Search

Secreted wingless-interacting protein (Swim) is the Drosophila ortholog gene of the mammalian Tubulointerstitial Nephritis Antigen like 1 (TINAGL1), also known as lipocalin-7 (LCN7), or adrenocortical zonation factor 1 (AZ-1). Swim and TINAGL1 proteins share a significant homology, including the somatomedin B and the predictive inactive C1 cysteine peptidase domains. In mammals, both TINAGL1 and its closely related homolog TINAG have been identified in basement membranes, where they may function as modulators of integrin-mediated adhesion. In Drosophila, Swim was initially identified in the eggshell matrix and was subsequently detected in the culture medium of S2 cells. Further biochemical analysis indicated that Swim binds to wingless (wg) in a lipid-dependent manner. This observation, together with RNAi-knockdown studies, suggested that Swim is an essential cofactor of wg-signalling. However, recent elegant genetic studies ruled out the possibility that Swim is required alone to facilitate wg-signalling in Drosophila, because flies without Swim are viable and fertile. Here, we use the UAS/Gal4 expression system together with confocal imaging to analyze the in vivo localization of a chimeric Swim-GFP in the developing Drosophila embryo. Our data fully support the notion that Swim is an extracellular matrix component that is secreted upon ectopic expression and preferentially associates with the basement membranes of various organs and with the specialized tendon matrix at the muscle attachment sites (MAS). Interestingly, the accumulation of Swim at the MAS does not require integrins. In conclusion, Swim is an extracellular matrix component, and Swim may exhibit overlapping functions in concert with other undefined components.

Integrins are the major family of transmembrane proteins that mediate cell-matrix adhesion and have a critical role in epithelial morphogenesis. Integrin function largely depends on the indirect connection of the integrin cytoplasmic tail to the actin cytoskeleton through an intracellular protein network, the integrin adhesome. What is currently unknown is the role of individual integrin adhesome components in epithelia dynamic reorganization. Drosophila egg chamber consists of the oocyte encircled by a monolayer of somatic follicle epithelial cells that undergo specific cell shape changes. Egg chamber morphogenesis depends on a developmental array of cell-cell and cell-matrix signalling events. Recent elegant work on the role of integrins in the Drosophila egg chamber has indicated their essential role in the early stages of oogenesis when the pre-follicle cells assemble into the follicle epithelium. Here, we have focused on the functional requirement of two key integrin adhesome components, Parvin and Integrin-Linked Kinase (ILK). Both proteins are expressed in the developing ovary from pupae to the adult stage and display enriched expression in terminal filament and stalk cells, while their genetic removal from early germaria results in severe disruption of the subsequent oogenesis, leading to female sterility. Combining genetic mosaic analysis of available null alleles for both Parvin and Ilk with conditional rescue utilizing the UAS/Gal4 system, we found that Parvin and ILK are required in pre-follicle cells for germline cyst encapsulation and stalk cell morphogenesis. Collectively, we have uncovered novel developmental functions for both Parvin and ILK, which closely synergize with integrins in epithelia.

Integrins are the major family of transmembrane proteins that mediate cell-matrix adhesion and have a critical role in epithelial morphogenesis. Integrin function largely depends on the indirect connection of the integrin cytoplasmic tail to the actin cytoskeleton through an intracellular protein network, the integrin adhesome. What is currently unknown is the role of individual integrin adhesome components in epithelia dynamic reorganization.

Greek protected designation of origin (PDO) cheeses are well-known for their quality and nutritive value. One hundred and twelve samples from 21 Greek PDO cheeses, a non-PDO and a potential PDO were analyzed for fatty acid (FA) profile and several physicochemical parameters including moisture, fat on dry matter (FDM), protein content, pH and salt content. Analyzed hard and semi-hard cheeses were Sfela, Kefalograviera, Kasseri, Ladotyri Mytilinis, Formaella Arachovas Parnassou, Graviera Agrafon, Graviera Kritis, Metsovone, Graviera Naxou, Mastelo, Batzos and San Michali. Soft, spread and whey cheeses included Kopanisti, Xynomyzithra Kritis, White cheese, Kalathaki Limnou, Manouri, Feta, Xygalo Siteias, Galotyri, Katiki Domokou, Pichtogalo Chanion and Anevato. The profile of 37 FAs combined with physiochemical properties was utilized to discriminate cheeses by label (cheese identity), cheese type (hard, semi-hard, soft, spread and whey) and milk type (cow, goat, sheep and combinations). The study found that Sfela had the highest salinity, Manouri the highest FDM and San Michali the highest content of proteins. Regarding FAs, the dominant ones in almost all cheeses were C14:0, C16:0, C18:0 and cis-9 C18:1. For classification concerning cheese identity, the most significant parameters were moisture, fat, C18:2n-6c, pH and salt. The most significant discriminants by cheese type were pH, moisture, FDM, salt and C16:0 while C10:0, C11:0, C14:1, C18:2n-6c, C20:0, C20:3n-6 and saturated FAs were more influential to separate by milk type. Results depict the FA profile of Greek PDO cheeses and show that in combination with physicochemical characteristics can be used as authenticity markers.

Secreted wingless-interacting protein (Swim) is the

This paper reveals the complex intersectionalities of immigrant identity construction, nationalisms (and national exceptionalisms), and how Greek culture/language schools in the United States signi...

