Ultrastructural Evidence of Serous Gland Polymorphism in the Skin of the Tungara Frog Engystomops pustulosus (Anura Leptodactylidae).

PubMed

Delfino, Giovanni; Giachi, Filippo; Malentacchi, Cecilia; Nosi, Daniele

2015-09-01

Three types of serous products were detected in the syncytial cutaneous glands of the leptodactylid tungara frog, Engystomops pustulosus: type Ia, granules with wide halos and variable density cores; type Ib, high density granules without halos; and type II, vesicles containing a finely dispersed product. Ultrastructural evidence revealed that these products were manufactured by different serous gland types and excluded that they represented different steps in the secretory cycle of a single gland type. Indeed, secretory maturation affecting the products released by the Golgi apparatus proceeded through different mechanisms: confluence (vesicles), interactions between syncytium and secretory product (type Ib granules), and a combination of both processes (type Ia granules). In conclusion, this investigation of secretory maturation was shown to be a suitable approach for the identification of serous gland polymorphism and demonstrated that the tungara frog belongs to the minority of anuran species characterized by this peculiar morpho-functional trait. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Investigation of Blood Flow and the Effect of Vasoactive Substances in Cutaneous Blood Vessels of "Xenopus Laevis"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Škorjanc, Aleš; Belušic, Gregor

2015-01-01

In the present study, a preparation of frog skin was presented, which can be used to demonstrate the basic concepts of blood flow regulation in a very clear and attractive way to high school and university students. In a freshly euthanized "Xenopus," a patch of abdominal skin was exposed from the internal side and viewed with a USB…

Estimating Herd Immunity to Amphibian Chytridiomycosis in Madagascar Based on the Defensive Function of Amphibian Skin Bacteria

PubMed Central

Bletz, Molly C.; Myers, Jillian; Woodhams, Douglas C.; Rabemananjara, Falitiana C. E.; Rakotonirina, Angela; Weldon, Che; Edmonds, Devin; Vences, Miguel; Harris, Reid N.

2017-01-01

For decades, Amphibians have been globally threatened by the still expanding infectious disease, chytridiomycosis. Madagascar is an amphibian biodiversity hotspot where Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has only recently been detected. While no Bd-associated population declines have been reported, the risk of declines is high when invasive virulent lineages become involved. Cutaneous bacteria contribute to host innate immunity by providing defense against pathogens for numerous animals, including amphibians. Little is known, however, about the cutaneous bacterial residents of Malagasy amphibians and the functional capacity they have against Bd. We cultured 3179 skin bacterial isolates from over 90 frog species across Madagascar, identified them via Sanger sequencing of approximately 700 bp of the 16S rRNA gene, and characterized their functional capacity against Bd. A subset of isolates was also tested against multiple Bd genotypes. In addition, we applied the concept of herd immunity to estimate Bd-associated risk for amphibian communities across Madagascar based on bacterial antifungal activity. We found that multiple bacterial isolates (39% of all isolates) cultured from the skin of Malagasy frogs were able to inhibit Bd. Mean inhibition was weakly correlated with bacterial phylogeny, and certain taxonomic groups appear to have a high proportion of inhibitory isolates, such as the Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, and Xanthamonadaceae (84, 80, and 75% respectively). Functional capacity of bacteria against Bd varied among Bd genotypes; however, there were some bacteria that showed broad spectrum inhibition against all tested Bd genotypes, suggesting that these bacteria would be good candidates for probiotic therapies. We estimated Bd-associated risk for sampled amphibian communities based on the concept of herd immunity. Multiple amphibian communities, including those in the amphibian diversity hotspots, Andasibe and Ranomafana, were estimated to be below the 80% herd immunity threshold, suggesting they may be at higher risk to chytridiomycosis if a lethal Bd genotype emerges in Madagascar. While this predictive approach rests on multiple assumptions, and incorporates only one component of hosts' defense against Bd, their culturable cutaneous bacterial defense, it can serve as a foundation for continued research on Bd-associated risk for the endemic frogs of Madagascar. PMID:28959244

Modules in the brain stem and spinal cord underlying motor behaviors

PubMed Central

Cheung, Vincent C. K.; Bizzi, Emilio

2011-01-01

Previous studies using intact and spinalized animals have suggested that coordinated movements can be generated by appropriate combinations of muscle synergies controlled by the central nervous system (CNS). However, which CNS regions are responsible for expressing muscle synergies remains an open question. We address whether the brain stem and spinal cord are involved in expressing muscle synergies used for executing a range of natural movements. We analyzed the electromyographic (EMG) data recorded from frog leg muscles before and after transection at different levels of the neuraxis—rostral midbrain (brain stem preparations), rostral medulla (medullary preparations), and the spinal-medullary junction (spinal preparations). Brain stem frogs could jump, swim, kick, and step, while medullary frogs could perform only a partial repertoire of movements. In spinal frogs, cutaneous reflexes could be elicited. Systematic EMG analysis found two different synergy types: 1) synergies shared between pre- and posttransection states and 2) synergies specific to individual states. Almost all synergies found in natural movements persisted after transection at rostral midbrain or medulla but not at the spinal-medullary junction for swim and step. Some pretransection- and posttransection-specific synergies for a certain behavior appeared as shared synergies for other motor behaviors of the same animal. These results suggest that the medulla and spinal cord are sufficient for the expression of most muscle synergies in frog behaviors. Overall, this study provides further evidence supporting the idea that motor behaviors may be constructed by muscle synergies organized within the brain stem and spinal cord and activated by descending commands from supraspinal areas. PMID:21653716

Adenomatous hyperplasia of the mucous glands in captive Archey's frogs (Leiopelma archeyi).

PubMed

Shaw, S D; Berger, L; Harvey, C; Alley, M R; Bishop, P J; Speare, R

2017-05-01

To describe the gross and light microscopic characteristics of skin lesions observed on the ventral skin of captive Archey's frogs (Leiopelma archeyi) between 2000 and 2012, and to investigate their occurrence, possible aetiology and association with survival. Postmortem skin samples were obtained for histological evaluation from 37 frogs, with and without skin lesions, that died while in captivity at Auckland Zoo between 2000 and 2012. Four frogs with skin lesions were biopsied under general anaesthesia and samples used for both light and transmission electron microscopy. The records of 94 frogs held at the University of Otago and Auckland Zoo between 2000-2012 were reviewed, which included some frogs recently collected from the wild. Information about the occurrence of skin lesions, and mortality associated with skin lesions was collated. Grossly the skin lesions varied in appearance; most were circular, pale grey papules, which measured from <0.5-1.5 mm in diameter with no umbilication. The overlying epidermis was not fragile and there was no associated inflammation. Contents often appeared clear or semi-transparent. Lesions were located predominantly on ventral surfaces including trunk, thighs, lower legs and forearms, and gular region, but not on digits. The number ranged from single to multiple, often confluent lesions covering the entire ventral surface of the frog. Histologically the lesions consisted of enlarged proliferating mucous glands that expanded the dermis and elevated the epidermis. They were semi-organised, solid or occasionally cavitated acinar structures with central lumina which sometimes contained mucus. Nuclei showed moderate anisokaryosis and mitotic figures were uncommon. Transmission electron microscopy did not show any infectious agents. Between 2000 and 2012, skin lesions were recorded in 35/94 (37%) frogs. The size and location of skin lesions varied over time, with some resolving and sometimes reappearing. Skin lesions were not associated with an increased risk of death. The skin lesions had the gross and microscopic characteristics of adenomatous hyperplasia of the dermal mucous glands. The aetiology of this adenomatous hyperplasia is unknown, but factors associated with the captive environment are the most likely cause. This is the first description of adenomatous hyperplasia of the cutaneous mucous glands in amphibians.

Using pairs of physiological models to estimate temporal variation in amphibian body temperature.

PubMed

Roznik, Elizabeth A; Alford, Ross A

2014-10-01

Physical models are often used to estimate ectotherm body temperatures, but designing accurate models for amphibians is difficult because they can vary in cutaneous resistance to evaporative water loss. To account for this variability, a recently published technique requires a pair of agar models that mimic amphibians with 0% and 100% resistance to evaporative water loss; the temperatures of these models define the lower and upper boundaries of possible amphibian body temperatures for the location in which they are placed. The goal of our study was to develop a method for using these pairs of models to estimate parameters describing the distributions of body temperatures of frogs under field conditions. We radiotracked green-eyed treefrogs (Litoria serrata) and collected semi-continuous thermal data using both temperature-sensitive radiotransmitters with an automated datalogging receiver, and pairs of agar models placed in frog locations, and we collected discrete thermal data using a non-contact infrared thermometer when frogs were located. We first examined the accuracy of temperature-sensitive transmitters in estimating frog body temperatures by comparing transmitter data with direct temperature measurements taken simultaneously for the same individuals. We then compared parameters (mean, minimum, maximum, standard deviation) characterizing the distributions of temperatures of individual frogs estimated from data collected using each of the three methods. We found strong relationships between thermal parameters estimated from data collected using automated radiotelemetry and both types of thermal models. These relationships were stronger for data collected using automated radiotelemetry and impermeable thermal models, suggesting that in the field, L. serrata has a relatively high resistance to evaporative water loss. Our results demonstrate that placing pairs of thermal models in frog locations can provide accurate estimates of the distributions of temperatures experienced by individual frogs, and that comparing temperatures from model pairs to direct measurements collected simultaneously on frogs can be used to broadly characterize the skin resistance of a species, and to select which model type is most appropriate for estimating temperature distributions for that species. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Composition of symbiotic bacteria predicts survival in Panamanian golden frogs infected with a lethal fungus

PubMed Central

Becker, Matthew H.; Walke, Jenifer B.; Cikanek, Shawna; Savage, Anna E.; Mattheus, Nichole; Santiago, Celina N.; Minbiole, Kevin P. C.; Harris, Reid N.; Belden, Lisa K.; Gratwicke, Brian

2015-01-01

Symbiotic microbes can dramatically impact host health and fitness, and recent research in a diversity of systems suggests that different symbiont community structures may result in distinct outcomes for the host. In amphibians, some symbiotic skin bacteria produce metabolites that inhibit the growth of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a cutaneous fungal pathogen that has caused many amphibian population declines and extinctions. Treatment with beneficial bacteria (probiotics) prevents Bd infection in some amphibian species and creates optimism for conservation of species that are highly susceptible to chytridiomycosis, the disease caused by Bd. In a laboratory experiment, we used Bd-inhibitory bacteria from Bd-tolerant Panamanian amphibians in a probiotic development trial with Panamanian golden frogs, Atelopus zeteki, a species currently surviving only in captive assurance colonies. Approximately 30% of infected golden frogs survived Bd exposure by either clearing infection or maintaining low Bd loads, but this was not associated with probiotic treatment. Survival was instead related to initial composition of the skin bacterial community and metabolites present on the skin. These results suggest a strong link between the structure of these symbiotic microbial communities and amphibian host health in the face of Bd exposure and also suggest a new approach for developing amphibian probiotics. PMID:25788591

Histological convergent evolution of the accessory submandibular glands in four species of frog-eating bats.

PubMed

Tandler, B; Phillips, C J; Nagato, T

1996-08-01

The accessory submandibular glands in four species of bats were examined by electron microscopy. These four species represent two independently evolved lineages. The fringe-lipped bat, Trachops cirrhosis, is a Neotropical phyllostomid species, whereas the false vampire bats of southeast Asia, Megaderma lyra and M. spasma, and the heart-nosed bat, Cardioderma cor, of East Africa are megadermatid species. These glands show extreme deviation from typical salivary gland histology: their secretory endpieces are in the form of follicles and their ducts lack the cytological details that permit identification of diverse duct segments. Despite their unusual histology, the secretory endpieces in M. lyra, M. spasma, and C. cor consist of secretory cells that conform to typical secretory cell morphology. In contrast, secretion by follicular cells in T. cirrhosis involves unusual cytoplasmic bodies, and their mitochondria frequently have intracristal crystalloids. Ducts in all four species consist of simple cuboidal to columnar epithelium without basal striations. Follicles and ducts in all four bats are surrounded by numerous myoepithelial cells and are heavily innervated by hypolemmal nerve terminals. Despite their widely separated geographical ranges, all four bat species consume frogs and other vertebrates. Frogs and toads often possess toxic cutaneous glands that provide a chemical defense against predation. It is postulated that the unusual accessory glands in the four frog-eating species secrete toxin-neutralizing salivary factors. The follicular form of the endpieces permits storage of preformed saliva and their coterie of myoepithelial cells and hypolemmal nerve terminals facilitates the sudden and rapid expulsion of saliva into the oral cavity during the consumption of noxious amphibians.

Peptide secretion in the cutaneous glands of South American tree frog Phyllomedusa bicolor: an ultrastructural study.

PubMed

Lacombe, C; Cifuentes-Diaz, C; Dunia, I; Auber-Thomay, M; Nicolas, P; Amiche, M

2000-09-01

The development of the dermal glands of the arboreal frog Phyllomedusa bicolor was investigated by immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy. The 3 types of glands (mucous, lipid and serous) differed in size and secretory activity. The mucous and serous glands were apparent in the tadpole skin, whereas the lipid glands developed later in ontogenesis. The peptide antibiotics dermaseptins and the D-amino acid-containing peptide opioids dermorphins and deltorphins are abundant in the skin secretions of P. bicolor. Although these peptides differ in their structure and activity they are derived from precursors that have very similar preproregions. We used an antibody to the common preproregion of preprodermaseptins and preprodeltorphins and immunofluorescence analysis to show that only the serous glands are specifically involved in the biosynthesis and secretion of dermaseptins and deltorphins. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the serous glands of P bicolor have morphological features, especially the secretory granules, which differ from those of the glands in Xenopus laevis skin.

Dental Calculus Links Statistically to Angina Pectoris: 26-Year Observational Study.

PubMed

Söder, Birgitta; Meurman, Jukka H; Söder, Per-Östen

2016-01-01

Dental infections, such as periodontitis, associate with atherosclerosis and its complications. We studied a cohort followed-up since 1985 for incidence of angina pectoris with the hypothesis that calculus accumulation, proxy for poor oral hygiene, links to this symptom. In our Swedish prospective cohort study of 1676 randomly selected subjects followed-up for 26 years. In 1985 all subjects underwent clinical oral examination and answered a questionnaire assessing background variables such as socio-economic status and pack-years of smoking. By using data from the Center of Epidemiology, Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, Sweden we analyzed the association of oral health parameters with the prevalence of in-hospital verified angina pectoris classified according to the WHO International Classification of Diseases, using descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis. Of the 1676 subjects, 51 (28 women/23 men) had been diagnosed with angina pectoris at a mean age of 59.8 ± 2.9 years. No difference was observed in age and gender between patients with angina pectoris and subjects without. Neither was there any difference in education level and smoking habits (in pack years), Gingival index and Plaque index between the groups. Angina pectoris patients had significantly more often their first maxillary molar tooth extracted (d. 16) than the other subjects (p = 0.02). Patients also showed significantly higher dental calculus index values than the subjects without angina pectoris (p = 0.01). Multiple regression analysis showed odds ratio 2.21 (95% confidence interval 1.17-4.17) in the association between high calculus index and angina pectoris (p = 0.015). Our study hypothesis was confirmed by showing for the first time that high dental calculus score indeed associated with the incidence of angina pectoris in this cohort study.

Dental Calculus Links Statistically to Angina Pectoris: 26-Year Observational Study

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Objectives Dental infections, such as periodontitis, associate with atherosclerosis and its complications. We studied a cohort followed-up since 1985 for incidence of angina pectoris with the hypothesis that calculus accumulation, proxy for poor oral hygiene, links to this symptom. Methods In our Swedish prospective cohort study of 1676 randomly selected subjects followed-up for 26 years. In 1985 all subjects underwent clinical oral examination and answered a questionnaire assessing background variables such as socio-economic status and pack-years of smoking. By using data from the Center of Epidemiology, Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, Sweden we analyzed the association of oral health parameters with the prevalence of in-hospital verified angina pectoris classified according to the WHO International Classification of Diseases, using descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis. Results Of the 1676 subjects, 51 (28 women/23 men) had been diagnosed with angina pectoris at a mean age of 59.8 ± 2.9 years. No difference was observed in age and gender between patients with angina pectoris and subjects without. Neither was there any difference in education level and smoking habits (in pack years), Gingival index and Plaque index between the groups. Angina pectoris patients had significantly more often their first maxillary molar tooth extracted (d. 16) than the other subjects (p = 0.02). Patients also showed significantly higher dental calculus index values than the subjects without angina pectoris (p = 0.01). Multiple regression analysis showed odds ratio 2.21 (95% confidence interval 1.17–4.17) in the association between high calculus index and angina pectoris (p = 0.015). Conclusion Our study hypothesis was confirmed by showing for the first time that high dental calculus score indeed associated with the incidence of angina pectoris in this cohort study. PMID:27336307

Stability of Microbiota Facilitated by Host Immune Regulation: Informing Probiotic Strategies to Manage Amphibian Disease

PubMed Central

Küng, Denise; Bigler, Laurent; Davis, Leyla R.; Gratwicke, Brian; Griffith, Edgardo; Woodhams, Douglas C.

2014-01-01

Microbial communities can augment host immune responses and probiotic therapies are under development to prevent or treat diseases of humans, crops, livestock, and wildlife including an emerging fungal disease of amphibians, chytridiomycosis. However, little is known about the stability of host-associated microbiota, or how the microbiota is structured by innate immune factors including antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) abundant in the skin secretions of many amphibians. Thus, conservation medicine including therapies targeting the skin will benefit from investigations of amphibian microbial ecology that provide a model for vertebrate host-symbiont interactions on mucosal surfaces. Here, we tested whether the cutaneous microbiota of Panamanian rocket frogs, Colostethus panamansis, was resistant to colonization or altered by treatment. Under semi-natural outdoor mesocosm conditions in Panama, we exposed frogs to one of three treatments including: (1) probiotic - the potentially beneficial bacterium Lysinibacillus fusiformis, (2) transplant – skin washes from the chytridiomycosis-resistant glass frog Espadarana prosoblepon, and (3) control – sterile water. Microbial assemblages were analyzed by a culture-independent T-RFLP analysis. We found that skin microbiota of C. panamansis was resistant to colonization and did not differ among treatments, but shifted through time in the mesocosms. We describe regulation of host AMPs that may function to maintain microbial community stability. Colonization resistance was metabolically costly and microbe-treated frogs lost 7–12% of body mass. The discovery of strong colonization resistance of skin microbiota suggests a well-regulated, rather than dynamic, host-symbiont relationship, and suggests that probiotic therapies aiming to enhance host immunity may require an approach that circumvents host mechanisms maintaining equilibrium in microbial communities. PMID:24489847

Diagnosis of unstable angina pectoris has declined markedly with the advent of more sensitive troponin assays.

PubMed

D'Souza, Maria; Sarkisian, Laura; Saaby, Lotte; Poulsen, Tina S; Gerke, Oke; Larsen, Torben B; Diederichsen, Axel C P; Jangaard, Nikolaj; Diederichsen, Søren Z; Hosbond, Susanne; Hove, Jens; Thygesen, Kristian; Mickley, Hans

2015-08-01

Since the arrival of the universal definition of myocardial infarction more sensitive troponin assays have been developed. How these occurrences have influenced the proportions and clinical features of the components of acute coronary syndrome have not been studied prospectively in unselected hospital patients. During 2010 we evaluated all patients in whom cardiac troponin I had been measured at a single university hospital. The diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (ST-elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI] or non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction [NSTEMI]) was established in cases of a rise and/or fall of cardiac troponin I together with cardiac ischemic features. Patients with unstable chest discomfort and cardiac troponin I values below the decision limit of myocardial infarction were diagnosed as having unstable angina pectoris. The definition of acute coronary syndrome included unstable angina pectoris, NSTEMI, and STEMI. Mortality data were obtained from the Danish Civil Personal Registration System. Of 3762 consecutive patients, 516 had acute coronary syndrome. Unstable angina pectoris was present in 7%, NSTEMI in 67%, and STEMI in 26%. The NSTEMI patients were older, more frequently women, and had more comorbidities than patients with unstable angina pectoris and STEMI. At median follow-up of 3.2 years 195 patients had died: 14% of unstable angina pectoris, 45% of NSTEMI, and 25% of STEMI patients. Age-adjusted log-rank statistics revealed differences in mortality: NSTEMI vs unstable angina pectoris (P = .0091) and NSTEMI vs STEMI (P = .0045). The application of the universal definition together with the use of a contemporary troponin assay seems to have reduced the proportion of patients with unstable angina pectoris to the benefit of patients with NSTEMI. Despite this, NSTEMI patients have a sustained higher mortality than patients with STEMI. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Widespread Elevational Occurrence of Antifungal Bacteria in Andean Amphibians Decimated by Disease: A Complex Role for Skin Symbionts in Defense Against Chytridiomycosis

PubMed Central

Catenazzi, Alessandro; Flechas, Sandra V.; Burkart, David; Hooven, Nathan D.; Townsend, Joseph; Vredenburg, Vance T.

2018-01-01

Emerging infectious disease is a growing threat to global health, and recent discoveries reveal that the microbiota dwelling on and within hosts can play an important role in health and disease. To understand the capacity of skin bacteria to protect amphibian hosts from the fungal disease chytridiomycosis caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), we isolated 192 bacterial morphotypes from the skin of 28 host species of frogs (families Bufonidae, Centrolenidae, Hemiphractidae, Hylidae, Leptodactylidae, Strabomantidae, and Telmatobiidae) collected from the eastern slopes of the Peruvian Andes (540–3,865 m a.s.l.) in the Kosñipata Valley near Manu National Park, a site where we previously documented the collapse of montane frog communities following chytridiomycosis epizootics. We obtained isolates through agar culture from skin swabs of wild frogs, and identified bacterial isolates by comparing 16S rRNA sequences against the GenBank database using BLAST. We identified 178 bacterial strains of 38 genera, including 59 bacterial species not previously reported from any amphibian host. The most common bacterial isolates were species of Pseudomonas, Paenibacillus, Chryseobacterium, Comamonas, Sphingobacterium, and Stenotrophomonas. We assayed the anti-fungal abilities of 133 bacterial isolates from 26 frog species. To test whether cutaneous bacteria might inhibit growth of the fungal pathogen, we used a local Bd strain isolated from the mouthparts of stream-dwelling tadpoles (Hypsiboas gladiator, Hylidae). We quantified Bd-inhibition in vitro with co-culture assays. We found 20 bacterial isolates that inhibited Bd growth, including three isolates not previously known for such inhibitory abilities. Anti-Bd isolates occurred on aquatic and terrestrial breeding frogs across a wide range of elevations (560–3,695 m a.s.l.). The inhibitory ability of anti-Bd isolates varied considerably. The proportion of anti-Bd isolates was lowest at mid-elevations (6%), where amphibian declines have been steepest, and among hosts that are highly susceptible to chytridiomycosis (0–14%). Among non-susceptible species, two had the highest proportion of anti-Bd isolates (40 and 45%), but one common and non-susceptible species had a low proportion (13%). In conclusion, we show that anti-Bd bacteria are widely distributed elevationally and phylogenetically across frog species that have persisted in a region where chytridiomycosis emerged, caused a devastating epizootic and continues to infect amphibians. PMID:29593698

Ventricular repolarization alterations in women with angina pectoris and suspected coronary microvascular dysfunction.

PubMed

Dose, Nynne; Michelsen, Marie Mide; Mygind, Naja Dam; Pena, Adam; Ellervik, Christina; Hansen, Peter R; Kanters, Jørgen K; Prescott, Eva; Kastrup, Jens; Gustafsson, Ida; Hansen, Henrik Steen

CMD could be the explanation of angina pectoris with no obstructive CAD and may cause ventricular repolarization changes. We compared T-wave morphology and QTc interval in women with angina pectoris with a control group as well as the associations with CMD. Women with angina pectoris and no obstructive coronary artery disease (n=138) and age-matched controls were compared in regard to QTc interval and morphology combination score (MCS) based on T-wave asymmetry, flatness and presence of T-wave notch. CMD was assessed as a coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) by transthoracic echocardiography. Women with angina pectoris had significantly longer QTc intervals (429±20ms) and increased MCS (IQR) (0.73 [0.64-0.80]) compared with the controls (419±20ms) and (0.63 [(0.53-0.73]), respectively (both p<0.001). CFVR was associated with longer QTc interval (p=0.02), but the association was attenuated after multivariable adjustment (p=0.08). This study suggests that women with angina pectoris have alterations in T-wave morphology as well as longer QTc interval compared with a reference population. CMD might be an explanation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aquatic life at high altitude: respiratory adaptations in the Lake Titicaca frog, Telmatobius culeus.

PubMed

Hutchison, V H; Haines, H B; Engbretson, G

1976-07-01

Telmatobius culeus has a combination of behavioral, morphological and physiological adaptations which allows an aquatic life in cool (10 degrees C) O2-saturated (at 100 mm Hg) waters at high altitude (3812 m). The skin surgace area is increased by pronounced folds and the cutaneous capillaries penetrate to the outer layers of the skin. The erythrocyte volume (394 mu3) is the smallest reported for amphibians. The P50 (15.6 at ph 7.65 and 10 degrees C) is the lowest, and the erythrocyte count (729 - 103/mm3) the highest for an anuran. The O2 capacity (11.7 vol%), hemoglobin (8.1 g/100 ml), hemoglobin concentration (0.281 pg/mu3) and hematocrit (27.9%) measured at 18 degrees C and 3800 m are all elevated in comparison with most amphibians. The O2 dissociation curve is sigmoid (n = 2), the Bohr factor is small (deltalog P50/deltapH = -0.30) and the buffering capacity (-8.9 m M HCO3 - 1-1) is typical for an aquatic amphibian. The metabolic rate (14.1 mul -g-1-h-u) is the lowest reported for a frog and among amphibians only the giant salamanders (Amphiuma, Necturus and Siren) have lower values. If prevent from surfacing in hypoxic waters, the frogs ventilate the skin by "bobbing" behavior; if allowed to surface, they will ventilate the small lungs and the metabolic rate increases to 23 mul-g-1-h-1.

Innovative Strategy in Treating Angina Pectoris with Chinese Patent Medicines by Promoting Blood Circulation and Removing Blood Stasis: Experience from Combination Therapy in Chinese Medicine.

PubMed

Xiong, Xing-Jiang; Wang, Zhong; Wang, Jie

2015-01-01

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Moreover, angina pectoris is one of the most important types of CHD. Therefore, prevention and effective treatment of angina pectoris is of utmost importance in both China and western countries. However, undesirable effects of antianginal therapy do influence treatment adherence to a certain extent. Therefore, it's not surprising that, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including Chinese medicine (CM), are widely welcomed among patients with CHD, hoping that it might complement western medicine. In our previous studies, blood stasis syndrome (BSS) (Xueyu Zheng) was the main syndrome (Zheng-hou) of angina pectoris. Currently, China Food and Drug Administration authoritatively recommended more than 200 Chinese patent medicines (CPMs) as complementary or adjunctive therapies for symptom management and enhancing quality of life along with mainstream care on angina pectoris management in mainland China. This paper reviewed 4 kinds of most frequently-used CPMs by promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis in the treatment of angina pectoris. It aims to evaluate the current evidence of CPMs in combination therapy for angina pectoris. This review indicated that CPMs as adjunctive treatment to routine antianginal therapy play an active role in reducing the incidence of primary endpoint events, decreasing anginal attack rate, and improving electrocardiogram. Additionally, CPMs have been proven relatively safe. Further rigorously designed clinical trials should be conducted to confirm the results.

Accuracy of angina pectoris and acute coronary syndrome in the Danish National Patient Register.

PubMed

Bork, Christian Sørensen; Al-Zuhairi, Karam Sadoon; Hansen, Steen Møller; Delekta, Joanna; Joensen, Albert Marni

2017-05-01

The Danish National Patient Register (DNPR)is widely used for research and administrative purposes. However, its usability is highly dependent of the validity of the registered data. We therefore aimed to determine the positive predictive value (PPV) of angina pectoris and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the DNPR. We selected a random sample of 500 patients registered with angina pectoris and a random sample of 500 patients registered with ACS among all hospitalisations at any department in Northern Denmark between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2007. We reviewed the medical records of the sample patients and recorded whether the angina pectoris and the ACS diagnoses were valid, based on the European Society of Cardiology criteria. The PPV of definite and probable angina pectoris was 45.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 41.3-50.6%), whereas the PPV of verified ACS was 86.6% (95% CI: 83.3-89.5%). Stratification by hospital department revealed significantly higher PPVs for diagnoses received in a cardiology unit for both angina pectoris (61.7%; 95% CI: 53.4-69.6%) and ACS (95.5%; 95% CI: 91.3-98.0%). Stratification by gender showed a significantly higher PPV among men registered with angina pectoris (51.2%; 95% CI: 45.3-57.1%). The angina pectoris and ACS data contained in the DNPR should be used with caution in register studies if validation is not possible. Restricting analyses of ACS data to patients discharged from cardiology wards may be a useful option in register-based studies. none. not relevant. Articles published in the DMJ are “open access”. This means that the articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial License, which permits any non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.

Double hazards of ischemia and reperfusion arrhythmias in a patient with variant angina pectoris.

PubMed

Xu, Mingzhu; Yang, Xiangjun

2015-01-01

Variant angina pectoris, also called Prinzmetal's angina, is a syndrome caused by vasospasms of the coronary arteries. It can lead to myocardial infarction, ventricular arrhythmias, atrioventricular block and even sudden cardiac death. We report the case of a 53 year-old male patient with recurrent episodes of chest pain and arrhythmias in the course of related variant angina pectoris. It is likely that the reperfusion following myocardial ischemia was responsible for the ventricular fibrillation while the ST-segment returned to the baseline. This case showed that potential lethal arrhythmias could arise due to variant angina pectoris. It also indicated that ventricular fibrillation could be self-terminated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Meta-analysis of acupuncture therapy for the treatment of stable angina pectoris.

PubMed

Zhang, Ze; Chen, Min; Zhang, Li; Zhang, Zhe; Wu, Wensheng; Liu, Jun; Yan, Jun; Yang, Guanlin

2015-01-01

Angina pectoris is a common symptom imperiling patients' life quality. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for stable angina pectoris. Clinical randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the efficacy of acupuncture to conventional drugs in patients with stable angina pectoris were searched using the following database of PubMed, Medline, Wanfang and CNKI. Overall odds ratio (ORs) and weighted mean difference (MD) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by using fixed- or random-effect models depending on the heterogeneity of the included trials. Total 8 RCTs, including 640 angina pectoris cases with 372 patients received acupuncture therapy and 268 patients received conventional drugs, were included. Overall, our result showed that acupuncture significantly increased the clinical curative effects in the relief of angina symptoms (OR=2.89, 95% CI=1.87-4.47, P<0.00001) and improved the electrocardiography (OR=1.83, 95% CI=1.23-2.71, P=0.003), indicating that acupuncture therapy was superior to conventional drugs. Although there was no significant difference in overall effective rate relating reduction of nitroglycerin between two groups (OR=2.13, 95% CI=0.90-5.07, P=0.09), a significant reduction on nitroglycerin consumption in acupuncture group was found (MD=-0.44, 95% CI=-0.64, -0.24, P<0.0001). Furthermore, the time to onset of angina relief was longer for acupuncture therapy than for traditional medicines (MD=2.44, 95% CI=1.64-3.24, P<0.00001, min). No adverse effects associated with acupuncture therapy were found. Acupuncture may be an effective therapy for stable angina pectoris. More clinical trials are needed to systematically assess the role of acupuncture in angina pectoris.

Meta-analysis of acupuncture therapy for the treatment of stable angina pectoris

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ze; Chen, Min; Zhang, Li; Zhang, Zhe; Wu, Wensheng; Liu, Jun; Yan, Jun; Yang, Guanlin

2015-01-01

Angina pectoris is a common symptom imperiling patients’ life quality. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for stable angina pectoris. Clinical randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the efficacy of acupuncture to conventional drugs in patients with stable angina pectoris were searched using the following database of PubMed, Medline, Wanfang and CNKI. Overall odds ratio (ORs) and weighted mean difference (MD) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by using fixed- or random-effect models depending on the heterogeneity of the included trials. Total 8 RCTs, including 640 angina pectoris cases with 372 patients received acupuncture therapy and 268 patients received conventional drugs, were included. Overall, our result showed that acupuncture significantly increased the clinical curative effects in the relief of angina symptoms (OR=2.89, 95% CI=1.87-4.47, P<0.00001) and improved the electrocardiography (OR=1.83, 95% CI=1.23-2.71, P=0.003), indicating that acupuncture therapy was superior to conventional drugs. Although there was no significant difference in overall effective rate relating reduction of nitroglycerin between two groups (OR=2.13, 95% CI=0.90-5.07, P=0.09), a significant reduction on nitroglycerin consumption in acupuncture group was found (MD=-0.44, 95% CI=-0.64, -0.24, P<0.0001). Furthermore, the time to onset of angina relief was longer for acupuncture therapy than for traditional medicines (MD=2.44, 95% CI=1.64-3.24, P<0.00001, min). No adverse effects associated with acupuncture therapy were found. Acupuncture may be an effective therapy for stable angina pectoris. More clinical trials are needed to systematically assess the role of acupuncture in angina pectoris. PMID:26131084

The Clinical Efficacy of Yindanxinnaotong Soft Capsule in the Treatment of Stroke and Angina Pectoris: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Liu, Yue

2017-01-01

Objective. To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of Yindanxinnaotong (YD) soft capsule in adult patients with cardiovascular diseases (stroke and angina pectoris). Methods. We electronically searched databases including Medline, PubMed, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Cqvip Database (VIP), and Wanfang Database for published articles of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of YD capsule in treating stroke and angina pectoris. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results. 49 RCTs involving 6195 subjects with cardiovascular diseases (angina pectoris and stroke) were included. Compared with western conventional medicine (WCM) and/or other Chinese medicines, YD plus WCM therapeutic regimen could significantly improve the efficacy rate (RR = 1.21, 95% CI (1.17, 1.25), P < 0.00001 for angina pectoris, RR = 1.24, 95% CI (1.18, 1.31), P < 0.00001 for stroke), showing the clinical value. In addition, the therapeutic efficiency of WCM plus YD capsule regimen is better than that of WCM alone in improving CRP (MD = −2.07, 95% CI (−3.97, −0.17), P = 0.03 <0.05) and TG (MD = −0.37, 95% CI (−0.52, −0.23), P < 0.0001). Conclusion. YD is effective in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (angina pectoris and stroke) in adults, and WCM plus YD therapeutic regimen can significantly improve the effective rate in the clinic. PMID:28539962

Angina Pectoris (Stable Angina)

MedlinePlus

... can be different than in men . View an animation of angina . When does angina pectoris occur? Angina ... and Live Our Interactive Cardiovascular Library has detailed animations and illustrations to help you learn about conditions, ...

Oral Panax notoginseng Preparation for Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

PubMed Central

Xu, Hao; Liu, Zhaolan; Chen, Keji; Liu, Jianping

2013-01-01

This systematic review aims to evaluate current evidence for the benefit and side effect of oral Panax notoginseng preparation for coronary heart disease (CHD). We included 17 randomized clinical trials (17 papers and 1747 participants). Comparing with no intervention on the basis of conventional therapy, oral Panax notoginseng did not show significant effect on reducing cardiovascular events, but it could alleviate angina pectoris (including improving the symptoms of angina pectoris [RR 1.20; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.28; 7 trials, n = 791], improving electrocardiogram [RR 1.35; 95% CI 1.19 to 1.53; 8 trials, n = 727], decreasing the recurrence of angina pectoris [RR 0.38; 95% CI 0.16 to 0.94; 1 trials, n = 60], duration of angina pectoris [RR −1.88; 95% CI −2.08 to −1.69; 2 trials, n = 292], and dosage of nitroglycerin [MD −1.13; 95% CI −1.70 to −0.56; 2 trials, n = 212]); oral Panax notoginseng had no significant difference compared with isosorbide dinitrate on immediate effect for angina pectoris [RR 0.96; 95% CI 0.81 to 1.15; 1 trial, n = 80]. In conclusion, oral Panax notoginseng preparation could relieve angina pectoris related symptoms. However, the small sample size and potential bias of most trials influence the convincingness of this conclusion. More rigorous trials with high quality are needed to give high level of evidence, especially for the potential benefit of cardiovascular events. PMID:24023585

Incidence of myocardial infarction and weather

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staiger, Henning

1982-08-01

Extreme values of temperature and/or humidity in the temperate climate of Hamburg are not able to explain the influence of weather on day-to-day fluctuations of morbidity. Short term changes in weather are described by two objective classifications as deviation from the meteorological past: 1. the temperature-humidity-environment, derived from values of temperature and water vapour pressure at 07.00 h, 2. changes in the cyclonality, derived from the difference of 500 and 850 mbar vorticity values. Their suitability for human biometeorology is illustrated with a material of 1262 subjects who suffered from acute myocardial infarction. For these investigated cases it was known whether angina pectoris was already manifest before the infarction or not. The daily weather conditions have a significant effect on the incidence of acute myocardial infarction according to angina pectoris. Compared to subjects with angina pectoris those without angina pectoris show an increased susceptibility to infarction during changes in weather conditions to warmer/more humid and also during all strong changes in the cyclonality whereby the temperature-humidity-environment seems to leave only the role of an indicator too. Persons with a preceeding angina pectoris are more sensitive agains rapid changes in weather conditions.

Risk of Cerebrovascular Accidents and Ischemic Heart Disease in Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

PubMed

Singh, Abha G; Crowson, Cynthia S; Singh, Siddharth; Denis, Mark; Davis, P; Maradit-Kremers, Hilal; Matteson, Eric L; Chowdhary, Vaidehi R

2016-11-01

It is unclear whether isolated cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) affects cardiovascular risk. We estimated the cumulative incidence and mortality of cardiovascular diseases in a population-based CLE cohort and compared the risk with a matched non-CLE cohort. All incident cases of CLE in Olmsted County, Minnesota, between 1965 and 2005 were followed until December 2013. The cumulative incidence of cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs [including stroke and transient ischemic attack]), ischemic heart disease (IHD [including coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and angina pectoris]), heart failure, and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) was derived and compared to an age-, sex-, and calendar year-matched non-CLE cohort using Cox models. There were 155 patients with CLE (mean ± SD age at diagnosis 48 ± 16 years, 65% female, mean ± SD BMI 26.3 ± 7.1 kg/m 2 , 40% smokers, 9% with diabetes mellitus). During a median followup of 14.6 years, 41 CLE patients had cardiovascular events (15 patients with CVAs, 32 patients with IHD), with a 20-year cumulative incidence of 31.6%. As compared to non-CLE subjects, the risk of CVAs (smoking-adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.97 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.13-7.78]) and PAD (HR 2.06 [95% CI 0.99-4.32]) was increased in patients with CLE, but the risk of IHD was not increased (HR 0.94 [95% CI 0.57-1.54]). There was no increase in cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.68 [95% CI 0.76-3.75]). The magnitude of risk for any cardiovascular outcome was not significantly influenced by the extent of cutaneous involvement. CLE may be associated with an increased risk of CVAs and PAD, but not IHD. Factors contributing to increased CVA risk in patients with CLE merit evaluation. © 2016, American College of Rheumatology.

[Effect of Xinling Wan in treatment of stable angina pectoris: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo parallel-controlled, multicenter trial].

PubMed

Gao, Jian-Wei; Gao, Xue-Min; Zou, Ting; Zhao, Tian-Meng; Wang, Dong-Hua; Wu, Zong-Gui; Ren, Chang-Jie; Wang, Xing; Geng, Nai-Zhi; Zhao, Ming-Jun; Liang, Qiu-Ming; Feng, Xing; Yang, Bai-Song; Shi, Jun-Ling; Hua, Qi

2018-03-01

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Xinling Wan on patients with stable angina pectoris, a randomized, double-blinded, placebo parallel-controlled, multicenter clinical trial was conducted. A total of 232 subjects were enrolled and randomly divided into experiment group and placebo group. The experiment group was treated with Xinling Wan (two pills each time, three times daily) for 4 weeks, and the placebo group was treated with placebo. The effectiveness evaluation showed that Xinling Wan could significantly increase the total duration of treadmill exercise among patients with stable angina pectoris. FAS analysis showed that the difference value of the total exercise duration was between experiment group (72.11±139.32) s and placebo group (31.25±108.32) s. Xinling Wan could remarkably increase the total effective rate of angina pectoris symptom score, and the analysis showed that the total effective rate was 78.95% in experiment group and 42.61% in placebo group. The reduction of nitroglycerin dose was (2.45±2.41) tablets in experiment group and (0.50±2.24) tablets in placebo group on the basis of FAS analysis. The decrease of symptom integral was (4.68±3.49) in experiment group and (3.19±3.31) in placebo group based on FAS analysis. Besides, Xinling Wan could decrease the weekly attack time and the duration of angina pectoris. PPS analysis results were similar to those of FAS analysis. In conclusion, Xinling Wan has an obvious therapeutic effect in treating stable angina pectoris, with a good safety and a low incidence of adverse event and adverse reaction in experiment group. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Efficacy of Ligustrazine Injection as Adjunctive Therapy for Angina Pectoris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Shao, Huikai; Zhao, Lingguo; Chen, Fuchao; Zeng, Shengbo; Liu, Shengquan; Li, Jiajia

2015-11-29

BACKGROUND In the past decades, a large number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the efficacy of ligustrazine injection combined with conventional antianginal drugs for angina pectoris have been reported. However, these RCTs have not been evaluated in accordance with PRISMA systematic review standards. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ligustrazine injection as adjunctive therapy for angina pectoris. MATERIAL AND METHODS The databases PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase, Sino-Med, Wanfang Databases, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, Google Scholar, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and the Chinese Science Citation Database were searched for published RCTs. Meta-analysis was performed on the primary outcome measures, including the improvements of electrocardiography (ECG) and the reductions in angina symptoms. Sensitivity and subgroup analysis based on the M score (the refined Jadad scores) were also used to evaluate the effect of quality, sample size, and publication year of the included RCTs on the overall effect of ligustrazine injection. RESULTS Eleven RCTs involving 870 patients with angina pectoris were selected in this study. Compared with conventional antianginal drugs alone, ligustrazine injection combined with antianginal drugs significantly increased the efficacy in symptom improvement (odds ratio [OR], 3.59; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.39 to 5.40) and in ECG improvement (OR, 3.42; 95% CI: 2.33 to 5.01). Sensitivity and subgroup analysis also confirmed that ligustrazine injection had better effect in the treatment of angina pectoris as adjunctive therapy. CONCLUSIONS The 11 eligible RCTs indicated that ligustrazine injection as adjunctive therapy was more effective than antianginal drugs alone. However, due to the low quality of included RCTs, more rigorously designed RCTs were still needed to verify the effects of ligustrazine injection as adjunctive therapy for angina pectoris.

Angina pectoris in patients with HIV/AIDS: prevalence and risk factors.

PubMed

Zirpoli, Josefina Cláudia; Lacerda, Heloisa Ramos; Albuquerque, Valéria Maria Gonçalves de; Albuquerque, Maria de Fátima Pessoa Militão de; Miranda Filho, Demócrito de Barros; Monteiro, Verônica Soares; de Barros, Isly Lucena; de Arruda Junior, Evanízio Roque; Montarroyos, Ulisses Ramos; Ximenes, Ricardo Arraes de Alencar

2012-01-01

The incidence of ischemic heart disease is higher in patients with HIV/AIDS. However, the frequency of angina pectoris in these patients is still not known. Literature about this subject is still scarce. To evaluate the prevalence of angina pectoris and risk factors for coronary disease and to examine the association between traditional risk factors and HIV-related risk factors and angina pectoris. An epidemiological cross-sectional study, analyzed as case-control study, involving 584 patients with HIV/AIDS. Angina pectoris was identified by Rose questionnaire, classified as definite or possible. Information regarding risk factors was obtained through a questionnaire, biochemical laboratory tests, medical records and anthropometric measures taken during consultations at AIDS treatment clinics in Pernambuco, Brazil, from June 2007 to February 2008. To adjust the effect of each factor in relation to others, multiple logistic regression was used. There was a preponderance of men (63.2%); mean ages were 39.8 years for men, 36.8 years for women. The prevalence of definite and possible angina were 11% and 9.4%, respectively, totaling 20.4%, with independent associations between angina and smoking (OR = 2.88; 95% CI: 1.69-4.90), obesity (OR = 1.62; 95% CI: 0.97-2.70), family history of heart attack (OR = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.00-2.88), low schooling (OR = 2.11; 95% CI: 1.24-3.59), and low monthly income (OR = 2.93; 95% CI: 1.18-7.22), even after adjustment for age. This study suggests that angina pectoris is underdiagnosed, even in patients with medical monitoring, revealing lost opportunities in identification and prevention of cardiovascular morbidity.

Efficacy of Ligustrazine Injection as Adjunctive Therapy for Angina Pectoris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Shao, Huikai; Zhao, Lingguo; Chen, Fuchao; Zeng, Shengbo; Liu, Shengquan; Li, Jiajia

2015-01-01

Background In the past decades, a large number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the efficacy of ligustrazine injection combined with conventional antianginal drugs for angina pectoris have been reported. However, these RCTs have not been evaluated in accordance with PRISMA systematic review standards. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ligustrazine injection as adjunctive therapy for angina pectoris. Material/Methods The databases PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase, Sino-Med, Wanfang Databases, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, Google Scholar, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and the Chinese Science Citation Database were searched for published RCTs. Meta-analysis was performed on the primary outcome measures, including the improvements of electrocardiography (ECG) and the reductions in angina symptoms. Sensitivity and subgroup analysis based on the M score (the refined Jadad scores) were also used to evaluate the effect of quality, sample size, and publication year of the included RCTs on the overall effect of ligustrazine injection. Results Eleven RCTs involving 870 patients with angina pectoris were selected in this study. Compared with conventional antianginal drugs alone, ligustrazine injection combined with antianginal drugs significantly increased the efficacy in symptom improvement (odds ratio [OR], 3.59; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.39 to 5.40) and in ECG improvement (OR, 3.42; 95% CI: 2.33 to 5.01). Sensitivity and subgroup analysis also confirmed that ligustrazine injection had better effect in the treatment of angina pectoris as adjunctive therapy. Conclusions The 11 eligible RCTs indicated that ligustrazine injection as adjunctive therapy was more effective than antianginal drugs alone. However, due to the low quality of included RCTs, more rigorously designed RCTs were still needed to verify the effects of ligustrazine injection as adjunctive therapy for angina pectoris. PMID:26615387

Effect of spinal cord stimulation on myocardial perfusion reserve in patients with refractory angina pectoris.

PubMed

Saraste, Antti; Ukkonen, Heikki; Varis, Antti; Vasankari, Tuija; Tunturi, Satu; Taittonen, Markku; Rautakorpi, Pirkka; Luotolahti, Matti; Airaksinen, K E Juhani; Knuuti, Juhani

2015-04-01

Epidural spinal cord stimulation (SCS) provides symptom relief in refractory angina pectoris, but its mechanism of action remains incompletely understood. We studied effects of short-term SCS therapy on myocardial ischaemia tolerance, myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR), and endothelium-mediated vasodilatation induced by cold pressor test (CPT) in patients with refractory angina pectoris. We prospectively recruited 18 patients with refractory angina pectoris and studied them after implantation of SCS device at baseline before starting the therapy and after 3 weeks of continuous SCS therapy. Myocardial ischaemia was evaluated by dobutamine stress echocardiography. Global and regional myocardial blood flow (MBF) were measured using positron emission tomography and (15)O-water at rest, during adenosine stress, and in response to CPT. Systemic haemodynamics were comparable before and after 3 weeks of SCS at rest, during adenosine stress and during CPT. Appearance of angina pectoris induced by dobutamine stress was delayed after SCS therapy. Global MPR increased (P = 0.02) from 1.7 ± 0.6 at baseline to 2.0 ± 0.6 after 3-week SCS therapy. This was associated with a significant reduction in global MBF at rest and increase in MBF induced by adenosine in the ischaemic regions. Global MBF response to CPT was improved after SCS (0.27 ± 0.20 vs. 0.40 ± 0.15, P = 0.03). Short-term SCS therapy improved myocardial ischaemia tolerance, absolute MPR, and endothelium-mediated vasomotor function in refractory angina pectoris, indicating that this therapy can alleviate myocardial perfusion abnormalities in advanced CAD. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2014. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Impacts on neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in patients of chronic stable angina pectoris treated with acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6)].

PubMed

Wang, Momg; Chen, Hui; Lu, Shengfeng; Wang, Jianfei; Zhang, Wei; Zhu, Bingmei

2015-05-01

To observe the clinical efficacy on chronic stable angina pectoris treated with acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and explore the impacts of acupuncture on peripheral blood neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in the patients of stable angina pectoris. Thirty patients of chronic stable angina pectoris met the inclusive criteria were randomized into an acupuncture group (15 cases) and a medication group (15 cases), and a healthy control group (15 cases of the same ages) was set up separately. In the acupuncture group, at the same time of the basic medication, acupuncture was applied to bilateral Neiguan (PC 6), once every two days, 3 days a week, totally for 4 weeks. In the medication group, the basic medication was applied, without acupuncture intervention. In the healthy control group, no any intervention was applied. The attack frequency of angina pectoris, dose of nitrogly-cerin, the evaluation of visual analogue scale (VAS), Seattle angina questionnaire (SAQ), the six-minute walking test (6MWT), the self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and the self-rating depression scale (SDS) were observed before and after treatment in the subjects. Additionally, the peripheral blood cells were detected to analyze specifically the changes in NLR before and after treatment and observe the relationship between NLR and clinical efficacy. Compared with the medication group, the attack frequency of angina pectoris was reduced within 30 days (P<0.01); the dose of nitroglycerin was reduced (P<0.01); VAS was reduced (P<0.01) and SAQ was increased (P<0.05) in the acupuncture group. The differences in 6 MWT, SAS and SDS were not significant between the two groups after treatment (all P>0.05). Additionally, compared with the medication group, in 30 days of acupuncture, NLR was reduced apparently in the acupuncture group (P<0.05). Acupuncture relieves the clinical symptoms of chronic stable angina pectoris, but has not apparent effects on motor ability and psychological health. Corresponding to that before treatment, the decreased NRL in the patients of acupuncture group suggests the potential good prognosis on coronary heart disease after acupuncture.

Manual Thrombus Aspiration and the Improved Survival of Patients With Unstable Angina Pectoris Treated With Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (30 Months Follow-Up).

PubMed

Yildiz, Bekir S; Bilgin, Murat; Zungur, Mustafa; Alihanoglu, Yusuf I; Kilic, Ismail D; Buber, Ipek; Ergin, Ahmet; Kaftan, Havane A; Evrengul, Harun

2016-02-01

The clinical effect of intracoronary thrombus aspiration during percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with unstable angina pectoris is unknown. In this study, we aimed to assess how thrombus aspiration during percutaneous coronary intervention affects in-hospital and 30-month mortality and complications in patients with unstable angina pectoris.We undertook an observational cohort study of 645 consecutive unstable angina pectoris patients who had performed percutaneous coronary intervention from February 2011 to March 2013. Before intervention, 159 patients who had culprit lesion with thrombus were randomly assigned to group 1 (thrombus aspiration group) and group 2 (stand-alone percutaneous coronary intervention group). All patients were followed-up 30 months until August 2015.Thrombus aspiration was performed in 64 patients (46%) whose cardiac markers (ie, creatinine kinase [CK-MB] mass and troponin T) were significantly lower after percutaneous coronary intervention than in those of group 2 (CK-MB mass: 3.80 ± 1.11 vs 4.23 ± 0.89, P = 0.012; troponin T: 0.012 ± 0.014 vs 0.018 ± 0.008, P = 0.002). Left ventricular ejection fraction at 6, 12, and 24 months postintervention was significantly higher in the group 1. During a mean follow-up period of 28.87 ± 6.28 months, mortality rates were 6.3% in the group 1 versus 12.9% in the group 2. Thrombus aspiration was also associated with significantly less long-term mortality in unstable angina pectoris patients (adjusted HR: 4.61, 95% CI: 1.16-18.21, P = 0.029).Thrombus aspiration in the context of unstable angina pectoris is associated with a limited elevation in cardiac enzymes during intervention that minimises microembolization and significantly improves both of epicardial flow and myocardial perfusion, as shown by angiographic TIMI flow grade and frame count. Thrombus aspiration during percutaneous coronary intervention in unstable angina pectoris patients has better survival over a 30-month follow-up period.

Angina pectoris in a child with sickle cell anemia.

PubMed

Hamilton, W; Rosenthal, A; Berwick, D; Nadas, A S

1978-06-01

A 7-year-old black boy with sickle cell disease, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, mild left ventricular dysfunction, and normal coronary arteries developed angina pectoris five months after cessation of hypertransfusion therapy. Exercise-induced ECG ST segment depression associated with angina disappeared following transfusion therapy.

Puerarin injection for treatment of unstable angina pectoris: a meta-analysis and systematic review

PubMed Central

Gao, Zhisheng; Wei, Baozhu; Qian, Cheng

2015-01-01

Background: Puerarin is an effective ingredient isolated from Radix Puerariae, a leguminous plant. In China, a large number of early studies suggest that puerarin may be used in the treatment of coronary heart disease. In recent years, puerarin injection has been widely used to treat coronary heart disease and angina pectoris. Objective: To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of puerarin injection in the treatment of unstable angina pectoris (UAP). Methods: Data were retrieved from digital databases, including PubMed, Excerpt Medica Database (EMBASE), China Biology Medicine (CBM), the Cochrane Library, and Chinese databases. Results: Compared with patients who were treated with conventional Western medicines alone, the patients who were treated with conventional Western medicines in combination with puerarin injection exhibited significant improvements in the incidence of angina pectoris, electrocardiogram findings, nitroglycerin consumption and plasma endothelin levels. Conclusions: Strong evidence suggests that, the use of puerarin in combination with conventional Western medicines is a better treatment option for treating UAP, compared with the use of conventional Western medicines alone. PMID:26628941

Current views on neurostimulation in the treatment of cardiac ischemic syndromes.

PubMed

Jessurun, G A; DeJongste, M J; Blanksma, P K

1996-08-01

Most clinicians are still unacquainted with the beneficial effects of neurostimulation as an additional therapeutic strategy for severe angina pectoris. Patients with therapeutically refractory angina pectoris suffer from chest discomfort during minimal exercise, despite maximal tolerated antianginal drug therapy (at least 2 out of a beta-blocker, calcium-antagonist or long-acting nitrate). In these patients, revascularization procedures, such as a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery, are often technically impossible because of diffuse coronary artery disease or should be withheld as a consequence of absolute contraindications such as severe left ventricular dysfunction. All patients have inoperable multivessel disease, experienced one or more myocardial infarctions, and were treated by earlier invasive interventions. This group of patients are severely physically and psychologically disabled by their intractable angina pectoris. Available published data and the neurostimulation experience of the authors are reviewed in relation to the treatment of cardiac ischemic syndromes. We conclude that neurostimulation is an effective therapeutic adjuvant for patients with severe angina pectoris unresponsive to standard treatment. This treatment modality appears to be safe, and a promising tool for other ischemic cardiac syndromes.

Sexual function in patients with chronic angina pectoris.

PubMed

Kloner, Robert A; Henderson, Luana

2013-06-01

Drugs for erectile dysfunction (ED) may be contraindicated with nitrates commonly used to treat patients with angina pectoris, and certain antianginal therapies may worsen ED. The American Heart Association and the Princeton Consensus Conference panel of experts recommend that patients with coronary artery disease and ED who experience angina pectoris undergo full medical evaluations to assess the cardiovascular risks associated with resuming sexual activity before being prescribed therapy for ED. Current antianginal therapies include β blockers, calcium channel blockers, short- and long-acting nitrates, and ranolazine, a late sodium current inhibitor. Short- and long-acting nitrates remain a contraindication with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors commonly used to treat patients with ED, and the benefits of the other antianginal therapies must be weighed against their effects on cardiovascular health and erectile function. In conclusion, patients with coronary artery disease and ED who wish to initiate phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor therapy and need to discontinue nitrate therapy need treatment options that manage their angina pectoris effectively, maintain their cardiovascular health, and provide the freedom to maintain their sexual function. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Breviscapine Injection Improves the Therapeutic Effect of Western Medicine on Angina Pectoris Patients.

PubMed

Wang, Chuan; Li, Yafeng; Gao, Shoucui; Cheng, Daxin; Zhao, Sihai; Liu, Enqi

2015-01-01

To evaluate the beneficial and adverse effects of breviscapine injection in combination with Western medicine on the treatment of patients with angina pectoris. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, Science Citation Index, EMBASE, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Wanfang Database, the Chongqing VIP Information Database and the China Biomedical Database were searched to identify randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effects of Western medicine compared to breviscapine injection plus Western medicine on angina pectoris patients. The included studies were analyzed using RevMan 5.1.0 software. The literature search yielded 460 studies, wherein 16 studies matched the selection criteria. The results showed that combined therapy using Breviscapine plus Western medicine was superior to Western medicine alone for improving angina pectoris symptoms (OR=3.77, 95% Cl: 2.76~5.15) and also resulted in increased electrocardiogram (ECG) improvement (OR=2.77, 95% Cl: 2.16~3.53). The current evidence suggests that Breviscapine plus Western medicine achieved a superior therapeutic effect compared to Western medicine alone.

Breviscapine Injection Improves the Therapeutic Effect of Western Medicine on Angina Pectoris Patients

PubMed Central

Wang, Chuan; Li, Yafeng; Gao, Shoucui; Cheng, Daxin; Zhao, Sihai; Liu, Enqi

2015-01-01

To evaluate the beneficial and adverse effects of breviscapine injection in combination with Western medicine on the treatment of patients with angina pectoris. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, Science Citation Index, EMBASE, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Wanfang Database, the Chongqing VIP Information Database and the China Biomedical Database were searched to identify randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effects of Western medicine compared to breviscapine injection plus Western medicine on angina pectoris patients. The included studies were analyzed using RevMan 5.1.0 software. The literature search yielded 460 studies, wherein 16 studies matched the selection criteria. The results showed that combined therapy using Breviscapine plus Western medicine was superior to Western medicine alone for improving angina pectoris symptoms (OR =3.77, 95% Cl: 2.76~5.15) and also resulted in increased electrocardiogram (ECG) improvement (OR=2.77, 95% Cl: 2.16~3.53). The current evidence suggests that Breviscapine plus Western medicine achieved a superior therapeutic effect compared to Western medicine alone. PMID:26052709

Research of Medical Expenditure among Inpatients with Unstable Angina Pectoris in a Single Center

PubMed Central

Wu, Suo-Wei; Pan, Qi; Chen, Tong; Wei, Liang-Yu; Xuan, Yong; Wang, Qin; Li, Chao; Song, Jing-Chen

2017-01-01

Background: With the rising incidence as well as the medical expenditure among patients with unstable angina pectoris, the research aimed to investigate the inpatient medical expenditure through the combination of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) among patients with unstable angina pectoris in a Grade A tertiary hospital to conduct the referential standards of medical costs for the diagnosis. Methods: Single-factor analysis and multiple linear stepwise regression method were used to investigate 3933 cases between 2014 and 2016 in Beijing Hospital (China) whose main diagnosis was defined as unstable angina pectoris to determine the main factors influencing the inpatient medical expenditure, and decision tree method was adopted to establish the model of DRGs grouping combinations. Results: The major influential factors of inpatient medical expenditure included age, operative method, therapeutic effects as well as comorbidity and complications (CCs) of the disease, and the 3933 cases were divided into ten DRGs by four factors: age, CCs, therapeutic effects, and the type of surgery with corresponding inpatient medical expenditure standards setup. Data of nonparametric test on medical costs among different groups were all significant (P < 0.001, by Kruskal-Wallis test), with R2 = 0.53 and coefficient of variation (CV) = 0.524. Conclusions: The classification of DRGs by adopting the type of surgery as the main branch node to develop cost control standards in inpatient treatment of unstable angina pectoris is conducive in standardizing the diagnosis and treatment behaviors of the hospital and reducing economic burdens among patients. PMID:28639566

[Dengzhan Xixin injection as an adjuvant treatment for angina pectoris: a systematic review and Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials].

PubMed

Wang, Feng-jiao; Xie, Yan-ming; Liao, Xing; Jia, Min

2015-08-01

The paper is to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Deng Zhan Xi Xin injection ( DZXXI) as an adjuvant treatment for patients with angina pectoris. The Cochrane Library, Medline, EMbase, CBM, CNKI, VIP, and Wan fang Data base were searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of DZXXI combined with western medicine routine treatment versus western medicine routine treatment alone for angina pectoris patients were all included. All trials were assessed according to the Cochrane Reviewer' s Handbook 5.1 for Systematic Reviews of Intervention and Meta analyses were performed by RevMan 5. 2 Software. A total of 30RCTs (3 086 patients including 1 572 patients of treatment group and 1 514 patients of control group) were included. Meta-analysis of treatment group compared with control group showed superior effect over reducing cardiovascular events ( OR = 0.33; 95% CI: [0.16, 0.67], P = 0.002, improving effective rate of DZXXI as adjuvant treatment for angina pectoris patients (OR = 3.97; 95% CI: [3.15, 5.02]; P < 0.000 010 and electrocardiogram curative effect (OR = 2.21; 95% CI; [1.83, 2.68]; P < 0.000 010. Funnel figure seemed that there was publication bias. The current limited evidence showed that when compared with the control group, treatment group was superior in improving patients with angina pectoris. But based on the limitations of the study, rigorous design with long follow up clinical trials are necessary for further evidence.

Research of Medical Expenditure among Inpatients with Unstable Angina Pectoris in a Single Center.

PubMed

Wu, Suo-Wei; Pan, Qi; Chen, Tong; Wei, Liang-Yu; Xuan, Yong; Wang, Qin; Li, Chao; Song, Jing-Chen

2017-07-05

With the rising incidence as well as the medical expenditure among patients with unstable angina pectoris, the research aimed to investigate the inpatient medical expenditure through the combination of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) among patients with unstable angina pectoris in a Grade A tertiary hospital to conduct the referential standards of medical costs for the diagnosis. Single-factor analysis and multiple linear stepwise regression method were used to investigate 3933 cases between 2014 and 2016 in Beijing Hospital (China) whose main diagnosis was defined as unstable angina pectoris to determine the main factors influencing the inpatient medical expenditure, and decision tree method was adopted to establish the model of DRGs grouping combinations. The major influential factors of inpatient medical expenditure included age, operative method, therapeutic effects as well as comorbidity and complications (CCs) of the disease, and the 3933 cases were divided into ten DRGs by four factors: age, CCs, therapeutic effects, and the type of surgery with corresponding inpatient medical expenditure standards setup. Data of nonparametric test on medical costs among different groups were all significant (P < 0.001, by Kruskal-Wallis test), with R2 = 0.53 and coefficient of variation (CV) = 0.524. The classification of DRGs by adopting the type of surgery as the main branch node to develop cost control standards in inpatient treatment of unstable angina pectoris is conducive in standardizing the diagnosis and treatment behaviors of the hospital and reducing economic burdens among patients.

Comparative Efficacy of Tongxinluo Capsule and Beta-Blockers in Treating Angina Pectoris: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

PubMed

Jia, Yongliang; Leung, Siu-wai

2015-11-01

There have been no systematic reviews, let alone meta-analyses, of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing tongxinluo capsule (TXL) and beta-blockers in treating angina pectoris. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of TXL and beta-blockers in treating angina pectoris by a meta-analysis of eligible RCTs. The RCTs comparing TXL with beta-blockers (including metoprolol) in treating angina pectoris were searched and retrieved from databases including PubMed, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and WanFang Data. Eligible RCTs were selected according to prespecified criteria. Meta-analysis was performed on the odds ratios (OR) of symptomatic and electrocardiographic (ECG) improvements after treatment. Subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, meta-regression, and publication biases analysis were conducted to evaluate the robustness of the results. Seventy-three RCTs published between 2000 and 2014 with 7424 participants were eligible. Overall ORs comparing TXL with beta-blockers were 3.40 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.97-3.89; p<0.0001) for symptomatic improvement and 2.63 (95% CI, 2.29-3.02; p<0.0001) for ECG improvement. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis found no statistically significant dependence of overall ORs on specific study characteristics except efficacy criteria. Meta-regression found no significant except sample sizes for data on symptomatic improvement. Publication biases were statistically significant. TXL seems to be more effective than beta-blockers in treating angina pectoris, on the basis of the eligible RCTs. Further RCTs are warranted to reduce publication bias and verify efficacy.

Effect of Shenzhu Guanxin Recipe () on patients with angina pectoris after percutaneous coronary intervention: A prospective, randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Xu, Dan-Ping; Wu, Huan-Lin; Lan, Tao-Hua; Wang, Xia; Sheng, Xiao-Gang; Lin, Yu; Li, Song; Zheng, Chao-Yang

2015-06-01

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination therapy using Chinese medicine (CM) Shenzhu Guanxin Recipe (, SGR) and standard Western medicine treatment (SWMT) in patients with angina pectoris after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Double-blind randomized controlled trial was used in this experimental procedure. One hundred and eighty-seven patients with coronary heart disease receiving SWMT after PCI were randomly assigned to the treatment (SGR) and control (placebo) groups. Outcome measures including angina pectoris score (APS), CM symptom score, and Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) score were evaluated in 1, 2, 3 and 12 months, and the death rate, restenosis and other emergency treatments were observed. The mixed-effects models were employed for the data analysis. In the treatment group, a larger within-treatment effect size (d=1.74) was found, with a 76.7% reduction in APS from pretreatment to 12-month follow-up assessment compared with the control group (d=0.83, 53.8% symptom reduction); betweentreatment (BT) effect size was d=0.66. CM symptom scores included an 18.3% reduction in the treatment group (d=0.46), and a 16.1% decrease in the control group (d=0.31); d=0.62 for BT effect size. In regard to scores of SAQ, the BT effect size of cognition level of disease was larger in the treatment group (d=0.63), followed by the level of body limitation of activity (d=0.62), condition of angina pectoris attacks (d=0.55), satisfaction level of treatments (d=0.31), and steady state of angina pectoris (d=0.30). Two cardiovascular related deaths and one incidental death were recorded in the control and treatment groups, respectively. No significant difference in any cardiovascular event (including death toll, frequency of cardiovascular hospitalization or emergency room visits) was found between the two groups. The combination therapy of SGR and SWMT is effective and safe in patients with angina pectoris after PCI when compared with SWMT alone.

Traditional Chinese medicine for stable angina pectoris via TCM pattern differentiation and TCM mechanism: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhe; Zhang, Fan; Wang, Yang; Du, Yi; Zhang, Huiyong; Kong, Dezhao; Liu, Yue; Yang, Guanlin

2014-10-30

Stable angina pectoris is experienced as trans-sternal or retro-sternal pressure or pain that may radiate to the left arm, neck or back. Although available evidence relating to its effectiveness and mechanism are weak, traditional Chinese medicine is used as an alternative therapy for stable angina pectoris. We report a protocol of a randomized controlled trial using traditional Chinese medicine to investigate the effectiveness, mechanism and safety for patients with stable angina pectoris. This is a north-east Chinese, multi-center, multi-blinded, placebo-controlled and superiority randomized trail. A total of 240 patients with stable angina pectoris will be randomly assigned to three groups: two treatment groups and a control group. The treatment groups will receive Chinese herbal medicine consisting of Yi-Qi-Jian-Pi and Qu-Tan-Hua-Zhuo granule and Yi-Qi-Jian-Pi and Qu-Tan-Hua-Yu granule, respectively, and conventional medicine. The control group will receive placebo medicine in addition to conventional medicine. All 3 groups will undergo a 12-week treatment and 2-week follow-up. Four visits in sum will be scheduled for each subject: 1 visit each in week 0, week 4, week 12 and week 14. The primary outcomes include: the frequency of angina pectoris attack; the dosage of nitroglycerin; body limited dimension of Seattle Angina Questionnaire. The secondary outcomes include: except for the body limited dimension of SAQ, traditional Chinese medicine pattern questionnaire and so on. Therapeutic mechanism outcomes, safety outcomes and endpoint outcomes will be also assessed. The primary aim of this trial is to develop a standard protocol to utilize high-quality EBM evidence for assessing the effectiveness and safety of SAP via TCM pattern differentiation as well as exploring the efficacy mechanism and regulation with the molecular biology and systems biology. ChiCTR-TRC-13003608, registered 18 June 2013.

Effect of trimetazidine on recurrent angina pectoris and left ventricular structure in elderly multivessel coronary heart disease patients with diabetes mellitus after drug-eluting stent implantation: a single-centre, prospective, randomized, double-blind study at 2-year follow-up.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaohan; Zhang, Weijun; Zhou, Yujie; Zhao, Yingxin; Liu, Yuyang; Shi, Dongmei; Zhou, Zhiming; Ma, Hanying; Wang, Zhijian; Yu, Miao; Ma, Qian; Gao, Fei; Shen, Hua; Zhang, Jianwei

2014-04-01

Trimetazidine has been shown to improve angina pectoris and left ventricular (LV) function in diabetic patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of trimetazidine on recurrent angina pectoris and LV structure after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in elderly multivessel coronary heart disease (CHD) patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of ≥ 50 %. This was a single-centre, prospective, randomized, double-blind evaluation study. Between January 2010 and September 2010, 700 CHD patients with DM who were aged ≥ 65 years and undergoing coronary angiography at An Zhen Hospital (Beijing, China) were recruited and prospectively randomized to receive trimetazidine (20 mg three times daily) or placebo after DES implantation as an addition to conventional CHD treatment. The primary end points were the incidence of recurrent angina pectoris and measures of various echocardiographic parameters, which included LVEF. At 2-year follow-up, patients in the trimetazidine group (n = 255) showed significant improvements in the incidence (P = 0.024) and severity of angina pectoris, compared with the control group, as well as silent myocardial ischaemia (P = 0.009) and angina pectoris-free survival (P = 0.011). LV function and structure in trimetazidine-treated patients were relatively stable at 2-year follow-up, while they deteriorated in the control group (n = 255) with a significant difference between groups (all P < 0.01). The E peak to A peak (E/A) ratio in trimetazidine-treated patients and in the control group decreased after 2 years; the E/A ratio in trimetazidine-treated patients was slightly better than that in the control group, without a significant difference (P = 0.170). There was no significant difference in event-free survival for the composite end point including death, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident (P = 0.422) and subsequent revascularization (P = 0.073). Adjunctive therapy with trimetazidine after DES implantation can have a beneficial effect on recurrent angina pectoris as well as LV function and structure in elderly multivessel CHD patients with DM.

[INTERVENTIONAL AND SURGICAL TREATMENT OF THE ANGINA PECTORIS RECURRENCE AFTER CORONARY SHUNTING OPERATION].

PubMed

Fanta, S M

2015-12-01

There were examined 134 patients, in whom in the clinic in 2005-2014 yrs a coronary shunting operation was performed. In patients with the angina pectoris recurrence a reoperation is indicated. The data of repeated coronaroventriculography and shuntography were analyzed. Efficacy of the surgical and interventional methods application in the patients was proved.

Computer aided exercise electrocardiographic testing and coronary arteriography in patients with angina pectoris and with myocardial infarction.

PubMed Central

Angelhed, J E; Bjurö, T I; Ejdebäck, J; Selin, K; Schlossman, D; Griffith, L S; Bergstrand, R; Vedin, A; Wilhelmsson, C

1984-01-01

A set of electrocardiographic criteria for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease was evaluated in two different groups of patients examined by computer aided 12 lead exercise electrocardiographic stress testing and coronary arteriography. One group consisted of patients with severe angina pectoris and the other of patients who had suffered a myocardial infarction three years before the study. Angiographically determined categories of patients could be identified with satisfactory precision by the electrocardiographic criteria under test in the patients with angina pectoris but not in those with infarction. A new method of classifying patients on the basis of data from coronary arteriography improved the correlation with ST segment analysis compared with conventional classification. PMID:6743432

Smoking restrictions and hospitalization for acute coronary events in Germany.

PubMed

Sargent, James D; Demidenko, Eugene; Malenka, David J; Li, Zhongze; Gohlke, Helmut; Hanewinkel, Reiner

2012-03-01

To study the effects of smoking restrictions in Germany on coronary syndromes and their associated costs. All German states implemented laws partially restricting smoking in the public and hospitality sectors between August 2007 and July 2008. We conducted a before-and-after study to examine trends for the hospitalization rate for angina pectoris and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) for an insurance cohort of 3,700,384 individuals 30 years and older. Outcome measures were hospitalization rates for coronary syndromes, and hospitalization costs. Mean age of the cohort was 56 years, and two-thirds were female. Some 2.2 and 1.1% persons were hospitalized for angina pectoris and AMI, respectively, during the study period from January 2004 through December 2008. Law implementation was associated with a 13.3% (95% confidence interval 8.2, 18.4) decline in angina pectoris and an 8.6% (5.0, 12.2) decline in AMI after 1 year. Hospitalization costs also decreased significantly for the two conditions-9.6% (2.5, 16.6) for angina pectoris and 20.1% (16.0, 24.2) for AMI at 1 year following law implementation. Assuming the law caused the observed declines, it prevented 1,880 hospitalizations and saved 7.7 million Euros in costs for this cohort during the year following law implementation. Partial smoking restrictions in Germany were followed by reductions in hospitalization for angina pectoris and AMI, declines that continued through 1 year following these laws and resulted in substantial cost savings. Strengthening the laws could further reduce morbidity and costs from acute coronary syndromes in Germany.

Presence of angina pectoris is related to extensive coronary artery disease in diabetic patients.

