We model diffraction errors found when using toothed apertures [L. P. Boivin, Reduction of diffraction errors in radiometry by means of toothed apertures, Appl. Opt. 17, 3323-3328 (1978)]. Using toothed (cf. circular) apertures minimizes diffraction by inducing destructive interference within the diffracted signal. Since diffraction effects can be quite complicated, their over-all reduction may...

BACKGROUND The caspase-associated recruitment domain-containing protein (CARP) is expressed in almost all tissues. Recently, the tumor-suppressive function of CARP was discovered and attracted increasing attention. This study aimed to investigate the role of CARP in the carcinogenesis of human gastric carcinoma. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Compared with normal gastric tissue, the downregul...

The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic mechanism of the transparent trait in transparent crucian carp. We observed body color development in transparent crucian carp larvae and analyzed heredity of color in hybrids produced with red crucian carp, ornamental carp, and red purse carp. The results showed that the body color of the newly hatched larvae matured into the adult pattern a...

BACKGROUND Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been used as genetic marker for genome-wide association studies in many species. Gene-associated SNPs could offer sufficient coverage in trait related research and further more could themselves be causative SNPs for traits. Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is one of the most important aquaculture species in the world accounting for nearly 14% ...

A highly efficient soil-burrowing dung beetle possesses an intricate outer contour curve on its foreleg end-tooth. This study was carried out based on evidence that this special outer contour curve has the potential of reducing soil penetration resistance and could enhance soil-burrowing efficiency. A toothed wheel is a typical agricultural implement for soil imprinting, to increase its working...

The varieties of carp we mentioned before are all hybrids. The traits of the offspring of the hybrid carps will be segregated. So new hybrids should be made every year and at least two varieties of parental fish must be conserved in order to obtain the hybrid carps. This can be inconvenient in practice. Jian carp is the first variety of common carp that was produced by artificial breeding in Ch...

The exceptional fossil sites of Cerro de los Batallones (Madrid Basin, Spain) contain abundant remains of Late Miocene mammals. From these fossil assemblages, we have inferred diet, resource partitioning and habitat of three sympatric carnivorous mammals based on stable isotopes. The carnivorans include three apex predators: two sabre-toothed cats (Felidae) and a bear dog (Amphicyonidae). Herbi...

Toothed whales use intense ultrasonic clicks to echolocate prey and it has been hypothesized that they also acoustically debilitate their prey with these intense sound pulses to facilitate capture. Cephalopods are an important food source for toothed whales, and there has probably been an evolutionary selection pressure on cephalopods to develop a mechanism for detecting and evading sound-emitt...

Toothed whales emit high-powered ultrasonic clicks to echolocate a wide range of prey. It may be hypothesized that some of their prey species have evolved capabilities to detect and respond to such ultrasonic pulses in a way that reduces predation, akin to the situation for many nocturnal insects and echolocating bats. Using high-speed film recordings and controlled exposures, we obtained behav...

Pymatuning Lake, located on the Pennsylvania/Ohio border, is noted for the large numbers of bread-eating carp that frequent the Linesville Causeway "carp bowl" from May to November. Carp were trapped in 1952 and 1984 at the carp bowl, tagged, and relocated varying distances away from the bowl in Sanctuary, Middle, and Lower lakes. Carp traversed the return distances of up to 9 km in less than 4...