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Fin
Kinds of Fin Terms modified by Fin Selected AbstractsAltering Investment Decisions to Manage Financial Reporting Outcomes: Asset-Backed Commercial Paper Conduits and FIN 46JOURNAL OF ACCOUNTING RESEARCH, Issue 5 2008DANIEL A. BENS ABSTRACT We evaluate the manner in which sponsors of highly leveraged asset-backed commercial paper (ABCP) conduits responded to Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46 (FIN 46), Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities an Interpretation of ARB No. 51, and its Canadian counterpart Accounting Standards Board of Accounting Guideline 15 (AcG-15), Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities. By matching commercial paper investors with corporations seeking liquidity, ABCP sponsors facilitate a significant amount of short-term, securitized financing in the United States. FIN 46 and AcG-15 require sponsors to consolidate their ABCP conduits with their financial statements. We demonstrate that the volume of ABCP began to decline when FIN 46 was first proposed, and that this decline is primarily attributable to a reduction in North American banks' sponsorship of ABCP. We also demonstrate that North American banks entered into costly restructuring arrangements to avoid having to consolidate their conduits per the new accounting standards. Our results suggest that, in certain settings, accounting standards appear to have real effects on investment activity and product-market competition. [source] Eight new and three recalculated orbits for binariesASTRONOMISCHE NACHRICHTEN, Issue 3 2010Z. Cvetkovi Abstract In this paper new orbital elements are given for eleven binaries. For eight of them, WDS 00003,4417 = I 1477, WDS 00106,7313 = I 43 AB, WDS 00366+5609 = A 914, WDS 00519,4343 = I 47, WDS 01315+1521 = BU 506, WDS 01577+4434 = A 1526, WDS 08144,4550 = FIN 113 AB and WDS 08291,4756 = FIN 315 Aa-Ab, the orbital elements are calculated for the first time. For three of them, WDS 04422+2257 = MCA 16 Aa-Ab, WDS 08275,5501 = FIN 116 and WDS 14567,6247 = FIN 372, the orbital elements are recalculated. One of the eleven binaries, MCA 16 Aa-Ab, was discovered by McAlister in 1980 by speckle interferometry and four pairs were discovered by Finsen between 1929 and 1960. For these five pairs, all measured separations are less than 0,.4 and most of the observations were done by using the interferometric techniques. The orbital periods calculated here are between 39 and 270 years. The remaining six pairs were discovered between 1878 and 1926 and most of the observations are visual. They have longer orbital periods, between 384 and 1637 years. In addition to the orbital elements the masses, dynamical parallaxes, absolute magnitudes and ephemerides for the next five years are also given in this paper (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Identification of Cephalopod Species (Ommastrephidae and Loliginidae) in Seafood Products by Forensically Informative Nucleotide Sequencing (FINS)JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 5 2002M.J. Chapela ABSTRACT: An identification technique of commercially important cephalopods based on 16s RNA analysis was developed. A set of primers was designed to amplify a fragment of approximately 200 bp that presents enough variability for reliable species identification. Sequences from this fragment of 9 different authentic species were studied, genetic distances were measured, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed, with individuals of the same species grouped within the same cluster. Eight different types of commercial seafood products, mainly labelled as "squid rings", were analyzed and sequences were employed for species identification showing that FINS is a suitable technique for identification of processed cephalopods. [source] Combined effect of the finasteride and doxazosin on rat ventral prostate morphology and physiologyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, Issue 3 2010Luis A. Justulin Jr Summary Finasteride (Fin) and Doxazosin (Dox), alone or in combination, have been widely used in treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms and recently have been suggested as potential drugs for prostate cancer (PCa)prevention and treatment. However, little is known about the effects of the combination therapy on prostate tissue morphology, physiology and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activity, a special set of enzymes closely related to PCa progression and metastasis. In this study, adult Wistar rats were treated with Fin + Dox (25 mg/kg per day) and the ventral prostate (VP) was excised at days 3 and 30 of treatment to evaluate morphology, cell proliferation, death, transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-,1) protein expression, MMP-2, MMP-9 activities and MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 mRNA expression. Fin + Dox treatment induced a transient increase in testosterone (T) plasma concentration and a permanent reduction in dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The VP and epithelial cell proliferation were reduced and the stromal collagen fibre volume fraction and apoptosis of the epithelial cell were increased. Fin + Dox treatment also increased the TGF-,1 immunoreaction in the epithelium and in the stroma. The mRNAs for MMP-2, TIMPs-1 and -2 expressions after 30 days of treatment were decreased. The mRNA for MMP-9 was not detected in any of the groups analysed. Fin + Dox treatment for 30 days promoted a decrease in gelatinolytic activity of MMP-2 and an increase in MMP-9. In conclusion, combined treatment with Fin and Dox interferes in the epithelial cell behaviour and in the MMPs activity, potentially via TGF-,1-mediated and androgen pathways. