In order to probe the organization of the contractile machinery in smooth muscle, we have studied the distribution of alpha-actinin, a protein present in high concentration in dense bodies, structures apparently analogous to the Z-disks of striated muscle. Localization of alpha-actinin in single isolated smooth muscle cells of the stomach muscularis of Bufo marinus was determined by analysis of...

We report here evidence for endogenous NO signalling in long-term (>1 h) synaptic depression at the neuromuscular junction induced by 20 min of 1 Hz nerve stimulation. Synaptic depression was characterized by a 46% reduction in the end-plate potential (EPP) amplitude and a 21% decrease in miniature EPP (MEPP) frequency, but no change to MEPP amplitude, indicating a reduction in evoked quantal r...

Myotragus balearicus was a dwarf artiodactyl endemic to the Eastern Balearic Islands, where it evolved in isolation for more than 5 million years before becoming extinct between 3640 and 2135 cal BC (calibrated years BC). Numerous unusual apomorphies obscure the relationship between Myotragus and the extant Caprinae. Therefore, genetic data for this species would significantly contribute to the...

to identify the mite species associated with food products in mashhad, a variety of stored food products were visited and sampled during years 2011 and 2012. storage mites were extracted by means of berlese-tullgreen funnel. mite specimens were cleared using lactic acid or nesbit’s fluid. using hoyer’s medium, cleared specimens were mounted as permanent microscopic slides. specimens were identi...

Abstract Background Although debates about the assessment of potential effects pesticides on amphibians are ongoing, not yet considered in current EU environmental risk pesticides. Instead, aquatic amphibian life stages relies use data surrogate species like standard temperate fish rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ). This assumption is mainly based comparison to native Europe such as African...

Traffic intensification, often in conjunction with habitat fragmentation, has caused frequent roadkill incidents, particularly among reptiles, amphibians, and other taxa. Herpetofauna species, which are slow moving dependent, susceptible to these incidents because they use roads during thermoregulation. Lesvos, the eighth-largest Mediterranean island, boasts a biodiversity that surpasses most i...

There is still limited information on the distribution of Cryptosporidium species and genotypes in fish. The present study investigated the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in cultured freshwater (n=132), wild freshwater (n=206) and wild marine (n=276) fish in Papua New Guinea (PNG) by PCR screening at the 18S rRNA locus. A total of seven fish (2 cultured freshwater, 1 wild freshwater and ...