Characterization of Cycling in a Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys)

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Erin B. Guntrum ◽  
Alexandra M. Haley ◽  
Susan W. Margulis

Here we examine the patterns of reproductive hormones (progesterone and estrone-3 glucuronide, or E1G) in one female hoolock gibbon (<i>Hoolock leuconedys</i>) housed at the Gibbon Conservation Center, throughout the maturation period. Three hundred forty-five fecal samples were collected from the individual over a 5-year period (2012–2017) beginning at the age of 6 years and ending at the age of 11. The average measured progesterone concentration increased from 19.572 ± 1.706 ng/g feces in 2012 to 107.922 ± 12.094 ng/g feces in 2016/17 (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.00001). The average measured estrogen value increased from 1.234 ± 0.063 ng/g feces in 2012 to 2.783 ± 0.274 ng/g feces in 2016/17 (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.00001). This was accompanied by the emergence of a clear hormonal cycling pattern in the 2016/17 samples that was absent in all earlier samples. These data are consistent with the known sexual maturation period for other gibbon species, which typically occurs between the ages of 6 and 8 but shows some variation. To our knowledge, this is the first hormonal study and first data on cycle length for a hoolock gibbon.

2001 ◽  
Vol 64 (12) ◽  
pp. 1904-1911 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANNIE DesROSIERS ◽  
JOHN M. FAIRBROTHER ◽  
ROGER P. JOHNSON ◽  
CLARISSE DESAUTELS ◽  
ANN LETELLIER ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to characterize verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) isolates obtained from humans and pigs in the same geographic areas and during the same period of time in order to determine whether porcine VTEC isolates could be related to human cases of diarrhea and also to detect the presence of virulence factors in these isolates. From 1,352 human and 620 porcine fecal samples, 11 human and 18 porcine verotoxin-positive isolates were obtained by the VT immunoblot or the individual colony testing technique. In addition, 52 porcine VTEC strains isolated from diseased pigs at the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire during the same period or from fecal samples collected previously isolated at slaughterhouses were characterized in this study. Antimicrobial resistance profiles were different between human and porcine isolates. In general, the serotypes observed in the two groups were different. No porcine isolate was of serotype O157:H7; however, one isolate was O91:NM, a serotype that has been associated with hemorrhagic colitis in humans. Also, one serotype (O8:H19) was found in isolates from both species; however, the O8:H19 isolates of the two groups were of different pathotypes. The pathotypes observed in the human and porcine isolates were different, with the exception of VT2vx-positive isolates; the serotypes of these isolates from the two groups were nevertheless different. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis indicated no relatedness between the human and porcine isolates. In conclusion, these results suggest that the porcine and human isolates of the present study were not genetically related. Most porcine VTEC isolates did not possess known virulence factors required to infect humans. However, certain non-O157:H7 porcine VTECs may potentially infect humans.


1981 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 875-883
Author(s):  
Shiv K Soni ◽  
Daniel Van Gelder

Abstract Due to the existence of 2 asymmetric carbon atoms in: the propoxyphene molecule, there are 4 diastereomers: alpha dextro, alpha levo, beta dextro, and beta levo. Only α-d-propoxyphene is included under the federal Controlled Substances Act. Baseline separations of propoxyphene from various incipients (aspirin, caffeine, phenacetin, and acetaminophen) present in pharmaceutical and illicit preparations, and between the alpha and beta diastereomers, were achieved by high pressure liquid chromatography. The column eluant was collected and propoxyphene was extracted. The optical isomers were differentiated and characterized by melting points and by chemical microcrystalline tests. Using hot stage thermomicroscopy, the eutectic melting points of binary isomeric mixtures of propoxyphene bases and salts were found to be depressed about 10° and 15-30°C, respectively, below the individual isomer melting points. The characteristic microcrystals formed with the alpha racemic mixtures by using a glycerin-aqueous gold chloride reagent were not produced by the beta racemic mixtures.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Lamiae Benhayoun ◽  
Daniel Lang

BACKGROUND: The renewed advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is inducing profound changes in the classic categories of technology professions and is creating the need for new specific skills. OBJECTIVE: Identify the gaps in terms of skills between academic training on AI in French engineering and Business Schools, and the requirements of the labour market. METHOD: Extraction of AI training contents from the schools’ websites and scraping of a job advertisements’ website. Then, analysis based on a text mining approach with a Python code for Natural Language Processing. RESULTS: Categorization of occupations related to AI. Characterization of three classes of skills for the AI market: Technical, Soft and Interdisciplinary. Skills’ gaps concern some professional certifications and the mastery of specific tools, research abilities, and awareness of ethical and regulatory dimensions of AI. CONCLUSIONS: A deep analysis using algorithms for Natural Language Processing. Results that provide a better understanding of the AI capability components at the individual and the organizational levels. A study that can help shape educational programs to respond to the AI market requirements.


