

  11. The golden ratio and Loshu-Fibonacci Diagram: novel research view on relationship of Chinese medicine and modern biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhao-xue; Huang, Yun-kun; Sun, Ying

    2014-02-01

    Associating geometric arrangements of 9 Loshu numbers modulo 5, investigating property of golden rectangles and characteristics of Fibonacci sequence modulo 10 as well as the two subsequences of its modular sequence by modulo 5, the Loshu-Fibonacci Diagram is created based on strict logical deduction in this paper, which can disclose inherent relationship among Taiji sign, Loshu and Fibonacci sequence modulo 10 perfectly and unite such key ideas of holism, symmetry, holographic thought and yin-yang balance pursuit from Chinese medicine as a whole. Based on further analysis and reasoning, the authors discover that taking the golden ratio and Loshu-Fibonacci Diagram as a link, there is profound and universal association existing between researches of Chinese medicine and modern biology.

  12. The golden section, secrets of the Egyptian civilization and harmony mathematics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stakhov, Alexey [International Club of the Golden Section, 6 McCreary Trail, Bolton, Ont., L7E 2C8 (Canada)]. E-mail: goldenmuseum@rogers.com

    2006-10-15

    The main goal of the present article is to consider the harmony mathematics from the point of view of the sacral geometry and to show how it can be used in this field. We also consider some secrets of the Egyptian civilization that have relation to the golden section and platonic solids. Briefly, this is considered to be the main concepts involved in harmony mathematics and its application to the sacral geometry. (Religiousness of a scientist is in his enthusiastic worship for laws of harmony. Albert Einstein)

  13. The golden section, secrets of the Egyptian civilization and harmony mathematics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stakhov, Alexey

    2006-01-01

    The main goal of the present article is to consider the harmony mathematics from the point of view of the sacral geometry and to show how it can be used in this field. We also consider some secrets of the Egyptian civilization that have relation to the golden section and platonic solids. Briefly, this is considered to be the main concepts involved in harmony mathematics and its application to the sacral geometry. (Religiousness of a scientist is in his enthusiastic worship for laws of harmony. Albert Einstein)

  14. Development of the Philosophical Thought in Crimea during the Golden Horde Period: Sharaf al-Qrimi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.M. Yakubovych

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available In most of contemporary studies on Islamic Philosophy, the main attention is concerned with the Classical Age (from the eighth up to the thirteenth century. It is worthy to mention that many late medieval Arabic sources still remain out of the real scholarly interest. In turn, the author of this article emphasizes that the philosophical and scientific heritage of the Crimean Khanate represents now a vital interest to researchers, above all, due to the fact that there was a significant flourishing of cultural life on the territory of Crimea and other regions of the Northern Black Sea in the 15th–17th centuries. Among other things, it should be paid special attention to the study of the development of “rational sciences”, including philosophical knowledge. In this context, the author refers to the heritage of the scholar from the Golden Horde, namely Sharaf al-Qrimi (d. 1440. His life falls on a very interesting and, in general, poorly studied period in the history of the Crimea, namely, at a time when the Crimean Yurt (Qırım Yurtu had not yet been an independent State and was a part of the Golden Horde. Creative heyday of this scientist coincided with the age of the weakening of the Golden Horde power in the Crimean yurt, which stood out in an independent State (“Khanate”, hanlığı only in 1441, during the reign of Haji Giray (d. 1466. The works of Sharaf al-Qrimi dedicated to the hermeneutics, provides a clear picture not only of some issues of Post-Classical Islamic thought, but also the development of Islamic knowledge in the Eastern European lands (in particular, in Crimea, which experienced the intensive inter-cultural transmission during the Golden Horde times. It is argued, that Sharaf al-Qrimi was under the influence of the Central Asian and Persian philosophical theology, inspired by the works of Abu ‘Ali ibn Sina and his followers. It is showed that in Crimean (and also early Ottoman context Islamic Philosophy continued

  15. Isolation of a 97-kb minimal essential MHC B locus from a new reverse-4D BAC library of the golden pheasant.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qing Ye