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the clinical data and also of the molecular mechanisms behind isolated or combined Fin and Dox long-term treatment. [source] Efficacy of in-feed probiotics against Aeromonas bestiarum and Ichthyophthirius multifiliis skin infections in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum)JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2008N. Pieters Abstract Aims:, The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of in-feed probiotics as a preventive measure against skin infections caused by Aeromonas bestiarum and Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ich) in rainbow trout. Methods and Results:, Fin rot was induced in fish by intradermal injection with 0·1 ml volumes containing 105 cells per ml A. bestiarum at the base of the dorsal fin. Ich infections resulted from immersion in Ich-contaminated water. Each probiotic was administered orally [108 cells per g feed for GC2 (Aeromonas sobria) and 1010 cells per g feed for BA211 (Brochothrix thermosphacta)] for 14 days. Results showed that, after challenge with A. bestiarum, probiotics GC2 and BA211 led to 76% and 88% survival, respectively, in contrast to 22% survival for controls. Fish fed with probiotic GC2 had 100% survival after challenge with Ich compared with 2% for probiotic BA211 and 0% for controls. Analysis of innate immune responses revealed that probiotic GC2 promoted higher phagocytic activity, whereas probiotic BA211 led to enhanced respiratory burst activity. Conclusion:, Of the two probiotics examined, GC2 was more effective in protecting against both fin rot and Ich. Each probiotic appeared to stimulate different pathways within the innate immune system. Significance and Impact of the Study:, This is the first demonstration that probiotics can protect fish against surface infections. Furthermore, this is the first time a probiotic has been shown to protect against a eucaryotic pathogen, namely I. multifiliis. [source] CFD Study of Effects of Module Geometry on Forced Convection in a Channel with Non-Conducting Fins and Flow PulsationCHEMICAL ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY (CET), Issue 10 2010B. O. Olayiwola Abstract CFD simulations were carried out to investigate the effects of the module geometry on forced convection in a rectangular channel containing series of regularly spaced non-conducting baffles with flow oscillation. The simulations were performed at constant wall temperature. Steady-flow Reynolds numbers Re in the range of 200 and 600 were studied. The results of the CFD simulations show that, for the effect fin spacing to be significant on heat transfer enhancement in finned system with oscillating flow, the oscillating flow velocity must be higher than the mean flow velocity. Superposition of oscillation yields increasing heat transfer performance with increasing fin height. Fin geometry with pyramidal shape yields highest performance in terms of the heat transfer effectiveness. [source] Ploidy mosaicism in well-developed nuclear transplants produced by transfer of adult somatic cell nuclei to nonenucleated eggs of medaka (Oryzias latipes)DEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION, Issue 9 2007Elena Kaftanovskaya Chromosomal abnormalities such as ploidy mosaicism have constituted a major obstacle to the successful nuclear transfer of adult somatic cell nuclei in lower vertebrates to date. Euploid mosaicism has been reported previously in well-developed amphibian transplants. Here, we investigated ploidy mosaicisms in well-developed transplants of adult somatic cell nuclei in medaka fish (Oryzias latipes). Donor nuclei from primary cultured cells from the adult caudal fin of a transgenic strain carrying the green fluorescent protein gene (GFP) were transferred to recipient nonenucleated eggs of a wild-type strain to produce 662 transplants. While some of the transplants developed beyond the body formation stage and several hatched, all exhibited varying degrees of abnormal morphology, limited growth and subsequent death. Twenty-one transplants, 19 embryos and two larvae, were selected for chromosomal analysis; all were well-developed 6-day-old or later embryonic stages exhibiting slight morphological abnormalities and the same pattern of GFP expression as that of the donor strain. In addition, all exhibited various levels of euploid mosaicism with haploid-diploid, haploid-triploid or haploid-diploid-triploid chromosome sets. No visible chromosomal abnormalities were observed. Thus, euploid mosaicism similar to that observed in amphibians was confirmed in well-developed nuclear transplants of fish. [source] Enhancer detection in zebrafish permits the identification of neuronal subtypes that express Hox4 paralogsDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 8 2008Beena Punnamoottil Abstract Activity of zebrafish hoxb4a in the developing brain was analyzed in comparison to hoxa4a and hoxd4a using unique enhancer detection transgenes. Cytoplasmic YFP revealed shape and axonal projections of neurons in animals with insertions near the Hox4 genes and provided a means for the identification of neuronal subtypes. Despite an early activity of the genes in neuroepithelial cells and later in immature postmitotic neurons, we found reporter expression in distinct neuronal subtypes in the r7,r8-derived hindbrain. Most strikingly, hoxb4a neuronal subtypes projected through the vagus and into the pectoral fin while others formed symmetrically located fiber tracts innervating the cerebellum and the tectum, features that are partially shared by the other two paralogs. Collectively, our expression analysis indicates that hoxb4a in combination with its paralogs may play a significant role in the development of precerebellar, vagal, and pectoral fin neuronal subtypes. Developmental Dynamics 237:2195,2208, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Epidermal