The role of nitric oxide in regulation of the cardiovascular system in reptiles

The roles that nitric oxide (NO) plays in the cardiovascular system of reptiles are reviewed, with particular emphasis on its effects on central vascular blood flows in the systemic and pulmonary circulations. New data is presented that describes the effects on hemodynamic variables in varanid lizards of exogenously administered NO via the nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and, preliminary data on the effects of SNP inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) by L-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Furthermore. on hemodynamic variables in the tegu lizard are presented. The findings are compared with previously published data from Our laboratory on three other species of reptiles: pythons (Skovgaard, N., Galli, G., Taylor, E.W., Conlon, J.M., Wang.. T., 2005. Hemodynamic effects of python neuropeptide gamma in the anesthetized python, Python regius. Regul. Pept. 18, 15-26), rattlesnakes (Galli, G., Skovgaard, N., Abe, A.S., Taylor, E.W., Wang, T., 2005. The role of nitric oxide in the regulation of the systemic and the pulmonary vasculature of the rattlesnake, Crotalus durissus terrificus. J. Comp. Physiol. 175B, 201-208) and turtles (Crossley, D.A., Wang, T., Altimiras, J., 2000. Role of nitric oxide in the systemic and pulmonary circulation of anesthetized turtles (Trachemys scripta). J. Exp. Zool. 286, 683-689). These five species of reptiles possess different combinations of division of the heart and structural complexity of the lungs. Comparison of their responses to NO donors and NOS inhibitors may reveal whether the potential contribution of NO to vascular tone correlates with pulmonary complexity and/or with blood pressure. All existing studies oil reptiles have clearly established a potential role for NO in regulating vascular tone in the systemic circulation and NO may be important for maintaining basal systemic vascular tone in varanid lizards, pythons and turtles, through a continuous release of NO. In contrast., the pulmonary circulation is less responsive to NO donors or NOS inhibitors, and it was only in pythons and varanid lizards that the lungs responded to SNP. Both species have a functionally separated heart, so it is possible that NO may exert a larger role in species with low pulmonary blood pressures, irrespective of lung complexity. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Minimal volume regulation after shrinkage of red blood cells from five species of reptiles

Red blood cells (RBCs) from most vertebrates restore volume upon hypertonic shrinkage and the mechanisms underlying this regulatory volume increase (RVI) have been studied extensively in these cells. Despite the phylogenetically interesting position of reptiles, very little is known about their red cell function. The present study demonstrates that oxygenated RBCs in all major groups of reptiles exhibit no or a very reduced RVI upon -25% calculated hyperosmotic shrinkage. Thus, RBCs from the snakes Crotalus durissus and Python regius, the turtle Trachemys scripta and the alligator Alligator mississippiensis showed no statistically significant RVI within 120 min after shrinkage, while the lizard Tupinambis merianae showed 22% volume recovery after 120 min. Amiloride (10(-4) M) and bumetanide (10(-5) M) had no effect on the RVI in T merianae, indicating no involvement of the Na(+)/H(+) exchanger (NHE) or the Na(+)/K(+)/2Cl(-) co-transporter (NKCC) or insentive transporters. Deoxygenation of RBCs from A. mississippiensis and T merianae did not significantly affect RVI upon shrinkage. Deoxygenation per se of red blood cells from T merianae elicited a slow volume increase, but the mechanism was not characterized. It seems, therefore, that the RVI response based on NHE activation was lost among the early sauropsids that gave rise to modern reptiles and birds, while it was retained in mammals. An RVI response has then reappeared in birds, but based on activation of the NKCC. Alternatively, the absence of the RVI response may represent the most ancient condition, and could have evolved several times within vertebrates. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clínica de animais exóticos

Este relatório de estágio descreve as atividades desenvolvidas no estágio curricular e desenvolve o tema ―Inseminação artificial em Python regius‖. O estágio de seis meses foi realizado na Exoclinic – clínica veterinária de aves e exóticos, permitindo consolidar conhecimentos através da prática clínica e agregar-lhes a área da medicina de animais exóticos, dedicando especial atenção à medicina de répteis. Desenvolvem-se os casos mais frequentes: medicina preventiva nas várias classes de animais, patologia dentária em roedores e lagomorfos, doença do bico e das penas dos psitacídeos e anorexia em répteis. Na monografia aborda-se a anatomofisiologia e o comportamento reprodutivos das cobras e a sua influência no maneio reprodutivo em cativeiro, métodos de avaliação de reprodutores e técnicas de inseminação artificial. Realizou-se um ensaio prático com seis animais, realizando colheitas de sémen, avaliação de alguns parâmetros do sémen, controlo folicular por ecografia e inseminação artificial. Apresentam-se os métodos, os resultados e respetiva discussão; Abstract: Exotic animal medicine This traineeship report describes the activities during the traineeship and develops the theme "Artificial insemination in Python regius." The six-month internship was held in Exoclinic - clínica veterinária de aves e exóticos, consolidating knowledge through clinical practice and adding the medical field of exotic animals, with special attention to reptiles. The most frequent clinical cases are developed: preventive medicine in the various classes of animals, dental pathology in rodents and lagomorphs, Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease in birds and anorexia in reptile. The monograph addresses the anatomy, physiology and reproductive behavior of snakes and their influence on reproductive management in captivity, methods for reproductors selection and evaluation and artificial insemination techniques. Implementation of a field trial with six animals, performing semen crops and evaluation of some of its parameters, follicular monitoring by ultrasound and artificial insemination. Methods and results are presented and discussed.

