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Abstract: The distribution, morphology and nuclear subdivisions of the putative catecholaminergic and serotonergic systems within the brain of the highveld gerbil were identified following immunohistochemistry for tyrosine hydroxylase and serotonin. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible differences in the complement of nuclear subdivisions of these systems when comparing those of the highveld gerbil with those of the laboratory rat. The highveld gerbil was chosen as it is relatively closely related to the laboratory rat, but the Gerbillinae and Murinae lineages diverged over 20 million years ago. Moreover, even though brain sizes are similar, the life history and phenotypes between these two species are substantially different. The gerbils used in the present study were caught from the wild, which is again another contrast to the laboratory rat. While these differences may lead to the prediction of significant differences in the nuclear complement of these systems, we found that all nuclei identified in both systems in the laboratory rat in several earlier studies had direct homologs in the brain of the highveld gerbil. Moreover, there were no additional nuclei in the brain of the highveld gerbil that are not found in the laboratory rat. The only discernable difference between the two species was a greater density and number of catecholaminergic neurons in the olfactory bulb of the highveld gerbil. Thus, the evolution of nuclear parcellation in these systems appears to demonstrate a form of phylogenetic constraint related to the order Rodentia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article explores the distributive aspects of the dispute settlement mechanism (DSM) of the World Trade Organization WTO. Even though the strictly binding dispute settlement (DS) system can operate in an unbiased way and thereby minimize power disparity among disputants, in general, the content of law on which the whole DS system is based is favorable to developed countries in the system. This study of the WTO DSM demonstrates that (1) the procedural/substantive dispute outcomes of the WTO are not significantly affected by power disparity between disputants (thus, enhancing the principles of "equality before the law" and "protecting the weak"), but that (2) the strict substantive provisions and the newly included provisions of the WTO agreements are advantageous to developed countries and disadvantageous to developing countries (thus, increased inequality in the content of the law). In order to understand the distributive consequences of the legal DSM, we need to combine an analysis of the operation of the legal body with an examination of the content of the law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The current correspondence describes the in situ perfusion-fixation of the brain of the African elephant. Due to both the large size of proboscidean brains and the complex behaviour of these species, the acquisition of good quality material for comparative neuroanatomical analysis from these species is important. Three male African elephants (20–30 years) that were to be culled as part of a larger population management strategy were used. The animals were humanely euthanized and the head removed from the body. Large tubes were inserted into to the carotid arteries and the cranial vasculature flushed with a rapid (20min) rinse of 100l of cold saline (4°C). Following the rinse the head was perfusion-fixed with a slower rinse (40min) of 100l of cold (4°C) 4% paraformaldehyde in 0.1M phosphate buffer. This procedure resulted in well-fixed neural and other tissue. After perfusion the brains were removed from the skull with the aid of power tools, a procedure taking between 2 and 6h. The brains were immediately post-fixed in the same solution for 72h at 4°C. The brains were subsequently placed in a sucrose solution and finally an antifreeze solution and are stored in a −20°C freezer. The acquisition of high quality neural material from African elephants that can be used for immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy is of importance in understanding the “hardware” underlying the behaviour of this species. This technique can be used on a variety of large mammals to obtain high quality material for comparative neuroanatomical studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]