Rates of seropositivity for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in polar bears and marine mammals around Svalbard

Little is known about the prevalence of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii in the arctic marine food chain of Svalbard, Norway. In this study, plasma samples were analyzed for T. gondii antibodies using a direct agglutination test. Antibody prevalence was 45.6% among polar bears (Ursus maritimus), 18.7% among ringed seals (Pusa hispida) and 66.7% among adult bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus) from Svalbard, but no sign of antibodies were found in bearded seal pups, harbour seals (Phoca vitulina), white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) or narwhals (Monodon monoceros) from the same area. Prevalence was significantly higher in male polar bears (52.3%) compared with females (39.3%), likely due to dietary differences between the sexes. Compared to an earlier study, T. gondii prevalence in polar bears has doubled in the past decade. Consistently, an earlier study on ringed seals did not detect T. gondii. The high recent prevalence in polar bears, ringed seals and bearded seals could be caused by an increase in the number or survivorship of oocysts being transported via the North Atlantic Current to Svalbard from southern latitudes. Warmer water temperatures have led to influxes of temperate marine invertebrate filter-feeders that could be vectors for oocysts and warmer water is also likely to favour higher survivorship of oocycts. However, a more diverse than normal array of migratory birds in the Archipelago recently, as well as a marked increase in cruise-ship and other human traffic are also potential sources of T. gondii.

Archive of the PASATA (PASsive Acoustic Tracking of Antarctic marine mammals) field documentation

Recordings from the PerenniAL Acoustic Observatory in the Antarctic ocean (PALAOA) show seasonal acoustic presence of 4 Antarctic ice-breeding seal species (Ross seal, Ommatophoca rossii, Weddell seal, Leptonychotes weddellii, crabeater, Lobodon carcinophaga, and leopard seal, Hydrurga leptonyx). Apart from Weddell seals, inhabiting the fast-ice in Atka Bay, the other three (pack-ice) species however have to date never (Ross and leopard seal) or only very rarely (crabeater seals) been sighted in the Atka Bay region. The aim of the PASATA project is twofold: the large passive acoustic hydrophone array (hereafter referred to as large array) aims to localize calling pack-ice pinniped species to obtain information on their location and hence the ice habitat they occupy. This large array consists of four autonomous passive acoustic recorders with a hydrophone sensor deployed through a drilled hole in the sea ice. The PASATA recordings are time-stamped and can therefore be coupled to the PALAOA recordings so that the hydrophone array spans the bay almost entirely from east to west. The second, smaller hydrophone array (hereafter referred to as small array), also consists of four autonomous passive acoustic recorders with hydrophone sensors deployed through drilled holes in the sea ice. The smaller array was deployed within a Weddell seal breeding colony, located further south in the bay, just off the ice shelf. Male Weddell seals are thought to defend underwater territories around or near tide cracks and breathing holes used by females. Vocal activity increases strongly during the breeding season and vocalizations are thought to be used underwater by males for the purpose of territorial defense and advertisement. With the smaller hydrophone array we aim to investigate underwater behaviour of vocalizing male and female Weddell seals to provide further information on underwater movement patterns in relation to the location of tide cracks and breathing holes. As a pilot project, one on-ice and three underwater camera systems have been deployed near breathing holes to obtain additional visual information on Weddell seal behavioural activity. Upon each visit in the breeding colony, a census of colony composition on the ice (number of animals, sex, presence of dependent pups, presence and severity of injuries-indicative of competition intensity) as well as GPS readings of breathing holes and positions of hauled out Weddell seals are taken.