Report of a human accident caused by Conus regius (Gastropoda, Conidae)

Conus regius is a venomous mollusc in the Conidae family, which includes species responsible for severe or even fatal accidents affecting human beings. This is the first report on a clinical case involving this species. It consisted a puncture in the right hand of a diver who presented paresthesia and movement difficulty in the whole limb. The manifestations disappeared after around twelve hours, without sequelae.

Aulas interativas com recurso à exposição: uma metodologia para o ensino da linguagem de programação Python

Relatório de estágio de mestrado em Ensino de Informática

Numerisches Lösen grosser dünnbesetzter Matrixgleichungen in Python

Magdeburg, Univ., Fak. für Mathematik, Bachelorarbeit, 2013

UOCConc - Analitzador de Concordances en Python

Disseny i implementació d'un programa que serveix com a base per a l'anàlisi de concordances, obert a futures ampliacions i modificacions. La memòria està estructurada de manera didàctica per tal de facilitar l'enteniment del que s'ha fet i com s'ha fet i proporciona una guia per a l'ampliació.

Viri, Remote execution of Python scripts

Viri is a system for automatic distribution and execution of Python code on remote machines. This is especially useful when dealing with a large group of hosts.With Viri, Sysadmins can write their own scripts, and easily distribute and execute them on any number of remote machines. Depending on the number of computers to administrate, Viri can save thousands of hours, that Sysadmins would spend transferring files, logging into remote hosts, and waiting for the scripts to finish. Viri automates the whole process.Viri can also be useful for remotely managing host settings. It should work together with an application where the information about hosts would be maintained. This information can include cron tasks, firewall rules, backup settings,... After a simple Integration of this application with your Viri infrastructure, you can change any settings in the application, and see how it gets applied on the target host automatically.

Disseny i implementació d'una API en Python per el processament de models de poblacions simulats mitjançant PlinguaCore

En aquest projecte, tractarem de crear una aplicació que ens permeti d'una forma ràpida i eficient, el processament dels resultats obtinguts per un eina de simulació d'ecosistemes naturals anomenada PlinguaCore .L'objectiu d'aquest tractament és doble. En primer lloc, dissenyar una API que ens permeti de forma eficient processar la gran quantitat de dades generades per simulador d'ecosistemes PlinguaCore. En segon lloc, fer que aquesta API es pugui integrar en altres aplicacions, tant de tractament de dades, com de cal·libració dels models.

Desarrollo CUDA en Java y Python

Análisis de desarrollo paralelo CUDA en lenguajes Java y Python, utilizando JCuda, RootBeer, PyCuda y Anaconda Accelerate. Cómo desarrollar, pros y contras de las herramientas analizadas.

Implementació d'un proveïdor de servei PAPI (PoA) lleuger en Python

L'objectiu principal d'aquest projecte ha estat realitzar el desenvolupament en Python d'un PoA lleuger, implementant la part del protocol PAPI que correspon al proveïdor de servei. El resultat d'aquesta implementació ha estat una llibreria Python que es farà servir des de les aplicacions web i que proporcionarà a aquestes una interfície senzilla per realitzar la identificació dels usuaris i un control d'accés a la pròpia aplicació.

Desarrollo CUDA en Java y Python

Análisis de desarrollo paralelo CUDA en lenguajes Java y Python, utilizando JCuda, RootBeer, PyCuda y Anaconda Accelerate.

Python as a programming language for the introductory programming courses

Tämä kandidaatintyö tutkii tietotekniikan perusopetuksessa keskeisen aiheen,ohjelmoinnin, alkeisopetusta ja siihen liittyviä ongelmia. Työssä perehdytään ohjelmoinnin perusopetusmenetelmiin ja opetuksen lähestymistapoihin, sekä ratkaisuihin, joilla opetusta voidaan tehostaa. Näitä ratkaisuja työssä ovat mm. ohjelmointikielen valinta, käytettävän kehitysympäristön löytäminen sekä kurssia tukevien opetusapuvälineiden etsiminen. Lisäksi kurssin läpivientiin liittyvien toimintojen, kuten harjoitusten ja mahdollisten viikkotehtävien valinta kuuluu osaksitätä työtä. Työ itsessään lähestyy aihetta tutkimalla Pythonin soveltuvuutta ohjelmoinnin alkeisopetukseen mm. vertailemalla sitä muihin olemassa oleviin yleisiin opetuskieliin, kuten C, C++ tai Java. Se tarkastelee kielen hyviä ja huonoja puolia, sekä tutkii, voidaanko Pythonia hyödyntää luontevasti pääasiallisena opetuskielenä. Lisäksi työ perehtyy siihen, mitä kaikkea kurssilla tulisi opettaa, sekä siihen, kuinka kurssin läpivienti olisi tehokkainta toteuttaa ja minkälaiset tekniset puitteet kurssin toteuttamista varten olisi järkevää valita.