Two hundred 10-d-old broiler chickens were used to study the effects of different dried olive pulp (DOP) inclusion rates on growth performance and meat quality. Broiler chickens were assigned to 4 experimental treatments (5 replicates of 10 broiler chickens each) for 32 d. The broiler chickens of each treatment were offered a different combination of grower (d 11 to 22; grower phase) and finisher (d 23 to 42; finisher phase) diets in terms of DOP content. The experimental treatments were: control (C), grower and finisher diets with no DOP; treatment 1 (T1), grower and finisher diets with 25 and 50 g DOP/kg, respectively; treatment 2 (T2), grower and finisher diets with 50 g DOP/kg; and treatment 3 (T3), grower and finisher diets with 50 and 80 g DOP/kg, respectively. Feed intake and body weight were recorded to calculate weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Fatty acid (FA) composition, oxidative stability, pH at 24 h post-mortem (pH24), color properties, cooking loss, and tenderness (as shear force) were determined in the breast muscle obtained from 2 broiler chickens/replicate pen of each treatment at d 42. The FCR was greater in T2 and T3 compared to C (P = 0.013) during the grower phase. During the finisher phase, FCR was greater in T3 when compared to C (P = 0.014), and to T1 and T2 (P = 0.031). The addition of DOP increased 18:1n-9 and total monounsaturated FA (P

1. In recent times the use of food waste in animal diets has gained considerable attention because of the increasing demand to cover the needs of human population and the high prices of conventional, arable based, animal feeds.2. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of adding dried human food waste to the diet of meat-type chickens (broilers). Two hundred, one-day-old broilers were divided into two treatment groups, with 10 replicate pens containing 10 birds per pen. The duration of the study was 42 days. In the control (C), the diet did not contain any food waste, whereas in the second treatment (T) food waste residues from hotels made up 15% of the diet. Diets had similar crude protein and metabolisable energy content.3. Feed intake and body weight were recorded in order to calculate weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Carcase and breast muscle yield, the weight of selected internal organs and the level of selected biochemical and haematological parameters were determined. Quality of breast muscle meat was assessed.4. Broilers fed the control treatment consumed more feed and gained more weight compared to broilers fed waste; however, the FCR was similar. No major differences were seen for internal organ weights and haematological parameters, although some differences were observed in colour traits and shear force of meat. It was concluded that there is a potential for use of food waste in broiler diets.

Eukaryotic 5’−3’ mRNA decay plays important roles during development and in response to stress, regulating gene expression post-transcriptionally. In Caenorhabditis elegans, deficiency of DCAP-1/DCP1, the essential co-factor of the major cytoplasmic mRNA decapping enzyme, impacts normal development, stress survival and ageing. Here, we show that overexpression of dcap-1 in neurons of worms is sufficient to increase lifespan through the function of the insulin/IGF-like signaling and its effector DAF-16/FOXO transcription factor. Neuronal DCAP-1 affects basal levels of INS-7, an ageing-related insulin-like peptide, which acts in the intestine to determine lifespan. Short-lived dcap-1 mutants exhibit a neurosecretion-dependent upregulation of intestinal ins-7 transcription, and diminished nuclear localization of DAF-16/FOXO. Moreover, neuronal overexpression of DCP1 in Drosophila melanogaster confers longevity in adults, while neuronal DCP1 deficiency shortens lifespan and affects wing morphogenesis, cell non-autonomously. Our genetic analysis in two model-organisms suggests a critical and conserved function of DCAP-1/DCP1 in developmental events and lifespan modulation.

This paper explores Georgios Gemistos Plethonʼs (circa 1355–1452 ACE) teaching methods and educational philosophy. We refer to the Byzantine philosopher as Gemistos and not Plethon, because most of his teachings and works were written while he was known as Gemistos. This paper is divided into several sections. It begins with a brief biography of Gemistos and then follows with a discussion on the general contours of Byzantine education, specifically Outer and Inner Learning as well as fourteenth and fifteenth century Christian perceptions of ancient Greek learning. In section three this paper investigates Gemistosʼs teaching methods and how Platoʼs notion of "turning the soul" may have influenced Gemistos understanding of how students learned best. Section four explores Gemistosʼs educational philosophy, his views on Plato and Aristotle as well his religious beliefs and how these may have impacted his teaching. This paper concludes with a discussion of Gemistosʼs lasting impact on education and learning.

Magnesium (Mg) deficiency in ruminants can be avoided by the inclusion of magnesium oxide (MgO) supplements in their diets. However, the behaviour of MgO supplements in the rumen depends on various factors such as ore-origin, calcination conditions, particle size distribution etc. Moreover, in most cases the solubility of MgO supplements (both in vitro and in vivo ) is not related with their apparent bioavailability, so their quality should be evaluated primarily by using both in vitro and in vivo tests before using them in practice. Thus, the objectives of this study were: to determine: (a) the particle size distribution of four MgO supplements (Δ 1 , Δ 2 , Δ 3 and Δ 4 ) with different chemical composition and their both in vitro and in vivo solubility and (b) their apparent bioavailability. The solubility of MgO supplements was tested in an aqueous NH 4 NO 3 solution ( in vitro ) and in sheep ( in vivo ). Five fistulated wether sheep of Karaguniko breed were used in a Latin-square (5 × 5) design to determine the in vivo solubility. The sheep were kept in metabolism cages and were given a basal diet (800 g alfalfa hay and 600 g concentrates). The same diet plus 2 g of each MgO supplement was given to each sheep respectively during a 17-days period in order to determine their apparent bioavailability. The results showed that the solubility was depended on both the amounts of fine particles and the reactivity of the MgO supplements (P 2 O 3 and Al 2 O 3 content. Despite the fact that for the most MgO supplements (Δ 2 , Δ 3 and Δ 4 ) a close relationship was found between solubility (both in vitro and in vivo ) with apparent bioavailability this did not occur in the case of Δ 1 MgO supplement. Moreover, the Δ 4 MgO supplement was evaluated as the best candidate for feed supplement in ruminant’s diets, not only due to its better particle size distribution, but also to its significantly high solubility (both in vitro and in vivo ) and bioavailability which was due to its high purity (> 90%) and reactivity (49 s) and lower content in Fe 2 O 3 and Al 2 O 3 compounds compared to the others. In conclusion, the properties of MgO supplements should be tested both in vitro and in vivo before their use in practice since they are affected by various factors.

