Constraints on the Ecomorphological Convergence of Zooplanktivorous Butterflyfishes.

Whether distantly related organisms evolve similar strategies to meet the demands of a shared ecological niche depends on their evolutionary history and the nature of form-function relationships. In fishes, the visual identification and consumption of microscopic zooplankters, selective zooplanktivory, is a distinct type of foraging often associated with a suite of morphological specializations. Previous work has identified inconsistencies in the trajectory and magnitude of morphological change following transitions to selective zooplanktivory, alluding to the diversity and importance of ancestral effects. Here we investigate whether transitions to selective zooplanktivory have influenced the morphological evolution of marine butterflyfishes (family Chaetodontidae), a group of small-prey specialists well known for several types of high-precision benthivory. Using Bayesian ancestral state estimation, we inferred the recent evolution of zooplanktivory among benthivorous ancestors that hunted small invertebrates and browsed by picking or scraping coral polyps. Traits related to the capture of prey appear to be functionally versatile, with little morphological distinction between species with benthivorous and planktivorous foraging modes. In contrast, multiple traits related to prey detection or swimming performance are evolving toward novel, zooplanktivore-specific optima. Despite a relatively short evolutionary history, general morphological indistinctiveness, and evidence of constraint on the evolution of body size, convergent evolution has closed a near significant amount of the morphological distance between zooplanktivorous species. Overall, our findings describe the extent to which the functional demands associated with selective zooplanktivory have led to generalizable morphological features among butterflyfishes and highlight the importance of ancestral effects in shaping patterns of morphological convergence.

A evolução de estratégias similares para suprir as demandas de nichos ecológicos compartilhados em organismos pouco relacionados, depende da sua história evolutiva e da natureza das relações entre forma e função. Em peixes, a identificação visual e o consumo de zooplanctôn microscópico, a zooplanctivoria seletiva, é um tipo distinto de forrageamento frequentemente associado a um conjunto de especializações morfológicas. Estudos anteriores identificaram inconsistências na trajetória e magnitude das mudanças morfológicas que surgem a partir das transições para a zooplanctivoria seletiva, fazendo alusão à diversidade e importância dos efeitos ancestrais. Aqui investigamos se transições para a zooplanctivoria seletiva influenciaram a evolução morfológica dos peixes-borboleta marinhos (família Chaetodontidae), um grupo especialista em presas pequenas conhecido pelos muitos tipos de bentivoria de alta precisão. Utilizando uma estimativa ancestral bayesiana, inferimos a evolução recente da zooplanctivoria dentre os ancestrais bentívoros que caçavam pequenos invertebrados e alimentavam-se de pólipos de coral. Características relacionadas a captura de presa parecem ser funcionalmente versáteis com pouca distinção entre as espécies com modo de forrageamento bentívoro e planctívoro. Em contraste, várias características relacionadas a detecção da presa ou capacidade natatória estão evoluindo em direção a um novo ótimo, específico para a zooplanctivoria. Apesar da história evolutiva relativamente recente, uma morfologia geral comum, e evidência de uma restrição na evolução do tamanho corporal, a evolução convergente reduziu significativamente a distância morfológica entre as espécies zooplanctívoras. No geral, nossos resultados descrevem até que ponto as demandas funcionais associadas à zooplanctivoria seletiva levaram a características morfológicas generalizadas nos peixes-borboleta e destacam a importância dos efeitos ancestrais em moldar os padrões de convergência morfológica.

El hecho de que organismos con parentesco lejano evolucionen estrategias similares para satisfacer las demandas de un nicho ecológico compartido depende de su historia evolutiva y de la naturaleza de la relación forma-función. En peces, la identificación visual y el consumo de plancton microscópico, la zooplanctivoría selectiva, es un tipo específico de alimentación usualmente asociado a un conjunto de especializaciones morfológicas. Estudios previos han identificado inconsistencias en la trayectoria y magnitud de cambios morfológicos tras transiciones hacia zooplanctivoría selectiva, aludiendo a la diversidad e importancia de efectos ancestrales. Aquí investigamos si las transiciones a zooplanctivoría selectiva han influido en la evolución morfológica de los peces mariposa marinos (familia Chaetodontidae), un grupo especializado en presas pequeñas conocido por varios tipos de alimentación de alta precisión en el bentos. Usando una estimación de estado ancestral Bayesiana, inferimos la evolución reciente de la zooplanctivoría entre ancestros bentívoros que cazaron pequeños invertebrados y se alimentaron de pólipos de coral. Los rasgos relacionados con la captura de presas parecen ser versátiles funcionalmente con escasa distinción morfológica entre especies con modos de alimentación bentívoros y planctívoros. En cambio, múltiples rasgos relacionados con la detección de presas o con la capacidad natatoria están evolucionando hacia un nuevo óptimo específico para zooplanctivoría. A pesar de una historia evolutiva relativamente corta, una morfología general común, y evidencia de restricción en la evolución del tamaño de los peces, una evolución convergente ha reducido la distancia morfológica entre especies zooplanctívoras de forma casi significativa. En conclusión, nuestros hallazgos describen hasta qué punto las demandas funcionales asociadas con la zooplanctivoría selectiva han desembocado en rasgos morfológicos generalizados en peces mariposa y destacan la importancia de los efectos ancestrales en la creación de patrones de morfología convergente.

[Use of endogenous proteins in the early diagnosis of dysfunction in transplanted kidneys]. / Vyuzití nekterých endogenních proteinu k casné diagnostice dysfunkce transplantované ledviny.