PubMed

Celik, Atac; Karayakali, Metin; Erkorkmaz, Unal; Altunkas, Fatih; Karaman, Kayihan; Koc, Fatih; Ceyhan, Koksal; Kadi, Hasan; Avsar, Alaettin

2013-08-01

Due to sensorial autonomic neuropathy, the type and severity of angina pectoris in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) may be rather different from the type and severity of angina pectoris in patients without DM. The aim of the study was to understand if angina pectoris is related to extensive coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with DM. The study included 530 patients with DM who underwent coronary angiography at our center in 2009 and 2010. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to type of chest pain: group 1, noncardiac chest pain or no pain; group 2, angina equivalent; group 3, atypical angina; and group 4, typical angina. All angiograms were re-evaluated and Gensini scores were calculated. Three-vessel disease was diagnosed in the presence of stenosis >50% in all 3 coronary artery systems. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups with regard to age, sex, systolic or diastolic blood pressures, body mass index, creatinine clearance, or lipid profile. Fasting blood glucose was significantly higher in group 4 than in group 2. Gensini scores were not statistically different between groups 1 and 2 or between groups 3 and 4; however, the scores for groups 3 and 4 were higher than the score for either group 1 or group 2. Prevalence of 3-vessel disease was significantly higher in groups 3 and 4 compared with the other groups. The presence of angina pectoris was related to extensive CAD in patients with DM. The extent of CAD was not correlated with the type of angina (typical or atypical). © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cost-utility of ranolazine for the symptomatic treatment of patients with chronic angina pectoris in Spain.

PubMed

Hidalgo-Vega, Alvaro; Ramos-Goñi, Juan Manuel; Villoro, Renata

2014-12-01

Ranolazine is an antianginal agent that was approved in the EU in 2008 as an add-on therapy for symptomatic chronic angina pectoris treatment in patients who are inadequately controlled by, or are intolerant to, first-line antianginal therapies. These patients' quality of life is significantly affected by more frequent angina events, which increase the risk of revascularization. To assess the cost-utility of ranolazine versus placebo as an add-on therapy for the symptomatic treatment of patients with chronic angina pectoris in Spain. A decision tree model with 1-year time horizon was designed. Transition probabilities and utility values for different angina frequencies were obtained from the literature. Costs were obtained from Spanish official DRGs for patients with chronic angina pectoris. We calculated the incremental cost-utility ratio of using ranolazine compared with a placebo. Sensitivity analyses, by means of Monte Carlo simulations, were performed. Acceptability curves and expected value of perfect information were calculated. The incremental cost-utility ratio was €8,455 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) per patient in Spain. Sensitivity analyses showed that if the decision makers' willingness to pay is €15,000 per QALY, the treatment with ranolazine will be cost effective at a 95 % level of confidence. The incremental cost-utility ratio is particularly sensitive to changes in utility values of those non-hospitalized patients with mild or moderate angina frequency. Ranolazine is a highly efficient add-on therapy for the symptomatic treatment of chronic angina pectoris in patients who are inadequately controlled by, or intolerant to, first-line antianginal therapies in Spain.

Smoking restrictions and hospitalization for acute coronary events in Germany

PubMed Central

Sargent, James D.; Demidenko, Eugene; Malenka, David J.; Li, Zhongze; Gohlke, Helmut

2013-01-01

Aims To study the effects of smoking restrictions in Germany on coronary syndromes and their associated costs. Methods and results All German states implemented laws partially restricting smoking in the public and hospitality sectors between August 2007 and July 2008. We conducted a before-and-after study to examine trends for the hospitalization rate for angina pectoris and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) for an insurance cohort of 3,700,384 individuals 30 years and older. Outcome measures were hospitalization rates for coronary syndromes, and hospitalization costs. Mean age of the cohort was 56 years, and two-thirds were female. Some 2.2 and 1.1% persons were hospitalized for angina pectoris and AMI, respectively, during the study period from January 2004 through December 2008. Law implementation was associated with a 13.3% (95% confidence interval 8.2, 18.4) decline in angina pectoris and an 8.6% (5.0, 12.2) decline in AMI after 1 year. Hospitalization costs also decreased significantly for the two conditions—9.6% (2.5, 16.6) for angina pectoris and 20.1% (16.0, 24.2) for AMI at 1 year following law implementation. Assuming the law caused the observed declines, it prevented 1,880 hospitalizations and saved 7.7 million Euros in costs for this cohort during the year following law implementation. Conclusions Partial smoking restrictions in Germany were followed by reductions in hospitalization for angina pectoris and AMI, declines that continued through 1 year following these laws and resulted in substantial cost savings. Strengthening the laws could further reduce morbidity and costs from acute coronary syndromes in Germany. PMID:22350716

Monocyte to HDL ratio in prediction of BMS restenosis in subjects with stable and unstable angina pectoris.

PubMed

Tok, Derya; Turak, Osman; Yayla, Çağrı; Ozcan, Fırat; Tok, Duran; Çağlı, Kumral

2016-08-01

This study aims to assess the predictive role of the preprocedural circulating monocyte to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio (MHR) on the occurrence of stent restenosis (SR) in patients with stable and unstable angina pectoris undergoing successful bare-metal stenting (BMS). Between February 2008 and June 2014, a total of 831 patients with stable and unstable angina pectoris who underwent successful BMS were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were recorded. Left ventricular ejection fraction and laboratory data were also noted. In the receiver operating characteristics curve analysis, MHR >14 had 71% sensitivity and 69% specificity in predicting SR. Our study results show that preprocedural MHR is an independent predictor of SR in this patient population.

Early and long-term outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with acute coronary syndrome versus stable angina pectoris.

PubMed

Fukui, Toshihiro; Tabata, Minoru; Morita, Satoshi; Takanashi, Shuichiro

2013-06-01

The aim of the present study was to determine the early and long-term outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with acute coronary syndrome and stable angina pectoris. From September 2004 to September 2011, 382 patients with acute coronary syndrome (unstable angina pectoris and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction) and 851 patients with stable angina pectoris underwent first-time isolated coronary artery bypass grafting at our institute. The early and long-term outcomes were compared between the 2 groups. Patients with acute coronary syndrome were older, were more likely to be women, had a smaller body surface area, and were more likely to have left main coronary artery disease. In both groups, bilateral internal thoracic artery grafts were used in approximately 89% of the patients, and off-pump techniques in approximately 97% of the patients. The acute coronary syndrome group had a greater operative death rate (2.6% vs 0.1%) and a greater incidence of low output syndrome (3.1% vs 1.2%) and hemodialysis requirement (2.9% vs 1.1%). Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that age, acute coronary syndrome, lower ejection fraction, and higher creatinine level before surgery were independent predictors of operative death. However, among the hospital survivors, no differences were seen in freedom from all death (85.4% ± 2.5% vs 87.7% ± 2.0%), cardiac death (97.4% ± 0.9% vs 96.5% ± 0.9%), or major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (78.0% ± 2.9% vs 78.1% ± 2.3%) at 7 years between the patients with acute coronary syndrome and stable angina pectoris. Although acute coronary syndrome is an independent predictor of early mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, the long-term outcomes after surgery were similar between patients with acute coronary syndrome and stable angina pectoris who survived the early postoperative period. Copyright © 2013 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ivabradine in combination with beta-blocker therapy for the treatment of stable angina pectoris in every day clinical practice.

PubMed

Koester, Ralf; Kaehler, Jan; Ebelt, Henning; Soeffker, Gerold; Werdan, Karl; Meinertz, Thomas

2010-10-01

The anti-anginal efficacy of the selective I(f) inhibitor ivabradine has been demonstrated in controlled clinical trials. However, there is limited information about the safety and efficacy of a combined treatment of ivabradine with beta-blockers, particularly outside of clinical trials in every day practice. This analysis from the REDUCTION study evaluated the safety and efficacy of a combined therapy of beta-blockers and ivabradine in every day practice. In this multi-center study 4,954 patients with stable angina pectoris were treated with ivabradine in every day routine practice and underwent a clinical follow-up for 4 months. 344 of these patients received a co-medication with beta-blockers. Heart rate (HR), angina pectoris episodes, nitrate consumption, overall efficacy and tolerance were analyzed. After 4 months of treatment with ivabradine HR was reduced by 12.4 ± 11.6 bpm from 84.3 ± 14.6 to 72.0 ± 9.9 bpm, p < 0.0001. Angina pectoris episodes were reduced from 2.8 ± 3.3 to 0.5 ± 1.3 per week, p < 0.0001. Consumption of short-acting nitrates was reduced from 3.7 ± 5.6 to 0.7 ± 1.7 units per week, p < 0.0001. Five patients (1.5%) reported adverse drug reactions (ADR). The most common ADR were nausea and dizziness (<0.6% each). There was no clinically relevant bradycardia. Efficacy and tolerance were graded as 'very good/good' for 96 and 99% of the patients treated. Ivabradine effectively reduces heart rate and angina pectoris in combination with beta-blockers and is well tolerated by patients in every day practice.

Association between edentulism and angina pectoris in Mexican adults aged 35 years and older: a multivariate analysis of a population-based survey.

PubMed

Medina-Solís, Carlo Eduardo; Pontigo-Loyola, América Patricia; Pérez-Campos, Eduardo; Hernández-Cruz, Pedro; Ávila-Burgos, Leticia; Kowolik, Michael J; Maupomé, Gerardo

2014-03-01

The possible association between oral infection and chronic inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk has been studied intensively. The present study is designed to determine the strength of association between edentulism and angina pectoris in Mexican adults aged 35 years and older. Using the tools and sampling strategies of the World Health Survey of the World Health Organization, cross-sectional data were collected in Mexico in the National Performance Assessment Survey (probabilistic, multistage, and cluster sampling). Dental information was available for 20 of the 32 states of Mexico. Angina and edentulism are self-reported in this study. Statistical analysis was performed using binary logistic regression adjusting for complex samples. A total of 13,966 participants, representing a population of 29,853,607 individuals, were included. Of the complete study population, 3,052,263 (10.2%) were completely toothless, and 673,810 (2.3%) were diagnosed with angina pectoris. After adjusting for smoking, alcohol consumption, diabetes, body mass index, and sex, the effect of edentulism on angina was modified by age (interaction), being more marked in the younger age group (odds ratio [OR] = exp(2.5597) =12.93) than in the older individuals surveyed (OR = exp(2.5597 + (-0.0334)) =12.51). Additionally, low physical activity (OR = 1.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03 to 2.22) and higher socioeconomic status (OR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.00 to 1.90) were more likely to be associated with angina pectoris. Overall, the results of this study, conducted in a representative sample of Mexican adults, suggest that an association exists between edentulism and angina pectoris. Additional studies are necessary to elucidate the underlying mechanism for this association.

Angina pectoris refractory for conventional therapy--is neurostimulation a possible alternative treatment?

PubMed

Hautvast, R W; DeJongste, M J; ter Horst, G J; Blanksma, P K; Lie, K I

1996-07-01

The treatment of angina pectoris as a symptom of coronary artery disease usually is focused on restoring the balance between oxygen demand and supply of the myocardium by administration of drugs interfering in heart rate, cardiac pre- and afterload, and coronary vascular tone. For nonresponders to drug therapy or for those with jeopardized myocardium, revascularization procedures such as coronary bypass surgery and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty are at hand. However, the atherosclerotic process is not stopped by these therapies and, at longer terms, angina may recur. It is not always possible to revascularize all the patients who do not positively react to medical treatment. Those with angina, not responding to adequate medication and who are not suitable anymore for revascularization, are considered to suffer from refractory angina pectoris. This group of patients has a poor quality of life, for their exercise tolerance is severely afflicted. For these patients, neurostimulation has been described repeatedly as an effective and safe therapy. The mechanism of action of neurostimulation is not completely known, but recent studies suggest an anti-ischemic effect, exerted through changes in myocardial blood flow. As soon as its safety is sufficiently established, it may become a useful alternative in the treatment of refractory angina pectoris.

The Role of Ivabradine in the Management of Angina Pectoris.

PubMed

Giavarini, Alessandra; de Silva, Ranil

2016-08-01

Stable angina pectoris affects 2-4 % of the population in Western countries and entails an annual risk of death and nonfatal myocardial infarction of 1-2 % and 3 %, respectively. Heart rate (HR) is linearly related to myocardial oxygen consumption and coronary blood flow, both at rest and during stress. HR reduction is a key target for the prevention of ischemia/angina and is an important mechanism of action of drugs which are recommended as first line therapy for the treatment of angina in clinical guidelines. However, many patients are often unable to tolerate the doses of beta blocker or non-dihydropyridine calcium antagonists required to achieve the desired symptom control. The selective pacemaker current inhibitor ivabradine was developed as a drug for the management of patients with angina pectoris, through its ability to reduce HR specifically. The available data suggest that ivabradine is a well-tolerated and effective anti-anginal agent and it is recommended as a second-line agent for relief of angina in guidelines. However, recent clinical trials of ivabradine have failed to show prognostic benefit and have raised potential concerns about safety. This article will review the available evidence base for the current role of ivabradine in the management of patients with symptomatic angina pectoris in the context of stable coronary artery disease.

The Efficacy of Guanxinning Injection in Treating Angina Pectoris: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

PubMed Central

Jia, Yongliang; Leung, Siu-wai; Lee, Ming-Yuen; Cui, Guozhen; Huang, Xiaohui; Pan, Fongha

2013-01-01

Objective. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on Guanxinning injection (GXN) in treating angina pectoris were published only in Chinese and have not been systematically reviewed. This study aims to provide a PRISMA-compliant and internationally accessible systematic review to evaluate the efficacy of GXN in treating angina pectoris. Methods. The RCTs were included according to prespecified eligibility criteria. Meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the symptomatic (SYMPTOMS) and electrocardiographic (ECG) improvements after treatment. Odds ratios (ORs) were used to measure effect sizes. Subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and metaregression were conducted to evaluate the robustness of the results. Results. Sixty-five RCTs published between 2002 and 2012 with 6064 participants were included. Overall ORs comparing GXN with other drugs were 3.32 (95% CI: [2.72, 4.04]) in SYMPTOMS and 2.59 (95% CI: [2.14, 3.15]) in ECG. Subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and metaregression found no statistically significant dependence of overall ORs upon specific study characteristics. Conclusion. This meta-analysis of eligible RCTs provides evidence that GXN is effective in treating angina pectoris. This evidence warrants further RCTs of higher quality, longer follow-up periods, larger sample sizes, and multicentres/multicountries for more extensive subgroup, sensitivity, and metaregression analyses. PMID:23634167

Frog decline, frog malformations, and a comparison of frog and human health.

PubMed

Cohen, M M

2001-11-22

The decline in frog populations and the increase in the frequency of frog malformations are discussed. Topics considered for analysis include chytridiomycosis, retinoids, UV-B radiation, chemical contaminants, environmental threats, introduced invasive species and predation, unsustainable use, and enigmatic decline. Care must be taken to distinguish between hypotheses, laboratory experiments, and the findings in feral frog populations. Clearly, the causes of population decline and malformations are heterogeneous. The subject of frogs and humans is addressed under three subheadings: the importance of frogs to human societies, medical implications of frog studies, and a comparison of frog and human disease factors. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

[Implantation of the paclitaxel-eluting stent Apollo in patients with stable angina pectoris: long-term angiographic and clinical results].

PubMed

Batyraliev, T A; Fettser, D V; Samko, A N; Sidorenko, B A

2010-01-01

to assess the long-term angiographic and clinical results of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with implantation of the drug-eluting stent (DES) Apollo in patients with stable angina pectoris. The study enrolled 48 patients with stable angina who had been implanted with 59 stents. A follow-up of the patients lasted 12 months. The intervention was successful in 100% patients. Following 12 months, 81.3% of the patients underwent angiography that demonstrated that the vascular diameter decreased by 0.32 +/- 0.45 mm and the rate of restenosis was reduced by only 5.3%. The frequency of evident cardiac complications over 12 months was as high as 11.6%. The DES Apollo provides a way of safely performing PCI, by achieving a high of angiographic success rate. The application of this stent yields long-term good angiographic and clinical results in patients with stable angina pectoris.

Panax notoginseng Preparations for Unstable Angina Pectoris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Song, Haiying; Wang, Peili; Liu, Jiangang; Wang, Chenglong

2017-08-01

This paper assessed the evidence of Panax notoginseng preparations in patients suffering from UAP using meta-analysis and systematic review methods. Methods were according to the Cochrane Handbook and analysed using Revman 5.3. A search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, MEDLINE, Chinese national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), Vip information database, Wanfang data and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (SinoMed) was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of P. notoginseng preparations on UAP regardless of blinding, sex and language. The outcomes include all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, cardiovascular events, UAP symptoms, improvement of electrocardiogram and adverse events. Eighteen RCTs including 1828 patients were identified. The level of reporting is generally poor. Among 18 studies, 16 studies were prescribed P. notoginseng injections, and two studies were oral P. notoginseng preparations. Reduction of cardiovascular events (RR:0.35;95% CI:0.13 to 0.94), alleviation of angina pectoris symptoms (RR:1.23;95% CI 1.18 to 1.29), improvement of ECG (RR:1.22;95% CI 1.15 to 1.28) and reduced frequency of angina pectoris (MD:-1.48; 95% CI -2.49 to -0.48) were observed. Cardiac mortality and duration of angina pectoris were not statistically significant. Panax notoginseng is beneficial to UAP patients; the results of these reviews may have important implications to clinical work. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Drug Therapy for Stable Angina Pectoris.

PubMed

Rousan, Talla A; Mathew, Sunil T; Thadani, Udho

2017-03-01

Chronic stable angina pectoris refers to the predictable, reproducible occurrence of pressure or a choking sensation in the chest or adjacent areas caused by myocardial ischemia in association with physical or emotional stress, and cessation of exertion and or sublingual nitroglycerin invariably relieves the discomfort. It is a common presenting symptom of severe narrowing of one or more coronary arteries, non-obstructive coronary arteries, or even when the coronary arteries are angiographically normal. Patients often avoid activities which precipitate symptoms and have impaired quality of life. Most patients with angina pectoris can be managed with lifestyle changes, especially abstinence from smoking and regular exercise, and anti-anginal drugs. However, the choice of initial or combination antianginals as recommended in the guidelines is not evidence based. In addition, patients with stable angina due to coronary artery disease should also receive aspirin and a statin. Treatment of patients with angina and normal coronary arteries remains to be established. The aim of this article is to provide the readers not only with a guideline-based approach, which varies from one country to another, but also an individual-based approach, which takes into consideration circulatory status and the presence or absence of comorbidities in the treatment decision-making process. This manuscript primarily deals with drug therapy of stable angina pectoris and not coronary artery revascularization, which also provides angina relief but is usually reserved for patients who fail to respond to adequate drug therapy.

Ginkgo Biloba extract for angina pectoris: a systematic review.

PubMed

Sun, Tian; Wang, Xian; Xu, Hao

2015-07-01

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Ginkgo Biloba extract for patients with angina pectoris according to the available evidence. Electronic databases were searched for all of the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of angina pectoris treatments with Ginkgo Biloba extract, either alone or combined with routine Western medicine (RWM), and controlled by untreated, placebo, Chinese patent medicine, or RWM treatment. The RCTs were retrieved from the following electronic databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, ProQuest Health and Medical Complete, Springer, Elsevier, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Wanfang Data, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP database, China Biology Medicine (CBM), Chinese Medical Citation Index (CMCI), from the earliest database records to December 2012. No language restriction was applied. Study selection, data extraction, quality assessment, and data analyses were conducted according to the Cochrane standards. RevMan 5.1.0 provided by Cochrane Collaboration The data were analysed by using. A total of 23 RCTs (involving 2,529 patients) were included and the methodological quality was evaluated as generally low. Ginkgo Biloba extract with RWM was more effective in angina relief and electrocardiogram improvement than RWM alone. Reported adverse events included epigastric discomfort, nausea, gastrointestinal reaction, and bitter taste. Ginkgo Biloba extract may have beneficial effects on patients with angina pectoris, although the low quality of existing trials makes it difficult to draw a satisfactory conclusion. More rigorous, high quality clinical trials are needed to provide conclusive evidence.

Virtual Frog Dissection Kit Version 2.2

Science.gov Websites

Virtual Frog Dissection Kit This award-winning interactive program is part of the "Whole Frog " project. You can interactively dissect a (digitized) frog named Fluffy, and play the Virtual Frog animals other than the frog that have a computer-graphics based virtual dissection page. We get frequent

Impact of ranolazine on clinical outcomes and healthcare resource utilization in patients with refractory angina pectoris.

PubMed

Ling, Hua; Packard, Kathleen A; Burns, Tammy L; Hilleman, Daniel E

2013-12-01

Ranolazine is a novel antianginal medication approved for the treatment of chronic angina. There are only limited data concerning the efficacy of ranolazine in reducing healthcare resource utilization in patients with refractory angina pectoris. The primary objective of this analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ranolazine in refractory angina pectoris. In addition, the impact of ranolazine on healthcare resource utilization was assessed. Consecutive patients with refractory angina pectoris treated with ranolazine at two cardiology practices in the state of Nebraska were included in this analysis. The Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) angina class and frequency and type of healthcare resource consumption were determined during the 12 months prior to and the 12 months after initiation of ranolazine. A total of 150 pts (64 % men) with a mean age of 66 ± 12 years were included in this analysis. All patients had previously undergone coronary revascularization. Nitrates, β-adrenoceptor antagonists (β-blockers), and calcium antagonists (calcium channel blockers) were being used in 83, 97, and 75 % of patients, respectively. During ranolazine treatment, a significant improvement in CCS angina class was observed, with 23 patients improving by one class and no patient experiencing a deterioration in functional class (p = 0.025). A total of 53 side effects occurred in 28 (19 %) patients receiving ranolazine. Of those patients with side effects, four required dose reduction and seven required drug discontinuation. The frequency of clinic visits and emergency room visits was lower during ranolazine treatment, but the differences in frequency were not significant. The number of patients hospitalized and the number of hospitalizations were significantly lower during ranolazine therapy than in the pre-ranolazine study period (p = 0.002). Ranolazine improved the CCS angina class and reduced hospitalizations over a 12-month follow-up period in a group of patients with difficult-to-treat refractory angina pectoris.

The efficacy of trimetazidine on stable angina pectoris: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

PubMed

Peng, Song; Zhao, Min; Wan, Jing; Fang, Qi; Fang, Dong; Li, Kaiyong

2014-12-20

This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of trimetazidine in combination with other anti-anginal drugs versus other anti-anginal drugs in the treatment of stable angina pectoris (SAP). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English and Chinese were retrieved from computerized databases: Embase, PubMed, and CNKI. Primary outcomes consist of clinical parameters (numbers of weekly angina attacks and nitroglycerin use) and ergometric parameters (time to 1mm ST-segment depression, and total work (in Mets) and exercise duration (in seconds) at peak exercise) in stable angina pectoris treated by trimetazidine or not. The quality of studies was evaluated using Jadad score. Data analysis of 13 studies was performed using Stata 12.0 software. Results showed that treatment of trimetazidine and other anti-anginal drugs was associated with a smaller weekly mean number of angina attacks (WMD=-0.95, 95%CI: -1.30 to -0.61, Z=5.39, P<0.001), fewer weekly nitroglycerin use (WMD=-0.98, 95%CI: -1.44 to -0.52, Z=4.19, P<0.001), longer time to 1mm ST-segment depression (WMD=0.30, 95%CI: 0.17 to 0.43, Z=4.46, P<0.001), higher total work (WMD=0.82, 95%CI: 0.44 to 1.20, Z=4.22, P<0.001) and longer exercise duration at peak exercise (WMD=49.81, 95%CI: 15.04 to 84.57, Z=6.38, P<0.001) than treatment of other anti-anginal drugs for stable angina pectoris. Sensitivity analysis was performed. Sub-group analysis showed that treatment duration was not a significant moderator and patients treated within 8 weeks and above 12 weeks had no difference in the outcomes addressed in this meta-analysis. No publish bias was detected. This meta-analysis confirms the efficacy of trimetazidine in the treatment of stable angina pectoris, in comparison with conventional antianginal agents, regardless of treatment duration. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of V-Frog[C] to Physical Frog Dissection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lalley, James P.; Piotrowski, Phillip S.; Battaglia, Barbara; Brophy, Keith; Chugh, Kevin

2010-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine and compare the effectiveness of virtual frog dissection using V-Frog[C] and physical frog dissection on learning, retention, and affect. Subjects were secondary students enrolled in year-long life science classes in a suburban high school (N=102). Virtual dissections were done with V-Frog[C], a…

Acetylcholine test in patients with angina pectoris and normal coronary angiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbieri, Enrico; Destro, Gianni; Oliva, Massimo; Zardini, Piero

1994-02-01

Angina pectoris with normal coronary artery on the coronary angiography is an intriguing issue. Intracoronary infusion of acetylcholine has recently been used to test the integrity of endothelial cells. We studied 16 patients with this syndrome. A relationship has been found between the acetylcholine test and the exercise stress test in normotensive patients. The presence of hypertension makes the evaluation of the test more unpredictable, probably because of the damage on the endothelial cells related to systemic hypertension.

Changes in multifractal properties for stable angina pectoris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knežević, Andrea; Martinis, Mladen; Krstačić, Goran; Vargović, Emil

2005-12-01

The multifractal approach has been applied to temporal fluctuations of heartbeat (RR) intervals, measured in various regimes of physical activity (ergometric data), taken from healthy subjects and those having stable angina pectoris (SAP). The problem we address here is whether SAP changes multifractality observed in healthy subjects. The G-moment method is used to analyse the multifractal spectrum. It is observed that both sets of data characterize multifractality, but a different trend in multifractal behaviour is found for SAP disease, under pronounced physical activity.

To Be or Not to Be...a Frog: The Frog Prince and Shifting Paradigms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crane, Lisa Marie

1997-01-01

Discusses three modern variations of the classic "Frog Prince" folk tale: "Pondlarker" (Fred Gwynne); "The Frog Prince Continued" (Jon Scieszka); and "The Prince of the Pond" (Donna Jo Napoli). Notes that these variants create a world in which frogs can have values, wisdom, and emotion, and in which frogs can influence the ways of humanity. (RS)

Post-translational amino acid racemization in the frog skin peptide deltorphin I in the secretion granules of cutaneous serous glands.

PubMed

Auvynet, Constance; Seddiki, Nabila; Dunia, Irene; Nicolas, Pierre; Amiche, Mohamed; Lacombe, Claire

2006-01-01

The dermal glands of the South American hylid frog Phyllomedusa bicolor synthesize and expel huge amounts of cationic, alpha-helical, 24- to 33-residue antimicrobial peptides, the dermaseptins B. These glands also produce a wide array of peptides that are similar to mammalian hormones and neuropeptides, including a heptapeptide opioid containing a D-amino acid, deltorphin I (Tyr-DAla-Phe-Asp-Val-Val-Gly NH2). Its biological activity is due to the racemization of L-Ala2 to D-Ala. The dermaseptins B and deltorphins are all derived from a single family of precursor polypeptides that have an N-terminal preprosequence that is remarkably well conserved, although the progenitor sequences giving rise to mature opioid or antimicrobial peptides are markedly different. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies were used to examine the cellular and ultrastructural distributions of deltorphin I and dermaseptin B in the serous glands by immunofluoresence confocal microscopy and immunogold-electron microscopy. Preprodeltorphin I and preprodermaseptins B are sorted into the regulated pathway of secretion, where they are processed to give the mature products. Deltorphin I, [l-Ala2]-deltorphin I and dermaseptin B are all stored together in secretion granules which accumulate in the cytoplasm of all serous glands. We conclude that the L- to D-amino acid isomerization of the deltorphin I occurs in the secretory granules as a post-translational event. Thus the specificity of isomerization depends on the presence of structural and/or conformational determinants in the peptide N-terminus surrounding the isomerization site.

Are negative aspects of social relations predictive of angina pectoris? A 6-year follow-up study of middle-aged Danish women and men.

PubMed

Lund, Rikke; Rod, Naja Hulvej; Christensen, Ulla

2012-04-01

Social relations have been shown to be protective against ischaemic heart disease (IHD), but little is known about the impact of negative aspects of the social relations on IHD. During a 6-year follow-up, the authors aimed to assess if negative aspects of social relations were associated with angina pectoris among 4573 middle-aged Danish men and women free of heart disease at baseline in 2000. Nine per cent experienced onset of symptoms of angina pectoris. A higher degree of excessive demands or worries from the social relations was associated with increased risk of angina after adjustment for age, gender, social class, cohabitation status and depression in a dose-response manner. For example, experiencing excessive demands or worries always/often from different roles in the social relations was associated with an increased risk: partner OR=3.53 (1.68 to 7.43), children OR=2.19 (1.04 to 4.61), other family OR=1.91 (1.24 to 2.96). Except for frequent conflicts with the partner and neighbours, conflicts with the social relations was not a risk factor for angina. The authors found no interaction of negative aspects of social relations with gender, age, social class, cohabitation status or depression in terms of angina. Excessive demands and serious worries from significant others seem to be important risk factors for development of angina pectoris.

Inappropriate left ventricular mass and poor outcomes in patients with angina pectoris and normal ejection fraction.

PubMed

Huang, Bao-Tao; Peng, Yong; Liu, Wei; Zhang, Chen; Huang, Fang-Yang; Wang, Peng-Ju; Zuo, Zhi-Liang; Liao, Yan-Biao; Chai, Hua; Li, Qiao; Zhao, Zhen-Gang; Luo, Xiao-Lin; Ren, Xin; Huang, Kai-Sen; Meng, Qing-Tao; Chen, Chi; Huang, De-Jia; Chen, Mao

2015-03-01

Although inappropriate left ventricular mass has been associated with clustered cardiac geometric and functional abnormalities, its predictive value in patients with coronary artery disease is still unknown. This study examined the association of inappropriate left ventricular mass with clinical outcomes in patients with angina pectoris and normal ejection fraction. Consecutive patients diagnosed with angina pectoris whose ejection fraction was normal were recruited from 2008 to 2012. Inappropriate left ventricular mass was determined when the ratio of actual left ventricular mass to the predicted one exceeded 150%. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and nonfatal stroke. Clinical outcomes between the inappropriate and appropriate left ventricular mass group were compared before and after propensity matching. Of the total of 1515 participants, 18.3% had inappropriate left ventricular mass. Patients with inappropriate left ventricular mass had a higher composite event rate compared with those with appropriate left ventricular mass (11.2 vs. 6.6%, P=0.010). Multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that inappropriate left ventricular mass was an independent risk factor for adverse events (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-2.45; P=0.035). The worse outcome in patients with inappropriate left ventricular mass was further validated in a propensity matching cohort and patients with the traditional definition of left ventricular hypertrophy. Inappropriate left ventricular mass was associated with an increased risk of adverse events in patients with angina pectoris and normal ejection fraction.

Effectiveness of Ivabradine in Treating Stable Angina Pectoris.

PubMed

Ye, Liwen; Ke, Dazhi; Chen, Qingwei; Li, Guiqiong; Deng, Wei; Wu, Zhiqin

2016-04-01

Many studies show that ivabradine is effective for stable angina.This meta-analysis was performed to determine the effect of treatment duration and control group type on ivabradine efficacy in stable angina pectoris.Relevant articles in the English language in the PUBMED and EMBASE databases and related websites were identified by using the search terms "ivabradine," "angina," "randomized controlled trials," and "Iva." The final search date was November 2, 2015.Articles were included if they were published randomized controlled trials that related to ivabradine treatment of stable angina pectoris.Patients with stable angina pectoris were included.The patients were classified according to treatment duration (<3 vs ≥3 months) or type of control group (placebo vs beta-receptor blocker). Angina outcomes were heart rate at rest or peak, exercise duration, and time to angina onset.Seven articles were selected. There were 3747 patients: 2100 and 1647 were in the ivabradine and control groups, respectively. The ivabradine group had significantly longer exercise duration when they had been treated for at least 3 months, but not when treatment time was less than 3 months. Ivabradine significantly improved time to angina onset regardless of treatment duration. Control group type did not influence the effect of exercise duration (significant) or time to angina onset (significant).Compared with beta-blocker and placebo, ivabradine improved exercise duration and time to onset of angina in patients with stable angina. However, its ability to improve exercise duration only became significant after at least 3 months of treatment.

Complete Genome Sequence of Frog virus 3, Isolated from a Strawberry Poison Frog (Oophaga pumilio) Imported from Nicaragua into the Netherlands

PubMed Central

Hughes, Joseph; van Beurden, Steven J.; Suárez, Nicolás M.; Haenen, Olga L. M.; Voorbergen-Laarman, Michal; Gröne, Andrea; Kik, Marja J. L.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Frog virus 3 was isolated from a strawberry poison frog (Oophaga pumilio) imported from Nicaragua via Germany to the Netherlands, and its complete genome sequence was determined. Frog virus 3 isolate Op/2015/Netherlands/UU3150324001 is 107,183 bp long and has a nucleotide similarity of 98.26% to the reference Frog virus 3 isolate. PMID:28860243

The response of Rana muscosa, the mountain yellow-legged frog, to short distance translocations.

Treesearch

K. R. Matthews

2003-01-01

ABSTRACT.—To determine the response of Mountain Yellow-Legged Frogs to short distance translocations, I placed transmitters on 20 adult frogs and moved them short distances from 144–630 m and monitored their responses for up to 30 days. Of the 20 translocated frogs, seven frogs returned to their original capture site, four frogs moved in the direction of their capture...

Predation by Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) on Western toads (Bufo boreas) in Oregon, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearl, Christopher A.; Hayes, M.P.

2002-01-01

Toads of the genus Bufo co-occur with true frogs (family Ranidae) throughout their North American ranges. Yet, Bufo are rarely reported as prey for ranid frogs, perhaps due to dermal toxins that afford them protection from some predators. We report field observations from four different localities demonstrating that Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) readily consume juvenile western toads (Bufo boreas) at breeding sites in Oregon. Unpalatability thought to deter predators of selected taxa and feeding mode may not protect juvenile stages of western toads from adult Oregon spotted frogs. Activity of juvenile western toads can elicit ambush behavior by Oregon spotted frog adults. Our review of published literature suggests that regular consumption of toadlets sets Oregon spotted frogs apart from most North American ranid frogs. Importance of the trophic context of juvenile western toads as a seasonally important resource to Oregon spotted frogs needs critical investigation.

Complete Genome Sequence of Frog virus 3, Isolated from a Strawberry Poison Frog (Oophaga pumilio) Imported from Nicaragua into the Netherlands.

PubMed

Saucedo, Bernardo; Hughes, Joseph; van Beurden, Steven J; Suárez, Nicolás M; Haenen, Olga L M; Voorbergen-Laarman, Michal; Gröne, Andrea; Kik, Marja J L

2017-08-31

Frog virus 3 was isolated from a strawberry poison frog ( Oophaga pumilio ) imported from Nicaragua via Germany to the Netherlands, and its complete genome sequence was determined. Frog virus 3 isolate Op /2015/Netherlands/UU3150324001 is 107,183 bp long and has a nucleotide similarity of 98.26% to the reference Frog virus 3 isolate. Copyright © 2017 Saucedo et al.

Divergence among barking frogs (Eleutherodactylus augusti) in the southwestern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goldberg, Caren S.; Sullivan, Brian K.; Malone, John H.; Schwalbe, Cecil R.

2004-01-01

Barking frogs (Eleutherodactylus augusti) are distributed from southern Mexico along the Sierra Madre Occidental into Arizona and the Sierra Madre Oriental into Texas and New Mexico. Barking frogs in Arizona and most of Texas live in rocky areas in oak woodland, while those in New Mexico and far western Texas live in rodent burrows in desertscrub. Barking frogs in each of the three states have distinct coloration and differ in sexually dimorphic characters, female vocalization, and skin toxicity. We analyzed advertisement call variation and conducted a phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial DNA sequences (ND2 and tRNA regions) for barking frogs from these three states. Advertisement calls of frogs from Arizona were significantly longer in duration, higher in frequency, and had longer duration pulses than those of frogs from either New Mexico or Texas; frogs from these latter two sites were indistinguishable in these call variables. Phylogenetic analysis showed deep divisions among barking frogs from the three states. Differences in call structure, coloration, and mitochondrial DNA sequences strongly suggest that barking frogs in Arizona are reproductively isolated from those in New Mexico and Texas. Our results indicate that either northern populations are connected via gene flow through southern Mexico (i.e., they are subspecies as currently recognized), or represent independent lineages as originally described (i.e., western barking frogs, E. cactorum in AZ, and the eastern barking frogs, E. latrans in NM, TX).

Modelling the growth of the brown frog (Rana dybowskii)

PubMed Central

Du, Xiao-peng; Hu, Zong-fu; Cui, Li-yong

2018-01-01

Well-controlled development leads to uniform body size and a better growth rate; therefore, the ability to determine the growth rate of frogs and their period of sexual maturity is essential for producing healthy, high-quality descendant frogs. To establish a working model that can best predict the growth performance of frogs, the present study examined the growth of one-year-old and two-year-old brown frogs (Rana dybowskii) from metamorphosis to hibernation (18 weeks) and out-hibernation to hibernation (20 weeks) under the same environmental conditions. Brown frog growth was studied and mathematically modelled using various nonlinear, linear, and polynomial functions. The model input values were statistically evaluated using parameters such as the Akaike’s information criterion. The body weight/size ratio (Kwl) and Fulton’s condition factor (K) were used to compare the weight and size of groups of frogs during the growth period. The results showed that the third- and fourth-order polynomial models provided the most consistent predictions of body weight for age 1 and age 2 brown frogs, respectively. Both the Gompertz and third-order polynomial models yielded similarly adequate results for the body size of age 1 brown frogs, while the Janoschek model produced a similarly adequate result for the body size of age 2 brown frogs. The Brody and Janoschek models yielded the highest and lowest estimates of asymptotic weight, respectively, for the body weights of all frogs. The Kwl value of all frogs increased from 0.40 to 3.18. The K value of age 1 frogs decreased from 23.81 to 9.45 in the first four weeks. The K value of age 2 frogs remained close to 10. Graphically, a sigmoidal trend was observed for body weight and body size with increasing age. The results of this study will be useful not only for amphibian research but also for frog farming management strategies and decisions.

Ant and Mite Diversity Drives Toxin Variation in the Little Devil Poison Frog.

PubMed

McGugan, Jenna R; Byrd, Gary D; Roland, Alexandre B; Caty, Stephanie N; Kabir, Nisha; Tapia, Elicio E; Trauger, Sunia A; Coloma, Luis A; O'Connell, Lauren A

2016-06-01

Poison frogs sequester chemical defenses from arthropod prey, although the details of how arthropod diversity contributes to variation in poison frog toxins remains unclear. We characterized skin alkaloid profiles in the Little Devil poison frog, Oophaga sylvatica (Dendrobatidae), across three populations in northwestern Ecuador. Using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, we identified histrionicotoxins, 3,5- and 5,8-disubstituted indolizidines, decahydroquinolines, and lehmizidines as the primary alkaloid toxins in these O. sylvatica populations. Frog skin alkaloid composition varied along a geographical gradient following population distribution in a principal component analysis. We also characterized diversity in arthropods isolated from frog stomach contents and confirmed that O. sylvatica specialize on ants and mites. To test the hypothesis that poison frog toxin variability reflects species and chemical diversity in arthropod prey, we (1) used sequencing of cytochrome oxidase 1 to identify individual prey specimens, and (2) used liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry to chemically profile consumed ants and mites. We identified 45 ants and 9 mites in frog stomachs, including several undescribed species. We also showed that chemical profiles of consumed ants and mites cluster by frog population, suggesting different frog populations have access to chemically distinct prey. Finally, by comparing chemical profiles of frog skin and isolated prey items, we traced the arthropod source of four poison frog alkaloids, including 3,5- and 5,8-disubstituted indolizidines and a lehmizidine alkaloid. Together, the data show that toxin variability in O. sylvatica reflects chemical diversity in arthropod prey.

A risk score for predicting coronary artery disease in women with angina pectoris and abnormal stress test finding.

PubMed

Lo, Monica Y; Bonthala, Nirupama; Holper, Elizabeth M; Banks, Kamakki; Murphy, Sabina A; McGuire, Darren K; de Lemos, James A; Khera, Amit

2013-03-15

Women with angina pectoris and abnormal stress test findings commonly have no epicardial coronary artery disease (CAD) at catheterization. The aim of the present study was to develop a risk score to predict obstructive CAD in such patients. Data were analyzed from 337 consecutive women with angina pectoris and abnormal stress test findings who underwent cardiac catheterization at our center from 2003 to 2007. Forward selection multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent predictors of CAD, defined by ≥50% diameter stenosis in ≥1 epicardial coronary artery. The independent predictors included age ≥55 years (odds ratio 2.3, 95% confidence interval 1.3 to 4.0), body mass index <30 kg/m(2) (odds ratio 1.9, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 3.1), smoking (odds ratio 2.6, 95% confidence interval 1.4 to 4.8), low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (odds ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval 1.5 to 5.5), family history of premature CAD (odds ratio 2.4, 95% confidence interval 1.0 to 5.7), lateral abnormality on stress imaging (odds ratio 2.8, 95% confidence interval 1.5 to 5.5), and exercise capacity <5 metabolic equivalents (odds ratio 2.4, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 5.6). Assigning each variable 1 point summed to constitute a risk score, a graded association between the score and prevalent CAD (ptrend <0.001). The risk score demonstrated good discrimination with a cross-validated c-statistic of 0.745 (95% confidence interval 0.70 to 0.79), and an optimized cutpoint of a score of ≤2 included 62% of the subjects and had a negative predictive value of 80%. In conclusion, a simple clinical risk score of 7 characteristics can help differentiate those more or less likely to have CAD among women with angina pectoris and abnormal stress test findings. This tool, if validated, could help to guide testing strategies in women with angina pectoris. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aspiration Thrombectomy and Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation Decrease the Occurrence of Angina Pectoris One Year After Acute Myocardial Infarction.

PubMed

Lee, Wei-Chieh; Fang, Chih-Yuan; Chen, Huang-Chung; Hsueh, Shu-Kai; Chen, Chien-Jen; Yang, Cheng-Hsu; Yip, Hon-Kan; Hang, Chi-Ling; Wu, Chiung-Jen; Fang, Hsiu-Yu

2016-04-01

Angina pectoris is a treatable symptom that is associated with mortality and decreased quality of life. Angina eradication is a primary care goal of care after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Our aim was to evaluate factors influencing angina pectoris 1 year after an AMI.From January 2005 to December 2013, 1547 patient received primary percutaneous intervention in our hospital for an acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI). Of these patients, 1336 patients did not experience post-MI angina during a 1-year follow-up, and 211 patients did. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors influencing angina pectoris 1 year after an AMI. Propensity score matched analyses were performed for subgroups analyses.The average age of the patients was 61.08 ± 12.77 years, with a range of 25 to 97 years, and 82.9% of the patients were male. During 1-year follow-up, 13.6% of the patients experienced post-MI angina. There was a longer chest pain-to-reperfusion time in the post-MI angina group (P = 0.01), as well as a higher fasting sugar level, glycohemoglobin (HbA1C), serum creatinine, troponin-I and creatine kinase MB (CK-MB). The post-MI angina group also had a higher prevalence of multiple-vessel disease. Manual thrombectomy, and distal protective device and intracoronary glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor injection were used frequently in the no post-MI angina group. Antiplatelet agents and post-MI medication usage were similar between the 2 groups. Multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that prior MI was a positive independent predictor of occurrence of post-MI angina. Manual thrombectomy use and drug-eluting stent implantation were negative independent predictors of post-MI angina. Higher troponin-I and longer chest pain-to-reperfusion time exhibited a trend toward predicting post-MI angina.Prior MIs were strong, independent predictors of post-MI angina. Manual thrombectomy and drug-eluting stent implantation could decrease the occurrence of angina pectoris 1 year after an AMI, decrease long-term healthy costs, and increase post-MI quality of life.

Anti-Anginal and Metabolic Effects of Carvedilol and Atenolol in Patients with Stable Angina Pectoris: A Prospective, Randomized, Parallel, Open-Label Study.

PubMed

Oh, Pyung Chun; Kang, Woong Chol; Moon, Jeonggeun; Park, Yae Min; Kim, Sihun; Kim, Myeong Gun; Lee, Kyounghoon; Ahn, Taehoon; Shin, Eak Kyun

2016-06-01

While recent guidelines have suggested the potential for beta-blockers as first-line agents in chronic stable angina, few data regarding comparative anti-anginal and metabolic effects between beta-blockers with and without vasodilating properties have been reported, particularly in patients with angina pectoris. Our objective was to compare the anti-anginal and metabolic effects of carvedilol and atenolol in patients with stable angina pectoris. A total of 89 patients (mean age 54.9 ± 9.3 years; male 53.9 %) with stable angina pectoris were randomly assigned to carvedilol (n = 43) or atenolol (n = 46). The subjects undertook an exercise treadmill test and completed the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ); metabolic parameters were measured at baseline and 6 months after treatment. The baseline characteristics of both groups were well balanced. Both carvedilol and atenolol significantly reduced heart rate from baseline (76 ± 11 to 66 ± 9 beat/min, p < 0.001; 74 ± 9 to 64 ± 9 beat/min, p < 0.001, respectively) with no significant changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Improvement of time to ST-segment depression during the treadmill exercise and the SAQ scores for angina stability and frequency after 6 months of treatment were similar between groups. There was no significant change from baseline in the level of fasting glucose, insulin, or glycated hemoglobin in either group. However, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels significantly reduced to a greater extent with carvedilol than with atenolol (-23 vs. -10 and -38 vs. -24 %, respectively, p < 0.05 for both), although the rate of statin use was comparable. No changes were seen in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels after 6 months of treatment in both groups compared with baseline. Both carvedilol and atenolol had a similar anti-anginal effect. Compared with atenolol, carvedilol might have more beneficial effects on lipid metabolism in patients with stable angina pectoris [ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02547597].

Percutaneous coronary intervention for poor coronary microcirculation reperfusion of patients with stable angina pectoris.

PubMed

Li, J S; Zhao, X J; Ma, B X; Wang, Z

2016-01-01

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been extensively applied to repair the forward flow of diseased coronary artery and can achieve significant curative results. However, some patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) develop non-perfusion or poor perfusion of cardiac muscle tissue after PCI, which increases the incidence of cardiovascular events and the death rate. PCI can dredge narrowed or infarct-related artery (IRA) and thus induce full reperfusion of ischemic myocardium. It is found in practice that some cases of AMI still have no perfusion or poor perfusion in myocardial tissue even though coronary angiography suggests opened coronary artery after PCI, which increases the incidence of vascular events and mortality. Therefore, to explore the detailed mechanism of PCI in treating coronary microcirculation of patients with stable angina pectoris, we selected 140 patients with stable angina pectoris for PCI, observing the index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) of descending branch and changes of myocardial injury markers and left ventricular systolic function, and made a subgroup analysis based on the correlation between clinical indexes, IMR and other variables of diabetic and non-diabetic patients, PCI-related and non-PCI-related myocardial infarction patients. The results suggest that IMR of anterior descending branch after PCI was higher compared to that before PCI, and the difference was significant (P less than 0.05); creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), myohemoglobin and high sensitive troponin T were all increased after PCI, and the difference was also significant (P less than 0.05); brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level became higher after PCI, with significant difference (P less than 0.05); left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) declined after PCI, and the difference before and after PCI was statistically significant (P less than 0.05). Moreover, subgroup analysis results of the three groups all demonstrated statistically significant differences. PCI can effectively increase microcirculatory resistance of patients with stable angina pectoris, especially those who develop both stable angina pectoris and diabetes. Patients with higher microcirculatory resistance before PCI are more likely to develop PCI-related myocardial infarction after PCI.

Aspiration Thrombectomy and Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation Decrease the Occurrence of Angina Pectoris One Year After Acute Myocardial Infarction

PubMed Central

Lee, Wei-Chieh; Fang, Chih-Yuan; Chen, Huang-Chung; Hsueh, Shu-Kai; Chen, Chien-Jen; Yang, Cheng-Hsu; Yip, Hon-Kan; Hang, Chi-Ling; Wu, Chiung-Jen; Fang, Hsiu-Yu

2016-01-01

Abstract Angina pectoris is a treatable symptom that is associated with mortality and decreased quality of life. Angina eradication is a primary care goal of care after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Our aim was to evaluate factors influencing angina pectoris 1 year after an AMI. From January 2005 to December 2013, 1547 patient received primary percutaneous intervention in our hospital for an acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI). Of these patients, 1336 patients did not experience post-MI angina during a 1-year follow-up, and 211 patients did. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors influencing angina pectoris 1 year after an AMI. Propensity score matched analyses were performed for subgroups analyses. The average age of the patients was 61.08 ± 12.77 years, with a range of 25 to 97 years, and 82.9% of the patients were male. During 1-year follow-up, 13.6% of the patients experienced post-MI angina. There was a longer chest pain-to-reperfusion time in the post-MI angina group (P = 0.01), as well as a higher fasting sugar level, glycohemoglobin (HbA1C), serum creatinine, troponin-I and creatine kinase MB (CK-MB). The post-MI angina group also had a higher prevalence of multiple-vessel disease. Manual thrombectomy, and distal protective device and intracoronary glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor injection were used frequently in the no post-MI angina group. Antiplatelet agents and post-MI medication usage were similar between the 2 groups. Multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that prior MI was a positive independent predictor of occurrence of post-MI angina. Manual thrombectomy use and drug-eluting stent implantation were negative independent predictors of post-MI angina. Higher troponin-I and longer chest pain-to-reperfusion time exhibited a trend toward predicting post-MI angina. Prior MIs were strong, independent predictors of post-MI angina. Manual thrombectomy and drug-eluting stent implantation could decrease the occurrence of angina pectoris 1 year after an AMI, decrease long-term healthy costs, and increase post-MI quality of life. PMID:27124029

Parathion accumulation in cricket frogs and its effect on American kestrels

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fleming, W.J.; de Chacin, H.; Pattee, O.H.; Lamont, T.G.

1982-01-01

Adult cricket frogs (Acris crepitans) were held individually for 96 h in static systems containing initial concentrations of either 0, 0.1, 1.0, or 10 ppm parathion in 10 ml water. Mortality of cricket frogs was directly related to the parathion concentration in the water. Frogs from the 1.0- and 10-ppm groups accumulated 0.08 and 4.6 ppm parathion, respectively. One of four American kestrels (Falco sparverius) fed frogs from the 10-ppm group died from organophosphate poisoning less than 3 h after consuming five frogs. Mortality did not occur in kestrels fed frogs from the other treatment groups, which represented more environmentally realistic levels of exposure.

Oral sirolimus: A possible treatment for refractory angina pectoris in the elderly.

PubMed

Mischie, Alexandru; Chanseaume, Sylvain; Gaspard, Philippe; Andrei, Catalina Liliana; Sinescu, Crina; Schiariti, Michele

2016-11-01

Refractory angina pectoris (RAP) is a clinical problem, frequently encountered in the elderly, associated with high health-care costs. Until recently, the goal of RAP treatment aimed at improving the quality of life (QoL) because it was thought that mortality rates were not different between stable angina pectoris and RAP. Our purpose was at determining whether any mortality rate difference exists and whether any novel therapeutical solution might be translated into clinical practice. We therefore performed a literature review to assess current optimal treatment of RAP patients, including all studies involving the use of oral sirolimus and stents, although no consistent evidence was found for any specific treatment to improve survival, apart from minor QoL amelioration. A large mortality difference was seen between RAP and stable angina pectoris. On the other hand, therapeutic approaches to RAP patients showed frequent complications and several contraindications, depending on the procedure. We propose to inhibit instead of stimulating angiogenesis, by giving oral sirolimus, an immunosuppressive drug, thereby decreasing the atherosclerotic process and its evolution. Sirolimus was shown to decrease left ventricular mass (thus indirectly decreasing myocardial oxygen needs and consumption). It might stop and, in some cases, even enable regression of plaque progression. Sirolimus side effects are mild to moderate and wash-out rapidly at treatment discontinuation. Compared with current therapies sirolimus treatment is more health-care cost efficient. It should be important to design a trial in RAP patients powered to reduce mortality and QoL increase. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exogenous nitric oxide inhibits Rho-associated kinase activity in patients with angina pectoris: a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Maruhashi, Tatsuya; Noma, Kensuke; Fujimura, Noritaka; Kajikawa, Masato; Matsumoto, Takeshi; Hidaka, Takayuki; Nakashima, Ayumu; Kihara, Yasuki; Liao, James K; Higashi, Yukihito

2016-01-01

The RhoA/Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) pathway has a key physiological role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Increased ROCK activity is associated with cardiovascular diseases. Endogenous nitric oxide (NO) has an anti-atherosclerotic effect, whereas the exogenous NO-mediated cardiovascular effect still remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of exogenous NO on ROCK activity in patients with angina pectoris. This is a prospective, open-label, randomized, controlled study. A total of 30 patients with angina pectoris were randomly assigned to receive 40 mg day−1 of isosorbide mononitrate (n = 15, 12 men and 3 women, mean age of 63 ± 12 years, isosorbide mononitrate group) or conventional treatment (n = 15, 13 men and 2 women, mean age of 64 ± 13 years, control group) for 12 weeks. ROCK activity in peripheral leukocytes was measured by western blot analysis. ROCK activities at 4 and 12 weeks after treatment were decreased in the isosorbide mononitrate group (0.82 ± 0.33 at 0 week, 0.62 ± 0.20 at 4 weeks, 0.61 ± 0.19 at 12 weeks, n = 15 in each group, P < 0.05, respectively) but not altered in the control group. ROCK1 and ROCK2 expression levels were similar in all treatment periods in the two groups. These findings suggest that the administration of exogenous NO can inhibit ROCK activity, indicating that the usage of exogenous NO could have a protective effect in patients with angina pectoris. PMID:25740292

Effectiveness of Ivabradine in Treating Stable Angina Pectoris

PubMed Central

Ye, Liwen; Ke, Dazhi; Chen, Qingwei; Li, Guiqiong; Deng, Wei; Wu, Zhiqin

2016-01-01

Abstract Many studies show that ivabradine is effective for stable angina. This meta-analysis was performed to determine the effect of treatment duration and control group type on ivabradine efficacy in stable angina pectoris. Relevant articles in the English language in the PUBMED and EMBASE databases and related websites were identified by using the search terms “ivabradine,” “angina,” “randomized controlled trials,” and “Iva.” The final search date was November 2, 2015. Articles were included if they were published randomized controlled trials that related to ivabradine treatment of stable angina pectoris. Patients with stable angina pectoris were included. The patients were classified according to treatment duration (<3 vs ≥3 months) or type of control group (placebo vs beta-receptor blocker). Angina outcomes were heart rate at rest or peak, exercise duration, and time to angina onset. Seven articles were selected. There were 3747 patients: 2100 and 1647 were in the ivabradine and control groups, respectively. The ivabradine group had significantly longer exercise duration when they had been treated for at least 3 months, but not when treatment time was less than 3 months. Ivabradine significantly improved time to angina onset regardless of treatment duration. Control group type did not influence the effect of exercise duration (significant) or time to angina onset (significant). Compared with beta-blocker and placebo, ivabradine improved exercise duration and time to onset of angina in patients with stable angina. However, its ability to improve exercise duration only became significant after at least 3 months of treatment. PMID:27057864

49 CFR 213.355 - Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage. 213.355... Higher § 213.355 Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage. The guard check and guard face gages in frogs... distance between the gage line of a frog to the guard line 1 of its guard rail or guarding face, measured...

49 CFR 213.355 - Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage. 213.355... Higher § 213.355 Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage. The guard check and guard face gages in frogs... distance between the gage line of a frog to the guard line 1 of its guard rail or guarding face, measured...

49 CFR 213.355 - Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage. 213.355... Higher § 213.355 Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage. The guard check and guard face gages in frogs... distance between the gage line of a frog to the guard line 1 of its guard rail or guarding face, measured...

49 CFR 213.355 - Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage. 213.355... Higher § 213.355 Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage. The guard check and guard face gages in frogs... distance between the gage line of a frog to the guard line 1 of its guard rail or guarding face, measured...

49 CFR 213.355 - Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage. 213.355... Higher § 213.355 Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage. The guard check and guard face gages in frogs... distance between the gage line of a frog to the guard line 1 of its guard rail or guarding face, measured...

Frog eat frog: exploring variables influencing anurophagy.

PubMed

Measey, G John; Vimercati, Giovanni; de Villiers, F André; Mokhatla, Mohlamatsane M; Davies, Sarah J; Edwards, Shelley; Altwegg, Res

2015-01-01

Background. Frogs are generalist predators of a wide range of typically small prey items. But descriptions of dietary items regularly include other anurans, such that frogs are considered to be among the most important of anuran predators. However, the only existing hypothesis for the inclusion of anurans in the diet of post-metamorphic frogs postulates that it happens more often in bigger frogs. Moreover, this hypothesis has yet to be tested. Methods. We reviewed the literature on frog diet in order to test the size hypothesis and determine whether there are other putative explanations for anurans in the diet of post-metamorphic frogs. In addition to size, we recorded the habitat, the number of other sympatric anuran species, and whether or not the population was invasive. We controlled for taxonomic bias by including the superfamily in our analysis. Results. Around one fifth of the 355 records included anurans as dietary items of populations studied, suggesting that frogs eating anurans is not unusual. Our data showed a clear taxonomic bias with ranids and pipids having a higher proportion of anuran prey than other superfamilies. Accounting for this taxonomic bias, we found that size in addition to being invasive, local anuran diversity, and habitat produced a model that best fitted our data. Large invasive frogs that live in forests with high anuran diversity are most likely to have a higher proportion of anurans in their diet. Conclusions. We confirm the validity of the size hypothesis for anurophagy, but show that there are additional significant variables. The circumstances under which frogs eat frogs are likely to be complex, but our data may help to alert conservationists to the possible dangers of invading frogs entering areas with threatened anuran species.

Frog eat frog: exploring variables influencing anurophagy

PubMed Central

Vimercati, Giovanni; de Villiers, F. André; Mokhatla, Mohlamatsane M.; Davies, Sarah J.; Edwards, Shelley; Altwegg, Res

2015-01-01

Background. Frogs are generalist predators of a wide range of typically small prey items. But descriptions of dietary items regularly include other anurans, such that frogs are considered to be among the most important of anuran predators. However, the only existing hypothesis for the inclusion of anurans in the diet of post-metamorphic frogs postulates that it happens more often in bigger frogs. Moreover, this hypothesis has yet to be tested. Methods. We reviewed the literature on frog diet in order to test the size hypothesis and determine whether there are other putative explanations for anurans in the diet of post-metamorphic frogs. In addition to size, we recorded the habitat, the number of other sympatric anuran species, and whether or not the population was invasive. We controlled for taxonomic bias by including the superfamily in our analysis. Results. Around one fifth of the 355 records included anurans as dietary items of populations studied, suggesting that frogs eating anurans is not unusual. Our data showed a clear taxonomic bias with ranids and pipids having a higher proportion of anuran prey than other superfamilies. Accounting for this taxonomic bias, we found that size in addition to being invasive, local anuran diversity, and habitat produced a model that best fitted our data. Large invasive frogs that live in forests with high anuran diversity are most likely to have a higher proportion of anurans in their diet. Conclusions. We confirm the validity of the size hypothesis for anurophagy, but show that there are additional significant variables. The circumstances under which frogs eat frogs are likely to be complex, but our data may help to alert conservationists to the possible dangers of invading frogs entering areas with threatened anuran species. PMID:26336644

Honors for the Virtual Frog Dissection Kit

Science.gov Websites

Honors for the Virtual Frog Dissection Kit Study Web The dissection kit received a StudyWeb award Frog Project | Virtual Frog Page last modified: 01/23/05 Contacts: Bill Johnston, David Robertson

Narrowing of the Coronary Sinus: A Device-Based Therapy for Persistent Angina Pectoris.

PubMed

Konigstein, Maayan; Verheye, Stefan; Jolicœur, E Marc; Banai, Shmuel

2016-01-01

Alongside the remarkable advances in medical and invasive therapies for the treatment of ischemic heart disease, an increasing number of patients with advanced coronary artery disease unsuitable for revascularization continue to suffer from angina pectoris despite optimal medical therapy. Patients with chronic angina have poor quality of life and increased levels of anxiety and depression. A considerable number of innovative therapeutic modalities for the treatment of chronic angina have been investigated over the years; however, none of these therapeutic options has become a standard of care, and none are widely utilized. Current treatment options for refractory angina focus on medical therapy and secondary risk factor modification. Interventions to create increased pressure in the coronary sinus may alleviate myocardial ischemia by forcing redistribution of coronary blood flow from the less ischemic subepicardium to the more ischemic subendocardium, thus relieving symptoms of ischemia. Percutaneous, transvenous implantation of a balloon expandable, hourglass-shaped, stainless steel mesh in the coronary sinus to create a fixed focal narrowing and to increase backwards pressure, may serve as a new device-based therapy destined for the treatment of refractory angina pectoris.

Organochlorine insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and metals in water, sediment, and green frogs from southwestern Michigan.

PubMed

Gillilland, C D; Summer, C L; Gillilland, M G; Kannan, K; Villeneuve, D L; Coady, K K; Muzzall, P; Mehne, C; Giesy, J P

2001-07-01

In an attempt to explain the etiology of frog deformities and population declines, many possible causative factors have been examined, including the input of synthetic chemicals into aquatic systems, where frogs spend much of their lives, including their entire developmental stages. Deformities in populations of green frogs in wetlands of southwestern Michigan that are influenced by agricultural, urban, or industrial inputs were assessed in this study. Of the 1445 green frogs (Rana clamitans) examined, only four (0.3%) exhibited morphological deformities. This deformity rate is less than the recognized background level of deformities for this species, which is approximately 1%. Concentrations of organochlorine insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and metals were determined in water, sediment, frog eggs, tadpoles, and adult green frog tissues. Concentrations of all individual organochlorine insecticides in tissue were less than 6 ng/g, wet wt. Concentrations of sigmaPCBs in tissue did not exceed 100 ng/g, wet wt. Concentrations of toxic metals were less than the limits of detection. Because no significant numbers of green frog deformities were observed in this region, it can be assumed that at these low concentrations, physical malformations in green frogs should not be observed. Significance of study. This study provides information on the incidence of deformities in green frog populations in southwestern Michigan and offers background data on chemical residues in green frogs and their environment.

Habitat use and spatial structure of a barking frog (Eleutherodactylus augusti) population in southeastern Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goldberg, C.S.; Schwalbe, C.R.

2004-01-01

Barking Frogs (Eleutherodactylus augusti) are the northernmost ranging member of the large tropical family Leptodactylidae. We investigated the ecology of this saxicolous species at the northern edge of its range in a canyon in southern Arizona. We captured 54 frogs on discontinuous rock outcrops; eight of nine females and 39 of 45 males were on limestone outcrops. The remaining frogs were closer to limestone outcrops by more than 200 m than would be expected if they were distributed randomly with respect to limestone formations. Seven of 10 frogs radio-tracked had core home ranges (50% fixed kernel) from 94 to 100% on limestone; the other three frogs did not have any part of their home range on limestone outcrops. During five years of mark-recapture efforts, no frogs were found on a different outcrop from the one where they were originally captured; no radio-tracked frogs moved between outcrops during the breeding season. We estimated that four to 20 Barking Frogs occupied each outcrop; these groups probably are connected primarily by juvenile dispersal. As an organism living at the edge of its range, Barking Frogs in Arizona may rely heavily on extensive underground areas such as those found in limestone to protect them from a physiologically challenging environment. To manage for the persistence of Barking Frogs in southern Arizona, we must identify and protect habitat patches and movement pathways among them.

Albumin Evolution in Frogs: A Test of the Evolutionary Clock Hypothesis

PubMed Central

Wallace, Donald G.; Maxson, Linda R.; Wilson, Allan C.

1971-01-01

Frogs are an ancient group compared to placental mammals. Yet, although there are about as many species of frogs as there are of mammals, zoologists consider that frogs have undergone only limited morphological divergence, while placental mammals have diversified greatly in morphology and way of life. The serum albumins of numerous frog species were compared by the quantitative microcomplement fixation technique. Frogs that are morphologically similar enough to merit taxonomic distinction at only the species level often exhibit differences in the serological properties of their albumins larger than those usually seen between mammals placed in distinct families or suborders. Thus, there seems to be a contrast between albumin evolution and evolution at the organismal level. The large differences between albumins among frogs can be explained by the hypothesis that albumin evolution has proceeded at the same rate in frogs as in mammals. PMID:5002283

Practical issues in ultrashort-laser-pulse measurement using frequency-resolved optical gating

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DeLong, K.W.; Fittinghoff, D.N.; Trebino, R.

1996-07-01

The authors explore several practical experimental issues in measuring ultrashort laser pulses using the technique of frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG). They present a simple method for checking the consistency of experimentally measured FROG data with the independently measured spectrum and autocorrelation of the pulse. This method is a powerful way of discovering systematic errors in FROG experiments. They show how to determine the optimum sampling rate for FROG and show that this satisfies the Nyquist criterion for the laser pulse. They explore the low- and high-power limits to FROG and determine that femtojoule operation should be possible, while the effectsmore » of self-phase modulation limit the highest signal efficiency in FROG to 1%. They also show quantitatively that the temporal blurring due to a finite-thickness medium in single-shot geometries does not strongly limit the FROG technique. They explore the limiting time-bandwidth values that can be represented on a FROG trace of a given size. Finally, they report on a new measure of the FROG error that improves convergence in the presence of noise.« less

Assessment of economic effectiveness in treatment of neuropathic pain and refractory angina pectoris using spinal cord stimulation.

PubMed

Harat, Aleksandra; Sokal, Paweł; Zieliński, Piotr; Harat, Marek; Rusicka, Teresa; Herbowski, Leszek

2012-01-01

The implementation of new diagnostic and therapeutic technologies is related to expanding financial needs. The escalation of expenses for health protection and simultaneous economic problems has resulted in an interest in the subject of economic assessment. Decision makers in the health sector should have reasonable tools that will allow them to make complex evaluations of the economic suitability of health technologies. Economic analysis should also prove that launching new procedures can save money. Numerous studies indicate that chronic pain and psycho-sociological variables lead to a worse quality of life. Chronic pain issues are a major public health problem, by virtue of the difficulties in efficient therapy and the social costs reflected in incapability of work and disability. Spinal cord stimulation is the most efficacious procedure in the treatment of chronic pain. The aim of the study was to estimate the costs of treatment of 37 patients suffering from refractory angina pectoris and neuropathic pain who underwent SCS surgery between 2002 and 2008 in the Neurosurgery Clinic of the 10th Military Hospital in Bydgoszcz in the period of two years before and two years after spinal cord stimulation. The authors also assessed quality of life, using the SF 36 questionnaire, and degree of pain using VAS. The issue was examined with a cost-benefit analysis. Cost was understood as the expenses made two years before and two years after the SCS procedure. The benefits were health care expenses saved by implementation of the SCS procedure. All the costs included in both alternative treatment techniques in a period of 5 years underwent a discounting procedure. The authors also included the price of the neurostimulator under a sensitivity analysis. To assess the quality of life before and after the SCS procedure, a SF 36 questionnaire was used, and to assess the level of pain before and after the SCS procedure, the VAS scale. The costs of treatment of refractory angina pectoris and neuropathic pain are lower when using spinal cord stimulation. In the case of refractory angina pectoris, savings reached 46% whereas in the case of neuropathic pain, 13.2%. The costs of the purchase of the device returned in three years for angina pectoris and seven years for neuropathic pain. SCS in both cases brought a reduction of the level of pain and an improvement to quality of life. SCS in both neuropathic pain and refractory angina pectoris is a procedure that brings benefits in the form of savings. After using SCS in both cases, the quality of life improved and the level of pain was reduced.

The extraordinary biology and development of marsupial frogs (Hemiphractidae) in comparison with fish, mammals, birds, amphibians and other animals.

PubMed

Del Pino, Eugenia M

2018-01-03

The study of oogenesis and early development of frogs belonging to the family Hemiphractidae provide important comparison to the aquatic development of other frogs, such as Xenopus laevis, because reproduction on land characterizes the Hemiphractidae. In this review, the multinucleated oogenesis of the marsupial frog Flectonotus pygmaeus (Hemiphractidae) is analyzed and interpreted. In addition, the adaptations associated with the incubation of embryos in the pouch of the female marsupial frog Gastrotheca riobambae (Hemiphractidae) and the embryonic development of this frog are summarized. Moreover, G. riobambae gastrulation is compared with the gastrulation modes of Engystomops randi and Engystomops coloradorum (Leptodactylidae); Ceratophrys stolzmanni (Ceratophryidae); Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni and Espadarana callistomma (Centrolenidae); Ameerega bilinguis, Dendrobates auratus, Epipedobates anthonyi, Epipedobates machalilla, Epipedobates tricolor, and Hyloxalus vertebralis (Dendrobatidae); Eleutherodactylus coqui (Terrarana: Eleutherodactylidae), and X. laevis (Pipidae). The comparison indicated two modes of frog gastrulation. In X. laevis and in frogs with aquatic reproduction, convergent extension begins during gastrulation. In contrast, convergent extension occurs in the post-gastrula of frogs with terrestrial reproduction. These two modes of gastrulation resemble the transitions toward meroblastic cleavage found in ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii). In spite of this difference, the genes that guide early development seem to be highly conserved in frogs. I conclude that the shift of convergent extension to the post-gastrula accompanied the diversification of frog egg size and terrestrial reproductive modes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prototype next generation frog foundation - preliminary evaluation : research results.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-06-01

Conventional wisdom suggests that a solid or rigid one-piece frog is preferred because it is easy to maintain. However, testing and subsequent modeling demonstrated that a flexible frog (i.e., a two-piece frog split in the flangeway) produced signifi...

Checklist and Simple Identification Key for Frogs and Toads from District IV of The MADA Scheme, Kedah, Malaysia

PubMed Central

Jaafar, Ibrahim; Chai, Teoh Chia; Sah, Shahrul Anuar Mohd; Akil, Mohd Abdul Muin Md.

2009-01-01

A survey was conducted to catalogue the diversity of anurans in District IV of the Muda Agriculture Development Authority Scheme (MADA) in Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia, from July 1996 to January 1997. Eight species of anurans from three families were present in the study area. Of these, the Common Grass Frog (Fejevarya limnocharis) was the most abundant, followed by Mangrove Frog (Fejevarya cancrivora), Long-legged Frog (Hylarana macrodactyla), and Common Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus). Puddle Frog (Occidozyga lima), Taiwanese Giant Frog (Hoplobatrachus rugulosus), and Banded Bullfrog (Kaluola pulchra) were rare during the sampling period, and only one Paddy Frog (Hylarana erythraea) was captured. A simple identification key for the anurans of this area is included for use by scientists and laymen alike. PMID:24575178

Prodigiosin, Violacein, and Volatile Organic Compounds Produced by Widespread Cutaneous Bacteria of Amphibians Can Inhibit Two Batrachochytrium Fungal Pathogens.

PubMed

Woodhams, Douglas C; LaBumbard, Brandon C; Barnhart, Kelly L; Becker, Matthew H; Bletz, Molly C; Escobar, Laura A; Flechas, Sandra V; Forman, Megan E; Iannetta, Anthony A; Joyce, Maureen D; Rabemananjara, Falitiana; Gratwicke, Brian; Vences, Miguel; Minbiole, Kevin P C

2018-05-01

Symbiotic bacteria can produce secondary metabolites and volatile compounds that contribute to amphibian skin defense. Some of these symbionts have been used as probiotics to treat or prevent the emerging disease chytridiomycosis. We examined 20 amphibian cutaneous bacteria for the production of prodigiosin or violacein, brightly colored defense compounds that pigment the bacteria and have characteristic spectroscopic properties making them readily detectable, and evaluated the antifungal activity of these compounds. We detected violacein from all six isolates of Janthinobacterium lividum on frogs from the USA, Switzerland, and on captive frogs originally from Panama. We detected prodigiosin from five isolates of Serratia plymuthica or S. marcescens, but not from four isolates of S. fonticola or S. liquefaciens. All J. lividum isolates produced violacein when visibly purple, while prodigiosin was only detected on visibly red Serratia isolates. When applied to cultures of chytrid fungi Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and B. salamandrivorans (Bsal), prodigiosin caused significant growth inhibition, with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 10 and 50 μM, respectively. Violacein showed a MIC of 15 μM against both fungi and was slightly more active against Bsal than Bd at lower concentrations. Although neither violacein nor prodigiosin showed aerosol activity and is not considered a volatile organic compound (VOC), J. lividum and several Serratia isolates did produce antifungal VOCs. White Serratia isolates with undetectable prodigiosin levels could still inhibit Bd growth indicating additional antifungal compounds in their chemical arsenals. Similarly, J. lividum can produce antifungal compounds such as indole-3-carboxaldehyde in addition to violacein, and isolates are not always purple, or turn purple under certain growth conditions. When Serratia isolates were grown in the presence of cell-free supernatant (CFS) from the fungi, CFS from Bd inhibited growth of the prodigiosin-producing isolates, perhaps indicative of an evolutionary arms race; Bsal CFS did not inhibit bacterial growth. In contrast, growth of one J. lividum isolate was facilitated by CFS from both fungi. Isolates that grow and continue to produce antifungal compounds in the presence of pathogens may represent promising probiotics for amphibians infected or at risk of chytridiomycosis. In a global analysis, 89% of tested Serratia isolates and 82% of J. lividum isolates were capable of inhibiting Bd and these have been reported from anurans and caudates from five continents, indicating their widespread distribution and potential for host benefit.

The effect of captivity on the skin microbial symbionts in three Atelopus species from the lowlands of Colombia and Ecuador.

