Insectivorous bats form mobile sensory networks to optimize prey localization: The case of the common noctule bat.

Animals that depend on ephemeral, patchily distributed prey often use public information to locate resource patches. The use of public information can lead to the aggregation of foragers at prey patches, a mechanism known as local enhancement. However, when ephemeral resources are distributed over large areas, foragers may also need to increase search efficiency, and thus apply social strategies when sampling the landscape.

Reconstruction of ancient microbial genomes from the human gut.

Loss of gut microbial diversity in industrial populations is associated with chronic diseases, underscoring the importance of studying our ancestral gut microbiome. However, relatively little is known about the composition of pre-industrial gut microbiomes. Here we performed a large-scale de novo assembly of microbial genomes from palaeofaeces.

Habitat use of bats in relation to wind turbines revealed by GPS tracking.

Worldwide, many countries aim at countering global climate change by promoting renewable energy. Yet, recent studies highlight that so-called green energy, such as wind energy, may come at environmental costs, for example when wind turbines kill birds and bats. Using miniaturized GPS loggers, we studied how an open-space foraging bat with high collision risk with wind turbines, the common noctule Nyctalus noctula (Schreber, 1774), interacts with wind turbines.

LY207320 (6-methylene-4-pregnene-3,20-dione) inhibits testosterone biosynthesis, androgen uptake, 5 alpha-reductase, and produces prostatic regression in male rats.

LY207320 is an in vitro inhibitor (estimated IC50 = 0.06 microM) of steroid 5 alpha-reductase that catalyzes the conversion of testosterone (T) to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). In contrast, LY207320 was only moderately active against rat prostatic 5 alpha-reductase in vivo (32% inhibition at 50.

17 beta-(cyclopropylamino)-androst-5-en-3 beta-ol, a selective mechanism-based inhibitor of cytochrome P450(17 alpha) (steroid 17 alpha-hydroxylase/C17-20 lyase).

A new compound, 17 beta-(cyclopropylamino)-androst-5-en-3 beta-ol, MDL 27,302, has been designed and synthesized as a mechanism-based inhibitor of cytochrome P450(17 alpha). The time-dependent inactivation of human testicular P450(17 alpha) is irreversible by dialysis and requires the cofactor, NADPH; Kiapp. 90 nM (determined on cynomolgous monkey testis enzyme).

A normal phase high-performance liquid chromatography system for steroid 17 alpha-hydroxylase/C17-20 lyase (cytochrome P-450 21scc) assays.

A normal phase HPLC system has been developed which is applicable to all of the steroid separations involved in the assay of steroid 17 alpha-hydroxylase (EC 1.14.99.

Pharmacological induction of 5 alpha-reductase deficiency in the rat: separation of testosterone-mediated and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone-mediated effects.

(5 alpha, 20S)-4-Diazo-21-hydroxy-20-methylpregnan-3-one, a mechanism-based inhibitor of testosterone 5 alpha-reductase, produced pronounced and long lasting inhibition of the enzyme in the prostate and preputial glands when administered orally to rats. Administration of the inhibitor to castrate rats bearing testosterone implants produced inhibition of growth of the prostate, seminal vesicles,and preputial glands, but had no effect on growth of the levator ani muscle. (5 alpha-20S)-4-Diazo-21-hydroxy-20-methylpregnan-3-one did not antagonize growth of the accessory sex organs induced by 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (5 alpha-DHT).

Preparation of 20-(hydroxymethyl)-4-methyl-4-aza-2-oxa-5 alpha-pregnan-3-one as an inhibitor of testosterone 5 alpha-reductase.

20-(Hydroxymethyl)-4-methyl-4-aza-2-oxa-5 alpha-pregnan-3-one and the corresponding 3-thione were synthesized with use of 20-(hydroxymethyl)-4-methyl-4-aza-5 alpha-pregnan-3-one as the starting material. The compounds were tested in vitro for inhibition of testosterone 5 alpha-reductase and found to be weak inhibitors with Ki's in the 10(-7) range.

Toxicity and teratogenicity studies with the hypolipidemic drug RMI 14,514 in rats.

The hypolipidemic drug RMI 14,514 (5-tetradecyloxy-2-furoic acid) has an oral LD50 of over 5000 mg/kg in rats. In a chronic toxicity study (6 months drug diet) doses of 30, 100, or 300 mg/kg/day produced no obvious signs of toxicity or abnormal clinical pathology parameters, other than prominent growth retardation at 300 mg/kg, which was somewhat alleviated when the dose was reduced to 200 mg/kg after 6 weeks. Hepatic change in the form of mild lipid accumulation was noted histopathologically after 6 months of treatment at 100 or 300 mg/kg/day, but was not present at 3 months or after 4 weeks off drug.

Rapid colorimetric micromethod for free fatty acids.

Free fatty acids (FFA), the uranyl ion, and the basic dye Rhodamine B form colored complexes, which are extractable into toluene or benzene. Fatty acids of different chain lengths above C(10) and different degrees of unsaturation gave constant molar yield. Complexes in toluene alone are unstable, especially in the light, but a small amount of aqueous uranyl acetate stabilizes them sufficiently for determination.