The one-trial passive avoidance learning task is commonly used in avian research to explore anatomical, cellular and molecular parameters of learning and memory. Many factors are known to influence the effectiveness and/or duration of such learning events. Combinations of novel odours, such as pyrazine, and aposematic colours, such as brig ht yellow or red, have been shown to induce a long-last...

Gap junctional communication between glial cells is thought to play a role in K+ spatial buffering, in the propagation of inter-astrocytic Ca2+ waves, and in glial-neuronal signaling. In the present study, we characterize dye coupling between astrocytes, and between astrocytes and Müller cells, in the isolated rat retina. Whole-cell patch recordings were obtained from retinal astrocytes and Mül...

Twenty-three microsatellites were isolated from the yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens), an ecologically and commercially important reef fish. Genetic diversity was assessed in 90 adults collected from Honokohau, Hawaii. The number of alleles per locus varied from four to 29 (mean = 13.8) and observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.15 to 0.94 (mean = 0.70) and from 0.29 to 0.93 (mea...

The colour of bovine subcutaneous (sc) adipose tissue (carcass fat) depends on the age, gender and breed of cattle. Diet is the most important extrinsic factor but its influence depends on the duration of feeding. Cattle produced under extensive grass-based production systems generally have carcass fat which is more yellow than their intensively-reared, concentrate-fed counterparts and this is ...

Pectin methyl esterase (PME) (EC 3.1.1.11) catalyzes the hydrolysis of methylester groups of cell wall pectins. We investigated the role of this enzyme in dormancy termination and germination of yellow cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis [D. Don] Spach) seeds. PME activity was not detected in dormant seeds of yellow cedar but was induced and gradually increased during moist chilling; high activit...

A new natricid snake of the genus Opisthotropis Gunther, 1872, Opisthotropis laui sp. nov., is described from Mt. Gudou, Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province, China. The new species can be distinguished from other congeners by the combination of the following characters: dorsal scales weakly keeled throughout, in 25:23:23 rows; 10 supralabials; 11 infralabials; two internasals, longer than wide, n...

Cheng A., Chen X., Jin Q, Wang W., Shi J., Liu Y. (2013): Comparison of phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of red and yellow onions. Czech J. Food Sci., 31: 501–508. The total polyphenol (TP), flavonoid, proanthocyanidin (PAC) content, and antioxidant capacity of both onion varieties (red and yellow) were compared. The content of TP, flavonoids, and PAC was determined by Folin-Ciocalteu ...