PubMed

Flechas, Sandra V; Blasco-Zúñiga, Ailin; Merino-Viteri, Andrés; Ramírez-Castañeda, Valeria; Rivera, Miryan; Amézquita, Adolfo

2017-01-01

Many amphibian species are at risk of extinction in their natural habitats due to the presence of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( Bd ). For the most highly endangered species , captive assurance colonies have been established as an emergency measure to avoid extinction. Experimental research has suggested that symbiotic microorganisms in the skin of amphibians play a key role against Bd . While previous studies have addressed the effects of captivity on the cutaneous bacterial community, it remains poorly studied whether and how captive conditions affect the proportion of beneficial bacteria or their anti- Bd performance on amphibian hosts. In this study we sampled three amphibian species of the highly threatened genus, Atelopus , that remain in the wild but are also part of ex situ breeding programs in Colombia and Ecuador. Our goals were to (1) estimate the diversity of culturable bacterial assemblages in these three species of Atelopus , (2) describe the effect of captivity on the composition of skin microbiota, and (3) examine how captivity affects the bacterial ability to inhibit Bd growth. Using challenge assays we tested each bacterial isolate against Bd , and through sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we identified species from thirteen genera of bacteria that inhibited Bd growth. Surprisingly, we did not detect a reduction in skin bacteria diversity in captive frogs. Moreover, we found that frogs in captivity still harbor bacteria with anti- Bd activity. Although the scope of our study is limited to a few species and to the culturable portion of the bacterial community, our results indicate that captive programs do not necessarily change bacterial communities of the toad skins in a way that impedes the control of Bd in case of an eventual reintroduction.

The effect of captivity on the skin microbial symbionts in three Atelopus species from the lowlands of Colombia and Ecuador

PubMed Central

Blasco-Zúñiga, Ailin; Merino-Viteri, Andrés; Ramírez-Castañeda, Valeria; Rivera, Miryan; Amézquita, Adolfo

2017-01-01

Many amphibian species are at risk of extinction in their natural habitats due to the presence of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). For the most highly endangered species, captive assurance colonies have been established as an emergency measure to avoid extinction. Experimental research has suggested that symbiotic microorganisms in the skin of amphibians play a key role against Bd. While previous studies have addressed the effects of captivity on the cutaneous bacterial community, it remains poorly studied whether and how captive conditions affect the proportion of beneficial bacteria or their anti-Bd performance on amphibian hosts. In this study we sampled three amphibian species of the highly threatened genus, Atelopus, that remain in the wild but are also part of ex situ breeding programs in Colombia and Ecuador. Our goals were to (1) estimate the diversity of culturable bacterial assemblages in these three species of Atelopus, (2) describe the effect of captivity on the composition of skin microbiota, and (3) examine how captivity affects the bacterial ability to inhibit Bd growth. Using challenge assays we tested each bacterial isolate against Bd, and through sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we identified species from thirteen genera of bacteria that inhibited Bd growth. Surprisingly, we did not detect a reduction in skin bacteria diversity in captive frogs. Moreover, we found that frogs in captivity still harbor bacteria with anti-Bd activity. Although the scope of our study is limited to a few species and to the culturable portion of the bacterial community, our results indicate that captive programs do not necessarily change bacterial communities of the toad skins in a way that impedes the control of Bd in case of an eventual reintroduction. PMID:28785515

Natural levels of abnormalities in the trilling frog (neobactrachus centralis) at the Olympic dam mine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Read, J.L.; Tyler, M.J.

1994-07-01

Frogs are more susceptible than most vertebrates to environmental contaminants. Unlike amniotes, the frog egg is not protected by a semi-impervious shell, and hence is readily exposed to pollutants. In addition, tadpoles develop in wetlands to which many noxious substances drain from the surrounding landscape. Coupled with this high exposure rate, frogs are also very sensitive to trace elements, some pesticides, heavy metals especially when coupled with exposure to low pH and ionizing radiation. Frogs commonly exhibit discernible deformities following exposure to teratogenic contaminants, and therefore are valuable indicators of the existence of noxious substances in the environment. The abundancemore » and ease of sampling of frogs, along with their sensitivity to environmental contaminants, makes them ideal organisms for environmental monitoring in the Australian arid zone. The study of abnormalities in frogs has become an integral part of the Environmental Management Programme of the Olympic Dam Operations (ODO) copper-uranium-gold-silver mine in northern South Australia. The Trilling Frog (Neobatrachus centralis) is the only frog species which has been recorded at Olympic Dam. It is likely that these frogs, are relatively sedentary, thus enhancing their value as indicator organisms. A pilot survey in 1989 documented frog deformity levels comparable to those found at undisturbed sites in Australia and in other countries. This paper reports on larger study conducted in February and March 1992 when heavy rains provided another opportunity to survey the frog population. The low levels of abnormalities support the conclusion that N. centralis at Olympic Dam does not appear to be accumulating or being influenced by the very low levels of radionuclides present here.« less

Enzymatic Regulation of Glycogenolysis in a Subarctic Population of the Wood Frog: Implications for Extreme Freeze Tolerance

PubMed Central

do Amaral, M. Clara F.; Lee, Richard E.; Costanzo, Jon P.

2013-01-01

The wood frog, Rana sylvatica, from Interior Alaska survives freezing at –16°C, a temperature 10–13°C below that tolerated by its southern conspecifics. We investigated the hepatic freezing response in this northern phenotype to determine if its profound freeze tolerance is associated with an enhanced glucosic cryoprotectant system. Alaskan frogs had a larger liver glycogen reserve that was mobilized faster during early freezing as compared to conspecifics from a cool-temperate region (southern Ohio, USA). In Alaskan frogs the rapid glucose production in the first hours of freezing was associated with a 7-fold increase in glycogen phosphorylase activity above unfrozen frog levels, and the activity of this enzyme was higher than that of frozen Ohioan frogs. Freezing of Ohioan frogs induced a more modest (4-fold) increase in glycogen phosphorylase activity above unfrozen frog values. Relative to the Ohioan frogs, Alaskan frogs maintained a higher total protein kinase A activity throughout an experimental freezing/thawing time course, and this may have potentiated glycogenolysis during early freezing. We found populational variation in the activity and protein level of protein kinase A which suggested that the Alaskan population had a more efficient form of this enzyme. Alaskan frogs modulated their glycogenolytic response by decreasing the activity of glycogen phosphorylase after cryoprotectant mobilization was well under way, thereby conserving their hepatic glycogen reserve. Ohioan frogs, however, sustained high glycogen phosphorylase activity until early thawing and consumed nearly all their liver glycogen. These unique hepatic responses of Alaskan R. sylvatica likely contribute to this phenotype’s exceptional freeze tolerance, which is necessary for their survival in a subarctic climate. PMID:24236105

Condition-dependent reproductive effort in frogs infected by a widespread pathogen

PubMed Central

Roznik, Elizabeth A.; Sapsford, Sarah J.; Pike, David A.; Schwarzkopf, Lin; Alford, Ross A.

2015-01-01

To minimize the negative effects of an infection on fitness, hosts can respond adaptively by altering their reproductive effort or by adjusting their timing of reproduction. We studied effects of the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on the probability of calling in a stream-breeding rainforest frog (Litoria rheocola). In uninfected frogs, calling probability was relatively constant across seasons and body conditions, but in infected frogs, calling probability differed among seasons (lowest in winter, highest in summer) and was strongly and positively related to body condition. Infected frogs in poor condition were up to 40% less likely to call than uninfected frogs, whereas infected frogs in good condition were up to 30% more likely to call than uninfected frogs. Our results suggest that frogs employed a pre-existing, plastic, life-history strategy in response to infection, which may have complex evolutionary implications. If infected males in good condition reproduce at rates equal to or greater than those of uninfected males, selection on factors affecting disease susceptibility may be minimal. However, because reproductive effort in infected males is positively related to body condition, there may be selection on mechanisms that limit the negative effects of infections on hosts. PMID:26063847

Immediate and long-term clinical outcome after spinal cord stimulation for refractory stable angina pectoris.

PubMed

Di Pede, Francesco; Lanza, Gaetano Antonio; Zuin, Guerrino; Alfieri, Ottavio; Rapati, Massimo; Romanò, Massimo; Circo, Antonio; Cardano, Paola; Bellocci, Fulvio; Santini, Massimo; Maseri, Attilio

2003-04-15

The treatment of patients with angina pectoris refractory to medical therapy and unsuitable for revascularization procedures has yet not been well standardized. Previous retrospective studies and small prospective studies have suggested beneficial effects of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in these patients. We created a Prospective Italian Registry of SCS to evaluate the short- and long-term clinical outcome of patients who underwent SCS device implantation because of severe refractory angina pectoris. Overall, 104 patients were enrolled in the registry (70 men, aged 68 +/- 17 years), most of whom (83%) had severe coronary artery disease. Average follow-up was 13.2 +/- 8 months. Overall, 17 patients (16%) died, 8 (8%) due to cardiac death. Among clinical variables, only age was found to be significantly associated both with total mortality (p = 0.04) and cardiac mortality (p = 0.02) on Cox regression analysis. A significant improvement of anginal symptoms (> or =50% reduction of weekly anginal episodes, compared with baseline) occurred in 73% of patients, and Canadian Cardiovascular Society angina class improved by > or =1 class in 80% and by > or =2 classes in 42% of patients, with a relevant reduction in the rate of hospital admission and days spent in the hospital because of angina (p <0.0001 for both). No life-threatening or clinically serious complications were observed. The most frequent side effect consisted of superficial infections, either at the site of puncture of electrode insertion or of the abdominal pocket, which occurred in 6 patients. In conclusion, our prospective data point out that SCS can be performed safely and is associated with a sustained improvement of anginal symptoms in a relevant number of patients with refractory stable angina pectoris.

Heart rate dynamics in patients with stable angina pectoris and utility of fractal and complexity measures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Makikallio, T. H.; Ristimae, T.; Airaksinen, K. E.; Peng, C. K.; Goldberger, A. L.; Huikuri, H. V.

1998-01-01

Dynamic analysis techniques may uncover abnormalities in heart rate (HR) behavior that are not easily detectable with conventional statistical measures. However, the applicability of these new methods for detecting possible abnormalities in HR behavior in various cardiovascular disorders is not well established. Conventional measures of HR variability were compared with short-term (< or = 11 beats, alpha1) and long-term (> 11 beats, alpha2) fractal correlation properties and with approximate entropy of RR interval data in 38 patients with stable angina pectoris without previous myocardial infarction or cardiac medication at the time of the study and 38 age-matched healthy controls. The short- and long-term fractal scaling exponents (alpha1, alpha2) were significantly higher in the coronary patients than in the healthy controls (1.34 +/- 0.15 vs 1.11 +/- 0.12 [p <0.001] and 1.10 +/- 0.08 vs 1.04 +/- 0.06 [p <0.01], respectively), and they also had lower approximate entropy (p <0.05), standard deviation of all RR intervals (p <0.01), and high-frequency spectral component of HR variability (p <0.05). The short-term fractal scaling exponent performed better than other heart rate variability parameters in differentiating patients with coronary artery disease from healthy subjects, but it was not related to the clinical or angiographic severity of coronary artery disease or any single nonspectral or spectral measure of HR variability in this retrospective study. Patients with stable angina pectoris have altered fractal properties and reduced complexity in their RR interval dynamics relative to age-matched healthy subjects. Dynamic analysis may complement traditional analyses in detecting altered HR behavior in patients with stable angina pectoris.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Is More Beneficial Than Optimal Medical Therapy in Elderly Patients with Angina Pectoris.

PubMed

Won, Hoyoun; Her, Ae Young; Kim, Byeong Keuk; Kim, Yong Hoon; Shin, Dong Ho; Kim, Jung Sun; Ko, Young Guk; Choi, Donghoon; Kwon, Hyuck Moon; Jang, Yangsoo; Hong, Myeong Ki

2016-03-01

Data comparing the clinical benefits of medical treatment with those of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in an elderly population with angina pectoris are limited. Therefore, we evaluated the efficacy of elective PCI versus optimal medical treatment (OMT) in elderly patients (between 75 and 84 years old) with angina pectoris. One hundred seventy-seven patients with significant coronary artery stenosis were randomly assigned to either the PCI group (n=90) or the OMT group (n=87). The primary outcome was a composite of major adverse events in the 1-year follow-up period that included cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, and stroke. Major adverse events occurred in 5 patients (5.6%) of the PCI group and in 17 patents (19.5%) of the OMT group (p=0.015). There were no significant differences between the PCI group and the OMT group in cardiac death [hazard ratio (HR) for the PCI group 0.454; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.041-5.019, p=0.520], myocardial infarction (HR 0.399; 95% CI 0.039-4.050, p=0.437), or stroke (HR 0.919; 95% CI 0.057-14.709, p=0.952). However, the PCI group showed a significant preventive effect of the composite of major adverse events (HR 0.288; 95% CI 0.106-0.785, p=0.015) and against the need for coronary revascularization (HR 0.157; 95% CI 0.035-0.703, p=0.016). Elective PCI reduced major adverse events and was found to be an effective treatment modality in elderly patients with angina pectoris and significant coronary artery stenosis, compared to OMT.

Accelerated collagen turnover in women with angina pectoris without obstructive coronary artery disease: An iPOWER substudy.

PubMed

Nielsen, Signe H; Mygind, Naja D; Michelsen, Marie M; Bechsgaard, Daria F; Suhrs, Hannah E; Genovese, Federica; Nielsen, Henning B; Brix, Susanne; Karsdal, Morten; Prescott, Eva; Kastrup, Jens

2018-05-01

Aim Collagens are major cardiac extracellular matrix components, known to be actively remodelled and accumulated during diffuse myocardial fibrosis. We evaluated whether accelerated collagen turnover described by neo-epitope biomarkers reflecting collagen formation and degradation separates patients with diffuse myocardial fibrosis from asymptomatic controls. Methods and results Seventy-one women with angina pectoris without significant coronary artery disease assessed by invasive coronary angiogram were included. Competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) measuring circulating protein fragments in serum assessed the formation and degradation of collagen type III (Pro-C3, C3M and C3C), IV (P4NP7S and C4M), V (Pro-C5 and C5M) and VI (Pro-C6 and C6M), and degradation of collagen type I (C1M). Serum samples from 32 age-matched asymptomatic women were included as controls. Symptomatic women presented significantly elevated levels of Pro-C6, C3C, C3M, C4M and C8-C ( p < 0.0001-0.0058) and significantly decreased levels of Pro-C3, C5M and C6M ( p < 0.0001-0.041), reflecting accelerated collagen turnover and an imbalanced collagen formation and degradation compared to controls. Cardiac magnetic resonance T1 mapping was performed to determine extracellular volume fraction and thus diffuse myocardial fibrosis. A significant association was identified between C5M and extracellular volume fraction by cardiac magnetic resonance ( p = 0.01). Conclusion Women with angina pectoris, but without significant obstructive coronary artery disease, showed an imbalanced collagen turnover compared to asymptomatic controls. The examined biomarkers are tools to monitor active collagen remodelling in patients with angina pectoris, in risk of developing myocardial fibrosis.

Prevalence of angina pectoris in the Brazilian population from the Rose questionnaire: analysis of the National Health Survey, 2013.

PubMed

Lotufo, Paulo Andrade; Malta, Deborah Carvalho; Szwarcwald, Celia Landmann; Stopa, Sheila Rizzato; Vieira, Maria Lucia; Bensenor, Isabela Martins

2015-12-01

To estimate the prevalence of angina pectoris in the Brazilian adult population with the use of the Rose questionnaire for angina in the National Health Survey (PNS 2013). Population survey representing the Brazilian population aged 18 years and older, with probability carried out sampling in three stages. The interview records of 60,202 individuals were obtained in the country. The respondent was presented with the short Rose questionnaire with three questions, adapted by Lawlor in 2003 and validated in Brazil, to identify angina pectoris grade I (mild) and II (moderate/severe). The prevalence rate was calculated with a 95% confidence interval (95%CI) according to sex, age, education, and race/color. The prevalence of mild angina (grade I) was of 7.6% (95%CI 7.2 - 8.0) for the entire population, more frequently in women - 9.1% (95%CI 8.5 - 9.7) - than in men - 5.9% (95%CI 5.3 - 6.4). The frequency of moderate/severe angina (grade II) was of 4.2 (95%CI 3.9 - 4.5), also more common in women - 5.2% (95%CI 4.7 - 5.6) - than in men - 3.0% (95%CI 2.7 - 3.4). The prevalence of angina by age group increased progressively with age. The prevalence of angina of any sort was inverse to years of formal study. Despite the higher value of the presence of angina in black people, there was no significant difference by race/skin color. The high prevalence rate of angina pectoris in the population aged 18 years and above was consistent with studies in other countries, revealing the importance of coronary heart disease as a public health problem.

Enhanced External Counterpulsation Is an Effective Treatment for Depression in Patients With Refractory Angina Pectoris

PubMed Central

Søgaard, Hans Jørgen

2015-01-01

Objective: To examine the effect of enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) on depression in patients with refractory angina pectoris (Canadian Cardiovascular Society class 2–4). Method: The study was a prospective observational investigation with a 2-month control period preceding the EECP therapy (to minimize a possible effect of the regression-toward-the-mean phenomenon). The patients were examined 2 months before and just before EECP and just after, 3 months after, and 12 months after EECP. Depression was assessed using the Major Depression Inventory and the ICD-10. During EECP, 3 sets of cuffs were fastened around the lower extremities and were inflated sequentially to a pressure of 260 mm Hg in each diastole for 60 minutes 5 days a week for 7 weeks (35 sessions). The study was conducted at a regional hospital in Denmark from May 2006 to January 2011. Results: Fifty patients with angina pectoris and an abnormal coronary angiography, with no possibility for revascularization, were included (72% men, mean age of 63 years) between May 2006 and January 2011. The prevalence of depression before EECP was 18%, just after was 2%, 3 months after was 2%, and 12 months after was 4% (P = .013). The depressive state was more severe at a lower age (P = .016). No significant predictors of effect of EECP on depression were found (P > .05), and no association was detected between decline in depressive state and chest pain (P > .05). Conclusions: The study indicates that EECP is an effective treatment for depression in patients with refractory angina pectoris, that depression is more severe in younger patients, and that the effect of EECP on depression is not related to the effect on chest pain. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01112163 PMID:26693035

Assessment of radiocesium contamination in frogs 18 months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster

PubMed Central

Matsushima, Noe; Ihara, Sadao; Takase, Minoru; Horiguchi, Toshihiro

2015-01-01

We investigated the accumulation of radionuclides in frogs inhabiting radioactively contaminated areas around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) to search for possible adverse effects due to radionuclides. We collected 5 frog species and soil samples in areas within and outside a 20-km radius from FDNPP in August and September 2012 and determined their radiocesium concentrations (134Cs and 137Cs). There was a positive correlation between radiocesium concentrations in the soil samples and frogs, and the highest concentration in frogs was 47,278.53 Bq/kg-wet. Although we conducted a histological examination of frog ovaries and testes by light microscopy to detect possible effects of radionuclides on the morphology of germ cells, there were no clear abnormalities in the gonadal tissues of frogs collected from sites with different contamination levels. PMID:25857262

Assessment of radiocesium contamination in frogs 18 months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsushima, Noe; Ihara, Sadao; Takase, Minoru; Horiguchi, Toshihiro

2015-04-01

We investigated the accumulation of radionuclides in frogs inhabiting radioactively contaminated areas around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) to search for possible adverse effects due to radionuclides. We collected 5 frog species and soil samples in areas within and outside a 20-km radius from FDNPP in August and September 2012 and determined their radiocesium concentrations (134Cs and 137Cs). There was a positive correlation between radiocesium concentrations in the soil samples and frogs, and the highest concentration in frogs was 47,278.53 Bq/kg-wet. Although we conducted a histological examination of frog ovaries and testes by light microscopy to detect possible effects of radionuclides on the morphology of germ cells, there were no clear abnormalities in the gonadal tissues of frogs collected from sites with different contamination levels.

Assessment of radiocesium contamination in frogs 18 months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

PubMed

Matsushima, Noe; Ihara, Sadao; Takase, Minoru; Horiguchi, Toshihiro

2015-04-10

We investigated the accumulation of radionuclides in frogs inhabiting radioactively contaminated areas around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) to search for possible adverse effects due to radionuclides. We collected 5 frog species and soil samples in areas within and outside a 20-km radius from FDNPP in August and September 2012 and determined their radiocesium concentrations ((134)Cs and (137)Cs). There was a positive correlation between radiocesium concentrations in the soil samples and frogs, and the highest concentration in frogs was 47,278.53 Bq/kg-wet. Although we conducted a histological examination of frog ovaries and testes by light microscopy to detect possible effects of radionuclides on the morphology of germ cells, there were no clear abnormalities in the gonadal tissues of frogs collected from sites with different contamination levels.

Conservation in the Teaching Laboratory--Substitution of Xenopus for Rana.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernhart, David M; And Others

1991-01-01

Reports on experimental comparisons between the leopard frog, currently captured for laboratory use, and the African clawed frog, raised specifically for research. Except for the increased longevity of isolated nerve axons in the clawed frog, no other significant differences were established. Recommends laboratory use of clawed frogs as…

Nematode and ciliate nasal infection in captive archey's frogs (Leiopelma archeyi).

PubMed

Shaw, Stephanie; Speare, Richard; Lynn, Denis H; Yeates, Gregor; Zhao, Zeng; Berger, Lee; Jakob-Hoff, Richard

2011-09-01

Archey's frogs (Leiopelma archeyi) are first on the list of evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered (EDGE) amphibians. Captive breeding is an important strategy for protection of the species, but programs are hampered by a lack of information on diseases present in wild and captive populations. Two novel nematodes (Koerneria sp. and Rhabditis sp.) were found separately in four captive Archey's frogs showing clinical signs of hemorrhagic purulent nasal discharge and weight loss. One of these frogs also had a novel protozoal infection (Tetrahymena) in the nasal cavity. Koerneria, Rhabditis, and Tetrahymena have not previously been reported in amphibians in New Zealand. One frog was treated successfully with oral moxidectin at 0.4 mg/kg for the nematode infection and topical metronidazole at 10 mg/kg for the protozoal infection. The clinical signs abated only after both infections were cleared. The second frog died before treatment could be established. The third and fourth frogs were found dead.

Development of the pseudothumb in frogs

PubMed Central

Tokita, Masayoshi; Iwai, Noriko

2010-01-01

Frogs have highly conserved hand and foot morphology, possessing four fingers and five toes. As an exception, two Japanese ranid frog species, the Otton frog Babina subaspera and the dagger frog Babina holsti, possess a unique thumb-like structure (the pseudothumb) in the forelimb, giving an appearance of a total of five fingers on the hand. To obtain insights into the developmental mechanisms that generate this novel character, we investigated the hand morphogenesis of the Otton frog. The unique morphological pattern of the pseudothumb was already established in juveniles. Surprisingly, the bud-like structure, which is similar to the area of inductive activity (e.g. feather buds in birds and the carapacial ridge in turtles), was detected over the site where the future prepollex develops in larvae. By contrast, this bud-like structure was not found in larvae of other ranid species. We discuss possible scenarios that would favour the evolution of this very unusual trait in frogs. PMID:20147308

49 CFR 236.327 - Switch, movable-point frog or split-point derail.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Switch, movable-point frog or split-point derail..., AND APPLIANCES Interlocking Rules and Instructions § 236.327 Switch, movable-point frog or split-point derail. Switch, movable-point frog, or split-point derail equipped with lock rod shall be maintained so...

49 CFR 236.327 - Switch, movable-point frog or split-point derail.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Switch, movable-point frog or split-point derail..., AND APPLIANCES Interlocking Rules and Instructions § 236.327 Switch, movable-point frog or split-point derail. Switch, movable-point frog, or split-point derail equipped with lock rod shall be maintained so...

49 CFR 236.327 - Switch, movable-point frog or split-point derail.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Switch, movable-point frog or split-point derail..., AND APPLIANCES Interlocking Rules and Instructions § 236.327 Switch, movable-point frog or split-point derail. Switch, movable-point frog, or split-point derail equipped with lock rod shall be maintained so...

49 CFR 236.327 - Switch, movable-point frog or split-point derail.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Switch, movable-point frog or split-point derail..., AND APPLIANCES Interlocking Rules and Instructions § 236.327 Switch, movable-point frog or split-point derail. Switch, movable-point frog, or split-point derail equipped with lock rod shall be maintained so...

49 CFR 236.327 - Switch, movable-point frog or split-point derail.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Switch, movable-point frog or split-point derail..., AND APPLIANCES Interlocking Rules and Instructions § 236.327 Switch, movable-point frog or split-point derail. Switch, movable-point frog, or split-point derail equipped with lock rod shall be maintained so...

A regional survey of malformed frogs in Minnesota (USA) (Minnesota malformed frogs).

PubMed

Vandenlangenberg, Susan M; Canfield, Jeffrey T; Magner, Joseph A

2003-02-01

In late 1995, school children discovered malformed frogs in a south central Minnesota pond. Press coverage resulted in numerous citizen reports of frog malformation across Minnesota in 1996. After some initial site investigation, 3 affected frog sites and 4 nearby reference sites were selected for more detailed evaluation. Field biologists made 89 visits to study sites beginning spring 1997 through fall 1999 to examine the number and type of frog malformations. Over 5,100 Leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) were captured and examined at all study sites. Water elevations and associated littoral inundation were recorded from 1997-2000. Results indicate that malformation occurred at all study sites above historical background levels. Rana pipiens malformation across all sites over three seasons averaged 7.9% and ranged from 0 to 7% at reference sites and 4 to 23% at affected sites. At one northern Minnesota site, mink frog (Rana septentrionalis) malformation was 75% in 1998. A site characteristic common to the most affected sites was an elastic zone of littoral inundation. Climate driven hydrologic variation likely influenced water depth and associated breeding locations.

Diet of introduced bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana): Predation on and diet overlap with native frogs on Daishan Island, China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wu, Zhengjun; Li, Y.; Wang, Y.; Adams, Michael J.

2005-01-01

We examined diet of introduced Bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) and three native frog species (Rana limnocharis, Rana nigromaculata, and Bufo bufo gargarizans) co-occurring at a group of ponds on Daishan Island, east of China, to gain insight into the nature of potential interactions between Bullfrogs and native frog species. For postmetamorphic Bullfrogs, aquatic prey items dominated volumetrically. Prey size, diet volume and volumetric percentage of native frogs in diet increased with Bullfrog body size. The number and volumetric percentage of native frogs in the diet were not different for female and male Bullfrogs, and both were higher for adults than for juveniles. Diet overlap between males and juveniles was higher than that between males and females and between females and juveniles. Diet overlap with each native frog species of male Bullfrogs was lower than that of female Bullfrogs and juvenile Bullfrogs. We did not exam effects of Bullfrogs on native frogs but our results suggest that the primary threat posed by juvenile Bullfrogs to native frogs on Daishan Island is competition for food, whereas the primary threat posed by male Bullfrogs is direct predation. Female Bullfrogs may threaten native frogs by both competition and predation. These differences among Bullfrog groups may be attributed to differences in body size and microhabitat use.

[Remarks on angina pectoris].

PubMed

Scardi, Sabino; Perazza, Luca

2005-03-01

In the first volume of the New England Journal of Medicine of 1812, J. Warren published a paper on the subject of angina pectoris, in which clearly emerge the difficulties facing the physicians of that time in trying to formulate a correct diagnosis and prescribe the right therapy. We thought it would be certainly of interest to offer our readers an Italian translation of this article, obviously with some stylistic modifications and supplemented with information coming from other historical scientific works. William Heberden in his report on " breast pain" was the first physician to use the term "angina" and the description of symptoms that he gave in 1772 is still today valid and correct.

Coronary surgery for unstable angina pectoris. Incidence and mortality of perioperative myocardial infarction.

PubMed Central

Langou, R A; Wiles, J C; Cohen, L S

1978-01-01

The incidence of perioperative myocardial infarction determined by electrocardiogram was examined in 123 consecutive patients having only coronary artery bypass grafting for unstable angina pectoris, at Yale-New Haven Hospital from January 1974 to June 1975. The incidence of myocardial infarction and its mortality were correlated with clinical, haemodynamic, anatomical, and operative factors. Myocardial infarction occurred in 18% of all patients (22/123); 15 inferior, 6 anterior, and 1 anterolateral wall. Three factors appeared to be related to the occurrence of myocardial infarction: left main coronary artery disease (LMCD), (47%, 7/15), increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), (27%, 14/52), and cardiopulmonary bypass time more than 60 minutes (24%, 21/88). The mortality of perioperative myocardial infarcation was 13.6% (3/22), while for patients without perioperative myocardial infarction the mortality was 2% (2/101). The overall operative mortality was 4% (5/123). The risk of perioperative myocardial infarction is significantly increased by left main coronary artery disease, increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, and cardiopulmonary bypass time more than 60 minutes, in patients undergoing coronary artery surgery for unstable angina pectoris. The mortality of perioperative myocardial infarction is high (13.6%) in patients with unstable angina. PMID:308374

Emerging drugs for the treatment of angina pectoris.

PubMed

Chong, Cher-Rin; Ong, Gao J; Horowitz, John D

2016-12-01

Angina pectoris, or symptomatic myocardial ischaemia, reflects an impairment of coronary blood flow, and usually a deficiency of available myocardial energetics. Treatment options vary with the precise cause, which may vary with regards to the roles of increased myocardial oxygen demand versus reduced supply. Traditionally, organic nitrates, β-adrenoceptor antagonists, and non-dihydropyridine calcium antagonists were the only commonly used prophylactic anti-anginal agents. However, many patients failed to respond adequately to such therapy, and/or were unsuitable for their use. Areas covered: A number of 'new' agents have been shown to represent ancillary forms of prophylactic anti-anginal therapy and are particularly useful in patients who are relatively unsuitable for either percutaneous or surgical revascularisation. These include modulators of myocardial metabolic efficiency, such as perhexiline, trimetazidine and ranolazine, as well as high dose allopurinol, nicorandil and ivabradine. The advantages and disadvantages of these various agents are summarized. Expert opinion: 'Optimal' medical treatment of angina pectoris now includes use of agents primarily intended to reduce risk of infarction (e.g. statins, aspirin, ACE inhibitors). In patients whose angina persists despite the use of 'standard' anti-anginal therapy, and who are not ideal for invasive revascularization options, a number of emerging drugs offer prospects of symptomatic relief.

Dynamics of testis-ova in a wild population of Japanese pond frogs, Rana nigromaculata.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Tohru; Kumakura, Masahiko; Yoshie, Sumio; Sugishima, Tomomi; Horie, Yoshifumi

2015-02-01

Although many studies have reported the occurrence of testis-ova in wild frog populations, the origin and trigger of testis-ova differentiation/development remain unclear. A high frequency of testis-ova has been previously reported for wild populations of the Japanese pond frog, Rana nigromaculata (cf. Iwasawa and Asai, '59). In the present study, we aimed to clarify the dynamics of testis-ova in this frog species, including the origin and artificial induction of testis-ova. Testis-ova were observed in both mature frogs and puberty-stage frogs (i.e., 0- and 1-year-old frogs). However, the early stages of testis-ova (~pachytene stage) were mostly observed in puberty-stage male frogs at the onset of spermatogenesis. The early stages of testis-ova were observed in the cysts of early secondary spermatogonia and the single cysts of the primary spermatogonium. This finding indicates that testis-ova differentiation occurs during spermatogonial proliferation and that it is correlated with the initiation of spermatogenesis. We also examined whether estrogen exposure induced testis-ova differentiation and how it is correlated with the progression of spermatogenesis. When 1-year-old frogs were exposed to estradiol-17β during spring (i.e., when spermatogenesis was initiated), testis-ova differentiation was induced in a dose-dependent manner. However, this phenomenon did not occur in 1-year-old frogs during summer, (i.e., when the transition from spermatogonia to spermatocytes mainly occurs). These results present the first evidence that testis-ova of the Japanese pond frog are derived from primary and early secondary spermatogonia, and that estrogen exposure induces testis-ova differentiation accompanied by the initiation of spermatogenesis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Dietary alkaloid sequestration in a poison frog: an experimental test of alkaloid uptake in Melanophryniscus stelzneri (Bufonidae).

PubMed

Hantak, Maggie M; Grant, Taran; Reinsch, Sherri; McGinnity, Dale; Loring, Marjorie; Toyooka, Naoki; Saporito, Ralph A

2013-12-01

Several lineages of brightly colored anurans independently evolved the ability to secrete alkaloid-containing defensive chemicals from granular glands in the skin. These species, collectively referred to as 'poison frogs,' form a polyphyletic assemblage that includes some species of Dendrobatidae, Mantellidae, Myobatrachidae, Bufonidae, and Eleutherodactylidae. The ability to sequester alkaloids from dietary arthropods has been demonstrated experimentally in most poison frog lineages but not in bufonid or eleutherodactylid poison frogs. As with other poison frogs, species of the genus Melanophryniscus (Bufonidae) consume large numbers of mites and ants, suggesting they might also sequester defensive alkaloids from dietary sources. To test this hypothesis, fruit flies dusted with alkaloid/nutritional supplement powder were fed to individual Melanophryniscus stelzneri in two experiments. In the first experiment, the alkaloids 5,8-disubstituted indolizidine 235B' and decahydroquinoline were administered to three individuals for 104 days. In the second experiment, the alkaloids 3,5-disubstituted indolizidine 239Q and decahydroquinoline were given to three frogs for 153 days. Control frogs were fed fruit flies dusted only with nutritional supplement. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses revealed that skin secretions of all experimental frogs contained alkaloids, whereas those of all control frogs lacked alkaloids. Uptake of decahydroquinoline was greater than uptake of 5,8-disubstituted indolizidine, and uptake of 3,5-disubstituted indolizidine was greater than uptake of decahydroquinoline, suggesting greater uptake efficiency of certain alkaloids. Frogs in the second experiment accumulated a greater amount of alkaloid, which corresponds to the longer duration and greater number of alkaloid-dusted fruit flies that were consumed. These findings provide the first experimental evidence that bufonid poison frogs sequester alkaloid-based defenses from dietary sources.

Use of femur bone density to segregate wild from farmed Dybowski's frog (Rana dybowskii).

PubMed

Yang, Shu Hui; Huang, Xiao Ming; Xia, Rui; Xu, Yan Chun; Dahmer, Thomas D

2011-04-15

Wildlife has been utilized by humans throughout history and demand continues to grow today. Farming of wildlife can supplement the supply of wild-harvested wildlife products and, in theory, can reduce pressure on free-ranging populations. However, poached wildlife products frequently enter legal markets where they are fraudulently sold as farmed wildlife products. To effectively close this illegal trade in wild-captured wildlife, there is a need to discriminate wild products from farmed products. Because of the strong market demand for wild-captured frog meat and the resulting strong downward pressure on wild populations, we undertook research to develop a method to discriminate wild from farmed Dybowski's frog (Rana dybowskii) based on femur bone density. We measured femur bone density (D(f)) as the ratio of bone mass to bone volume. D(f) of wild frogs revealed a slightly increasing linear trend with increasing age (R(2)=0.214 in males and R(2)=0.111 in females, p=0.000). Wild males and wild females of age classes from 2 to ≥ 5 years had similar D(f) values. In contrast, 2-year-old farmed frogs showed significantly higher D(f) values (p=0.000) among males (mean D(f)=0.623 ± 0.011 g/ml, n=32) than females (mean D(f)=0.558 ± 0.011 g/ml, n=27). For both sexes, D(f) of wild frogs was significantly higher than that of farmed frogs (p=0.000). Among males, 87.5% (28 of 32 individuals) of farmed frogs were correctly identified as farmed frogs and 86.3% (69 of 80 individuals) of wild frogs were correctly identified as wild frogs. These results suggest that femur bone density is one reliable tool for discriminating between wild and farmed Dybowski's frog. This study also highlights a novel strategy with explicit forensic potential to discriminate wild from captive bred wildlife species. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surveys for presence of Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa): background information and field methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearl, Christopher A.; Clayton, David; Turner, Lauri

2010-01-01

The Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) is the most aquatic of the native frogs in the Pacific Northwest. The common name derives from the pattern of black, ragged-edged spots set against a brown or red ground color on the dorsum of adult frogs. Oregon spotted frogs are generally associated with wetland complexes that have several aquatic habitat types and sizeable coverage of emergent vegetation. Like other ranid frogs native to the Northwest, Oregon spotted frogs breed in spring, larvae transform in summer of their breeding year, and adults tend to be relatively short lived (3-5 yrs). Each life stage (egg, tadpole, juvenile and adult) has characteristics that present challenges for detection. Breeding can be explosive and completed within 1-2 weeks. Egg masses are laid in aggregations, often in a few locations in large areas of potential habitat. Egg masses can develop, hatch, and disintegrate in <2 weeks during warm weather. Tadpoles can be difficult to identify, have low survival, and spend most of their 3-4 months hidden in vegetation or flocculant substrates. Juveniles and adults are often difficult to capture and can spend summers away from breeding areas. Moreover, a substantial portion of extant populations are of limited size (<100 breeding adults), and field densities of all life stages are often low. An understanding of the biology of the species and use of multiple visits are thus important for assessing presence of Oregon spotted frogs. This report is meant to be a resource for USDA Region 6 Forest Service (FS) and OR/WA Bureau of Land Management (BLM) personnel tasked with surveying for the presence of Oregon spotted frogs. Our objective was to summarize information to improve the efficiency of field surveys and increase chances of detection if frogs are present. We include overviews of historical and extant ranges of Oregon spotted frog. We briefly summarize what is known of Oregon spotted frog habitat associations and review aspects of behavior and ecology that are likely to affect detectability in the field. We summarize characteristics that can help differentiate Oregon spotted frog life stages from other northwestern ranid frogs encountered during surveys. Appendices include examples of data collection formats and a protocol for disinfecting field gear.

COMPARATIVE TOXICITY OF DIURON ON SURVIVAL AND GROWTH OF PACIFIC TREEFROG, BULLFROG, RED-LEGGED FROG, AND AFRICAN CLAWED FROG EMBRYOS AND TADPOLES

EPA Science Inventory

The effects of the herbicide diuron on survival and growth of Pacific treefrog (Pseudacris regilla),bullfrog(Rana catesbeiana), red-legged frog(Rana aurora),and African clawed frog(Xenopus laevis)embryos and tadpoles were determined in static-renewal tests. P.regilla and X.laevis...

Effects of the Chytrid fungus on the Tarahumara frog (Rana tarahumarae) in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico

Treesearch

Stephen F. Hale; Philip C. Rosen; James L. Jarchow; Gregory A. Bradley

2005-01-01

We conducted histological analyses on museum specimens collected 1975-1999 from 10 sites in Arizona and Sonora to test for the pathogenic chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) in ranid frogs, focusing on the Tarahumara frog (Rana tarahumarae). During 1981-2000, frogs displaying disease signs were found in the field, and...

49 CFR 213.137 - Frogs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... than 10 m.p.h. (c) If the tread portion of a frog casting is worn down more than three-eighths inch below the original contour, operating speed over that frog shall not be more than 10 m.p.h. (d) Where... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Frogs. 213.137 Section 213.137 Transportation...

Isolation of Brucella inopinata-Like Bacteria from White's and Denny's Tree Frogs.

PubMed

Kimura, Masanobu; Une, Yumi; Suzuki, Michio; Park, Eun-Sil; Imaoka, Koichi; Morikawa, Shigeru

2017-05-01

Brucella inopinata strain BO1 and B. sp. strain BO2 isolated from human patients, respectively, are genetically different from classical Brucella species. We isolated bacteria of the genus Brucella from two species of wild-caught tropical frogs kept in the facilities in Japan: White's tree frog, which inhabits Oceania, and Denny's tree frog, which inhabits Southeast Asia. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA and recA gene sequences and multilocus sequence analysis showed that two isolates of Brucella spp. showed significant similarity to BO1, BO2, and the isolates from other wild-caught frogs. These results suggest that a variety of frog species are susceptible to a novel clade of Brucella bacteria, including B. inopinata.

Prevalence of skeletal and eye malformations in frogs from north-central United States: estimations based on collections from randomly selected sites.

PubMed

Schoff, Patrick K; Johnson, Catherine M; Schotthoefer, Anna M; Murphy, Joseph E; Lieske, Camilla; Cole, Rebecca A; Johnson, Lucinda B; Beasley, Val R

2003-07-01

Skeletal malformation rates for several frog species were determined in a set of randomly selected wetlands in the north-central USA over three consecutive years. In 1998, 62 sites yielded 389 metamorphic frogs, nine (2.3%) of which had skeletal or eye malformations. A subset of the original sites was surveyed in the following 2 yr. In 1999, 1,085 metamorphic frogs were collected from 36 sites and 17 (1.6%) had skeletal or eye malformations, while in 2000, examination of 1,131 metamorphs yielded 16 (1.4%) with skeletal or eye malformations. Hindlimb malformations predominated in all three years, but other abnormalities, involving forelimb, eye, and pelvis were also found. Northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) constituted the majority of collected metamorphs as well as most of the malformed specimens. However, malformations were also noted in mink frogs (R. septentrionalis), wood frogs (R. sylvatica), and gray tree frogs (Hyla spp.). The malformed specimens were found in clustered sites in all three years but the cluster locations were not the same in any year. The malformation rates reported here are higher than the 0.3% rate determined for metamorphic frogs collected from similar sites in Minnesota in the 1960s, and thus, appear to represent an elevation of an earlier baseline malformation rate.

Prevalence of skeletal and eye malformations in frogs from north-central United States: estimations based on collections from randomly selected sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schoff, P.K.; Johnson, C.M.; Schotthoefer, A.M.; Murphy, J.E.; Lieske, C.; Cole, Rebecca A.; Johnson, L.B.; Beasley, V.R.

2003-01-01

Skeletal malformation rates for several frog species were determined in a set of randomly selected wetlands in the north-central USA over three consecutive years. In 1998, 62 sites yielded 389 metamorphic frogs, nine (2.3%) of which had skeletal or eye malformations. A subset of the original sites was surveyed in the following 2 yr. In 1999, 1,085 metamorphic frogs were collected from 36 sites and 17 (1.6%) had skeletal or eye malformations, while in 2000, examination of 1,131 metamorphs yielded 16 (1.4%) with skeletal or eye malformations. Hindlimb malformations predominated in all three years, but other abnormalities, involving forelimb, eye, and pelvis were also found. Northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) constituted the majority of collected metamorphs as well as most of the malformed specimens. However, malformations were also noted in mink frogs (R. septentrionalis), wood frogs (R. sylvatica), and gray tree frogs (Hyla spp.). The malformed specimens were found in clustered sites in all three years but the cluster locations were not the same in any year. The malformation rates reported here are higher than the 0.3% rate determined for metamorphic frogs collected from similar sites in Minnesota in the 1960s, and thus, appear to represent an elevation of an earlier baseline malformation rate.

49 CFR 213.143 - Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage. 213.143... and guard faces; gage. The guard check and guard face gages in frogs shall be within the limits... frog to the guard line 1 of its guard rail or guarding face, measured across the track at right angles...

49 CFR 213.143 - Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage. 213.143... and guard faces; gage. The guard check and guard face gages in frogs shall be within the limits... frog to the guard line 1 of its guard rail or guarding face, measured across the track at right angles...

49 CFR 213.143 - Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage. 213.143... and guard faces; gage. The guard check and guard face gages in frogs shall be within the limits... frog to the guard line 1 of its guard rail or guarding face, measured across the track at right angles...

49 CFR 213.143 - Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage. 213.143... and guard faces; gage. The guard check and guard face gages in frogs shall be within the limits... frog to the guard line 1 of its guard rail or guarding face, measured across the track at right angles...

49 CFR 213.143 - Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage. 213.143... and guard faces; gage. The guard check and guard face gages in frogs shall be within the limits... frog to the guard line 1 of its guard rail or guarding face, measured across the track at right angles...

Terrestrial movements of juvenile and adult tailed frogs in relation to timber harvest in coastal British Columbia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wahbe, Tanya R.; Bunnell, Fred L.; Bury, R. Bruce

2004-01-01

Tailed frog (Ascaphus truei Stejneger) populations are at risk in much of the Pacific Northwest, and recolonization of sites may be slow postlogging. To examine the terrestrial movements of Ascaphus in clearcuts and old growth, we employed pitfall traps and drift-fence arrays installed along streams and 100 m into upland habitat. In the fall, we captured frogs farther from streams in old growth than in clearcuts, and more frogs were captured a??25 m from streams in clearcuts. Stronger stream affinity in clearcuts was most evident with juvenile frogs, which exhibited more upstream movements than adults. Compared with inland sites where frogs remained close to streams (e.g., 12 m), frogs at our coastal sites were captured at greater distances from streams (a?Y100 m), having lower stream affinity than frogs at inland sites. Long-distance overland movements appear more likely where forested stands are present. Aggregations of Ascaphus at individual streams may not represent distinct populations and should not be managed as distinct units. Preserving groups of interconnected streams within watersheds instead of individual streams will improve the conservation status of Ascaphus. Population monitoring can ensure conservation measures promote long-term persistence.

Effects of Terrestrial Buffer Zones on Amphibians on Golf Courses

PubMed Central

Puglis, Holly J.; Boone, Michelle D.

2012-01-01

A major cause of amphibian declines worldwide is habitat destruction or alteration. Public green spaces, such as golf courses and parks, could serve as safe havens to curb the effects of habitat loss if managed in ways to bolster local amphibian communities. We reared larval Blanchard's cricket frogs (Acris blanchardi) and green frogs (Rana clamitans) in golf course ponds with and without 1 m terrestrial buffer zones, and released marked cricket frog metamorphs at the golf course ponds they were reared in. Larval survival of both species was affected by the presence of a buffer zone, with increased survival for cricket frogs and decreased survival for green frogs when reared in ponds with buffer zones. No marked cricket frog juveniles were recovered at any golf course pond in the following year, suggesting that most animals died or migrated. In a separate study, we released cricket frogs in a terrestrial pen and allowed them to choose between mown and unmown grass. Cricket frogs had a greater probability of using unmown versus mown grass. Our results suggest that incorporating buffer zones around ponds can offer suitable habitat for some amphibian species and can improve the quality of the aquatic environment for some sensitive local amphibians. PMID:22761833

Poison frog colors are honest signals of toxicity, particularly for bird predators.

PubMed

Maan, Martine E; Cummings, Molly E

2012-01-01

Antipredator defenses and warning signals typically evolve in concert. However, the extensive variation across taxa in both these components of predator deterrence and the relationship between them are poorly understood. Here we test whether there is a predictive relationship between visual conspicuousness and toxicity levels across 10 populations of the color-polymorphic strawberry poison frog, Dendrobates pumilio. Using a mouse-based toxicity assay, we find extreme variation in toxicity between frog populations. This variation is significantly positively correlated with frog coloration brightness, a viewer-independent measure of visual conspicuousness (i.e., total reflectance flux). We also examine conspicuousness from the view of three potential predator taxa, as well as conspecific frogs, using taxon-specific visual detection models and three natural background substrates. We find very strong positive relationships between frog toxicity and conspicuousness for bird-specific perceptual models. Weaker but still positive correlations are found for crab and D. pumilio conspecific visual perception, while frog coloration as viewed by snakes is not related to toxicity. These results suggest that poison frog colors can be honest signals of prey unpalatability to predators and that birds in particular may exert selection on aposematic signal design. © 2011 by The University of Chicago.

Do all frogs swim alike? The effect of ecological specialization on swimming kinematics in frogs.

PubMed

Robovska-Havelkova, Pavla; Aerts, Peter; Rocek, Zbynek; Prikryl, Tomas; Fabre, Anne-Claire; Herrel, Anthony

2014-10-15

Frog locomotion has attracted wide scientific interest because of the unusual and derived morphology of the frog pelvic girdle and hind limb. Previous authors have suggested that the design of the frog locomotor system evolved towards a specialized jumping morphology early in the radiation of the group. However, data on locomotion in frogs are biased towards a few groups and most of the ecological and functional diversity remains unexplored. Here, we examine the kinematics of swimming in eight species of frog with different ecologies. We use cineradiography to quantify movements of skeletal elements from the entire appendicular skeleton. Our results show that species with different ecologies do differ in the kinematics of swimming, with the speed of limb extension and especially the kinematics of the midfoot being different. Our results moreover suggest that this is not a phylogenetic effect because species from different clades with similar ecologies converge on the same swimming kinematics. We conclude that it is important to analyze frog locomotion in a broader ecological and evolutionary context if one is to understand the evolutionary origins of this behavior. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Temperature and evaporative water loss of leaf-sitting frogs: the role of reflection spectra

PubMed Central

Blount, Chris; Dickinson, Mark

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The near infrared reflection peak in some frogs has been speculated to be either for enhancing crypticity, or to help them with thermoregulation. The theoretical background for the thermoregulatory processes has been established before, but little consideration has been given to the contribution from the frogs' reflection spectra differences. In this investigation, the reflection spectra from a range of different species of frogs were taken and combined with precise surface area measurements of frogs and an approximation to the mass transfer coefficient of agar frog models. These were then used to simulate the temperature and water evaporation in anurans with and without the near infrared reflective peak. We have shown that the presence of the near infrared reflection peak can contribute significantly to the temperature and evaporative water loss of a frog. The significance of the steady-state temperature differences between frogs with and without the near infrared reflection peak is discussed in a realistic and an extreme scenario. Temperature differences of up to 3.2°C were found, and the rehydration period was increased by up to 16.7%, although this does not reduce the number of rehydration events between dawn and dusk. PMID:27793832

"RED-LEG"—AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE OF FROGS

PubMed Central

Emerson, Haven; Norris, Charles

1905-01-01

The epidemics we have observed, were due to the presence and growth in the frogs of Bacillus hydrophilus fuscus. This was proved by recovering the bacillus in pure culture from the body fluids of frogs sick or dead of the disease, and the inoculation of healthy frogs with an emulsion of the pure culture, and by obtaining the same clinical picture and pathological findings as in the original diseased frogs; and, finally, by recovering the bacillus in pure culture from frogs inoculated and sick or dying as a result of the inoculation. The disease is widely distributed throughout North America and Europe, and in this country and Canada is known as "red-leg." It has been observed by us chiefly in the warm weather of September and October. The disease is characterized by congestion of the ventral surfaces of the body, with more or less ulceration in, and hæmorrhage beneath, the skin, bloating due to serous exudation into the lymph sacs, gradual failure to respond to stimuli, which symptoms are followed by coma and death, the last being occasionally preceded by tetanic seizures. After death hæmorrhages into the muscles and degenerative changes in the muscles, spleen, liver, and, to a slight degree, in the intestinal tract, are found. The blood shows an advanced degree of anæmia and leucocytosis. Predisposing causes of the disease are lesions of the skin, which seem to be the usual portal of entry of the infection, and lowered resistance from heat and from anæmia. By a series of controlled experiments with inoculated frogs we have shown that, while temperatures a little above freezing have no harmful effect upon the frogs, they completely control all manifestations of the disease in inoculated or diseased frogs, if the frogs are left in the cold for a period as long as seven days; and, further, that even short periods in the cold chamber will bring about a delay of the fatal results in diseased or inoculated frogs. The anæmia so often found in apparently healthy frogs seems in many cases to be due to the presence in the lungs of the frog of a parasite, the Distomum cylindraceum, which, occurring in sufficiently large numbers in an individual frog, is capable of materially diminishing the available supply of red corpuscles. Severe laking of the blood, the presence of numerous isolated red-cell nuclei, and great diminution in the number, or almost total absence of the red cells in the diseased frogs, are in proportion to the severity of the infection and due to bacterial action. The presence of the hæmatozoan parasite, the Drepanidium, does not play any part as a predisposing or exciting cause of the disease. The ascarid Rhabdomena nigrovenosum, although frequently present as a parasite in the lungs of the frogs, plays no part in causing or promoting the disease. PMID:19866986

Habitat selection, movement patterns, and hazards encountered by northern leopard frogs (Lithobates pipiens) in an agricultural landscape

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knutson, Melinda G.; Herner-Thogmartin, Jennifer H.; Thogmartin, Wayne E.; Kapfer, Joshua M.; Nelson, John

2018-01-01

Telemetry data for 59 Northern Leopard Frogs (Lithobates pipiens) breeding in ponds in Houston and Winona Counties, MN; 2001-2002. Agricultural intensification is causing declines in many wildlife species, including Northern Leopard Frogs (Lithobates pipiens). Specific information about frog movements, habitat selection, and sources of mortality can be used to inform conservation-focused land management and acquisition. We studied Northern Leopard Frogs in southeastern Minnesota, part of the Driftless Area ecoregion, characterized by hills and valleys and a mix of agriculture, forests, small towns and farmsteads. In this area, small farm ponds, originally built to control soil erosion are used by the species for breeding and wintering in addition to riparian wetlands. But, this agricultural landscape may be hazardous for frogs moving between breeding, feeding, and wintering habitats. We surgically implanted transmitters into the peritoneal cavity of 59 Northern Leopard Frogs and tracked them from May to October 2001-2002. The total distance traveled by radio-tagged frogs ranged from 12 to 3316 m, the 95% home range averaged 5.3 ± 1.2 (SE) ha, and the 50% core area averaged 1.05 ± 0.3 (SE) ha. As expected, Northern Leopard Frogs selected wetlands over all other land cover classes and row crops were generally avoided at all levels of selection. Only a few tracked frogs were successful at dispersing (n = 6). Most frogs attempting to disperse (n =31) ended up missing (n = 14), died due to mowing (n = 8), or were recorded as transmitter failure (n = 2) or unknown mortalities (n = 1). For the conservation of Northern Leopard Frogs in this agricultural setting, we must consider both the aquatic and the terrestrial needs of this species. Conservation agencies that restore, manage, and acquire wetlands should consider the hazards posed by land uses adjacent to frog breeding and wintering sites and plan for movement corridors between these locations. For example, grasslands that are mowed or hayed between April and October in the north central U.S. and are adjacent to wetlands, pose a direct threat to frogs because these cultivated grasslands are primary locations for summer occupancy. When conservation land managers are selecting sites for acquisition or restoration they should avoid investments that will situate the wetland adjacent to heavily travelled roads and agricultural lands likely to be mowed or hayed. Increasing habitat amount and quality at amphibian breeding, feeding and wintering sites should reduce the energy required and hazards associated with moving long distances. Large, diverse wetlands probably provide all of the requirements needed by Northern Leopard Frogs for survival including food, shelter, breeding and overwintering areas.

Museum material reveals a frog parasite emergence after the invasion of the cane toad in Australia

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background A parasite morphologically indistinguishable from Myxidium immersum (Myxozoa: Myxosporea) found in gallbladders of the invasive cane toad (Bufo marinus) was identified in Australian frogs. Because no written record exists for such a parasite in Australian endemic frogs in 19th and early 20th century, it was assumed that the cane toad introduced this parasite. While we cannot go back in time ourselves, we investigated whether material at the museum of natural history could be used to retrieve parasites, and whether they were infected at the time of their collection (specifically prior to and after the cane toad translocation to Australia in 1935). Results Using the herpetological collection at the Australian Museum we showed that no myxospores were found in any animals (n = 115) prior to the cane toad invasion (1879-1935). The green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea), the Peron's tree frog (Litoria peronii), the green tree frog (Litoria caerulea) and the striped marsh frog (Limnodynastes peronii) were all negative for the presence of the parasite using microscopy of the gallbladder content and its histology. These results were sufficient to conclude that the population was free from this disease (at the expected minimum prevalence of 5%) at 99.7% confidence level using the 115 voucher specimens in the Australian Museum. Similarly, museum specimens (n = 29) of the green and golden bell frog from New Caledonia, where it was introduced in 19th century, did not show the presence of myxospores. The earliest specimen positive for myxospores in a gallbladder was a green tree frog from 1966. Myxospores were found in eight (7.1%, n = 112) frogs in the post cane toad introduction period. Conclusion Australian wildlife is increasingly under threat, and amphibian decline is one of the most dramatic examples. The museum material proved essential to directly support the evidence of parasite emergence in Australian native frogs. This parasite can be considered one of the luckiest parasites, because it has found an empty niche in Australia. It now flourishes in > 20 endemic and exotic frog species, but its consequences are yet to be fully understood. PMID:20537137

Pseudacris triseriata (western chorus frog) and Rana sylvatica (wood frog) chytridiomycosis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rittman, S.E.; Muths, E.; Green, D.E.

2003-01-01

The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a known pathogen of anuran amphibians, and has been correlated with amphibian die-offs worldwide (Daszak et. al. 1999. Emerging Infectious Diseases 5:735-748). In Colorado, B. dendrobatidis has infected Boreal toads (Bufo boreas) (Muths et. al., in review) and has been identified on museum specimens of northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) (Carey et. al. 1999. Develop. Comp. Immunol. 23:459-472). We report the first verified case of chytrid fungus in chorus frogs (Pseudacris triseriata) and wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) in the United States. We collected seven P. triseriata, and two adult and two juvenile R. sylvatica in the Kawuneeche Valley in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) during June 2001. These animals were submitted to the National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) as part of an amphibian health evaluation in RMNP. Chorus frogs were shipped in one container. Wood frog adults and juveniles were shipped in two separate containers. Histological examinations of all chorus frogs and 3 of 4 wood frogs were positive for chytrid fungus infection. The fourth (adult) wood frog was too decomposed for meaningful histology. Histological findings consisted of multifocally mild to diffusely severe infections of the epidermis of the ventrum and hindlimb digital skin. Chytrid thalli were confined to the thickened epidermis (hyperkeratosis), were spherical to oval, and occasional thalli contained characteristic discharge pores or zoospores (Green and Kagarise Sherman 1999. J. Herpetol 35:92-103; Fellers et al. 2001. Copeia 2001:945-953). We cannot confirm that all specimens carried the fungus at collection, because infection may have spread from one individual to all other individuals in each container during transport. Further sampling of amphibians in Kawuneeche Valley is warranted to determine the rate of infection and mortality in these populations.

Comparing systems for costing hospital treatments. The case of stable angina pectoris.

PubMed

Larsen, Jytte; Skjoldborg, Ulla Slothuus

2004-03-01

This paper demonstrates the basic properties in the systems most commonly considered for costing treatments in the Danish hospitals. The differences between the traditional charge system, the DRG system and the ABC system are analysed, and difficulties encountered in comparing these systems are discussed. A sample of patients diagnosed with stable angina pectoris (SAP) at Odense University Hospital was used to compare the three systems when costing an entire treatment path, costing single hospitalisations and studying the effects of length of stay. Furthermore, it is illustrated that the main idea behind each system is reflected in how the systems over- or underestimate costs. Implications when managing the hospitals, particularly reimbursement, are discussed.

Treatment of Angina Pectoris Associated with Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction.

PubMed

Ong, Peter; Athanasiadis, Anastasios; Sechtem, Udo

2016-08-01

Treatment of angina pectoris associated with coronary microvascular dysfunction is challenging as the underlying mechanisms are often diverse and overlapping. Patients with type 1 coronary microvascular dysfunction (i.e. absence of epicardial coronary artery disease and myocardial disease) should receive strict control of their cardiovascular risk factors and thus receive statins and ACE-inhibitors in most cases. Antianginal medication consists of ß-blockers and/or calcium channel blockers. Second line drugs are ranolazine and nicorandil with limited evidence. Despite individually titrated combinations of these drugs up to 30 % of patients have refractory angina. Rho-kinase inhibitors and endothelin-receptor antagonists represent potential drugs that may prove useful in these patients in the future.

Kinetics of blood lipoprotein spectrum indices in patients with angina pectoris during and after low-intensity laser therapy as a paraclinical criterion for treatment efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babushkina, G. V.; Kartelishev, A. V.

2001-04-01

An investigation was made of applying (lambda) equals 0.63 micrometers laser radiation in treating 403 patients affected by angina pectoris. The patients were administered a course of combined laser therapy consisting of the intravenous laser irradiation of blood combined with laser acupuncture. Apart from that, the patients took the maintenance doses of antianginal preparations and therapeutic doses of vitamins A and E. The blood lipoprotein spectrum revealed that this combined laser therapy was capable of producing an antiatherogenic effect. It was also found that the most effective exposure time of laser radiation was in the range of 10 to 15 min.

The Classroom Animal: The Leopard Frog.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science and Children, 1985

1985-01-01

Describes the natural history of the leopard frog and factors which make it appropriate for short-term study in the classroom. Information on the frog's habits, life cycle, housing, care, and health is included. (DH)

Parasites of the mink frog (rana septentrionalis) from Minnesota, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schotthoefer, Anna M.; Bolek, M.G.; Cole, Rebecca A.; Beasley, Val R.

2009-01-01

Twenty-two mink frogs, Rana septentrionalis, collected from two locations in Minnesota, United States, were examined for helminth and protozoan blood parasites in July 1999. A total of 16 parasite taxa were recovered including 5 larval digenean trematodes, 7 adult digenean trematodes, 3 nematodes, and I Trypanosorna species. Infracommunities were dominated by the digeneans in terms of richness and abundance. In particular, echinostomatid metacercariae in the kidneys of frogs were the most common parasites found, infecting 100% of the frogs and consisting of about 90% of all helminth individuals recovered. Gorgodera amplicava, Gorgoderina multilohata, Haernaroloechus pan'iplexus, Haernatoloechus breviplexus, Cosnwcercoides dukae, and Oswaldocruzia pipiens represent new host records. The survey presented here represents the second known helminth survey of mink frogs conducted in North America. A summary of metazoan parasites reported from mink frogs is included.

Ovarian dysgerminomas in two mountain chicken frogs (Leptodactylus fallax).

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Scott D; Duncan, Ann E; Tabaka, Chris; Garner, Michael M; Dieter, April; Kiupel, Matti

2007-03-01

This report describes the gross, histologic, and immunohistochemical features of ovarian dysgerminomas in two adult female mountain chicken frogs (Leptodactylusfallax) from the same zoological institution. One frog was found dead, and the other frog had been ill for several days with a bloated abdomen and lethargy. On necropsy, large, pale multilobulated masses replaced the left ovary in both frogs, and one frog also had numerous smaller nodules scattered throughout the coelomic viscera. Histologically, these masses were composed of sheets and cords of polyhedral discrete germ cells consistent with the diagnosis of dysgerminoma. Neoplastic cells stained positive with immunohistochemistry for Oct4, which has been reported to detect stem cells including germ cells in a variety of species, including humans. Ovarian tumors are uncommonly encountered in both reptiles and amphibians, and this report is the first report of dysgerminoma in any amphibian species.

Trypanosome transmission by Corethrella wirthi (Diptera: Chaoboridae) to the green treefrog, Hyla cinerea (Anura: Hylidae).

PubMed

Johnson, R N; Young, D G; Butler, J F

1993-09-01

Seventy-two percent of 215 male green tree frog, Hyla cinerea (Schneider), captured in Alachua and Levy counties, FL, between April and mid-September 1978 and 1979 were infected with an undescribed Trypanosoma sp. None of the 31 female frogs captured concurrently was infected. Periodic sampling of the peripheral blood from the infected male frogs showed that the trypanosomes were present in high numbers only at night. Conspecific trypanosomes also were found in the mid and hind guts of female Corethrella wirthi Stone flies collected on or near male frogs in the field. Transmission of the parasite to uninfected frogs was demonstrated by exposure of male and female frogs to naturally infected flies and to parasites injected subdermally. This is the first report of parasite transmission by a species of Corethrella.

Embryogenesis and laboratory maintenance of the foam-nesting túngara frogs, genus Engystomops (= Physalaemus)

PubMed Central

Romero-Carvajal, Andrés; Sáenz-Ponce, Natalia; Venegas-Ferrín, Michael; Almeida-Reinoso, Diego; Lee, Chanjae; Bond, Jennifer; Ryan, Michael J.; Wallingford, John B.; del Pino, Eugenia M.

2010-01-01

The vast majority of embryological research on amphibians focuses on just a single genus of frogs, Xenopus. To attain a more comprehensive understanding of amphibian development, experimentation on non-model frogs will be essential. Here, we report on the early development, rearing, and embryological analysis of túngara frogs (genus Engystomops, also called Physaleamus). The frogs Engystomops pustulosus, Engystomops coloradorum and Engystomops randi construct floating foam-nests with small eggs. We define a table of 23 stages for the developmental period in the foam-nest. Embryos were immunostained against Lim1, neural, and somite-specific proteins and the expression pattern of RetinoBlastoma Binding Protein 6 (RBBP6) was analyzed by in situ hybridization. Due to their brief life-cycle, frogs belonging to the genus Engystomops are attractive for comparative and genetic studies of development. PMID:19384855

Sexual differences in prevalence of a new species of trypanosome infecting túngara frogs

PubMed Central

Bernal, Ximena E.; Pinto, C. Miguel

2016-01-01

Trypanosomes are a diverse group of protozoan parasites of vertebrates transmitted by a variety of hematophagous invertebrate vectors. Anuran trypanosomes and their vectors have received relatively little attention even though these parasites have been reported from frog and toad species worldwide. Blood samples collected from túngara frogs (Engystomops pustulosus), a Neotropical anuran species heavily preyed upon by eavesdropping frog-biting midges (Corethrella spp.), were examined for trypanosomes. Our results revealed sexual differences in trypanosome prevalence with female frogs being rarely infected (<1%). This finding suggests this protozoan parasite may be transmitted by frog-biting midges that find their host using the mating calls produced by male frogs. Following previous anuran trypanosome studies, we examined 18S ribosomal RNA gene to characterize and establish the phylogenetic relationship of the trypanosome species found in túngara frogs. A new species of giant trypanosome, Trypanosoma tungarae n. sp., is described in this study. Overall the morphometric data revealed that the trypomastigotes of T. tungarae n. sp. are similar to other giant trypanosomes such as Trypanosoma rotatorium and Trypanosoma ranarum. Despite its slender and long cell shape, however, 18S rRNA gene sequences revealed that T. tungarae n. sp. is sister to the rounded-bodied giant trypanosome, Trypanosoma chattoni. Therefore, morphological convergence explains similar morphology among members of two non-closely related groups of trypanosomes infecting frogs. The results from this study underscore the value of coupling morphological identification with molecular characterization of anuran trypanosomes. PMID:26977404

Sexual differences in prevalence of a new species of trypanosome infecting túngara frogs.

PubMed

Bernal, Ximena E; Pinto, C Miguel

2016-04-01

Trypanosomes are a diverse group of protozoan parasites of vertebrates transmitted by a variety of hematophagous invertebrate vectors. Anuran trypanosomes and their vectors have received relatively little attention even though these parasites have been reported from frog and toad species worldwide. Blood samples collected from túngara frogs (Engystomops pustulosus), a Neotropical anuran species heavily preyed upon by eavesdropping frog-biting midges (Corethrella spp.), were examined for trypanosomes. Our results revealed sexual differences in trypanosome prevalence with female frogs being rarely infected (<1%). This finding suggests this protozoan parasite may be transmitted by frog-biting midges that find their host using the mating calls produced by male frogs. Following previous anuran trypanosome studies, we examined 18S ribosomal RNA gene to characterize and establish the phylogenetic relationship of the trypanosome species found in túngara frogs. A new species of giant trypanosome, Trypanosoma tungarae n. sp., is described in this study. Overall the morphometric data revealed that the trypomastigotes of T. tungarae n. sp. are similar to other giant trypanosomes such as Trypanosoma rotatorium and Trypanosoma ranarum. Despite its slender and long cell shape, however, 18S rRNA gene sequences revealed that T. tungarae n. sp. is sister to the rounded-bodied giant trypanosome, Trypanosoma chattoni. Therefore, morphological convergence explains similar morphology among members of two non-closely related groups of trypanosomes infecting frogs. The results from this study underscore the value of coupling morphological identification with molecular characterization of anuran trypanosomes.

Do cryptic species exist in Hoplobatrachus rugulosus? An examination using four nuclear genes, the cyt b gene and the complete MT genome.

PubMed

Yu, Danna; Zhang, Jiayong; Li, Peng; Zheng, Rongquan; Shao, Chen

2015-01-01

he Chinese tiger frog Hoplobatrachus rugulosus is widely distributed in southern China, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is listed in Appendix II of CITES as the only Class II nationally-protected frog in China. The bred tiger frog known as the Thailand tiger frog, is also identified as H. rugulosus. Our analysis of the Cyt b gene showed high genetic divergence (13.8%) between wild and bred samples of tiger frog. Unexpected genetic divergence of the complete mt genome (14.0%) was also observed between wild and bred samples of tiger frog. Yet, the nuclear genes (NCX1, Rag1, Rhod, Tyr) showed little divergence between them. Despite this and their very similar morphology, the features of the mitochondrial genome including genetic divergence of other genes, different three-dimensional structures of ND5 proteins, and gene rearrangements indicate that H. rugulosus may be a cryptic species complex. Using Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood, and maximum parsimony analyses, Hoplobatrachus was resolved as a sister clade to Euphlyctis, and H. rugulosus (BT) as a sister clade to H. rugulosus (WT). We suggest that we should prevent Thailand tiger frogs (bred type) from escaping into wild environments lest they produce hybrids with Chinese tiger frogs (wild type).

Do Cryptic Species Exist in Hoplobatrachus rugulosus? An Examination Using Four Nuclear Genes, the Cyt b Gene and the Complete MT Genome

PubMed Central

Li, Peng; Zheng, Rongquan; Shao, Chen

2015-01-01

he Chinese tiger frog Hoplobatrachus rugulosus is widely distributed in southern China, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is listed in Appendix II of CITES as the only Class II nationally-protected frog in China. The bred tiger frog known as the Thailand tiger frog, is also identified as H. rugulosus. Our analysis of the Cyt b gene showed high genetic divergence (13.8%) between wild and bred samples of tiger frog. Unexpected genetic divergence of the complete mt genome (14.0%) was also observed between wild and bred samples of tiger frog. Yet, the nuclear genes (NCX1, Rag1, Rhod, Tyr) showed little divergence between them. Despite this and their very similar morphology, the features of the mitochondrial genome including genetic divergence of other genes, different three-dimensional structures of ND5 proteins, and gene rearrangements indicate that H. rugulosus may be a cryptic species complex. Using Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood, and maximum parsimony analyses, Hoplobatrachus was resolved as a sister clade to Euphlyctis, and H. rugulosus (BT) as a sister clade to H. rugulosus (WT). We suggest that we should prevent Thailand tiger frogs (bred type) from escaping into wild environments lest they produce hybrids with Chinese tiger frogs (wild type). PMID:25875761

Pathological Study of Blood Parasites in Rice Field Frogs, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus (Wiegmann, 1834)

PubMed Central

Sailasuta, Achariya; Satetasit, Jetjun; Chutmongkonkul, Malinee

2011-01-01

One hundred and forty adult rice field frogs, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus (Wiegmann, 1834), were collected in Srakaew province, Thailand. For blood parasite examination, thin blood smears were made and routinely stained with Giemsa. The results showed that 70% of the frogs (98/140) were infected with 5 species of blood parasites, including a Trypanosoma rotatorium-like organism, Trypanosoma chattoni, Hepatozoon sp. a, Hepatozoon sp. b, and Lankesterella minima. Pathological examination of the liver, lung, spleen, and kidney of the frogs that were apparently infected with one of these blood parasites were collected and processed by routine histology and subsequently stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Histopathological findings associated with the Trypanosoma rotatorium-like organism and Trypanosoma chattoni-infected frogs showed no pathological lesions. Hepatozoon sp. a and Hepatozoon sp. b-infected frogs developed inflammatory lesions predominantly in the liver, demonstrating granuloma-like lesions with Hepatozoon sp. meronts at the centre. Tissue sections of Lankesterella minima-infected frogs also showed lesions. Liver and spleen showed inflammatory lesions with an accumulation of melanomacrophage centres (MMCs) surrounding the meronts and merozoites. It is suggested that Hepatozoon sp. a, Hepatozoon sp. b, and Lankesterella minima-infections are capable of producing inflammatory lesions in the visceral organs of rice field frogs, and the severity of lesions is tentatively related to levels of parasitemia. PMID:21918731

Metamorphosis increases biotransformation of polychlorinated biphenyls: a comparative study of polychlorinated biphenyl metabolism in green frogs (Rana clamitans) and leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) at various life stages.

PubMed

Leney, Jocelyn L; Drouillard, Ken G; Haffner, G Douglas

2006-11-01

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) elimination rates were used to determine whether green frogs (Rana clamitans) and leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) at three life stages (tadpole, metamorph, and adult) were capable of metabolic biotransformation of PCBs. Polychlorinated biphenyls were grouped according to their structural properties to determine whether congeners with specific structures were eliminated more rapidly than others, which would suggest the occurrence of metabolic biotransformation. For both species and at all life stages studied, PCBs with adjacent unsubstituted meta-para sites (group-2 PCBs) were eliminated significantly faster than PCBs with adjacent unsubstituted ortho-meta sites (group-3 PCBs). Because these groups of PCBs span similar hydrophobicity ranges, it was concluded that green and leopard frogs can selectively metabolize group-2 PCBs. Metabolic activity was more pronounced in the metamorph stage than in any other life stage. In green frog metamorphs, the average elimination rate of the group-2 PCBs was 4.9-fold greater than that of the group-3 PCBs. By contrast, in green frog tadpoles, group-2 PCBs were eliminated 1.9-fold faster than group-3 PCBs, and in green frog adults, group-2 PCBs were eliminated 1.5-fold faster than group-3 PDBs.

Abundance of Green Tree Frogs and Insects in Artificial Canopy Gaps in a Bottomland Hardwood Forest.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horn, Scott; Hanula, James, L.; Ulyshen, Michael D.

2005-04-01

ABSTRACT - We found more green tree frogs ( Hyla cinerea) n canopv gaps than in closed canopy forest. Of the 331 green tree frogs observed, 88% were in canopv gaps. Likewise, higher numbers and biomasses of insects were captured in the open gap habitat Flies were the most commonlv collected insect group accounting for 54% of the total capture. These data suggest that one reason green tree frogs were more abundant in canopy gaps was the increased availability of prey and that small canopy gaps provide early successional habitats that are beneficial to green tree frog populations.

Is refractory angina pectoris a form of chronic pain? A comparison of two patient groups receiving spinal cord stimulation therapy.

PubMed

Pak, Nick; Devcich, Daniel A; Johnson, Malcolm H; Merry, Alan F

2014-03-28

To compare psychological and pain-related characteristics of patients with chronic pain and patients with refractory angina pectoris who had been treated with spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy. Twenty-four patients receiving SCS therapy were interviewed. Four psychological variables were assessed using standardised questionnaires for pain catastrophising, health locus of control, anxiety sensitivity, and self-efficacy. Patients also completed the revised version of the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, the Short-Form Health Survey, and self-reported measures of global perceived effect, pain, functionality, and satisfaction with SCS therapy. Most patients reported improvements in pain, functionality, and improvement overall. Some health locus of control dimensions were significantly higher for the angina group than the chronic pain group, and chronic angina patients reported significantly lower levels of intermittent pain. Virtually all patients reported being satisfied with SCS therapy. Most self-rated psychological and pain-related characteristics were no different between the two groups, which gives some support to the view that refractory angina is a form of chronic pain. The results also add to evidence supporting the use of SCS therapy for refractory angina pectoris; however, differences observed on a few variables may indicate points of focus for the assessment and treatment of such patients.