transient down-regulation of retinol - binding protein 4 and mirror expression of apolipoprotein Eb and estrogen receptor 2a during zebrafish fin and scale developmentDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 11 2006Angèle Tingaud-Sequeira Abstract Very little is known about the molecular control of skin patterning and scale morphogenesis in teleost fish. We have found radially symmetrical epidermal placodes with down-regulation of retinol - binding protein 4 (rbp4) expression during the initial paired fin and scale morphogenesis in zebrafish (Danio rerio). This finding may be related to changes in keratinocyte cytodifferentiation and/or the integument retinoid metabolism. rbp4 transcripts are expressed afterward in the central epidermis of the scale papilla and gradually extend to the epidermis, covering the growing scale, whereas no transcripts were detected in posterior margin epidermis. In contrast, induction of apolipoprotein Eb (apoeb) and up-regulation of estrogen receptor 2a (esr2a) transcripts were observed in the epidermis at initiator sites of zebrafish ectodermal/dermal appendage morphogenesis. This expression was maintained in the posterior margin epidermis of the formed scales. esr2a was also strongly expressed in neuromasts, whereas no rbp4 and apoeb transcripts were detected in these mechanosensory structures. The observed epidermal molecular events suggest that epidermis patterning is due to an activator,inhibitor mechanism operational at epidermal,dermal interaction sites. rbp4 transcript expression was also strongly down-regulated by 1-phenyl-2-thio-urea (PTU). As this inhibitor is commonly used to block obscuring pigmentation during in situ hybridization studies, this finding suggests that PTU should be used with caution, particularly in studying skin development. Developmental Dynamics 235:3071,3079, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Screen for genes differentially expressed during regeneration of the zebrafish caudal finDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 3 2004Bhaja K. Padhi Abstract The zebrafish caudal fin constitutes an important model for studying the molecular basis of tissue regeneration. The cascade of genes induced after amputation or injury, leading to restoration of the lost fin structures, include those responsible for wound healing, blastema formation, tissue outgrowth, and patterning. We carried out a systematic study to identify genes that are up-regulated during "initiation" (1 day) and "outgrowth and differentiation" (4 days) of fin regeneration by using two complementary methods, suppression subtraction hybridization (SSH) and differential display reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (DDRT-PCR). We obtained 298 distinct genes/sequences from SSH libraries and 24 distinct genes/sequences by DDRT-PCR. We determined the expression of 54 of these genes using in situ hybridization. In parallel, gene expression analyses were done in zebrafish embryos and early larvae. The information gathered from the present study provides resources for further investigations into the molecular mechanisms of fin development and regeneration. Developmental Dynamics 231:527,541, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Expression of zebrafish six1 during sensory organ development and myogenesisDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 4 2004Dmitri A. Bessarab Abstract Drosophila sine oculis homologous genes in vertebrates are homeobox-containing transcription factors functioning within the Pax-Six-Eya-Dach regulatory network during development. In this study, we describe the cloning and expression of a zebrafish homolog of sine oculis, six1. The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction demonstrated accumulation of six1 transcripts at mid-gastrula, and in situ hybridization showed their subsequent expression in the cranial placode and later in the olfactory, otic, and lateral line placodes, inner ear, and neuromasts. In addition, six1 is expressed in the pituitary, branchial arches, somites, pectoral fin, ventral abdomen muscle, and the cranial muscles of the eye and lower jaw. An increase of six1 expression was observed in the lateral line, muscles, and inner ear of the mind bomb mutant, illustrating a regulatory effect of the Notch pathway on expression of Six genes. Developmental Dynamics 230:781,786, 2004 © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Independent induction and formation of the dorsal and ventral fins in Xenopus laevisDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 3 2004A.S. Tucker Abstract It has been known since the 1930s that the dorsal fin is induced by the underlying neural crest. The inducer of the ventral fin, however, has remained elusive. We have investigated the source of the inducer of the ventral fin in Xenopus and show that it is the ventral mesoderm and not the neural crest. This induction takes place during mid-neurula stages and is completed by late neurulation. In terms of cell composition, the dorsal fin mesenchyme core arises from neural crest cells, while the mesenchyme of the ventral fin has a dual origin. The ventral fin contains neural crest cells that migrate in from the dorsal side of the embryo, but a contribution is also made by cells from the ventral mesoderm. Developmental Dynamics 230:461,467, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Cell proliferation during blastema formation in the regenerating teleost finDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 2 2002Leonor Santos-Ruiz Abstract Epimorphic regeneration in teleost fins occurs through the establishment of a balanced growth state in which a blastema gives rise to all the mesenchymal cells, whereas definite areas of the epidermis proliferate leading to its extension, thus, allowing the enlargement of the whole