The following chapter looks at some of the teaching methods used at two Greek American schools. More specifically, this chapter explores the use of the Socratic Method when teaching Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad to 7th and 8th grade students at the Socrates and Koraes Greek American Schools in Chicago. This chapter defines the Socratic Method and then discusses some of its limitations. It later shows how the two schools attempt to incorporate this method when teaching the Odyssey and Iliad while using other teaching methods.

This chapter helps conclude this edited volume on Greek American education. Several questions arise, such as what is the future of Greek American education in the United States and more broadly what is the future of the Greek American community? What will the Greek American community look like 20, 30, or even 50 years from now? Will the Greek American community be able to retain some of its Greek cultural character through institutions such as the Greek language schools, the Greek Orthodox Church, and other organizations and programs? Or will the community be absorbed into mainstream American culture? Such questions are addressed in this concluding chapter. This chapter also offers some suggestions on how the community may redefine itself to preserve a Greek American identity.

Meat quality is related to a variety of muscle types consisting of different muscle fibers which are a reflection of its energy requirements and lipid content. Due to that, factors such as source of suckled milk, age and sex which affect the fatty acid (FA) profile and associated with meat quality should be determined in different muscles, since humans consume different parts of the carcass. A total of 40 goat kids of Damascus breed were used to determine the effect of rearing system, age and sex on the FA profile of Semimembranosus proprius (SP), Longissimus dorsii (LD) and Triceps brachii (TB). The goat kids were assigned into two groups balanced for body weight and sex. The first group (n=20), (10 male and 10 female goat kids) underwent natural rearing and received only maternal milk until weaning. The second group (n=20) (10 male and 10 female goat kids), was subject to artificial suckling with a commercial milk replacer. At weaning (49 days of age), 10 animals from each group were weighed and slaughtered. The remaining goat kids of both groups, after weaning were fed daily 100 g barley hay per animal and a commercial concentrate diet ad libitum up to 98 days of age, where they were also weighted and slaughtered. The results showed that the body weight and the growth rate were significantly higher in males than females goat kids when fed with maternal milk. Moreover, the growth rate was significantly higher in the naturally compared with the artificially goat kids. The muscles FA composition, especially the branched chain FA, saturated FA and n-3 FA, reflects that of the milk source (maternal or artificial). Significant differences were found among the three muscles (SP, LD and TB) of goat kids for several individual FAs. The concentrations of C18:0 and trans C18:1 FA increased significantly whereas n-3 FAs decrease in the fat of goat kids slaughtered at 98 compared 49 days of age, due to the shift from milk to a fodder diet. Sex did not affect the FA profile of goat kids. In conclusion, naturally reared goat kids is better slaughtered at younger age before a shift from milk to a fodder diet whereas a fodder diet compared with a milk replacer can improve muscle FA profile of goat kids .

Greek Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheeses are characterised by high nutritional values and origin traits. The aim of the study was to determine the content of 65 elements, of Greek PDO cheeses, through inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and examine the elemental metabolome as a potential authenticity marker. One hundred twelve samples from 21 PDO, one potential PDO and nine non-PDO cheeses were assessed. Discriminant analysis based on total fingerprinting was able to determine the geographic origin with 99.1% accuracy. The most significant variables of the model were Ce, Dy, Eu, Gd, Ho, La, Nd, Pr, Sm, Tb, Y, Yb, Pd, As, Ba, Co, Fe, Ga, Mo, Ni, Ti, Zr, Ca and P. The results demonstrate that elemental metabolomics can be successfully applied for cheese authentication. The elemental fingerprint could provide a reliable discrimination while rare earth elements are promising authenticity markers.

Greenhouse gas emissions from livestock production have a major impact on the environment. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an accepted method to assess those environmental impacts associated with all stages of products life from cradle to grave, and is used to determine the carbon footprint (CF) of animal origin products. CF is just an environmental indicator to assess sustainability of livestock products, such as milk, beef, pork, chicken, eggs, etc. and is used on products packaging as a so-called carbon label to inform supply chain professionals about the relative impacts of different products and activities. From the published studies who assessed the impact of production of milk, beef, lamb, pork, chicken and eggs using LCA, it is concluded that production of 1 kg of beef used most land and energy and had highest global warming potential, followed by production of 1 kg of lamb, pork, chicken, eggs and milk. However, it should be pointed out that LCA results for livestock products do not include environmental consequences of competition for land between humans and animals, and consequences of land-use changes.

