Drought mortality of bush elephants in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

African bush elephants inhabiting the undeveloped Kalahari Sands region of Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe are subject to episodic mortality during droughts. We monitored the drought‐related mortality of elephants in Hwange National Park over the course of an extended drought between 1993 and 1995. The drought‐related mortality of elephants was higher during 1994 than 1995, despite significantly higher rainfall in 1994 than 1995. We found significant differences in the age‐specific mortality of elephants during 1994 and 1995. The cumulative mortality profile from this study differed significantly from previous die‐offs at this site, with a higher mortality among adult age classes than that reported from earlier studies in Hwange National Park. The effective duration of the rainy season, not total annual precipitation, appears to be the best predictor for the potential severity of drought mortality among elephants in the Kalahari Sands habitats of Hwange National Park.     

Extensive molecular differences between anterior- and posterior-half-sclerotomes underlie somite polarity and spinal nerve segmentation

Background  

The polarization of somite-derived sclerotomes into anterior and posterior halves underlies vertebral morphogenesis and spinal nerve segmentation. To characterize the full extent of molecular differences that underlie this polarity, we have undertaken a systematic comparison of gene expression between the two sclerotome halves in the mouse embryo.     

The effects of extracellular nucleotides on [Ca2+]i signalling in a human‐derived renal proximal tubular cell line (HKC‐8)

HKC‐8 cells are a human‐derived renal proximal tubular cell line and provide a useful model system for the study of human renal cell function. In this study, we aimed to determine [Ca²⁺]_i signalling mediated by P2 receptor in HKC‐8. Fura‐2 and a ratio imaging method were employed to measure [Ca²⁺]_i in HKC‐8 cells. Our results showed that activation of P2Y receptors by ATP induced a rise in [Ca²⁺]_i that was dependent on an intracellular source of Ca²⁺, while prolonged activation of P2Y receptors induced a rise in [Ca²⁺]_i that was dependent on intra‐ and extracellular sources of Ca²⁺. Pharmacological and molecular data in this study suggests that TRPC4 channels mediate Ca²⁺ entry in coupling to activation of P2Y in HKC‐8 cells. U73221, an inhibitor of PI‐PLC, did not inhibit the initial ATP‐induced response; whereas D609, an inhibitor of PC‐PLC, caused a significant decrease in the initial ATP‐induced response, suggesting that P2Y receptors are coupled to PC‐PLC. Although P2X were present in HKC‐8, The P2X agonist, α,β me‐ATP, failed to cause a rise in [Ca²⁺]_i. However, PPADS at a concentration of 100 µM inhibits the ATP‐induced rise in [Ca²⁺]_i. Our results indicate the presence of functional P2Y receptors in HKC‐8 cells. ATP‐induced [Ca²⁺]_i elevation via P2Y is tightly associated with PC‐PLC and TRP channel. J. Cell. Biochem. 109: 132–139, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Spatial congruence in language and species richness but not threat in the world's top linguistic hotspot

Languages share key evolutionary properties with biological species, and global-level spatial congruence in richness and threat is documented between languages and several taxonomic groups. However, there is little understanding of the functional connection between diversification or extinction in languages and species, or the relationship between linguistic and species richness across different spatial scales. New Guinea is the world''s most linguistically rich region and contains extremely high biological diversity. We demonstrate significant positive relationships between language and mammal richness in New Guinea across multiple spatial scales, revealing a likely functional relationship over scales at which infra-island diversification may occur. However, correlations are driven by spatial congruence between low levels of language and species richness. Regional biocultural richness may have showed closer congruence before New Guinea''s linguistic landscape was altered by Holocene demographic events. In contrast to global studies, we demonstrate a significant negative correlation across New Guinea between areas with high levels of threatened languages and threatened mammals, indicating that landscape-scale threats differ between these groups. Spatial resource prioritization to conserve biodiversity may not benefit threatened languages, and conservation policy must adopt a multi-faceted approach to protect biocultural diversity as a whole.     

Taxonomic review of the genus Pseudostegania Butler, 1881, with description of four new species and comments on its tribal placement in the Larentiinae (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

The genus Pseudostegania Butler is revised. In addition to the two species known, four species are described as new: P. lijiangensis sp. nov. from Yunnan Province, P. qinlingensis sp. nov. from Gansu and Shaanxi Provinces, P. zhoui sp. nov. from Sichuan Province (China) and P. burmaensis sp. nov. from Burma (Myanmar); two species are newly combined with Pseudostegania: P. distinctaria (Leech, 1897), comb. nov. and P. yargongaria (Oberthür, 1916), comb. nov. All the known species are redescribed and lectotypes are designated for P. defectata (Christoph, 1881), P. distinctaria and P. yargongaria. The generic characters, based on all species, are summarized. The tribal placement of Pseudostegania is discussed. Illustrations of moths and genitalia are presented.