structure. This type of regeneration involves specific mechanisms that temporally and spatially regulate cell proliferation. To understand how the blastema is formed and how this growth situation is set up, we investigated cell proliferation patterns in the regenerating fin of the goldfish Carassius auratus from the time of amputation to that of blastema formation by using proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunostaining and bromodeoxyuridine labeling. Wound closure and apical epidermal cap formation took place by epidermal migration and re-arrangement, without the contribution of cell proliferation. As soon as the apical cap had formed, the epidermis started to proliferate at its lateral surfaces, in which all layers maintained cycling for the duration of the studied process. The distal epidermal cap, on the contrary, presented very few cycling cells, and its cytoarchitecture was indicative of continuous remodeling due to ray growth. The basal layer of this epidermal cap showed a typical morphology and remained nonproliferative whilst in contact with the proliferating blastema. Proliferation in the mesenchymal compartment of the ray started far from the amputation plane. Subsequently, cycling cells approached that location, until they formed the blastema in contact with the apical epidermal cap. Differences observed between the epidermis and mesenchyma, regarding activation of the cell cycle and the establishment of proliferative patterns, suggest that differential mechanisms regulate cell proliferation in each of these compartments during the initial stages of regeneration. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] On the tail of Errivaspis and the condition of the caudal fin in heterostracansACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 2009Elga Mark-Kurik Abstract Articulated caudal fins of heterostracans are preserved in very rare cases. Their morphology and internal structure are completely unknown for the majority of species. One of the few preserved caudal fins belongs to the Early Devonian pteraspidid Errivaspis waynensis from the Welsh Borderland, UK. There are two different reconstructions of the tail: (1) strongly asymmetric, with a considerably longer ventral lobe, and a rather concave posterior margin (e.g. White 1935); and (2) almost symmetrical with an only slightly longer ventral lobe and a small notch in the posterior margin (e.g. Blieck 1984). A new reconstruction of the Errivaspis caudal fin, based on a detailed study of White's specimens is presented here. The ventral lobe is longer than the dorsal one but not so much as in White's reconstruction, and the notch in the posterior margin of the fin is less deep. The comparatively massive ventral lobe and ,en echelon' arrangement of three digitations, supporting the fin web and branching off from this lobe, indicate the hypocercal condition of the asymmetrical tail. The same internal structure is present in other heterostracans with nearly symmetrical caudal fins (e.g. Doryaspis, Nahanniaspis, Dinaspidella and Athenaegis) where all, or most, of the intermediate digitations branch off from the ventral lobe. [source] The apical ectodermal ridge in the pectoral fin of the Australian Lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri): keeping the fin to limb transition in the foldACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 2009Verity S. Hodgkinson Abstract The apical ectodermal ridge (AER) in Neoceratodus develops after an initial period of mesenchymal proliferation and outgrowth of the fin bud and persists until chondrogenesis of the stylopod and zeugopod is initiated. At this time, the lateral margins of the AER convert to the fin fold leading to subsequent development of the dermal fin skeleton. Thorogood's (1991) fin fold model predicts that the AER should persist longer in Neoceratodus than it does in actinopterygians because of the comparatively extensive endochondral skeleton in lungfish. While the AER does persist into early chondrogenesis and is extended compared to actinopterygians (lost before fin radial chondrogenesis) it does not persist into further stages of chondrogenesis, providing partial support for Thorogood's model. Fgf8 appears in the lungfish fin epithelium during the initial period of fin outgrowth before a physical AER forms, when Fgf8 is restricted to the AER plus the preaxial and postaxial epithelium immediately adjacent to the AER. Fgf8 is no longer detected after the AER is replaced by a fin fold. Neoceratodus appears to provide a halfway point between ray fins and limbs during very early development as Thorogood proposed, but not precisely for the reasons his model suggests. [source] Heddleichthys, a new tristichopterid genus from the Dura Den Formation, Midland Valley, Scotland (Famennian, Late Devonian)ACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 2009Daniel Snitting Abstract A new tristichopterid genus, Heddleichthys, from the Famennian of Scotland is described based on material previously assigned to a number of different genera, including Glyptopomus, Gyroptychius and Eusthenopteron. The validity of the new genus is established by a discussion of the reasons for the invalidity of the previous assignments. Heddleichthys is characterized by a combination of derived and primitive tristichopterid features. Derived features include the presence of symphyseal dentary fangs and premaxillary pseudofangs, a diamond-shaped symmetric caudal fin, a low posterodorsal expansion of the maxilla, and a posteriorly positioned kite-shaped pineal series. Primitive features include a postorbital and jugal contribution to the orbital margin and a parasphenoid with a ventral keel. External dermal bones are rather poorly preserved in the referred material, with few easily discernible sutures. The holotype specimen, a three-dimensionally preserved skull, was scanned by computed tomography to reveal well-preserved internal dermal bones, including entopterygoids, vomers and parasphenoid. There is no preserved endoskeletal material. As the first representative of derived tristichopterids described from Britain, Heddleichthys lends support to the idea that faunal dispersion between Gondwana and Laurussia in the Late Devonian was widespread. Derived tristichopterids have been described from all continents except South America. In contrast, the basal tristichopterids Eusthenopteron and Tristichopterus are still only described from Laurussia. [source] Predation risk allocation or direct vigilance response in the predator interaction between perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) and pike (Esox lucius L.)