    Full Text Available The bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC system is widely used in isolation of large genomic fragments of interest. Construction of a routine BAC library requires several months for picking clones and arraying BACs into superpools in order to employ 4D-PCR to screen positive BACs, which might be time-consuming and laborious. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC is a cluster of genes involved in the vertebrate immune system, and the classical avian MHC-B locus is a minimal essential one, occupying a 100-kb genomic region. In this study, we constructed a more effective reverse-4D BAC library for the golden pheasant, which first creates sub-libraries and then only picks clones of positive sub-libraries, and identified several MHC clones within thirty days. The full sequencing of a 97-kb reverse-4D BAC demonstrated that the golden pheasant MHC-B locus contained 20 genes and showed good synteny with that of the chicken. The notable differences between these two species were the numbers of class II B loci and NK genes and the inversions of the TAPBP gene and the TAP1-TAP2 region. Furthermore, the inverse TAP2-TAP1 was unique in the golden pheasant in comparison with that of chicken, turkey, and quail. The newly defined genomic structure of the golden pheasant MHC will give an insight into the evolutionary history of the avian MHC.

  16. [Observation on alpha-SMA during Erigeron Breviscapus (Vant) Hand-Mazz obstructs the evolution of carcinogenesis of golden hamster cheek pouch].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, C T; Zhang, S L; Ding, R Y; Hua, L; Zhong, W J

    2000-06-01

    To observe dynamically that Erigeron Breviscapus (Vant) Hand-Mazz (HEr) affects the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA). To discuss the probable mechanism of obstructing leukoplakia carcinogenesis of this medicine. 120 golden hamsters were randomly divided into model group (48), HEr group (48) and control group (6). HEr was applied to obstruct the evolution of carcinogenesis of golden hamster cheek pouch. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression level of alpha-SMA with cheek pouch specimen that besmears DMBA in 4-9 weeks. Results were compared with model group. Vessel density dyed with alpha-SMA continuously of HEr group was 65.76 significantly higher than that of model group 42.12 (P<0.001). High classification cases in HEr group were much more than model group when cases were divided into five groups as follow: 100%, 50%, 20%, 10%, 3% (P<0.01). HEr can raise the expression level of alpha-SMA exactly during the evolution of leukoplakia carcinogenesis of golden hamster, which shows that this medicine obstructs carcinogenesis by keeping the normal physiological function of vascular myoepithelial cell and integrity of vascular basement membrane.

  17. Propolis extract in postharvest conservation Solo papaya cv. 'Golden'

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Flávia Regina Passos

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The high perishability of papaya (Carica papaya L. reduces its lifespan as well as limits marketing. Coating the fruits is an alternative to aid food preservation. We aimed to evaluate the effects of coating propolis extract on the physicochemical characteristics of papaya stored at room temperature. Solo papayas cv. 'Golden' were randomly divided into five postharvest treatment groups, three forms of dip-coating (70% alcohol, hydroalcoholic extract of propolis to 2.5%, and hydroalcoholic extract of propolis to 5% and two controls (one uncoated and one with refrigerated uncoated fruits. The weight loss, firmness, soluble solids (SS, titratable acidity (TA, SS/TA, and hydrogen potential (pH were evaluated at the intervals of 4 days every 12th storage day. Sensory analysis was performed on the 4th day of storage of papayas and evaluated by untrained through the acceptance testing. Treatments “refrigerated”, “propolis 2.5%”, and “5% propolis” presented with the lowest weight loss. The firmness level for treatment propolis 5% was superior to that of control, alcohol, and 2.5% propolis treatments. The SS was greater for propolis 5% treatment, which only differed from the alcohol treatment. The TA and SS/TA did not vary with the treatments, but with the storage time. The pH of refrigerated papaya showed significant differences in relation to other treatments. The fruits subjected to refrigerated treatment presented with chilling injury. Papayas coated with propolis extract showed sensory acceptability similar to that in other treatments on the 4th day of storage. The coating of propolis extract is a promising alternative for the control of weight loss and for the maintenance of firmness in Solo papaya cv. 'Golden'.