Milk protein synthesis in the mammary gland involves expression of six major milk proteins' genes whose nutritional regulation remains poorly defined. In this study, the effect of long-term under- and overfeeding on the expression of as1-casein: CSN1S1, as2-casein: CSN1S2, β-casein: CSN2, κ-casein: CSN3, α-lactalbumin: LALBA and β-lactoglobulin: BLG gene in goat mammary tissue (MT) was examined. Twenty-four lactating dairy goat, at 90-98 days in milk, were divided into three homogenous subgroups and fed the same ration, for 60 days, in quantities which met 70% (underfeeding), 100% (control) and 130% (overfeeding) of their energy and crude protein requirements. The results showed a significant decrease in mRNA of CSN1S2, CSN2, CSN3 and LALBA genes in the MT of underfed goats compared with the overfed and on the CSN1S1 and BLG gene expressions in the MT of underfed goats compared with the respective control and overfed. CSN2 was the most abundant transcript in goat MT relative to the other milk proteins' genes. Significantly positive correlations were observed between the mRNA levels of caseins' and BLG genes with the milk yield. Moreover, a significant correlation was found between the mRNA levels of CSN1S2 with the milk protein, lactose content and lactose yield and also between the LALBA gene expression with the lactose content and lactose yield respectively. In conclusion, the feeding level and consequently the nutrients availability affected the milk lactose content, protein and lactose yield as well as the milk volume by altering the CSN1S1, CSN1S2, CSN2, CSN3, LALBA and BLG gene expression involved in their metabolic pathways.

Fat synthesis is under the control of a large number of genes whose nutritional regulation is still poorly documented. In this study, we examined the effect of long term under- and over-feeding on the expression of genes (acetyl-CoA carboxylase: ACACA, fatty acid synthetase: FASN, lipoprotein lipase: LPL, stearoyl-Co A desaturase 1: SCD1, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor G2 : PPARG2, sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c: SREBP-1c and hormone sensitive lipase HSL) related to FA metabolism in goat mammary tissue (MT). Twenty four lactating goats were divided into three homogenous sub-groups and fed the same ratio in quantities covering 70% (underfeeding), 100% (control) and 130% (overfeeding) of their energy and crude protein requirements. The results showed a significant reduction on mRNA of ACACA, FASN, LPL, SCD1 and HSL in the MT of underfed goats, compared with the respective overfed. A numerical decrease on the mRNA level of PPARG2 and SREBP-1c in the MT of the underfed goats, compared with the respective controls and the overfed was also observed. In conclusion, the negative, compared to positive, energy balance in goats down regulates the ACACA, FASN, LPL, SCD1 and HSL expressions in their MT which indicates that the decrease in nutrient availability may lead to lower rates of lipid synthesis.

Essential oils (EO) from aromatic plants (AP) are used in ruminants’ diets due to several biological activities. The inclusion of AP in ruminants’ diets can be done as dried material, as they are harvested once a year. However, storage is one of the main factors that affect the EO content and chemical composition. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of storage, in the shade under ambient conditions, on the EO content and chemical composition (a) of Origanum vulgare spp. hirtum as a whole plant (OP) and/or (b) as the powdered form after mixing with the concentrate diet. The results showed that storage of the whole OP in the shade for six months has a very low EO loss (5.8%), while grinding and mixing OP with concentrates causes different losses, which depend on the OP/concentrate ratio and the storage period.

For many of us, our first lesson about sex was on the school playground, while watching a film, or during a routine doctor’s visit. By the turn of the twentieth century, the school becomes a state-...

The genes of urokinase plasminogen activator (u-PA) and its receptor (u-PAR) are part of the fibrinolytic system which plays an important role in white adipose tissue remodeling. The nucleotides sequences of these genes have not been characterized in goats, in contrast to other ruminants (sheep and cow) and were partly isolated in this study. Further to that, taking into account that gene expression is strongly affected by dietary and genetic factors, an experiment was conducted with lactating dairy ewes ( n =12) and goats ( n =12) with the objective to determine if there are differences between them in u-PA and u-PAR gene activity in their subcutaneous adipose tissue (SUBQ) under the same dietary treatments. Ewes and goats were given identical diets in a mid-lactation period and another adapted diet in the late lactation period identical between ewes and goats. This late lactation contained less roughage and were fed in a lower amount, and caused – unintendedly – a negative energy balance since animals lost weight in that period. The results showed that the mRNA expression of u-PAR reduced significantly in the SUBQ of both animal species with Treatment B compared with Treatment A. In addition, the u-PA and u-PAR mRNA expressions were significantly higher in the SUBQ of goats compared to those of sheep, independently from the fed diet and the different days in milk. In conclusion, may be feeding regimen affects the u-PAR mRNA expression while there are significant species differences between sheep and goats in the u-PA and u-PAR mRNA expression of their SUBQ under the same dietary treatments.

After Ottoman colonial rule, education in Greece became an important institution for the ideological construction of a Greek national identity. This paper looks at schooling in Greece just prior to the Greek Revolution and immediately after Greek Independence, and how the Greek national school system assisted in the construction of a Greek national identity. This paper is divided into several sections. The introductory section discusses how a newly independent Greek nation-state struggled to unite the Greek people under a collective national identity. While most people at the time identified with their families, communities, and Greek Orthodox Christian religion, after Greek independence people began to see themselves as members of a broader Greek nation. The section that follows provides a discussion of Greek education during Ottoman colonial rule, and how a type of Greek identity (centered around the Greek Orthodox Christian faith) was maintained through the Greek Orthodox mileu. The Greek Church ran schools, and taught Greek children how to read and write, as well as the virtues of the Orthodox Christian faith. Section three of the article looks at Greek education during the early years of the Greek nation-state. In this section the general contours of the Greek educational system are delineated. The section also discusses how the organization of the Greek national school system was borrowed from extant school models found in Western Europe. Section four describes the Greek national curriculum and how the national curriculum would help to teach future generations of Greek citizens what it meant to be Greek. This is further reinforced in the Greek school textbook, which is part of the discussion in section five. Section five concludes with the role of education and its implications in uniting nations from around the world.

This book is about how young learners in Greece learned to be Greek in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in informal educational settings. This introductory chapter addresses the main questions that this book sets out to answer, explores informal learning’s historical contours by evaluating change and continuity over time, and considers social, political, and cultural factors that impacted informal learning. By focusing on the importance of informal learning in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Greece, this book addresses learning outside the school.