?ECOLOGY OF FRESHWATER FISH, Issue 3 2005A. Vainikka Abstract , Predation risk allocation hypothesis predicts that a prey's response to predator depends on prey's previous experience on predator. Here we tested whether the group of three perch respond differentially to pike, predator of perch, depending on the timing of high constant (HC) and high unpredictable (HU) risk periods within low constant risk periods in short-term (10 h) experiments, and whether the response is stronger during a HU risk period than during a HC risk period. Perch clearly erected the dorsal fin in response to predation risk treatments (pike odour only, odour and visible pike). Decrease in activity and increase in shoaling behaviour were observed mainly during high risk periods. However, the perch's responses to pike did not differ statistically between periods of various levels of predation risk or depending on the timing of high risk situations within constant low risk periods, and thus, suggesting that perch respond mainly to changes in the current predation risk. Resumen 1. La hipótesis de la asignación de riesgo a la predación predice que la respuesta a un predador depende de la experiencia previa de la presa al predador. En este trabajo analizamos si un grupo de tres individuos de Perca fluviatilis respondían de forma distinta a la presencia de Esox lucius, (un predador común de esta especie) y si éstas dependían del momento en el que se producen periodos de alto riesgo constante y de alto riesgo impredecible, en experimentos de corto plazo (10 horas) de riesgo bajo y constante y si la respuesta era mayor durante perí odos de riesgo impredecible y alto que durante períodos de riesgo constante alto. 2. Claramente P. fluviatilis respondió levantando la aleta dorsal en respuesta a los tratamientos de riesgo a la predación (solamente olor y olor + visibilidad de E. lucius). Una menor actividad y una mayor tendencia a la formación de bancos fueron observados durante períodos de alto riesgo. Sin embargo, las respuesta de P. fluviatilis a E. lucius no difirieron estadísticamente entre períodos de varios niveles de riesgo a la predación o entre aquellos que dependieron del momento en el que se produjeron situaciones de alto riesgo dentro de períodos de bajo riesgo constante. 3. Concluimos que P. fluviatilis puede utilizar señales olfatorias como determinantes de respuestas al riesgo a la predación y responder a aumentos de riesgo, sin excluir la posibilidad de que amenazas repetidas decrezcan la intensidad de la respuesta. Nuestros resultados, obtenidos en experimentos realizados a pequeña escala temporal, no niegan la posibilidad de la P. fluviatilis y otras especies puedan balancear la alimentación con actividades anti-predación, de acuerdo a cambios en el riesgo de predación a lo largo de escalas temporales de varios días. [source] Molecular cloning of cytochrome P4501A cDNA of medaka (Oryzias latipes) and messenger ribonucleic acid regulation by environmental pollutantsENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 4 2004Jisung Ryu Abstract The sequence of cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) cDNA of medaka (Oryzias latipes) was determined, and its messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) regulation by ,-naphthoflavone (,NF) was evaluated. The determined cDNA sequence contained 2,349 base pairs (bp), and the open reading frame contained a total of 1,563 bp encoding 521 predicted amino acids. The induction of CYP1A mRNA in medaka was evaluated using reverse transcription,polymerase chain reaction. The concentration,dependent induction of CYP1A mRNA in the liver was observed after exposure to ,NF at nominal concentrations of 20, 100, and 500 ,g/ L for 2 d. Time-dependent changes of CYP1A mRNA levels were also observed in the liver, gill, gut, and caudal fin tissues of medaka exposed to 100 ,g/L of ,NF for 7 d. Our results showed that the degree of CYP1A mRNA induction in the gill, gut, and caudal fin after exposure to ,NF was relatively higher than that in the liver, possibly because of low basal levels of CYP1A mRNA in the gill, gut, and caudal fin of nonexposed fish. The induction of medaka CYP1A mRNA was also observed after exposure to an environmental sample, landfill leachate. The CYP1A mRNA inductions in the gill, gut, and caudal fin were also higher than that in the liver as shown in the ,NF-treated groups. These results show that CYP1A mRNA determination in the gill, gut, and caudal fin, which are in direct contact with the polluted water, may become a useful method for monitoring CYP1A-inducible chemicals. [source] Expression of Hoxa-11 and Hoxa-13 in the pectoral fin of a basal ray-finned fish, Polyodon spathula: implications for the origin of tetrapod limbsEVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2005Brian D. Metscher Summary Paleontological and anatomical evidence suggests that the autopodium (hand or foot) is a novel feature that distinguishes limbs from fins, while the upper and lower limb (stylopod and zeugopod) are homologous to parts of the sarcopterygian