Mosquito repellents in frog skin

PubMed Central

Williams, C.R; Smith, B.P.C; Best, S.M; Tyler, M.J

2006-01-01

The search for novel insect repellents has been driven by health concerns over established synthetic compounds such as diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET). Given the diversity of compounds known from frog skin and records of mosquito bite and ectoparasite infestation, the presence of mosquito repellents in frogs seemed plausible. We investigated frog skin secretions to confirm the existence of mosquito repellent properties. Litoria caerulea secretions were assessed for mosquito repellency by topical application on mice. The secretions provided protection against host-seeking Culex annulirostris mosquitoes. Olfactometer tests using aqueous washes of skin secretions from L. caerulea and four other frog species were conducted to determine whether volatile components were responsible for repellency. Volatiles from Litoria rubella and Uperoleia mjobergi secretions were repellent to C. annulirostris, albeit not as repellent as a DEET control. The demonstration of endogenous insect repellents in amphibians is novel, and demonstrates that many aspects of frog chemical ecology remain unexplored. PMID:17148373

Description of the tadpoles of two endemic frogs: the Phu Luang cascade frog Odorrana aureola (Anura: Ranidae) and the Isan big-headed frog Limnonectes isanensis (Anura: Dicroglossidae) from northeastern Thailand.

PubMed

Ampai, Natee; Rujirawan, Attapol; Arkajag, Jirachai; Mcleod, David S; Aowphol, Anchalee

2015-07-07

We describe the external morphology of the tadpoles of two frogs endemic to Thailand: the Phu Luang cascade frog    (Odorrana aureola) and the Isan big-headed frog (Limnonectes isanensis) from the type localities in the Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary, Loei Province, northeastern Thailand. Morphological and genetic characters (16S rRNA) were used to identify specimen and match tadpoles to the adults. Detailed descriptions of external morphology and coloration in life are provided for both species. We provide a brief discussion of the ecology of these tadpoles and a comparison to previously published data from tadpoles of closely related taxa. Additionally, we provide evidence for the utility of larval morphology in resolving the taxonomic puzzles presented by cryptic species complexes.

The earliest direct evidence of frogs in wet tropical forests from Cretaceous Burmese amber.

PubMed

Xing, Lida; Stanley, Edward L; Bai, Ming; Blackburn, David C

2018-06-14

Frogs are a familiar and diverse component of tropical forests around the world. Yet there is little direct evidence from the fossil record for the antiquity of this association. We describe four fossil frog specimens from mid-Cretaceous (~99 mya) amber deposits from Kachin State, Myanmar for which the associated fauna provides rich paleoenvironmental context. Microcomputed tomographic analysis provides detailed three-dimensional anatomy for these small frogs, which is generally unavailable for articulated anurans in the Mesozoic. These crown-group anuran specimens provide the earliest direct evidence for anurans in a wet tropical forest. Based on a distinct combination of skeletal characters, at least one specimen has clear similarities to living alytoid frogs as well as several Mesozoic taxa known from the Jehol Biota in China. Whereas many Mesozoic frogs are from seasonal and mesic paleoenvironments, these fossils provide the earliest direct evidence of anurans in wet tropical forests.

[Clinical significance of early percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with Braunwald III-B type unstable angina pectoris].

PubMed

Nozaki, Katsuhiro; Nakao, Koichi; Horiuchi, Kenji; Kasanuki, Hiroshi; Honda, Takashi

2003-06-01

To assess the efficacy of early invasive strategy for the treatment of Braunwald III-B type unstable angina pectoris. This study included 573 consecutive patients of whom 267 underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (312 lesions). The patients were divided into two groups, 95 treated with the early invasive strategy of coronary angiography within 24 hr of admission (Group PCI-I) and the remaining 172 treated with the early conservative strategy of coronary angiography 24 hr after admission (Group PCI-C). No significant differences were noted in the baseline characteristics of the two groups except for ST segment elevation on electrocardiography at presentation, which occurred significantly less frequently in Group PCI-C (36.8% vs 8.1%, p < 0.0001). The initial success rate of percutaneous coronary intervention was sufficiently high in both groups (Group PCI-I: 96.9% vs Group PCI-C: 97.7%, NS). Acute myocardial infarction occurred in six patients of Group PCI-C (3.5%) because of the side branch occlusion. There was no in-hospital death or emergent coronary artery bypass grafting. During the 6-month follow-up, there were no significant differences in the death rates (2.1% vs 1.7%), the death or myocardial infarction rates (5.3% vs 5.8%) and the target lesion revascularization ratio (26.0% vs 25.7%) between Group PCI-I and Group PCI-C. The clinical outcomes of the early invasive strategy for unstable angina pectoris were almost equivalent to those of the early conservative strategy, despite more frequent ST segmental elevation at admission in Group PCI-I. These findings suggest that the early invasive strategy for unstable angina pectoris may be acceptable even in the current Japanese clinical setting without the use of GP IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist, low molecular weight heparin or clopidogrel.

Impact of Clinical Presentation (Stable Angina Pectoris vs Unstable Angina Pectoris or Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction vs ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction) on Long-Term Outcomes in Women Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Drug-Eluting Stents.

PubMed

Giustino, Gennaro; Baber, Usman; Stefanini, Giulio Giuseppe; Aquino, Melissa; Stone, Gregg W; Sartori, Samantha; Steg, Philippe Gabriel; Wijns, William; Smits, Pieter C; Jeger, Raban V; Leon, Martin B; Windecker, Stephan; Serruys, Patrick W; Morice, Marie-Claude; Camenzind, Edoardo; Weisz, Giora; Kandzari, David; Dangas, George D; Mastoris, Ioannis; Von Birgelen, Clemens; Galatius, Soren; Kimura, Takeshi; Mikhail, Ghada; Itchhaporia, Dipti; Mehta, Laxmi; Ortega, Rebecca; Kim, Hyo-Soo; Valgimigli, Marco; Kastrati, Adnan; Chieffo, Alaide; Mehran, Roxana

2015-09-15

The long-term risk associated with different coronary artery disease (CAD) presentations in women undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES) is poorly characterized. We pooled patient-level data for women enrolled in 26 randomized clinical trials. Of 11,577 women included in the pooled database, 10,133 with known clinical presentation received a DES. Of them, 5,760 (57%) had stable angina pectoris (SAP), 3,594 (35%) had unstable angina pectoris (UAP) or non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and 779 (8%) had ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) as clinical presentation. A stepwise increase in 3-year crude cumulative mortality was observed in the transition from SAP to STEMI (4.9% vs 6.1% vs 9.4%; p <0.01). Conversely, no differences in crude mortality rates were observed between 1 and 3 years across clinical presentations. After multivariable adjustment, STEMI was independently associated with greater risk of 3-year mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 3.45; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.99 to 5.98; p <0.01), whereas no differences were observed between UAP or NSTEMI and SAP (HR 0.99; 95% CI 0.73 to 1.34; p = 0.94). In women with ACS, use of new-generation DES was associated with reduced risk of major adverse cardiac events (HR 0.58; 95% CI 0.34 to 0.98). The magnitude and direction of the effect with new-generation DES was uniform between women with or without ACS (pinteraction = 0.66). In conclusion, in women across the clinical spectrum of CAD, STEMI was associated with a greater risk of long-term mortality. Conversely, the adjusted risk of mortality between UAP or NSTEMI and SAP was similar. New-generation DESs provide improved long-term clinical outcomes irrespective of the clinical presentation in women. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Efficacy of Danshen Injection as Adjunctive Therapy in Treating Angina Pectoris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Shao, Huikai; Li, Mengsi; Chen, Fuchao; Chen, Lianghua; Jiang, Zhengjin; Zhao, Lingguo

2018-04-01

During the last 40 years, Danshen injection has been widely used as an adjunctive therapy for angina pectoris in China, but its efficacy is not yet well defined. The objective of this study was to verify the efficacy of Danshen injection as adjunctive therapy in treating angina pectoris. The major databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Sino-Med, Medline, Embase, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Databases, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and the Chinese Science Citation Database were systematically searched for the published randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on Danshen injection until April 2016. Meta-analysis was conducted on the primary outcomes (i.e., the improvements in symptoms and electrocardiography (ECG)). The quality of the included RCTs was evaluated with the M scoring system (the refined Jadad scale). Based on the quality, year of publication and sample size of RCTs, sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis were performed in this study. Ten RCTs, including 944 anginal patients, were identified in this meta-analysis. Compared with using antianginal agents (β-blockers, calcium antagonists, nitrates, etc.) alone, Danshen injection combined with antianginal agents had a better therapeutic effect in symptom improvement (odds ratio [OR], 3.66; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.50-5.36) and in ECG improvement (OR, 3.25; 95% CI: 1.74-6.08). This study showed that Danshen injection as adjunctive therapy seemed to be more effective than antianginal agents alone in treating angina pectoris. However, more evidence is needed to accurately evaluate the efficacy of Danshen injection because of the low methodological quality of the included RCTs. Copyright © 2017 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Compliance, clinical outcome, and quality of life of patients with stable angina pectoris receiving once-daily betaxolol versus twice daily metoprolol: a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Kardas, Przemyslaw

2007-01-01

Background A randomized, controlled trial was conducted in an outpatient setting to examine the effect of beta-blocker dosing frequency on patient compliance, clinical outcome, and health-related quality of life in patients with stable angina pectoris. Methods One hundred and twelve beta-blockers-naive outpatients with stable angina pectoris were randomized to receive betaxolol, 20 mg once daily or metoprolol tartrate, 50 mg twice daily for 8 weeks. The principal outcome measure was overall compliance measured electronically, whereas secondary outcome measures were drug effectiveness and health-related quality of life. Results The overall compliance was 86.5 ± 21.3% in the betaxolol group versus 76.1 ± 26.3% in the metoprolol group (p < 0.01), and the correct number of doses was taken on 84.4 ± 21.6% and 64.0 ± 31.7% of treatment days, respectively (p < 0.0001). The percentage of missed doses was 14.5 ± 21.5% in the once-daily group and 24.8 ± 26.4% in the twice-daily group (p < 0.01). The percentage of doses taken in the correct time window (58.6% vs 42.0%, p = 0.01), correct interdose intervals (77.4% v 53.1%, p < 0.0001), and therapeutic coverage (85.6% vs 73.7%, p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the once-daily group. Both studied drugs had similar antianginal effectiveness. Health-related quality of life improved in both groups, but this increase was more pronounced in the betaxolol arm in some dimensions. Conclusions The study demonstrates that patient compliance with once-daily betaxolol is significantly better than with twice daily metoprolol. Similarly, this treatment provides better quality of life. These results demonstrate possible therapeutic advantages of once-daily over twice-daily beta-blockers in the treatment of stable angina pectoris. PMID:17580734

How Efficacious is Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) Dripping Pill in Treating Angina Pectoris? Evidence Assessment for Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

PubMed

Jia, Yongliang; Leung, Siu-Wai

2017-09-01

More than 230 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of danshen dripping pill (DSP) and isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) in treating angina pectoris after the first preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses-compliant comprehensive meta-analysis were published in 2010. Other meta-analyses had flaws in study selection, statistical meta-analysis, and evidence assessment. This study completed the meta-analysis with an extensive assessment of the evidence. RCTs published from 1994 to 2016 on DSP and ISDN in treating angina pectoris for at least 4 weeks were included. The risk of bias (RoB) of included RCTs was assessed with the Cochrane's tool for assessing RoB. Meta-analyses based on a random-effects model were performed on two outcome measures: symptomatic (SYM) and electrocardiography (ECG) improvements. Subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, metaregression, and publication bias analysis were also conducted. The evidence strength was evaluated with the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) method. Among the included 109 RCTs with 11,973 participants, 49 RCTs and 5042 participants were new (after 2010). The RoB of included RCTs was high in randomization and blinding. Overall effect sizes in odds ratios for DSP over ISDN were 2.94 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.53-3.41) on SYM (n = 108) and 2.37 (95% CI: 2.08-2.69) by ECG (n = 81) with significant heterogeneities (I 2  = 41%, p < 0.0001 on SYM and I 2  = 44%, p < 0.0001 on ECG). Subgroup, sensitivity, and metaregression analyses showed consistent results without publication bias. However, the evidence strength was low in GRADE. The efficacy of DSP was still better than ISDN in treating angina pectoris, but the confidence decreased due to high RoB and heterogeneities.

Frog tongue surface microstructures: functional and evolutionary patterns

PubMed Central

Gorb, Stanislav N

2016-01-01

Summary Frogs (Lissamphibia: Anura) use adhesive tongues to capture fast moving, elusive prey. For this, the tongues are moved quickly and adhere instantaneously to various prey surfaces. Recently, the functional morphology of frog tongues was discussed in context of their adhesive performance. It was suggested that the interaction between the tongue surface and the mucus coating is important for generating strong pull-off forces. However, despite the general notions about its importance for a successful contact with the prey, little is known about the surface structure of frog tongues. Previous studies focused almost exclusively on species within the Ranidae and Bufonidae, neglecting the wide diversity of frogs. Here we examined the tongue surface in nine different frog species, comprising eight different taxa, i.e., the Alytidae, Bombinatoridae, Megophryidae, Hylidae, Ceratophryidae, Ranidae, Bufonidae, and Dendrobatidae. In all species examined herein, we found fungiform and filiform papillae on the tongue surface. Further, we observed a high degree of variation among tongues in different frogs. These differences can be seen in the size and shape of the papillae, in the fine-structures on the papillae, as well as in the three-dimensional organization of subsurface tissues. Notably, the fine-structures on the filiform papillae in frogs comprise hair-like protrusions (Megophryidae and Ranidae), microridges (Bufonidae and Dendrobatidae), or can be irregularly shaped or absent as observed in the remaining taxa examined herein. Some of this variation might be related to different degrees of adhesive performance and may point to differences in the spectra of prey items between frog taxa. PMID:27547606

Phylogenomics reveals rapid, simultaneous diversification of three major clades of Gondwanan frogs at the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary

PubMed Central

Feng, Yan-Jie; Liang, Dan; Hillis, David M.; Cannatella, David C.; Zhang, Peng

2017-01-01

Frogs (Anura) are one of the most diverse groups of vertebrates and comprise nearly 90% of living amphibian species. Their worldwide distribution and diverse biology make them well-suited for assessing fundamental questions in evolution, ecology, and conservation. However, despite their scientific importance, the evolutionary history and tempo of frog diversification remain poorly understood. By using a molecular dataset of unprecedented size, including 88-kb characters from 95 nuclear genes of 156 frog species, in conjunction with 20 fossil-based calibrations, our analyses result in the most strongly supported phylogeny of all major frog lineages and provide a timescale of frog evolution that suggests much younger divergence times than suggested by earlier studies. Unexpectedly, our divergence-time analyses show that three species-rich clades (Hyloidea, Microhylidae, and Natatanura), which together comprise ∼88% of extant anuran species, simultaneously underwent rapid diversification at the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary (KPB). Moreover, anuran families and subfamilies containing arboreal species originated near or after the KPB. These results suggest that the K–Pg mass extinction may have triggered explosive radiations of frogs by creating new ecological opportunities. This phylogeny also reveals relationships such as Microhylidae being sister to all other ranoid frogs and African continental lineages of Natatanura forming a clade that is sister to a clade of Eurasian, Indian, Melanesian, and Malagasy lineages. Biogeographical analyses suggest that the ancestral area of modern frogs was Africa, and their current distribution is largely associated with the breakup of Pangaea and subsequent Gondwanan fragmentation. PMID:28673970

Frequency-resolved optical gating with the use of second-harmonic generation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DeLong, K.W.; Trebino, R.; Hunter, J.

1994-11-01

We discuss the use of second-harmonic generation (SHG) as the nonlinearity in the technique of frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) for measuring the full intensity and phase evolution of an arbitrary ultrashort pulse. FROG that uses a third-order nonlinearity in the polarization-gate geometry has proved extremely successful, and the algorithm required for extraction of the intensity and the phase from the experimental data is quite robust. However, for pulse intensities less than [similar to] 1 MW, third-order nonlinearities generate insufficient signal strength, and therefore SHG FROG appears necessary. We discuss the theoretical, algorithmic, and experimental considerations of SHG FROG in detail.more » SHG FROG has an ambiguity in the direction of time, and its traces are somewhat unintuitive. Also, previously published algorithms are generally ineffective at extracting the intensity and the phase of an arbitrary laser pulse from the SHG FROG trace. We present an improved pulse-retrieval algorithm, based on the method of generalized projections, that is far superior to the previously published algorithms, although it is still not so robust as the polarization-gate algorithm. We discuss experimental sources of error such as pump depletion and group-velocity mismatch. We also present several experimental examples of pulses measured with SHG FROG and show that the derived intensities and phases are in agreement with more conventional diagnostic techniques, and we demonstrate the high-dynamic-range capability of SHG FROG. We conclude that, despite the above drawbacks, SHG FROG should be useful in measuring low-energy pulses.« less

Phylogenomics reveals rapid, simultaneous diversification of three major clades of Gondwanan frogs at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary.

PubMed

Feng, Yan-Jie; Blackburn, David C; Liang, Dan; Hillis, David M; Wake, David B; Cannatella, David C; Zhang, Peng

2017-07-18

Frogs (Anura) are one of the most diverse groups of vertebrates and comprise nearly 90% of living amphibian species. Their worldwide distribution and diverse biology make them well-suited for assessing fundamental questions in evolution, ecology, and conservation. However, despite their scientific importance, the evolutionary history and tempo of frog diversification remain poorly understood. By using a molecular dataset of unprecedented size, including 88-kb characters from 95 nuclear genes of 156 frog species, in conjunction with 20 fossil-based calibrations, our analyses result in the most strongly supported phylogeny of all major frog lineages and provide a timescale of frog evolution that suggests much younger divergence times than suggested by earlier studies. Unexpectedly, our divergence-time analyses show that three species-rich clades (Hyloidea, Microhylidae, and Natatanura), which together comprise ∼88% of extant anuran species, simultaneously underwent rapid diversification at the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary (KPB). Moreover, anuran families and subfamilies containing arboreal species originated near or after the KPB. These results suggest that the K-Pg mass extinction may have triggered explosive radiations of frogs by creating new ecological opportunities. This phylogeny also reveals relationships such as Microhylidae being sister to all other ranoid frogs and African continental lineages of Natatanura forming a clade that is sister to a clade of Eurasian, Indian, Melanesian, and Malagasy lineages. Biogeographical analyses suggest that the ancestral area of modern frogs was Africa, and their current distribution is largely associated with the breakup of Pangaea and subsequent Gondwanan fragmentation.

How the environment shapes animal signals: a test of the acoustic adaptation hypothesis in frogs.

PubMed

Goutte, S; Dubois, A; Howard, S D; Márquez, R; Rowley, J J L; Dehling, J M; Grandcolas, P; Xiong, R C; Legendre, F

2018-01-01

Long-distance acoustic signals are widely used in animal communication systems and, in many cases, are essential for reproduction. The acoustic adaptation hypothesis (AAH) implies that acoustic signals should be selected for further transmission and better content integrity under the acoustic constraints of the habitat in which they are produced. In this study, we test predictions derived from the AAH in frogs. Specifically, we focus on the difference between torrent frogs and frogs calling in less noisy habitats. Torrents produce sounds that can mask frog vocalizations and constitute a major acoustic constraint on call evolution. We combine data collected in the field, material from scientific collections and the literature for a total of 79 primarily Asian species, of the families Ranidae, Rhacophoridae, Dicroglossidae and Microhylidae. Using phylogenetic comparative methods and including morphological and environmental potential confounding factors, we investigate putatively adaptive call features in torrent frogs. We use broad habitat categories as well as fine-scale habitat measurements and test their correlation with six call characteristics. We find mixed support for the AAH. Spectral features of torrent frog calls are different from those of frogs calling in other habitats and are related to ambient noise levels, as predicted by the AAH. However, temporal call features do not seem to be shaped by the frogs' calling habitats. Our results underline both the complexity of call evolution and the need to consider multiple factors when investigating this issue. © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Hind limb malformations in free-living northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) from Maine, Minnesota, and Vermont suggest multiple etiologies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meteyer, C.U.; Loeffler, I.K.; Fallon, J.F.; Converse, K.A.; Green, E.; Helgen, J.C.; Kersten, S.; Levey, R.; Eaton-Poole, L.; Burkhart, J.G.

2000-01-01

Background Reports of malformed frogs have increased throughout the North American continent in recent years. Most of the observed malformations have involved the hind limbs. The goal of this study was to accurately characterize the hind limb malformations in wild frogs as an important step toward understanding the possible etiologies. Methods During 1997 and 1998, 182 recently metamorphosed northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) were collected from Minnesota, Vermont, and Maine. Malformed hind limbs were present in 157 (86%) of these frogs, which underwent necropsy and radiographic evaluation at the National Wildlife Health Center. These malformations are described in detail and classified into four major categories: (1) no limb (amelia); (2) multiple limbs or limb elements (polymelia, polydactyly, polyphalangy); (3) reduced limb segments or elements (phocomelia, ectromelia, ectrodactyly, and brachydactyly; and (4) distally complete but malformed limb (bone rotations, bridging, skin webbing, and micromelia). Results Amelia and reduced segments and/or elements were the most common finding. Frogs with bilateral hind limb malformations were not common, and in only eight of these 22 frogs were the malformations symmetrical. Malformations of a given type tended to occur in frogs collected from the same site, but the types of malformations varied widely among all three states, and between study sites within Minnesota. Conclusions Clustering of malformation type suggests that developmental events may produce a variety of phenotypes depending on the timing, sequence, and severity of the environmental insult. Hind limb malformations in free-living frogs transcend current mechanistic explanations of tetrapod limb development.

Population estimates for the Toiyabe population of the Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris), 2004–10

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, Michael J.; Mellison, Chad; Galvan, Stephanie K.

2013-01-01

The Toiyabe population of Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris, hereafter "Toiyabe frogs") is a geographically isolated population located in central Nevada (fig. 1). The Toiyabe population is part of the Great Basin Distinct Population Segment of Columbia spotted frogs, and is a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2011). The cluster of breeding sites in central Nevada represents the southernmost extremity of the Columbia spotted frogs' known range (Funk and others, 2008). Toiyabe frogs are known to occur in seven drainages in Nye County, Nevada: Reese River, Cow Canyon Creek, Ledbetter Canyon Creek, Cloverdale Creek, Stewart Creek, Illinois Creek, and Indian Valley Creek. Most of the Toiyabe frog population resides in the Reese River, Indian Valley Creek, and Cloverdale Creek drainages (fig. 1; Nevada Department of Wildlife, 2003). Approximately 90 percent of the Toiyabe frogs' habitat is on public land. Most of the public land habitat (95 percent) is managed by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), while the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages the remainder. Additional Toiyabe frog habitat is under Yomba Shoshone Tribal management and in private ownership (Nevada Department of Wildlife, 2003). The BLM, USFS, Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), Nevada Natural Heritage Program (NNHP), Nye County, and U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) have monitored the Toiyabe population since 2004 using mark and recapture surveys (Nevada Department of Wildlife, 2004). The USFWS contracted with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to produce population estimates using these data.

Distribution and postbreeding environmental relationships of Northern leopard frogs (Rana [Lithobates] pipiens) in Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Germaine, S.S.; Hays, D.W.

2009-01-01

Northern leopard frogs (Rana [Lithobates] pipiens) are considered sensitive, threatened, or endangered in all western states and western Canadian provinces. Historically present in eastern Washington in 6 major river drainages, leopard frogs are now only known to occur at 2 localized areas in the Crab Creek drainage in Grant County. During the summers of 2002-2005, we surveyed both areas to document extent of leopard frog distributions and to describe habitat and vertebrate community characteristics associated with leopard frog site occupancy. At Gloyd Seeps, 2 juvenile leopard frogs were observed in a total of 8.2 person-days of searching along a 5-km stream reach. At Potholes Reservoir, we surveyed 243 wetland sites in 7 management units known to have been occupied by leopard frogs during the 1980s. We confirmed leopard frog presence at only 87 sites (36%) in 4 management units. Site occupancy models for individual ponds indicated that, compared to unoccupied sites, occupied sites had slightly greater pond depths, less tall emergent vegetation, more herbaceous vegetative cover, and fewer neighboring ponds containing nonnative predatory fish. Models developed at the 1-km2 scale indicated that occupied areas had greater average midsummer pond depths, fewer ponds occupied by bullfrogs (Rana [Lithobates] catesbeiana) and carp (Cyprinus carpio), and more herbaceous vegetation surrounding ponds. The Gloyd Seeps population now appears defunct, and the Potholes Reservoir population is in sharp decline. Unless management actions are taken to reduce nonnative fish and bullfrogs and to enhance wetland vegetation, leopard frogs may soon be extirpated from both sites and possibly, therefore, from Washington.

Peatlands and green frogs: A relationship regulated by acidity?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mazerolle, M.J.

2005-01-01

The effects of site acidification on amphibian populations have been thoroughly addressed in the last decades. However, amphibians in naturally acidic environments, such as peatlands facing pressure from the peat mining industry, have received little attention. Through two field studies and an experiment, I assessed the use of bog habitats by the green frog (Rana clamitans melanota), a species sensitive to various forestry and peat mining disturbances. First, I compared the occurrence and breeding patterns of frogs in bog and upland ponds. I then evaluated frog movements between forest and bog habitats to determine whether they corresponded to breeding or postbreeding movements. Finally, I investigated, through a field experiment, the value of bogs as rehydrating areas for amphibians by offering living Sphagnum moss and two media associated with uplands (i.e., water with pH ca 6.5 and water-saturated soil) to acutely dehydrated frogs. Green frog reproduction at bog ponds was a rare event, and no net movements occurred between forest and bog habitats. However, acutely dehydrated frogs did not avoid Sphagnum. Results show that although green frogs rarely breed in bogs and do not move en masse between forest and bog habitats, they do not avoid bog substrates for rehydrating, despite their acidity. Thus, bogs offer viable summering habitat to amphibians, which highlights the value of these threatened environments in terrestrial amphibian ecology.

Landscape resistance to frog movements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mazerolle, M.J.; Desrochers, A.

2005-01-01

An animal's capacity to recolonize a patch depends on at least two components: its ability to detect the patch and its ability to reach it. However, the disruption of such processes by anthropic disturbances could explain low animal abundance patterns observed by many investigators in certain landscapes. Through field experiments, we compared the orientation and homing success of northern green frogs (Rana clamitans melanota Rafinesque, 1820) and northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens Schreber, 1782) translocated across disturbed or undisturbed surfaces. We also monitored the path selected by individuals when presented with a choice between a short distance over a disturbed surface and a longer, undisturbed route. Finally, we measured the water loss and behaviour of frogs on substrates resulting from anthropogenic disturbances and a control. When presented with a choice, 72% of the frogs avoided disturbed surfaces. Although able to orient towards the pond of capture when translocated on disturbed surfaces, frogs had a lower probability of homing successfully to the pond than when translocated at a similar distance on an undisturbed surface. Frogs lost the most water on substrates associated with disturbance and in the absence of cover. Our data illustrate that anthropically disturbed areas devoid of cover, such as mined peatlands and agricultural fields, disrupt the ability of frogs to reach habitat patches and are likely explanations to their reduced abundance patterns in such environments. ?? 2005 NRC Canada.

Frog species richness, composition and beta-diversity in coastal Brazilian restinga habitats.

PubMed

Rocha, C F D; Hatano, F H; Vrcibradic, D; Van Sluys, M

2008-02-01

We studied the species richness and composition of frogs in 10 restinga habitats (sand dune environments dominated by herbaceous and shrubby vegetation) along approximately 1500 km of coastal areas of three Brazilian States: Rio de Janeiro (Grumari, Maricá, Massambaba, Jurubatiba and Grussaí), Espírito Santo (Praia das Neves and Setiba) and Bahia (Prado and Trancoso). We estimated beta-diversity and similarity among areas and related these parameters to geographic distance between areas. All areas were surveyed with a similar sampling procedure. We found 28 frog species belonging to the families Hylidae, Microhylidae, Leptodactylidae and Bufonidae. Frogs in restingas were in general nocturnal with no strictly diurnal species. The richest restinga was Praia das Neves (13 species), followed by Grussaí and Trancoso (eight species in each). The commonest species in the restingas was Scinax alter (found in eight restingas), followed by Aparasphenodon brunoi (seven areas). Our data shows that richness and composition of frog communities vary consistently along the eastern Brazilian coast and, in part, the rate of species turnover is affected by the distance among areas. Geographic distance explained approximately 12% of species turnover in restingas and about 9.5% of similarity among frog assemblages. Although geographic distance somewhat affects frog assemblages, other factors (e.g. historical factors, disturbances) seem to be also involved in explaining present frog assemblage composition in each area and species turnover among areas. The frog fauna along restinga habitats was significantly nested (matrix community temperature = 26.13 degrees; p = 0.007). Our data also showed that the most hospitable restinga was Praia das Neves and indicated that this area should be protected as a conservation unit. Frog assemblage of each area seems to partially represent a nested subset of the original assemblage, although we should not ignore the importance of historical factors. This nestedness pattern, in part, probably results from the intensive fragmentation of restinga habitats. Possibly, many frog species may have been lost in some studied areas as a result of the extensive habitat degradation to which restinga habitats are presently exposed.

Field surveys of Midwestern and Northeastern Fish and Wildlife Service lands for the presence of abnormal frogs and toads

USGS Publications Warehouse

Converse, K.A.; Mattsson, J.; Eaton-Poole, L.

2000-01-01

The national distribution of information on the discovery of malformations in Minnesota frogs in 1995 stimulated collection and examination of newly metamorphosed frogs during 1996. By late summer and early fall of 1996, malformed frogs and toads were reported on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) lands in Vermont (Northeast, Region 5) and Minnesota (Midwest, Region 3). In response to these reports, biologists in USFWS Regions 3 and 5 conducted a survey, during the summer of 1997 to determine the distribution and type of malformations in frogs and toads on selected federal lands. Region 3 personnel surveyed 38 field stations at National Wildlife Refuges (NWR's) and Wetland Management Districts. Malformed frogs and toads were collected at 23 (61%) of the Region 3 sites. External malformations were detected in 110 of 6632 individuals representing seven of 13 frog species and one of three toad species examined for an overall of 1.7% affected (percentages for affected species ranged from 0.4-5.2%). In Region 5, 17 NWR's and one National Park were surveyed. Malformed frogs were collected at 10 (56%) of the Region 5 sites. External malformations were detected in 58 of 2267 individuals representing six of 11 frog species and one of two toad species examined for an overall total of 2.6% affected (percentages for affected species ranged from 1.8-15.6%). The majority of malformations observed in frogs and toads collected in Regions 3 and 5 were partially or completely missing hind limbs and digits (50%)or malformed hind limbs and digits (14%). A few individuals had an extra limb or toe, missing or malformed front limb, missing eye, or malformation of the mandible. Despite small sample sizes at some sites, malformations were confirmed to be present in eight species of frogs and two species of toads on Federal lands in USFWS Regions 3 and 5. Further study is needed to determine the extent and distribution of amphibian malformations in these Regions. Data from this study were provided to the national database on distribution of malformed amphibians.

How to Comply with Requirements to Protect California Red-legged Frog from Pesticides

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document describes buffer areas around certain habitats of the California red-legged frog, and limits on use of certain pesticides within those habitats and buffer zones to protect the red-legged frog from certain pesticides.

The wood frog (Rana sylvatica): a technical conservation assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muths, E.; Rittmann, S.; Irwin, J.; Keinath, D.; Scherer, R.

2005-01-01

Overall, the wood frog (Rana sylvatica) is ranked G5, secure through most of its range (NatureServe Explorer 2002). However, it is more vulnerable in some states within the USDA Forest Service Region 2: S3 (vulnerable) in Colorado, S2 (imperiled) in Wyoming, and S1 (critically imperiled in South Dakota (NatureServe Explorer 2002); there are no records for wood frogs in Kansas or Nebraska. Primary threats to wood frog populations are habitat fragmentation (loss of area, edge effects, and isolation) and habitat loss due to anthropogenic causes (e.g., wetland draining, grazing) and natural changes as habitat succession occurs. Wood frogs are most conspicuous at breeding sites early in the spring, when snow and ice are often still present at pond margins. They tolerate frezzing and hibernate terrestrially in shallow depressions, under leaf litter, grasses, logs, or rocks (Bagdonas 1968, Bellis 1961a); there are no reports of aquatic hibernation for this species (Licht 1991, Pinder et al. 1992). Wood frogs require semi-permanent and temporary pools of natural origin and adjacent wet meadows, and landscape alterations that shorten the hydroperiod of ponds can result in catastrophic tadpole mortality. Plant communities utilized by wood frogs in the Rocky Mountains are hydric to mesic and include sedge and grass meadows, willow hummocks, aspen groves, lodgepole pine forests, and woodlands with leaf litter and/or herbaceous understory (Maslin 1947, Bellis 1961a, Roberts and Lewin 1979, Haynes and Aird 1981). Wood frogs are likely to disperse into surrounding marsh and woodlands soon after oviposition (Heatwole 1961, Haynes and Aird 1981). In the arly fall, wood frogs begin to seek hibernacula at or just below the ground surface, generally in upland forest habitat (Regosin et al. 2003). Licht (1991) demonstrated shelter-seeking behavior at 1.5 [degrees] C. Once they have concealed themselves for hibernation, wood frogs are very difficult to detecta?|

Stable isotope analyses-A method to distinguish intensively farmed from wild frogs.

PubMed

Dittrich, Carolin; Struck, Ulrich; Rödel, Mark-Oliver

2017-04-01

Consumption of frog legs is increasing worldwide, with potentially dramatic effects for ecosystems. More and more functioning frog farms are reported to exist. However, due to the lack of reliable methods to distinguish farmed from wild-caught individuals, the origin of frogs in the international trade is often uncertain. Here, we present a new methodological approach to this problem. We investigated the isotopic composition of legally traded frog legs from suppliers in Vietnam and Indonesia. Muscle and bone tissue samples were examined for δ 15 N, δ 13 C, and δ 18 O stable isotope compositions, to elucidate the conditions under which the frogs grew up. We used DNA barcoding (16S rRNA) to verify species identities. We identified three traded species ( Hoplobatrachus rugulosus, Fejervarya cancrivora and Limnonectes macrodon ); species identities were partly deviating from package labeling. Isotopic values of δ 15 N and δ 18 O showed significant differences between species and country of origin. Based on low δ 15 N composition and generally little variation in stable isotope values, our results imply that frogs from Vietnam were indeed farmed. In contrast, the frogs from the Indonesian supplier likely grew up under natural conditions, indicated by higher δ 15 N values and stronger variability in the stable isotope composition. Our results indicate that stable isotope analyses seem to be a useful tool to distinguish between naturally growing and intensively farmed frogs. We believe that this method can be used to improve the control in the international trade of frog legs, as well as for other biological products, thus supporting farming activities and decreasing pressure on wild populations. However, we examined different species from different countries and had no access to samples of individuals with confirmed origin and living conditions. Therefore, we suggest improving this method further with individuals of known origin and history, preferably including samples of the respective nutritive bases.

14 CFR 67.211 - Cardiovascular.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... any of the following: (a) Myocardial infarction; (b) Angina pectoris; (c) Coronary heart disease that...) Cardiac valve replacement; (e) Permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation; or (f) Heart replacement. ...

14 CFR 67.211 - Cardiovascular.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... any of the following: (a) Myocardial infarction; (b) Angina pectoris; (c) Coronary heart disease that...) Cardiac valve replacement; (e) Permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation; or (f) Heart replacement. ...

14 CFR 67.211 - Cardiovascular.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... any of the following: (a) Myocardial infarction; (b) Angina pectoris; (c) Coronary heart disease that...) Cardiac valve replacement; (e) Permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation; or (f) Heart replacement. ...

14 CFR 67.211 - Cardiovascular.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... any of the following: (a) Myocardial infarction; (b) Angina pectoris; (c) Coronary heart disease that...) Cardiac valve replacement; (e) Permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation; or (f) Heart replacement. ...

The role of nitrates, beta blockers, and calcium antagonists in stable angina pectoris.

PubMed

Chan, P K; Heo, J Y; Garibian, G; Askenase, A; Segal, B L; Iskandrian, A S

1988-09-01

Numerous controlled studies have shown that nitrates, beta blockers, and calcium antagonists are effective in the treatment of stable angina pectoris. The pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and hemodynamic effects of these agents are different, and thus combination therapy offers additive improvement and also counterbalancing of the undesirable side effects of each drug. The choice of therapy depends on the severity of symptoms, associated diseases, compliance, side effects, and status of left ventricular function. The main mechanism of improvement is a decrease in myocardial oxygen consumption, though an increase in coronary blood flow is another potential reason for the use of calcium blockers. This review considers the properties of these drugs, their mechanism of action, and the results of randomized studies.

Forms and prevalence of intersexuality and effects of environmental contaminants on sexuality in cricket frogs (Acris crepitans).

PubMed Central

Reeder, A L; Foley, G L; Nichols, D K; Hansen, L G; Wikoff, B; Faeh, S; Eisold, J; Wheeler, M B; Warner, R; Murphy, J E; Beasley, V R

1998-01-01

Cricket frogs (Acris crepitans) from several different sites in Illinois were collected to assess the effects of environmental contamination on the prevalence of intersex gonads. Of 341 frogs collected in 1993, 1994, and 1995, 2.7% were intersex individuals. There was no statistically significant relationship between the chemical compounds detected and cricket frog intersexuality. However, there was an association approaching significance (p = 0.07) between the detection of atrazine and intersex individuals. A comparison of reference sites with sites that had point polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) contamination revealed a significant relationship between sex-ratio reversal and contamination with PCBs and PCDFs. The sex ratio of juvenile frogs studied from three sites with PCB and PCDF point contamination favored males over females, which was the opposite of the sex ratio in control ponds (p = 0.0007). The statistically significant correlation between organochlorine contamination and sex-ratio reversal suggests PCBs and PCDFs can influence cricket frog sexual differentiation. The current study suggests that in cricket frogs, sex ratios and the prevalence of intersex gonads are altered by environmental contamination. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 PMID:9647894

Towards a better understanding of the use of probiotics for preventing chytridiomycosis in Panamanian golden frogs.

PubMed

Becker, Matthew H; Harris, Reid N; Minbiole, Kevin P C; Schwantes, Christian R; Rollins-Smith, Louise A; Reinert, Laura K; Brucker, Robert M; Domangue, Rickie J; Gratwicke, Brian

2011-12-01

Populations of native Panamanian golden frogs (Atelopus zeteki) have collapsed due to a recent chytridiomycosis epidemic. Reintroduction efforts from captive assurance colonies are unlikely to be successful without the development of methods to control chytridiomycosis in the wild. In an effort to develop a protective treatment regimen, we treated golden frogs with Janthinobacterium lividum, a skin bacterium that has been used to experimentally prevent chytridiomycosis in North American amphibians. Although J. lividum appeared to colonize A. zeteki skin temporarily, it did not prevent or delay mortality in A. zeteki exposed to Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, the causative agent of chytridiomycosis. After introduction of J. lividum, average bacterial cell counts reached a peak of 1.7 × 10(6) cells per frog ~2 weeks after treatment but declined steadily after that. When J. lividum numbers declined to ~2.8 × 10(5) cells per frog, B. dendrobatidis infection intensity increased to greater than 13,000 zoospore equivalents per frog. At this point, frogs began to die of chytridiomycosis. Future research will concentrate on isolating and testing antifungal bacterial species from Panama that may be more compatible with Atelopus skin.

Placement of intracoelomic radio transmitters and silicone passive sampling devices in northern leopard frogs (Lithobates pipiens)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yaw, Taylor; Swanson, Jennifer E; Pierce, Clay; Muths, Erin L.; Smalling, Kelly; Vandever, Mark; Zaffarano, Bianca Anne

2017-01-01

Historically, wetland toxin exposure studies have relied on single time point samples from stationary sampling devices. Development of passive sampling devices (PSDs) that can be attached to individual animals within wetland habitats has greatly improved in recent years, presenting an innovative sampling technology that can potentially yield individual-specific, quantifiable data about chemical exposure. In this study, silicone based PSDs were attached to the ventral skin of 20 northern leopard frogs (Lithobates pipiens) with polypropylene sutures after radio transmitters had been surgically implanted into the coleomic cavity. After a recovery period frogs were released back into the wetland habitat where they were acquired. The animals were located daily using radio telemetry to assess how long PSDs would remain attached in the frogs' natural habitat. After one week, PSDs remained on 18 of the original 20 frogs. At 2 weeks 17 frogs were recovered and no PSDs remained attached. Although valuable data can be obtained over a short time period, more research will be necessary to demonstrate effectiveness of externally attaching silicone PSDs to northern leopard frogs for time periods longer than 1-2 weeks.

First report of spontaneous chytridiomycosis in frogs in Asia.

PubMed

Une, Yumi; Kadekaru, Sho; Tamukai, Kenichi; Goka, Kouichi; Kuroki, Toshiro

2008-11-20

This is the first report of amphibian chytridiomycosis in Asia. We discovered a lethal outbreak in Japan, among 45 exotic frogs from 18 species kept for breeding by a private owner. Of these 45 frogs, 16 died and another 7 were found to be infected by chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) but survived after treatment. Bd was detected in frogs from 9 species (Lepidobatrachus laevis, Ceratophrys cornuta, C. cranwelli, C. ornata, C. calcarata, Chacophrys pierotti, Occidozyga lima, Leptodactylus pentadactylus and Plethodontohyla tuberata).

Regional decline of an iconic amphibian associated with elevation, land-use change, and invasive species.

PubMed

Johnson, Pieter T J; McKenzie, Valerie J; Peterson, Anna C; Kerby, Jacob L; Brown, Jennifer; Blaustein, Andrew R; Jackson, Tina

2011-06-01

Ecological theory predicts that species with restricted geographic ranges will have the highest probability of extinction, but species with extensive distributions and high population densities can also exhibit widespread population losses. In the western United States populations of northern leopard frogs (Lithobates pipiens)-historically one of the most widespread frogs in North America-have declined dramatically in abundance and geographic distribution. To assess the status of leopard frogs in Colorado and evaluate causes of decline, we coupled statewide surveys of 196 historically occupied sites with intensive sampling of 274 wetlands stratified by land use. We used an information-theoretic approach to evaluate the contributions of factors at multiple spatial extents in explaining the contemporary distribution of leopard frogs. Our results indicate leopard frogs have declined in Colorado, but this decline was regionally variable. The lowest proportion of occupied wetlands occurred in eastern Colorado (2-28%), coincident with urban development and colonization by non-native bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus). Variables at several spatial extents explained observed leopard frog distributional patterns. In low-elevation wetlands introduced fishes, bullfrogs, and urbanization or suburbanization associated negatively with leopard frog occurrence, whereas wetland area was positively associated with occurrence. Leopard frogs were more abundant and widespread west of the Continental Divide, where urban development and bullfrog abundance were low. Although the pathogenic chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) was not selected in our best-supported models, the nearly complete extirpation of leopard frogs from montane wetlands could reflect the individual or interactive effects of Bd and climate patterns. Our results highlight the importance of considering multiple, competing hypotheses to explain species declines, particularly when implicated factors operate at different spatial extents. ©2011 Society for Conservation Biology.

Evaluation of Antimicrobial and Healing Activities of Frog Skin on Guinea Pigs Wounds

PubMed Central

Rezazade Bazaz, Mahere; Mashreghi, Mohammad; Mahdavi Shahri, Nasser; Mashreghi, Mansour; Asoodeh, Ahmad; Behnam Rassouli, Morteza

2015-01-01

Background: Frog skin secretions have potentials against a wide spectrum of bacteria. Also, frog skin compositions have healing properties. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial potentials along with healing properties of frog skin Rana ridibunda, a species which thoroughly lives in Iran marshes, as a biological dressing on wounds. Materials and Methods: In this study, excisional wounds, dressed with frog skin, were compared between experimental and control groups of guinea pigs. In the experimental groups, wounds were dressed with the dermal (FS) and epidermal (RFS) sides of fresh frog R. ridibunda skin, while only usual cotton gauze covered the wounds of the control group. Furthermore, microbial samples were taken on different days (0, 3, 5, and 7 days post injury) to count the number of the colony-forming units. Additionally, the microbial penetration test was performed on frog skin and then the progression of wound closure was evaluated. Results: In the microbial studies, the bacterial load considerably declined in the wounds treated with FS and RFS compared with the control wounds. On day 7 post injury, the numbers of the colony-forming units for the FS, RFS, and control groups were 6.75, 105, and 375, respectively. In the penetration test, fresh frog skin showed to be a bacterial resistant dressing. The results revealed that the rate of wound closure in the experimental groups significantly was accelerated in comparison with that in the control group. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated the antimicrobial properties of frog skin as a wound dressing, which has antimicrobial effects per se. This biological dressing shows promise as an effective biological wound dressing insofar as not only is it capable of resisting microbes and accelerating wound healing but also it is cost-effective and easy to use. PMID:26468364

Landscape associations of frog and toad species in Iowa and Wisconsin, U.S.A

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knutson, M.G.; Sauer, J.R.; Olsen, D.A.; Mossman, M.J.; Hemesath, L.M.; Lannoo, M.J.; Kaiser, Hinrich; Casper, Gary S.; Bernstein, Neil P.

2000-01-01

Landscape habitat associations of frogs and toads in Iowa and Wisconsin were tested to determine whether they support or refute previous general habitat classifications. We examined which Midwestern species shared similar habitats to see if these associations were consistent across large geographic areas (states). Rana sylvatica (wood frog), Hyla versicolor (eastern gray treefrog), Pseudacris crucifer (spring peeper), and Acris crepitans (cricket frog) were identified as forest species, P. triseriata (chorus frog), H. chrysoscelis (Cope's gray treefrog), R. pipiens (leopard frog), and Bufo americanus (American toad) as grassland species, and R. catesbeiana (bullfrog), R. clamitans (green frog), R. palustris (pickerel frog), and R. septentrionalis (mink frog) as lake or stream species. The best candidates to serve as bioindicators of habitat quality were the forest species R. sylvatica, H. versicolor, and P. crucifer, the grassland species R. pipiens and P. triseriata, and a cold water wetland species, R. palustris. Declines of P. crucifer, R. pipiens, and R. palustris populations in one or both states may reflect changes in habitat quality. Habitat and community associations of some species differed between states, indicating that these relationships may change across the range of a species. Acris crepitans may have shifted its habitat affinities from open habitats, recorded historically, to the more forested habitat associations we recorded. We suggest contaminants deserve more investigation regarding the abrupt and widespread declines of this species. Interspersion of different habitat types was positively associated with several species. A larger number of wetland patches may increase breeding opportunities and increase the probability of at least one site being suitable. We noted consistently negative associations between anuran species and urban development. Given the current trend of urban growth and increasing density of the human population, declines of amphibian populations are likely to continue.

Exposure of northern leopard frogs in the Green Bay ecosystem to polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and polychlorinated dibenzofurans is measured by direct chemistry but not hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Y.W.; Karasov, W.H.; Patnode, K.A.

1999-10-01

The authors measured concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in northern leopard frogs collected from the Green Bay ecosystem and explored the catalytic activity of hepatic cytochrome P450-associated monooxygenase (P450 enzyme) as a biomarker for exposure to aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists. The two hypotheses tested were PCH concentrations in northern leopard frogs would be positively correlated with sediment polychlorinated hydrocarbon (PCH) levels in wetland habitats along a contamination gradient and hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity of northern leopard frogs, which is presumably mediated by aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), would be positively correlated with PCHmore » concentrations in frog carcasses from different collection sites. In 1994 and 1995, frogs from seven sites along the lower Fox River and Green Bay, USA, were assayed for hepatic EROD activities and whole carcass concentrations of PCBs, PCDDs, and PCDFs. Tissue total PCB concentrations ranging from 3 to 154 ng/g were significantly correlated with sediment PCB levels. Only one PCDD and two PCDFs at concentrations of 6 to 8 pg/g were found in the frogs collected with frog body weight and was similar among sites except for Peter's Marsh. No significant correlation was found between EROD activity and carcass PCB concentration. This result was consistent with the fact that the frogs collected from the Green Bay ecosystem had relatively low PCB concentrations compared with what was required for induction in the laboratory.« less

Frog Swarms: Earthquake Precursors or False Alarms?

PubMed Central

Grant, Rachel A.; Conlan, Hilary

2013-01-01

Simple Summary Media reports linking unusual animal behaviour with earthquakes can potentially create false alarms and unnecessary anxiety among people that live in earthquake risk zones. Recently large frog swarms in China and elsewhere have been reported as earthquake precursors in the media. By examining international media reports of frog swarms since 1850 in comparison to earthquake data, it was concluded that frog swarms are naturally occurring dispersal behaviour of juveniles and are not associated with earthquakes. However, the media in seismic risk areas may be more likely to report frog swarms, and more likely to disseminate reports on frog swarms after earthquakes have occurred, leading to an apparent link between frog swarms and earthquakes. Abstract In short-term earthquake risk forecasting, the avoidance of false alarms is of utmost importance to preclude the possibility of unnecessary panic among populations in seismic hazard areas. Unusual animal behaviour prior to earthquakes has been reported for millennia but has rarely been scientifically documented. Recently large migrations or unusual behaviour of amphibians have been linked to large earthquakes, and media reports of large frog and toad migrations in areas of high seismic risk such as Greece and China have led to fears of a subsequent large earthquake. However, at certain times of year large migrations are part of the normal behavioural repertoire of amphibians. News reports of “frog swarms” from 1850 to the present day were examined for evidence that this behaviour is a precursor to large earthquakes. It was found that only two of 28 reported frog swarms preceded large earthquakes (Sichuan province, China in 2008 and 2010). All of the reported mass migrations of amphibians occurred in late spring, summer and autumn and appeared to relate to small juvenile anurans (frogs and toads). It was concluded that most reported “frog swarms” are actually normal behaviour, probably caused by juvenile animals migrating away from their breeding pond, after a fruitful reproductive season. As amphibian populations undergo large fluctuations in numbers from year to year, this phenomenon will not occur on a yearly basis but will depend on successful reproduction, which is related to numerous climatic and geophysical factors. Hence, most large swarms of amphibians, particularly those involving very small frogs and occurring in late spring or summer, are not unusual and should not be considered earthquake precursors. In addition, it is likely that reports of several mass migration of small toads prior to the Great Sichuan Earthquake in 2008 were not linked to the subsequent M = 7.9 event (some occurred at a great distance from the epicentre), and were probably co-incidence. Statistical analysis of the data indicated frog swarms are unlikely to be connected with earthquakes. Reports of unusual behaviour giving rise to earthquake fears should be interpreted with caution, and consultation with experts in the field of earthquake biology is advised. PMID:26479746

PHYLOGEOGRAPHY OF RANA YAVAPAIENSIS AND RANA ONCA: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS WITH CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The closely related aridland frogs Rana onca (Relict Leopard Frog) and Rana yavapaiensis (Lowland Leopard Frog) have both experienced dramatic population declines. Rana onca currently occurs naturally at only 6 disjunct sites in southern Nevada. Rana yavapaiensis is present acros...

Frog Statistics

Science.gov Websites

Whole Frog Project and Virtual Frog Dissection Statistics wwwstats output for January 1 through duplicate or extraneous accesses. For example, in these statistics, while a POST requesting an image is as well. Note that this under-represents the bytes requested. Starting date for following statistics

Frankixalus, a New Rhacophorid Genus of Tree Hole Breeding Frogs with Oophagous Tadpoles

PubMed Central

Biju, S. D.; Mahony, Stephen; Kamei, Rachunliu G.; Thomas, Ashish; Shouche, Yogesh; Raxworthy, Christopher J.; Meegaskumbura, Madhava; Bocxlaer, Ines Van

2016-01-01

Despite renewed interest in the biogeography and evolutionary history of Old World tree frogs (Rhacophoridae), this family still includes enigmatic frogs with ambiguous phylogenetic placement. During fieldwork in four northeastern states of India, we discovered several populations of tree hole breeding frogs with oophagous tadpoles. We used molecular data, consisting of two nuclear and three mitochondrial gene fragments for all known rhacophorid genera, to investigate the phylogenetic position of these new frogs. Our analyses identify a previously overlooked, yet distinct evolutionary lineage of frogs that warrants recognition as a new genus and is here described as Frankixalus gen. nov. This genus, which contains the enigmatic ‘Polypedates’ jerdonii described by Günther in 1876, forms the sister group of a clade containing Kurixalus, Pseudophilautus, Raorchestes, Mercurana and Beddomixalus. The distinctiveness of this evolutionary lineage is also corroborated by the external morphology of adults and tadpoles, adult osteology, breeding ecology, and life history features. PMID:26790105

Reduced body condition and enzymatic alterations in frogs inhabiting intensive crop production areas.

PubMed

Brodeur, Julie C; Suarez, Romina P; Natale, Guillermo S; Ronco, Alicia E; Elena Zaccagnini, Maria

2011-07-01

Parameters indicative of general condition and health were compared amongst adult frogs inhabiting uncultivated lands and fields subjected to agricultural practices typical of the humid pampas of Argentina. Whereas no significant differences existed in the parasite load and external malformations prevalence rate of adult frogs from either environments, a reduced condition factor was clearly demonstrated in frogs from agricultural lands. This conclusion was reached for four frog species of different life habits: the terrestrial fossorial Rhinella fernandezae, the terrestrial Leptodactylus latinasus, the semi-aquatic Leptodactylus ocellatus, and the arborescent Hypsiboas pulchellus. A distinct pattern of enzymatic modifications was furthermore observed in L. ocellatus and H. pulchellus from agricultural lands, including elevated hepatic activities of catalase and cholinesterase, and an inhibition of liver GST activity. Further studies should investigate the causes and consequences of the systematically low condition factor observed in frogs from agricultural fields of the humid pampas of Argentina. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Effective Hybrid Cuckoo Search Algorithm with Improved Shuffled Frog Leaping Algorithm for 0-1 Knapsack Problems

PubMed Central

Wang, Gai-Ge; Feng, Qingjiang; Zhao, Xiang-Jun

2014-01-01

An effective hybrid cuckoo search algorithm (CS) with improved shuffled frog-leaping algorithm (ISFLA) is put forward for solving 0-1 knapsack problem. First of all, with the framework of SFLA, an improved frog-leap operator is designed with the effect of the global optimal information on the frog leaping and information exchange between frog individuals combined with genetic mutation with a small probability. Subsequently, in order to improve the convergence speed and enhance the exploitation ability, a novel CS model is proposed with considering the specific advantages of Lévy flights and frog-leap operator. Furthermore, the greedy transform method is used to repair the infeasible solution and optimize the feasible solution. Finally, numerical simulations are carried out on six different types of 0-1 knapsack instances, and the comparative results have shown the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm and its ability to achieve good quality solutions, which outperforms the binary cuckoo search, the binary differential evolution, and the genetic algorithm. PMID:25404940

Wild-Caught and Farm-Reared Amphibians are Important Reservoirs of Salmonella, A Study in North-East Thailand.

PubMed

Ribas, A; Poonlaphdecha, S

2017-03-01

The role of amphibians as Salmonella reservoirs has not been as well studied as in reptiles, where the literature is abundant. Recent outbreaks of salmonellosis associated with exotic pet frogs have occurred in United States. Frog farming and wild frog harvesting have increased the international trade in these species. This necessitates a better understanding of the risk of salmonellosis transmission from amphibians to humans. We explored the presence of Salmonella in amphibians (frogs and toads) in Thailand, where farmed and wild frogs as well as toads are present. These live animals are easily found in the local markets and are used as food. Exportation of frog meat from Thailand is common. During March-June 2014, ninety-seven frogs were collected from several habitats, including frog farms, urban areas and protected natural areas. The collected amphibians were tested for the presence of Salmonella. The overall prevalence of Salmonella was 69.07% (90.00% in farm animals, 0% in urban area animals and 44.83% in protected area animals). Eight serovars of Salmonella were isolated: subsp. diarizonae ser. 50:k:z, Hvittingfoss, Muenchen, Newport, Stanley, Thompson, Panama and Wandsworth. Six of the identified serovars, Hvittingfoss, Newport, Panama, Stanley, Thompson and Wandsworth, have been detected in humans in Thailand. According to our results, amphibians are reservoirs of Salmonella and can be a public health concern when used as a source of protein for humans. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Chasing maximal performance: a cautionary tale from the celebrated jumping frogs of Calaveras County.

PubMed

Astley, H C; Abbott, E M; Azizi, E; Marsh, R L; Roberts, T J

2013-11-01

Maximal performance is an essential metric for understanding many aspects of an organism's biology, but it can be difficult to determine because a measured maximum may reflect only a peak level of effort, not a physiological limit. We used a unique opportunity provided by a frog jumping contest to evaluate the validity of existing laboratory estimates of maximum jumping performance in bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana). We recorded video of 3124 bullfrog jumps over the course of the 4-day contest at the Calaveras County Jumping Frog Jubilee, and determined jump distance from these images and a calibration of the jump arena. Frogs were divided into two groups: 'rental' frogs collected by fair organizers and jumped by the general public, and frogs collected and jumped by experienced, 'professional' teams. A total of 58% of recorded jumps surpassed the maximum jump distance in the literature (1.295 m), and the longest jump was 2.2 m. Compared with rental frogs, professionally jumped frogs jumped farther, and the distribution of jump distances for this group was skewed towards long jumps. Calculated muscular work, historical records and the skewed distribution of jump distances all suggest that the longest jumps represent the true performance limit for this species. Using resampling, we estimated the probability of observing a given jump distance for various sample sizes, showing that large sample sizes are required to detect rare maximal jumps. These results show the importance of sample size, animal motivation and physiological conditions for accurate maximal performance estimates.

Presence of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in threatened corroboree frog populations in the Australian Alps.

PubMed

Hunter, David A; Speare, Rick; Marantelli, Gerry; Mendez, Diana; Pietsch, Rod; Osborne, Will

2010-11-01

Since the early 1980s, the southern corroboree frog Pseudophryne corroboree and northern corroboree frog P. pengilleyi have been in a state of decline from their sub-alpine and high montane bog environments on the southern tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. To date, there has been no adequate explanation as to what is causing the decline of these species. We investigated the possibility that a pathogen associated with other recent frog declines in Australia, the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, may have been implicated in the decline of the corroboree frogs. We used histology of toe material and real-time PCR of skin swabs to investigate the presence and infection rates with B. dendrobatidis in historic and extant populations of both corroboree frog species. Using histology, we did not detect any B. dendrobatidis infections in corroboree frog populations prior to their decline. However, using the same technique, high rates of infection were observed in populations of both species after the onset of substantial population declines. The real-time PCR screening of skin swabs identified high overall infection rates in extant populations of P. corroboree (between 44 and 59%), while significantly lower rates of infection were observed in low-altitude P. pengilleyi populations (14%). These results suggest that the initial and continued decline of the corroboree frogs may well be attributed to the emergence of B. dendrobatidis in populations of these species.

Urocortins of the South African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis: conservation of structure and function in tetrapod evolution.

PubMed

Boorse, Graham C; Crespi, Erica J; Dautzenberg, Frank M; Denver, Robert J

2005-11-01

Several corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family genes have been identified in vertebrates. Mammals have four paralogous genes that encode CRF or the urocortins 1, 2, and 3. In teleost fishes, a CRF, urotensin I (a fish ortholog of mammalian urocortin 1) and urocortin 3 have been identified, suggesting that at least three of the four mammalian lineages arose in a common ancestor of modern bony fishes and tetrapods. Here we report the isolation of genes orthologous to mammalian urocortin 1 and urocortin 3 from the South African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis. We characterize the pharmacology of the frog peptides and show that X. laevis urocortin 1 binds to and activates the frog CRF1 and CRF2 receptors at picomolar concentrations. Similar to mammals, frog urocortin 3 is selective for the CRF2 receptor. Only frog urocortin 1 binds to the CRF-binding protein, although with significantly lower affinity than frog CRF. Both urocortin genes are expressed in brain, pituitary, heart, and kidney of juvenile frogs; urocortin 1 is also expressed in skin. We also identified novel urocortin sequences in the genomes of pufferfish, zebrafish, chicken, and dog. Phylogenetic analysis supports the view that four paralogous lineages of CRF-like peptides arose before the divergence of the actinopterygian and sarcopterygian fishes. Our findings show that the functional relationships among CRF ligands and binding proteins, and their anorexigenic actions mediated by the CRF2 receptor, arose early in vertebrate evolution.

Resurrecting an Extinct Species: Archival DNA, Taxonomy, and Conservation of the Vegas Valley Leopard Frog

EPA Science Inventory

Suggestions that the extinct Vegas Valley leopard frog (Rana fisheri = Lithobates fisheri) may have been synonymous with one of several declining species has complicated recovery planning for imperiled leopard frogs in southwestern North America. To address this concern, we recon...

Teams Explore the Whole Frog

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cessna, Clair E.

1973-01-01

Describes the content and organization of a laboratory session in which student teams work on the organs, tissues, and parasites of a pithed frog. The procedure maximizes participation by every student, makes possible the fullest use of each frog, and permits a rather broad study in a limited time. (JR)

Preprocedural statin therapy reduces the risk and extent of cardiac biomarker release following percutaneous coronary intervention.

PubMed

Veselka, Josef; Procházková, Sárka; Duchonová, Radka; Homolová, Ingrid; Tesar, David; Bybee, Kevin A

2006-05-01

This study evaluates the association between statin therapy in patients treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for stable angina pectoris and postinterventional myocardial injury with subsequent long-term clinical outcome. Prospectively collected data on 400 consecutive patients with stable angina pectoris or evidence of inducible myocardial ischemia were analyzed. The incidence of myocardial infarction based on postinterventional release of troponin I>1.5 ng/ml was 12% in the statin pretreated patients and 20% in those not pretreated with statin therapy (P=0.04, odds ratio 1.84, 95% confidence interval 1.06-3.21). Of the patients experiencing a post-PCI troponin elevation>1.5 ng/ml, those pretreated with a statin pre-PCI had a lesser troponin elevation compared with those not receiving a statin pre-PCI (median: 2.9 ng/ml [1.9-11.5] vs 5.0 ng/ml [3.1-8.8]; P<0.001). In the multivariate model, preprocedural statin therapy was identified as the only independent negative predictor of procedure-related myocardial necrosis based on postprocedural troponin elevation. In the 21-month follow-up period, statin pretreated patients were observed to have fewer deaths, revascularizations, or myocardial infarction; however, this difference was not statistically significant. These results suggest that pretreatment with statins in patients undergoing PCI for stable angina pectoris reduces the risk and extent of procedure-related myocardial injury measured by troponin release.

Health-related quality of life in fibromyalgia and refractory angina pectoris: a comparison between two chronic non-malignant pain disorders.

PubMed

Andréll, Paulin; Schultz, Tomas; Mannerkorpi, Kaisa; Nordeman, Lena; Börjesson, Mats; Mannheimer, Clas

2014-04-01

To compare health-related quality of life in 2 different populations with chronic pain: patients with fibromyalgia and patients with refractory angina pectoris. Previous separate studies have indicated that these patient groups report different impacts of pain on health-related quality of life. The Short-Form 36 was used to assess health- related quality of life. In order to adjust for age and gender differences between the groups, both patient groups were compared with age- and gender-matched normative controls. The difference in health-related quality of life between the 2 patient groups was assessed by transforming the Short-Form 36 subscale scores to a z-score. The patients with fibromyalgia (n = 203) reported poorer health-related quality of life in all the subscale scores of Short-Form 36 (p < 0.05-0.0001) than the patients with refractory angina (n = 146) when both groups were compared with their corresponding normal population (z-score). Patients with fibromyalgia experience greater impairment in health-related quality of life compared with the normal population than do patients with refractory angina pectoris, despite the fact that the latter have a potentially life-threatening disease. The great impairment in health- related quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia should be taken into consideration when planning rehabilitation.

Yet More Frogs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shutler, Paul M. E.

2011-01-01

Extending a recent paper by Derek Holton, we show how to represent the algorithm for the Frog Problem diagrammatically. This diagrammatic representation suggests a simpler proof of the symmetrical case (equal numbers of frogs of each colour) by allowing the even and odd cases to be treated together. It also provides a proof in the asymmetrical…

Coleman Revisited: School Segregation, Peers, and Frog Ponds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldsmith, Pat Rubio

2011-01-01

Students from minority segregated schools tend to achieve and attain less than similar students from White segregated schools. This study examines whether peer effects can explain this relationship using normative models and frog-pond models. Normative models (where peers become alike) suggest that minority schoolmates are a liability. Frog-pond…

Ichthyophonus sp. (Ichthyophonae, Ichthyophonida) infection in a South American amphibian, the hylid frog Hypsiboas pulchellus.

PubMed

Borteiro, Claudio; Verdes, José Manuel; Cruz, Juan Carlos; Sabalsagaray, María Jesús; Kolenc, Francisco; Martínez Debat, Claudio; Ubilla, Martín

2015-04-01

We report infection by Ichthyophonus sp. in a South American amphibian, the hylid frog Hypsiboas pulchellus in Uruguay. This frog had a large subcutaneous mass over the urostyle and dorsal musculature comprised of parasitic cysts with mild granulomatous inflammation but otherwise appeared healthy.

Phylogeography of Declining Relict and Lowland Leopard Frogs in the Desert Southwest of North America

EPA Science Inventory

We investigated the phylogeography of the closely related relict leopard frog (Rana onca) and lowland leopard frog (R. yavapaiensis) – two declining anurans from the warm-desert regions of southwestern North America. We used sequence data from two mitochondrial DNA genes to asses...

Semi-automated identification of leopard frogs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Petrovska-Delacrétaz, Dijana; Edwards, Aaron; Chiasson, John; Chollet, Gérard; Pilliod, David S.

2014-01-01

Principal component analysis is used to implement a semi-automatic recognition system to identify recaptured northern leopard frogs (Lithobates pipiens). Results of both open set and closed set experiments are given. The presented algorithm is shown to provide accurate identification of 209 individual leopard frogs from a total set of 1386 images.

The toxicity of Poison Dart Frog alkaloids against the Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hundreds of alkaloids, representing over 20 structural classes, have been identified from the skin of neotropical poison frogs (Dendrobatidae). These alkaloids are derived from arthropod prey of the frogs, and are generally are believed to deter vertebrate predators. We developed a method to put ind...

First report of Hepatozoon sp. in the Oregon spotted frog, Rana pretiosa.

PubMed

Stenberg, Patricia L; Bowerman, William J

2010-07-01

From 2005 through 2008, we screened 650 Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) from three populations in central Oregon, USA, for hemoparasites. A Hepatozoon sp., not previously reported in R. pretiosa, was found in one population of frogs, mostly as intracellular gamonts at a prevalence of 10.5% with parasitemias ranging from 0.02% to greater than 42% of erythrocytes within individual frogs. Intra-and extracellular merozoites were present, but rare. A potential vector, the mosquito Culex boharti, was common throughout the habitat of the population carrying Hepatozoon sp.

High level of cryptic species diversity revealed by sympatric lineages of Southeast Asian forest frogs

PubMed Central

Stuart, Bryan L; Inger, Robert F; Voris, Harold K

2006-01-01

Amphibians tend to exhibit conservative morphological evolution, and the application of molecular and bioacoustic tools in systematic studies have been effective at revealing morphologically ‘cryptic’ species within taxa that were previously considered to be a single species. We report molecular genetic findings on two forest-dwelling ranid frogs from localities across Southeast Asia, and show that sympatric evolutionary lineages of morphologically cryptic frogs are a common pattern. These findings imply that species diversity of Southeast Asian frogs remains significantly underestimated, and taken in concert with other molecular investigations, suggest there may not be any geographically widespread, forest-dwelling frog species in the region. Accurate assessments of diversity and distributions are needed to mitigate extinctions of evolutionary lineages in these threatened vertebrates. PMID:17148433

Underwater sonar image detection: A combination of non-local spatial information and quantum-inspired shuffled frog leaping algorithm.

PubMed

Wang, Xingmei; Liu, Shu; Liu, Zhipeng

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a combination of non-local spatial information and quantum-inspired shuffled frog leaping algorithm to detect underwater objects in sonar images. Specifically, for the first time, the problem of inappropriate filtering degree parameter which commonly occurs in non-local spatial information and seriously affects the denoising performance in sonar images, was solved with the method utilizing a novel filtering degree parameter. Then, a quantum-inspired shuffled frog leaping algorithm based on new search mechanism (QSFLA-NSM) is proposed to precisely and quickly detect sonar images. Each frog individual is directly encoded by real numbers, which can greatly simplify the evolution process of the quantum-inspired shuffled frog leaping algorithm (QSFLA). Meanwhile, a fitness function combining intra-class difference with inter-class difference is adopted to evaluate frog positions more accurately. On this basis, recurring to an analysis of the quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization (QPSO) and the shuffled frog leaping algorithm (SFLA), a new search mechanism is developed to improve the searching ability and detection accuracy. At the same time, the time complexity is further reduced. Finally, the results of comparative experiments using the original sonar images, the UCI data sets and the benchmark functions demonstrate the effectiveness and adaptability of the proposed method.

Underwater sonar image detection: A combination of non-local spatial information and quantum-inspired shuffled frog leaping algorithm

PubMed Central

Liu, Zhipeng

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a combination of non-local spatial information and quantum-inspired shuffled frog leaping algorithm to detect underwater objects in sonar images. Specifically, for the first time, the problem of inappropriate filtering degree parameter which commonly occurs in non-local spatial information and seriously affects the denoising performance in sonar images, was solved with the method utilizing a novel filtering degree parameter. Then, a quantum-inspired shuffled frog leaping algorithm based on new search mechanism (QSFLA-NSM) is proposed to precisely and quickly detect sonar images. Each frog individual is directly encoded by real numbers, which can greatly simplify the evolution process of the quantum-inspired shuffled frog leaping algorithm (QSFLA). Meanwhile, a fitness function combining intra-class difference with inter-class difference is adopted to evaluate frog positions more accurately. On this basis, recurring to an analysis of the quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization (QPSO) and the shuffled frog leaping algorithm (SFLA), a new search mechanism is developed to improve the searching ability and detection accuracy. At the same time, the time complexity is further reduced. Finally, the results of comparative experiments using the original sonar images, the UCI data sets and the benchmark functions demonstrate the effectiveness and adaptability of the proposed method. PMID:28542266

Frogs Jump Forward: Semantic Knowledge Influences the Perception of Element Motion in the Ternus Display.

PubMed

Hsu, Patty; Taylor, J Eric T; Pratt, Jay

2015-01-01

The Ternus effect is a robust illusion of motion that produces element motion at short interstimulus intervals (ISIs; < 50 ms) and group motion at longer ISIs (> 50 ms). Previous research has shown that the nature of the stimuli (e.g., similarity, grouping), not just ISI, can influence the likelihood of perceiving element or group motion. We examined if semantic knowledge can also influence what type of illusory motion is perceived. In Experiment I, we used a modified Ternus display with pictures of frogs in a jump-ready pose facing forwards or backwards to the direction of illusory motion. Participants perceived more element motion with the forward-facing frogs and more group motion with the backward-facing frogs. Experiment 2 tested whether this effect would still occur with line drawings of frogs, or if a more life-like image was necessary. Experiment 3 tested whether this effect was due to visual asymmetries inherent in the jumping pose. Experiment 4 tested whether frogs in a "non-jumping," sedentary pose would replicate the original effect. These experiments elucidate the role of semantic knowledge in the Ternus effect. Prior knowledge of the movement of certain animate objects, in this case, frogs can also bias the perception of element or group motion.

Pesticides in mountain yellow-legged frogs (Rana muscosa) from the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fellers, G.M.; McConnell, L.L.; Pratt, D.; Datta, S.

2004-01-01

In 1997, pesticide concentrations were measured in mountain yellow-legged frogs (Rana muscosa) from two areas in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, USA. One area (Sixty Lakes Basin, Kings Canyon National Park) had large, apparently healthy populations of frogs. A second area (Tablelands, Sequoia National Park) once had large populations, but the species had been extirpated from this area by the early 1980s. The Tablelands is exposed directly to prevailing winds from agricultural regions to the west. When an experimental reintroduction of R. muscosa in 1994 to 1995 was deemed unsuccessful in 1997, the last 20 (reintroduced) frogs that could be found were collected from the Tablelands, and pesticide concentrations in both frog tissue and the water were measured at both the Tablelands and at reference sites at Sixty Lakes. In frog tissues, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) concentration was one to two orders of magnitude higher than the other organochlorines (46 ?? 20 ng/g wet wt at Tablelands and 17 ?? 8 Sixty Lakes). Both ??-chlordane and trans-nonachlor were found in significantly greater concentrations in Tablelands frog tissues compared with Sixty Lakes. Organophosphate insecticides, chlorpyrifos, and diazinon were observed primarily in surface water with higher concentrations at the Tablelands sites. No contaminants were significantly higher in our Sixty Lakes samples.

Formicine ants: An arthropod source for the pumiliotoxin alkaloids of dendrobatid poison frogs

PubMed Central

Saporito, Ralph A.; Garraffo, H. Martin; Donnelly, Maureen A.; Edwards, Adam L.; Longino, John T.; Daly, John W.