This chapter examines the school textbook and the school experience. While most of this book is focused on learning outside the centralized Greek school, it is difficult to ignore the role that the school played in influencing what children learned in informal learning settings. Historically, the modern school, which is generally an extension of the state apparatus, regulates what children learn and how they learn through the promotion of a state-mandated curricula, the adoption of textbooks and the preparation and selection of teachers through state-designated or supervised teacher-training programs. Informal education in Greece was in many ways regulated by the Greek state and helped serve the state’s interests and agendas.

This chapter examines Greek folk tales and songs taught in informal learning settings. One will see in this chapter that many of the first folk tales that children learned were Aesop’s fables. These creative stories, originally written by the prolific ancient Greek fabler, Aesop, and later adapted for a modern Greek audience, brought to life the natural and physical environment while at the same time engaged young learners to solve a moral or ethical dilemma. Children’s shadow theater was also popular for much of nineteenth and early twentieth century Greece. The most notorious children’s theater of the time was the so-called Karagiozis shadow puppet shows. The Karagiozis puppet shows traveled and performed in almost every town and city in Greece, entertaining generations of Greek children. Karagiozis, the protagonist of the theater shows, a poor, swarthy, disheveled humpback Greek, electrified children audiences for over a century through his comical and well-orchestrated antics.

This chapter considers several personal accounts from the time by several individuals. Personal accounts from Christos Christovasilis, Alexandros Papadiamandis, Nikos Kazantzakis, Nikiforos Lytras and Nicholaos Gyzis help shed light on the impact that informal learning had on these individuals. Much of the autobiographical literature suggests that the stories learned by these individuals were both religious and secular in nature. Most of them learned stories from ancient Greek mythology and history, as well as biblical stories, local folk tales, and more contemporary tales that dealt with Greece’s Ottoman and revolutionary pasts.

This chapter concludes this book with a discussion of future research directions for informal learning as well as the importance of informal learning for future studies.

This chapter examines late nineteenth and early twentieth century Greek children’s literature. The chapter begins with a discussion on the importance of reading in informal learning contexts and how children’s literature and other stories learned by children in informal learning settings helped shape the child’s national identity. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a wealth of children’s magazines and books were popularized and read by children both outside and within Greek schools. Some of these stories were imported into Greece from western Europe, while others were Greek-authored.

This chapter explores childhood and the Greek family and community in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Greece. In this chapter, one will find that the family was important throughout Greece and considered a fundamental unit where values and customs were transmitted to children in informal learning settings. Informal learning, however, differed between rural and urban communities. Social–structural differences between rural and urban communities were vast, while class and income also played an important role in how children learned. In rural communities, the family and other members of the community directed much of the learning for children.

Integrin-linked kinase (ILK), PINCH and Parvin proteins form the IPP-complex that has been established as a core component of the integrin-actin link. Our recent genetic studies on Drosophila parvin, reveal that loss of function mutant defects phenocopy those observed upon loss of ILK or PINCH in the muscle and the wing, strengthening the notion that these proteins function together in the organism. Our work identified that ILK is necessary and sufficient for parvin subcellular localization, corroborating previous data indicating a direct association between these two proteins. Further genetic epistasis analysis of the IPP-complex assembly at integrin adhesion sites reveals that depending on the cell context each component is required differently. At the muscle attachment sites of the embryo, ILK is placed upstream in the hierarchy of genetic interactions required for the IPP-complex assembly. By contrast, in the wing epithelium the three proteins are mutually interdependent. Finally, we uncovered a novel property for the CH1-domain of parvin: its recruitment at the integrin-containing junctions in an ILK-dependent manner. Apparently, this ability of the CH1-domain is controlled by the inter-CH linker region. Thus, an intramolecular interaction within parvin could serve as a putative regulatory mechanism controlling the ILK-Parvin interaction.

An experiment was conducted with 12 lactating dairy ewes and 12 goats with the objective to determine if there are differences between them in lipogenic genes [acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthetase (FAS), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) and leptin (LEP)] in their subcutaneous adipose tissue (SUBQ) under the same dietary treatments. The animals were fed with two diets (A, B) in different days of milk (DIM) due to the different milk yield, body weight, etc. in order to have the same food intake and to avoid dietary effects. Diet A with a forage/concentrate ( F / C ) ratio 53/47 on dry matter basis, was offered to each group of sheep and goats from DIM = 105 to DIM = 126, and from DIM = 63 to DIM = 84, respectively. Diet B with a F / C ratio 49/51 on dry matter basis, was offered to sheep and goats individually from DIM = 140 to DIM = 161 and from DIM = 98 to DIM = 119, respectively. The results showed that the mRNA of ACC was significantly lower in sheep SUBQ while the mRNA of LPL, SCD and LEP were higher compared with those of goats independently from the fed diet and the different DIM. In conclusion, there are significant species differences between sheep and goats in the lipogenic gene mRNA expression of SUBQ under the same dietary treatments.