Symmetry ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 892
Author(s):  
Marcelo Epstein

The constitutive characterization of the uniformity and homogeneity of binary elastic composites is presented in terms of a combination of the material groupoids of the individual constituents. The incorporation of these two groupoids within a single double groupoid is proposed as a viable mathematical framework for a unified formulation of this and similar kinds of problems in continuum mechanics.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (14) ◽  
pp. 4221
Author(s):  
Aage Kristian Olsen Alstrup ◽  
Svend Borup Jensen ◽  
Ole Lerberg Nielsen ◽  
Lars Jødal ◽  
Pia Afzelius

The development of new and better radioactive tracers capable of detecting and characterizing osteomyelitis is an ongoing process, mainly because available tracers lack selectivity towards osteomyelitis. An integrated part of developing new tracers is the performance of in vivo tests using appropriate animal models. The available animal models for osteomyelitis are also far from ideal. Therefore, developing improved animal osteomyelitis models is as important as developing new radioactive tracers. We recently published a review on radioactive tracers. In this review, we only present and discuss osteomyelitis models. Three ethical aspects (3R) are essential when exposing experimental animals to infections. Thus, we should perform experiments in vitro rather than in vivo (Replacement), use as few animals as possible (Reduction), and impose as little pain on the animal as possible (Refinement). The gain for humans should by far exceed the disadvantages for the individual experimental animal. To this end, the translational value of animal experiments is crucial. We therefore need a robust and well-characterized animal model to evaluate new osteomyelitis tracers to be sure that unpredicted variation in the animal model does not lead to a misinterpretation of the tracer behavior. In this review, we focus on how the development of radioactive tracers relies heavily on the selection of a reliable animal model, and we base the discussions on our own experience with a porcine model.


2021 ◽  
pp. 104972
Author(s):  
Hebah A. Al Khatib ◽  
Peter V. Coyle ◽  
Muna A. Al Maslamani ◽  
Asmaa A. Al Thani ◽  
Sameer A. Pathan ◽  
...  

Blood ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 636-641 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Anand ◽  
CD Boehm ◽  
HH Jr Kazazian ◽  
EF Vanin

Abstract We report the characterization of a beta zero-thalassemia in an American Black with unusually high HbA2 and HbF levels. Genomic southern analysis indicated that the individual was heterozygous for a deletion that began within the second intervening sequence of the beta- globin gene and extended approximately 1.4 kb in the 5′ direction. A clone spanning the breakpoint on the abnormal chromosome was isolated and further mapped, and the deletion joint was sequenced. Comparison of the normal beta-globin gene and its 5′ flanking region with the deletion joint sequence indicated that the 5′ breakpoint for this deletion was 484 base pairs (bp) 5′ to the transcriptional start site for the beta-globin gene and the 3′ breakpoint was 908 bp into the beta- globin gene; the deletion removed a total of 1,393 bp. Comparison of the normal 5′ and 3′ breakpoint sequences indicated that this deletion was the result of a “clean” nonhomologous breakage and reunion event; ie, no spurious bases were added during the recombinational event. Analysis of the breakpoints of this deletion together with the breakpoints of two other small deletions involving the beta-globin gene suggests that the breakpoints may occur at DNA polymerase alpha pause sites.


Author(s):  
P.L. Luque ◽  
G.J. Pierce ◽  
J.A. Learmonth ◽  
M.B. Santos ◽  
E. Ieno ◽  
...  

We examined the tooth ultra-structure of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from Scottish waters to determine whether the incidence of mineralization anomalies could be related to certain life history events (e.g. the achievement of sexual maturation) as well as other factors that affect the general health of the individual (e.g. persistent organic pollutant (POP) concentrations in blubber). Five distinct types of mineralization anomalies were recorded: accessory lines, marker lines, dentinal resorption, cemental disturbance and pulp stones and the occurrence of these anomalies was scored by sex, age and maturity state. Overall, the incidence of mineralization anomalies was high and tended to increase with age. Marker lines and accessory lines were the most commonly recorded anomalies while pulp stones were least frequent. Duplicate teeth (i.e. from the same individual) always showed the same pattern of anomaly occurrence.Fitted binary generalized linear and additive models indicated that the presence of dentinal resorption, cemental disturbance and marker lines in harbour porpoise teeth increased with age, body length and maturity. Males displayed marker lines more frequently than females. Age was the best predictor of the incidence of dentinal resorption and cemental disturbance while age and sex were the best predictors of the incidence of marker lines. The time course of appearance of dentinal resorption and cemental disturbance suggests that their occurrence could be related to physiological stress linked to sexual maturation. Marker lines were found within growth layer groups which coincided with the beginning of weaning and sexual maturation, suggesting an association with these two major life history events. Accessory lines were found in most teeth and may be a normal characteristic of porpoise teeth or reflect regular events. Pulp stones appeared only in mature animals. We found no evidence that the presence of anomalies in teeth was significantly related to POP concentrations in the blubber.


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