2004-01-01

A remarkable diversity of bioactive lipophilic alkaloids is present in the skin of poison frogs and toads worldwide. Originally discovered in neotropical dendrobatid frogs, these alkaloids are now known from mantellid frogs of Madagascar, certain myobatrachid frogs of Australia, and certain bufonid toads of South America. Presumably serving as a passive chemical defense, these alkaloids appear to be sequestered from a variety of alkaloid-containing arthropods. The pumiliotoxins represent a major, widespread, group of alkaloids that are found in virtually all anurans that are chemically defended by the presence of lipophilic alkaloids. Identifying an arthropod source for these alkaloids has been a considerable challenge for chemical ecologists. However, an extensive collection of neotropical forest arthropods has now revealed a putative arthropod source of the pumiliotoxins. Here we report on the presence of pumiliotoxins in formicine ants of the genera Brachymyrmex and Paratrechina, as well as the presence of these ants in the stomach contents of the microsympatric pumiliotoxin-containing dendrobatid frog, Dendrobates pumilio. These pumiliotoxins are major alkaloids in D. pumilio, and Brachymyrmex and Paratrechina ants now represent the only known dietary sources of these toxic alkaloids. These findings further support the significance of ant-specialization and alkaloid sequestration in the evolution of bright warning coloration in poison frogs and toads. PMID:15128938

Angina

MedlinePlus

Boden WE. Angina pectoris and stable ischemic heart disease. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil ... PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 72. Morrow DA, Boden WE. Stable ischemic heart disease. In: Mann DL, ...

Cool temperatures reduce antifungal activity of symbiotic bacteria of threatened amphibians--implications for disease management and patterns of decline.

PubMed

Daskin, Joshua H; Bell, Sara C; Schwarzkopf, Lin; Alford, Ross A

2014-01-01

Chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is a widespread disease of amphibians responsible for population declines and extinctions. Some bacteria from amphibians' skins produce antimicrobial substances active against Bd. Supplementing populations of these cutaneous antifungal bacteria might help manage chytridiomycosis in wild amphibians. However, the activity of protective bacteria may depend upon environmental conditions. Biocontrol of Bd in nature thus requires knowledge of how environmental conditions affect their anti-Bd activity. For example, Bd-driven amphibian declines have often occurred at temperatures below Bd's optimum range. It is possible these declines occurred due to reduced anti-Bd activity of bacterial symbionts at cool temperatures. Better understanding of the effects of temperature on chytridiomycosis development could also improve risk evaluation for amphibian populations yet to encounter Bd. We characterized, at a range of temperatures approximating natural seasonal variation, the anti-Bd activity of bacterial symbionts from the skins of three species of rainforest tree frogs (Litoria nannotis, Litoria rheocola, and Litoria serrata). All three species declined during chytridiomycosis outbreaks in the late 1980s and early 1990s and have subsequently recovered to differing extents. We collected anti-Bd bacterial symbionts from frogs and cultured the bacteria at constant temperatures from 8 °C to 33 °C. Using a spectrophotometric assay, we monitored Bd growth in cell-free supernatants (CFSs) from each temperature treatment. CFSs from 11 of 24 bacteria showed reduced anti-Bd activity in vitro when they were produced at cool temperatures similar to those encountered by the host species during population declines. Reduced anti-Bd activity of metabolites produced at low temperatures may, therefore, partially explain the association between Bd-driven declines and cool temperatures. We show that to avoid inconsistent antifungal activity, bacteria evaluated for use in chytridiomycosis biocontrol should be tested over a range of environmental temperatures spanning those likely to be encountered in the field.

Persistence of a circadian rhythmicity for thyroid hormones in plasma and thyroid of hibernating male Rana ridibunda.

PubMed

Kühn, E R; Delmotte, N M; Darras, V M

1983-06-01

The presence and circadian rhythmicity of thyroid hormones was studied in plasma and the thyroid gland of male Rana ridibunda before and during hibernation. Hibernating January frogs do have a lower T3 and T4 content of their thyroid gland whereas plasma levels of T3 are maintained and of T4 increased compared to fed September or October frogs. It seems likely that the increased photoperiod in January will be responsible for this increased T4 secretion, since controlled laboratory experiments performed in December did not reveal any influence of low temperature on circulating T3 or T4 levels. Also feeding does not influence circulating levels and thyroid content of thyroid hormones in frogs kept at room temperature during the month of January. A circadian rhythmicity of T3 and T4 in the thyroid gland is present in fed October frogs and in non fed December frogs acclimated at 5 degrees C for 12 days with an acrophase for T3 at approximately 1500 h and for T4 at around 1900 h, whereas in plasma only T3 does have circadian variations (acrophase about midnight) but not T4. When December frogs are acclimated to room temperature for 12 days, frogs are active again, but do not eat and have a lower body weight than frogs hibernating at 5 degrees C. Their T3 content of the thyroid gland has disappeared, but T4 thyroid content and plasma levels of T3 and T4 are maintained. As in hibernating frogs, no circadian variations in T4 plasma concentrations are present whereas the circadian thyroid T4 rhythm disappears. At the same time a dampening in rhythmicity for plasma T3 as judged by the significantly lower amplitude occurs. It is concluded that the persistence of circulating levels of thyroid hormones and of a circadian cyclicity for T3 in plasma in non feeding hibernating frogs may reflect the special metabolic state e.g. availability of food reserves in these animals.

Tribute to R. G. Boutilier: the role for skeletal muscle in the hypoxia-induced hypometabolic responses of submerged frogs.

PubMed

West, T G; Donohoe, P H; Staples, J F; Askew, G N

2006-04-01

Much of Bob Boutilier's research characterised the subcellular, organ-level and in vivo behavioural responses of frogs to environmental hypoxia. His entirely integrative approach helped to reveal the diversity of tissue-level responses to O(2) lack and to advance our understanding of the ecological relevance of hypoxia tolerance in frogs. Work from Bob's lab mainly focused on the role for skeletal muscle in the hypoxic energetics of overwintering frogs. Muscle energy demand affects whole-body metabolism, not only because of its capacity for rapid increases in ATP usage, but also because hypometabolism of the large skeletal muscle mass in inactive animals impacts so greatly on in vivo energetics. The oxyconformance and typical hypoxia-tolerance characteristics (e.g. suppressed heat flux and preserved membrane ion gradients during O(2) lack) of skeletal muscle in vitro suggest that muscle hypoperfusion in vivo is possibly a key mechanism for (i) downregulating muscle and whole-body metabolic rates and (ii) redistributing O(2) supply to hypoxia-sensitive tissues. The gradual onset of a low-level aerobic metabolic state in the muscle of hypoxic, cold-submerged frogs is indeed important for slowing depletion of on-board fuels and extending overwintering survival time. However, it has long been known that overwintering frogs cannot survive anoxia or even severe hypoxia. Recent work shows that they remain sensitive to ambient O(2) and that they emerge rapidly from quiescence in order to actively avoid environmental hypoxia. Hence, overwintering frogs experience periods of hypometabolic quiescence interspersed with episodes of costly hypoxia avoidance behaviour and exercise recovery. In keeping with this flexible physiology and behaviour, muscle mechanical properties in frogs do not deteriorate during periods of overwintering quiescence. On-going studies inspired by Bob Boutilier's integrative mindset continue to illuminate the cost-benefit(s) of intermittent locomotion in overwintering frogs, the constraints on muscle function during hypoxia, the mechanisms of tissue-level hypometabolism, and the details of possible muscle atrophy resistance in quiescent frogs.

Water quality and amphibian health in the Big Bend region of the Rio Grande Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sharma, Bibek; Hu, F.; Carr, J.A.; Patino, Reynaldo

2011-01-01

Male and female Rio Grande leopard frogs (Rana berlandieri) were collected in May 2005 from the main stem and tributaries of the Rio Grande in the Big Bend region of Texas. Frogs were examined for (1) incidence of testicular ovarian follicles in males; (2) thyroid epithelial cell height, a potential index of exposure to thyroid-disrupting contaminants; and (3) incidence of liver melanomacrophage aggregates, a general index of exposure to contaminants. Standard parameters of surface water quality and concentrations of selected elements, including heavy metals, were determined at each frog collection site. Heavy metals also were measured in whole-frog composite extracts. Water cadmium concentrations in most sites and chloride concentrations in the main stem exceeded federal criteria for freshwater aquatic life. Mercury was detected in frogs from the two collection sites in Terlingua Creek. There was a seventeen percent incidence of testicular ovarian follicles in male frogs. Mean thyroid epithelial cell height was greater in frogs from one of the Terlingua Creek sites (Terlingua Abajo). No differences were observed in the incidence of hepatic macrophage aggregates among sites. In conclusion, although potential cause-effect relationships between indices of habitat quality and amphibian health could not be established, the results of this study raise concerns about the general quality of the aquatic habitat and the potential long-term consequences to the aquatic biota of the Big Bend region. The presence of ovarian follicles in male frogs is noteworthy but further study is necessary to determine whether this phenomenon is natural or anthropogenically induced.

Leopard frog PCB levels and evaluation of EROD as a biomarker in Green Bay ecosystem

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Y.W.; Karasov, W.H.; Patnode, K.P.

1995-12-31

The induction of mixed function oxidases has been shown to be a promising biomarker in many taxa of wildlife, though not yet tested for amphibians. The three hypotheses tested in this study were (1) activities of hepatic EROD of leopard frog (Rana pipiens) are induced following exposure to planar chlorinated PCBs, (2) tissue PCB residue levels of leopard frogs are positively correlated with their wetland sediment PCB levels, and (3) EROD activities are positively correlated with tissue PCB concentrations and sediment PCB. In the laboratory, EROD was increased 2--3 times seven days after i.p. injection with PCB 126 at dosesmore » {ge} 2.3 ppm (wet mass basis). Leopard frogs from seven sites along the Lower Fox River and Green Bay in 1994--1995 were assayed for hepatic EROD activities and total PCB levels in carcasses. Tissue PCB levels ranged from 3 to 152 ppb (including coplanar congeners) and were highest from sites with higher sediment PCB. EROD activity in frogs collected in August--September was not significantly correlated with frog body mass and was similar among sites with one exception. There was no significant correlation between EROD activity and tissue PCB concentration. This result was consistent with the fact that the frogs collected from the Green Bay ecosystem had relatively low PCB levels compared with what was required for induction in the laboratory. The authors conclude that EROD activity is not a sensitive biomarker of PCB exposure in leopard frogs in this ecosystem.« less

Mapping anuran habitat suitability to estimate effects of grassland and wetland conservation programs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mushet, David M.; Euliss, Ned H.; Stockwell, Craig A.

2012-01-01

The conversion of the Northern Great Plains of North America to a landscape favoring agricultural commodity production has negatively impacted wildlife habitats. To offset impacts, conservation programs have been implemented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other agencies to restore grassland and wetland habitat components. To evaluate effects of these efforts on anuran habitats, we used call survey data and environmental data in ecological niche factor analyses implemented through the program Biomapper to quantify habitat suitability for five anuran species within a 196 km2 study area. Our amphibian call surveys identified Northern Leopard Frogs (Lithobates pipiens), Wood Frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus), Boreal Chorus Frogs (Pseudacris maculata), Great Plains Toads (Anaxyrus cognatus), and Woodhouse’s Toads (Anaxyrus woodhousii) occurring within the study area. Habitat suitability maps developed for each species revealed differing patterns of suitable habitat among species. The most significant findings of our mapping effort were 1) the influence of deep-water overwintering wetlands on suitable habitat for all species encountered except the Boreal Chorus Frog; 2) the lack of overlap between areas of core habitat for both the Northern Leopard Frog and Wood Frog compared to the core habitat for both toad species; and 3) the importance of conservation programs in providing grassland components of Northern Leopard Frog and Wood Frog habitat. The differences in habitats suitable for the five species we studied in the Northern Great Plains, i.e., their ecological niches, highlight the importance of utilizing an ecosystem based approach that considers the varying needs of multiple species in the development of amphibian conservation and management plans.

Modeling potential river management conflicts between frogs and salmonids

Treesearch

Steven F. Railsback; Bret C. Harvey; Sarah J. Kupferberg; Margaret M. Lang; Scott McBain; Hart H. Welsh

2016-01-01

Management of regulated rivers for yellow-legged frogs (Rana boylii) and salmonids exemplifies potential conflicts among species adapted to different parts of the natural flow and temperature regimes. Yellow-legged frogs oviposit in rivers in spring and depend on declining flows and warming temperatures for egg and tadpole survival and growth,...

Foothill yellow-legged frog conservation assessment in California

Treesearch

Marc P. Hayes; Clara A. Wheeler; Amy J. Lind; Gregory A. Green; Diane C. Macfarlane

2016-01-01

The foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii) is a stream-breeding amphibian that has experienced significant population declines over a large portion of its historical range. This frog is nearing extirpation in much of the Sierra Nevada region where existing populations are sparse. Water development and diversions are likely to be the primary...

49 CFR 213.139 - Spring rail frogs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Spring rail frogs. 213.139 Section 213.139..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TRACK SAFETY STANDARDS Track Structure § 213.139 Spring rail frogs. (a) The outer edge of a wheel tread shall not contact the gage side of a spring wing rail. (b) The toe of each...

49 CFR 213.139 - Spring rail frogs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Spring rail frogs. 213.139 Section 213.139..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TRACK SAFETY STANDARDS Track Structure § 213.139 Spring rail frogs. (a) The outer edge of a wheel tread shall not contact the gage side of a spring wing rail. (b) The toe of each...

49 CFR 213.139 - Spring rail frogs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Spring rail frogs. 213.139 Section 213.139..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TRACK SAFETY STANDARDS Track Structure § 213.139 Spring rail frogs. (a) The outer edge of a wheel tread shall not contact the gage side of a spring wing rail. (b) The toe of each...

49 CFR 213.139 - Spring rail frogs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Spring rail frogs. 213.139 Section 213.139..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TRACK SAFETY STANDARDS Track Structure § 213.139 Spring rail frogs. (a) The outer edge of a wheel tread shall not contact the gage side of a spring wing rail. (b) The toe of each...

49 CFR 213.139 - Spring rail frogs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Spring rail frogs. 213.139 Section 213.139..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TRACK SAFETY STANDARDS Track Structure § 213.139 Spring rail frogs. (a) The outer edge of a wheel tread shall not contact the gage side of a spring wing rail. (b) The toe of each...

Using a Phototransduction System to Monitor the Isolated Frog Heart

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephens, Philip J.

2015-01-01

A simple and inexpensive method of monitoring the movement of an isolated frog heart provides comparable results to those obtained with a force transducer. A commercially available photoresistor is integrated into a Wheatstone bridge circuit, and the output signal is interfaced directly with a recording device. An excised, beating frog heart is…

Bacterial flora on Cascades frogs in the Klamath Mountains of California

Treesearch

Karen Pope

2013-01-01

Amphibians are experiencing global declines due in part to the infectious disease chytridiomycosis. Some symbiotic bacteria residents on frog skin have been shown to inhibit the growth of Batrachochytrium dendrobatitis (Bd) but few studies have attempted to fully describe the resident bacterial flora of frog skin. We cultured and sequenced 130...

Propulsive efficiency of frog swimming with different feet and swimming patterns

PubMed Central

Jizhuang, Fan; Wei, Zhang; Bowen, Yuan; Gangfeng, Liu

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Aquatic and terrestrial animals have different swimming performances and mechanical efficiencies based on their different swimming methods. To explore propulsion in swimming frogs, this study calculated mechanical efficiencies based on data describing aquatic and terrestrial webbed-foot shapes and swimming patterns. First, a simplified frog model and dynamic equation were established, and hydrodynamic forces on the foot were computed according to computational fluid dynamic calculations. Then, a two-link mechanism was used to stand in for the diverse and complicated hind legs found in different frog species, in order to simplify the input work calculation. Joint torques were derived based on the virtual work principle to compute the efficiency of foot propulsion. Finally, two feet and swimming patterns were combined to compute propulsive efficiency. The aquatic frog demonstrated a propulsive efficiency (43.11%) between those of drag-based and lift-based propulsions, while the terrestrial frog efficiency (29.58%) fell within the range of drag-based propulsion. The results illustrate the main factor of swimming patterns for swimming performance and efficiency. PMID:28302669

Adaptive Grouping Cloud Model Shuffled Frog Leaping Algorithm for Solving Continuous Optimization Problems

PubMed Central

Liu, Haorui; Yi, Fengyan; Yang, Heli

2016-01-01

The shuffled frog leaping algorithm (SFLA) easily falls into local optimum when it solves multioptimum function optimization problem, which impacts the accuracy and convergence speed. Therefore this paper presents grouped SFLA for solving continuous optimization problems combined with the excellent characteristics of cloud model transformation between qualitative and quantitative research. The algorithm divides the definition domain into several groups and gives each group a set of frogs. Frogs of each region search in their memeplex, and in the search process the algorithm uses the “elite strategy” to update the location information of existing elite frogs through cloud model algorithm. This method narrows the searching space and it can effectively improve the situation of a local optimum; thus convergence speed and accuracy can be significantly improved. The results of computer simulation confirm this conclusion. PMID:26819584

Phase Reconstruction from FROG Using Genetic Algorithms[Frequency-Resolved Optical Gating

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Omenetto, F.G.; Nicholson, J.W.; Funk, D.J.

1999-04-12

The authors describe a new technique for obtaining the phase and electric field from FROG measurements using genetic algorithms. Frequency-Resolved Optical Gating (FROG) has gained prominence as a technique for characterizing ultrashort pulses. FROG consists of a spectrally resolved autocorrelation of the pulse to be measured. Typically a combination of iterative algorithms is used, applying constraints from experimental data, and alternating between the time and frequency domain, in order to retrieve an optical pulse. The authors have developed a new approach to retrieving the intensity and phase from FROG data using a genetic algorithm (GA). A GA is a generalmore » parallel search technique that operates on a population of potential solutions simultaneously. Operators in a genetic algorithm, such as crossover, selection, and mutation are based on ideas taken from evolution.« less

Size-sex variation in survival rates and abundance of pig frogs, Rana grylio, in northern Florida wetlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wood, K.V.; Nichols, J.D.; Percival, H.F.; Hines, J.E.

1998-01-01

During 1991-1993, we conducted capture-recapture studies on pig frogs, Rana grylio, in seven study locations in northcentral Florida. Resulting data were used to test hypotheses about variation in survival probability over different size-sex classes of pig frogs. We developed multistate capture-recapture models for the resulting data and used them to estimate survival rates and frog abundance. Tests provided strong evidence of survival differences among size-sex classes, with adult females showing the highest survival probabilities. Adult males and juvenile frogs had lower survival rates that were similar to each other. Adult females were more abundant than adult males in most locations at most sampling occasions. We recommended probabilistic capture-recapture models in general, and multistate models in particular, for robust estimation of demographic parameters in amphibian populations.

A Chinese patent medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza depside salts for infusion combined with conventional treatment for patients with angina pectoris: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Zhang, Yili; Xie, Yanming; Liao, Xing; Jia, Qiulei; Chai, Yan

2017-02-15

Currently, many trials have been conducted to investigate the beneficial and harmful effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza depside salts for infusion for treating patients with angina pectoris. It is important to systematically and criticallyevaluate the existing literature into providing a pooled effect to examine outcomes of angina pectoris with Salvia miltiorrhiza depside salts for infusion. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to determine the clinical curative effect and safety of Salvia miltiorrhiza depside salts for infusion for angina pectoris and provide clear evidence to inform clinical practice. The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and other four electronic Chinese databases were searched to identify relevant randomized controlled trials. Methodological quality and reporting quality of eligible studies was evaluated by using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and CONSORT for traditional Chinese medicine respectively. Meta-analysis was performed by RevMan 5.3 software. Fifty-six randomized controlled trials involving 5503 patients were included. Most of the trials were classified as having an unclear risk of bias because of poor reported methodology. The main outcomes are improvements in angina symptoms, ECG improvement and reduction of nitroglycerin use. CHD mortality or rate of CHD events was not reported in any trial. Meta-analysis showed that Salvia miltiorrhiza depside salts for infusion combined with conventional treatment was better than conventional treatment alone in improving angina symptoms (RR= 1.28, 95% CI 1.24 to 1.31, p < 0.00001), the frequency of angina attack (time/week)(WMD=-1.47, 95% CI -2.16 to -0.78), reducing clinical symptom scores (WMD=-0.55, 95% CI -0.57 to -0.53, p < 0.000011), increasing physical limitation scores (WMD= 7.68, 95% CI 1.48 to 13.88, p = 0.02), improving ECG (RR= 1.32,95% CI 1.27 to 1.38, p < 0.00001) and reducing dosage of nitroglycerin (RR= 1.50, 95% CI: 1.26 to 1.77, p < 0.00001). In addition, Egger's regression tests was found there was publication bias (Kendall' tau= 0.36, p < 0.01). The current systematic review indicates relevant evidence for Salvia miltiorrhiza depside salts for infusion combined with conventional treatments treating patient with angina pectoris. However, the results should be interpreted with caution due to the low methodological quality, the risk of publication bias, lack of important clinically relevant outcomes and inadequate reporting on adverse events of the included trials. International methodological and reporting standards could help researchers conduct well designed trials and generate better evidence for Salvia miltiorrhiza depside salts for infusion. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

Introducing the Forensic Research/Reference on Genetics knowledge base, FROG-kb.

PubMed

Rajeevan, Haseena; Soundararajan, Usha; Pakstis, Andrew J; Kidd, Kenneth K

2012-09-01

Online tools and databases based on multi-allelic short tandem repeat polymorphisms (STRPs) are actively used in forensic teaching, research, and investigations. The Fst value of each CODIS marker tends to be low across the populations of the world and most populations typically have all the common STRP alleles present diminishing the ability of these systems to discriminate ethnicity. Recently, considerable research is being conducted on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to be considered for human identification and description. However, online tools and databases that can be used for forensic research and investigation are limited. The back end DBMS (Database Management System) for FROG-kb is Oracle version 10. The front end is implemented with specific code using technologies such as Java, Java Servlet, JSP, JQuery, and GoogleCharts. We present an open access web application, FROG-kb (Forensic Research/Reference on Genetics-knowledge base, http://frog.med.yale.edu), that is useful for teaching and research relevant to forensics and can serve as a tool facilitating forensic practice. The underlying data for FROG-kb are provided by the already extensively used and referenced ALlele FREquency Database, ALFRED (http://alfred.med.yale.edu). In addition to displaying data in an organized manner, computational tools that use the underlying allele frequencies with user-provided data are implemented in FROG-kb. These tools are organized by the different published SNP/marker panels available. This web tool currently has implemented general functions possible for two types of SNP panels, individual identification and ancestry inference, and a prediction function specific to a phenotype informative panel for eye color. The current online version of FROG-kb already provides new and useful functionality. We expect FROG-kb to grow and expand in capabilities and welcome input from the forensic community in identifying datasets and functionalities that will be most helpful and useful. Thus, the structure and functionality of FROG-kb will be revised in an ongoing process of improvement. This paper describes the state as of early June 2012.

Seasonal Pattern of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Infection and Mortality in Lithobates areolatus: Affirmation of Vredenburg's “10,000 Zoospore Rule”

PubMed Central

Kinney, Vanessa C.; Heemeyer, Jennifer L.; Pessier, Allan P.; Lannoo, Michael J.

2011-01-01

To fully comprehend chytridiomycosis, the amphibian disease caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), it is essential to understand how Bd affects amphibians throughout their remarkable range of life histories. Crawfish Frogs (Lithobates areolatus) are a typical North American pond-breeding species that forms explosive spring breeding aggregations in seasonal and semipermanent wetlands. But unlike most species, when not breeding Crawfish Frogs usually live singly—in nearly total isolation from conspecifics—and obligately in burrows dug by crayfish. Crayfish burrows penetrate the water table, and therefore offer Crawfish Frogs a second, permanent aquatic habitat when not breeding. Over the course of two years we sampled for the presence of Bd in Crawfish Frog adults. Sampling was conducted seasonally, as animals moved from post-winter emergence through breeding migrations, then back into upland burrow habitats. During our study, 53% of Crawfish Frog breeding adults tested positive for Bd in at least one sample; 27% entered breeding wetlands Bd positive; 46% exited wetlands Bd positive. Five emigrating Crawfish Frogs (12%) developed chytridiomycosis and died. In contrast, all 25 adult frogs sampled while occupying upland crayfish burrows during the summer tested Bd negative. One percent of postmetamorphic juveniles sampled were Bd positive. Zoospore equivalents/swab ranged from 0.8 to 24,436; five out of eight frogs with zoospore equivalents near or >10,000 are known to have died. In summary, Bd infection rates in Crawfish Frog populations ratchet up from near zero during the summer to over 25% following overwintering; rates then nearly double again during and just after breeding—when mortality occurs—before the infection wanes during the summer. Bd-negative postmetamorphic juveniles may not be exposed again to this pathogen until they take up residence in crayfish burrows, or until their first breeding, some years later. PMID:21423745

Managing habitat to slow or reverse population declines of the Columbia spotted frog in the Northern Great Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pilliod, David S.; Richard D. Scherer,

2015-01-01

Evaluating the effectiveness of habitat management actions is critical to adaptive management strategies for conservation of imperiled species. We quantified the response of a Great Basin population of the Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) to multiple habitat improvement actions aimed to reduce threats and reverse population declines. We used mark-recapture data for 1,394 adult frogs that had been marked by state, federal, and university biologists in 9 ponds representing a single population over a 16-year period from 1997 to 2012. With the use of demographic models, we assessed population-level effects of 1) a grazing exclosure constructed around 6 stock ponds that had been used to water livestock for decades before being fully fenced in 2003, and 2) the construction of 3 new stock ponds in 2003 to provide alternative water sources for livestock and, secondarily, to provide additional frog habitat. These management actions were implemented in response to a decline of more than 80% in population size from 1997 to 2002. We found evidence that excluding cattle from ponds and surrounding riparian habitats resulted in higher levels of frog production (more egg masses), higher adult frog recruitment and survival, and higher population growth rate. We also found that frogs colonized the newly constructed stock ponds within 3 years and frogs began breeding in 2 of them after 5 years. The positive effects of the cattle exclosure and additional production from the new ponds, although notable, did not result in full recovery of the population even 9 years later. This slow recovery may be partly explained by the effects of weather on recruitment rates, particularly the negative effects of harsher winters with late springs and higher fall temperatures. Although our findings point to potential successes of habitat management aimed at slowing or reversing rapidly declining frog populations, our study also suggests that recovering from severe population declines can take many years because of demographic and environmental processes. 

Plasticity of peripheral auditory frequency sensitivity in Emei music frog.

PubMed

Zhang, Dian; Cui, Jianguo; Tang, Yezhong

2012-01-01

In anurans reproductive behavior is strongly seasonal. During the spring, frogs emerge from hibernation and males vocalize for mating or advertising territories. Female frogs have the ability to evaluate the quality of the males' resources on the basis of these vocalizations. Although studies revealed that central single torus semicircularis neurons in frogs exhibit season plasticity, the plasticity of peripheral auditory sensitivity in frog is unknown. In this study the seasonally plasticity of peripheral auditory sensitivity was test in the Emei music frog Babina daunchina, by comparing thresholds and latencies of auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) evoked by tone pips and clicks in the reproductive and non-reproductive seasons. The results show that both ABR thresholds and latency differ significantly between the reproductive and non-reproductive seasons. The thresholds of tone pip evoked ABRs in the non-reproductive season increased significantly about 10 dB than those in the reproductive season for frequencies from 1 KHz to 6 KHz. ABR latencies to waveform valley values for tone pips for the same frequencies using appropriate threshold stimulus levels are longer than those in the reproductive season for frequencies from 1.5 to 6 KHz range, although from 0.2 to 1.5 KHz range it is shorter in the non-reproductive season. These results demonstrated that peripheral auditory frequency sensitivity exhibits seasonal plasticity changes which may be adaptive to seasonal reproductive behavior in frogs.

Characterization of kappa 1 and kappa 2 opioid binding sites in frog (Rana esculenta) brain membrane preparation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Benyhe, S.; Varga, E.; Hepp, J.

1990-09-01

The distribution and properties of frog brain kappa-opioid receptor subtypes differ not only from those of the guinea pig brain, but also from that of the rat brain. In guinea pig cerebellum the kappa 1 is the dominant receptor subtype, frog brain contains mainly the kappa 2 subtype, and the distribution of the rat brain subtypes is intermediate between the two others. In competition experiments it has been established that ethylketocyclazocine and N-cyclopropylmethyl-norazidomorphine, which are nonselective kappa-ligands, have relatively high affinities to frog brain membranes. The kappa 2 ligands (Met5)enkephalin-Arg6-Phe7 and etorphine also show high affinities to the frog brain.more » Kappa 1 binding sites measured in the presence of 5 microM/D-Ala2-Leu5/enkephalin represent 25-30% of (3H)ethylketocyclazocine binding in frog brain membranes. The kappa 2 subtype in frog brain resembles more to the mu subtype than the delta subtype of opioid receptors, but it differs from the mu subtype in displaying low affinity toward beta-endorphin and /D-Ala2-(Me)Phe4-Gly5-ol/enkephalin (DAGO). From our data it is evident that the opioid receptor subtypes are already present in the amphibian brain but the differences among them are less pronounced than in mammalian brain.« less

Understanding the Role of Autoimmune Disorders on the Initial Presentation of Cardiovascular Disease

ClinicalTrials.gov

2015-04-20

Myocardial Infarction; Ischemic Stroke; Stroke; Subarachnoid Haemorrhage; Venous Thrombosis; Transient Ischemic Attack; Stable Angina Pectoris; Unstable Angina; Heart Failure; Peripheral Arterial Disease; Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Microfluidic assay of circulating endothelial cells in coronary artery disease patients with angina pectoris

PubMed Central

Chen, Shuiyu; Sun, Yukun; Neoh, Kuang Hong; Chen, Anqi; Li, Weiju; Yang, Xiaorui

2017-01-01

Background Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) are widely reported as a promising biomarker of endothelial damage/dysfunction in coronary artery disease (CAD). The two popular methods of CEC quantification include the use of immunomagnetic beads separation (IB) and flow cytometry analysis (FC); however, they suffer from two main shortcomings that affect their diagnostic and prognostic responses: non-specific bindings of magnetic beads to non-target cells and a high degree of variability in rare cell identification, respectively. We designed a microfluidic chip with spatially staggered micropillars for the efficient harvesting of CECs with intact cellular morphology in an attempt to revisit the diagnostic goal of CEC counts in CAD patients with angina pectoris. Methods A label-free microfluidic assay that involved an in-situ enumeration and immunofluorescent identification (DAPI+/CD146+/VEGFR1+/CD45-) of CECs was carried out to assess the CEC count in human peripheral blood samples. A total of 55 CAD patients with angina pectoris [16 with chronic stable angina (CSA) and 39 with unstable angina (UA)], together with 15 heathy controls (HCs) were enrolled in the study. Results CEC counts are significantly higher in both CSA and UA groups compared to the HC group [respective medians of 6.9, 10.0 and 1.5 cells/ml (p < 0.01)]. Further, a significant elevation of CEC count was observed in the three UA subgroups [low risk (5.3) vs. intermediate risk (10.8) vs. high risk (18.0) cells/ml, p < 0.001) classified in accordance to the TIMI NSTEMI/UA risk score system. From the receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, the AUCs for distinguishing CSA and UA from HC were 0.867 and 0.938, respectively. The corresponding sensitivities were 87.5% and 84.6% and the specificities were 66.7% and 86.7%, respectively. Conclusions Our microfluidic assay system is efficient and stable for CEC capture and enumeration. The results showed that the CEC count has the potential to be a promising clinical biomarker for the assessment of endothelial damage/dysfunction in CAD patients with angina pectoris. PMID:28704506

Microfluidic assay of circulating endothelial cells in coronary artery disease patients with angina pectoris.

PubMed

Chen, Shuiyu; Sun, Yukun; Neoh, Kuang Hong; Chen, Anqi; Li, Weiju; Yang, Xiaorui; Han, Ray P S

2017-01-01

Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) are widely reported as a promising biomarker of endothelial damage/dysfunction in coronary artery disease (CAD). The two popular methods of CEC quantification include the use of immunomagnetic beads separation (IB) and flow cytometry analysis (FC); however, they suffer from two main shortcomings that affect their diagnostic and prognostic responses: non-specific bindings of magnetic beads to non-target cells and a high degree of variability in rare cell identification, respectively. We designed a microfluidic chip with spatially staggered micropillars for the efficient harvesting of CECs with intact cellular morphology in an attempt to revisit the diagnostic goal of CEC counts in CAD patients with angina pectoris. A label-free microfluidic assay that involved an in-situ enumeration and immunofluorescent identification (DAPI+/CD146+/VEGFR1+/CD45-) of CECs was carried out to assess the CEC count in human peripheral blood samples. A total of 55 CAD patients with angina pectoris [16 with chronic stable angina (CSA) and 39 with unstable angina (UA)], together with 15 heathy controls (HCs) were enrolled in the study. CEC counts are significantly higher in both CSA and UA groups compared to the HC group [respective medians of 6.9, 10.0 and 1.5 cells/ml (p < 0.01)]. Further, a significant elevation of CEC count was observed in the three UA subgroups [low risk (5.3) vs. intermediate risk (10.8) vs. high risk (18.0) cells/ml, p < 0.001) classified in accordance to the TIMI NSTEMI/UA risk score system. From the receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, the AUCs for distinguishing CSA and UA from HC were 0.867 and 0.938, respectively. The corresponding sensitivities were 87.5% and 84.6% and the specificities were 66.7% and 86.7%, respectively. Our microfluidic assay system is efficient and stable for CEC capture and enumeration. The results showed that the CEC count has the potential to be a promising clinical biomarker for the assessment of endothelial damage/dysfunction in CAD patients with angina pectoris.

Breeding chorus indices are weakly related to estimated abundance of boreal chorus frogs

Treesearch

Paul Stephen Corn; Erin Muths; Amanda M. Kissel; Rick D. Scherer

2011-01-01

Call surveys used to monitor breeding choruses of anuran amphibians generate index values that are frequently used to represent the number of male frogs present, but few studies have quantified this relationship. We compared abundance of male Boreal Chorus Frogs (Pseudacris maculata), estimated using capture-recapture methods in two populations in Colorado, to call...

Surveys for California red-legged frog and arroyo toad on the Los Padres National Forest

Treesearch

Valerie K. Hubbartt; Thomas G. Murphey

2005-01-01

Starting in the spring of 1999 through the fall of 2000, USDA Forest Service biologists have conducted surveys throughout the Los Padres National Forest for the federally-listed California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii) and arroyo toad (Bufo californicus). Sites known to have frogs or toads present were monitored for...

Biodiversity of frog haemoparasites from sub-tropical northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Netherlands, Edward C.; Cook, Courtney A.; Kruger, Donnavan J.D.; du Preez, Louis H.; Smit, Nico J.

2015-01-01

Since South Africa boasts a high biodiversity of frog species, a multispecies haemoparasite survey was conducted by screening the blood from 29 species and 436 individual frogs. Frogs were collected at three localities in sub-tropical KwaZulu-Natal, a hotspot for frog diversity. Twenty per cent of the frogs were infected with at least one of five groups of parasites recorded. Intraerythrocytic parasites comprising Hepatozoon, Dactylosoma, and viral or bacterial organisms, as well as extracellular parasites including trypanosomes and microfilarid nematodes were found. A significant difference (P < 0.01) in the prevalence of parasitaemia was found across species, those semi-aquatic species demonstrating the highest, followed by semi-terrestrial frog species. None of those species described as purely terrestrial and aquatic were infected. Hepatozoon and Trypanosoma species accounted for most of the infections, the former demonstrating significant differences in intensity of infection across species, families and habitat types (P = 0.028; P = 0.006; P = 0.007 respectively). Per locality, the first, the formally protected Ndumo Game Reserve, had the highest biodiversity of haemoparasite infections, with all five groups of parasites recorded. The other two sites, that is the area bordering the reserve and the Kwa Nyamazane Conservancy, had a lower diversity with no parasite infections recorded and only Hepatozoon species recorded respectively. Such findings could be ascribed to the anthropogenic impact on the latter two sites, the first by the rural village activities, and the second by the bordering commercial sugar cane agriculture. Future studies should include both morphological and molecular descriptions of the above parasites, as well as the identification of potential vectors, possibly clarifying the effects human activities may have on frog haemoparasite life cycles and as such their biodiversity. PMID:25830113

Differential uptake of gold nanoparticles by 2 species of tadpole, the wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) and the bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus).

PubMed

Thompson, Lucas B; Carfagno, Gerardo L F; Andresen, Kurt; Sitton, Andrea J; Bury, Taylor; Lee, Laura L; Lerner, Kevin T; Fong, Peter P

2017-12-01

Engineered nanoparticles are aquatic contaminants of emerging concern that exert ecotoxicological effects on a wide variety of organisms. We exposed cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-capped spherical gold nanoparticles to wood frog and bullfrog tadpoles with conspecifics and in combination with the other species continuously for 21 d, then measured uptake and localization of gold. Wood frog tadpoles alone and in combination with bullfrog tadpoles took up significantly more gold than bullfrogs. Bullfrog tadpoles in combination with wood frogs took up significantly more gold than controls. The rank order of weight-normalized gold uptake was wood frogs in combination > wood frogs alone > bullfrogs in combination > bullfrogs alone > controls. In all gold-exposed groups of tadpoles, gold was concentrated in the anterior region compared with the posterior region of the body. The concentration of gold nanoparticles in the anterior region of wood frogs both alone and in combination with bullfrogs was significantly higher than the corresponding posterior regions. We also measured depuration time of gold in wood frogs. After 21 d in a solution of gold nanoparticles, tadpoles lost >83% of internalized gold when placed in gold-free water for 5 d. After 10 d in gold-free water, tadpoles lost 94% of their gold. After 15 d, gold concentrations were below the level of detection. Our finding of differential uptake between closely related species living in similar habitats with overlapping geographical distributions argues against generalizing toxicological effects of nanoparticles for a large group of organisms based on measurements in only one species. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3351-3358. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

An Analysis of Predator Selection to Affect Aposematic Coloration in a Poison Frog Species.

PubMed

Dreher, Corinna E; Cummings, Molly E; Pröhl, Heike

2015-01-01

Natural selection is widely noted to drive divergence of phenotypic traits. Predation pressure can facilitate morphological divergence, for example the evolution of both cryptic and conspicuous coloration in animals. In this context Dendrobatid frogs have been used to study evolutionary forces inducing diversity in protective coloration. The polytypic strawberry poison frog (Oophaga pumilio) shows strong divergence in aposematic coloration among populations. To investigate whether predation pressure is important for color divergence among populations of O. pumilio we selected four mainland populations and two island populations from Costa Rica and Panama. Spectrometric measurements of body coloration were used to calculate color and brightness contrasts of frogs as an indicator of conspicuousness for the visual systems of several potential predators (avian, crab and snake) and a conspecific observer. Additionally, we conducted experiments using clay model frogs of different coloration to investigate whether the local coloration of frogs is better protected than non-local color morphs, and if predator communities vary among populations. Overall predation risk differed strongly among populations and interestingly was higher on the two island populations. Imprints on clay models indicated that birds are the main predators while attacks of other predators were rare. Furthermore, clay models of local coloration were equally likely to be attacked as those of non-local coloration. Overall conspicuousness (and brightness contrast) of local frogs was positively correlated with attack rates by birds across populations. Together with results from earlier studies we conclude that conspicuousness honestly indicates toxicity to avian predators. The different coloration patterns among populations of strawberry poison frogs in combination with behavior and toxicity might integrate into equally efficient anti-predator strategies depending on local predation and other ecological factors.

An Analysis of Predator Selection to Affect Aposematic Coloration in a Poison Frog Species

PubMed Central

Dreher, Corinna E.; Cummings, Molly E.; Pröhl, Heike

2015-01-01

Natural selection is widely noted to drive divergence of phenotypic traits. Predation pressure can facilitate morphological divergence, for example the evolution of both cryptic and conspicuous coloration in animals. In this context Dendrobatid frogs have been used to study evolutionary forces inducing diversity in protective coloration. The polytypic strawberry poison frog (Oophaga pumilio) shows strong divergence in aposematic coloration among populations. To investigate whether predation pressure is important for color divergence among populations of O. pumilio we selected four mainland populations and two island populations from Costa Rica and Panama. Spectrometric measurements of body coloration were used to calculate color and brightness contrasts of frogs as an indicator of conspicuousness for the visual systems of several potential predators (avian, crab and snake) and a conspecific observer. Additionally, we conducted experiments using clay model frogs of different coloration to investigate whether the local coloration of frogs is better protected than non-local color morphs, and if predator communities vary among populations. Overall predation risk differed strongly among populations and interestingly was higher on the two island populations. Imprints on clay models indicated that birds are the main predators while attacks of other predators were rare. Furthermore, clay models of local coloration were equally likely to be attacked as those of non-local coloration. Overall conspicuousness (and brightness contrast) of local frogs was positively correlated with attack rates by birds across populations. Together with results from earlier studies we conclude that conspicuousness honestly indicates toxicity to avian predators. The different coloration patterns among populations of strawberry poison frogs in combination with behavior and toxicity might integrate into equally efficient anti-predator strategies depending on local predation and other ecological factors. PMID:26110826

Convergent Substitutions in a Sodium Channel Suggest Multiple Origins of Toxin Resistance in Poison Frogs.

PubMed

Tarvin, Rebecca D; Santos, Juan C; O'Connell, Lauren A; Zakon, Harold H; Cannatella, David C

2016-04-01

Complex phenotypes typically have a correspondingly multifaceted genetic component. However, the genotype-phenotype association between chemical defense and resistance is often simple: genetic changes in the binding site of a toxin alter how it affects its target. Some toxic organisms, such as poison frogs (Anura: Dendrobatidae), have defensive alkaloids that disrupt the function of ion channels, proteins that are crucial for nerve and muscle activity. Using protein-docking models, we predict that three major classes of poison frog alkaloids (histrionicotoxins, pumiliotoxins, and batrachotoxins) bind to similar sites in the highly conserved inner pore of the muscle voltage-gated sodium channel, Nav1.4. We predict that poison frogs are somewhat resistant to these compounds because they have six types of amino acid replacements in the Nav1.4 inner pore that are absent in all other frogs except for a distantly related alkaloid-defended frog from Madagascar, Mantella aurantiaca. Protein-docking models and comparative phylogenetics support the role of these replacements in alkaloid resistance. Taking into account the four independent origins of chemical defense in Dendrobatidae, phylogenetic patterns of the amino acid replacements suggest that 1) alkaloid resistance in Nav1.4 evolved independently at least seven times in these frogs, 2) variation in resistance-conferring replacements is likely a result of differences in alkaloid exposure across species, and 3) functional constraint shapes the evolution of the Nav1.4 inner pore. Our study is the first to demonstrate the genetic basis of autoresistance in frogs with alkaloid defenses. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Biodiversity of frog haemoparasites from sub-tropical northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Netherlands, Edward C; Cook, Courtney A; Kruger, Donnavan J D; du Preez, Louis H; Smit, Nico J

2015-04-01

Since South Africa boasts a high biodiversity of frog species, a multispecies haemoparasite survey was conducted by screening the blood from 29 species and 436 individual frogs. Frogs were collected at three localities in sub-tropical KwaZulu-Natal, a hotspot for frog diversity. Twenty per cent of the frogs were infected with at least one of five groups of parasites recorded. Intraerythrocytic parasites comprising Hepatozoon, Dactylosoma, and viral or bacterial organisms, as well as extracellular parasites including trypanosomes and microfilarid nematodes were found. A significant difference (P < 0.01) in the prevalence of parasitaemia was found across species, those semi-aquatic species demonstrating the highest, followed by semi-terrestrial frog species. None of those species described as purely terrestrial and aquatic were infected. Hepatozoon and Trypanosoma species accounted for most of the infections, the former demonstrating significant differences in intensity of infection across species, families and habitat types (P = 0.028; P = 0.006; P = 0.007 respectively). Per locality, the first, the formally protected Ndumo Game Reserve, had the highest biodiversity of haemoparasite infections, with all five groups of parasites recorded. The other two sites, that is the area bordering the reserve and the Kwa Nyamazane Conservancy, had a lower diversity with no parasite infections recorded and only Hepatozoon species recorded respectively. Such findings could be ascribed to the anthropogenic impact on the latter two sites, the first by the rural village activities, and the second by the bordering commercial sugar cane agriculture. Future studies should include both morphological and molecular descriptions of the above parasites, as well as the identification of potential vectors, possibly clarifying the effects human activities may have on frog haemoparasite life cycles and as such their biodiversity.

Cryoprotectants and Extreme Freeze Tolerance in a Subarctic Population of the Wood Frog

PubMed Central

Costanzo, Jon P.; Reynolds, Alice M.; do Amaral, M. Clara F.; Rosendale, Andrew J.; Lee, Richard E.

2015-01-01

Wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) exhibit marked geographic variation in freeze tolerance, with subarctic populations tolerating experimental freezing to temperatures at least 10-13 degrees Celsius below the lethal limits for conspecifics from more temperate locales. We determined how seasonal responses enhance the cryoprotectant system in these northern frogs, and also investigated their physiological responses to somatic freezing at extreme temperatures. Alaskan frogs collected in late summer had plasma urea levels near 10 μmol ml-1, but this level rose during preparation for winter to 85.5 ± 2.9 μmol ml-1 (mean ± SEM) in frogs that remained fully hydrated, and to 186.9 ± 12.4 μmol ml-1 in frogs held under a restricted moisture regime. An osmolality gap indicated that the plasma of winter-conditioned frogs contained an as yet unidentified osmolyte(s) that contributed about 75 mOsmol kg-1 to total osmotic pressure. Experimental freezing to –8°C, either directly or following three cycles of freezing/thawing between –4 and 0°C, or –16°C increased the liver’s synthesis of glucose and, to a lesser extent, urea. Concomitantly, organs shed up to one-half (skeletal muscle) or two-thirds (liver) of their water, with cryoprotectant in the remaining fluid reaching concentrations as high as 0.2 and 2.1 M, respectively. Freeze/thaw cycling, which was readily survived by winter-conditioned frogs, greatly increased hepatic glycogenolysis and delivery of glucose (but not urea) to skeletal muscle. We conclude that cryoprotectant accrual in anticipation of and in response to freezing have been greatly enhanced and contribute to extreme freeze tolerance in northern R. sylvatica. PMID:25688861

INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE AND EXAMINATION FINDINGS IN THREE SPECIES OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICAN TREE FROGS (CRUZIOHYLA CRASPEDOPUS, CRUZIOHYLA CALCARIFER, AND ANOTHECA SPINOSA).

PubMed

Lewin, Andrew C; Hausmann, Jennifer C; Miller, Paul E

2017-09-01

The purpose of this prospective study was to describe intraocular pressure (IOP) and examination findings in three tree frog species (Cruziohyla craspedopus [fringe leaf frog], Cruziohyla calcarifer [splendid leaf frog], and Anotheca spinosa [spiny-headed or coronated tree frog]). Thirty-one C. craspedopus, four C. calcarifer, and five A. spinosa were weighed, sexed based on phenotype where possible, and examined using slit-lamp biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy. IOP was measured using the TonoVet and TonoLab rebound tonometers while the frogs were held two ways (unrestrained, then restrained). Statistical differences were determined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-tests. Mean ± SD IOP (TonoVet and TonoLab, respectively) was 15.1 ± 2.5 mmHg and 15.6 ± 4.1 mmHg in C. craspedopus; 14.8 ± 1.5 mmHg and 18.8 ± 3.1 mmHg in C. calcarifer; and 9.1 ± 2.1 mmHg and 10.8 ± 1.4 mmHg in A. spinosa. There was no significant difference in IOP in C. craspedopus by eye (Right vs Left), tonometer, or restraint method. IOP in female C. craspedopus was 1-3 mm Hg higher than in males with both devices (P < 0.05). IOP was statistically significantly different between all species for the TonoLab and between Cruziohyla genus frogs and A. spinosa for the TonoVet (P < 0.05). There was no difference in IOP measurements between the TonoVet and TonoLab in C. craspedopus. IOP varied by gender in C. craspedopus and between species, but not by tonometer. Ocular abnormalities were minimal in this group of captive bred frogs.

Clinical signs, pathology and dose-dependent survival of adult wood frogs, Rana sylvatica, inoculated orally with frog virus 3 Ranavirus sp., Iridoviridae.

PubMed

Forzn, Mara J; Jones, Kathleen M; Vanderstichel, Raphal V; Wood, John; Kibenge, Frederick S B; Kuiken, Thijs; Wirth, Wytamma; Ariel, Ellen; Daoust, Pierre-Yves

2015-05-01

Amphibian populations suffer massive mortalities from infection with frog virus 3 FV3, genus Ranavirus, family Iridoviridae, a pathogen also involved in mortalities of fish and reptiles. Experimental oral infection with FV3 in captive-raised adult wood frogs, Rana sylvatica Lithobates sylvaticus, was performed as the first step in establishing a native North American animal model of ranaviral disease to study pathogenesis and host response. Oral dosing was successful LD50 was 10(2.93 2.423.44) p.f.u. for frogs averaging 35mm in length. Onset of clinical signs occurred 614days post-infection p.i. median 11 days p.i. and time to death was 1014 days p.i. median 12 days p.i.. Each tenfold increase in virus dose increased the odds of dying by 23-fold and accelerated onset of clinical signs and death by approximately 15. Ranavirus DNA was demonstrated in skin and liver of all frogs that died or were euthanized because of severe clinical signs. Shedding of virus occurred in faeces 710 days p.i. 34.5days before death and skin sheds 10 days p.i. 01.5days before death of some frogs dead from infection. Most common lesions were dermal erosion and haemorrhages haematopoietic necrosis in bone marrow, kidney, spleen and liver and necrosis in renal glomeruli, tongue, gastrointestinal tract and urinary bladder mucosa. Presence of ranavirus in lesions was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies probably viral were present in the bone marrow and the epithelia of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, renal tubules and urinary bladder. Our work describes a ranaviruswood frog model and provides estimates that can be incorporated into ranavirus disease ecology models. © 2015 The Authors.

Short-term occupancy and abundance dynamics of the Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) across its core range

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, Michael J.; Pearl, Christopher A.; Mccreary, Brome; Galvan, Stephanie

2014-01-01

The Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) occupies only a fraction of its original range and is listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. We surveyed 93 sites in a rotating frame design (2010–13) in the Klamath and Deschutes Basins, Oregon, which encompass most of the species’ core extant range. Oregon spotted frogs are declining in abundance and probability of site occupancy. We did not find an association between the probability that Oregon spotted frogs disappear from a site (local extinction) and any of the variables hypothesized to affect Oregon spotted frog occupancy. This 4-year study provides baseline data, but the 4-year period was too short to draw firm conclusions. Further study is essential to understand how habitat changes and management practices relate to the status and trends of this species.

A model for the interaction of frog population dynamics with Batrachochytrium dendrobaties, Janthinobacterium lividium and temperature and its implication for chytridiomycosis management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ackleh, Azmy S.; Carter, Jacoby; Chellamuthu, Vinodh K.; Ma, Baoling

2016-01-01

Chytridiomycosis is an emerging disease caused by the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) that poses a serious threat to frog populations worldwide. Several studies have shown that inoculation of bacterial species Janthinobacterium lividum (Jl) can mitigate the impact of the disease. However, there are many questions regarding this interaction. A mathematical model of a frog population infected with chytridiomycosis is developed to investigate how the inoculation of Jl could reduce the impact of Bd disease on frogs. The model also illustrates the important role of temperature in disease dynamics. The model simulation results suggest possible control strategies for Jl to limit the impact of Bd in various scenarios. However, a better knowledge of Jl life cycle is needed to fully understand the interaction of Jl, Bd, temperature and frogs.

FROGS: Find, Rapidly, OTUs with Galaxy Solution.

PubMed

Escudié, Frédéric; Auer, Lucas; Bernard, Maria; Mariadassou, Mahendra; Cauquil, Laurent; Vidal, Katia; Maman, Sarah; Hernandez-Raquet, Guillermina; Combes, Sylvie; Pascal, Géraldine

2018-04-15

Metagenomics leads to major advances in microbial ecology and biologists need user friendly tools to analyze their data on their own. This Galaxy-supported pipeline, called FROGS, is designed to analyze large sets of amplicon sequences and produce abundance tables of Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) and their taxonomic affiliation. The clustering uses Swarm. The chimera removal uses VSEARCH, combined with original cross-sample validation. The taxonomic affiliation returns an innovative multi-affiliation output to highlight databases conflicts and uncertainties. Statistical results and numerous graphical illustrations are produced along the way to monitor the pipeline. FROGS was tested for the detection and quantification of OTUs on real and in silico datasets and proved to be rapid, robust and highly sensitive. It compares favorably with the widespread mothur, UPARSE and QIIME. Source code and instructions for installation: https://github.com/geraldinepascal/FROGS.git. A companion website: http://frogs.toulouse.inra.fr. geraldine.pascal@inra.fr. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Semaphoring in an earless frog: the origin of a novel visual signal.

PubMed

Lindquist, E D; Hetherington, T E

1998-10-01

Social communication in anuran amphibians (frogs and toads) is mediated predominantly by acoustic signals. Unlike most anurans, the Panamanian golden frog, Atelopus zeteki, lacks a standard tympanic middle ear and appears to have augmented its communicatory repertoire to include rotational limb motions as visual signals, referred to here as semaphores. The communicatory nature of semaphoring was inferred from experimental manipulations using mirrored self-image presentations and nonresident introductions. Male frogs semaphored significantly more when presented with a mirrored self-image than with a nonreflective control. Novel encounters between resident males and nonresident frogs demonstrated that semaphores were used directionally and were displayed toward target individuals. Females semaphored frequently and this observation represents a rare case of signaling by females in a typically male-biased communicatory regime. Semaphore actions were clearly linked to a locomotory gait pattern and appear to have originated as an elaboration of a standard stepping motion.

Abundance of green tree frogs and insects in artificial canopy gaps in a bottomland hardwood forest.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horn, Scott; Hanula, James L.; Ulyshen, Michael D.

2005-01-01

Horn, Scott, James L. Hanula, Michael D. Ulyshen, and John C. Kilgo. 2005. Abundance of green tree frogs and insects in artificial canopy gaps in a bottomland hardwood forest. Am. Midl. Nat. 153:321-326. Abstract: We found more green tree frogs (Hyla cinerea) in canopy gaps than in closed canopy forest. Of the 331 green tree frogs observed, 88% were in canopy gaps. Likewise, higher numbers and biomasses of insects were captured in the open gap habitat. Flies were the most commonly collected insect group accounting for 54% of the total capture. These data suggest that one reason green tree frogsmore » were more abundant in canopy gaps was the increased availability of prey and that small canopy gaps provide early successional habitats that are beneficial to green tree frog populations.« less

Frog: The fast & realistic OpenGL event displayer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quertenmont, Loïc

2010-04-01

FROG [1] [2] is a generic framework dedicated to visualisation of events in high energy physics experiment. It is suitable to any particular physics experiment or detector design. The code is light (< 3 MB) and fast (browsing time ~ 20 events per second for a large High Energy Physics experiment) and can run on various operating systems, as its object-oriented structure (C++) relies on the cross-platform OpenGL[3] and Glut [4] libraries. Moreover, Frog does not require installation of heavy third party libraries for the visualisation. This documents describes the features and principles of Frog version 1.106, its working scheme and numerous functionalities such as: 3D and 2D visualisation, graphical user interface, mouse interface, configuration files, production of pictures of various format, integration of personal objects, etc. Finally the application of FROG for physic experiment/environement, such as Gastof, CMS, ILD, Delphes will be presented for illustration.

Waterborne Exophiala species causing disease in cold-blooded animals.

PubMed

de Hoog, G S; Vicente, V A; Najafzadeh, M J; Harrak, M J; Badali, H; Seyedmousavi, S

2011-12-01

The majority of mesophilic waterborne species of the black yeast genus Exophiala (Chaetothyriales) belong to a single clade judging from SSU rDNA data. Most taxa are also found to cause cutaneous or disseminated infections in cold-blooded, water animals, occasionally reaching epidemic proportions. Hosts are mainly fish, frogs, toads, turtles or crabs, all sharing smooth, moist or mucous skins and waterborne or amphibian lifestyles; occasionally superficial infections in humans are noted. Cold-blooded animals with strictly terrestrial life styles, such as reptiles and birds are missing. It is concluded that animals with moist skins, i.e. those being waterborne and those possessing sweat glands, are more susceptible to black yeast infection. Melanin and the ability to assimilate alkylbenzenes are purported general virulence factors. Thermotolerance influences the choice of host. Exophiala species in ocean water mostly have maximum growth temperatures below 30 °C, whereas those able to grow until 33(-36) °C are found in shallow waters and occasionally on humans. Tissue responses vary with the phylogenetic position of the host, the lower animals showing poor granulome formation. Species circumscriptions have been determined by multilocus analyses involving partial ITS, TEF1, BT2 and ACT1.

Potential for Loss of Breeding Habitat for Imperiled Mountain Yellow-legged Frog ( Rana muscosa) in High Sierra Nevada Mountain Water Bodies due to Reduced Snowpack: Interaction of Climate Change and an Introduced Predator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacan, I.; Matthews, K. R.

2005-12-01

Year to year variation in snowpack (20-200% average) and summer rain create large fluctuations in the volume of water in ponds and small lakes of the higher elevation (> 3000 m) Sierra Nevada. These water bodies are critical habitat for the imperiled mountain yellow-legged frog, Rana muscosa, which has decreased in abundance by 90% during the past century, due in part to the loss of suitable habitat and introduction of a fish predator (trout, Oncorhynchus spp.). Climate change is predicted to reduce the amount of snowpack, potentially impacting amphibian habitats throughout the Sierra Nevada by further reducing the lake and pond water levels and resulting in drying of small lakes during the summer. Mountain yellow-legged frogs are closely tied to water during all life stages, and are unique in having a three- to four-year tadpole phase. Thus, tadpole survival and future recruitment of adult frogs requires adequate water in lakes and ponds throughout the year, but larger lakes are populated with fish that prey on frogs and tadpoles. Thus, most successful frog breeding occurs in warm, shallow, fishless ponds that undergo wide fluctuations in volume. These water bodies would be most susceptible to the potential climate change effects of reduced snowpack, possibly resulting in lower tadpole survival. This study explores the link between the changes in water availability -- including complete pond drying -- and the abundance and recruitment of mountain yellow-legged frog in Dusy Basin, Kings Canyon National Park, California, USA. We propose using the low-snowpack years (1999, 2002, 2004) as comparative case studies to predict future effects of climate change on aquatic habitat availability and amphibian abundance and survival. To quantify the year to year variation and changes in water volume available to amphibians, we initiated GPS lake mapping in 2002 to quantify water volumes, water surface area, and shoreline length. We tracked these changes by repeated mapping of water surface and volume (bathymetry) during the summer, and concurrently counting all the life stages (adults, subadults, tadpoles) of frogs. As a baseline in this analysis, we present 2002 data when pond volume declined 40-100% during summer in three breeding lakes. The lakes that completely dried up in 2002 were repopulated by adults in 2003 but showed no recruitment of metamorphosed frogs from previous year's tadpoles. The lakes that retained water -- even if they underwent a large reduction in water volume (-60%), surface area (-70%) and shoreline length (-70%) during the summer -- show consistent tadpole-to-subadult recruitment in the following year (2003). Similar results are obtained using frog counts from 1999-2000 and 2004-2005 and estimates of water volume in those years. Our results suggest that more frequent summer drying of small ponds -- as may be induced by climate change -- will severely reduce frog recruitment. When combined with the invasive fish that prevent frog breeding in larger lakes, such effect of climate change may cause loss of local frog populations, and push the entire species towards extinction.

Inverse Effects on Growth and Development Rates by Means of Endocrine Disruptors in African Clawed Frog Tadpoles ("Xenopus Laevis")

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hackney, Zachary Carl

2007-01-01

Previous work on fish, frogs, and salamanders, showed the ability for estrogen (EE2) and anthropogenic endocrine disruptors to skew sex ratios and cause hermaphrodism. This study addressed the effects of estrogens on growth and development rates of African clawed frog tadpoles ("Xenopus laevis") during their gender determination stages. The…

Chiricahua leopard frog status in the Galiuro Mountains, Arizona, with a monitoring framework for the species' entire range

Treesearch

Lawrence L. C. Jones; Michael J. Sredl

2005-01-01

The Chiricahua leopard frog (Rana chiricahuensis) was historically widespread in suitable habitat throughout its range. Reports of recent population declines led to inventories of Chiricahua leopard frog localities. Surveys reported here establish a new baseline of occurrence in the Galiuros: only two of 21 historical localities were found to be...

Rangewide phylogeography of the western U.S. endemic frog Rana boylii (Ranidae): Implications for the conservation of frogs and rivers

Treesearch

A.J. Lind; H.B. Shaffer; P.Q. Spinks; G.M. Fellers

2011-01-01

Genetic data are increasingly being used in conservation planning for declining species. We sampled both the ecological and distributional limits of the foothill yellow-legged frog, Rana boylii to characterize mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation in this declining, riverine amphibian. We evaluated 1525 base pairs (bp) of cytochrome b...

TaFROG encodes a Pooideae orphan protein that interacts with SnRK1 and enhances resistance to the mycotoxigenic fungus fusarium graminearum.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

All genomes encode taxonomically restricted ‘orphan’ genes, most of which are of unknown function. We report the functional characterization of the orphan gene TaFROG as a component of the wheat resistance to the globally important Fusarium head blight (FHB) disease. TaFROG is taxonomically restrict...

Four new species of frogs and one new species of snake from the Chapare region of Bolivia, with notes on other species

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reynolds, R.P.; Foster, M.S.

1992-01-01

We report on a collection of 74 frogs, 11 lots of frog eggs or tadpoles, and two snakes collected from the Chapare Region in the yungas of the eastern Andean Cordillera de Cochabamba, Bolivia. Collecting localities range from approximately 300 m to >3200 m in elevation. The specimens pertain to 23 species, probably 10 of which are undescribed. We describe four new species of frogs, one each in the genera Bufo, Centrolenella, Colostethus, and Hyla, and one new species of snake, genus Dipsas. We place Atelopus rugulosus in synonymy with A. tricolor.

A novel reproductive mode in frogs: a new species of fanged frog with internal fertilization and birth of tadpoles.

PubMed

Iskandar, Djoko T; Evans, Ben J; McGuire, Jimmy A

2014-01-01

We describe a new species of fanged frog (Limnonectes larvaepartus) that is unique among anurans in having both internal fertilization and birth of tadpoles. The new species is endemic to Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. This is the fourth valid species of Limnonectes described from Sulawesi despite that the radiation includes at least 15 species and possibly many more. Fewer than a dozen of the 6455 species of frogs in the world are known to have internal fertilization, and of these, all but the new species either deposit fertilized eggs or give birth to froglets.

The Sex Chromosomes of Frogs: Variability and Tolerance Offer Clues to Genome Evolution and Function

PubMed Central

Malcom, Jacob W.; Kudra, Randal S.; Malone, John H.

2014-01-01

Frog sex chromosomes offer an ideal system for advancing our understanding of genome evolution and function because of the variety of sex determination systems in the group, the diversity of sex chromosome maturation states, the ease of experimental manipulation during early development. After briefly reviewing sex chromosome biology generally, we focus on what is known about frog sex determination, sex chromosome evolution, and recent, genomics-facilitated advances in the field. In closing we highlight gaps in our current knowledge of frog sex chromosomes, and suggest priorities for future research that can advance broad knowledge of gene dose and sex chromosome evolution. PMID:25031658

Jan Swammerdam's frogs

PubMed Central

Sleigh, Charlotte

2012-01-01

Having discussed insect metamorphosis at length, Jan Swammerdam's Bybel der Natuure (1679/1737) reached its climax with a substantial description of the generation and muscular activity of frogs. This paper explores the rhetorical role of frogs in Swammerdam's ‘great work’, showing how they were the Archimedean point from which he aimed to reorder all of creation—from insects to humans—within one glorious, God-ordained natural history and philosophy. Swammerdam linked insects to frogs through a demonstration that all underwent epigenesis; and frogs were then linked to humans through a demonstration of their identical muscular activity. The success of Swammerdam's strategy required a theological reconstruction of the frog, traditionally an ungodly creature, such that trustworthy knowledge could be obtained from its body. Perhaps surprisingly, this act of theological cleansing is shown to be somewhat prefigured in the distinctly non-experimental natural history of Edward Topsell (1608). The paper also examines Swammerdam's interactions with the mystic Antoinette Bourignon, and his challenges in reconciling a spirituality of meletetics with a material epistemology in natural philosophy. Differences are revealed between the natural analogies given by Swammerdam in his published and unpublished writings, undermining to a certain extent the triumphal insect–frog–human rhetorical structure of the Bybel.

Odorous and Non-Fatal Skin Secretion of Adult Wrinkled Frog (Rana rugosa) Is Effective in Avoiding Predation by Snakes

PubMed Central

Yoshimura, Yuri; Kasuya, Eiiti

2013-01-01

The roles played by nonfatal secretions of adult anurans in the avoidance of predation remain unknown. The adult Wrinkled frog (Rana rugosa) has warty skin with the odorous mucus secretion that is not fatal to the snake Elaphe quadrivirgata. We fed R. rugosa or Fejervarya limnocharis, which resembles R. rugosa in appearance and has mucus secretion, to snakes and compared the snakes’ responses to the frogs. Compared to F. limnocharis, R. rugosa was less frequently bitten or swallowed by snakes. The snakes that bit R. rugosa spat out the frogs and showed mouth opening (gaping) behavior, while the snakes that bit F. limnocharis did not show gaping behavior. We also compared the responses of the snakes to R. rugosa and F. limnocharis secretions. We coated palatable R. japonica with secretions from R. rugosa or F. limnocharis. The frogs coated by R. rugosa secretion were less frequently bitten or swallowed than those coated by F. limnocharis secretion. We concluded that compared to different frog species of similar sizes, the adult R. rugosa was less frequently preyed upon by, and that its skin secretion was effective in avoiding predation by snakes. PMID:24278410

Chemical camouflage--a frog's strategy to co-exist with aggressive ants.

PubMed

Rödel, Mark-Oliver; Brede, Christian; Hirschfeld, Mareike; Schmitt, Thomas; Favreau, Philippe; Stöcklin, Reto; Wunder, Cora; Mebs, Dietrich

2013-01-01

Whereas interspecific associations receive considerable attention in evolutionary, behavioural and ecological literature, the proximate bases for these associations are usually unknown. This in particular applies to associations between vertebrates with invertebrates. The West-African savanna frog Phrynomantis microps lives in the underground nest of ponerine ants (Paltothyreus tarsatus). The ants usually react highly aggressively when disturbed by fiercely stinging, but the frog is not attacked and lives unharmed among the ants. Herein we examined the proximate mechanisms for this unusual association. Experiments with termites and mealworms covered with the skin secretion of the frog revealed that specific chemical compounds seem to prevent the ants from stinging. By HPLC-fractionation of an aqueous solution of the frogs' skin secretion, two peptides of 1,029 and 1,143 Da were isolated and found to inhibit the aggressive behaviour of the ants. By de novo sequencing using tandem mass spectrometry, the amino acid sequence of both peptides consisting of a chain of 9 and 11 residues, respectively, was elucidated. Both peptides were synthesized and tested, and exhibited the same inhibitory properties as the original frog secretions. These novel peptides most likely act as an appeasement allomone and may serve as models for taming insect aggression.

Urea loading enhances freezing survival and postfreeze recovery in a terrestrially hibernating frog.

PubMed

Costanzo, Jon P; Lee, Richard E

2008-09-01

We tested the hypothesis that urea, an osmolyte accumulated early in hibernation, functions as a cryoprotectant in the freeze-tolerant wood frog, Rana sylvatica. Relative to saline-treated, normouremic (10 micromol ml(-1)) frogs, individuals rendered hyperuremic (70 micromol ml(-1)) by administration of an aqueous urea solution exhibited significantly higher survival (100% versus 64%) following freezing at -4 degrees C, a potentially lethal temperature. Hyperuremic frogs also had lower plasma levels of intracellular proteins (lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, hemoglobin), which presumably escaped from damaged cells, and more quickly recovered neurobehavioral functions following thawing. Experimental freezing-thawing did not alter tissue urea concentrations, but did elevate glucose levels in the blood and organs of all frogs. When measured 24 h after thawing commenced, glucose concentrations were markedly higher in urea-loaded frogs as compared to saline-treated ones, possibly because elevated urea retarded glucose clearance. Like other low-molecular-mass cryoprotectants, urea colligatively reduces both the amount of ice forming within the body and the osmotic dehydration of cells. In addition, by virtue of certain non-colligative properties, it may bestow additional protection from freeze-thaw damage not afforded by glucose.

Ecomorphology and disease: cryptic effects of parasitism on host habitat use, thermoregulation, and predator avoidance.

PubMed

Goodman, Brett A; Johnson, Pieter T J

2011-03-01

Parasites can cause dramatic changes in the phenotypes of their hosts, sometimes leading to a higher probability of predation and parasite transmission. Because an organism's morphology directly affects its locomotion, even subtle changes in key morphological traits may affect survival and behavior. However, despite the ubiquity of parasites in natural communities, few studies have incorporated parasites into ecomorphological research. Here, we evaluated the effects of parasite-induced changes in host phenotype on the habitat use, thermal biology, and simulated predator-escape ability of Pacific chorus frogs (Pseudacris regilla) in natural environments. Frogs with parasite-induced limb malformations were more likely to use ground microhabitats relative to vertical refugia and selected less-angled perches closer to the ground in comparison with normal frogs. Although both groups had similar levels of infection, malformed frogs used warmer microhabitats, which resulted in higher body temperatures. Likely as a result of their morphological abnormalities, malformed frogs allowed a simulated predator to approach closer before escaping and escaped shorter distances relative to normal frogs. These data indicate that parasite-induced morphological changes can significantly alter host behavior and habitat use, highlighting the importance of incorporating the ubiquitous, albeit cryptic, role of parasites into ecomorphological research.

Evaluation of use of tiletamine/zolazepam for anesthesia of bullfrogs and leopard frogs.

PubMed

Letcher, J; Durante, R

1995-07-01

Use of tiletamine hydrochloride and zolazepam hydrochloride (1:1 fixed ratio combination) as an anesthetic agent in 2 anuran species was studied. A dosage of 5 mg/kg of body weight, administered IM, resulted in variable weak tranquilization. Intramuscular administration at dosages of 10 and 20 mg/kg induced variable states of tranquilization or anesthesia in leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) and bullfrogs (R catesbeiana). The dosages of 50 mg/kg induced anesthesia with greater consistency than lower dosages in bullfrogs, but resulted in mortalities. The same dosage was uniformly fatal in leopard frogs. Neither gross nor histologic lesions were identified in the frogs that died. Depth and duration of anesthesia was dosage related. At the 20 and 50 mg/kg dosages, leopard frogs attained a greater depth of anesthesia and remained anesthetized for a significantly greater duration than did bullfrogs; however, at the 5 and 10 mg/kg dosages, bullfrogs developed greater tranquilization for longer periods than did leopard frogs. Results of this study revealed profound intraspecies variation in depth and duration of effect of tiletamine/zolazepam; therefore, the drug does not appear to be a suitable injectable anesthetic in anurans.

Odorous and non-fatal skin secretion of adult wrinkled frog (Rana rugosa) is effective in avoiding predation by snakes.

PubMed

Yoshimura, Yuri; Kasuya, Eiiti

2013-01-01

The roles played by nonfatal secretions of adult anurans in the avoidance of predation remain unknown. The adult Wrinkled frog (Rana rugosa) has warty skin with the odorous mucus secretion that is not fatal to the snake Elaphe quadrivirgata. We fed R. rugosa or Fejervarya limnocharis, which resembles R. rugosa in appearance and has mucus secretion, to snakes and compared the snakes' responses to the frogs. Compared to F. limnocharis, R. rugosa was less frequently bitten or swallowed by snakes. The snakes that bit R. rugosa spat out the frogs and showed mouth opening (gaping) behavior, while the snakes that bit F. limnocharis did not show gaping behavior. We also compared the responses of the snakes to R. rugosa and F. limnocharis secretions. We coated palatable R. japonica with secretions from R. rugosa or F. limnocharis. The frogs coated by R. rugosa secretion were less frequently bitten or swallowed than those coated by F. limnocharis secretion. We concluded that compared to different frog species of similar sizes, the adult R. rugosa was less frequently preyed upon by, and that its skin secretion was effective in avoiding predation by snakes.

Clinical efficacy of positron emission tomography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heiss, W.D.; Pawlick, G.; Herholz, K.

1987-01-01

The contents of this book are: Brain: Cerebral Vascular Disease; Brain: Movement Disorders; Brain: Epilepsy and Pediatric Neurology; Brain: Dementias; Brain: Schizophrenia; Heart: Angina Pectoris; Heart: Infarction; Lungs; Soft Tissue Tumors; and Brain Tumors.

[Comparative evaluation of the efficiency of the effect of very high frequency electromagnetic waves on platelet functional activity].

PubMed

Kirichuk, V F; Maĭborodin, A V; Volin, M V; Krenitskiĭ, A P; Tupikin, V D

2001-01-01

A comparative analysis was made of the effect of two kinds of EMI MMD-radiation: EMI MMD-waves, generated by a vehicle "Jav-1 M" (42.2 and 53.5 HHz), and EMI MMD-waves exerting influence with frequencies of molecular spectrum of radiation and nitric oxide absorption (150.176-150.644 HHz), obtained with a specially created generator, with respect to their influence on the functional ability of platelets of unstable angina pectoris patients. It was shown that in vitro EMI MMD-fluctuations with frequencies of molecular spectrum of radiation and nitric oxide absorption exert a stronger inhibiting influence on the functional activity of platelets of unstable angina pectoris patients. Features of the action of various kinds of EMI MMD-effect on the activative-high-speed characteristics of platelet aggregation are shown.