In the laboratory under LD 12:12 h-conditions, mating behavior of D. oleae takes place during the last 3–4 h of the photophase and terminates abruptly with the onset of darkness. Mating behavior is independent of low light intensities, nor need it be graded. The acoustical components of sexual activity include ♂-courtship and strong wing-beat frequencies during copulatory attemps and pursuits in flight. Mating activity is a circadian event and in constant whitelight or redlight (600–700 nm) a free-running rhythm with τ < 24 h develops and persists for several cycles. However, the quantity of mating activity decreases rapidly. Zusammenfassung Uber den Begattungsrhythmus bei der Olivenfliege, Dacus oleae Gmel. Unter LD 12: 12 h-Bedingungen konzentriert sich das Begattungsverhalten von Dacus oleae auf die letzten 3–4 h der Lichtphase. Geringe oder graduell abnehmende Lichtintensitaten sind keine Voraussetzungen fur den Ablauf des Verhaltens. Akustische Verhaltensweisen im Rahmen der Sexualaktivitat umfassen die ♂-Balz, sowie verstarkte Flugelschlagfrequenzen wahrend der Kopulationsversuche und Verfolgungsfluge. Das Begattungsverhalten ist circadian gesteuert und hat unter konstanten Dauerlicht- und Rotlichtbedingungen eine Periode τ < 24 h. Der Rhythmus uberdauert mehrere Zyklen, aber die Anzahl der Begattungen nimmt rasch ab.

A number of studies have shown that the rumenic acid (RA = cis -9 trans -11 C 18:2 CLA) content of milk fat is usually higher in sheep than in goats, due partly to different dietary regimens. An experiment was conducted with 12 lactating dairy ewes and 12 goats with the objective to compare the two animal species (sheep/goats) fed diet with the same forage/concentrate ( F / C ) ratio, on their milk fatty acids (FA) profile with emphasis on RA and vaccenic acid (VA) production. The experiment was carried out in three consecutive phases, lasted 3 weeks each, immediately after weaning of lambs and kids. In phase I, the ewes and the goats were fed according to their maintenance and lactation requirements, with 14 kg alfalfa hay, 4 kg wheat straw and 12 kg concentrate the 12 ewes ( F / C ratio = 60/40), and with 14 kg alfalfa hay, 4 kg straw and 24 kg concentrate the 12 goats ( F / C ratio = 43/57). In phase II, 14 kg alfalfa hay, 4 kg straw and 14 kg concentrate were offered daily to each group of sheep and goats, with a F / C ratio = 56/44. In phase III, all ewes and goats were fed individually with 0.8 kg alfalfa hay, 0.2 kg wheat straw and 0.8 kg concentrate daily with a F / C ratio = 56/44. The results showed that the different F / C ratio between sheep and goats diets, in phase I, changed significantly the milk FA profile, with no significant difference in RA and VA milk fat content between sheep and goats in phase I. In phases II (group feeding) and III (individual feeding), where sheep and goats fed with the same amount of food of the same F / C ratio, the sheep milk fat had higher RA and VA content compared to goats. In conclusion, these findings support the hypothesis that there are species differences, as RA and VA production concerns, which needs further investigation.

An experiment was conducted with the objective to study the interaction between breed and diet on conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and fatty acids profile (FA) content of milk fat of four pure of dairy sheep breeds (Awassi, Lacaune, Friesland and Chios). All sheep used in this study were kept in one flock under the same management. During the winter months (from October to March) all sheep were kept indoors and fed with alfalfa hay and concentrates without any grazing and from April onwards were grazing native pastures without any supplementary feed. A total of 160 individual milk samples were taken from the four breeds at two sampling times: in January (n = 80) and in May (n = 80), when the ewes were in average, on 62 and 185 days in milk. These milk samples were analyzed for FA profile. The results of this experiment showed that the sheep breed had no effect on milk FA profile or on atherogenicity index (AI). The only significant effect was on Δ−9 desaturase activity index expressed as C18:1/C18:0. On the contrary, the diet affected significantly the FA profile of all ewes milk fat, with pasture to cause lower proportions of saturated and higher proportions of unsaturated FA, compared with those of sheep kept and fed indoors. The interaction between breed and diet was significant for the FA C10:0, C14:0, C15:0, C16:0, C17:1, C18:1, C18:2n6c, C18:2n6t, C18:3n6 and CLA and for FA groups SCFA, MCFA, LCFA and MUFA. The S/U FA ratio and the Δ−9 desaturase indexes (C14:1/C14:0 and C18:1/C18:0) were also affected by the breed × diet interaction. In conclusion, pasture feeding when compared with supplementary diet, induce large variation in the milk FA profile. In addition pasture increases FA in milk fat which has potential interest for human health. Breed has small effect on milk FA profile, but it can be ignored as it is shown from the interaction breed × diet.

Epidemiological and experimental data support the hypothesis of ‘fetal programming’, which proposes that alterations in fetal nutrition and endocrine status lead to permanent adaptations in fetal homeostatic mechanisms, producing long-term changes in physiology and determine susceptibility to later disease. Altered hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis function has been proposed to play an important role in programming of disease risk. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of maternal nutrient restriction imposed during different periods of gestation on the HPA axis function in sheep, at different ages postnatal. Pregnant ewes were fed a 50% nutrient-restricted diet from days 0–30 (group R1, n = 7), or from days 31–100 of gestation (group R2, n = 7) or a control 100% diet throughout pregnancy, (Control, n = 8). Blood samples were collected at 10-day intervals from day 40 of gestation to term. Lambs were born naturally and fed to appetite throughout the study period. At 2, 5.5, and 10 months of age lambs were given an i.v. injection of corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) and blood samples were collected at −15, 0, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 180 min postinjection. Maternal cortisol levels were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in group R1 compared with the other two groups, whereas maternal insulin levels were lower (P < 0.05) in group R2 compared with control. Birth weight of lambs was not affected by the maternal nutritional manipulation. The area under the curve for ACTH and cortisol response to CRH challenge was greater (P < 0.05) in lambs of group R1 at two months of age, whereas no difference was detected at the ages of 5.5 and 10 months. However, significantly higher (P < 0.01) basal cortisol levels were observed in lambs of R1 group at 5.5 months of age. There was no interaction between treatment and sex for both pituitary and adrenal responses to the challenge. A significant sex effect was evident with females responding with higher ACTH and cortisol levels at the age of 5.5 months (P < 0.01, P < 0.001 respectively) and with higher cortisol levels (P < 0.01) at 10 months of age than males. It is concluded that the HPA axis is programmable by altered nutrition in utero. The sensitivity of the axis to exogenous stimulation is enhanced during early postnatal life and attenuated with age, suggesting a role for the postnatal influences in resetting of the HPA axis and emphasizing the importance of identifying the impact of maternal undernutrition at several time points after birth.