paired fins. In tetrapod limb development Hoxa-11 plays a key role in differentiating the lower limb and Hoxa-13 plays a key role in differentiating the autopodium. It is thus important to determine the ancestral functions of these genes in order to understand the developmental genetic changes that led to the origin of the tetrapod autopodium. In particular it is important to understand which features of gene expression are derived in tetrapods and which are ancestral in bony fishes. To address these questions we cloned and sequenced the Hoxa-11 and Hoxa-13 genes from the North American paddlefish, Polyodon spathula, a basal ray-finned fish that has a pectoral fin morphology resembling that of primitive bony fishes ancestral to the tetrapod lineage. Sequence analysis of these genes shows that they are not orthologous to the duplicated zebrafish and fugu genes. This implies that the paddlefish has not duplicated its HoxA cluster, unlike zebrafish and fugu. The expression of Hoxa-11 and Hoxa-13 in the pectoral fins shows two main phases: an early phase in which Hoxa-11 is expressed proximally and Hoxa-13 is expressed distally, and a later phase in which Hoxa-11 and Hoxa-13 broadly overlap in the distal mesenchyme of the fin bud but are absent in the proximal fin bud. Hence the distal polarity of Hoxa-13 expression seen in tetrapods is likely to be an ancestral feature of paired appendage development. The main difference in HoxA gene expression between fin and limb development is that in tetrapods (with the exception of newts) Hoxa-11 expression is suppressed by Hoxa-13 in the distal limb bud mesenchyme. There is, however, a short period of limb bud development where Hoxa-11 and Hoxa-13 overlap similarly to the late expression seen in zebrafish and paddlefish. We conclude that the early expression pattern in tetrapods is similar to that seen in late fin development and that the local exclusion by Hoxa-13 of Hoxa-11 from the distal limb bud is a derived feature of limb developmental regulation. [source] Understanding pressures on fishery resources through trade statistics: a pilot study of four products in the Chinese dried seafood marketFISH AND FISHERIES, Issue 1 2004Shelley Clarke Abstract This study investigates the dried seafood trade, centred in Chinese markets, in order to better understand the pressures its demand exerts on global marine resource stocks. Using Hong Kong, the region's largest entrepôt, as a focal point, the trade in shark fins, abalone, bêche-de-mer and dried fish is characterized in terms of product history, volume, source fisheries and species composition. Trends identified in the Hong Kong market are interpreted in the context of the larger Chinese market. Shark fin imports grew 6% per year between 1991 and 2000, most likely because of market expansion in Mainland China, posing increasingly greater pressures on global shark resources. In contrast, the quantities of dried abalone traded through Hong Kong remained steady, but inferences based on this trend are discouraged by suggestions of increasing preferences for fresh product forms and growing domestic production in Mainland China. Hong Kong's imports of dried bêche-de-mer (sea cucumber) have decreased, while the percentage of imports re-exported has remained steady, suggesting that Hong Kong continues as an entrepôt for Mainland China despite declining domestic consumption. Few conclusions can be drawn regarding dried fish products, including whole fish and fish maws, because of a lack of product differentiation in customs data, but a market survey was conducted to provide information on species composition. Comparison of Hong Kong dried seafood trade statistics to those of other key trading partners indicates that, in general, Hong Kong's duty-free status appears to encourage more accurate reporting of traded quantities. Under-reporting biases ranged from 24 to 49% for shark fin and bêche-de-mer, respectively. Comparison to United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) databases indicates additional under-reporting for shark fin such that an alternative minimum estimate of world trade is at least twice the FAO estimates in 1998,2000. The results of a survey of Hong Kong traders provide insight into their attitudes toward harvest, economic and regulatory factors, and suggest that conservation efforts are unlikely to emerge from, or be actively supported by, dried seafood trade organizations. The market's apparent sensitivity to economic sentiment, however, reveals an opportunity for consumer education to play a role in shaping future market growth and resource conservation. Recommendations are provided for improving trade statistics and for developing better analytical techniques to complement traditional methods for monitoring the exploitation and management of fisheries resources. [source] A juvenile Early Carboniferous (Viséan) coelacanth from Rösenbeck (Rhenish Mountains, Germany) with derived postcranial charactersFOSSIL RECORD-MITTEILUNGEN AUS DEM MUSEUM FUER NATURKUNDE, Issue 2 2010Florian Witzmann Abstract A small coelacanth specimen of Viséan age from a newly described locality near Rösenbeck at the northern margin of the Rhenish Mountains (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany) is described. The head and pectoral girdle are not preserved, however, the specimen can be distinguished from all other known Carboniferous coelacanths by derived characters of the articulated postcranial skeleton. Derived characters include: (1) The slender first and second dorsal fins that carry only seven to eight and six fin rays, respectively. (2) Both the pelvic and anal fin have a broad base and are unusually weakly lobed. (3) The fin rays of the second dorsal fin are much more robust than those of the first dorsal fin. (4) The second dorsal and anal fins are longer than