Conflicts at work are associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

PubMed

Jacob, Louis; Kostev, Karel

2017-01-01

Background: Only few authors have analyzed the impact of workplace conflicts and the resulting stress on the risk of developing cardiovascular disorders. The goal of this study was to analyze the association between workplace conflicts and cardiovascular disorders in patients treated by German general practitioners. Methods: Patients with an initial documentation of a workplace conflict experience between 2005 and 2014 were identified in 699 general practitioner practices (index date). We included only those who were between the ages of 18 and 65 years, had a follow-up time of at least 180 days after the index date, and had not been diagnosed with angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, coronary heart diseases, or stroke prior to the documentation of the workplace mobbing. In total, the study population consisted of 7,374 patients who experienced conflicts and 7,374 controls for analysis. The main outcome measure was the incidence of angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and stroke correlated with workplace conflict experiences. Results: After a maximum of five years of follow-up, 2.9% of individuals who experienced workplace conflict were affected by cardiovascular diseases, while only 1.4% were affected in the control group (p-value <0.001). Workplace conflict was associated with a 1.63-fold increase in the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Finally, the impact of workplace conflict was higher for myocardial infarction (OR=2.03) than for angina pectoris (OR=1.79) and stroke (OR=1.56). Conclusions: Overall, we found a significant association between workplace conflicts and cardiovascular disorders.

Emerging treatment options for refractory angina pectoris: ranolazine, shock wave treatment, and cell-based therapies.

PubMed

Gennari, Marco; Gambini, Elisa; Bassetti, Beatrice; Capogrossi, Maurizio; Pompilio, Giulio

2014-01-01

A challenge of modern cardiovascular medicine is to find new, effective treatments for patients with refractory angina pectoris, a clinical condition characterized by severe angina despite optimal medical therapy. These patients are not candidates for surgical or percutaneous revascularization. Herein we review the most up-to-date information regarding the modern approach to the patient with refractory angina pectoris, from conventional medical management to new medications and shock wave therapy, focusing on the use of endothelial precursor cells (EPCs) in the treatment of this condition. Clinical limitations of the efficiency of conventional approaches justify the search for new therapeutic options. Regenerative medicine is considered the next step in the evolution of organ replacement therapy. It is driven largely by the same health needs as transplantation and replacement therapies, but it aims further than traditional approaches, such as cell-based therapy. Increasing knowledge of the role of circulating cells derived from bone marrow (EPCs) on cardiovascular homeostasis in physiologic and pathologic conditions has prompted the clinical use of these cells to relieve ischemia. The current state of therapeutic angiogenesis still leaves many questions unanswered. It is of paramount importance that the treatment is delivered safely. Direct intramyocardial and intracoronary administration has demonstrated acceptable safety profiles in early trials, and may represent a major advance over surgical thoracotomy. The combined efforts of bench and clinical researchers will ultimately answer the question of whether cell therapy is a suitable strategy for treatment of patients with refractory angina.

California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) movement and habitat use: Implications for conservation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fellers, G.M.; Kleeman, P.M.

2007-01-01

Nonbreeding habitats are critically important for Rana draytonii, especially for individuals that breed in temporary bodies of water. We radiotracked 123 frogs to evaluate seasonal habitat use. Individual frogs were continuously tracked for up to 16 months. Some individuals remained at breeding ponds all year, but 66% of female and 25% of male frogs moved to nonbreeding areas, even when the breeding site retained water. Frogs at our main study site moved 150 m (median), roughly the distance to the nearest suitable nonbreeding area. The greatest straight-line distance traveled was 1.4 km, although the presumed distance traveled was 2.8 km. Females were more likely than males to move from permanent ponds (38% of females, 16% of males), but among dispersing frogs, males and females did not differ in distance moved. Some frogs left breeding sites shortly after oviposition (median = 12 days for females, 42.5 days for males), but many individuals remained until the site was nearly dry. Fog provided moisture for dispersal or migration throughout the summer. Our data demonstrate that maintaining populations of pond-breeding amphibians requires that all essential habitat components be protected; these include (1) breeding habitat, (2) nonbreeding habitat, and (3) migration corridors. In addition, a buffer is needed around all three areas to ensure that outside activities do not degrade any of the three habitat components. Copyright 2007 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.

Bioaccumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls in ranid frogs and northern water snakes from a hazardous waste site and a contaminated watershed.

PubMed

Fontenot, L W; Noble, G P; Akins, J M; Stephens, M D; Cobb, G P

2000-04-01

Livers of bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) from a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminated watershed and hazardous waste site located in Pickens County, South Carolina, contained significantly higher concentrations of PCBs (2.33 and 2.26 ppm, respectively) than those from a reference site (0.05 ppm). Green frogs (R. clamitans) from the two contaminated sites also accumulated higher levels of PCBs (2.37 and 3.88 ppm, respectively) than those from the reference site (0.02 ppm). No temporal variation was observed in PCB concentrations of bullfrogs or green frogs from the contaminated sites between 1992 and 1993. Levels of PCBs in the livers of northern water snakes (Nerodia sipedon) were significantly higher in snakes from the contaminated watershed (13.70 ppm) than in those from the waste site (2.29 ppm) and two reference sites (2.50 and 1.23 ppm). When compared to frogs, significantly higher bioaccumulation occurred in water snakes from the contaminated watershed. No significant differences in PCB levels were found with respect to sex or body size (snout-vent length (SVL) or body mass) for frogs or snakes. PCBs were detected also in eggs of both frogs and snakes. Results of this study provide baseline data and document the bioaccumulation of PCB residues in frog and snake tissues; however, the significance of these tissue residues to reproduction, survival, growth/development, and population dynamics in contaminated habitats is unknown.

Abundance of green tree frogs and insects in artificial canopy gaps in a bottomland hardwood forest

Treesearch

Scott Horn; James L. Hanula; Michael D. Ulyshen; John C. Kilgo

2005-01-01

We found more green tree frogs (Hyla cinera) in canopy gaps than in closed canopy forest. Of the 331 gree ntree frogs observed, 88% were in canopy gaps. Likewise, higher numbers and biomasses of insects were captured in the open gap habitat. Flies were the most commonly collected insect group accounting for 54% of the total capture. These data...

Movement ecology and seasonal distribution of mountain yellow-legged frogs, Rana muscosa, in a high-elevation Sierra Nevada basin.

Treesearch

K.L. Pope; K.R. Matthews

2001-01-01

Movement ecology and seasonal distribution of mountain yellow-legged frogs (Rana muscosa) in Dusy Basin (3470 m), Kings Canyon National Park, California, were characterized using passive integrated transponder (PIT) surveys and visual encounter surveys. We individually PIT-tagged 500 frogs during the summers of 1997 and 1998 and monitored these individuals during seven...

Early-Life Diet Affects Host Microbiota and Later-Life Defenses Against Parasites in Frogs.

PubMed

Knutie, Sarah A; Shea, Lauren A; Kupselaitis, Marinna; Wilkinson, Christina L; Kohl, Kevin D; Rohr, Jason R

2017-10-01

Food resources can affect the health of organisms by altering their symbiotic microbiota and affecting energy reserves for host defenses against parasites. Different diets can vary in their macronutrient content and therefore they might favor certain bacterial communities of the host and affect the development and maintenance of the immune system, such as the inflammatory or antibody responses. Thus, testing the effect of diet, especially for animals with wide diet breadths, on host-associated microbiota and defenses against parasites might be important in determining infection and disease risk. Here, we test whether the early-life diet of Cuban tree frogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis) affects early- and later-life microbiota as well as later-life defenses against skin-penetrating, gut worms (Aplectana hamatospicula). We fed tadpoles two ecologically common diets: a diet of conspecifics or a diet of algae (Arthrospira sp.). We then: (1) characterized the gut microbiota of tadpoles and adults; and (2) challenged adult frogs with parasitic worms and measured host resistance (including the antibody-mediated immune response) and tolerance of infections. Tadpole diet affected bacterial communities in the guts of tadpoles but did not have enduring effects on the bacterial communities of adults. In contrast, tadpole diet had enduring effects on host resistance and tolerance of infections in adult frogs. Frogs that were fed a conspecific-based diet as tadpoles were more resistant to worm penetration compared with frogs that were fed an alga-based diet as tadpoles, but less resistant to worm establishment, which may be related to their suppressed antibody response during worm establishment. Furthermore, frogs that were fed a conspecific-based diet as tadpoles were more tolerant to the effect of parasite abundance on host mass during worm establishment. Overall, our study demonstrates that the diet of Cuban tree frog tadpoles affects the gut microbiota and defenses against parasitic gut worms of frogs, but these effects depend on the stage of the host and infection, respectively. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Introducing the Forensic Research/Reference on Genetics knowledge base, FROG-kb

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Online tools and databases based on multi-allelic short tandem repeat polymorphisms (STRPs) are actively used in forensic teaching, research, and investigations. The Fst value of each CODIS marker tends to be low across the populations of the world and most populations typically have all the common STRP alleles present diminishing the ability of these systems to discriminate ethnicity. Recently, considerable research is being conducted on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to be considered for human identification and description. However, online tools and databases that can be used for forensic research and investigation are limited. Methods The back end DBMS (Database Management System) for FROG-kb is Oracle version 10. The front end is implemented with specific code using technologies such as Java, Java Servlet, JSP, JQuery, and GoogleCharts. Results We present an open access web application, FROG-kb (Forensic Research/Reference on Genetics-knowledge base, http://frog.med.yale.edu), that is useful for teaching and research relevant to forensics and can serve as a tool facilitating forensic practice. The underlying data for FROG-kb are provided by the already extensively used and referenced ALlele FREquency Database, ALFRED (http://alfred.med.yale.edu). In addition to displaying data in an organized manner, computational tools that use the underlying allele frequencies with user-provided data are implemented in FROG-kb. These tools are organized by the different published SNP/marker panels available. This web tool currently has implemented general functions possible for two types of SNP panels, individual identification and ancestry inference, and a prediction function specific to a phenotype informative panel for eye color. Conclusion The current online version of FROG-kb already provides new and useful functionality. We expect FROG-kb to grow and expand in capabilities and welcome input from the forensic community in identifying datasets and functionalities that will be most helpful and useful. Thus, the structure and functionality of FROG-kb will be revised in an ongoing process of improvement. This paper describes the state as of early June 2012. PMID:22938150

Role of calcium in triggering rapid ultrastructural damage in muscle: a study with chemically skinned fibres.

PubMed

Duncan, C J

1987-05-01

Agents (A23187, caffeine) believed to raise [Ca]i in vertebrate cardiac and skeletal muscles cause rapid and characteristic subcellular damage in vitro and in vivo. By using saponin-skinned amphibian pectoris cutaneous muscle and Ca-EGTA-buffered solutions it is shown that low [Ca] consistently triggers the same rapid (2-20 min), ultrastructural damage. Electron micrographs reveal a close similarity between the damaged intact and skinned preparations, namely loss of myofilament organization, specific Z-line damage, dissolution and hypercontraction bands, characteristic mitochondrial swelling and division. Where both actin and myosin filaments were lost, an underlying cytoskeletal network frequently remained, still attached to the Z-line framework. Ca was effective in skinned preparations from 5 X 10(-7) M to 8 X 10(-6) M, within the concentration range experienced by a contracting muscle. Damage was [Ca]- and time-dependent and it is suggested that it is probably the active movement of Ca ions across key membrane sites that is critical in triggering damage of the myofilament apparatus. Strontium can substitute for Ca at higher concentrations. The action of saponin suggests that the chemically skinned cell is partially activated. Ca-triggering can be bypassed experimentally by membrane-active agents or by sulphydryl agents. Ruthenium Red and trifluoperazine indirectly cause damage in the intact cell by raising [Ca]i. Studies with saponin-skinned cells and protease inhibitors show that changes in pHi, loss of ATP, Ca-activated neutral protease, or release of lysosomal enzymes (cathepsins B, D, L or H), are not involved in characteristic rapid myofilament damage.

Ethnicity and Onset of Cardiovascular Disease: A CALIBER Study

ClinicalTrials.gov

2017-06-07

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm; Coronary Heart Disease; Sudden Cardiac Death; Intracerebral Haemorrhage; Heart Failure; Ischemic Stroke; Myocardial Infarction; Stroke; Peripheral Arterial Disease; Stable Angina Pectoris; Subarachnoid Haemorrhage; Transient Ischemic Attack; Unstable Angina; Cardiac Arrest

Inference of genetic network of Xenopus frog egg: improved genetic algorithm.

PubMed

Wu, Shinq-Jen; Chou, Chia-Hsien; Wu, Cheng-Tao; Lee, Tsu-Tian

2006-01-01

An improved genetic algorithm (IGA) is proposed to achieve S-system gene network modeling of Xenopus frog egg. Via the time-courses training datasets from Michaelis-Menten model, the optimal parameters are learned. The S-system can clearly describe activative and inhibitory interaction between genes as generating and consuming process. We concern the mitotic control in cell-cycle of Xenopus frog egg to realize cyclin-Cdc2 and Cdc25 for MPF activity. The proposed IGA can achieve global search with migration and keep the best chromosome with elitism operation. The generated gene regulatory networks can provide biological researchers for further experiments in Xenopus frog egg cell cycle control.

Field guide to malformations of frogs and toads: with radiographic interpretations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meteyer, Carol U.

2000-01-01

In 1995, students found numerous malformed frogs on a field trip to a Minnesota pond. Since that time, reports of malformed frogs have increased dramatically. Malformed frogs have now been reported in 44 states in 38 species of frogs, and 19 species of toads. Estimates as high as 60% of the newly metamorphosed frog populations have had malformations at some ponds (NARCAM, ’99). The wide geographic distribution of malformed frogs and the variety of malformations are a concern to resource managers, research scientists and public health officials. The potential for malformations to serve as a signal of ecosystem disruption, and the affect this potential disruption might have on other organisms that share those ecosystems, has not been resolved. Malformations represent an error that occurred early in development. The event that caused the developmental error is temporally distant from the malformation we see in the fully developed animal. Knowledge of normal developmental principles is necessary to design thoughtful investigations that will define the events involved in abnormal development in wild frog populations.Development begins at the time an egg is fertilized and progresses by chemical communication between cells and cell layers. This communication is programmed through gene expression. Malformations represent primary errors in development, errors in chemical communication or translation of genetic information. Deformations arise later in development and usually result from the influence of mechanical factors (such as amputation) that alter shape or anatomy of a structure that has developed normally. The occurrence and the type of malformations are influenced by the type of error or insult as well as the timing of the error (the developmental stage at which the error occurred). The appearance of the malformation can therefore provide clues that suggest when the error may have occurred. If the malformation is an incomplete organ, such as an incomplete limb, the factor or insult acted during a susceptible period prior to organ completion. Although defining the anatomy of the malformed metamorphosed frog can give us an idea of the approximate window during which the developmental insult was initiated, and might even suggest the type of insult that may have occurred, the morphology of the malformation does not define the cause. To define causes and mechanisms of frog malformations we need to use well designed investigations that are different from traditional tests used in acute toxicity or disease pathogenicity studies. When investigating malformations in metamorphosed frogs, we are looking at the affect of exposure to an agent that occurred early in tadpole development. Therefore investigations to determine causes of malformations need to look at agents that are present in the tadpoles or their environments at these early developmental times. Laboratory experiments need to expose embryos and tadpoles to suspect agents at appropriate developmental stages and look at acute results, such as toxicity and death, as well as following the developmental process to completion to determine the impact of the agent on the developing tadpole and the fully developed frog. This means holding animals past metamorphic climax to assure that the anatomy and physiology of the adult have developed normally.As we look at field collections of abnormal frogs, we need to keep in mind that these collections reflect survivors only. We are looking at malformations that were not fatal to tadpoles. We cannot assume that because we do not collect other malformations, they did not exist. More work needs to be done on the developing tadpole, in the field and in the laboratory, to better elucidate the range, frequency, character and causes of anuran malformations.

Take time to smell the frogs: vocal sac glands of reed frogs (Anura: Hyperoliidae) contain species-specific chemical cocktails

PubMed Central

Starnberger, Iris; Poth, Dennis; Peram, Pardha Saradhi; Schulz, Stefan; Vences, Miguel; Knudsen, Jette; Barej, Michael F; Rödel, Mark-Oliver; Walzl, Manfred; Hödl, Walter

2013-01-01

Males of all reed frog species (Anura: Hyperoliidae) have a prominent, often colourful, gular patch on their vocal sac, which is particularly conspicuous once the vocal sac is inflated. Although the presence, shape, and form of the gular patch are well-known diagnostic characters for these frogs, its function remains unknown. By integrating biochemical and histological methods, we found strong evidence that the gular patch is a gland producing volatile compounds, which might be emitted while calling. Volatile compounds were confirmed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in the gular glands in 11 species of the hyperoliid genera Afrixalus, Heterixalus, Hyperolius, and Phlyctimantis. Comparing the gular gland contents of 17 specimens of four sympatric Hyperolius species yielded a large variety of 65 compounds in species-specific combinations. We suggest that reed frogs might use a complex combination of at least acoustic and chemical signals in species recognition and mate choice. PMID:24277973

Danger Comes from All Fronts: Predator-Dependent Escape Tactics of Túngara Frogs

PubMed Central

Bulbert, Matthew W.; Page, Rachel A.; Bernal, Ximena E.

2015-01-01

The escape response of an organism is generally its last line of defense against a predator. Because the effectiveness of an escape varies with the approach behaviour of the predator, it should be advantageous for prey to alter their escape trajectories depending on the mode of predator attack. To test this hypothesis we examined the escape responses of a single prey species, the ground-dwelling túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus), to disparate predators approaching from different spatial planes: a terrestrial predator (snake) and an aerial predator (bat). Túngara frogs showed consistently distinct escape responses when attacked by terrestrial versus aerial predators. The frogs fled away from the snake models (Median: 131°). In stark contrast, the frogs moved toward the bat models (Median: 27°); effectively undercutting the bat’s flight path. Our results reveal that prey escape trajectories reflect the specificity of their predators’ attacks. This study emphasizes the flexibility of strategies performed by prey to outcompete predators with diverse modes of attack. PMID:25874798

Elastic modulus of tree frog adhesive toe pads.

PubMed

Barnes, W Jon P; Goodwyn, Pablo J Perez; Nokhbatolfoghahai, Mohsen; Gorb, Stanislav N

2011-10-01

Previous work using an atomic force microscope in nanoindenter mode indicated that the outer, 10- to 15-μm thick, keratinised layer of tree frog toe pads has a modulus of elasticity equivalent to silicone rubber (5-15 MPa) (Scholz et al. 2009), but gave no information on the physical properties of deeper structures. In this study, micro-indentation is used to measure the stiffness of whole toe pads of the tree frog, Litoria caerulea. We show here that tree frog toe pads are amongst the softest of biological structures (effective elastic modulus 4-25 kPa), and that they exhibit a gradient of stiffness, being stiffest on the outside. This stiffness gradient results from the presence of a dense network of capillaries lying beneath the pad epidermis, which probably has a shock absorbing function. Additionally, we compare the physical properties (elastic modulus, work of adhesion, pull-off force) of the toe pads of immature and adult frogs.

Detecting fish parvalbumin with commercial mouse monoclonal anti-frog parvalbumin IgG.

PubMed

Chen, Lingyun; Hefle, Sue L; Taylor, Steve L; Swoboda, Ines; Goodman, Richard E

2006-07-26

Parvalbumin is a calcium-binding muscle protein that is highly conserved across fish species and amphibians. It is the major cross-reactive allergen associated with both fish and frog allergy. We used two-dimensional electrophoretic and immunoblotting techniques to investigate the utility of a commercial monoclonal anti-frog parvalbumin IgG for detecting parvalbumin present in some commonly consumed fish species. The 2D electrophoresis and immunoblots revealed species-specific differences in proteins that appear to represent various numbers of isoforms of parvalbumin in carp (5), catfish (3), cod (1) and tilapia (2). No parvalbumin was detected in yellowfin tuna. Based on minor differences in relative intensities of protein staining and immunodetection, parvalbumin isoforms may have slight differences in the epitope region recognized by the anti-frog parvalbumin antibody. These results suggest that the frog anti-parvalbumin antibody can be used as a valuable tool to detect parvalbumins from the fish tested in this study, except yellowfin tuna.

Membrane lipid layers vs. polarized water dominated by fixed ions: a comparative study of the effects of three macrocyclic ionophores on the K+ permeability of frog skeletal muscle, frog ovarian eggs, and human erythrocytes.

PubMed

Ling, G N; Ochsenfeld, M M

1986-01-01

The effects of 10(-7) M valinomycin, nonactin, and monactin on human erythrocytes, frog sartorius muscle, and frog ovarian oocytes in the presence of varying external K+ concentration were studied. The results showed essentially a consistent but relatively modest increase of the K+ permeability constant in cm/sec with all three antibiotics on human erythrocytes. No change in response to any one of the antibiotics was observed in frog muscles or in frog ovarian eggs. These results and reports of similar failure to demonstrate ionophore-mediated increase of K+ permeability in squid axon and inner membrane of the liver mitochondria led to the conclusion that lipid membrane barrier to ionic traffic may be significant in the human erythrocytes but even here one must regard the evidence as tentative. In contrast, for the majority of other cell types studied, the data indicate the primary, if not exclusive route of ion traffic, is via the nonlipid component of the cell membrane. The evidence that these nonlipid paths are the fixed charge-polarized water layer complex and that they cover much of the cell surface of many types of living cells was discussed.

Marsh frogs, Pelophylax ridibundus, determine migratory direction by magnetic field.

PubMed

Shakhparonov, Vladimir V; Ogurtsov, Sergei V

2017-01-01

Orientation by magnetic cues appears to be adaptive during animal migrations. Whereas the magnetic orientation in birds, mammals, and urodele amphibians is being investigated intensively, the data about anurans are still scarce. This study tests whether marsh frogs could determine migratory direction between the breeding pond and the wintering site by magnetic cues in the laboratory. Adult frogs (N = 32) were individually tested in the T-maze 127 cm long inside the three-axis Helmholtz coil system (diameter 3 m). The arms of the maze were positioned parallel to the natural migratory route of this population when measured in accordance with magnetic field. The frogs were tested under two-motivational conditions mediated by temperature/light regime: the breeding migratory state and the wintering state. The frogs' choice in a T-maze was evident only when analyzed in accordance with the direction of the magnetic field: they moved along the migratory route to the breeding pond and followed the reversion of the horizontal component of the magnetic field. This preference has been detected in both sexes only in the breeding migratory state. This suggests that adult ranid frogs can obtain directional information from the Earth's magnetic field as was shown earlier in urodeles and anuran larvae.

Biophysical Properties of Frog Virus and Its Deoxyribonucleic Acid: Fate of Radioactive Virus in the Early Stage of Infection 1

PubMed Central

Smith, William R.; McAuslan, Brian R.

1969-01-01

Frog virus (FV-3) was banded by isopycnic centrifugation in cesium chloride, sucrose, or potassium tartrate. Two bands of infectivity were regularly found at positions in cesium chloride corresponding to densities of 1.26 and 1.30 g/cm3, respectively. Deoxyribonucleic acid from either band had the following characteristics: double-stranded; a Tm of 76.3 C in 0.1 SSC (0.015 m NaCl plus 0.015 m sodium citrate) and a buoyant density of 1.720 g/cm3 in cesium chloride, corresponding to a guanine plus cytosine content of 56 to 58% and a molecular weight of 130 × 106 daltons, determined by velocity sedimentation. These data, together with electron micrographs of sections of cells infected with material from either band suggest that two types of infectious frog virus particles exists, rather than a second virus in the frog virus stocks. The composition of frog virus was determined. It was found that highly purified preparations of frog virus were composed of 55.8% protein, 30.1% deoxyribonucleic acid, and 14.2% lipid. The kinetics of adsorption and uncoating of FV-3 was studied with radioactive virus. Uncoating is comparatively rapid and in contrast to poxvirus is unaffected by inhibitors of protein synthesis. Images PMID:4980848

The Neuro-Hormonal Control of Rapid Dynamic Skin Colour Change in an Amphibian during Amplexus

PubMed Central

Kindermann, Christina; Narayan, Edward J.; Hero, Jean-Marc

2014-01-01

Sexual signalling using dynamic skin colouration is a key feature in some vertebrates; however, it is rarely studied in amphibians. Consequently, little is known about the hormonal basis of this interesting biological phenomenon for many species. Male stony creek frogs (Litoria wilcoxii) are known to change dorsal colouration from brown to lemon yellow within minutes. This striking change is faster then what has been seen most amphibians, and could therefore be under neuronal regulation, a factor that is rarely observed in amphibians. In this study, we observed colour changes in wild frogs during amplexus to determine the natural timing of colour change. We also investigated the hypothesis that colour change is mediated by either reproductive or neuro- hormones. This was achieved by injecting frogs with epinephrine, testosterone, saline solution (control 1) or sesame oil (control 2). A non-invasive approach was also used wherein hormones and controls were administered topically. Male frogs turned a vivid yellow within 5 minutes of initiation of amplexus and remained so for 3–5 hours before rapidly fading back to brown. Epinephrine-treated frogs showed a significant colour change from brown to yellow within 5 minutes, however, testosterone-treated frogs did not change colour. Our results provide evidence of the role neuronal regulation plays in colour change systems. PMID:25470775

The effects of four arthropod diets on the body and organ weights of the leopard frog, Rana pipiens, during vitellogenesis.

PubMed

Lehman, G C

1978-12-01

Wild-caught adult Rana pipiens females were captured in midsummer and fed diets of crickets, flies sowbugs or wax moth larvae during a three-month period of active vitellogenesis. The cricket diet supported the most extensive body weight gain during this time and promoted a prolonged period of weight increase in an additional long-term study. Synchronous growth of the oocytes occurred in all four groups, but the ovaries and oviducts of cricket-fed animals were significantly larger than those of frogs on the other three diets. The significantly higher liver weights of frogs fed wax moth larvae may have reflected an augmentation of hepatic energy stores. Fat body weights were also highest in this group of animals. Frogs fed crickets and wax moth larvae possessed larger fat bodies than did the midsummer control animals killed immediately after their arrival in the laboratory. In contrast, frogs fed flies and sowbugs had smaller fat bodies than did the initial controls, suggesting that animals on these diets had utilized fat body lipid during vitellogenesis. Gastrocnemius and final body weights were lowest in frogs fed wax moth larvae. These findings may have reflected the nutritional content of the diet or the reduction in appetite frequently noted in these animals during observations of feeding behavior.

Habitat use and home range of the endangered gold-spotted pond frog (Rana chosenica).

PubMed

Ra, Nam-Yong; Sung, Ha-Cheol; Cheong, Seokwan; Lee, Jung-Hyun; Eom, Junho; Park, Daesik

2008-09-01

Because of their complex life styles, amphibians and reptiles living in wetlands require both aquatic and terrestrial buffer zones in their protected conservation areas. Due to steep declines in wild populations, the gold-spotted pond frog (Rana chosenica) is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. However, lack of data about its movements and use of habitat prevents effective conservation planning. To determine the habitat use and home range of this species, we radio-tracked 44 adult frogs for 37 days between 10 July and 4 Nov. 2007 to observe three different populations in the breeding season, non-breeding season, and late fall. The gold-spotted pond frog was very sedentary; its daily average movement was 9.8 m. Frogs stayed close to breeding ponds (within 6.6 m), and did not leave damp areas surrounding these ponds, except for dormancy migration to terrestrial sites such as dried crop fields. The average distance of dormancy migration of seven frogs from the edge of their breeding ponds was 32.0 m. The average size of an individual's home range was 713.8 m(2) (0.07 ha). The year-round population home range, which accounts for the home ranges of a population of frogs, was determined for two populations to be 8,765.0 m(2) (0.88 ha) and 3,700.9 m(2) (0.37 ha). Our results showed that to conserve this endangered species, appropriately sized wetlands and extended terrestrial buffer areas surrounding the wetlands (at least 1.33 ha, diameter 130 m) should be protected.

Unfertilized frog eggs die by apoptosis following meiotic exit

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background A characteristic feature of frog reproduction is external fertilization accomplished outside the female's body. Mature fertilization-competent frog eggs are arrested at the meiotic metaphase II with high activity of the key meiotic regulators, maturation promoting factor (MPF) and cytostatic factor (CSF), awaiting fertilization. If the eggs are not fertilized within several hours of ovulation, they deteriorate and ultimately die by as yet unknown mechanism. Results Here, we report that the vast majority of naturally laid unfertilized eggs of the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis spontaneously exit metaphase arrest under various environmental conditions and degrade by a well-defined apoptotic process within 48 hours after ovulation. The main features of this process include cytochrome c release, caspase activation, ATP depletion, increase of ADP/ATP ratio, apoptotic nuclear morphology, progressive intracellular acidification, and egg swelling. Meiotic exit seems to be a prerequisite for execution of the apoptotic program, since (i) it precedes apoptosis, (ii) apoptotic events cannot be observed in the eggs maintaining high activity of MPF and CSF, and (iii) apoptosis in unfertilized frog eggs is accelerated upon early meiotic exit. The apoptotic features cannot be observed in the immature prophase-arrested oocytes, however, the maturation-inducing hormone progesterone renders oocytes susceptible to apoptosis. Conclusions The study reveals that naturally laid intact frog eggs die by apoptosis if they are not fertilized. A maternal apoptotic program is evoked in frog oocytes upon maturation and executed after meiotic exit in unfertilized eggs. The meiotic exit is required for execution of the apoptotic program in eggs. The emerging anti-apoptotic role of meiotic metaphase arrest needs further investigation. PMID:22195698

Comparative Pathology and Ecological Implications of Two Myxosporean Parasites in Native Australian Frogs and the Invasive Cane Toad

PubMed Central

Hartigan, Ashlie; Dhand, Navneet K.; Rose, Karrie; Šlapeta, Jan; Phalen, David N.

2012-01-01

Myxosporean parasites Cystodiscus axonis and C. australis are pathogens of native and exotic Australian frog species. The pathology and ecological outcomes of infection with these parasites were investigated in this study. Gliosis was correlated to Cystodiscus axonis plasmodia in the brains of (9/60) tadpoles and (3/9) adult endangered Green and golden bell frogs using ordinal regression. Severe host reactions to C. axonis (haemorrhage, necrosis, and vasulitis) were observed in the brains of threatened Southern bell frogs (8/8), critically endangered Booroolong frogs (15/44) and Yellow spotted bell frogs (3/3). Severe brain lesions were associated with behavioural changes, neurological dysfunction, and spontaneous death. Both C. axonis and C. australis develop in the bile ducts of tadpoles, the plasmodia were significantly associated with biliary hyperplasia, inflammation and the loss of hepatocytes in (34/72) Green and golden bell frog tadpoles using ordinal regression. These lesions were so severe that in some cases 70% of the total liver was diseased. Normal liver function in tadpoles is necessary for metamorphosis, metabolism, and immune function. We postulate that this extensive liver damage would have significant host health impacts. Severe hepatic myxosporidiosis was more prevalent in tadpoles examined in autumn and winter (overwintered), suggestive of delayed metamorphosis in infected tadpoles, which would have serious flow-on effects in small populations. We compared the sensitivity of histopathology and species-specific PCR in the detection of C. australis and C. axonis. PCR was determined to be the most sensitive method (detection limit 1 myxospore equivalent of ribosomal DNA). Histology, however, had the advantage of assessing the impact of the parasite on the host. It was concluded that these parasites have the potential for significant ecological impacts, because of their high prevalence of infection and their ability to cause disease in some frogs. PMID:23056175

Potential interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality and adjacent land cover in amphibian habitats in the United States.

PubMed

Battaglin, W A; Smalling, K L; Anderson, C; Calhoun, D; Chestnut, T; Muths, E

2016-10-01

To investigate interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality, and adjacent land cover, we collected samples of water, sediment, and frog tissue from 21 sites in 7 States in the United States (US) representing a variety of amphibian habitats. All samples were analyzed for >90 pesticides and pesticide degradates, and water and frogs were screened for the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) using molecular methods. Pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected frequently in frog breeding habitats (water and sediment) as well as in frog tissue. Fungicides occurred more frequently in water, sediment, and tissue than was expected based upon their limited use relative to herbicides or insecticides. Pesticide occurrence in water or sediment was not a strong predictor of occurrence in tissue, but pesticide concentrations in tissue were correlated positively to agricultural and urban land, and negatively to forested land in 2-km buffers around the sites. Bd was detected in water at 45% of sites, and on 34% of swabbed frogs. Bd detections in water were not associated with differences in land use around sites, but sites with detections had colder water. Frogs that tested positive for Bd were associated with sites that had higher total fungicide concentrations in water and sediment, but lower insecticide concentrations in sediments relative to frogs that were Bd negative. Bd concentrations on frog swabs were positively correlated to dissolved organic carbon, and total nitrogen and phosphorus, and negatively correlated to pH and water temperature. Data were collected from a range of locations and amphibian habitats and represent some of the first field-collected information aimed at understanding the interactions between pesticides, land use, and amphibian disease. These interactions are of particular interest to conservation efforts as many amphibians live in altered habitats and may depend on wetlands embedded in these landscapes to survive. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Cytological maps of lampbrush chromosomes of European water frogs (Pelophylax esculentus complex) from the Eastern Ukraine

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Hybridogenesis (hemiclonal inheritance) is a kind of clonal reproduction in which hybrids between parental species are reproduced by crossing with one of the parental species. European water frogs (Pelophylax esculentus complex) represent an appropriate model for studying interspecies hybridization, processes of hemiclonal inheritance and polyploidization. P. esculentus complex consists of two parental species, P. ridibundus (the lake frog) and P. lessonae (the pool frog), and their hybridogenetic hybrid – P. esculentus (the edible frog). Parental and hybrid frogs can reproduce syntopically and form hemiclonal population systems. For studying mechanisms underlying the maintenance of water frog population systems it is required to characterize the karyotypes transmitted in gametes of parental and different hybrid animals of both sexes. Results In order to obtain an instrument for characterization of oocyte karyotypes in hybrid female frogs, we constructed cytological maps of lampbrush chromosomes from oocytes of both parental species originating in Eastern Ukraine. We further identified certain molecular components of chromosomal marker structures and mapped coilin-rich spheres and granules, chromosome associated nucleoli and special loops accumulating splicing factors. We recorded the dissimilarities between P. ridibundus and P. lessonae lampbrush chromosomes in the length of orthologous chromosomes, number and location of marker structures and interstitial (TTAGGG)n-repeat sites as well as activity of nucleolus organizer. Satellite repeat RrS1 was mapped in centromere regions of lampbrush chromosomes of the both species. Additionally, we discovered transcripts of RrS1 repeat in oocytes of P. ridibundus and P. lessonae. Moreover, G-rich transcripts of telomere repeat were revealed in association with terminal regions of P. ridibundus and P. lessonae lampbrush chromosomes. Conclusions The constructed cytological maps of lampbrush chromosomes of P. ridibundus and P. lessonae provide basis to define the type of genome transmitted within individual oocytes of P. esculentus females with different ploidy and from various population systems. PMID:23590698

Potential interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality and adjacent land cover in amphibian habitats in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Battaglin, William A.; Smalling, Kelly L.; Anderson, Chauncey; Calhoun, Daniel L.; Chestnut, Tara E.; Muths, Erin L.

2016-01-01

To investigate interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality, and adjacent land cover, we collected samples of water, sediment, and frog tissue from 21 sites in 7 States in the United States (US) representing a variety of amphibian habitats. All samples were analyzed for > 90 pesticides and pesticide degradates, and water and frogs were screened for the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) using molecular methods. Pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected frequently in frog breeding habitats (water and sediment) as well as in frog tissue. Fungicides occurred more frequently in water, sediment, and tissue than was expected based upon their limited use relative to herbicides or insecticides. Pesticide occurrence in water or sediment was not a strong predictor of occurrence in tissue, but pesticide concentrations in tissue were correlated positively to agricultural and urban land, and negatively to forested land in 2-km buffers around the sites. Bd was detected in water at 45% of sites, and on 34% of swabbed frogs. Bd detections in water were not associated with differences in land use around sites, but sites with detections had colder water. Frogs that tested positive for Bd were associated with sites that had higher total fungicide concentrations in water and sediment, but lower insecticide concentrations in sediments relative to frogs that were Bd negative. Bd concentrations on frog swabs were positively correlated to dissolved organic carbon, and total nitrogen and phosphorus, and negatively correlated to pH and water temperature.Data were collected from a range of locations and amphibian habitats and represent some of the first field-collected information aimed at understanding the interactions between pesticides, land use, and amphibian disease. These interactions are of particular interest to conservation efforts as many amphibians live in altered habitats and may depend on wetlands embedded in these landscapes to survive.

Phylogeny and biogeography of South Chinese brown frogs (Ranidae, Anura).

PubMed

Zhou, Yu; Wang, Sirui; Zhu, Hedan; Li, Pipeng; Yang, Baotian; Ma, Jianzhang

2017-01-01

Few studies have explored the role of Cenozoic tectonic evolution in shaping the patterns and processes of extant animal distributions in and around East Asia. In this study, we selected South Chinese brown frogs as a model to examine the phylogenetic and biogeographical consequences of Miocene tectonic events within South China and its margins. We used mitochondrial and nuclear molecular data to reconstruct phylogenetic interrelationships among Chinese brown frogs using Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses. The phylogeny results show that there are four main clades of Chinese brown frogs. Excepting the three commonly known Chinese brown frog species groups, R. maoershanensis forms an independent clade nearest to the R. japonica group. Phylogeny and P-distance analyses confirmed R. maoershanensis as a valid species. Among South Chinese brown frogs, there are four subclades associated with four geographical areas: (I) R. maoershanensis; (II) R. japonica; (III) R. chaochiaoensis; and (IV) other species of the R. longicrus species group. Divergence times, estimated using mitochondrial sequences, place the vicariance events among the four subclades in the middle to late Miocene epoch. Our results suggest that (1) South Chinese brown frogs originated due to a vicariance event separating them from the R. chensinensis species group at the time of the Geological movement (~18 million years ago, Ma) in southern Tibet and the Himalayan region; (2) the separation and speciation of R. maoershanensis from the R. japonica group occurred due to the dry climate at approximately 16 Ma; (3) South Chinese brown frogs migrated from South China to Japan at the time (~10.8 Ma) that the global sea-level fell and the East China Sea Shelf Basin was swamp facies, when a land gallery may have formed across the sea to connect the two areas; and (4) R. chaochiaoensis separated from other species of the R. longicrus species group during the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau at approximately 9.5 Ma.

Effects of environmentally relevant sub-chronic atrazine concentrations on African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) survival, growth and male gonad development.

PubMed

Rimayi, Cornelius; Odusanya, David; Weiss, Jana M; de Boer, Jacob; Chimuka, Luke; Mbajiorgu, Felix

2018-06-01

Sub-chronic toxicity of environmentally relevant atrazine concentrations on exposed tadpoles and adult male African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) was evaluated in a quality controlled laboratory for 90 days. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of atrazine on the survival, growth and gonad development of African clawed frogs. After exposure of tadpoles to atrazine concentrations of 0 (control), 0.01, 200 and 500 μg L -1 in water, mortality rates of 0, 0, 3.3 and 70% respectively were recorded for the 90 day exposure period. Morphometry showed significantly reduced tadpole mass in the 500 μg L -1 atrazine exposed tadpoles (p < 0.05). Light microscopy on testes of adult frogs exposed to the same atrazine concentrations using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Van Gieson staining techniques revealed gonadal atrophy, disruption of germ cell lines, seminiferous tubule structure damage and formation of extensive connective tissue around seminiferous tubules of frogs exposed to 200 μg L -1 and 500 μg L -1 atrazine concentrations. Ultrastructural analysis of the cellular organelles using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed significant amounts of damaged mitochondria in testosterone producing Leydig cells as well as Sertoli cells. Biochemical analysis revealed reduced serum testosterone levels in adult frogs at all exposure levels as well as presence of six atrazine metabolites in frog serum and liver. The results indicate that atrazine concentrations greater than the calculated LC50 of 343.7 μg L -1 cause significant mortality in tadpoles, while concentrations ≥200 μg L -1 adversely affect reproductive health of adult frogs and development of tadpoles sub-chronically exposed to atrazine. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Panamanian frog species host unique skin bacterial communities

PubMed Central

Belden, Lisa K.; Hughey, Myra C.; Rebollar, Eria A.; Umile, Thomas P.; Loftus, Stephen C.; Burzynski, Elizabeth A.; Minbiole, Kevin P. C.; House, Leanna L.; Jensen, Roderick V.; Becker, Matthew H.; Walke, Jenifer B.; Medina, Daniel; Ibáñez, Roberto; Harris, Reid N.

2015-01-01

Vertebrates, including amphibians, host diverse symbiotic microbes that contribute to host disease resistance. Globally, and especially in montane tropical systems, many amphibian species are threatened by a chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), that causes a lethal skin disease. Bd therefore may be a strong selective agent on the diversity and function of the microbial communities inhabiting amphibian skin. In Panamá, amphibian population declines and the spread of Bd have been tracked. In 2012, we completed a field survey in Panamá to examine frog skin microbiota in the context of Bd infection. We focused on three frog species and collected two skin swabs per frog from a total of 136 frogs across four sites that varied from west to east in the time since Bd arrival. One swab was used to assess bacterial community structure using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and to determine Bd infection status, and one was used to assess metabolite diversity, as the bacterial production of anti-fungal metabolites is an important disease resistance function. The skin microbiota of the three Panamanian frog species differed in OTU (operational taxonomic unit, ~bacterial species) community composition and metabolite profiles, although the pattern was less strong for the metabolites. Comparisons between frog skin bacterial communities from Panamá and the US suggest broad similarities at the phylum level, but key differences at lower taxonomic levels. In our field survey in Panamá, across all four sites, only 35 individuals (~26%) were Bd infected. There was no clustering of OTUs or metabolite profiles based on Bd infection status and no clear pattern of west-east changes in OTUs or metabolite profiles across the four sites. Overall, our field survey data suggest that different bacterial communities might be producing broadly similar sets of metabolites across frog hosts and sites. Community structure and function may not be as tightly coupled in these skin symbiont microbial systems as it is in many macro-systems. PMID:26579083

Water balance of field-excavated aestivating Australian desert frogs, the cocoon-forming Neobatrachus aquilonius and the non-cocooning Notaden nichollsi (Amphibia: Myobatrachidae).

PubMed

Cartledge, Victoria A; Withers, Philip C; McMaster, Kellie A; Thompson, Graham G; Bradshaw, S Don

2006-09-01

Burrowed aestivating frogs of the cocoon-forming species Neobatrachus aquilonius and the non-cocooning species Notaden nichollsi were excavated in the Gibson Desert of central Australia. Their hydration state (osmotic pressure of the plasma and urine) was compared to the moisture content and water potential of the surrounding soil. The non-cocooning N. nichollsi was consistently found in sand dunes. While this sand had favourable water potential properties for buried frogs, the considerable spatial and temporal variation in sand moisture meant that frogs were not always in positive water balance with respect to the surrounding soil. The cocoon-forming N. aquilonius was excavated from two distinct habitat types, a claypan in which frogs had a well-formed cocoon and a dune swale where frogs did not have a cocoon. Cocoons of excavated frogs ranged in thickness from 19.4 microm to 55.61 microm and consisted of 81-229 layers. Cocooned claypan N. aquilonius were nearing exhaustion of their bladder water reserves and had a urine osmolality approaching that of the plasma. By contrast, non-cocooned N. aquilonius from the dune swale were fully hydrated, although soil moisture levels were not as high as calculated to be necessary to maintain water balance. Both species had similar plasma arginine vasotocin (AVT) concentrations ranging from 9.4 to 164 pg ml(-1), except for one cocooned N. aquilonius with a higher concentration of 394 pg ml(-1). For both species, AVT showed no relationship with plasma osmolality over the lower range of plasma osmolalities but was appreciably increased at the highest osmolality recorded. This study provides the first evidence that cocoon formation following burrowing is not obligatory in species that are capable of doing so, but that cocoon formation occurs when soil water conditions are more desiccating than for non-cocooned frogs.

Terrestrial activity and conservation of adult California red-legged frogs Rana aurora draytonii in coastal forests and grasslands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bulger, J.B.; Scott, N.J.; Seymour, R.B.

2003-01-01

The federally threatened California red-legged frog Rana aurora draytonii occupies both aquatic and terrestrial habitats in its adult life stage. The terrestrial activities of this species are not well known and require documentation to assist in the development of appropriate levels of protection under the US Endangered Species Act. We studied the terrestrial activities of radio-tagged red-legged frogs (n = 8-26) inhabiting a coastal watershed in Santa Cruz County, California, during 1997-1998. In particular, we investigated (1) the use of terrestrial habitats by non-migrating adults in relation to season, breeding chronology, and precipitation, and (2) adult migration behavior, including seasonal timing, duration, distances traveled, and the use of corridors. Non-migrating red-legged frogs occupied terrestrial habitats briefly (median = 4-6 days) following infrequent summer rains, but resided nearly continuously on land (median = 20-30 days) from the onset of the winter wet-season until breeding activities commenced 1-2 months later. All of the non-migrating frogs remained within 130 m of their aquatic site of residence (median <25 m). Intervals spent on land were again brief during mid/late winter (median = 1-4 days), despite frequent and copious rainfall. Adult migration to and from breeding sites occurred from late October through mid-May (wet season). We monitored 25 migration events between aquatic sites that were 200-2800 m apart. Short distance movements ( <300 m) were completed in 1-3 days, longer movements required up to 2 months. Most migrating frogs moved overland in approximately straight lines to target sites without apparent regard to vegetation type or topography. Riparian corridors were neither essential nor preferred as migration routes. Frogs traveling overland occurred in upland habitats as far as 500 m from water. Approximately 11-22% of the adult population was estimated to migrate to and from breeding sites annually, whereas the bulk of the adult population was resident at these sites. Adequate protection of red-legged frog populations inhabiting relatively undeveloped landscapes is liable to be achieved by retaining an array of suitable habitat elements within at least 100 m of occupied aquatic sites, and by imposing seasonal limitations on detrimental human activities occurring within this zone. Specific protections for migrating frogs are probably unwarranted in forest and rangeland environments because dispersal habitat is ubiquitous and migrating frogs are widely distributed across the landscape in space and time. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

[Results of the use of pumpan preparation in the treatment of severe forms of angina pectoris].

PubMed

Parshina, S S; Golovacheva, T V; Afanas'eva, T N; Panchenko, O V; Baldina, A A; Starostina, N V; Lial'chenko, I F; Egorova, L P

2000-01-01

To assess validity of adjuvant use of pumpan, a homeopathic compound, in patients with unstable angina pectoris and angina of effort (functional class III-IV) receiving conventional treatment. A direct open controlled trial for 15 months performed initially in hospital, then outpatiently, covered 49 patients with severe angina. Examination of the patients included evaluation of clinical condition and the disease course, lipid metabolism, hemostasis, blood plasma electrolytes, aminotransferases, echo-CG, bicycle exercise, rheoencephalography, ultrasonic dopplerography of head and neck vessels. Pumpan produced a positive effect total nonspecific systemic resistance improved, number of hospitalizations reduced, intracardiac hemodynamics improved in some cases with severe angina. Homeopathic compound pumpan can be recommended in the treatment of severe angina to reinforce antianginal effect, improve the disease clinical course, to obtain a hypocoagulative and hypocholesterolemic effect, to normalize intracardiac hemodynamics, to raise myocardial performance and intracoronary reserve as well as nonspecific resistance of the body.

Suspension properties of whole blood and its components under glucose influence studied in patients with acute coronary syndrome

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malinova, Lidia I.; Simonenko, Georgy V.; Denisova, Tatyana P.; Dovgalevsky, Pavel Y.; Tuchin, Valery V.

2004-05-01

The protocol of our study includes men with acute myocardial infarction, stable angina pectoris of II and III functional classes and unstable angina pectoris. Patients with arterial hypertension, disorders in carbohydrate metabolism were excluded from the study. Blood samples taken under standardized conditions, were stabilized with citrate sodium 3,8% (1:9). Erythrocytes and platelets aggregation activity under glucose influence (in vitro) was studied by means of computer aided microphotometer -- a visual analyzer. Erythrocyte and platelets were united in special subsystem of whole blood. Temporal and functional characteristics of their aggregation were analyzed by creation of phase patterns fragments. The received data testify to interrelation of erythrocytes and platelets processes of aggregation under conditions of increasing of glucose concentration of the incubatory environment, which temporal and functional characteristics may be used for diagnostics and the prognosis of destabilization coronary blood flow at an acute coronary syndrome.

Experimental and early investigational drugs for angina pectoris.

PubMed

Elgendy, Islam Y; Winchester, David E; Pepine, Carl J

2016-12-01

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a major cause of death and disability among Western countries and angina pectoris is the most prevalent symptomatic manifestation. Strategies to improve management of chronic stable angina are a priority. Areas covered: A comprehensive review was conducted using the Medline and Cochrane databases as well as the clinical trial databases in the United States and Europe. Traditional therapies for angina will be discussed. This review particularly emphasizes investigational therapies for angina (including pharmacological agents, cell and gene based therapies, and herbal medications). Expert opinion: There has been renewed interest in older anti-angina agents (e.g., perhexiline, amiodarone, and phosphodiestrase-5 inhibitors). Other anti-inflammatory agents (e.g., allopurinol and febuxostat) are currently undergoing evaluation for angina therapy. Therapeutic angiogenesis continues to face some challenges. Future trials should evaluate the optimum patient population that would benefit from this form of therapy.

Angina pectoris: current therapy and future treatment options.

PubMed

Parikh, Raj; Kadowitz, Philip J

2014-02-01

Angina pectoris is the consequence of an inequality between the demand and supply of blood to the heart. Angina manifests itself as chest pain or discomfort and is a common complaint of patients in the hospital and in the clinic. There are, in fact, roughly half a million new cases of angina per year. Chest pain, while having many etiologies, is generally considered to be most lethal when related to a cardiac cause. In this review, the authors outline the current medical and surgical therapies that are used in the management of angina. Highlights of the various clinical trials that have assisted in the investigation of these therapies are summarized also. Then, the authors provide a focused review of the novel therapy options for angina that are currently being explored. From new medical treatments to revised surgical techniques to the discovery of stem cell therapy, many innovative options are being investigated for the treatment of angina.

Experimental and early investigational drugs for angina pectoris

PubMed Central

Elgendy, Islam Y.; Winchester, David E.; Pepine, Carl J.

2016-01-01

Introduction Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a major cause of death and disability among Western countries and angina pectoris is the most prevalent symptomatic manifestation. Strategies to improve management of chronic stable angina are a priority. Areas covered A comprehensive review was conducted using the Medline and Cochrane databases as well as the clinical trial databases in the United States and Europe. Traditional therapies for angina will be discussed. This review particularly emphasizes investigational therapies for angina (including pharmacological agents, cell and gene based therapies, and herbal medications). Expert commentary There has been renewed interest in older anti-angina agents (e.g., perhexiline, amiodarone, and phosphodiestrase-5 inhibitors). Other anti-inflammatory agents (e.g., allopurinol and febuxostat) are currently undergoing evaluation for angina therapy. Therapeutic angiogenesis continues to face some challenges. Future trials should evaluate the optimum patient population that would benefit from this form of therapy. PMID:27791405

NASA Ames Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-01

microorganisms, or by producing mutant bacteria and new breeds, interfering with the original destiny of Jovian evolution. And how would we know, many years...Spacelab mission, Spacelab Japan (SL-J), frog embryos will be fertilized in space in the frog embryology unit (FEU--fig. 3). Knowledge of embryology in...limited to animal embryos that develop quickly, which is necessary in a seven-to-ten-day shuttle flight. The rapid dovelopment of frog embryos makes

Ecological Guild Evolution and the Discovery of the World's Smallest Vertebrate

PubMed Central

Rittmeyer, Eric N.; Allison, Allen; Gründler, Michael C.; Thompson, Derrick K.; Austin, Christopher C.

2012-01-01

Living vertebrates vary drastically in body size, yet few taxa reach the extremely minute size of some frogs and teleost fish. Here we describe two new species of diminutive terrestrial frogs from the megadiverse hotspot island of New Guinea, one of which represents the smallest known vertebrate species, attaining an average body size of only 7.7 mm. Both new species are members of the recently described genus Paedophryne, the four species of which are all among the ten smallest known frog species, making Paedophryne the most diminutive genus of anurans. This discovery highlights intriguing ecological similarities among the numerous independent origins of diminutive anurans, suggesting that minute frogs are not mere oddities, but represent a previously unrecognized ecological guild. PMID:22253785

Conflicts at work are associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease

PubMed Central

Jacob, Louis; Kostev, Karel

2017-01-01

Background: Only few authors have analyzed the impact of workplace conflicts and the resulting stress on the risk of developing cardiovascular disorders. The goal of this study was to analyze the association between workplace conflicts and cardiovascular disorders in patients treated by German general practitioners. Methods: Patients with an initial documentation of a workplace conflict experience between 2005 and 2014 were identified in 699 general practitioner practices (index date). We included only those who were between the ages of 18 and 65 years, had a follow-up time of at least 180 days after the index date, and had not been diagnosed with angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, coronary heart diseases, or stroke prior to the documentation of the workplace mobbing. In total, the study population consisted of 7,374 patients who experienced conflicts and 7,374 controls for analysis. The main outcome measure was the incidence of angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and stroke correlated with workplace conflict experiences. Results: After a maximum of five years of follow-up, 2.9% of individuals who experienced workplace conflict were affected by cardiovascular diseases, while only 1.4% were affected in the control group (p-value <0.001). Workplace conflict was associated with a 1.63-fold increase in the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Finally, the impact of workplace conflict was higher for myocardial infarction (OR=2.03) than for angina pectoris (OR=1.79) and stroke (OR=1.56). Conclusions: Overall, we found a significant association between workplace conflicts and cardiovascular disorders. PMID:28496397

Epidemiology of angina pectoris: role of natural language processing of the medical record

PubMed Central

Pakhomov, Serguei; Hemingway, Harry; Weston, Susan A.; Jacobsen, Steven J.; Rodeheffer, Richard; Roger, Véronique L.

2007-01-01

Background The diagnosis of angina is challenging as it relies on symptom descriptions. Natural language processing (NLP) of the electronic medical record (EMR) can provide access to such information contained in free text that may not be fully captured by conventional diagnostic coding. Objective To test the hypothesis that NLP of the EMR improves angina pectoris (AP) ascertainment over diagnostic codes. Methods Billing records of in- and out-patients were searched for ICD-9 codes for AP, chronic ischemic heart disease and chest pain. EMR clinical reports were searched electronically for 50 specific non-negated natural language synonyms to these ICD-9 codes. The two methods were compared to a standardized assessment of angina by Rose questionnaire for three diagnostic levels: unspecified chest pain, exertional chest pain, and Rose angina. Results Compared to the Rose questionnaire, the true positive rate of EMR-NLP for unspecified chest pain was 62% (95%CI:55–67) vs. 51% (95%CI:44–58) for diagnostic codes (p<0.001). For exertional chest pain, the EMR-NLP true positive rate was 71% (95%CI:61–80) vs. 62% (95%CI:52–73) for diagnostic codes (p=0.10). Both approaches had 88% (95%CI:65–100) true positive rate for Rose angina. The EMR-NLP method consistently identified more patients with exertional chest pain over 28-month follow-up. Conclusion EMR-NLP method improves the detection of unspecified and exertional chest pain cases compared to diagnostic codes. These findings have implications for epidemiological and clinical studies of angina pectoris. PMID:17383310

Danshen injection as adjuvant treatment for unstable angina pectoris: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Wu, Jia-Rui; Liu, Shi; Zhang, Xiao-Meng; Zhang, Bing

2017-04-01

To systematically evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of Danshen Injection (, DS) as one adjuvant treatment for conventional therapy with Western medicine (WM) for unstable angina pectoris (UAP). Using literature databases, a thorough and systematic retrieval of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing DS plus WM with WM was conducted from inception to April 2015. The extracted data from included studies was analyzed by Review Manager 5.2 software. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the quality of included studies, and Begg's and Egger's tests conducted by Stata 12.0 were used to evaluate the potential presence of publication bias. A total of 17 RCTs, which involving 1,433 participants, were identified and reviewed. The meta-analysis indicated that the combined use of DS and WM was significantly superior to WM alone for UAP in terms of the total effectiveness rate of angina pectoris [risk ratio (RR) =1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.17, 1.29, P<0.01] and the total effectiveness rate of electrocardiogram (ECG) [RR=1.18, 95%CI: 1.06, 1.30, P=0.001]. Additionally, DS could also further reduce the content of fibrinogen, adjust blood lipid level, correct T wave inversion, and so on. Fifteen adverse drug reactions were reported in two studies, Four of which appeared in the experimental group. Based on the systematic review, the combined use of DS and WM was more effective than WM alone, it can be further widely used in clinic, however, there was no exact conclusion for its safety.

Salvianolate injection in the treatment of unstable angina pectoris

PubMed Central

Zhang, Dan; Wu, Jiarui; Liu, Shi; Zhang, Xiaomeng; Zhang, Bing

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Salvianolate injection in the treatment of unstable angina pectoris (UAP). Methods: Using literature databases, we conducted a thorough and systematic retrieval of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that using Salvianolate injection for treating UAP. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the RCTs, and then the data were extracted and meta-analyzed by RevMan5.2 software. Results: A total of 22 RCTs with 2050 participants were included. The meta-analysis indicated that the combined use of Salvianolate injection and western medicine (WM) in the treatment of UAP can achieve a superior effect in angina pectoris total effective rate (risk ratio [RR] = 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] (1.17, 1.27), Z = 10.15, P < 0.00001], and the total effectiveness rate of electrocardiogram [RR = 1.26, 95% CI (1.19,1.34), Z = 7.77, P < 0.00001]. In addition, Salvianolate injection can improve the nitroglycerin withdrawal rate and the serum level of NO, decrease high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) or adverse drug events (ADEs) were reported in 6 RCTs involving 15 cases; however, there were no serious ADRs/ADEs. Conclusion: Based on the systematic review, the combined use of Salvianolate injection and WM in the treatment of UAP can achieve a better effect; however, there was no definitive conclusion about its safety. More the large-sample and multicenter RCTs are needed to support its clinical usage. PMID:28002341

Association of air pollution and use of glyceryl trinitrate against angina pectoris: a population-based case-crossover study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Ambient air pollution has been associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In Reykjavik, Iceland, air pollutant concentrations exceed official health limits several times every year. The aim was to study the association of concentrations of NO2, O3, PM10, and H2S in the Reykjavik capital area with the dispensing of anti-angina pectoris medication, glyceryl trinitrate to the inhabitants. Methods Data on daily dispensing of glyceryl trinitrate, were retrieved from the Icelandic Medicines Registry. Data on hourly concentrations of NO2, O3, PM10, and H2S were obtained from the Environment Agency of Iceland. A case-crossover design was used, based on the dispensing of glyceryl trinitrate to 5,246 individuals (≥18 years) between 2005 and 2009. Results For every 10 μg/m3 increase of NO2 and O3 3-day mean concentrations, the odds ratio (OR) for daily dispensing of glyceryl trinitrates was 1.136 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.069-1.207) and 1.094 (95% CI 1.029-1.163) at lag 0, and OR was 1.096 (95% CI 1.029-1.168) and 1.094 (95% CI 1.028-1.166) at lag 1, respectively. Conclusions These findings suggest that NO2 and O3 ambient air concentrations may adversely affect cardiovascular health, as measured by the dispensing of glyceryl trinitrates for angina pectoris. Further, the findings suggest that data on the dispensing of medication may be a valuable health indicator when studying the effect of air pollution on cardiovascular morbidity. PMID:23631813

Acid precipitation studies in Colorado and Wyoming: interim report of surveys of montane amphibians and water chemistry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Corn, Paul Stephen; Stolzenburg, William; Bury, R. Bruce

1989-01-01

Acid deposition may be detrimental or stressful to native populations of wildlife. Because many species of amphibians breed in shallow ponds created by spring rains or melting snow, they may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of acidification. From 1986 to 1988, we surveyed 105 locations in the central Rocky Mountains where amphibians had been recorded previously, and we found that two species of amphibians had experiences major losses. We found the northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens) at only 4 of 33 (12%) historically known localities, and the boreal toad (Bufo boreas) was present at 10 of 59 (17%) known localities. Three other species have not suffered region-wide declines. Tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) and wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) were present at 45% and 69% of known localities respectively, and were observed at several localities were they had not been recorded previously. Chorus frogs (Pseudacris triseriata) suffered a catastrophic decline in population size in one population monitored since 1961, but regionally, this species was observed in 36 of 56 (64%) known localities and in another 19 localities where there were no previous records. Complete water chemistry was recorded for 41 localities, and pH was measured at 110 sites in total. Acid neutralizing capacity, pH, specific conductivity, and cation concentrations were negatively correlated with elevation. However, in mountain ponds and lakes, pH was rarely less than 6.0 during the amphibian breeding season. We tested the tolerance of embryos of the four species of frogs to low pH. The LC50 pH was 4.8 for chorus frogs, 4.4-4.7 for leopard frogs, 4.4-4.5 for boreal toads, and 4.2-4.3 for wood frogs. Survival of wood frog embryos declined when exposed to aluminum concentrations of 100 µg/L or greater, but boreal toad embryos survived exposure to aluminum concentrations of 400 µg/L. Acid deposition does not appear to be a major factor in the decline of leopard frogs and boreal toads. However, we have not yet investigated effects of sublethal pH on growth and development of tadpoles. Pollution remains suspect, but other factors, including natural fluctuations in population size, may account for the observed declines.

Heart Rate and Initial Presentation of Cardiovascular Diseases (Caliber)

ClinicalTrials.gov

2013-09-17

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm; Coronary Heart Disease NOS; Unheralded Coronary Death; Intracerebral Haemorrhage; Heart Failure; Ischemic Stroke; Myocardial Infarction; Stroke; Peripheral Arterial Disease; Stable Angina Pectoris; Subarachnoid Haemorrhage; Transient Ischemic Attack; Unstable Angina; Cardiac Arrest, Sudden Cardiac Death

Diagnosis and therapy of coronary artery disease: Second edition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cohn, P.F.

1985-01-01

This book contains 18 selections. Some of the titles are: Nuclear cardiology; Diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction; Therapy of angina pectoris; Psychosocial aspects of coronary artery disease; Nonatherosclerotic coronary artery disease; and The epidemiology of coronary artery disease.

A protocol of histone modification-based mechanistic study of acupuncture in patients with stable angina pectoris.

PubMed

Wang, Ning; Lu, Sheng-Feng; Chen, Hui; Wang, Jian-Fei; Fu, Shu-Ping; Hu, Chen-Jun; Yang, Yi; Liang, Fan-Rong; Zhu, Bing-Mei

2015-04-30

Angina pectoris (Angina) is a medical condition related to myocardial ischemia. Although acupuncture has been widely accepted as a clinical approach for angina, there is no sufficient evidence of its effectiveness against this syndrome, and its mechanisms have not yet been well elucidated. We develop this protocol to confirm the clinical efficacy of electro-acupuncture on stable angina pectoris by needling on acupoint Neiguan (PC6). Furthermore, we employ high-throughput sequencing technology to investigate the gene expression profiling and determine involvement of histone modifications in the regulation of genes after electro-acupuncture treatment. A randomized, controlled, double-blinded (assessor and patients) trial will be carried out. Sixty participants will be randomly assigned to two acupuncture treatment groups and one control group in a 1:1:1 ratio. Participants in acupuncture groups will receive 12 sessions of electro-acupuncture treatment across 4 weeks, followed by a 12-week randomization period. The acupuncture groups are divided into Neiguan (PC6) on Pericardium Meridian of Hand-jueyin or a non-acupoint. The primary clinical measure of effect is the frequency of angina attacks between these groups for four weeks after randomization. RNAs are extracted from peripheral neutrophils collected from all participants on day 0, day 30, and week 16, and are processed to RNA-Seq. We then investigate profiles of histone modifications by ChIP-Seq, for H3 Lysine 4 (H3K4me) and acetylation of H3 Lysine 27 (H3K27ac), in the presence or absence of acupuncture treatment. This study determines the efficacy and mechanisms of electro-acupuncture on stable angina pectoris. We focus on effectiveness of acupuncture on alleviating symptoms of myocardial ischemia and the gene regulation and the chromatin remodeling marks, including H3K4me1, H3K4me2, and H3K27ac, which could be key factors for regulating gene expressions caused by electro-acupuncture treatment at Neiguan. This is the first genome-wide study of electro-acupuncture treatment in angina patients, and will provide valuable information for future studies in the fields of acupuncture and its underlying mechanisms. Fourteen patients have been recruited since recruitment opened in November of 2012. This study is scheduled to end in November of 2014. ChiCTR-TRC-12002668.

Effects of temperature and hydric environment on survival of the Panamanian Golden Frog infected with a pathogenic chytrid fungus.

PubMed

Bustamante, Heidi M; Livo, Lauren J; Carey, Cynthia

2010-06-01

Considerable controversy exists concerning whether or not climate changes (particularly global warming) are causing outbreaks of a lethal amphibian pathogen, the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Longcore, Pessier & D.K. Nichols 1999). In the present study, groups of Panamanian golden frogs (Atelopus zeteki Dunn, 1993), a critically endangered amphibian thought to be nearly extinct in Panama, were exposed to varying dosages of zoospores of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, temperatures and hydric environments in order to learn whether this species is susceptible to this pathogen and, if so, how environmental factors affect survival. This pathogen proved to be highly lethal for A. zeteki. Frogs exposed to a dosage of 100 Bd zoospores survived significantly (P<0.0001) longer than those that had been exposed to 10(4) or 10(6) zoospores. Exposed frogs housed at 23 °C survived significantly (P<0.0001) longer than those that were housed at 17 °C. Exposed frogs held in dry conditions survived significantly longer than those in wet conditions (P<0.0001). As a laboratory study, these results do not directly test hypotheses about the relation between climate change and the decline of these frogs in the field, but they inform the discussion about how environmental conditions can have an impact on the interaction between a susceptible amphibian and this pathogen. These data do not support the contention that rising global temperatures are necessary to cause the death of amphibians infected with this pathogen because the pathogen was equally lethal at 17 as at 23 °C, and frogs at the warmer temperature lived significantly longer than those at the cooler one. © 2010 ISZS, Blackwell Publishing and IOZ/CAS.

The luteotrophic effect of homoplastic pituitary pars distalis homogenate, PMSG, and HCG on the corpora lutea of the hypophysectomized frog, Rana cyanophlyctis (SCHN).

PubMed

Pancharatna, M; Saidapur, S K

1984-03-01

The effect of homoplastic pituitary pars distalis homogenate (PDH), PMSG, and HCG on the postovulatory follicles/corpora lutea (CL) of the frog Rana cyanophlyctis was studied to elucidate the factors regulating the life span of the luteal cells. Ovulation and spawning was induced in hypophysectomized frogs using PDH. Starting from Day 1 of spawning 1/2 PDH, 50 IU PMSG, or 50 IU HCG was injected daily for 3 days. In the saline-injected control frogs, the granulosa lutein cells regressed markedly on Day 2 with a steady progressive increase in the pycnosis of their nuclei. The sudanophilic lipid droplets of the luteal cells were fine on Day 1 but became coarser and reduced in number on subsequent days. Histochemically, the luteal cell 3 beta-HSDH and G-6-PDH also decreased drastically by Day 2. In PDH-treated frogs the granulosa lutein cells were healthy on all 4 days of the experiment. The nuclear diameter of the luteal cells increased progressively due to PDH. The pycnosis of the luteal cells was limited to 7.6% on Day 4 due to PDH as opposed to 68% seen in the controls. Histochemically, 3 beta-HSDH and G-6-PDH activities remained much higher than in the controls with abundant sudanophilic lipids (both fine and coarse) in the luteal cells of PDH treated frogs even on Day 4. PMSG treatment also maintained the granulosa lutein cells beyond their normal life span but the luteotrophic effect was less than that of PDH. HCG was least effective. The present studies suggest that the structural integrity of CL in the frog can be extended beyond the normal life span by injecting PDH or PMSG.

Peptidomic analysis of skin secretions supports separate species status for the tailed frogs, Ascaphus truei and Ascaphus montanus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conlon, J.M.; Bevier, C.R.; Coquet, L.; Leprince, J.; Jouenne, T.; Vaudry, H.; Hossack, B.R.

2007-01-01

The tailed frog Ascaphus truei Stejneger, 1899 is the most primitive extant anuran and the sister taxon to the clade of all other living frogs. The species occupies two disjunct ranges in the Northwest region of North America: the Cascade Mountains and coastal area from British Columbia to Northern California, and an inland range in the northern Rocky Mountains and the Blue and Wallowa mountains. A previous study led to the isolation of eight peptides with antimicrobial activity (termed the ascaphins) from skin secretions of A. truei from the coastal range. The present study has used peptidomic analysis to identify the products of orthologous ascaphin genes in electrically-stimulated skin secretions from inland range specimens. Structural characterization of the peptides demonstrated that ascaphins from the inland range contained the following amino acid substitutions compared with orthologs from the coastal range frogs: ascaphin-1 (Ala12 → Glu), ascaphin-3 (Asp4 → Glu), ascaphin-4 (Ala19 → Ser), ascaphin-5 (Lys12 → Thr), and ascaphin-7 (Gly8 → Ser and Ser20 → Asn). Orthologs of ascaphins-2, -6, and -8 were not identified but a paralog of ascaphin-5, identical to ascaphin-5 from coastal range frogs, was found. The data support the claims, derived from analysis of the nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial genes, that the inland populations of the tailed frog should be recognized as a distinct species, the Rocky Mountain tailed frog Ascaphus montanus and that the divergence of the species from A. truei probably occurred in the late Miocene (approximately 10 Mya).

Lead concentrations in bullfrog Rana catesbeiana and green frog R. clamitans tadpoles inhabiting highway drainages

USGS Publications Warehouse

Birdsall, C.W.; Grue, C.E.; Anderson, A.

1986-01-01

Lead concentrations were determined in sediment and tadpoles of bullfrogs Rana catesbeiana and green frogs R. clamitans from drainages along highways with different daily average traffic volumes (range, 4272 to I08,800 vehicles day-I) and from ponds >0.4 km from the nearest highway. Lead concentrations (mg kg--I dry weight) in sediment (7-8 to 940) were usually greater (4-5 times) than those in the tadpoles (bullfrog, 0,07 to 270; green frog, 0,90 to 240 mg kg-I). Lead concentrations in sediment (r =0.63) and in both species of tadpoles (bullfrog, r = 0.69; green frog, r = 0.57) were positively correlated with average daily traffic volume. Lead concentrations in both species of tadpoles (bullfrog, r = (). 76: green frog, r = 0.75) were also positively correlated with lead concentrations in sediment. At sites where both bullfrog and green frog tadpoles were collected. lead concentrations in the two species were closely related (r = 0.84). Lead concentrations in tadpoles living near highways may contribute to the elevated lead levels reported in wildlife that are potential tadpole predators. Dietary lead concentrations similar to those in our tadpoles have been associated with physiological and reproductive effects in some species of birds and mammals. However, additional data are needed to determine the hazards to predators of lead concentrations in tadpoles.

Comparison of isometric contractile properties of the tongue muscles in three species of frogs, Litoria caerulea, Dyscophus guinetti, and Bufo marinus.

PubMed

Peters, S E; Nishikawa, K C

1999-11-01

Previous studies show that anurans feed in at least three different ways. Basal frogs have a broad tongue that shortens during protraction and emerges only a short distance from the mouth. Some frogs have long, narrow tongues that elongate dramatically due primarily to inertia from mouth opening, which is transferred to the tongue. A few species have a hydrostatic mechanism that produces tongue elongation during protraction. This functional diversity occurs among frogs that share the same two pairs of tongue muscles. Our study compares the isometric contractile properties of these tongue muscles among three frog species that represent each feeding mechanism. Nerves to the paired protractors and retractors were stimulated electrically in each species to record the force properties, contraction speeds, and fatigabilites of these muscles. Few differences were found in the isometric contractile properties of tongue muscles, and the greatest differences were found in the retractors, not the protractors. We propose that the unique arrangement of the tongue muscles in frogs results in a retractor that may also be coactivated with the protractor in order to produce normal tongue protraction. Inertial effects from body, head, and jaw movements, along with clear differences that we found in passive resistance of the tongues to elongation, may explain much of the behavioral variation in tongue use among species. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Diversity and abundance of forest frogs (Anura: Leptodactylidae) before and after Hurricane Georges in the Cordillera Central of Puerto Rico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vilella, F.J.; Fogarty, J.H.

2005-01-01

Caribbean hurricanes often impact terrestrial vertebrates in forested environments. On 21 September 1998, Hurricane Georges impacted Puerto Rico with sustained winds in excess of 166 km/hr, causing damage to forests of the island's principal mountain range; the Cordillera Central. We estimated forest frog abundance and diversity from call counts conducted along marked transects before and after Hurricane Georges in two forests reserves of the Cordillera Central (Maricao and Guilarte). We used distance sampling to estimate density of Eleutherodactylus coqui and recorded counts of other species. After the hurricane, the abundance of E. coqui increased in both reserves compared to prehurricane levels while abundance of other frog species decreased. In Maricao, relative abundance of E. richmondi (P = 0.013) and E. brittoni (P = 0.034) were significantly lower after the hurricane. Moreover, species richness and evenness of the Maricao and Guilarte frog assemblages declined after the hurricane. Our results on abundance patterns of the forest frog assemblages of Maricao and Guilarte Forests were similar to those reported from the Luquillo Experimental Forest after Hurricane Hugo in September 1989. Long-term demographic patterns of the forest frog assemblages in the Cordillera Central may be associated with changes due to the ecological succession in post-hurricane forests. Copyright 2005 College of Arts and Sciences.

Effects of a fire on a population of treefrogs (Scinax cf. alter, Lutz) in a restinga habitat in southern Brazil.