Memorial del Real Convento de Predicadores de Valencia en iustificacion del Acuerdo que tomo a veinte de Iunio 1649 de no concurrir a la Procession general con Don Ioseph Sanz Canonigo de la Santa Iglesia de Valencia, y Arcediano de Alzira

Sign.: []2, A-T2

Individual noticia de todos los altares, arcos pinturas, adornos y lo mas exquisito y notable que havia en la carrera de la procession, y de las iluminaciones en general ... : con otras cosas dignas del mayor aplauso

Tít. tomado de principio de texto

Descripcion de la columna que el ... Colegio de Plateros de ... Valencia erigio en ... la Procession de Gracias de la Proclamacion de ... Carlos III

Sign.: [ ]4

Veridica relacion de los festiuos aplausos con que ... Valencia celebrò la procession ... de la tercera centuria de la canonizacion de ... San Vicente Ferrer ... el dia 29 de Junio de ... 1755 : declaranse las divisas, y colores de las vanderas que llevavan los gremios ..

Tit. tomado del principio del texto

Noticia de una gran tempestad, que se origino en Valencia el dia del Corpus nueve de junio de 1746 ... : al tiempo que la procession iva en su mayor luzimiento, y estando la Custodia del Soberano Sol de Justicia en la Plaza del Mercado ... : [primera (-segunda) parte]

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Consulta sobre el sucesso de la procession del Corpus de la Ciudad de Alicante, celebrada por la manana en este presente ano de 1743 y la respuesta, y parecer del...

Palau, 272.845

Child Soldier: ejemplo de cómo llevar las técnicas del teatro contemporáneo al aula de secundaria

Los procesos de creación contemporáneos desde la performance al happening pasando por la instalación o el vídeoarte son los idóneos en el marco de la enseñanza en secundaria y sobre todo en grupos de difícil desempeño y en circunstancias complejas, como las que aquí vamos a presentar. Nuestra propuesta es la defensa de una metodología más abierta y flexible en la enseñanza del Teatro en la actualidad, más cercana a propuestas artísticas contemporáneas. Aquí nos vamos a centrar en los inicios de un proyecto performativo, uno de los momentos más complejos y fascinantes de todo proceso escénico, artístico y didáctico.

Verdadera relacion de la solemne fiesta, y procession, que la... Compañia de Iesus hizo a la canonizacion de San Francisco de Borja, Duque de Gandia, este año de 1671 [Texto impreso] : dase cuenta del adorno de las calles y altares que huuo en ellas.

Tit. tomado de comienzo de texto

Ku is associated with the telomere in mammals

Telomeres are specialized DNA/protein complexes that comprise the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. The highly expressed Ku heterodimer, composed of 70 and 80 Kd subunits (Ku70 and Ku80), is the high-affinity DNA binding component of the DNA-dependent protein kinase. Ku is critical for nonhomologous DNA double-stranded break repair and site-specific recombination of V(D)J gene segments. Ku also plays an important role in telomere maintenance in yeast. Herein, we report, using an in vivo crosslinking method, that human and hamster telomeric DNAs specifically coimmunoprecipitate with human Ku80 after crosslinking. Localization of Ku to the telomere does not depend on the DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic component. These findings suggest a direct link between Ku and the telomere in mammalian cells.

Evidence of evolutionary up-regulation of the single active X chromosome in mammals based on Clc4 expression levels in Mus spretus and Mus musculus

Previous studies have shown that the chloride channel gene Clc4 is X-linked and subject to X inactivation in Mus spretus, but that the same gene is autosomal in laboratory strains of mice. This exception to the conservation of linkage of the X chromosome in one of two interfertile mouse species was exploited to compare expression of Clc4 from the X chromosome to that from the autosome. Clc4 was found to be highly expressed in brain tissues of both mouse species. Quantitative analyses of species-specific expression of Clc4 in brain tissues from mice resulting from M. spretus × laboratory strain crosses, demonstrate that each autosomal locus has half the level of Clc4 expression as compared with the single active X-linked locus. In contrast expression of another chloride channel gene, Clc3, which is autosomal in both mouse species is equal between alleles in F1 animals. There is no evidence of imprinting of the Clc4 autosomal locus. These results are consistent with Ohno’s hypothesis of an evolutionary requirement for a higher expression of genes on the single active X chromosome to maintain balance with autosomal gene expression [Ohno, S. (1967) Sex Chromosomes and Sex-Linked Genes (Springer, Berlin)].