Search results for "Animal Structures"
showing 10 items of 876 documents
Immunocompetence, developmental stability and wingspot size in the damselflyCalopteryx splendensL.
2000
Calopteryx splendens males exhibit a remarkable variation in wing pigmentation both within and between populations. In this study, we examined whether the wingspots of male C. splendens are related to male quality. We measured the nylon implant encapsulation rate for 85 males and found that males with larger wingspots had a faster encapsulation rate, indicating a better immunocompetence. We also found that the encapsulation rate was positively correlated with the density of haemocytes in the haemolymph. Another measurement of male quality, fluctuating asymmetry of wingspots, correlated negatively with the size of the wingspots. Males with asymmetrical wingspots also had lower encapsulation …
Genetic elimination of known pheromones reveals the fundamental chemical bases of mating and isolation in Drosophila
1999
Overexpression of the UAS-tra transgene in Drosophila melanogaster females led to the complete elimination of their cuticular pheromones. According to current models of Drosophila behavior, these flies should induce no courtship. In fact, they are still attractive to conspecific males. Three classes of stimuli are shown to induce courtship, with different effects on male behavior: ( i ) known pheromones produced by control females, ( ii ) stimuli produced by living control and transgenic flies, and ( iii ) as-yet-undetermined pheromones present on both control and transgenic flies. Only the latter class of pheromones are required for mating. They appear to represent a layer of ancestral at…
The genus Tuponia Reuter, 1875 in Romania, with two new synonymies (Heteroptera: Miridae)
2021
Based on recently collected material and on type specimens deposited in the collections of Muzeul de Istorie Naturală “Grigore Antipa”, Bucharest, Romania, and of the Zoologische Museum, Universität Hamburg, Germany, the following new synonymies are proposed: Tuponia (Chlorotuponia) prasina (Fieber, 1864) = Tuponia (Chlorotuponia) linnavuorii Wagner, 1961, syn. n.; Tuponia (Tuponia) montandoni Reuter, 1899 = Tuponia (Tuponia) macedonica Wagner, 1957, syn. n. Lectotype and paralectotype are designated for Tuponia (Tuponia) montandoni Reuter, 1899. Tuponia (Chlorotuponia) hippophaes (Fieber, 1861), Tuponia (Tuponia) arcufera Reuter, 1879 and Tuponia (Tuponia) elegans (Jakovlev, 1867) are reco…
Revision of the genus Prionotropis Fieber, 1853 (Orthoptera: Pamphagidae: Thrinchinae)
2015
The genus Prionotropis Fieber, 1853 is revised. It is distributed in scattered areas of the Mediterranean region from Turkey in the East to Spain in the West. Overall, seven species are listed, namely P. maculinervis (Stål, 1878) (Turkey; P. urfensis Ramme, 1933 is here considered its synonym), P. willemsorum n. sp. (Greece, Epirus; previously considered P. appula), P. appula (O.G. Costa, 1836) (South Italy), P. hystrix (Germar, 1817) (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, North-East Italy; P. hystrix sontiaca is here synonymized), P. rhodanica Uvarov, 1923 resurrected status (France, Crau, Rhone delta; here considered a valid species), P. azami Uvarov, 1923 n. status (France, Var regi…
Elevated blood Hsp60, its structural similarities and cross-reactivity with thyroid molecules, and its presence on the plasma membrane of oncocytes p…
2014
The role Hsp60 might play in various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases is under investigation, but little information exists pertaining to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT). With the aim to fill this gap, in the present work, we directed our attention to Hsp60 participation in HT pathogenesis. We found Hsp60 levels increased in the blood of HT patients compared to controls. The chaperonin was immunolocalized in thyroid tissue specimens from patients with HT, both in thyrocytes and oncocytes (Hurthle cells) with higher levels compared to controls (goiter). In oncocytes, we found Hsp60 not only in the cytoplasm but also on the plasma membrane, as shown by double immunofluorescence performed on …
Reduction of Dopamine Level Enhances the Attractiveness of Male Drosophila to Other Males
2009
1932-6203 (Electronic); Dopamine is an important neuromodulator in animals and its roles in mammalian sexual behavior are extensively studied. Drosophila as a useful model system is widely used in many fields of biological studies. It has been reported that dopamine reduction can affect female receptivity in Drosophila and leave male-female courtship behavior unaffected. Here, we used genetic and pharmacological approaches to decrease the dopamine level in dopaminergic cells in Drosophila, and investigated the consequence of this manipulation on male homosexual courtship behavior. We find that reduction of dopamine level can induce Drosophila male-male courtship behavior, and that this beha…
NOTCH, a new signaling pathway implicated in holoprosencephaly.
