Ancient DNA evidence for the ecological globalization of cod fishing in medieval and post-medieval Europe.

Understanding the historical emergence and growth of long-range fisheries can provide fundamental insights into the timing of ecological impacts and the development of coastal communities during the last millennium. Whole-genome sequencing approaches can improve such understanding by determining the origin of archaeological fish specimens that may have been obtained from historic trade or distant water. Here, we used genome-wide data to individually infer the biological source of 37 ancient Atlantic cod specimens ( 1050-1950 CE) from England and Spain.

Presynaptic Aβ40 prevents synapse addition in the adult Drosophila neuromuscular junction.

Complexity in the processing of the Amyloid Precursor Protein, which generates a mixture of βamyloid peptides, lies beneath the difficulty in understanding the etiology of Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, whether Aβ peptides have any physiological role in neurons is an unresolved question. By expressing single, defined Aβ peptides in Drosophila, specific effects can be discriminated in vivo.

Replacing xylene with n-heptane for paraffin embedding.

In standard histological technique, aromatic solvents such as xylene and toluene are used as clearing agents between ethanol dehydration and paraffin embedding. In addition, these solvents are used for de-waxing paraffin sections. Unfortunately, these solvents are harmful and therefore adequate substitutes would be useful.

Tumour cell death induced by the bulk photovoltaic effect of LiNbO3:Fe under visible light irradiation.

This work reports a pioneer application of the bulk photovoltaic effect in the biomedical field. Massive necrotic cell death was induced in human tumour cell cultures grown on a bulk photovoltaic material (iron-doped lithium niobate, LiNbO(3):Fe) after irradiation with visible light. Lethal doses (≈100% cell death) were obtained with low-intensity visible light sources (10-100 mW cm(-2) irradiances) and short exposure times of the order of minutes.

Blockade of the release of the neuropeptide leucokinin to determine its possible functions in fly behavior: chemoreception assays.

Previous studies have revealed leucokinin (LK) expression in the brain and ventral ganglion of Drosophila CNS. One pair of protocerebrum neurons located in the lateral horn area (LHLK) surrounds the peduncles of the mushroom bodies while two pairs of subesophageal neurons (SELKs) project extended processes to the tritocerebrum and through a cervical connection to the ventral ganglion. There, axons of eight or nine pairs of abdominal (ABLK) neurons leave the CNS through the abdominal nerves and processes connecting each other ipsilaterally and contralaterally.

Detailed analysis of leucokinin-expressing neurons and their candidate functions in the Drosophila nervous system.

The distribution of leucokinin (LK) neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) of Drosophila melanogaster was described by immunolabelling many years ago. However, no detailed underlying information of the input or output connections of their neurites was then available. Here, we provide a more accurate morphological description by employing a novel LK-specific GAL4 line that recapitulates LK expression.

Loss of glial lazarillo, a homolog of apolipoprotein D, reduces lifespan and stress resistance in Drosophila.

The vertebrate Apolipoprotein D (ApoD) is a lipocalin secreted from subsets of neurons and glia during neural development and aging . A strong correlation exists between ApoD overexpression and numerous nervous system pathologies as well as obesity, diabetes, and many forms of cancer . However, the exact relationship between the function of ApoD and the pathophysiology of these diseases is still unknown.