the first dorsal and pelvic fins. The Rösenbeck coelacanth is interpreted as a juvenile specimen, since the basal plates that support the fins are not ossified. (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] The ,Whole Man': The Longing for a Masculine World in Nineteenth,Century GermanyGENDER & HISTORY, Issue 1 2003Martina Kessel Through the lens of advice literature, letters and autobiographical documents, this article examines the construction of middle,class masculinity in nineteenth,century Germany. Between the end of the eighteenth century and the fin,de,siècle gender debates, masculinity was paradoxically configured. On the one hand, manhood was said to be relational, that is notions of the masculine were related to notions of the feminine. On the other hand, the concept of the ,whole man' encompassed aspects gendered both as female and as male, thus inviting visions of a society without women. This paradoxical construction became the site of discussions, projections and contestations: women used the figure of the whole man in order to voice their desires or criticise male claims to dominance and control, but it frequently also served as the basis for male self,descriptions. In the course of the nineteenth century, notions of integral masculinity became ever more precarious since the sociable, well,rounded, artistically inclined man propagated in the first half of the nineteenth century was increasingly superseded by the ,soldier of work' which gave the fin,de,siècle gender debates a particular urgency. [source] Enhancement of condensation on a vertical plate (2nd report, prediction of condensation on a dispersed finned surface)HEAT TRANSFER - ASIAN RESEARCH (FORMERLY HEAT TRANSFER-JAPANESE RESEARCH), Issue 3 2010Rencai Chu Abstract In this study, a prediction model for condensation heat transfer on a vertical dispersed finned surface was proposed, utilizing the Adamek-Webb model for condensation heat transfer outside a horizontal finned tube. The prediction model was based on two main experimental observation results. One is the phenomena of the condensate retention at the bottom of each row of the dispersed fin. Another is the offset phenomena of the condensate flow between each row of the dispersed fin. Given the results by the present model, it is predicted that the dependence of the condensation heat transfer coefficient for the dispersed finned surface on the fin pitch is controlled mainly by the dispersed fin length, not the total fin length. On the contrary, for a different fin pitch, the effect to the condensation heat transfer by dispersing the fin is different. From comparison with the experiment results, it is confirmed that the present model was able to predict the condensation with extremely good precision when the fin pitch was larger. Further, when the fin pitch was smaller, the predicted values were higher than the experimental values, but the tendency of the condensation heat transfer with dispersing the fin was nearly predicted. In addition, this condensing model can predict the experimental values with an error of 25% at the maximum in a range of fin pitch 0.6 mm to 1 mm. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/htj.20288 [source] Convective heat transfer and pressure drop of annular tubes with three different internal longitudinal finsHEAT TRANSFER - ASIAN RESEARCH (FORMERLY HEAT TRANSFER-JAPANESE RESEARCH), Issue 1 2008Lin Tian Abstract Pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of air in three annular tubes with different internal longitudinal fins were investigated experimentally at uniform wall heat flux. The tested tubes have a double-pipe structure with the inner blocked tube as an insertion. Three different kinds of fins, plain rectangle fin, plain rectangle fin with periodical ridges and wave-like fin, were located peripherally in the annulus. The friction factor and Nusselt number can be corrected by a power-law correction in the Reynolds number range tested. It was found that the tube with periodical ridges on the plain fin or with wave-like fin could augment heat transfer; however, the pressure drop was increased simultaneously. In order to evaluate the comprehensive heat transfer characteristics of the tested tubes, two criteria for evaluating the comprehensive thermal performance of tested tubes were adopted. They are: 1) evaluating the comprehensive heat transfer performance under three conditions: identical mass flow, identical pumping power, and identical pressure drop; 2) the second law of thermodynamics, i.e., the entropy generation. According to the two different evaluating methods, it was found that the tube with wave-like fins provided the most excellent comprehensive heat transfer performance among the three tubes, especially when it was used under higher Reynolds number conditions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 37(1): 29,40, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/htj.20186 [source] The heat transfer and pressure loss characteristics of a heat exchanger for recovering latent heat (the heat transfer and pressure loss characteristics of the heat exchanger with wing fin)HEAT TRANSFER - ASIAN RESEARCH (FORMERLY HEAT TRANSFER-JAPANESE RESEARCH), Issue 4 2007Kiyoshi Kawaguchi Abstract In recent years the requirement for reduction of energy consumption has been increasing to solve the problems of global warming and the shortage of petroleum resources. A latent heat recovery type heat exchanger is one of the effective methods of improving thermal efficiency by recovering latent heat. This paper described the heat transfer and pressure loss characteristics of a latent heat recovery type heat exchanger having a wing fin (fin pitch: 4 mm, fin length: 65 mm). These were clarified by measuring the exchange heat quantity, the pressure loss of heat exchanger, and the heat transfer