2011
International audience; Genetics of Holoprosencephaly (HPE), a congenital malformation of the developing human forebrain, is due to multiple genetic defects. Most genes that have been implicated in HPE belong to the sonic hedgehog signaling pathway. Here we describe a new candidate gene isolated from array comparative genomic hybridization redundant 6qter deletions, DELTA Like 1 (DLL1), which is a ligand of NOTCH. We show that DLL1 is co-expressed in the developing chick forebrain with Fgf8. By treating chick embryos with a pharmacological inhibitor, we demonstrate that DLL1 interacts with FGF signaling pathway. Moreover, a mutation analysis of DLL1 in HPE patients revealed a three-nucleoti…
Bone morphogenetic protein-4 is required for mesoderm formation and patterning in the mouse.
1995
Bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4) is a member of the TGF-beta superfamily of polypeptide signaling molecules, closely related to BMP-2 and to Drosophila decapentaplegic (DPP). To elucidate the role of BMP-4 in mouse development the gene has been inactivated by homologous recombination in ES cells. Homozygous mutant Bmp-4tm1blh embryos die between 6.5 and 9.5 days p.c., with a variable phenotype. Most Bmp-4tm1blh embryos do not proceed beyond the egg cylinder stage, do not express the mesodermal marker T(Brachyury), and show little or no mesodermal differentiation. Some homozygous mutants develop to the head fold or beating heart/early somite stage or beyond. However, they are development…
Effects of a small acute subdural hematoma following traumatic brain injury on neuromonitoring, brain swelling and histology in pigs.
2011
An acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) induces pathomechanisms which worsen outcome after traumatic brain injury, even after a small hemorrhage. Synergistic effects of a small ASDH on brain damage are poorly understood, and were studied here using neuromonitoring for 10 h in an injury model of controlled cortical impact (CCI) and ASDH. Pigs (n = 32) were assigned to 4 groups: sham, CCI (2.5 m/s), ASDH (2 ml) and CCI + ASDH. Intracranial pressure was significantly increased above sham levels by all injuries with no difference between groups. CCI and ASDH reduced ptiO<sub>2</sub> by a maximum of 36 ± 9 and 26 ± 11%, respectively. The combination caused a 31 ± 11% drop. ASDH alone and i…
The gamma(2)-MSH peptide mediates a central analgesic effect via a GABA-ergic mechanism that is independent from activation of melanocortin receptors.
2001
Using the latency for tail-flick after thermal stimulation we have assessed the effects of alpha-, gamma(1)- and gamma(2)-MSH on nociceptive threshold in the mice. Intracisternal injections of gamma(2)-MSH induced a distinct analgesia, while gamma(1)-MSH in the same doses gave only a minor analgesia. Intracisternal alpha-MSH instead gave a short-term hyperalgesia. The effect of gamma(2)-MSH was not blocked by any of the MC(4)/MC(3)receptor antagonist HS014, naloxone or by the prior intracisternal administrations of gamma(1)-MSH. However, the gamma(2)-MSH analgesic response was completely attenuated by treating animals with the GABA(A)antagonist bicuculline. The gamma(2)-MSH analgesic effect…