The early diagnosis of renal allograft dysfunction in the immediate posttransplantation period is very important. The prospective study was undertaken in 60 patients after kidney transplantation. The significance of blood and urine levels of glomerular and tubular proteins was studied for early diagnosis of allograft dysfunction. The authors evaluate some glomerular (CRP, transferrin, immunoglobulins) and tubular (alfa 1 microglobulin and beta 2 microglobulin) proteins for differential diagnosis of acute tubular necrosis and acute rejection of transplanted kidney.

[Immunologic risks in patients after splenectomy]. / Imunologická rizika u nemocných po splenektomii.

The more frequent incidence of infections after splenectomy, some leading even to OPSI syndrome, is known from the literature and practice. The authors investigated in two groups of 20 splenectomized patients (on account of injury of the spleen or for haematological reasons) in particular changes of immunological indicators. On both groups they revealed a predominating increase of the absolute number of leucocytes, lymphocytes, the phagocytic index of PMN leucocytes, the ratio of active nucleoli, FW. They found also in both groups a predominating reduction of the number of T lymphocytes (p less than 0.05), with a high probability also NK cells, and a reduction of the late type reactivity of the skin test (Immunoskin test USOL, Praha). In patients splenectomized on account of injury the number of B lymphocytes was raised in 50% of the patients. In both groups of patients IgG serum levels were elevated, alpha-1-antitrypsin and haptaglobin levels were reduced. The CRP level in patients with haematological diagnoses was elevated as compared with the group of patients splenectomized on account of injury (p less than 0.05). In both groups after splenectomy a greater susceptibility to respiratory infections was found. On examination patients with a greater risk were detected and included under dispensary care.

Migration of leukocytes under agarose in the presence of some polymers.

When investigating migration and chemotaxis of leukocytes under agarose polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP; 11 kg/mol) and polyethyleneglycol (PEG; 6 kg/mol) were used instead of serum. The highest migration was detected with 0.5-1 mm of PVP. Phagocytosis was not influenced either by PVP or PEG within a concentration range of 0.01-1 mm.

Modification of fat and carbohydrate metabolism by neurohypophyseal hormones. I. Effect of lysine-vasopressin on non-esterified fatty acid, glucose, triglyceride and cholesterol levels in the serum of female rats.

The effect of the subcutaneous administration of lysine-vasopressin, in doses of 0.625, 1.25, 2.5 and 5 I.U./kg on serum non-esterified fatty acid, triglyceride, cholesterol and glucose levels in fed and fasting female rats was determined. All the doses, in both fed and fasting animals, caused a marked drop in non-esterified fatty acid levels about 15 min after starting the experiment. The only exceptions were fed females given doses 2.5 and 5 I.U./kg, in which non-esterified fatty acid levels rose. Apart from animals given the smallest dose (0.625 I.U./kg), glucose levels rose during the same interval. In the case of triglyceride levels, a dose of 0.625 I.U./kg produced a decrease and the larger doses (1.25, 2.5 and 5 I.U./kg) an increase in fed females. In fasting animals, triglyceride levels fell (statistically non-significantly) after doses of 0.625, 1.25 and 5 I.U./kg, and rose after 2.5 I.U./kg. The cholesterol level showed a temporary tendency to fall in most of the experiments.

Modification of fat and carbohydrate metabolism by neurohypophyseal hormones. II. Effect of lysine-vasopressin on non-esterified fatty acid, glucose, triglyceride and cholesterol levels in the serum of male rats.

The effect of subcutaneously injected lysine-vasopressin on serum non-esterified fatty acid, triglyceride, cholesterol and glucose levels in fed and fasting male rats given doses of 2.5 and 5 I.U./kg was determined. About 15 min after starting the experiment, non-esterified fatty acid levels abruptly fell and glucose levels rose in both fed and fasting animals. The only exception were fed males given a dose of 5 I.U./kg in which there was a delayed increase in the non-esterified fatty acid level. Triglyceride levels rose in fed males and fell in fasting males. The cholesterol level fell in both fed and fasting animals.

Modification of fat and carbohydrate metabolism by neurohypophyseal hormones. III. Effect of oxytocin on non-esterified fatty acid, glucose, triglyceride and cholesterol levels in rat serum.

The authors determined the effect of s.c. injected oxytocin on serum non-esterified fatty acid, triglyceride, cholesterol and glucose levels in fed and fasting rats of both sexes, in doses of 2.5 and 5 I.U./kg. No changes in non-esterified fatty acid levels were found in fasting animals of either sex. In fed males, non-esterified fatty acid levels rose abruptly after both doses; in fed females they fell after the larger dose. In fed animals of both sexes, the smaller dose of oxytocin produced a decrease, and the larger dose an increase, in triglyceride levels. In fasting females, triglyceride levels fell after both doses; in fasting males a temporary increase was found after the larger dose. In the great majority of cases cholesterol levels displayed a tendency to fall, in both males and females. In the case of glucose, a transient increase was recorded in fed animals of both sexes after the smaller dose and a decrease in males after the larger dose. In fasting animals, glucose levels temporarily rose in every case.

The determination of nonesterified fatty acids in blood serum using a stable cupric reagent.

A modification of the method for the determination of nonesterified fatty acids in blood serum using a stable cupric reagent stabilized with sodium citrate, has been developed. 33 g of NaCl are dissolved in 100 ml of the described reagent, and its pH should not be additionally adjusted. The reagent is stable for at least one year if kept in the refrigerator at 5 degrees C. The determination may be done in 0.1--0.2 ml of blood serum. The relationship between the absorbance and concentration of palmitic acid is still linear at a concentration of 2500 mumol/l. Error of the method is +/- 3%.