PubMed

Rocha, C F D; Ariani, C V; Menezes, V A; Vrcibradic, D

2008-08-01

The area of the Dunas da Joaquina, in Santa Catarina island, contains one of the most important remnants of restinga habitat in Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil. In December 2003, a fire occurred in a portion of this area, affecting most of the vegetation, including the bromeliad community. In this study, the density of individuals and the diet composition of the bromelicolous treefrog Scinax cf. alter were compared between the area affected by the fire and an adjacent unburned area. One-hundred-and-fifty-eight ground bromeliads (Vriesea friburguensis) were dissected and searched for the presence of treefrogs among their leaves. We found 30 frogs in 29.5% (23/78) of the bromeliads from the unburned site, with a mean of 1.3 frogs per rosette, and 15 frogs in 12.5% (10/80) of the bromeliads from the burned site, with a mean of 1.6 frogs per rosette. Eight (27%) of the frogs from the unburned site and eleven (73%) of those from the burned site had empty stomachs. Frogs from the burned site also contained less prey per stomach than those from the unburned site. The data suggest that the fire has negatively affected the local population of Scinax cf. alter, though it is possible that the population can recover.

Frog sound identification using extended k-nearest neighbor classifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukahar, Nordiana; Affendi Rosdi, Bakhtiar; Athiar Ramli, Dzati; Jaafar, Haryati

2017-09-01

Frog sound identification based on the vocalization becomes important for biological research and environmental monitoring. As a result, different types of feature extractions and classifiers have been employed to evaluate the accuracy of frog sound identification. This paper presents a frog sound identification with Extended k-Nearest Neighbor (EKNN) classifier. The EKNN classifier integrates the nearest neighbors and mutual sharing of neighborhood concepts, with the aims of improving the classification performance. It makes a prediction based on who are the nearest neighbors of the testing sample and who consider the testing sample as their nearest neighbors. In order to evaluate the classification performance in frog sound identification, the EKNN classifier is compared with competing classifier, k -Nearest Neighbor (KNN), Fuzzy k -Nearest Neighbor (FKNN) k - General Nearest Neighbor (KGNN)and Mutual k -Nearest Neighbor (MKNN) on the recorded sounds of 15 frog species obtained in Malaysia forest. The recorded sounds have been segmented using Short Time Energy and Short Time Average Zero Crossing Rate (STE+STAZCR), sinusoidal modeling (SM), manual and the combination of Energy (E) and Zero Crossing Rate (ZCR) (E+ZCR) while the features are extracted by Mel Frequency Cepstrum Coefficient (MFCC). The experimental results have shown that the EKNCN classifier exhibits the best performance in terms of accuracy compared to the competing classifiers, KNN, FKNN, GKNN and MKNN for all cases.

Assessing Antibacterial Potential of Components of Phyllomedusa distincta Skin and its Associated Dermal Microbiota.

PubMed

Brito de Assis, Ananda; Dos Santos, Cristiane; Dutra, Flávia Pereira; de Oliveira Motta, Ailla; Costa, Flávio Silva; Navas, Carlos Arturo; Magalhães, Beatriz Simas; Barreto, Cristine Chaves

2016-02-01

The granular glands of anuran skin secrete an array of bioactive molecules that protect a frog against pathogens and predators. The skin also harbors a microbial community. Although there is evidence to suggest that the microbiota complement the innate immune defense systems against pathogen infection, the effect of the frog bioactive molecules on its resident microbiota has not yet been fully investigated. In the present study, the skin microbiota of Phyllomedusa distincta obtained from two different geographical areas was evaluated with molecular and culture-based approaches. The antagonistic effects exhibited by the host's microbiota and by a novel dermaseptin peptide isolated from P. distincta skin were investigated. Four isolated bacterial colonies displayed antimicrobial activity against known frog pathogens. Our results were consistent with the hypothesis that microbiota from P. distincta may interact with pathogenic microorganisms to protect a frog's health. On the other hand, the novel dermaseptin peptide exhibited an antimicrobial effect on pathogens as well as on some of the bacteria obtained from the skin microbiota. The richness of bacteria on P. distincta skin was further investigated by 16S rRNA gene clone libraries, which revealed that the family Enterobacteriaceae was prevalent, but a high variability at the species level was observed among individual frogs. Differences observed on the microbiota of frogs from contrasting habitats indicated an influence of the environment on the structure of the skin microbiota of P. distincta.

Tourism and the conservation of critically endangered frogs.

PubMed

Morrison, Clare; Simpkins, Clay; Castley, J Guy; Buckley, Ralf C

2012-01-01

Protected areas are critical for the conservation of many threatened species. Despite this, many protected areas are acutely underfunded, which reduces their effectiveness significantly. Tourism is one mechanism to promote and fund conservation in protected areas, but there are few studies analyzing its tangible conservation outcomes for threatened species. This study uses the 415 IUCN critically endangered frog species to evaluate the contribution of protected area tourism revenue to conservation. Contributions were calculated for each species as the proportion of geographic range inside protected areas multiplied by the proportion of protected area revenues derived from tourism. Geographic ranges were determined from IUCN Extent of Occurrence maps. Almost 60% (239) of critically endangered frog species occur in protected areas. Higher proportions of total range are protected in Nearctic, Australasian and Afrotopical regions. Tourism contributions to protected area budgets ranged from 5-100%. These financial contributions are highest for developing countries in the Afrotropical, Indomalayan and Neotropical regions. Data for both geographic range and budget are available for 201 critically endangered frog species with proportional contributions from tourism to species protection ranging from 0.8-99%. Tourism's financial contributions to critically endangered frog species protection are highest in the Afrotropical region. This study uses a coarse measure but at the global scale it demonstrates that tourism has significant potential to contribute to global frog conservation efforts.

Demography and movement in a relocated population of Oregon Spotted Frogs (Rana pretiosa): Influence of season and gender

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chelgren, N.D.; Pearl, C.A.; Adams, M.J.; Bowerman, J.

2008-01-01

We used five years of recapture data and Bayesian estimation to assess seasonal survival, movement, and growth of Oregon Spotted Frogs (Rana pretiosa) relocated into created ponds at Dilman Meadow in Oregon, USA. We evaluate hypotheses specific to the relocation and elucidate aspects of R. pretiosa life history that are poorly known. The odds of survival of relocated individuals during the first year following relocation were 0.36 times the survival odds of relocated and non-relocated frogs after one year since the relocation. Survival rate was higher for large frogs. After accounting for frog size, we found little variation in survival between ponds at Dilman Meadow. Survival was lowest for males during the breeding/post-breeding redistribution period, suggesting a high cost of breeding for males. The highest survival rates occurred during winter for both genders, and one small spring was used heavily during winter but was used rarely during the rest of the year. Individual growth was higher in ponds that were not used for breeding, and increased with increasing pond age. Our study supports other evidence that R. pretiosa use different habitats seasonally and are specific in their overwintering habitat requirements. Because frogs were concentrated during winter, predator-free overwintering springs are likely to be of particular value for R. pretiosa populations. ?? 2008 by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.

Tourism and the Conservation of Critically Endangered Frogs

PubMed Central

Morrison, Clare; Simpkins, Clay; Castley, J. Guy; Buckley, Ralf C.

2012-01-01

Protected areas are critical for the conservation of many threatened species. Despite this, many protected areas are acutely underfunded, which reduces their effectiveness significantly. Tourism is one mechanism to promote and fund conservation in protected areas, but there are few studies analyzing its tangible conservation outcomes for threatened species. This study uses the 415 IUCN critically endangered frog species to evaluate the contribution of protected area tourism revenue to conservation. Contributions were calculated for each species as the proportion of geographic range inside protected areas multiplied by the proportion of protected area revenues derived from tourism. Geographic ranges were determined from IUCN Extent of Occurrence maps. Almost 60% (239) of critically endangered frog species occur in protected areas. Higher proportions of total range are protected in Nearctic, Australasian and Afrotopical regions. Tourism contributions to protected area budgets ranged from 5–100%. These financial contributions are highest for developing countries in the Afrotropical, Indomalayan and Neotropical regions. Data for both geographic range and budget are available for 201 critically endangered frog species with proportional contributions from tourism to species protection ranging from 0.8–99%. Tourism's financial contributions to critically endangered frog species protection are highest in the Afrotropical region. This study uses a coarse measure but at the global scale it demonstrates that tourism has significant potential to contribute to global frog conservation efforts. PMID:22984440

Antimicrobial peptides from frog skin: biodiversity and therapeutic promises.

PubMed

Ladram, Ali; Nicolas, Pierre

2016-06-01

More than a thousand antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been reported in the last decades arising from the skin secretion of amphibian species. Generally, each frog species can express its own repertoire of AMPs (typically, 10-20 peptides) with differing sequences, sizes, and spectrum of action, which implies very rapid divergence, even between closely related species. Frog skin AMPs are highly potent against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, protozoa, yeasts, and fungi by permeating and destroying their plasma membrane and/or inactivating intracellular targets. These peptides have attracted considerable interest as a therapeutic alternative to conventional anti-infective agents. However, efforts to obtain a new generation of drugs using these peptides are still challenging because of high associated R&D costs due to their large size (up to 46 residues) and cytotoxicity. This review deals with the biodiversity of frog skin AMPs and assesses the therapeutic possibilities of temporins, the shortest AMPs found in the frog skin, with 8-17 residues. Such short sequences are easily amenable to optimization of the structure and to solution-phase synthesis that offer reduced costs over solid-phase chemistry.

Response to Heethoff, Norton, and Raspotnig: Ant and Mite Diversity Drives Toxin Variation in the Little Devil Poison Frog and Erratum.

PubMed

McGugan, Jenna R; Byrd, Gary D; Roland, Alexandre B; Caty, Stephanie N; Kabir, Nisha; Tapia, Elicio E; Trauger, Sunia A; Coloma, Luis A; O'Connell, Lauren A

2016-08-01

Our recent publication titled "Ant and Mite Diversity Drives Toxin Variation in the Little Devil Poison Frog" aimed to describe how variation in diet contributes to population differences in toxin profiles of poison frogs. Some poison frogs (Family Dendrobatidae) sequester alkaloid toxins from their arthropod diet, which is composed mainly of ants and mites. Our publication demonstrated that arthropods from the stomach contents of three different frog populations were diverse in both chemistry and species composition. To make progress towards understanding this trophic relationship, our main goal was to identify alkaloids that are found in either ants or mites. With the remaining samples that were not used for chemical analysis, we attempted to identify the arthropods using DNA barcoding of cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1). The critique of Heethoff, Norton, and Raspotnig refers to the genetic analysis of a small number of mites. Here, we respond to the general argument of the critique as well as other minor issues detailed by Heethoff, Norton, and Raspotnig.

Sexual dichromatism in frogs: natural selection, sexual selection and unexpected diversity.

PubMed

Bell, Rayna C; Zamudio, Kelly R

2012-12-07

Sexual dichromatism, a form of sexual dimorphism in which males and females differ in colour, is widespread in animals but has been predominantly studied in birds, fishes and butterflies. Moreover, although there are several proposed evolutionary mechanisms for sexual dichromatism in vertebrates, few studies have examined this phenomenon outside the context of sexual selection. Here, we describe unexpectedly high diversity of sexual dichromatism in frogs and create a comparative framework to guide future analyses of the evolution of these sexual colour differences. We review what is known about evolution of colour dimorphism in frogs, highlight alternative mechanisms that may contribute to the evolution of sexual colour differences, and compare them to mechanisms active in other major groups of vertebrates. In frogs, sexual dichromatism can be dynamic (temporary colour change in males) or ontogenetic (permanent colour change in males or females). The degree and the duration of sexual colour differences vary greatly across lineages, and we do not detect phylogenetic signal in the distribution of this trait, therefore frogs provide an opportunity to investigate the roles of natural and sexual selection across multiple independent derivations of sexual dichromatism.

Endoparasitic mites of the genus Endotrombicula Ewing, 1931 (Acari: Prostigmata: Parasitengona: Trombiculidae) from African and Madagascan anurans, with description of a new species.

PubMed

Wohltmann, Andreas; du Preez, Louis; Rödel, Mark-Oliver; Köhler, Jörn; Vences, Miguel

2007-09-01

A sample of over 6,000 specimens of frogs belonging to about 120 species of all families occurring in West Africa and Madagascar were screened for parasitic mites. Three species of Endotrombicula Ewing, 1931 were found in representatives of two African and two Madagascan frog families. All Trombiculidae found in African frogs belonged to Endotrombicula pillersi (Sambon, 1928), whereas in Madagascar E. madagascariensis (Sambon, 1928) and E. ptychadenae sp. n. were sampled. These three species are described, data about their parasitic associations are provided, and their zoogeographical distribution is discussed. Only those frog species that spend a considerable time in terrestrial ground habitats were parasitized; neither arboreal nor strictly aquatic frogs were infected. The geographic distribution of Endotrombicula, restricted to Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and Madagascar, suggests that these mites invaded Madagascar from the African continent. This is supported by the observation that the ancestors of Ptychadena mascareniensis (Duméril et Bibron) (Ptychadenidae), the host of E. ptychadenae, colonized Madagascar from the African continent quite recently, possibly accompanied by its Endotrombicula parasites.

Light and noise pollution interact to disrupt interspecific interactions.

PubMed

McMahon, Taegan A; Rohr, Jason R; Bernal, Ximena E

2017-05-01

Studies on the consequences of urbanization often examine the effects of light, noise, and heat pollution independently on isolated species providing a limited understanding of how these combined stressors affect species interactions. Here, we investigate how these factors interact to affect parasitic frog-biting midges (Corethrella spp.) and their túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus) hosts. A survey of túngara frog calling sites revealed that frog abundance was not significantly correlated with urbanization, light, noise, or temperature. In contrast, frog-biting midges were sensitive to light pollution and noise pollution. Increased light intensity significantly reduced midge abundance at low noise levels. At high noise intensity, there were no midges regardless of light level. Two field experiments controlling light and noise levels to examine attraction of the midges to their host and their feeding behavior confirmed the causality of these field patterns. These findings demonstrate that both light and noise pollution disrupt this host-parasite interaction and highlight the importance of considering interactions among species and types of pollutants to accurately assess the impacts of urbanization on ecological communities. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Discovery of skin alkaloids in a miniaturized eleutherodactylid frog from Cuba.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Ariel; Poth, Dennis; Schulz, Stefan; Vences, Miguel

2011-06-23

Four phylogenetically independent lineages of frogs are currently known to sequester lipid-soluble skin alkaloids for which a dietary source has been demonstrated. We report here a remarkable fifth such instance, in Eleutherodactylus iberia and Eleutherodactylus orientalis, two species of miniaturized frogs of the family Eleutherodactylidae from Cuba. Six pumiliotoxins and two indolizidines were found in E. iberia, one of the smallest frogs in the world and characterized by a contrasting colour pattern for which we hypothesize an aposematic function. Analyses of stomach content indicated a numerical prevalence of mites with an important proportion of oribatids-a group of arthropods known to contain one of the pumiliotoxins detected in E. iberia. This suggests that miniaturization and specialization to small prey may have favoured the acquisition of dietary skin alkaloids in these amphibians.

Diseases of frogs and toads

USGS Publications Warehouse

Green, D.E.; Converse, K.A.; Majumdar, S.K.; Huffman, J.E.; Brenner, F.J.; Panah, A.I.

2005-01-01

This chapter presents information on infectious diseases of free-living frogs and toads that have completed metamorphosis. The diseases discussed in this chapter pertain principally to sub-adult and adult frogs and toads that are at least 60-90 days removed from completion of metamorphosis. The main emphasis of this chapter is the diseases found in amphibians of Canada and the United States. Diseases of recent metamorphs, larvae and amphibian eggs are presented in the chapters Diseases of Amphibian Eggs and Embryos and Diseases of Tadpoles. The smallest disease agents (viruses and bacteria) are presented first, followed by fungi, protozoa, helminths and ectoparasites. Diseases presented in this chapter are Ranaviral (iridovirus) infection Lucke frog herpesvirus (kidney cancer) Frog erythrocytic virus West Nile virus Red-leg disease (bacterial septicemia) Salmonellosis Chytrid fungal infection Basidiobolus fungi Dermosporidiosis Ichthyophoniasis Dermocystidium & Dermomycoides Myxozoa Ribeiroia flukes and Amphibian malformations Clinostomum metacercaria Aspects of each disease are presented to assist the biologist with recognition of diseases in the field. Hence, the major emphases for identification of diseases are the epizootiological aspects (host species, life stage, casualty numbers, etc) and gross findings ('lesions'). Descriptions of the microscopical, ultrastructural and cultural characteristics of each infectious agent were considered beyond the scope of this text. Detailed cultural and microscopical features of these disease agents are available in other reviews (Taylor et al., 2001; Green, 2001). Some diseases, while common in captive and zoo amphibians, are exceptionally rare in free-living frogs and toads, and therefore are omitted from this review. Among the diseases not presented are infections by chlamydia and mycobacteria, which occur principally in captive colonies of African clawed frogs (Xenopus, Hymenochirus, et al.) and northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens). Other interesting diseases could have been presented, such as a wart-like virus infection of Japanese newts and a group of protistan parasites, referred to as Dermocystidium and Dermomycoides, in European frogs and toads. The reader is referred to Green (2001) for a review of these diseases. Amphibians have a rich diversity of helminthic parasites (Poynton and Whitaker, 2001). In general, most cestodes, trematodes and nematodes of amphibians are innocuous and not linked to specific clinical signs ('symptoms') or mortalities. An important major exception to this generalization is the trematode, Ribeiroia, which has been linked to numerous and bizarre malformations of frogs, toads and salamanders (Johnson et al., 1999, Johnson et al., 2001, Schotthoefer et al., 2003). Two genera of trematodal parasites are discussed in this chapter: Ribeiroia because they cause malformations and Clinostomum because they are large and produce visible lumps in the skin. For a review of amphibian helminths, the reader is referred to the text by Flynn (1973).

Welcome to Fermilab Frogs!

Science.gov Websites

continent except Antarctica! Endangered! In the Chicago region, volunteers have joined a nationwide effort to count frogs. The Chicago Wilderness organization enlists the help of volunteers to record the

Social Deprivation and Initial Presentation of 12 Cardiovascular Diseases: a CALIBER Study

ClinicalTrials.gov

2013-09-03

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm; Coronary Heart Disease NOS; Unheralded Corronary Death; Intracerebral Haemorrhage; Heart Failure; Ischemic Stroke; Myocardial Infarction; Stroke; Peripheral Arterial Disease; Stable Angina Pectoris; Subarachnoid Haemorrhage; Transient Ischemic Attack; Unstable Angina; Cardiac Arrest, Sudden Cardiac Death

14 CFR 67.111 - Cardiovascular.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... diagnosis of any of the following: (1) Myocardial infarction; (2) Angina pectoris; (3) Coronary heart disease that has required treatment or, if untreated, that has been symptomatic or clinically significant; (4) Cardiac valve replacement; (5) Permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation; or (6) Heart replacement...

14 CFR 67.311 - Cardiovascular.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... diagnosis of any of the following: (a) Myocardial infarction; (b) Angina pectoris; (c) Coronary heart disease that has required treatment or, if untreated, that has been symptomatic or clinically significant; (d) Cardiac valve replacement; (e) Permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation; or (f) Heart replacement. ...

14 CFR 67.311 - Cardiovascular.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... diagnosis of any of the following: (a) Myocardial infarction; (b) Angina pectoris; (c) Coronary heart disease that has required treatment or, if untreated, that has been symptomatic or clinically significant; (d) Cardiac valve replacement; (e) Permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation; or (f) Heart replacement. ...

14 CFR 67.111 - Cardiovascular.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... diagnosis of any of the following: (1) Myocardial infarction; (2) Angina pectoris; (3) Coronary heart disease that has required treatment or, if untreated, that has been symptomatic or clinically significant; (4) Cardiac valve replacement; (5) Permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation; or (6) Heart replacement...

14 CFR 67.111 - Cardiovascular.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... diagnosis of any of the following: (1) Myocardial infarction; (2) Angina pectoris; (3) Coronary heart disease that has required treatment or, if untreated, that has been symptomatic or clinically significant; (4) Cardiac valve replacement; (5) Permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation; or (6) Heart replacement...

14 CFR 67.311 - Cardiovascular.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... diagnosis of any of the following: (a) Myocardial infarction; (b) Angina pectoris; (c) Coronary heart disease that has required treatment or, if untreated, that has been symptomatic or clinically significant; (d) Cardiac valve replacement; (e) Permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation; or (f) Heart replacement. ...

14 CFR 67.111 - Cardiovascular.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... diagnosis of any of the following: (1) Myocardial infarction; (2) Angina pectoris; (3) Coronary heart disease that has required treatment or, if untreated, that has been symptomatic or clinically significant; (4) Cardiac valve replacement; (5) Permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation; or (6) Heart replacement...

14 CFR 67.311 - Cardiovascular.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... diagnosis of any of the following: (a) Myocardial infarction; (b) Angina pectoris; (c) Coronary heart disease that has required treatment or, if untreated, that has been symptomatic or clinically significant; (d) Cardiac valve replacement; (e) Permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation; or (f) Heart replacement. ...

IMMEDIATE EFFECTS OF X-IRRADIATION ON THE HEART OF THE FROG

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Onkelinx, Cl.

1962-07-21

The effects of whole-body irradiations on the heartbeat of pithed frogs were studied. A strong bradycardia was observed after 1 to 5 min of irradiation and is reversible within 1 min after irradiation. A sino-auricular block was observed in some cases. No response was found in any of the frogs during the cold months. The effects of atropine, physostigmine, and eserine on the response were studied. The results suggest a vagal excitation or acetylcholine liberation from the irradiation. (D.L.C.)

Effects of water temperature on breeding phenology, growth and timing of metamorphosis of foothill yellow-legged frogs (Rana boylii) on the mainstem and selected tributaries of California's Trinity River - 2004-2009.

Treesearch

Clara Wheeler; James Bettaso; Donald Ashton; Hartwell Welsh

2013-01-01

The cold temperatures maintained in the Trinity River are beneficial to fish but may be problematic for foothill yellow-legged frogs. We examined the timing of breeding, reproductive output, and growth and development of tadpoles for populations of foothill yellow-legged frogs on the mainstem and six tributaries of the Trinity River. On the colder mainstem, onset of...

Effects of dithiothreitol on end-plate currents.

PubMed Central

Terrar, D A

1978-01-01

1. End-plate currents have been studied in frog cutaneus pectoris nerve-muscle preparations mounted in continuously flowing solution, using the voltage clamp technique. 2. Exposure of the muscle to 1 mM-dithiothreitol reduced the amplitude of end-plate currents by a factor of 2.7 (mean; range 1.6-3.4; twelve fibres). 3. 1 mM-dithiothreitol also caused a 2.7-fold (2.3-3.1) increase in the rate of decay, and a 1.4-fold (1.3-1.6) decrease in the time to peak of end-plate currents. During the onset of action of dithiothreitol, there was little or no indication of departure of end-plate current decay from a simple exponential. 4. Dithiothreitol actions on amplitude and decay of end-plate currents developed with similar time courses and both effects were slower in onset at pH 7.2 than at pH 8.5. 5. The actions of dithiothreitol were reversed by exposure of the muscle to 1 mM-5,5'-dithio-bis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid). 6. Following dithiothreitol treatment, the rates of decay of end-plate currents continued to depend on membrane potential; there was little or no change in the slope of the relation between in (rate of decay) and membrane potential, consistent with little or no change in the dipole moment of a gating molecule for ion channels. 7. Dithiothreitol changed the relation between peak end-plate current and membrane potential, so that peak conductance increased at more negative membrane potentials; this finding could be accounted for in terms of the closure of ion-channel gates becoming faster though remaining voltage-sensitive after exposure to dithiothreitol. 8. It is concluded that dithiothreitol causes changes in the kinetics of gating of ion channels associated with receptors and that these changes accompany changes in the binding of ACh to receptors. PMID:25960

California Red-legged Frog - Stipulated Injunction

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA will make effects determinations and initiate consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, regarding the potential effects of 66 pesticide active ingredient registrations on the California red-legged frog.

36 CFR 7.35 - Buffalo National River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Superintendent is prohibited. (b) Frogs, Turtles and Crayfish. (1) The Superintendent may designate times and locations and establish conditions governing the taking of frogs, turtles and crayfish for personal use. (2...

36 CFR 7.35 - Buffalo National River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Superintendent is prohibited. (b) Frogs, Turtles and Crayfish. (1) The Superintendent may designate times and locations and establish conditions governing the taking of frogs, turtles and crayfish for personal use. (2...

36 CFR 7.35 - Buffalo National River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Superintendent is prohibited. (b) Frogs, Turtles and Crayfish. (1) The Superintendent may designate times and locations and establish conditions governing the taking of frogs, turtles and crayfish for personal use. (2...

36 CFR 7.35 - Buffalo National River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Superintendent is prohibited. (b) Frogs, Turtles and Crayfish. (1) The Superintendent may designate times and locations and establish conditions governing the taking of frogs, turtles and crayfish for personal use. (2...

36 CFR 7.35 - Buffalo National River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Superintendent is prohibited. (b) Frogs, Turtles and Crayfish. (1) The Superintendent may designate times and locations and establish conditions governing the taking of frogs, turtles and crayfish for personal use. (2...

Effects on seventh-grade students' achievement and science anxiety of alternatives to conventional frog dissection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marszalek, Christine Susan

1998-12-01

The purpose of this study in a suburban school district was to investigate and compare the level of learning and long-term retention of frog internal anatomy between seventh-grade students using an interactive CD tutorial, a desktop microworld, and conventional frog dissection. Students' anxiety toward science was also compared across the three treatment groups and between genders. Additional data on the students' preferred learning style were used to explore possible interaction effects with their respective instructional activity. Subjects participating in the study were all seventh-grade students in one junior-high school, numbering 280 in total. Classes were randomly assigned to the three modes of instruction for the dissection of a frog: a CD-tutorial dissection, a desktop microworld dissection, and a conventional dissection. The Conventional treatment was the traditional physical dissection using a preserved frog specimen and lab dissection tools. The CD-Tutorial treatment was the interactive tutorial Digital Frog from Digital Frog International. The Microworld treatment was a desktop microworld environment composed of Operation Frog on CD supplemented with other programs to provide additional avenues for learning. Data collection and testing occurred prior to treatment, one day after treatment, and three months after treatment. Data collected showed mixed results for all measures taken. The differences in achievement gained favoring the conventional treatment from pretest to both posttests appear to have leveled out somewhat over time. Although anxiety levels declined for both genders after treatment, females continued to report significantly higher science anxiety than males. There appears to be a relationship between treatment and gender in terms of effect on science anxiety. For all three measures taken--pretest, immediate posttest and delayed posttest--no significant difference in achievement by learning style was observed. Learning style alone does not appear to be related to achievement in this study. However, the interaction between learning style and treatment was significant in some cases. In looking at achievement defined as gain scores among the three achievement measures, only some cases within the microworld treatment proved to be significant.

Sticking like sticky tape: tree frogs use friction forces to enhance attachment on overhanging surfaces

PubMed Central

Endlein, Thomas; Ji, Aihong; Samuel, Diana; Yao, Ning; Wang, Zhongyuan; Barnes, W. Jon P.; Federle, Walter; Kappl, Michael; Dai, Zhendong

2013-01-01

To live and clamber about in an arboreal habitat, tree frogs have evolved adhesive pads on their toes. In addition, they often have long and slender legs to facilitate not only long jumps, but also to bridge gaps between leaves when climbing. Both adhesive pads and long limbs are used in conjunction, as we will show in this study. Previous research has shown that tree frogs change from a crouched posture (where the limbs are close to the body) to a sprawled posture with extended limbs when clinging on to steeper inclines such as vertical or overhanging slopes. We investigated this change in posture in White's tree frogs (Litoria caerulea) by challenging the frogs to cling onto a tiltable platform. The platform consisted of an array of 24 three-dimensional force transducers, which allowed us to measure the ground reaction forces of the frogs during a tilt. Starting from a crouched resting position, the normal forces on the forelimbs changed sign and became increasingly negative with increasing slope angle of the platform. At about 106°±12°, tilt of the platform the frogs reacted by extending one or two of their limbs outwards. At a steeper angle (131°±11°), the frogs spread out all their limbs sideways, with the hindlimbs stretched out to their maximum reach. Although the extension was strongest in the lateral direction, limbs were significantly extended in the fore–aft direction as well. With the extension of the limbs, the lateral forces increased relative to the normal forces. The large contribution of the in-plane forces helped to keep the angle between the force vector and the platform small. The Kendall theory for the peeling of adhesive tape predicts that smaller peel angles lead to higher attachment forces. We compare our data with the predictions of the Kendall model and discuss possible implications of the sliding of the pads on the surface. The forces were indeed much larger for smaller angles and thus can be explained by peeling theory. PMID:23325755

Prairie Resources

Science.gov Websites

Search Prairie Resources for Students Plant Database Plant Database Butterfly Info Butterfly Info Insects Insect Database Frogs Frog Info Bird Database Bird Database Online Prairie Data Online Prairie Data

Frequency-resolved optical gating system with a tellurium crystal for characterizing free-electron lasers in the wavelength range of 10-30 {mu}m

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Iijima, Hokuto; Nagai, Ryoji; Nishimori, Nobuyuki

2009-12-15

A second-harmonic generation frequency-resolved optical gating (SHG-FROG) system has been developed for the complete characterization of laser pulses in the wavelength range of 10-30 {mu}m. A tellurium crystal is used so that spectrally resolved autocorrelation signals with a good signal-to-noise ratio are obtained. Pulses (wavelength {approx}22 {mu}m) generated from a free-electron laser are measured by the SHG-FROG system. The SHG intensity profile and the spectrum obtained by FROG measurements are well consistent with those of independent measurements of the pulse length and spectrum. The pulse duration and spectral width determined from the FROG trace are 0.6 ps and 5.2 THzmore » at full width half maximum, respectively.« less

Reciprocal Trophic Interactions and Transmission of Blood Parasites between Mosquitoes and Frogs

PubMed Central

Ferguson, Laura V.; Smith, Todd G.

2012-01-01

The relationship between mosquitoes and their amphibian hosts is a unique, reciprocal trophic interaction. Instead of a one-way, predator-prey relationship, there is a cyclical dance of avoidance and attraction. This has prompted spatial and temporal synchrony between organisms, reflected in emergence time of mosquitoes in the spring and choice of habitat for oviposition. Frog-feeding mosquitoes also possess different sensory apparatuses than do their mammal-feeding counterparts. The reciprocal nature of this relationship is exploited by various blood parasites that use mechanical, salivary or trophic transmission to pass from mosquitoes to frogs. It is important to investigate the involvement of mosquitoes, frogs and parasites in this interaction in order to understand the consequences of anthropogenic actions, such as implementing biocontrol efforts against mosquitoes, and to determine potential causes of the global decline of amphibian species. PMID:26466534

Discovery of skin alkaloids in a miniaturized eleutherodactylid frog from Cuba

PubMed Central

Rodríguez, Ariel; Poth, Dennis; Schulz, Stefan; Vences, Miguel

2011-01-01

Four phylogenetically independent lineages of frogs are currently known to sequester lipid-soluble skin alkaloids for which a dietary source has been demonstrated. We report here a remarkable fifth such instance, in Eleutherodactylus iberia and Eleutherodactylus orientalis, two species of miniaturized frogs of the family Eleutherodactylidae from Cuba. Six pumiliotoxins and two indolizidines were found in E. iberia, one of the smallest frogs in the world and characterized by a contrasting colour pattern for which we hypothesize an aposematic function. Analyses of stomach content indicated a numerical prevalence of mites with an important proportion of oribatids—a group of arthropods known to contain one of the pumiliotoxins detected in E. iberia. This suggests that miniaturization and specialization to small prey may have favoured the acquisition of dietary skin alkaloids in these amphibians. PMID:21047848

Behavioural adaptations of Rana temporaria to cold climates.

PubMed

Ludwig, Gerda; Sinsch, Ulrich; Pelster, Bernd

2015-01-01

Environmental conditions at the edge of a species' ecological optimum can exert great ecological or evolutionary pressure at local populations. For ectotherms like amphibians temperature is one of the most important abiotic factors of their environment as it influences directly their metabolism and sets limits to their distribution. Amphibians have evolved three ways to cope with sub-zero temperatures: freeze tolerance, freeze protection, freeze avoidance. The aim of this study was to assess which strategy common frogs at mid and high elevation use to survive and thrive in cold climates. In particular we (1) tested for the presence of physiological freeze protection, (2) evaluated autumnal activity and overwintering behaviour with respect to freeze avoidance and (3) assessed the importance of different high-elevation microhabitats for behavioural thermoregulation. Common frogs did not exhibit any signs of freeze protection when experiencing temperatures around 0 °C. Instead they retreated to open water for protection and overwintering. High elevation common frogs remained active for around the same period of time than their conspecifics at lower elevation. Our results suggest that at mid and high elevation common frogs use freeze avoidance alone to survive temperatures below 0 °C. The availability of warm microhabitats, such as rock or pasture, provides high elevation frogs with the opportunity of behavioural thermoregulation and thus allows them to remain active at temperatures at which common frogs at lower elevation cease activity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Whole-genome sequence of the Tibetan frog Nanorana parkeri and the comparative evolution of tetrapod genomes.

PubMed

Sun, Yan-Bo; Xiong, Zi-Jun; Xiang, Xue-Yan; Liu, Shi-Ping; Zhou, Wei-Wei; Tu, Xiao-Long; Zhong, Li; Wang, Lu; Wu, Dong-Dong; Zhang, Bao-Lin; Zhu, Chun-Ling; Yang, Min-Min; Chen, Hong-Man; Li, Fang; Zhou, Long; Feng, Shao-Hong; Huang, Chao; Zhang, Guo-Jie; Irwin, David; Hillis, David M; Murphy, Robert W; Yang, Huan-Ming; Che, Jing; Wang, Jun; Zhang, Ya-Ping

2015-03-17

The development of efficient sequencing techniques has resulted in large numbers of genomes being available for evolutionary studies. However, only one genome is available for all amphibians, that of Xenopus tropicalis, which is distantly related from the majority of frogs. More than 96% of frogs belong to the Neobatrachia, and no genome exists for this group. This dearth of amphibian genomes greatly restricts genomic studies of amphibians and, more generally, our understanding of tetrapod genome evolution. To fill this gap, we provide the de novo genome of a Tibetan Plateau frog, Nanorana parkeri, and compare it to that of X. tropicalis and other vertebrates. This genome encodes more than 20,000 protein-coding genes, a number similar to that of Xenopus. Although the genome size of Nanorana is considerably larger than that of Xenopus (2.3 vs. 1.5 Gb), most of the difference is due to the respective number of transposable elements in the two genomes. The two frogs exhibit considerable conserved whole-genome synteny despite having diverged approximately 266 Ma, indicating a slow rate of DNA structural evolution in anurans. Multigenome synteny blocks further show that amphibians have fewer interchromosomal rearrangements than mammals but have a comparable rate of intrachromosomal rearrangements. Our analysis also identifies 11 Mb of anuran-specific highly conserved elements that will be useful for comparative genomic analyses of frogs. The Nanorana genome offers an improved understanding of evolution of tetrapod genomes and also provides a genomic reference for other evolutionary studies.

Origin of sex chromosomes in six groups of Rana rugosa frogs inferred from a sex-linked DNA marker.

PubMed

Oike, Akira; Watanabe, Koichiro; Min, Mi-Sook; Tojo, Koji; Kumagai, Masahide; Kimoto, Yuya; Yamashiro, Tadashi; Matsuo, Takanori; Kodama, Maho; Nakamura, Yoriko; Notsu, Masaru; Tochimoto, Takeyoshi; Fujita, Hiroyuki; Ota, Maki; Ito, Etsuro; Yasumasu, Shigeki; Nakamura, Masahisa

2017-08-01

Each vertebrate species, as a general rule, has either the XX/XY or ZZ/ZW chromosomes by which sex is determined. However, the Japanese Rana (R.) rugosa frog is an exception, possessing both sex-determining combinations within one species, varying with region of origin. We collected R. rugosa frogs from 104 sites around Japan and South Korea and determined the nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA gene. Based on the sequences, R. rugosa frogs were divided into four groups from Japan and one from South Korea. The ZZ/ZW type is reportedly derived from the XX/XY type, although recently a new ZZ/ZW type of R. rugosa was reported. However, it still remains unclear from where the sex chromosomes in the five groups of this species were derived. In this study, we successfully isolated a sex-linked DNA maker and used it to classify R. rugosa frogs into several groupings. From the DNA marker as well as from nucleotide analysis of the promoter region of the androgen receptor (AR) gene, we identified another female heterogametic group, designated, West-Central. The sex chromosomes in the West-Central originated from the West and Central groups. The results indicate that a sex-linked DNA marker is a verifiable tool to determine the origin of the sex chromosomes in R. rugosa frogs in which the sex-determining system has changed, during two independent events, from the male to female heterogamety. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of diet, reproductive biology, and growth of the pig frog (Rana grylio) from harvested and protected areas of the Florida Everglades

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ugarte, C.A.; Rice, K.G.; Donnelly, M.A.

2007-01-01

Distinct differences in body size exist among three Rana grylio populations in areas of the Florida Everglades that differ in frog harvest pressure and hydroperiod. Frogs from two populations are harvested regularly throughout the year, while those in the third are protected from harvest. We compared seasonal and sex differences in diet, reproduction, and growth across these populations to examine life-history patterns. By volume, crayfish and anurans were the most abundant prey items for all adults across sites. Frogs from drier sites consumed more crayfish than frogs from the wettest site. Anurans were abundant in the diet during the wet season, while crayfish and fish were abundant during the dry season. More frogs with empty stomachs were captured during the wet season than the dry season. Feeding, growth, and fat deposition were greatest during the dry season across all sites. Although females were found in all reproductive stages throughout the year, the highest percentage of females had mature ova during the late dry season and spent ovaries during the early wet season. Individual patterns of growth were similar across all sites and matched historical growth data from the 1950s. Differences in body size among sites were most likely attributable to differential mortality (i.e., harvest pressure, predation) rather than to differences in food access or growth. ?? 2007 by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.

Low temperature tolerance, cold hardening and acclimation in tadpoles of the neotropical túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus).

PubMed

Vo, Pacific; Gridi-Papp, Marcos

2017-05-01

Many frogs from temperate climates can tolerate low temperatures and increase their thermal tolerance through hardening and acclimation. Most tropical frogs, on the other hand, fail to acclimate to low temperatures. This lack of acclimation ability is potentially due to lack of selection pressure for acclimation because cold weather is less common in the tropics. We tested the generality of this pattern by characterizing the critical temperature minimum (CTMin), hardening, and acclimation responses of túngara frogs (Engystomops pustulosus). These frogs belong to a family with unknown thermal ecology. They are found in a tropical habitat with a highly constant temperature regime. The CTMin of the tadpoles was on average 12.5°C. Pre-metamorphic tadpoles hardened by 1.18°C, while metamorphic tadpoles hardened by 0.36°C. When raised at 21°C, tadpoles acclimated expanding their cold tolerance by 1.3°C in relation to larvae raised at 28°C. These results indicate that the túngara frog has a greatly reduced cold tolerance when compared to species from temperate climates, but it responds to cold temperatures with hardening and acclimation comparable to those of temperate-zone species. Cold tolerance increased with body length but cold hardening was more extensive in pre-metamorphic tadpoles than in metamorphic ones. This study shows that lack of acclimation ability is not general to the physiology of tropical anurans. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing survival and mark retention in postmetamorphic boreal chorus frogs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swanson, Jennifer E; Bailey, Larissa L.; Muths, Erin L.; Funk, W. Chris

2013-01-01

The ability to track individual animals is crucial in many field studies and often requires applying marks to captured individuals. Toe clipping has historically been a standard marking method for wild amphibian populations, but more recent marking methods include visual implant elastomer and photo identification. Unfortunately, few studies have investigated the influence and effectiveness of marking methods for recently metamorphosed individuals and as a result little is known about this life-history phase for most amphibians. Our focus was to explore survival probabilities, mark retention, and mark migration in postmetamorphic Boreal Chorus Frogs (Psuedacris maculata) in a laboratory setting. One hundred forty-seven individuals were assigned randomly to two treatment groups or a control group. Frogs in the first treatment group were marked with visual implant elastomer, while frogs in the second treatment group were toe clipped. Growth and mortality were recorded for one year and resulting data were analyzed using known-fate models in Program MARK. Model selection results suggested that survival probabilities of frogs varied with time and showed some variation among marking treatments. We found that frogs with multiple toes clipped on the same foot had lower survival probabilities than individuals in other treatments, but individuals can be marked by clipping a single toe on two different feet without any mark loss or negative survival effects. Individuals treated with visual implant elastomer had a mark migration rate of 4% and mark loss rate of 6%, and also showed very little negative survival impacts relative to control individuals.

Mine-drainage treatment wetland as habitat for herptofaunal wildlife

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lacki, M.J.; Hummer, J.W.; Webster, H.J.

Land reclamation techniques that incorporate habitat features for herptofaunal wildlife have received little attention. We assessed the suitability of a wetland, constructed for the treatment of mine-water drainage, for supporting herptofaunal wildlife from 1988 through 1990 using diurnal and nocturnal surveys. Natural wetlands within the surrounding watershed were also monitored for comparison. The treatment wetland supported the greatest abundance and species richness of herptofauna among the sites surveyed. Abundance was a function of the frog density, particularly green frogs (rana clamitans) and pickerel frogs (R. palustris), while species richness was due to the number of snake species found. The richmore » mix of snake species present at the treatment wetland was believed due to a combination of an abundant frog prey base and an amply supply of den sites in rock debris left behind from earlier surface-mining activities. Nocturnal surveys of breeding male frogs demonstrated highest breeding activity at the treatment wetland, particularly for spring peepers (Hyla crucifer). Whole-body assays of green frog and bullfrog (R. catesbeiana) tissues showed no differences among sites in uptake of iron, aluminum, and zinc; manganese levels in samples from the treatment wetland were significantly lower than those from natural wetlands. These results suggest that wetlands established for water quality improvement can provide habitat for reptiles and amplibians, with the species composition dependent on the construction design, the proximity to source populations, and the degree of acidity and heavy-metal concentrations in drainage waters. 35 refs., 4 tabs.« less

Sophisticated Communication in the Brazilian Torrent Frog Hylodes japi.

PubMed

de Sá, Fábio P; Zina, Juliana; Haddad, Célio F B

2016-01-01

Intraspecific communication in frogs plays an important role in the recognition of conspecifics in general and of potential rivals or mates in particular and therefore with relevant consequences for pre-zygotic reproductive isolation. We investigate intraspecific communication in Hylodes japi, an endemic Brazilian torrent frog with territorial males and an elaborate courtship behavior. We describe its repertoire of acoustic signals as well as one of the most complex repertoires of visual displays known in anurans, including five new visual displays. Previously unknown in frogs, we also describe a bimodal inter-sexual communication system where the female stimulates the male to emit a courtship call. As another novelty for frogs, we show that in addition to choosing which limb to signal with, males choose which of their two vocal sacs will be used for visual signaling. We explain how and why this is accomplished. Control of inflation also provides additional evidence that vocal sac movement and color must be important for visual communication, even while producing sound. Through the current knowledge on visual signaling in Neotropical torrent frogs (i.e. hylodids), we discuss and highlight the behavioral diversity in the family Hylodidae. Our findings indicate that communication in species of Hylodes is undoubtedly more sophisticated than we expected and that visual communication in anurans is more widespread than previously thought. This is especially true in tropical regions, most likely due to the higher number of species and phylogenetic groups and/or to ecological factors, such as higher microhabitat diversity.

Habitat fragmentation causes bottlenecks and inbreeding in the European tree frog (Hyla arborea).

PubMed Central

Andersen, Liselotte W.; Fog, Kåre; Damgaard, Christian

2004-01-01

A genetic study of the European tree frog, Hyla arborea, in Denmark was undertaken to examine the population structure on mainland Jutland and the island of Lolland after a period of reduction in suitable habitat and population sizes. The two regions have experienced the same rate of habitat loss but fragmentation has been more severe on Lolland. Genetic variation based on 12 polymorphic DNA microsatellites was analysed in 494 tree frogs sampled from two ponds in Jutland and 10 ponds on Lolland. A significant overall deviation from Hardy-Weinberg expectations could be attributed to three ponds, all on Lolland. This was most probably caused by an inbreeding effect reducing fitness, which was supported by the observed significant negative correlation between larva survival and mean F(IS) value and mean individual inbreeding coefficient. A significant reduction in genetic variation (bottleneck) was detected in most of the ponds on Lolland. Population-structure analysis suggested the existence of at least 11 genetically different populations, corresponding to most of the sampled population units. The results indicated that the populations were unique genetic units and could be used to illustrate the migration pattern between newly established ponds arisen either by natural colonization of tree frogs or by artificial introduction. A high degree of pond fidelity in the tree frogs was suggested. A severe fragmentation process reducing population size and fitness within some of the populations probably caused the significant reduction in genetic variation of tree frog populations on Lolland. PMID:15306354

Mine-drainage treatment wetland as habitat for herptofaunal wildlife

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacki, Michael J.; Hummer, Joseph W.; Webster, Harold J.

1992-07-01

Land reclamation techniques that incorporate habitat features for herptofaunal wildlife have received little attention. We assessed the suitability of a wetland, constructed for the treatment of mine-water drainage, for supporting herptofaunal wildlife from 1988 through 1990 using diurnal and nocturnal surveys. Natural wetlands within the surrounding watershed were also monitored for comparison. The treatment wetland supported the greatest abundance and species richness of herptofauna among the sites surveyed. Abundance was a function of the frog density, particularly green frogs ( Rana clamitans) and pickerel frogs ( R. palustris), while species richness was due to the number of snake species found. The rich mix of snake species present at the treatment wetland was believed due to a combination of an abundant frog prey base and an amply supply of den sites in rock debris left behind from earlier surface-mining activities. Nocturnal surveys of breeding male frogs demonstrated highest breeding activity at the treatment wetland, particularly for spring peepers ( Hyla crucifer). Whole-body assays of green frog and bullfrog ( R. catesbeiana) tissues showed no differences among sites in uptake of iron, aluminum, and zinc; managanese levels in samples from the treatment wetland were significantly lower than those from natural wetlands. These results suggest that wetlands established for water quality improvement can provide habitat for reptiles and amphibians, with the species composition dependent on the construction design, the proximity to source populations, and the degree of acidity and heavy-metal concentrations in drainage waters.

Sophisticated Communication in the Brazilian Torrent Frog Hylodes japi

PubMed Central

de Sá, Fábio P.; Zina, Juliana; Haddad, Célio F. B.

2016-01-01

Intraspecific communication in frogs plays an important role in the recognition of conspecifics in general and of potential rivals or mates in particular and therefore with relevant consequences for pre-zygotic reproductive isolation. We investigate intraspecific communication in Hylodes japi, an endemic Brazilian torrent frog with territorial males and an elaborate courtship behavior. We describe its repertoire of acoustic signals as well as one of the most complex repertoires of visual displays known in anurans, including five new visual displays. Previously unknown in frogs, we also describe a bimodal inter-sexual communication system where the female stimulates the male to emit a courtship call. As another novelty for frogs, we show that in addition to choosing which limb to signal with, males choose which of their two vocal sacs will be used for visual signaling. We explain how and why this is accomplished. Control of inflation also provides additional evidence that vocal sac movement and color must be important for visual communication, even while producing sound. Through the current knowledge on visual signaling in Neotropical torrent frogs (i.e. hylodids), we discuss and highlight the behavioral diversity in the family Hylodidae. Our findings indicate that communication in species of Hylodes is undoubtedly more sophisticated than we expected and that visual communication in anurans is more widespread than previously thought. This is especially true in tropical regions, most likely due to the higher number of species and phylogenetic groups and/or to ecological factors, such as higher microhabitat diversity. PMID:26760304

14 CFR 67.211 - Cardiovascular.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Cardiovascular. 67.211 Section 67.211... STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATION Second-Class Airman Medical Certificate § 67.211 Cardiovascular. Cardiovascular... any of the following: (a) Myocardial infarction; (b) Angina pectoris; (c) Coronary heart disease that...

Ultrastructure of poison glands of South American frogs: a comparison between Physalaemus albonotatus and Leptodactylus chaquensis (Anura: Leptodactylidae).

PubMed

Alvarez, Blanca Beatriz; Delfino, Giovanni; Nosi, Daniele; Terreni, Alessandro

2005-02-01

Serous (poison) cutaneous glands of the leptodactylid species Physalaemus albonotatus and Leptodactylus chaquensis were compared using light and transmission electron microscopy. Glands in the two species share structural traits common in anurans, including the peripheral contractile sheath (myoepithelium) and the syncytial secretory unit that produces, stores, and modifies the poison. At the ultrastructural level, early steps of poison production are also similar and fit the usual path of proteosynthesis, involving rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and Golgi stacks (dictyosomes) in the peripheral syncytial cytoplasm. However, several differences are obvious during the maturational processes that lead post-Golgian products to their ultimate ultrastructural traits. In P. albonotatus, the dense product released from the dictyosomes acquires a thick repeating substructure, which, however, becomes looser in the inner portion of the syncytium. In L. chaquensis, serous maturation involves gradual condensation, and opaque, somewhat "vacuolized" granules are formed. These different maturational paths expressed during poison manufacturing in the two species agree with the polyphyletic origin of the family Leptodactylidae. On the other hand, data collected for P. albonotatus fit previous findings from P. biligonigerus and stress the view that poisons produced by congeneric species share similar (or identical) ultrastructural features. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Genetic variability and ontogeny predict microbiome structure in a disease-challenged montane amphibian.

PubMed

Griffiths, Sarah M; Harrison, Xavier A; Weldon, Ché; Wood, Michael D; Pretorius, Abigail; Hopkins, Kevin; Fox, Graeme; Preziosi, Richard F; Antwis, Rachael E

2018-06-25

Amphibian populations worldwide are at risk of extinction from infectious diseases, including chytridiomycosis caused by the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Amphibian cutaneous microbiomes interact with Bd and can confer protective benefits to the host. The composition of the microbiome itself is influenced by many environment- and host-related factors. However, little is known about the interacting effects of host population structure, genetic variation and developmental stage on microbiome composition and Bd prevalence across multiple sites. Here we explore these questions in Amietia hymenopus, a disease-affected frog in southern Africa. We use microsatellite genotyping and 16S amplicon sequencing to show that the microbiome associated with tadpole mouthparts is structured spatially, and is influenced by host genotype and developmental stage. We observed strong genetic structure in host populations based on rivers and geographic distances, but this did not correspond to spatial patterns in microbiome composition. These results indicate that demographic and host genetic factors affect microbiome composition within sites, but different factors are responsible for host population structure and microbiome structure at the between-site level. Our results help to elucidate complex within- and among- population drivers of microbiome structure in amphibian populations. That there is a genetic basis to microbiome composition in amphibians could help to inform amphibian conservation efforts against infectious diseases.

Electrophysiological effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide in bull-frog and guinea-pig atrial myocytes.

PubMed Central

Ono, K; Giles, W R

1991-01-01

1. Electrophysiological effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on action potentials and corresponding transmembrane currents in single myocytes from bull-frog and guinea-pig atria were studied using a whole-cell voltage-clamp method. 2. CGRP at relatively low concentrations increased the height of the action potential plateau in a dose-dependent manner in both bull-frog and guinea-pig myocytes. In addition, in bull-frog cells CGRP accelerated the early phase of repolarization, thus shortening the overall duration of the action potential. In contrast, in guinea-pig myocytes CGRP prolonged the action potential duration at all concentrations that were studied. 3. Voltage-clamp measurements demonstrated that CGRP increased transmembrane calcium current (ICa) in guinea-pig myocytes without a significant change in its voltage dependence. The ED50 value for this effect on ICa was 1.28 +/- 0.55 X 10(-8) M (n = 4). The time course of the inactivation of ICa was not affected by CGRP. 4. CGRP increased the delayed rectifier K+ current (IK) at relatively low concentrations in bull-frog atria, whereas relatively high concentrations were needed to increase IK in guinea-pig myocytes. This effect was observed even after complete inhibition of ICa. 5. CGRP had no significant effect on the inwardly rectifying background K+ current, IK1, even at very high concentrations. 6. Comparison of the time course of ICa augmentation in bull-frog and guinea-pig myocytes revealed an important difference in the effect of CGRP in these two types of cells. CGRP at maximal concentrations increased ICa transiently in bull-frog myocytes, whereas this response was sustained in guinea-pig myocytes. Isoprenaline (Iso) induced sustained increase in ICa in both species. When ICa was fully activated by Iso, CGRP at high concentrations strongly inhibited ICa in the bull-frog, whereas it had little effect on ICa in guinea-pig myocytes. 7. Intracellular application of GTP gamma S (guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) 10(-4) M) greatly potentiated the CGRP effect on ICa; in contrast, GDP beta S (guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate), 2 x 10(-3) M) partially inhibited the CGRP-induced augmentation of ICa. Taken together, these results indicate that the stimulation of ICa by CGRP is mediated by a GTP-binding protein. 8. The observed dose-dependent changes in ICa and IK in bull-frog and guinea-pig myocytes can explain the different patterns of CGRP-induced changes in action potential shape in these two myocyte preparations. PMID:1905755

Regulation of 5'-adenosine monophosphate deaminase in the freeze tolerant wood frog, Rana sylvatica.

PubMed

Dieni, Christopher A; Storey, Kenneth B

2008-04-22

The wood frog, Rana sylvatica, is one of a few vertebrate species that have developed natural freeze tolerance, surviving days or weeks with 65-70% of its total body water frozen in extracellular ice masses. Frozen frogs exhibit no vital signs and their organs must endure multiple stresses, particularly long term anoxia and ischemia. Maintenance of cellular energy supply is critical to viability in the frozen state and in skeletal muscle, AMP deaminase (AMPD) plays a key role in stabilizing cellular energetics. The present study investigated AMPD control in wood frog muscle. Wood frog AMPD was subject to multiple regulatory controls: binding to subcellular structures, protein phosphorylation, and effects of allosteric effectors, cryoprotectants and temperature. The percentage of bound AMPD activity increased from 20 to 35% with the transition to the frozen state. Bound AMPD showed altered kinetic parameters compared with the free enzyme (S0.5 AMP was reduced, Hill coefficient fell to approximately 1.0) and the transition to the frozen state led to a 3-fold increase in S0.5 AMP of the bound enzyme. AMPD was a target of protein phosphorylation. Bound AMPD from control frogs proved to be a low phosphate form with a low S0.5 AMP and was phosphorylated in incubations that stimulated PKA, PKC, CaMK, or AMPK. Bound AMPD from frozen frogs was a high phosphate form with a high S0.5 AMP that was reduced under incubation conditions that stimulated protein phosphatases. Frog muscle AMPD was activated by Mg.ATP and Mg.ADP and inhibited by Mg.GTP, KCl, NaCl and NH4Cl. The enzyme product, IMP, uniquely inhibited only the bound (phosphorylated) enzyme from muscle of frozen frogs. Activators and inhibitors differentially affected the free versus bound enzyme. S0.5 AMP of bound AMPD was also differentially affected by high versus low assay temperature (25 vs 5 degrees C) and by the presence/absence of the natural cryoprotectant (250 mM glucose) that accumulates during freezing. Maintenance of long term viability under the ischemic conditions in frozen muscle requires attention to the control of cellular energetics. Differential regulatory controls on AMPD by mechanisms including binding to muscle proteins, actions allosteric effectors, glucose and temperature effects and reversible phosphorylation adjust enzyme function for an optimal role in controlling cellular adenylate levels in ischemic frozen muscle. Stable modification of AMPD properties via freeze-responsive phosphorylation may contribute both to AMPD control and to coordinating AMPD function with other enzymes of energy metabolism in cold ischemic muscle.

Variation in brain anatomy in frogs and its possible bearing on their locomotor ecology.

PubMed

Manzano, Adriana S; Herrel, Anthony; Fabre, Anne-Claire; Abdala, Virginia

2017-07-01

Despite the long-standing interest in the evolution of the brain, relatively little is known about variation in brain anatomy in frogs. Yet, frogs are ecologically diverse and, as such, variation in brain anatomy linked to differences in lifestyle or locomotor behavior can be expected. Here we present a comparative morphological study focusing on the macro- and micro-anatomy of the six regions of the brain and its choroid plexus: the olfactory bulbs, the telencephalon, the diencephalon, the mesencephalon, the rhombencephalon, and the cerebellum. We also report on the comparative anatomy of the plexus brachialis responsible for the innervation of the forelimbs. It is commonly thought that amphibians have a simplified brain organization, associated with their supposedly limited behavioral complexity and reduced motor skills. We compare frogs with different ecologies that also use their limbs in different contexts and for other functions. Our results show that brain morphology is more complex and more variable than typically assumed. Moreover, variation in brain morphology among species appears related to locomotor behavior as suggested by our quantitative analyses. Thus we propose that brain morphology may be related to the locomotor mode, at least in the frogs included in our analysis. © 2017 Anatomical Society.

Neglecting the call of the wild: Captive frogs like the sound of their own voice.

PubMed

Passos, Luiza Figueiredo; Garcia, Gerardo; Young, Robert John

2017-01-01

Acoustic communication is highly influential in the expression of social behavior by anuran amphibians, transmitting information about the individual's physical condition and motivation. We studied the phonotactic (approach movements) responses of wild and captive male golden mantella frogs to conspecific wild and captive playback calls to determine the impact of captivity on social behaviour mediated by vocalisations. Calls were recorded from one wild and two captive populations. Phonotaxis experiments were then conducted by attracting M. aurantiaca males across a PVC grid on the forest floor or enclosure floor to a speaker. For each playback, the following parameters were recorded to define the accuracy of phonotaxis: (1) number of jumps; (2) jump angles; (3) jump distances; (4) path straightness. During this experiment we observed that wild frogs had a similar behavioural (phonotaxis) response to calls independent of their source while frogs from Chester Zoo had a significantly stronger response to calls of other conspecifics held separately at Chester Zoo. The lack of appropriate phonotaxis response by captive bred frogs to the calls of wild conspecifics could have serious negative conservation implications, if the captive bred individuals were released back to the wild.

Defining anural malformations in the context of a developmental problem

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meteyer, C.U.; Cole, Rebecca A.; Converse, K.A.; Docherty, D.E.; Wolcott, M.; Helgen, J.C.; Levey, R.; Eaton-Poole, L.; Burkhart, J.G.

2000-01-01

This paper summarizes terminology and general concepts involved in animal development for the purpose of providing background for the study and understanding of frog malformations. The results of our radiographic investigation of rear limb malformations in Rana pipiens provide evidence that frog malformations are the product of early developmental errors. Although bacteria, parasites and viruses were identified in these metamorphosed frogs, the relevant window to look for the teratogenic effect of these agents is in the early tadpole stage during limb development. As a result, our microbiological findings must be regarded as inconclusive relative to determining their contribution to malformations because we conducted our examinations on metamorphosed frogs not tadpoles. Future studies need to look at teratogenic agents (chemical, microbial, physical or mechanical) that are present in the embryo, tadpole, and their environments at the stages of development that are relevant for the malformation type. The impact of these teratogenic agents then needs to be assessed in appropriate animal models using studies that are designed to mimic field conditions. The results of these laboratory tests should then be analyzed in such a way that will allow comparison with the findings in the wild-caught tadpoles and frogs.

Sound imaging of nocturnal animal calls in their natural habitat.

PubMed

Mizumoto, Takeshi; Aihara, Ikkyu; Otsuka, Takuma; Takeda, Ryu; Aihara, Kazuyuki; Okuno, Hiroshi G

2011-09-01

We present a novel method for imaging acoustic communication between nocturnal animals. Investigating the spatio-temporal calling behavior of nocturnal animals, e.g., frogs and crickets, has been difficult because of the need to distinguish many animals' calls in noisy environments without being able to see them. Our method visualizes the spatial and temporal dynamics using dozens of sound-to-light conversion devices (called "Firefly") and an off-the-shelf video camera. The Firefly, which consists of a microphone and a light emitting diode, emits light when it captures nearby sound. Deploying dozens of Fireflies in a target area, we record calls of multiple individuals through the video camera. We conduct two experiments, one indoors and the other in the field, using Japanese tree frogs (Hyla japonica). The indoor experiment demonstrates that our method correctly visualizes Japanese tree frogs' calling behavior. It has confirmed the known behavior; two frogs call synchronously or in anti-phase synchronization. The field experiment (in a rice paddy where Japanese tree frogs live) also visualizes the same calling behavior to confirm anti-phase synchronization in the field. Experimental results confirm that our method can visualize the calling behavior of nocturnal animals in their natural habitat.

Investigation of frog abnormalities on national wildlife refuges in the Northeast U.S.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eaton-Poole, L.; Pinkney, A.E.; Green, D.E.; Sutherland, D.R.; Babbitt, K.J.; ,

2003-01-01

To address concerns about frog abnormalities, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service examined over 3,643 frogs and toads on National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) in the Northeast U.S. The objectives were to: 1) determine if certain refuges had sites where abnormalities were frequently observed; 2) evaluate if the prevalence of abnormalities at a site was consistent within a season and among years; and 3) investigate possible causes. Sampling was conducted from 1999 through 2001. A complete sample from a site consisted of ???50 metamorphs of one species. The prevalence of abnormalities ranged from 0 to 15% and fluctuated within season and among years. The most common external abnormalities were truncated limbs, and missing limbs, feet, and digits. Frogs with duplication of limb segments were rare (6). Based on radiographical examinations of 89 abnormal frogs, 55 had abnormalities due to trauma, 22 due to malformations, and 12 could not be classified. Metacercariae of the trematode Ribeiroia were detected in substantial numbers in two species from Iroquois NWR, with one specimen having supernumerary hindlimbs. We recommend continued sampling and integrated, causal evaluations on NWRs where the prevalence of abnormalities exceeds 5% or where the types of abnormalities warrant further study.

Use of olfactory cues by newly metamorphosed wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) during emigration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zydlewski, Joseph D.; Popescu, Viorel D.; Brodie, Bekka S.; Hunter, Malcom L.

2012-01-01

Juvenile amphibians are capable of long-distance upland movements, yet cues used for orientation during upland movements are poorly understood. We used newly metamorphosed Wood Frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) to investigate: (1) the existence of innate (i.e., inherited) directionality, and (2) the use of olfactory cues, specifically forested wetland and natal pond cues during emigration. In a circular arena experiment, animals with assumed innate directionality did not orient in the expected direction (suggested by previous studies) when deprived of visual and olfactory cues. This suggests that juvenile Wood Frogs most likely rely on proximate cues for orientation. Animals reared in semi-natural conditions (1500 l cattle tanks) showed a strong avoidance of forested wetland cues in two different experimental settings, although they had not been previously exposed to such cues. This finding is contrary to known habitat use by adult Wood Frogs during summer. Juvenile Wood Frogs were indifferent to the chemical signature of natal pond (cattle tank) water. Our findings suggest that management strategies for forest amphibians should consider key habitat features that potentially influence the orientation of juveniles during emigration movements, as well as adult behavior.

Natural disturbance reduces disease risk in endangered rainforest frog populations

PubMed Central

Roznik, Elizabeth A.; Sapsford, Sarah J.; Pike, David A.; Schwarzkopf, Lin; Alford, Ross A.

2015-01-01

Natural disturbances can drive disease dynamics in animal populations by altering the microclimates experienced by hosts and their pathogens. Many pathogens are highly sensitive to temperature and moisture, and therefore small changes in habitat structure can alter the microclimate in ways that increase or decrease infection prevalence and intensity in host populations. Here we show that a reduction of rainforest canopy cover caused by a severe tropical cyclone decreased the risk of endangered rainforest frogs (Litoria rheocola) becoming infected by a fungal pathogen (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis). Reductions in canopy cover increased the temperatures and rates of evaporative water loss in frog microhabitats, which reduced B. dendrobatidis infection risk in frogs by an average of 11–28% in cyclone-damaged areas, relative to unaffected areas. Natural disturbances to the rainforest canopy can therefore provide an immediate benefit to frogs by altering the microclimate in ways that reduce infection risk. This could increase host survival and reduce the probability of epidemic disease outbreaks. For amphibian populations under immediate threat from this pathogen, targeted manipulation of canopy cover could increase the availability of warmer, drier microclimates and therefore tip the balance from host extinction to coexistence. PMID:26294048

Natural disturbance reduces disease risk in endangered rainforest frog populations.

PubMed

Roznik, Elizabeth A; Sapsford, Sarah J; Pike, David A; Schwarzkopf, Lin; Alford, Ross A

2015-08-21

Natural disturbances can drive disease dynamics in animal populations by altering the microclimates experienced by hosts and their pathogens. Many pathogens are highly sensitive to temperature and moisture, and therefore small changes in habitat structure can alter the microclimate in ways that increase or decrease infection prevalence and intensity in host populations. Here we show that a reduction of rainforest canopy cover caused by a severe tropical cyclone decreased the risk of endangered rainforest frogs (Litoria rheocola) becoming infected by a fungal pathogen (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis). Reductions in canopy cover increased the temperatures and rates of evaporative water loss in frog microhabitats, which reduced B. dendrobatidis infection risk in frogs by an average of 11-28% in cyclone-damaged areas, relative to unaffected areas. Natural disturbances to the rainforest canopy can therefore provide an immediate benefit to frogs by altering the microclimate in ways that reduce infection risk. This could increase host survival and reduce the probability of epidemic disease outbreaks. For amphibian populations under immediate threat from this pathogen, targeted manipulation of canopy cover could increase the availability of warmer, drier microclimates and therefore tip the balance from host extinction to coexistence.

FROGS (Friends of Granites) report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Calvin

This VGP News, which is devoted to petrology, is a good one for noting the existence of FROGS. FROGS is, as the name suggests, an informal organization of people whose research relates in one way or another to granitic rocks. Its purpose has been to promote communication among geoscientists with different perspectives and concerns about felsic plutonism. Initially, a major focus was experimental petrology and integration of field-oriented and lab-oriented viewpoints; now that there is the opportunity to communicate with the Eos readership, an obvious additional goal will be to bring together volcanic and plutonic views of felsic magmatism.FROGS first gathered in late 1982 under the guidance of E-an Zen and Pete Toulmin (both at U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Reston, Va.), who saw a need for greater interaction among those interested in granites and for renewed, focused experimental investigations. They produced two newsletters (which were sent out by direct mail) and organized an informal meeting at the Geological Society of America meeting at Indianapolis, Ind., and then turned over the FROG reins to Sue Kieffer (USGS, Flagstaff, Ariz.) and John Clemens (Arizona State University, Tempe). They generated another newsletter, which was directly mailed to a readership that had grown beyond 200.

Antimicrobial peptides from the skins of North American frogs.

PubMed

Conlon, J Michael; Kolodziejek, Jolanta; Nowotny, Norbert

2009-08-01

North America is home to anuran species belonging to the families Bufonidae, Eleutherodactylidae, Hylidae, Leiopelmatidae, Ranidae, and Scaphiopodidae but antimicrobial peptides have been identified only in skin secretions and/or skin extracts of frogs belonging to the Leiopelmatidae ("tailed frogs") and Ranidae ("true frogs"). Eight structurally-related cationic alpha-helical peptides with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, termed ascaphins, have been isolated from specimens of Ascaphus truei (Leiopelmatidae) occupying a coastal range. Characterization of orthologous antimicrobial peptides from Ascaphus specimens occupying an inland range supports the proposal that this population should be regarded as a separate species A. montanus. Ascaphin-8 shows potential for development into a therapeutically valuable anti-infective agent. Peptides belonging to the brevinin-1, esculentin-1, esculentin-2, palustrin-1, palustrin-2, ranacyclin, ranatuerin-1, ranatuerin-2, and temporin families have been isolated from North American ranids. It is proposed that "ranalexins" represent brevinin-1 peptides that have undergone a four amino acid residue internal deletion. Current taxonomic recommendations divide North American frogs from the family Ranidae into two genera: Lithobates and Rana. Cladistic analysis based upon the amino acid sequences of the brevinin-1 peptides provides strong support for this assignment.

Neglecting the call of the wild: Captive frogs like the sound of their own voice

PubMed Central

Passos, Luiza Figueiredo; Garcia, Gerardo

2017-01-01

Acoustic communication is highly influential in the expression of social behavior by anuran amphibians, transmitting information about the individual’s physical condition and motivation. We studied the phonotactic (approach movements) responses of wild and captive male golden mantella frogs to conspecific wild and captive playback calls to determine the impact of captivity on social behaviour mediated by vocalisations. Calls were recorded from one wild and two captive populations. Phonotaxis experiments were then conducted by attracting M. aurantiaca males across a PVC grid on the forest floor or enclosure floor to a speaker. For each playback, the following parameters were recorded to define the accuracy of phonotaxis: (1) number of jumps; (2) jump angles; (3) jump distances; (4) path straightness. During this experiment we observed that wild frogs had a similar behavioural (phonotaxis) response to calls independent of their source while frogs from Chester Zoo had a significantly stronger response to calls of other conspecifics held separately at Chester Zoo. The lack of appropriate phonotaxis response by captive bred frogs to the calls of wild conspecifics could have serious negative conservation implications, if the captive bred individuals were released back to the wild. PMID:28732034

Plasma choline, smoking, and long-term prognosis in patients with stable angina pectoris.

PubMed

Schartum-Hansen, Hall; Pedersen, Eva R; Svingen, Gard F T; Ueland, Per M; Seifert, Reinhard; Ebbing, Marta; Strand, Elin; Bleie, Øyvind; Nygård, Ottar

2015-05-01

Plasma choline has been associated with cardiovascular disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. We sought to study relations of plasma choline and its metabolite betaine to long-term risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and all-cause mortality according to smoking status, in patients undergoing coronary angiography for stable angina pectoris. Samples were obtained before angiography from 2568 patients who were subsequently randomized in the Western Norway B-Vitamin Intervention Trial (WENBIT). Hazard ratios (HR) were calculated using multivariate Cox-regression and p-values were reported for trends over quartiles. Plasma concentrations of choline, but not betaine, were lower in smokers, and choline was positively associated with C-reactive protein and troponin T in nonsmokers, but not in smokers (p for interaction <0.03). During a follow up of 4.8 ± 1.4 (mean ± SD) years, 8.3% suffered from AMI and 6.1% died. In the total population, choline was not associated with AMI or all-cause mortality. However, comparing the highest vs. the lowest quartiles, plasma choline was associated with increased risk of AMI in nonsmokers (HR 2.63, 95% CI 1.56 to 5.51; p for trend = 0.013) and no risk in smokers (p for interaction < 0.001). Plasma choline significantly improved discrimination and reclassification when added to established cardiovascular risk factors. Plasma betaine was not associated with either endpoint. In patients with stable angina pectoris, elevated plasma choline is associated with elevated troponin levels and increased risk of AMI in nonsmokers. These results motivate further research into the relation between choline metabolism, smoking, and atherothrombosis. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Incidence and correlates of major bleeding after percutaneous coronary intervention across different clinical presentations.

PubMed

Loh, Joshua P; Pendyala, Lakshmana K; Torguson, Rebecca; Chen, Fang; Satler, Lowell F; Pichard, Augusto A; Waksman, Ron

2014-09-01

Bleeding after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is identified as a strong predictor for adverse events, including mortality. This study aims to compare the incidence and correlates of post-PCI bleeding across different clinical presentations. The study included 23,943 consecutive PCI patients categorized according to their clinical presentation: stable angina pectoris (n = 6,741), unstable angina pectoris (UAP) (n = 5,215), non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) (n = 8,418), ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) (n = 2,721), and cardiogenic shock (CGS) (n = 848). Severity of clinical presentation was associated with a greater use of preprocedural anticoagulation, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, and intraaortic balloon pump (IABP). TIMI-defined major bleeding increased with increasing severity of clinical presentation: stable angina pectoris, 0.7%; UAP, 1.0%; NSTEMI, 1.6%; STEMI, 4.6%; and CGS, 13.5% (P < .001). On multivariable analysis, CGS (odds ratio [OR], 4.67; 95% CI [2.62-8.34]), STEMI (OR, 3.39; 95% CI [2.07-5.55]), and NSTEMI (OR, 2.00; 95% CI [1.29-3.10]) remained correlated with major bleeding even after adjusting for baseline and procedural differences, whereas UAP did not. The multivariable model also identified the use of IABP, female gender, congestive heart failure, no prior PCI, increased baseline hematocrit, and increased procedure time as correlates for major bleeding. In patients undergoing PCI, the worsening severity of clinical presentation corresponds to an increase in incidence of post-PCI major bleeding. The increased risk with CGS, STEMI, and NSTEMI persisted despite adjusting for more aggressive pharmacotherapy and use of IABP. Careful attention to antithrombotic pharmacotherapy is warranted in this high-risk population. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

[Extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy for treatment of coronary artery disease].

PubMed

Wang, Yu; Guo, Tao; Cai, Hong-Yan; Ma, Tie-Kun; Tao, Si-Ming; Chen, Ming-Qing; Gu, Yun; Pan, Jia-Hua; Xiao, Jian-Ming; Zhao, Ling; Yang, Xi-Yun; Yang, Chao

2010-08-01

To evaluate the feasibility and efficiency of extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy (CSWT) for treatment of coronary artery disease. Twenty-five patients with 1 - 16 years history of chronic angina pectoris underwent the CSWT. Before and after the treatment, low-dose Dobutamine stress echocardiography and (99)Tc(m)-MIBI myocardial perfusion SPECT were applied to locate the ischemic segments, detect the viable myocardium and evaluate the effect of CSWT. Under the guidance of echocardiography, CSWT was applied in R-wave-triggered manner with low energy (0.09 mJ/mm(2)) at 200 shoots/spot for 9 spots (-1-0-+1 combination). Patients were divided group A and group B. Sixteen patients in group A were applied 9 sessions on 29 segments within 3 month and nine patients in group B were applied 9 sessions on 13 segments within 1 month. Ten chronic angina pectoris patients receiving standard medication served as controls. All patients completed the 9 sessions without procedural complications or adverse effects. CSWT significantly improved symptoms as evaluated by NYHA, Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) class sores, Seattle angina questionnaire (SAQ), 6-min walk and the use of nitroglycerin (P < 0.05). CSWT also improved myocardial perfusion and regional myocardium function as evaluated by rest SPECT and stress peak systolic strain rate (PSSR) (P < 0.01). Myocardial perfusion improvement was more significant in group A compared with group B (1.21 ± 0.86 vs. 0.83 ± 0.80, P < 0.01). All parameters remained unchanged in control group during follow up. These preliminary results indicate that CSWT is safe and effective on ameliorating anginal symptoms for chronic angina pectoris patients.