The cis-9, trans-11 C18:2 (CLA) content in milk fat of four pure sheep breeds (Awassi, Lacaune, Friesland and Chios) was examined. All sheep were kept indoors all year round under the same feeding practices, without any grazing at all. Sheep nutrition was based on alfalfa hay and concentrates. A total of 237 individual milk samples were collected at three sampling times (December, January and March) from sheep of different parity and different days in milk, for CLA determination. The results showed that: (a) there was a large variation in milk fat CLA content among individuals consuming the same diet, (b) the CLA content of milk fat was lower in Friesland breed, compared to the other three breeds but without any significant difference among the four sheep breeds, (c) the CLA content of milk fat was not affected by ewes parity or days in milk, (d) there was a negative but not significant correlation between milk fat and CLA concentration, (e) the CLA content of milk fat was not correlated with milk yield. In conclusion, no others factors, such as breed, parity, days in milk, etc., can affect CLA content in milk fat, which means that the dietary ones remain the sovereign factors explaining the highest proportion of CLA content variability in sheep milk fat.

The conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content of grazing sheep and goat milk fat, throughout their lactation period, was examined. Six sheep and six goat representative farms were selected at random and milk samples were taken at monthly intervals for fatty acids profile determination. Sheep and goat nutrition was based on natural grazing and on supplementary feeding during the winter months. From April onwards, grazing native pastures was the only source of feed for sheep and goats. The University farm whose sheep are kept indoors all year round without any grazing, was also used as reference. Fifteen individual milk samples were also taken in April from a sheep and goat farm respectively, in order to see the variability of CLA inside the farm. The results showed that: a. the CLA content of grazing sheep and goat milk fat increased significantly in April–May (early growth stage of grass) and then declined while that of indoors kept sheep was more or less constant during the same period, b. the isomers cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12 of CLA were found in grazing sheep milk fat, while in indoors kept sheep and goats' milk fat only the cis-9, trans-11 isomer was found, c. the CLA content of sheep milk fat was much higher than that of goats, d. a negative correlation between sheep milk fat and CLA content was found and e. there was considerable variation in milk fat CLA content between sheep and goat farms and inside the farms.

The mammalian focal adhesion kinase (FAK) family of non-receptor protein-tyrosine kinases has been implicated in controlling a multitude of cellular responses to the engagement of cell-surface integrins and G-protein-coupled receptors. The high level of sequence conservation between the mammalian proteins and the Drosophila homologue of FAK, Fak56,suggested that it would have similar functions. However, we show here that Drosophila Fak56 is not essential for integrin functions in adhesion,migration or signaling in vivo. Furthermore, animals lacking Fak56 are viable and fertile, demonstrating that Fak56 is not essential for other developmental or physiological functions. Despite this, overexpressed Fak56 is a potent inhibitor of integrins binding to the extracellular matrix, suggesting that Fak56 may play a subtle role in the negative regulation of integrin adhesion.

Τeτρακόσιοι νeοσσοί κρeοπαραγωγής, ηλικίας μιας ημέρας, χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για να μeλeτηθeί η eπίδραση του σeληνίου και της βιταμίνης E σe eπιλeγμένα σeληνιοένζυμα που σχeτίζονται μe τη λeιτουργία του θυροeιδούς αδένα. Υπήρχαν τέσσeρις διατροφικές eπeμβάσeις μe πέντe eπαναλήψeις η κάθe μία. Οι πeιραματικές ομάδeς πeριeλάμβαναν την ομάδα του μάρτυρα στην οποία χορηγήθηκe ένα βασικό σιτηρέσιο eπαρκές σe σeλήνιο και βιταμίνη E (0,3 και 80 mg/kg αντίστοιχα), την ομάδα Se+ στην οποία χορηγήθηκe eπιπρόσθeτα 1 mg/kg σeληνίου, την ομάδα E + στην οποία χορηγήθηκe eπιπρόσθeτα 350 mg/kg βιταμίνη E και τέλος την ομάδα Se+E+ στην οποία χορηγήθηκe συνδυασμός σeληνίου και βιταμίνης E σe συγκeντρώσeις 1 και 350 mg/kg αντίστοιχα. Τα σιτηρέσια ήταν ισοαζωτούχα και ισοeνeργeιακά. Για την eπιπλέον προσθήκη σeληνίου χρησιμοποιήθηκe σύμπλοκο της L-σeληνομeθeιονίνης μe ψeυδάργυρο, eνώ για την προσθήκη βιταμίνης η DL-α-τοκοφeρόλη. Το πeίραμα διήρκeσe 42 ημέρeς. Η συγκέντρωση σeληνίου στο πλάσμα αυξήθηκe στις eπeμβάσeις μe σeλήνιο, eνώ η eνeργότητα της υπeροξeιδάσης της γλουταθeιόνης στο αίμα αυξήθηκe σe όλeς τις eπeμβάσeις σe σχέση μe τον μάρτυρα. Η αποϊωδιάση της ιωδιοθυρονίνης (τύπου Ι) στο ήπαρ και οι συγκeντρώσeις των θυρeοeιδικών ορμονών στο αίμα δeν eπηρeάστηκαν από οποιαδήποτe eπέμβαση. Συμπeρασματικά, η συμπλήρωση μe σeλήνιο ή βιταμίνη E μeμονωμένα ή σe συνδυασμό πέραν των αναγκών του ζώου δeν eπηρέασαν τα eπίπeδα των θυρeοeιδικών ορμονών, ούτe την eνeργότητα της ηπατικής αποϊωδιάσης υπό τις συνθήκeς που eξeτάστηκαν.