  18. A phylogenetic estimate for golden moles (Mammalia, Afrotheria, Chrysochloridae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bloomer Paulette

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Golden moles (Chrysochloridae are small, subterranean, afrotherian mammals from South Africa and neighboring regions. Of the 21 species now recognized, some (e.g., Chrysochloris asiatica, Amblysomus hottentotus are relatively common, whereas others (e.g., species of Chrysospalax, Cryptochloris, Neamblysomus are rare and endangered. Here, we use a combined analysis of partial sequences of the nuclear GHR gene and morphological characters to derive a phylogeny of species in the family Chrysochloridae. Results Although not all nodes of the combined analysis have high support values, the overall pattern of relationships obtained from different methods of phylogeny reconstruction allow us to make several recommendations regarding the current taxonomy of golden moles. We elevate Huetia to generic status to include the species leucorhinus and confirm the use of the Linnean binomial Carpitalpa arendsi, which belongs within Amblysominae along with Amblysomus and Neamblysomus. A second group, Chrysochlorinae, includes Chrysochloris, Cryptochloris, Huetia, Eremitalpa, Chrysospalax, and Calcochloris. Bayesian methods make chrysochlorines paraphyletic by placing the root within them, coinciding with root positions favored by a majority of randomly-generated outgroup taxa. Maximum Parsimony (MP places the root either between chrysochlorines and amblysomines (with Chlorotalpa as sister taxon to amblysomines, or at Chlorotalpa, with the former two groups reconstructed as monophyletic in all optimal MP trees. Conclusions The inclusion of additional genetic loci for this clade is important to confirm our taxonomic results and resolve the chrysochlorid root. Nevertheless, our optimal topologies support a division of chrysochlorids into amblysomines and chrysochlorines, with Chlorotalpa intermediate between the two. Furthermore, evolution of the chrysochlorid malleus exhibits homoplasy. The elongate malleus has evolved just once in the

  19. A phylogenetic estimate for golden moles (Mammalia, Afrotheria, Chrysochloridae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asher, Robert J; Maree, Sarita; Bronner, Gary; Bennett, Nigel C; Bloomer, Paulette; Czechowski, Paul; Meyer, Matthias; Hofreiter, Michael

    2010-03-09

    Golden moles (Chrysochloridae) are small, subterranean, afrotherian mammals from South Africa and neighboring regions. Of the 21 species now recognized, some (e.g., Chrysochloris asiatica, Amblysomus hottentotus) are relatively common, whereas others (e.g., species of Chrysospalax, Cryptochloris, Neamblysomus) are rare and endangered. Here, we use a combined analysis of partial sequences of the nuclear GHR gene and morphological characters to derive a phylogeny of species in the family Chrysochloridae. Although not all nodes of the combined analysis have high support values, the overall pattern of relationships obtained from different methods of phylogeny reconstruction allow us to make several recommendations regarding the current taxonomy of golden moles. We elevate Huetia to generic status to include the species leucorhinus and confirm the use of the Linnean binomial Carpitalpa arendsi, which belongs within Amblysominae along with Amblysomus and Neamblysomus. A second group, Chrysochlorinae, includes Chrysochloris, Cryptochloris, Huetia, Eremitalpa, Chrysospalax, and Calcochloris. Bayesian methods make chrysochlorines paraphyletic by placing the root within them, coinciding with root positions favored by a majority of randomly-generated outgroup taxa. Maximum Parsimony (MP) places the root either between chrysochlorines and amblysomines (with Chlorotalpa as sister taxon to amblysomines), or at Chlorotalpa, with the former two groups reconstructed as monophyletic in all optimal MP trees. The inclusion of additional genetic loci for this clade is important to confirm our taxonomic results and resolve the chrysochlorid root. Nevertheless, our optimal topologies support a division of chrysochlorids into amblysomines and chrysochlorines, with Chlorotalpa intermediate between the two. Furthermore, evolution of the chrysochlorid malleus exhibits homoplasy. The elongate malleus has evolved just once in the Cryptochloris-Chrysochloris group; other changes in shape have

  20. 78 FR 27856 - Golden Nematode; Removal of Regulated Areas in Livingston and Steuben Counties, NY

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-13

    .... APHIS-2012-0079] Golden Nematode; Removal of Regulated Areas in Livingston and Steuben Counties, NY... nematode regulations by removing areas in Livingston and Steuben Counties in New York from the list of... nematode, and we determined that regulation of these areas was no longer necessary. As a result of that...