Effects of spinal cord stimulation in angina pectoris induced by pacing and possible mechanisms of action.

PubMed Central

Mannheimer, C; Eliasson, T; Andersson, B; Bergh, C H; Augustinsson, L E; Emanuelsson, H; Waagstein, F

1993-01-01

OBJECTIVE--To investigate the effects of spinal cord stimulation on myocardial ischaemia, coronary blood flow, and myocardial oxygen consumption in angina pectoris induced by atrial pacing. DESIGN--The heart was paced to angina during a control phase and treatment with spinal cord stimulation. Blood samples were drawn from a peripheral artery and the coronary sinus. SETTING--Multidisciplinary pain centre, department of medicine, Ostra Hospital, and Wallenberg Research Laboratory, Sahlgrenska Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden. SUBJECTS--Twenty patients with intractable angina pectoris, all with a spinal cord stimulator implanted before the study. RESULTS--Spinal cord stimulation increased patients' tolerance to pacing (p < 0.001). At the pacing rate comparable to that producing angina during the control recording, myocardial lactate production during control session turned into extraction (p = 0.003) and, on the electrocardiogram, ST segment depression decreased, time to ST depression increased, and time to recovery from ST depression decreased (p = 0.01; p < 0.05, and p < 0.05, respectively). Spinal cord stimulation also reduced coronary sinus blood flow (p = 0.01) and myocardial oxygen consumption (p = 0.02). At the maximum pacing rate during treatment, all patients experienced anginal pain. Myocardial lactate extraction reverted to production (p < 0.01) and the magnitude and duration of ST segment depression increased to the same values as during control pacing, indicating that myocardial ischaemia during treatment with spinal cord stimulation gives rise to anginal pain. CONCLUSIONS--Spinal cord stimulation has an anti-anginal and anti-ischaemic effect in severe coronary artery disease. These effects seem to be secondary to a decrease in myocardial oxygen consumption. Furthermore, myocardial ischemia during treatment gives rise to anginal pain. Thus, spinal cord stimulation does not deprive the patient of a warning signal. PMID:8400930

Observer variability in the assessment of CT coronary angiography and coronary artery calcium score: substudy of the Scottish COmputed Tomography of the HEART (SCOT-HEART) trial

PubMed Central

Williams, Michelle C; Golay, Saroj K; Hunter, Amanda; Weir-McCall, Jonathan R; Mlynska, Lucja; Dweck, Marc R; Uren, Neal G; Reid, John H; Lewis, Steff C; Berry, Colin; van Beek, Edwin J R; Roditi, Giles; Newby, David E; Mirsadraee, Saeed

2015-01-01

Introduction Observer variability can influence the assessment of CT coronary angiography (CTCA) and the subsequent diagnosis of angina pectoris due to coronary heart disease. Methods We assessed 210 CTCAs from the Scottish COmputed Tomography of the HEART (SCOT-HEART) trial for intraobserver and interobserver variability. Calcium score, coronary angiography and image quality were evaluated. Coronary artery disease was defined as none (<10%), mild (10–49%), moderate (50–70%) and severe (>70%) luminal stenosis and classified as no (<10%), non-obstructive (10–70%) or obstructive (>70%) coronary artery disease. Post-CTCA diagnosis of angina pectoris due to coronary heart disease was classified as yes, probable, unlikely or no. Results Patients had a mean body mass index of 29 (28, 30) kg/m2, heart rate of 58 (57, 60)/min and 62% were men. Intraobserver and interobserver agreements for the presence or absence of coronary artery disease were excellent (95% agreement, κ 0.884 (0.817 to 0.951) and good (91%, 0.791 (0.703 to 0.879)). Intraobserver and interobserver agreement for the presence or absence of angina pectoris due to coronary heart disease were excellent (93%, 0.842 (0.918 to 0.755) and good (86%, 0.701 (0.799 to 0.603)), respectively. Observer variability of calcium score was excellent for calcium scores below 1000. More segments were categorised as uninterpretable with 64-multidetector compared to 320-multidetector CTCA (10.1% vs 2.6%, p<0.001) but there was no difference in observer variability. Conclusions Multicentre multidetector CTCA has excellent agreement in patients under investigation for suspected angina due to coronary heart disease. Trial registration number NCT01149590. PMID:26019881

Local Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 Level Determines Early Clinical Presentation of ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

PubMed

Nishiguchi, Tsuyoshi; Tanaka, Atsushi; Taruya, Akira; Emori, Hiroki; Ozaki, Yuichi; Orii, Makoto; Shiono, Yasutsugu; Shimamura, Kunihiro; Kameyama, Takeyoshi; Yamano, Takashi; Yamaguchi, Tomoyuki; Matsuo, Yoshiki; Ino, Yasushi; Kubo, Takashi; Hozumi, Takeshi; Hayashi, Yasushi; Akasaka, Takashi

2016-12-01

Early clinical presentation of ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction affects patient management. Although local inflammatory activities are involved in the onset of MI, little is known about their impact on early clinical presentation. This study aimed to investigate whether local inflammatory activities affect early clinical presentation. This study comprised 94 and 17 patients with MI (STEMI, 69; non-STEMI, 25) and stable angina pectoris, respectively. We simultaneously investigated the culprit lesion morphologies using optical coherence tomography and inflammatory activities assessed by shedding matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and myeloperoxidase into the coronary circulation before and after stenting. Prevalence of plaque rupture, thin-cap fibroatheroma, and lipid arc or macrophage count was higher in patients with STEMI and non-STEMI than in those with stable angina pectoris. Red thrombus was frequently observed in STEMI compared with others. Local MMP-9 levels were significantly higher than systemic levels (systemic, 42.0 [27.9-73.2] ng/mL versus prestent local, 69.1 [32.2-152.3] ng/mL versus poststent local, 68.0 [35.6-133.3] ng/mL; P<0.01). Poststent local MMP-9 level was significantly elevated in patients with STEMI (STEMI, 109.9 [54.5-197.8] ng/mL versus non-STEMI: 52.9 [33.0-79.5] ng/mL; stable angina pectoris, 28.3 [14.2-40.0] ng/mL; P<0.01), whereas no difference was observed in the myeloperoxidase level. Poststent local MMP-9 and the presence of red thrombus are the independent determinants for STEMI in multivariate analysis. Local MMP-9 level could determine the early clinical presentation in patients with MI. Local inflammatory activity for atherosclerosis needs increased attention. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Revascularization with percutaneous coronary intervention does not affect androgen status in males with chronic stable angina pectoris.

PubMed

Gosai, J N; Charalampidis, P; Nikolaidou, T; Parviz, Y; Morris, P D; Channer, K S; Jones, T H; Grech, E D

2016-05-01

There is a clear association between low serum testosterone and coronary artery disease (CAD) in men. Hypotestosteronaemia is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis and a quarter of men with CAD are biochemically hypogonadal. Amongst those with CAD, hypotestosteronaemia is associated with increased mortality. Testosterone vasodilates coronary arteries, and exogenous testosterone reduces ischaemia. Whether hypotestosteronaemia is a cause or a consequence of CAD remains unanswered. The aim of this prospective observational study was to investigate whether coronary revascularization affected androgen status in men with stable angina pectoris. Twenty five men (mean age 62.7, SD 9.18) with angiographically significant CAD and symptomatic angina underwent full coronary revascularization by percutaneous coronary intervention. Androgen status and symptoms of angina, stress, depression and sexual function were assessed before, and at one and 6 months after the coronary revascularization. All patients underwent complete revascularization which was associated with a significant reduction in angina symptoms and ischaemia. No significant difference was seen in total testosterone (11.33 nmol/L baseline; 12.56, 1 month post; 13.04 at 6 months; p = 0.08). A significant and sustained rise in sex hormone-binding globulin was seen (33.99 nm/L baseline; 36.11 nm/L 1 month post PCI; 37.94 nm/L at 6 months; p = 0.03) Overall, there was no significant alteration in any other marker of androgen status including free testosterone or bioavailable testosterone. There was no change in symptoms of anxiety, depression or sexual function. Coronary revascularization has no sustained effect on androgen status. This supports the hypothesis that hypotestosteronaemia is not a consequence of angina pectoris or myocardial ischaemia. © 2016 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.

Serum Acylcarnitines and Risk of Cardiovascular Death and Acute Myocardial Infarction in Patients With Stable Angina Pectoris.

PubMed

Strand, Elin; Pedersen, Eva R; Svingen, Gard F T; Olsen, Thomas; Bjørndal, Bodil; Karlsson, Therese; Dierkes, Jutta; Njølstad, Pål R; Mellgren, Gunnar; Tell, Grethe S; Berge, Rolf K; Svardal, Asbjørn; Nygård, Ottar

2017-02-03

Excess levels of serum acylcarnitines, which are intermediate products in metabolism, have been observed in metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, it is not known whether acylcarnitines may prospectively predict risk of cardiovascular death or acute myocardial infarction in patients with stable angina pectoris. This study included 4164 patients (median age, 62 years; 72% men). Baseline serum acetyl-, octanoyl-, palmitoyl-, propionyl-, and (iso)valerylcarnitine were measured using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for quartile 4 versus quartile 1 are reported. The multivariable model included age, sex, body mass index, fasting status, current smoking, diabetes mellitus, apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B, creatinine, left ventricular ejection fraction, extent of coronary artery disease, study center, and intervention with folic acid or vitamin B6. During median 10.2 years of follow-up, 10.0% of the patients died of cardiovascular disease and 12.8% suffered a fatal or nonfatal acute myocardial infarction. Higher levels of the even-chained acetyl-, octanoyl-, and palmitoyl-carnitines were significantly associated with elevated risk of cardiovascular death, also after multivariable adjustments (HR [95% CI]: 1.52 [1.12, 2.06]; P=0.007; 1.73 [1.23, 2.44]; P=0.002; and 1.61 [1.18, 2.21]; P=0.003, respectively), whereas their associations with acute myocardial infarction were less consistent. Among patients with suspected stable angina pectoris, elevated serum even-chained acylcarnitines were associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death and, to a lesser degree with acute myocardial infarction, independent of traditional risk factors. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00354081. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

Impact of high lipoprotein(a) levels on in-stent restenosis and long-term clinical outcomes of angina pectoris patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents in Asian population.

PubMed

Park, Sang-Ho; Rha, Seung-Woon; Choi, Byoung-Geol; Park, Ji-Young; Jeon, Ung; Seo, Hong-Seog; Kim, Eung-Ju; Na, Jin-Oh; Choi, Cheol-Ung; Kim, Jin-Won; Lim, Hong-Euy; Park, Chang-Gyu; Oh, Dong-Joo

2015-06-01

Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is known to be associated with cardiovascular complications and atherothrombotic properties in general populations. However, it has not been examined whether Lp(a) levels are able to predict adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES). A total of 595 consecutive patients with angina pectoris who underwent elective PCI with DES were enrolled from 2004 to 2010. The patients were divided into two groups according to the levels of Lp(a): Lp(a) < 50 mg/dL (n = 485 patients), and Lp(a) ≥ 50 mg/dL (n = 111 patients). The 6-9-month angiographic outcomes and 3-year cumulative major clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups. Binary restenosis occurred in 26 of 133 lesions (19.8%) in the high Lp(a) group and 43 of 550 lesions (7.9%) in the low Lp(a) group (P = 0.001). In multivariate analysis, the reference vessel diameter, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, total lesion length, and Lp(a) ≥ 50 mg/dL were predictors of binary restenosis. In the Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, Lp(a) > 50 mg/dL was significantly associated with the 3-year adverse clinical outcomes including any myocardial infarction, revascularization (target lesion revascularization (TLR) and target vessel revascularization (TVR)), TLR-major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), TVR-MACE, and All-MACEs. In our study, high Lp(a) level ≥ 50 mg/dL in angina pectoris patients undergoing elective PCI with DES was significantly associated with binary restenosis and 3-year adverse clinical outcomes in an Asian population. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Comparison of the effects of Crataegus oxyacantha extract, aerobic exercise and their combination on the serum levels of ICAM-1 and E-Selectin in patients with stable angina pectoris.

PubMed

Jalaly, Leila; Sharifi, Gholamreza; Faramarzi, Mohammad; Nematollahi, Alireza; Rafieian-kopaei, Mahmoud; Amiri, Masoud; Moattar, Fariborz

2015-12-19

Adhesion molecules play an important role in the development and progression of coronary atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was comparing the effect of Cratagol herbal tablet, aerobic exercise and their combination on the serum levels of Intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 and E-Selectin in patients with stable angina pectoris. Eighty stable angina pectoris patients aged between 45 and 65 years, were randomly divided into four groups including three experimental groups and one control group: aerobic exercise (E), Crataegus oxyacantha extract (S), aerobic exercise and Crataegus oxyacantha extract (S+E), and control (C). Blood sampling was taken 24 h before and after 12 weeks of aerobic exercise and Crataegus oxyacantha extract consumption. The results of serum levels of ICAM-1 and E-selectin were compared. Intergroup comparison of the data revealed a significant reduction (P <0.01) in serum levels of ICAM-1 and E-selectin in experimental groups. Analysis of data showed that the serum levels of ICAM-1 had significant difference when group S+E was compared with groups S and C, but not group E (P = 0.021, P = 0.000 and P = 0.068, respectively). Also the difference between the levels of E-selectin was significant comparing S+E and S but not E with group C (P = 0.021, P = 0.000 and P = 0.052, respectively). Twelve weeks effects of aerobic exercise and Crataegus oxyacantha extract consuming is an effective complementary strategy to significantly lower the risk of atherosclerosis and heart problems.

Vaspin plasma concentrations and mRNA expressions in patients with stable and unstable angina pectoris.

PubMed

Li, Hai Ling; Peng, Wen Hui; Cui, Shi Tao; Lei, Hou; Wei, Yi Dong; Li, Wei Ming; Xu, Ya Wei

2011-09-01

Vaspin was a recently identified adipokine, playing a protective role in many metabolic diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the association between vaspin plasma level and stable angina pectoris (SAP) and unstable angina pectoris (UAP). A total of 88 patients with angiographically-proved coronary artery disease (CAD) (SAP 47, UAP 41) and 103 control subjects without cardiovascular diseases were enrolled in this study. Circulating vaspin, mRNA expression of vaspin in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), clinical parameters, lipid profile and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were assayed. The severity of CAD was also assessed according to the number of vessels diseased. There are significant differences in circulating vaspin levels and mRNA levels of PBMC between SAP and UAP groups (SAP 0.91±0.95 ng/mL and UAP 0.43±0.38 ng/mL, p<0.01 in circulating vaspin level; SAP 1.19±0.85 and UAP 0.82±0.56, p<0.05 in mRNA level of PBMC). An inverse correlation between the number of diseased vessels and plasma vaspin concentration was observed (r=-0.350, p<0.01) in the CAD group. Construction of receiver operating characteristic curves confirmed that vaspin plasma concentrations significantly differentiated CAD patients (area under the curve=0.684, p<0.001), as well as UAP (area under the curve=0.640, p<0.05). Decreased vaspin plasma levels and mRNA levels in PBMC were observed in patients with UAP. Low vaspin concentrations correlate with CAD severity. The findings suggested that vaspin could serve as a novel biomarker of CAD as well as UAP.

Plasma vaspin concentrations are decreased in acute coronary syndrome, but unchanged in patients without coronary lesions.

PubMed

Zhang, Baowei; Peng, Wenhui; Li, Hailing; Lu, Yuyan; Zhuang, Jianhui; Wang, Ke; Su, Yang; Xu, Yawei

2013-10-01

Previous studies suggested that decreased serum vaspin levels were associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). The present study aimed to investigate the association between plasma vaspin levels and different states of CAD. A total of 162 patients with coronary angiography (CAG) proved that CAD was enrolled. Additional 103 patients complained with "chest discomfort" with negative CAG, and 60 normal subjects were enrolled in this study. The levels of plasma vaspin, adiponectin, clinical parameters, lipid profile and C reactive protein (CRP) were measured. The levels of plasma vaspin were significantly lower in the CAD group (0.47±0.63 μg/L) than those in the healthy group and CAG (-) group (all p<0.001). In CAD group, the pos hoc analysis showed that serum vaspin concentration in acute myocardial infarction group (0.21±0.19 μg/L) was significantly lower than that in the unstable angina pectoris group (0.40±0.37 μg/L) (p=0.012), and serum vaspin concentration in unstable angina pectoris was significantly lower than that in stable angina pectoris group (0.92±0.94 μg/L) (p=0.013). The plasma vaspin concentration was also negatively correlated with the severity of CAD (1-vessel: 0.86±0.90 μg/L; 2-vessel: 0.36±0.39 μg/L; 3-vessel: 0.21±0.16 μg/L). The plasma vaspin concentration in CAG (-) group with "chest discomfort" (1.93±2.57 μg/L) was similar to the healthy control group (2.18±3.49μg/L). The plasma vaspin concentration correlated to the severity of CAD. Furthermore, plasma vaspin has a value of avoiding patients without CAD from unnecessary CAG. © 2013.

Comparison of frequency of calcified versus non-calcified coronary lesions by computed tomographic angiography in patients with stable versus unstable angina pectoris.

PubMed

Meijs, Matthijs F L; Meijboom, W Bob; Bots, Michiel L; Kyrzopoulos, Stamatis; Eu, Rick Neoh; Prokop, Mathias; Doevendans, Pieter A; de Feyter, Pim J; Cramer, Maarten J

2009-08-01

Computed tomographic coronary angiography (CTCA) can noninvasively identify calcified and noncalcified coronary plaques. The aim of this study was to compare the phenotypes of all plaques and of culprit plaques between patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP) and those with stable angina pectoris (SAP), because plaque characteristics may differ between these patients. In 110 patients with UAP and 189 with SAP from a multicenter study comparing 64-slice CTCA with conventional coronary angiography, the number and phenotypes (noncalcified, mixed, and calcified) of coronary plaques were compared. In a subanalysis in 50 patients with UAP and 64 with SAP, culprit plaque characteristics, including culprit plaque cross-sectional area relative to total vessel cross-sectional area, culprit plaque length, remodeling index, and spotty calcification, were determined. Odds ratios for the presence of UAP, adjusted for clinical variables and the total number of plaques, were calculated for plaque characteristics on CTCA. Although the number of plaques was similar for patients with UAP and those with SAP, plaques in patients with UAP were more frequently noncalcified than in patients with SAP. The odds ratio for UAP was 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1 to 1.5) per noncalcified plaque. In the culprit plaque subanalysis, odds ratios for UAP were 0.99 (95% CI 0.96 to 1.01) per millimeter culprit plaque length, 2.7 (95% CI 1.2 to 6.4) for noncalcified culprit plaque, and 1.06 (95% CI 0.99 to 1.13) per percentage relative culprit plaque cross-sectional area. No significant relation was found between remodeling index or spotty calcification and UAP. In conclusion, noncalcified plaques and large noncalcified culprit plaques are more frequently found in patients with UAP than in those with SAP.

Heavy point frog performance under passenger vehicles : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-06-01

Federal Railroad Administration contracted with the Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, Colorado, to conduct an : investigation of passenger vehicle performance running through heavy point frog (HPF) up to speeds of 110 mph. A NUCARS : ...

Leap Frog Digital Sensors and Definition, Integration & Testing FY 2003 Annual Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meitzler, Wayne D.; Ouderkirk, Steven J.; Shoemaker, Steven V.

2003-12-31

The objective of Leap Frog is to develop a comprehensive security tool that is transparent to the user community and more effective than current methods for preventing and detecting security compromises of critical physical and digital assets. Current security tools intrude on the people that interact with these critical assets by requiring them to perform additional functions or having additional visible sensors. Leap Frog takes security to the next level by being more effective and reducing the adverse impact on the people interacting with protected assets.

Release of “neurokinin” on nervous and electrical stimulation of a frog stomach muscle preparation

PubMed Central

Singh, I.

1964-01-01

Activation of a frog stomach muscle preparation by electrical stimulation of a vagus nerve or by direct stimulation released two polypeptides. One was destroyed by trypsin or chymotrypsin in about 10 min; the activity of the other was enhanced by trypsin for about 10 min, but was destroyed by chymotrypsin. Similar stimulation of dog stomach muscle did not release these polypeptides. Correspondingly, the transmission from vagus nerve to stomach muscle in the frog was resistant to atropine, but was blocked by atropine in the dog. PMID:14190475

The disappearing northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens): conservation genetics and implications for remnant populations in western Nevada

PubMed Central

Rogers, Serena D; Peacock, Mary M

2012-01-01

Global amphibian declines suggest a major shift in the amount and quality of habitat for these sensitive taxa. Many species that were once widespread are now experiencing declines either in part of or across their historic range. The northern leopard frog (Rana [Lithobates] pipiens] has undergone significant declines particularly in the western United States and Canada. Leopard frog population losses in Nevada are largely due to habitat fragmentation and the introduction of nonnative fish, amphibian, and plant species. Only two populations remain in the Truckee and Carson River watersheds of western Nevada which represents the western boundary of this species range. We used sequence data for an 812 base pair fragment of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase 1 (ND1) gene to support a native origin for western Nevada populations. All frogs had a single haplotype (W07) from the distinct western North America ND1 haplotype clade. Data from seven polymorphic microsatellite loci show that Truckee and Carson River populations are highly differentiated from each other and from leopard frogs collected from eastern Nevada sites. Lack of gene flow among and distinct color morphs among the western Nevada populations likely predates the current geographical isolation. Comparisons with other peripheral L. pipiens populations show western Nevada populations have similar levels of gene diversity despite their contemporary isolation (HE 0.411, 0.482). Restoration of leopard frog populations in these watersheds will be challenging given well-entrenched nonnative bullfrog populations and major changes to the riparian zone over the past century. Declines of once common amphibian species has become a major conservation concern. Contemporary isolation of populations on a species range periphery such as the leopard frog populations in the Truckee and Carson rivers further exacerbate extirpation risk as these populations are likely to have fewer genetic resources to adaptively respond to rapidly changing biotic and abiotic environments. PMID:22957204

Breeding Guild Determines Frog Distributions in Response to Edge Effects and Habitat Conversion in the Brazil's Atlantic Forest.

PubMed

Ferreira, Rodrigo B; Beard, Karen H; Crump, Martha L

2016-01-01

Understanding the response of species with differing life-history traits to habitat edges and habitat conversion helps predict their likelihood of persistence across changing landscape. In Brazil's Atlantic Forest, we evaluated frog richness and abundance by breeding guild at four distances from the edge of a reserve: i) 200 m inside the forest, ii) 50 m inside the forest, iii) at the forest edge, and iv) 50 m inside three different converted habitats (coffee plantation, non-native Eucalyptus plantation, and abandoned pastures, hereafter matrix types). By sampling a dry and a wet season, we recorded 622 individual frogs representing 29 species, of which three were undescribed. Breeding guild (i.e. bromeliad, leaf-litter, and water-body breeders) was the most important variable explaining frog distributions in relation to edge effects and matrix types. Leaf-litter and bromeliad breeders decreased in richness and abundance from the forest interior toward the matrix habitats. Water-body breeders increased in richness toward the matrix and remained relatively stable in abundance across distances. Number of large trees (i.e. DBH > 15 cm) and bromeliads best explained frog richness and abundance across distances. Twenty species found in the interior of the forest were not found in any matrix habitat. Richness and abundance across breeding guilds were higher in the rainy season but frog distributions were similar across the four distances in the two seasons. Across matrix types, leaf-litter species primarily used Eucalyptus plantations, whereas water-body species primarily used coffee plantations. Bromeliad breeders were not found inside any matrix habitat. Our study highlights the importance of primary forest for bromeliad and leaf-litter breeders. We propose that water-body breeders use edge and matrix habitats to reach breeding habitats along the valleys. Including life-history characteristics, such as breeding guild, can improve predictions of frog distributions in response to edge effect and matrix types, and can guide more effective management and conservation actions.

Pesticide concentrations in frog tissue and wetland habitats in alandscape dominated by agriculture

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smalling, Kelly L.; Reeves, Rebecca; Muths, Erin L.; Vandever, Mark W.; Battaglin, William A.; Hladik, Michelle; Pierce, Clay L.

2015-01-01

Habitat loss and exposure to pesticides are likely primary factors contributing to amphibian decline in agricultural landscapes. Conservation efforts have attempted to restore wetlands lost through landscape modifications to reduce contaminant loads in surface waters and providing quality habitat to wildlife. The benefits of this increased wetland area, perhaps especially for amphibians, may be negated if habitat quality is insufficient to support persistent populations. We examined the presence of pesticides and nutrients in water and sediment as indicators of habitat quality and assessed the bioaccumulation of pesticides in the tissue of two native amphibian species Pseudacris maculata (chorus frogs) and Lithobates pipiens (leopard frogs) at six wetlands (3 restored and 3 reference) in Iowa, USA. Restored wetlands are positioned on the landscape to receive subsurface tile drainage water while reference wetlands receive water from overland run-off and shallow groundwater sources. Concentrations of the pesticides frequently detected in water and sediment samples were not different between wetland types. The median concentration of atrazine in surface water was 0.2 μg/L. Reproductive abnormalities in leopard frogs have been observed in other studies at these concentrations. Nutrient concentrations were higher in the restored wetlands but lower than concentrations thought lethal to frogs. Complex mixtures of pesticides including up to 8 fungicides, some previously unreported in tissue, were detected with concentrations ranging from 0.08 to 1500 μg/kg wet weight. No significant differences in pesticide concentrations were observed between species, although concentrations tended to be higher in leopard frogs compared to chorus frogs, possibly because of differences in life histories. Our results provide information on habitat quality in restored wetlands that will assist state and federal agencies, landowners, and resource managers in identifying and implementing conservation and management actions for these and similar wetlands in agriculturally dominated landscapes.

Diversity within diversity: Parasite species richness in poison frogs assessed by transcriptomics.

PubMed

Santos, Juan C; Tarvin, Rebecca D; O'Connell, Lauren A; Blackburn, David C; Coloma, Luis A

2018-08-01

Symbionts (e.g., endoparasites and commensals) play an integral role in their host's ecology, yet in many cases their diversity is likely underestimated. Although endoparasites are traditionally characterized using morphology, sequences of conserved genes, and shotgun metagenomics, host transcriptomes constitute an underused resource to identify these organisms' diversity. By isolating non-host transcripts from host transcriptomes, individual host tissues can now simultaneously reveal their endoparasite species richness (i.e., number of different taxa) and provide insights into parasite gene expression. These approaches can be used in host taxa whose endoparasites are mostly unknown, such as those of tropical amphibians. Here, we focus on the poison frogs (Dendrobatidae) as hosts, which are a Neotropical clade known for their bright coloration and defensive alkaloids. These toxins are an effective protection against vertebrate predators (e.g., snakes and birds), bacteria, and skin-biting ectoparasites (e.g., mosquitoes); however, little is known about their deterrence against eukaryotic endoparasites. With de novo transcriptomes of dendrobatids, we developed a bioinformatics pipeline for endoparasite identification that uses host annotated RNA-seq data and set of a priori parasite taxonomic terms, which are used to mine for specific endoparasites. We found a large community of helminths and protozoans that were mostly restricted to the digestive tract and a few systemic parasites (e.g., Trypanosoma). Contrary to our expectations, all dendrobatid frogs regardless of the presence of alkaloid defenses have endoparasites, with their highest species richness located in the frog digestive tract. Some of these organisms (e.g., roundworms) might prove to be generalists, as they were not found to be co-diversifying with their frog hosts. We propose that endoparasites may escape poison frogs' chemical defenses by colonizing tissues with fewer alkaloids than the frog's skin, where most toxins are stored. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Breeding Guild Determines Frog Distributions in Response to Edge Effects and Habitat Conversion in the Brazil’s Atlantic Forest

PubMed Central

Ferreira, Rodrigo B.; Beard, Karen H.; Crump, Martha L.

2016-01-01

Understanding the response of species with differing life-history traits to habitat edges and habitat conversion helps predict their likelihood of persistence across changing landscape. In Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, we evaluated frog richness and abundance by breeding guild at four distances from the edge of a reserve: i) 200 m inside the forest, ii) 50 m inside the forest, iii) at the forest edge, and iv) 50 m inside three different converted habitats (coffee plantation, non-native Eucalyptus plantation, and abandoned pastures, hereafter matrix types). By sampling a dry and a wet season, we recorded 622 individual frogs representing 29 species, of which three were undescribed. Breeding guild (i.e. bromeliad, leaf-litter, and water-body breeders) was the most important variable explaining frog distributions in relation to edge effects and matrix types. Leaf-litter and bromeliad breeders decreased in richness and abundance from the forest interior toward the matrix habitats. Water-body breeders increased in richness toward the matrix and remained relatively stable in abundance across distances. Number of large trees (i.e. DBH > 15 cm) and bromeliads best explained frog richness and abundance across distances. Twenty species found in the interior of the forest were not found in any matrix habitat. Richness and abundance across breeding guilds were higher in the rainy season but frog distributions were similar across the four distances in the two seasons. Across matrix types, leaf-litter species primarily used Eucalyptus plantations, whereas water-body species primarily used coffee plantations. Bromeliad breeders were not found inside any matrix habitat. Our study highlights the importance of primary forest for bromeliad and leaf-litter breeders. We propose that water-body breeders use edge and matrix habitats to reach breeding habitats along the valleys. Including life-history characteristics, such as breeding guild, can improve predictions of frog distributions in response to edge effect and matrix types, and can guide more effective management and conservation actions. PMID:27272328

Pesticide concentrations in frog tissue and wetland habitats in a landscape dominated by agriculture.

PubMed

Smalling, Kelly L; Reeves, Rebecca; Muths, Erin; Vandever, Mark; Battaglin, William A; Hladik, Michelle L; Pierce, Clay L

2015-01-01

Habitat loss and exposure to pesticides are likely primary factors contributing to amphibian decline in agricultural landscapes. Conservation efforts have attempted to restore wetlands lost through landscape modifications to reduce contaminant loads in surface waters and providing quality habitat to wildlife. The benefits of this increased wetland area, perhaps especially for amphibians, may be negated if habitat quality is insufficient to support persistent populations. We examined the presence of pesticides and nutrients in water and sediment as indicators of habitat quality and assessed the bioaccumulation of pesticides in the tissue of two native amphibian species Pseudacris maculata (chorus frogs) and Lithobates pipiens (leopard frogs) at six wetlands (3 restored and 3 reference) in Iowa, USA. Restored wetlands are positioned on the landscape to receive subsurface tile drainage water while reference wetlands receive water from overland run-off and shallow groundwater sources. Concentrations of the pesticides frequently detected in water and sediment samples were not different between wetland types. The median concentration of atrazine in surface water was 0.2 μg/L. Reproductive abnormalities in leopard frogs have been observed in other studies at these concentrations. Nutrient concentrations were higher in the restored wetlands but lower than concentrations thought lethal to frogs. Complex mixtures of pesticides including up to 8 fungicides, some previously unreported in tissue, were detected with concentrations ranging from 0.08 to 1,500 μg/kg wet weight. No significant differences in pesticide concentrations were observed between species, although concentrations tended to be higher in leopard frogs compared to chorus frogs, possibly because of differences in life histories. Our results provide information on habitat quality in restored wetlands that will assist state and federal agencies, landowners, and resource managers in identifying and implementing conservation and management actions for these and similar wetlands in agriculturally dominated landscapes. Published by Elsevier B.V.

[Psychosomatic troubles in cardiology].

PubMed

Renard, M

1996-10-01

Mental stress is a disagreeable feeling accompanied by sympathetic overactivity which may mimic heart disorder (panic attack, ...) induce angina pectoris in coronary patients or contribute to trigger acute myocardial infarction. It may be reproduced by mental stress tests (arithmetic test, ...) and used as diagnostic procedure in coronary patients.

21 CFR 870.5225 - External counter-pulsating device.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

..., prescription device used to assist the heart by applying positive or negative pressure to one or more of the body's limbs in synchrony with the heart cycle. (b) Classification. (1) Class II (special controls... angina pectoris; acute myocardial infarction; cardiogenic shock; congestive heart failure; postoperative...

Next-generation foundations for special trackwork phase III : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-05-01

Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) conducted a series of tests, funded by the Federal Railroad Administration, which evaluated the potential beneficial effects of various configurations of high angle frogs and frog foundations on wheel-rai...

Games With a Purpose: Frog and the Lily Pads

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawicki, Timothy

2005-01-01

This article describes a game involving poly spots, frog bean bags, and a basket that can be used to assess locomotor activities, e.g., hopping and throwing, while also developing teamwork strategies and mathematical abilities.

Overwintered Bullfrog tadpoles negatively affect Salamanders and Anurans in native amphibian communities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boone, M.D.; Little, E.E.; Semlitsch, R.D.

2004-01-01

We examined the interactive effects of overwintered Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) tadpoles and pond hydroperiod on a community of larval amphibians in outdoor mesocosms including American Toads (Bufo americanus), Southern Leopard Frogs (Rana sphenocephala), and Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) - species within the native range of Bullfrogs. Spotted Salamanders and Southern Leopard Frogs were negatively influenced by the presence of overwintered Bullfrogs. Spotted Salamanders had shorter larval periods and slightly smaller masses at metamorphosis, and Southern Leopard Frogs had smaller masses at metamorphosis when reared with Bullfrogs than without. Presence of overwintered Bullfrogs, however, did not significantly affect American Toads. Longer pond hydroperiods resulted in greater survival, greater size at metamorphosis, longer larval periods, and later time until emergence of the first metamorphs for Southern Leopard Frog tadpoles and Spotted Salamander larvae. Our study demonstrated that overwintered Bullfrog tadpoles can respond to changing pond hydroperiods and can negatively impact metamorphosis of native amphibians.

Acid-precipitation studies in Colorado and Wyoming: Interim report of surveys of Montane amphibians and water chemistry. Interim report, 1986-1988

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Corn, P.S.; Stolzenburg, W.; Bury, R.B.

1989-06-01

Surveys for amphibians were conducted in the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado and southern Wyoming from 1986 to 1988. The northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens) was present at only 12% of historically known localities, and the boreal toad (Bufo boreas) was present at 17% of known localities. Chorus frogs (Pseudacris triseriata) suffered a catastrophic decline in population size in one population monitored since 1961, but regionally, this species was observed in 64% of known localities. Tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) and wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) were present at 45% and 69% of known localities respectively. Acid neutralizing capacity, pH, specific conductivity,more » and cation concentrations in water at amphibian localities were negatively correlated with elevation. Survival of wood frog embryos declined when exposed to aluminum concentrations.« less

[Comparative sensitivity of liver monoamine oxidases of frog and whitefish to some tricyclic compounds].

PubMed

Basova, I N; Iagodina, O V

2011-01-01

There is performed a comparative analysis of action of four acridine derivatives and of one xanthene derivative (pyronine G) on activity of liver monoamine oxidase (MAO) of two species of poikilothermal freshwater animals: a representative of amphibians--the common frog Rana temnporaria and a representative of the order Salmonidae--the European whitefish Coregonus lavaretus. The studied synthetic hexamerous tricyclic compounds show the irreversible character of inhibition of intermediate potency towards the enzyme from both biological sources. There are obtained qualitative and quantitative differences in the reactional ability and selectivity of action of the studied inhibitors for liver MAO of frog and whitefish. The obtained data of the inhibitory analysis with use of specific substrates are an indirect proof for the existence in liver of the studies frog species of two molecular forms, whereas in the whitefish liver--single molecular MAO form.

Allozyme comparison of three Trypanosoma species (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) of toads and frogs by starch-gel electrophoresis.

PubMed

Martin, D S; Desser, S S; Hong, H

1992-04-01

Six metabolic enzymes, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glucosephosphate isomerase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucomutase, and purine nucleoside phosphorylase, from clonal isolates of 3 presumptive species of Trypanosoma (T. fallisi, T. ranarum, and T. rotatorium) from 3 anuran hosts (Bufo americanus, Rana clamitans, and Rana catesbeiana) were compared using starch-gel electrophoresis. Although bands were shared among the different zymodemes of isolates of the same host genus, low genetic polymorphism of the enzyme loci was observed with few apparent shared bands between samples isolated from frogs and toads. A distance value calculated between toad and frog trypanosome isolates suggests the likelihood of long-time separation of species. Cluster analysis based on overall similarity distinguished the trypanosomes of toads and frogs as separate taxa, suggesting that host specificity and observed morphological differences are consistent with heritable allozyme differences.

The precarious persistence of the endangered Sierra Madre yellow-legged frog Rana muscosa in southern California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Backlin, Adam R.; Hitchcock, Cynthia J.; Gallegos, Elizabeth A.; Yee, Julie L.; Fisher, Robert N.

2015-01-01

We conducted surveys for the Endangered Sierra Madre yellow-legged frog Rana muscosa throughout southern California to evaluate the current distribution and status of the species. Surveys were conducted during 2000–2009 at 150 unique streams and lakes within the San Gabriel, San Bernardino, San Jacinto, and Palomar mountains of southern California. Only nine small, geographically isolated populations were detected across the four mountain ranges, and all tested positive for the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Our data show that when R. muscosa is known to be present it is easily detectable (89%) in a single visit during the frog's active season. We estimate that only 166 adult frogs remained in the wild in 2009. Our research indicates that R. muscosa populations in southern California are threatened by natural and stochastic events and may become extirpated in the near future unless there is some intervention to save them.

Hibernal habitat selection by Wood Frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) in a northern New England montane landscape

USGS Publications Warehouse

Groff, Luke A.; Calhoun, Aram J.K.; Loftin, Cynthia S.

2016-01-01

Poikilothermic species, such as amphibians, endure harsh winter conditions via freeze-tolerance or freeze-avoidance strategies. Freeze-tolerance requires a suite of complex, physiological mechanisms (e.g., cryoprotectant synthesis); however, behavioral strategies (e.g., hibernal habitat selection) may be used to regulate hibernaculum temperatures and promote overwintering survival. We investigated the hibernal ecology of the freeze-tolerant Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) in north-central Maine. Our objectives were to characterize the species hibernaculum microclimate (temperature, relative humidity), evaluate hibernal habitat selection, and describe the spatial arrangement of breeding, post-breeding, and hibernal habitats. We monitored 15 frogs during two winters (2011/12: N = 10; 2012/13: N = 5), measured hibernal habitat features at micro (2 m) and macro (10 m) spatial scales, and recorded microclimate hourly in three strata (hibernaculum, leaf litter, ambient air). We compared these data to that of 57 random locations with logistic regression models, Akaike Information Criterion, and Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests. Hibernaculum microclimate was significantly different and less variable than leaf litter, ambient air, and random location microclimate. Model averaging indicated that canopy cover (−), leaf litter depth (+), and number of logs and stumps (+; microhabitat only) were important predictors of Wood Frog hibernal habitat. These habitat features likely act to insulate hibernating frogs from extreme and variable air temperatures. For example, decreased canopy cover facilitates increased snowpack depth and earlier snowpack accumulation and melt. Altered winter temperature and precipitation patterns attributable to climate change may reduce snowpack insulation, facilitate greater temperature variation in the underlying hibernacula, and potentially compromise Wood Frog winter survival.

Effects of water management, connectivity, and surrounding land use on habitat use by frogs in rice paddies in Japan.

PubMed

Naito, Risa; Yamasaki, Michimasa; Lmanishi, Ayumi; Natuhara, Yosihiro; Morimoto, Yukihiro

2012-09-01

In Japan, rice paddies play an important role as a substitute habitat for wetland species, and support rich indigenous ecosystems. However, since the 1950s, agricultural modernization has altered the rice paddy environment, and many previously common species are now endangered. It is urgently necessary to evaluate rice paddies as habitats for conservation. Among the species living in rice paddies, frogs are representative and are good indicator species, so we focused on frog species and analyzed the influence of environmental factors on their habitat use. We found four frog species and one subspecies (Hyla japonica, Pelophylax nigromaculatus, Glandirana rugosa, Lithobates catesbeianus, and Pelophylax porosa brevipoda) at our study sites in Shiga prefecture. For all but L. catesbeianus, we analyzed the influence of environmental factors related to rice paddy structure, water management and availability, agrochemical use, connectivity, and land use on breeding and non-breeding habitat use. We constructed generalized additive mixed models with survey date as the smooth term and applied Akaike's information criterion to choose the bestranked model. Because life histories and biological characteristics vary among species, the factors affecting habitat use by frogs are also expected to differ by species. We found that both breeding and non-breeding habitat uses of each studied species were influenced by different combinations of environmental factors and that in most cases, habitat use showed seasonality. For frog conservation in rice paddies, we need to choose favorable rice paddy in relation to surrounding land use and apply suitable management for target species.

Tricaine (MS-222) is a safe anesthetic compound compared to benzocaine and pentobarbital to induce anesthesia in leopard frogs (Rana pipiens).

PubMed

Cakir, Yavuz; Strauch, Stephen M

2005-01-01

Tricaine (MS-222) is used commonly for sedation, immobilization, and anesthesia of poikilothermic animals. The anesthetic efficacy of different concentrations of MS-222 was compared to benzocaine and pentobarbital on the physiological changes, heart rate and ECG (electrocardiogram) parameters in the leopard frog, Rana pipiens. Loss of righting reflex (RR), loss of pain response (NR = nociceptor response) and recovery time were measured. Heart rate and ECG parameters were also tested before and during anesthesia. The time to loss of RR and NR decreased while recovery time markedly increased with the increasing concentration of MS-222. Benzocaine at 200 mg/l induced a rapid anesthesia, but all frogs needed resuscitation. Pentobarbital at 300 mg/l induced a slow anesthesia, however, all of the frogs also needed resuscitation. All anesthetics at the mentioned concentrations decreased heart rate significantly as well as altered the ECG parameters. All anesthetics prolonged the Q-T interval, and MS-222 at 800 mg/l and benzocaine at 200 mg/l were the most effective anesthetic concentrations in increasing the Q-T interval. Frogs anesthetized by benzocaine and pentobarbital and high concentrations of MS-222 required resuscitation due to hypoxia. Pentobarbital and benzocaine seem to be very effective compounds, but their safety margins are narrow because of ventilatory failure. Therefore, MS-222 at a concentration of 200 mg/l or less is highly recommended for leopard frogs because prolonged recovery, high mortality rate and significant ECG changes are observed with higher concentrations of MS-222.

Interactions of an insecticide with competition and pond drying in amphibian communities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boone, M.D.; Semlitsch, R.D.

2002-01-01

Amphibian populations are often imbedded in agricultural landscapes. Therefore the potential for contamination of their habitat is considerable. Our study examined the effects of an insecticide (carbaryl, a neurotoxin), on larval amphibian communities experiencing natural stresses of competition for resources, predation, and pond drying. In a set of experimental ponds, tadpoles of three anuran species (southern leopard frog [Rana sphenocephala], plains leopard frog [R. blairi], and the Woodhouse's toad [Bufo woodhousii]) were added to 1000-L ponds containing leaf litter, plankton, two newts (Notophthalmus viridescens), and four overwintered green frog (R. clamitans) tadpoles. We manipulated the overall tadpole density (low or high), pond hydroperiod (constant or drying), and chemical exposure (0, 3.5, 5.0, or 7.0 mg/L carbaryl) of the ponds. We measured mass, time, and survival to metamorphosis to determine treatment effects. Carbaryl positively affected Woodhouse's toad survival, although it had a negligible effect on both leopard frog species. Tadpole density interacted with the chemical treatment: Proportionately more Woodhouse's toads survived to metamorphosis in high-density environments than in low-density or control environments. Greater survival may be an indirect effect of increased algal food resources from carbaryl exposure. Most newts lost mass over the course of the experiment, although ponds with drying hydroperiods and high anuran density were the least favorable environments. Overwintered green frogs exposed to carbaryl had longer larval periods on average than did green frogs in control ponds. Our study demonstrated that even sublethal, short-lived contaminants can alter natural communities in ways that cannot be predicted from simple, one-factor studies.

A comparative study of charge movement in rat and frog skeletal muscle fibres.

PubMed

Hollingworth, S; Marshall, M W

1981-12-01

1. The middle of the fibre voltage--clamp technique (Adrian & Marshall, 1977), modified where necessary for electrically short muscle fibres, has been used to measure non-linear charge movements in mammalian fast twitch (rat extensor digitorum longus), mammalian slow twitch (rat soleus) and frog (sartorius) muscles. 2. The maximum amount of charge moved in mammalian fast twitch muscle at 2 degrees C in hypertonic solution, was 3--5 times greater than in slow twitch muscle. The voltage distribution of fast twitch charge was 10--15 mV more positive when compared to slow twitch. 3. In both mammalian muscle types hypertonic Ringer solution negatively shifted the voltage distribution of charge some 6 mV. The steepness of charge moved around mechanical threshold was unaffected by hypertonicity. 4. The amount of charge in frog sartorius fibres at 2 degrees C in hypertonic solution was about half of that in rat fast twitch muscle; the voltage distribution of the frog charge was similar to rat soleus muscle. 5. Warming between 2 and 15 degrees C had no effect on either the amount of steady-state distribution of charge in mammalian or frog muscles. 6. At 2 degrees C, the kinetics of charge movement in fast and slow twitch mammalian muscles were similar and 2--3 times faster than frog muscle at the same temperature. In fast and slow mammalian fibres at 2 degrees C similar times were taken to shift the same fractions of the total amount of charge. The Q10 of charge movement kinetics was between 1.2 and 2.0 in the three muscles studied.

CARE AND FEEDING OF FROGS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pan, Margaret; Chiang, Eugene, E-mail: mpan@astro.berkeley.edu

2012-01-15

'Propellers' are features in Saturn's A ring associated with moonlets that open partial gaps. They exhibit non-Keplerian motion (Tiscareno et al.); the longitude residuals of the best-observed propeller, 'Bleriot', appear consistent with a sinusoid of period {approx}4 years. Pan and Chiang proposed that propeller moonlets librate in 'frog resonances' with co-orbiting ring material. By analogy with the restricted three-body problem, they treated the co-orbital material as stationary in the rotating frame and neglected non-co-orbital material. Here we use simple numerical experiments to extend the frog model, including feedback due to the gap's motion, and drag associated with the Lindblad diskmore » torques that cause Type I migration. Because the moonlet creates the gap, we expect the gap centroid to track the moonlet, but only after a time delay t{sub delay}, the time for a ring particle to travel from conjunction with the moonlet to the end of the gap. We find that frog librations can persist only if t{sub delay} exceeds the frog libration period P{sub lib}, and if damping from Lindblad torques balances driving from co-orbital torques. If t{sub delay} << Pl{sub ib}, then the libration amplitude damps to zero. In the case of Bleriot, the frog resonance model can reproduce the observed libration period P{sub lib} {approx_equal} 4 yr. However, our simple feedback prescription suggests that Bleriot's t{sub delay} {approx} 0.01P{sub lib}, which is inconsistent with the observed libration amplitude of 260 km. We urge more accurate treatments of feedback to test the assumptions of our toy models.« less

Hyperspectral analysis of columbia spotted frog habitat

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shive, J.P.; Pilliod, D.S.; Peterson, C.R.

2010-01-01

Wildlife managers increasingly are using remotely sensed imagery to improve habitat delineations and sampling strategies. Advances in remote sensing technology, such as hyperspectral imagery, provide more information than previously was available with multispectral sensors. We evaluated accuracy of high-resolution hyperspectral image classifications to identify wetlands and wetland habitat features important for Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris) and compared the results to multispectral image classification and United States Geological Survey topographic maps. The study area spanned 3 lake basins in the Salmon River Mountains, Idaho, USA. Hyperspectral data were collected with an airborne sensor on 30 June 2002 and on 8 July 2006. A 12-year comprehensive ground survey of the study area for Columbia spotted frog reproduction served as validation for image classifications. Hyperspectral image classification accuracy of wetlands was high, with a producer's accuracy of 96 (44 wetlands) correctly classified with the 2002 data and 89 (41 wetlands) correctly classified with the 2006 data. We applied habitat-based rules to delineate breeding habitat from other wetlands, and successfully predicted 74 (14 wetlands) of known breeding wetlands for the Columbia spotted frog. Emergent sedge microhabitat classification showed promise for directly predicting Columbia spotted frog egg mass locations within a wetland by correctly identifying 72 (23 of 32) of known locations. Our study indicates hyperspectral imagery can be an effective tool for mapping spotted frog breeding habitat in the selected mountain basins. We conclude that this technique has potential for improving site selection for inventory and monitoring programs conducted across similar wetland habitat and can be a useful tool for delineating wildlife habitats. ?? 2010 The Wildlife Society.

Conserving Prairie Pothole Region wetlands and surrounding grasslands: evaluating effects on amphibians

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mushet, David M.; Neau, Jordan L.

2014-01-01

The maintenance of viable and genetically diverse populations of amphibians in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States depends on upland as well as wetland over-wintering and landscape level habitat features.Prairie pothole wetlands provide important amphibian breeding habitat while grasslands surrounding these wetlands provide foraging habitat for adults, overwintering habitat for some species, and important connectivity among breeding wetlands.Grasslands surrounding wetlands were found to be especially important for wood frogs and northern leopard frogs, while croplands dominated habitat utilized by Great Plains toads and Woodhouse’s toads.Habitat suitability mapping highlighted (1) the influence of deep-water overwintering wetlands on suitable habitat for four of five anuran species encountered; (2) the lack of overlap between areas of core habitat for both the northern leopard frog and wood frog compared to the core habitat for both toad species; and (3) the importance of conservation programs in providing grassland components of northern leopard frog and wood frog habitat.Currently, there are approximately 7.2 million acres (2.9 million hectares, ha) of habitat in the PPR identified as suitable for amphibians. WRP and CRP wetland and grassland habitats accounted for approximately 1.9 million acres (0.75 million ha) or 26 percent of this total area.Continued loss of amphibian habitat resulting from an ongoing trend of returning PPR conservation lands to crop production, will likely have significant negative effects on the region’s ability to maintain amphibian biodiversity. Conversely, increases in conservation wetlands and surrounding grasslands on the PPR landscape have great potential to positively influence the region’s amphibian populations.

Anti-apoptotic response during anoxia and recovery in a freeze-tolerant wood frog (Rana sylvatica)

PubMed Central

Gerber, Victoria E.M.; Wijenayake, Sanoji

2016-01-01

The common wood frog, Rana sylvatica, utilizes freeze tolerance as a means of winter survival. Concealed beneath a layer of leaf litter and blanketed by snow, these frogs withstand subzero temperatures by allowing approximately 65–70% of total body water to freeze. Freezing is generally considered to be an ischemic event in which the blood oxygen supply is impeded and may lead to low levels of ATP production and exposure to oxidative stress. Therefore, it is as important to selectively upregulate cytoprotective mechanisms such as the heat shock protein (HSP) response and expression of antioxidants as it is to shut down majority of ATP consuming processes in the cell. The objective of this study was to investigate another probable cytoprotective mechanism, anti-apoptosis during oxygen deprivation and recovery in the anoxia tolerant wood frog. In particular, relative protein expression levels of two important apoptotic regulator proteins, Bax and p-p53 (S46), and five anti-apoptotic/pro-survival proteins, Bcl-2, p-Bcl-2 (S70), Bcl-xL, x-IAP, and c-IAP in response to normoxic, 24 Hr anoxic exposure, and 4 Hr recovery stages were assessed in the liver and skeletal muscle using western immunoblotting. The results suggest a tissue-specific regulation of the anti-apoptotic pathway in the wood frog, where both liver and skeletal muscle shows an overall decrease in apoptosis and an increase in cell survival. This type of cytoprotective mechanism could be aimed at preserving the existing cellular components during long-term anoxia and oxygen recovery phases in the wood frog. PMID:27042393

Effects of polychlorinated biphenyl 126 on green frog (Rana clamitans) and leopard frog (Rana pipiens) hatching success, development, and metamorphosis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosenshield, M.L.; Jofre, M.B.; Karasov, W.H.

1999-11-01

Although increasing evidence links plana chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), to decreases in survival and reproduction of fish, mammals, and birds near Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the Great Lakes, USA, relatively little is known of their bioaccumulation or of their possible effects in amphibians. The authors exposed embryos and larvae of two ranid species commonly occurring in the Green Bay ecosystem, the green frog (Rana clamitans) and the leopard frog (Rana pipiens), to PCB 126, a model coplanar PCB compound. Nominal concentrations ranged from 0.005 to 50 {micro}g/L, and exposure lasted through metamorphosis. Tissue concentrations of PCB 126more » in tadpoles that did not metamorphose by the end of the experiment ranged from 1.2 to 9,600 ng/g wet mass. No significant mortality of embryos occurred before hatching; however, survival of larvae was significantly reduced at the highest concentration for both species. Few deformities were observed, but the incidence of edema was significantly higher in tadpoles exposed to 50 {micro}g/L. Swimming speed and growth of tadpoles was also significantly reduced in this treatment. The percent of tadpoles that reached metamorphosis was significantly lower in green frogs at the highest concentration, and no leopard frogs survived past day 47 of the experiment in this treatment. At high concentrations, PCB 126 affected both ranid species; however, sublethal effects were not apparent for the parameters the authors measured at concentrations that occur in water in the Green Bay ecosystem.« less

Potential therapeutic applications of multifunctional host-defense peptides from frog skin as anti-cancer, anti-viral, immunomodulatory, and anti-diabetic agents.

PubMed

Conlon, J Michael; Mechkarska, Milena; Lukic, Miodrag L; Flatt, Peter R

2014-07-01

Frog skin constitutes a rich source of peptides with a wide range of biological properties. These include host-defense peptides with cytotoxic activities against bacteria, fungi, protozoa, viruses, and mammalian cells. Several hundred such peptides from diverse species have been described. Although attention has been focused mainly on antimicrobial activity, the therapeutic potential of frog skin peptides as anti-infective agents remains to be realized and no compound based upon their structures has yet been adopted in clinical practice. Consequently, alternative applications are being explored. Certain naturally occurring frog skin peptides, and analogs with improved therapeutic properties, show selective cytotoxicity against tumor cells and viruses and so have potential for development into anti-cancer and anti-viral agents. Some peptides display complex cytokine-mediated immunomodulatory properties. Effects on the production of both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines by peritoneal macrophages and peripheral blood mononuclear cells have been observed so that clinical applications as anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, and immunostimulatory agents are possible. Several frog skin peptides, first identified on the basis of antimicrobial activity, have been shown to stimulate insulin release both in vitro and in vivo and so show potential as incretin-based therapies for treatment of patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. This review assesses the therapeutic possibilities of peptides from frogs belonging to the Ascaphidae, Alytidae, Pipidae, Dicroglossidae, Leptodactylidae, Hylidae, and Ranidae families that complement their potential role as anti-infectives for use against multidrug-resistant microorganisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enzymatic regulation of seasonal glycogen cycling in the freeze-tolerant wood frog, Rana sylvatica.

PubMed

do Amaral, M Clara F; Lee, Richard E; Costanzo, Jon P

2016-12-01

Liver glycogen is an important energy store in vertebrates, and in the freeze-tolerant wood frog, Rana sylvatica, this carbohydrate also serves as a major source of the cryoprotectant glucose. We investigated how variation in the levels of the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A (PKAc), glycogen phosphorylase (GP), and glycogen synthase (GS) relates to seasonal glycogen cycling in a temperate (Ohioan) and subarctic (Alaskan) populations of this species. In spring, Ohioan frogs had reduced potential for glycogen synthesis, as evidenced by low GS activity and high PKAc protein levels. In addition, glycogen levels in spring were the lowest of four seasonal samples, as energy input was likely directed towards metabolism and somatic growth during this period. Near-maximal glycogen levels were reached by mid-summer, and remained unchanged in fall and winter, suggesting that glycogenesis was curtailed during this period. Ohioan frogs had a high potential for glycogenolysis and glycogenesis in winter, as evidenced by large glycogen reserves, high levels of GP and GS proteins, and high GS activity, which likely allows for rapid mobilization of cryoprotectant during freezing and replenishing of glycogen reserves during thawing. Alaskan frogs also achieved a near-maximal liver glycogen concentration by summer and displayed high glycogenic and glycogenolytic potential in winter, but, unlike Ohioan frogs, started replenishing their energy reserves early in spring. We conclude that variation in levels of both glycogenolytic and glycogenic enzymes likely happens in response to seasonal changes in energetic strategies and demands, with winter survival being a key component to understanding the regulation of glycogen cycling in this species.

Phylogeographic patterns of genetic diversity in eastern Mediterranean water frogs have been determined by geological processes and climate change in the Late Cenozoic.

PubMed

Akın, Ciğdem; Bilgin, C Can; Beerli, Peter; Westaway, Rob; Ohst, Torsten; Litvinchuk, Spartak N; Uzzell, Thomas; Bilgin, Metin; Hotz, Hansjürg; Guex, Gaston-Denis; Plötner, Jörg

2010-11-01

AIM: Our aims were to assess the phylogeographic patterns of genetic diversity in eastern Mediterranean water frogs and to estimate divergence times using different geological scenarios. We related divergence times to past geological events and discuss the relevance of our data for the systematics of eastern Mediterranean water frogs. LOCATION: The eastern Mediterranean region. METHODS: Genetic diversity and divergence were calculated using sequences of two protein-coding mitochondrial (mt) genes: ND2 (1038 bp, 119 sequences) and ND3 (340 bp, 612 sequences). Divergence times were estimated in a Bayesian framework under four geological scenarios representing alternative possible geological histories for the eastern Mediterranean. We then compared the different scenarios using Bayes factors and additional geological data. RESULTS: Extensive genetic diversity in mtDNA divides eastern Mediterranean water frogs into six main haplogroups (MHG). Three MHGs were identified on the Anatolian mainland; the most widespread MHG with the highest diversity is distributed from western Anatolia to the northern shore of the Caspian Sea, including the type locality of Pelophylax ridibundus. The other two Anatolian MHGs are restricted to south-eastern Turkey, occupying localities west and east of the Amanos mountain range. One of the remaining three MHGs is restricted to Cyprus; a second to the Levant; the third was found in the distribution area of European lake frogs (P. ridibundus group), including the Balkans. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Based on geological evidence and estimates of genetic divergence we hypothesize that the water frogs of Cyprus have been isolated from the Anatolian mainland populations since the end of the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC), i.e. since c. 5.5-5.3 Ma, while our divergence time estimates indicate that the isolation of Crete from the mainland populations (Peloponnese, Anatolia) most likely pre-dates the MSC. The observed rates of divergence imply a time window of c. 1.6-1.1 million years for diversification of the largest Anatolian MHG; divergence between the two other Anatolian MHGs may have begun about 3.0 Ma, apparently as a result of uplift of the Amanos Mountains. Our mtDNA data suggest that the Anatolian water frogs and frogs from Cyprus represent several undescribed species.

Amplitude/frequency differences in a supine resting single-lead electrocardiogram of normal versus coronary heart diseased males.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-05-01

A resting 'normal' ECG can coexist with known angina pectoris, positive angiocardiography and previous myocardial infarction. In contemporary exercise ECG tests, a false positive/false negative total error of 10% is not unusual. Research aimed at imp...

[The research of establishing discriminant function for patients with angina pectoris by stepwise analysis based on serum inflammatory factors].

PubMed

Chen, Zhi-bin; Liang, Yan-bing; Tang, Hao; Wang, Zhong-hua; Zeng, Li-jin; Wu, Jing-guo; Li, Zhen-yu; Ma, Zhong-fu

2012-12-01

To improve cost-efficiency, discriminant functions in stepwise method was founded for the differential diagnosis of angina pectoris by detecting the serum level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP) and unstable angina pectoris (UAP). Thirty-nine SAP patients and 47 UAP patients were enrolled into the study, while 39 healthy volunteers were enrolled into the controlled group forming the entire set of training samples. The serum levels of hs-CRP, MIF, IL-4 and IL-10 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data was analyzed by software to define discriminant functions in the ways of "entering" and "stepwise". Both functions were evaluated by the results of validation. By the way of "enter independent together", the following discriminant functions were defined based on the data of training samples' age, hs-CRP, MIF, IL-4, IL-10: healthy control group =-129.858 + 2.869×age -2.451×hs-CRP + 1.393×MIF + 6.001×IL-4 + 4.848×IL-10; SAP group=-161.037 + 2.896×age-2.022×hs-CRP + 1.662×MIF + 6.703×IL-4 + 6.287×IL-10; UAP group=-199.087 + 2.468×age-1.440×hs-CRP + 3.404×MIF-13.875×IL-4 + 7.752×IL-10. Retrospective validation showed 4.8% of total miss-grouping, while cross-validation showed 5.6% of total miss-grouping. By the way of "stepwise", the above data was screened by software and training samples' age, MIF and IL-10 were suggested to define the following functions: healthy control group = - 125.218 + 2.659 × age + 0.599×MIF + 5.040 × IL-10; SAP group=-157.864 + 2.721×age + 1.008×MIF + 6.468×IL-10; UAP group=- 197.327 + 2.360×age + 2.932×MIF + 7.640×IL-10. Both retrospective and cross validation showed 6.4% of total miss-grouping. Both sets of discriminant functions had the same efficiency (100%) for differential diagnosis of SAP and UAP. The discriminant functions based on samples' age, MIF and IL-10, which were screened and suggested by stepwise method, may contribute to the differential diagnosis of atypical SAP and UAP, and therefore demonstrate better cost-efficiency.

Blood rheology of angina pectoris patients with myocardial injury after ischemia reperfusion and its effect on thromboxane B2 levels.

PubMed

Wang, Wenlong; Huang, Xiaohui; Sun, Yiyong; Zhang, Jinying

2018-01-01

This study investigated the changes in the blood rheology of patients with angina pectoris and ischemia reperfusion injury and their effect on thromboxane B 2 (TXB 2 ) levels to examine their relationship. Forty patients with unstable angina pectoris who underwent elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were selected for the unstable angina group (UA group) and forty patients deemed free of coronary heart disease by coronary angiography were selected for the control group. Venous blood samples were drawn from all participants; patients in the UA group had blood drawn 1 day before and 1 day after the PCI procedure. Blood samples were used to analyze blood rheology and examine hemodynamic parameters, at the same time radioimmunoassay was applied to measure the concentrations of serum endothelin-1 (ET-1) and TXB 2 , and an automatic biochemical analyzer was used to detect the content of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Our results showed the patients in the UA group all presented hyperviscosity; however the levels were higher for the patients in the UA group (after surgery) than for those in the UA group (before surgery). Patients in the control group exhibited normal levels, and the differences among groups were significant in pairwise comparisons (P<0.05). The levels of ET-1 and TXB 2 in the UA group were increased compared with those in control group and they were highest after surgery (P<0.05). For the patients in the UA group, the serum TXB 2 concentration increased gradually along with the increase in risk stratification. There were significant differences in comparisons between different strata and between UA patients and those in the control group (P<0.05). The serum SOD activity levels were lowest in the UA group (after surgery), higher in the UA group (before surgery) and highest in the control group. Conversely, the MDA content was highest in the UA group (after surgery), lower in the UA group (before surgery) and smallest in the control group; there were significant differences in pairwise comparisons. Based on our findings, a hyperviscosity syndrome was manifested in the blood rheology of patients with angina pectoris and ischemia reperfusion injury. The higher than normal TXB 2 levels can be used as a marker of platelet activation and a reference for clinical risk stratification, thus having great significance for the prevention and treatment of ischemia reperfusion injury and assessment of disease progression.

Teachers' Pets.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broderick, Patricia; Raymond, Allen

1994-01-01

Reviews nine teaching aids: (1) "Our World" (Troll); (2) "Comprehensive School Health Education" (Meeks Heit Publishing); (3) "America at School" (Pleasant Company); (4) "Tomie, Tomie, Tomie" (Val Hornburg); (5) "Frog Pondering" (Frog Publications); (6) "TalentEd" (Teacher Ideas Press); (7) "Scholastic Voyages of Discovery" (Scholastic); (8) "Nose…

Summer teachers' teaching tool

Science.gov Websites

and nervous system of the frog. Skeleton System Organs Digestive System Nervous System Berkeley Lab students study anatomy of a frog in Biology class room. The pictures showed the skeleton, organs, digestive

The ineffectiveness of (±)-carnitine preventing the twitchings of striated frog muscle in 0.7% sodium chloride solution

PubMed Central

Friebel, H.

1959-01-01

The spontaneous twitchings of isolated frog sartorius muscles in 0.7% NaCl solution have been studied. Addition of 1 mg./ml. of (±)-carnitine hydrochloride, or of (±)-carnitine base, to the bath fluid had no influence on the spontaneous activity of the muscles, their excitability or their ability to liberate potassium. This indicates that carnitine is not a natural inhibitor of striated frog muscle. Fluids enriched with potassium either from twitching muscle or by addition of KCl inhibited the activity of muscles reversibly. PMID:13825014

ELECTRIC IMPEDANCE OF THE FROG EGG

PubMed Central

Cole, Kenneth S.; Guttman, Rita M.

1942-01-01

Electrical impedance measurements were made upon unfertilized and fertilized eggs of the leopard frog, Rana pipiens, over a frequency range of 0.05 to 10 kc. Average values of 170 ohm cm.2 were obtained for the plasma membrane resistance of the egg, 2.0 µf/cm.2 for the plasma membrane capacity, 86° for the phase angle of the membrane, and 570 ohm cm. for the specific resistance of the interior. These values did not change upon fertilization. No spontaneous rhythmical impedance changes such as have been found by Hubbard and Rothschild in the trout egg were found in frog eggs. PMID:19873312

Blood parasites of frogs from an equatorial African montane forest in western Uganda.

PubMed

Readel, Anne M; Goldberg, Tony L

2010-04-01

In a survey of blood parasites in Ugandan frogs, 30 (17%) of 180 frogs were infected with at least 1 species of Hepatozoon or Trypanosoma, or with microfilariae. There were significant differences in the prevalence of parasitism among species, with parasitemia detected in only 3 of 9 species. The intensity of blood parasite infection ranged from 1 to 1,080 infected cells per 5,000 cells examined. Seasonal changes in the prevalence and intensity of parasitemia were not observed, nor was there any association between parasitemia and infection with the pandemic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis.

Balteatide: A Novel Antimicrobial Decapeptide from the Skin Secretion of the Purple-Sided Leaf Frog, Phyllomedusa baltea

PubMed Central

Ge, Lilin; Chen, Xiaole; Ma, Chengbang; Zhou, Mei; Xi, Xinping; Wang, Lei; Ding, Anwei; Duan, Jinao; Chen, Tianbao; Shaw, Chris

2014-01-01

The skin secretions of Neotropical phyllomedusine leaf frogs have proven to be a rich source of biologically active peptides, including antimicrobials. The major families of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) reported are the dermaseptins and phylloseptins and the minor families are the dermatoxins, phylloxins, plasticins, distinctins, and medusins. Here, we report a novel AMP of 10 amino acid residues (LRPAILVRIKamide), named balteatide, from the skin secretion of wild Peruvian purple-sided leaf frogs, Phyllomedusa baltea. Balteatide was found to exhibit a 90% sequence identity with sauvatide, a potent myotropic peptide from the skin secretion of Phyllomedusa sauvagei. However, despite both peptides exhibiting only a single amino acid difference (I/T at position 9), sauvatide is devoid of antimicrobial activity and balteatide is devoid of myotropic activity. Balteatide was found to have differential activity against the Gram-positive bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus; the Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli; and the yeast, Candida albicans, and unusual for phyllomedusine frog skin AMPs, was most potent (MIC 32 mg/L) against the yeast. Balteatide was also devoid of haemolytic activity up to concentrations of 512 mg/L. Phyllomedusine frog skin secretions thus continue to provide novel AMPs, some of which may provide templates for the rational design of new classes of anti-infective therapeutics. PMID:25054164

Sexual dimorphism of extensor carpi radialis muscle size, isometric force, relaxation rate and stamina during the breeding season of the frog Rana temporaria Linnaeus 1758.

PubMed

Navas, Carlos A; James, Rob S

2007-02-01

Mating success of individual male frogs within explosive breeding species can depend on their ability to compete for a mate and to hold onto that mate during amplexus. Such importance of amplexus has resulted in the evolution of sexual dimorphism in the morphology and contractile characteristics of the anuran forelimb muscles used during amplexus. The aims of our study were to use an explosive breeding frog (Rana temporaria) during the breeding season to compare extensor carpi radialis (ECR) muscle length, mass, isometric activation times, relaxation times, absolute force, relative force (stress) and fatigue between male and female frogs. We found that ECR muscle mass and length were greater (tenfold and 1.4-fold, respectively), absolute tetanic muscle force and relative tetanic force (stress) were greater (16-fold and 2.2-fold, respectively) and relaxation times were slower in males than in females. Male ECR muscles incompletely relaxed during fatigue tests and showed less fatigue than female muscles. These sex differences are likely to be beneficial to the male frogs in allowing them to produce relatively high absolute muscle forces for prolonged periods of time to hold onto their mate during amplexus.

The Parable of the Boiled System Safety Professional: Drift to Failure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shivers, C. Herbert

2011-01-01

Recall from the Parable of the Boiled Frog, that tossing a frog into boiling water causes the frog to jump out and hop away while placing a frog in suitable temperature water and slowly bringing the water to a boil results in the frog boiling due to not being aware of the slowly increasing danger, theoretically, of course. System safety professionals must guard against allowing dangers to creep unnoticed into their projects and be ever alert to notice signs of impending problems. People have used various phrases related to the idea, most notably, latent conditions, James Reason in Managing the Risks of Organizational Accidents (1, pp 10-11), Drift to Failure, Sydney Dekker (2, pp 82-86) in Resilience Engineering: Chronicling the Emergence of Confused Consensus in Resilience Engineering: Concepts and Precepts, Hollnagel, Woods and Leveson, and normalization of deviance, Diane Vaughan in The Challenger Launch Decision: Risky Technology, Culture, and Deviance at NASA (3). Reason also said, If eternal vigilance is the price of liberty, then chronic unease is the price of safety (1, p 37). Our challenge as system safety professionals is to be aware of the emergence of signals that warn us of slowly eroding safety margins. This paper will discuss how system safety professionals might better perform in that regard.

Disease Risk Analysis and Post-Release Health Surveillance for a Reintroduction Programme: the Pool Frog Pelophylax lessonae.

PubMed

Sainsbury, A W; Yu-Mei, R; Ågren, E; Vaughan-Higgins, R J; Mcgill, I S; Molenaar, F; Peniche, G; Foster, J

2017-10-01

There are risks from disease in undertaking wild animal reintroduction programmes. Methods of disease risk analysis have been advocated to assess and mitigate these risks, and post-release health and disease surveillance can be used to assess the effectiveness of the disease risk analysis, but results for a reintroduction programme have not to date been recorded. We carried out a disease risk analysis for the reintroduction of pool frogs (Pelophylax lessonae) to England, using information gained from the literature and from diagnostic testing of Swedish pool frogs and native amphibians. Ranavirus and Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis were considered high-risk disease threats for pool frogs at the destination site. Quarantine was used to manage risks from disease due to these two agents at the reintroduction site: the quarantine barrier surrounded the reintroduced pool frogs. Post-release health surveillance was carried out through regular health examinations of amphibians in the field at the reintroduction site and collection and examination of dead amphibians. No significant health or disease problems were detected, but the detection rate of dead amphibians was very low. Methods to detect a higher proportion of dead reintroduced animals and closely related species are required to better assess the effects of reintroduction on health and disease. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Individual variation affects departure rate from the natal pond in an ephemeral pond-breeding anuran

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chelgren, N.D.; Rosenberg, D.K.; Heppell, S.S.; Gitelman, A.I.

2008-01-01

Frogs exhibit extreme plasticity and individual variation in growth and behavior during metamorphosis, driven by interactions of intrinsic state factors and extrinsic environmental factors. In northern red-legged frogs (Rana aurora Baird and Girard, 1852), we studied the timing of departure from the natal pond as it relates to date and size of individuals at metamorphosis in the context of environmental uncertainty. To affect body size at metamorphosis, we manipulated food availability during the larval stage for a sample (317) of 1045 uniquely marked individuals and released them at their natal ponds as newly metamorphosed frogs. We recaptured 34% of marked frogs in pitfall traps as they departed and related the timing of their initial terrestrial movements to individual properties using a time-to-event model. Median age at first capture was 4 and 9 days postmetamorphosis at two sites. The rate of departure was positively related to body size and to date of metamorphosis. Departure rate was strongly negatively related to time elapsed since rainfall, and this effect was diminished for smaller and later metamorphosing frogs. Individual variation in metamorphic traits thus affects individuals' responses to environmental variability, supporting a behavioral link with variation in survival associated with these same metamorphic traits. ?? 2008 NRC.

Population genetic analysis of the recently rediscovered Hula painted frog (Latonia nigriventer) reveals high genetic diversity and low inbreeding.

PubMed

Perl, R G Bina; Geffen, Eli; Malka, Yoram; Barocas, Adi; Renan, Sharon; Vences, Miguel; Gafny, Sarig

2018-04-03

After its recent rediscovery, the Hula painted frog (Latonia nigriventer) has remained one of the world's rarest and least understood amphibian species. Together with its apparently low dispersal capability and highly disturbed niche, the low abundance of this living fossil calls for urgent conservation measures. We used 18 newly developed microsatellite loci and four different models to calculate the effective population size (N e ) of a total of 125 Hula painted frog individuals sampled at a single location. We compare the N e estimates to the estimates of potentially reproducing adults in this population (N ad ) determined through a capture-recapture study on 118 adult Hula painted frogs captured at the same site. Surprisingly, our data suggests that, despite N ad estimates of only ~234-244 and N e estimates of ~16.6-35.8, the species appears to maintain a very high genetic diversity (H O  = 0.771) and low inbreeding coefficient (F IS  = -0.018). This puzzling outcome could perhaps be explained by the hypotheses of either genetic rescue from one or more unknown Hula painted frog populations nearby or by recent admixture of genetically divergent subpopulations. Independent of which scenario is correct, the original locations of these populations still remain to be determined.