coefficient between outer fin surface and gas. The effects of condensate behavior in the fins on heat transfer and pressure loss characteristics were clarified. Furthermore, the equations for predicting the heat transfer coefficient and pressure loss which are necessary in the design of the heat exchanger were proposed. ©2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 36(4): 215,229, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/htj.20154 [source] Study on a reversible thermal panel for spacecraft (detailed design based on parametric studies and experimental verification)HEAT TRANSFER - ASIAN RESEARCH (FORMERLY HEAT TRANSFER-JAPANESE RESEARCH), Issue 7 2006Hosei Nagano Abstract This paper describes a new passive thermal control device,a Reversible Thermal Panel (RTP), which changes its function reversibly from a radiator to solar absorber by deploying/stowing the radiator/absorber reversible fin. Parametric studies were conducted and the RTP configuration which satisfies the thermal requirements was determined. The RTP engineering model was fabricated using highly oriented graphite sheets, honeycomb base plate, and shape memory alloy. The heat rejection performances and autonomous thermal controllability were evaluated by thermal vacuum tests. The test results show the excellent performances of heat rejection, absorption, and autonomous thermal control for the RTP. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 35(7): 464,481, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/htj.20131 [source] Lateral line system of fishINTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY (ELECTRONIC), Issue 1 2009Horst BLECKMANN Abstract The lateral line is a sensory system that allows fishes to detect weak water motions and pressure gradients. The smallest functional unit of the lateral line is the neuromast, a sensory structure that consists of a hair cell epithelium and a cupula that connects the ciliary bundles of the hair cells with the water surrounding the fish. The lateral line of most fishes consists of hundreds of superficial neuromasts spread over the head, trunk and tail fin. In addition, many fish have neuromasts embedded in lateral line canals that open to the environment through a series of pores. The present paper reviews some more recent aspects of the morphology, behavioral relevance and physiology of the fish lateral line. In addition, it reports some new findings with regard to the coding of bulk water flow. [source] A quick, practical test procedure to evaluate the performance of instruments used for in vitro UV protection measurementsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 6 2002E. Klette Synopsis The in vitro determination of the UV protection of sunscreens is usually performed by means of transmission measurements with special photometers. Many different instruments are used. Besides numerous commercially available instruments, which are equipped by the manufacturer for the specific measurement, other modular instruments are used. We present here a quick and practical method to evaluate the performance of these instruments with respect to their measuring ranges and to compare the uniformity and reliability of the results obtained with these instruments. Résumé La détermination in vitro de la protection anti-UV de produits solaires est généralement réalisée par la mesure de la transmission à l'aide de photomètres spéciaux. De nombreux appareils peuvent être utilisés à cette fin. A côté des instruments disponibles dans le commerce et spécialement équipés par les fabricants, d'autres appareils modulaires peuvent être employés. Nous présentons ici une méthode rapide et pratique pour évaluer les performances de ces appareils en respectant leurs gammes de mesure et pour comparer la crédibilité et l'uniformité des résultats obtenus. [source] A spreadsheet solution of transient conduction in composite finsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 5 2002E. M. A. Mokheimer Abstract Transient heat transfer through composite fins is investigated by numerical methods. In this regard, governing differential equations of the two-dimensional fin and one-dimensional cladding are studied to examine the effect of Biot number and ratio of thermal conductivities of the fin material to the cladding, on the dimensionless temperature profiles. In addition, the use of spreadsheet programs in solving the composite fin problems is investigated in somewhat more detail with regard to the solution as well as presentation of the graphical results. The results show that one-dimensional analysis, traditionally used in fin analysis, is not applicable for composite fins, particularly when the conductivity ratio of the composite fin materials is very high. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The electromagnetic effect of cooling finsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NUMERICAL MODELLING: ELECTRONIC NETWORKS, DEVICES AND FIELDS, Issue 4 2006S. B. Chiu Abstract The electromagnetic effect of cooling fins is studied by solving Maxwell equations numerically using a FDTD method under high-frequency operating conditions. The fin is attached to a square IC chip to form a package. The overall size of the package is 25 mm × 25 mm × 17.5 mm. A smooth compact pulse with a reference frequency of either 1 or 2.5 GHz is used as the excitation source of EM waves. Six fin configurations are investigated. Computational results indicate that a fin can act as an antenna. For the present type of excitation source, resonance could occur roughly at frequencies of 2.5, 5 and 7.5 GHz, depending on the source reference frequency and fin geometries. Thus, fin effects should be considered in the electrical design phase since noises could be induced in the circuit due to the presence of fins. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||