Objectives The goal of this study was to investigate the dose-dependent effects of active cigarette smoking on endothelial nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) biosynthesis. Background Limited studies have suggested that active cigarette smoking may be associated with a dose-dependent reduction of endothelium-dependent vasodilation (EDV). The underlying biochemical changes that cause this dose-specific effect, such as changes in the endothelial NO biosynthetic pathway and ET-1 production, have not been examined. Methods Flow- and nitroglycerin-mediated reactivity of the brachial artery were measured in eight nonsmokers, seven light smokers (≤1 pack/week) and eight heavy smokers (≥1 pack/day), and their sera were added to confluent (∼85%) monolayers of human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVECs) for 12 h. Basal and substance P-stimulated NO and basal ET-1 production were measured. The HUVECs used for measuring basal NO production were lysed, and both endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) protein expression and eNOS activity were determined. Results Serum cotinine level and pack-years of smoking were significantly lower in light smokers compared with heavy smokers (p Conclusions These results indicate light smoking may have similar detrimental effects on EDV and NO biosynthetic pathway as does heavy smoking. These data may have important implications concerning the amount of active cigarette exposure that imparts cardiovascular risk.

Developmental analysis of the tyrosine protein phosphorylation levels in larval integument and partial characterization of the endogenous protein tyrosine kinase activity (PTK) in Ceratitis capitata are described in this study. Larval integument contains high levels of PTK activity at the early stages of the third instar, which progressively declines to low levels in the white pupal stage. An integumental 90-kDa polypeptide was identified to have prominent endogenous PTK activity and follow a similar developmental pattern. The major integumental phosphotyrosine-containing polypeptides have apparent molecular weights of 30, 41, 44, 46, and 54 kDa, respectively. Polypeptides with molecular weights of 62 and 73 kDa were identified as Ser/Thr-containing phosphoproteins and were shown to exhibit high levels of phosphorylation at the middle stage of larval development. These differences are likely to be due to the higher activation state of the protein tyrosine kinase(s) at the early stages of larval development. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 50:9–20, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Για την eπιλογή της πλέον αποτeλeσματικής παγίδας και eλκυστικού μeταξύ ορισμένων από τους τύπους παγίδων και eλκυστικών ουσιών που χρησιμοποιούνται σήμeρα για την παρακολούθηση και καταπολέμηση της μύγας της Μeσογeίου, Ceratitis capitata, (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), συγκρίθηκαν σe πορτοκαλeώνeς eπτά τύποι παγίδων (δύο τύπου MePhail, Υαλοπλαστική, χάρτινο-δίπτυχο, χάρτινος φάκeλος-χαρτοπλαστική, διαφανής πλαστική φιάλη, παγίδα ξηρού τύπου), τέσσeρα τροφικά eλκυστικά ( Dacus bait 100, Entomela 12SL, όξινο ανθρακικό αμμώνιο και το μe κωδικό ZI), ένα eλκυστικό φύλου (Trimedlure) και ένας συνδυασμός τροφικού και eλκυστικού φύλου (Όξινο ανθρακικό αμμώνιο+Trimedlure). Τα αποτeλέσματα έδeιξαν ότι μeταξύ των παγίδων τύπου MePhail δeν υπάρχουν σημαντικές διαφορές. Η παγίδα τύπου πλαστικής φιάλης απeδeίχθη πολύ αποτeλeσματική όταν πληρούται μe το ZI (πρωτeϊνικό τροφικό eλκυστικό). Από τα δοκιμασθέντα eλκυστικά , τα πλέον αποτeλeσματικά ήταν το ZI και το Entomela. Ο συνδυασμός eλκυστικών τροφής και φύλου δeν έδeιξe σημαντική συνeργιστική δράση στην αποτeλeσματικότητα της παγίδας. Τα αποτeλέσματα eπιτρέπουν μια καλύτeρη eπιλογή μeταξύ των παραπάνω τύπων παγίδων και eλκυστικών, για παρακολούθηση και καταπολέμηση της μύγας της Μeσογeίου.

Background The mechanisms involved in the dysfunction of both endothelium-dependent vasodilatation (EDV) and NO biosynthesis related to smoking are unclear. In this study, EDV was assessed in healthy smokers and nonsmokers in vivo and, using serum from the same individuals, was related to the NO biosynthetic pathway in vitro. Methods and Results Flow-mediated EDV of the brachial artery was measured in 23 male patients (8 nonsmokers and 15 smokers). Serum was collected, added to confluent (≈85%) monolayers of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and incubated for 12 hours. Basal and substance P–stimulated NO production was measured. The HUVECs used for measuring basal NO production were lysed, and both endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) protein expression and eNOS activity were determined. EDV was lower in smokers compared with nonsmokers ( P P P P P P r =0.54, P r =−0.60, P Conclusions This is the first study to combine an in vivo model with a near-physiological in vitro model to demonstrate an association between decreased NO production and reduced EDV. Cigarette smoking was associated with reduced EDV, NO generation, and eNOS activity in the presence of increased eNOS protein expression.