Pelage Color Variation of Macaca arctoides and Its Evolutionary Implications

Stump-tailed macaques (Macaca arctoides) exhibit significant intraspecific variation in pelage color. Based on their pelage color and geographical distribution, they are classified into 2 subspecies: northern bright brown Macaca arctoides arctoides and southern black Macaca arctoides melanota. However, studies on the natural population are extremely scarce, and researchers have occasionally questioned the subspecific classification. We quantitatively examined pelage color variation of Macaca arctoides in 3 free-ranging populations in Thailand. Pelage color difference between populations is significant. The population distributed south of the Isthmus of Kra showed wide intrapopulational variation, including bright brown, dark brown, and completely black, whereas the northern populations primarily had dark brown hairs. Thus, we conclude that one cannot classify the color variants into subspecies. Further, we hypothesize that the distinctive polymorphism in southern Thailand resulted from geographical isolation caused by the Pleistocene eustatic fluctuations and subsequent recovery of land connection and subsequent gene flow.     

Prospects of androgenetic induction in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lupinus</Emphasis> spp.

Anthers cultures of six Polish cultivars of pasture lupin (Lupinus L.) were examined for their androgenic response. Anthers with microspores at the uninucleate stage were isolated from flower buds and cultured in liquid media. Better viability of androgenetic structures was obtained when donor plants had grown under field as opposed to greenhouse conditions. A density of five anthers per 0.5 ml medium was more conducive to androgenetic induction than 25 anthers per 0.5 ml medium. Addition of 5% maltose to the induction medium and culture at 25°C without pre-treatment of flowers, buds or anthers promoted microspore release and division. The greatest frequency of androgenic callus, ~70% was developed from cvs. Katon, Wat (white lupin), in contrast to cvs. Legat, Juno (yellow lupin), Polonez and Sonet (narrow-leafed lupin) with callus induction ~30–40%. Despite various combinations of media tested, plant regeneration was not obtained from anther derived callus.     

Start making scents: the challenge of integrating chemistry into pollination ecology

Although research on plant volatiles and pollination ecology has grown explosively over the past 15 years, there remains little dialogue between these fields. Here I examine the historical and cultural reasons for this impasse, focusing on the ways that questions in each field are addressed, and the potential for productive cross-talk. The specialization–generalization debate in pollination has cast doubt on the importance of sensory biology in mediating plant–pollinator interactions on the community scale. However, chemical 'filters' of volatile or nectar-borne repellents are likely to explain the absence of specific interactions in plant–pollinator webs. In addition, the omission of plant volatiles from path analyses measuring the relative impacts of herbivores and pollinators on plant fitness may be one reason for large unexplained variance terms in such models. Floral scent functions in concert with visual and gustatory cues by attracting pollinators from a distance, increasing approaches and landings, and mediating outcrossing rates through changes in visitation frequency and duration. All dimensions of floral chemistry, including ontogenetic and diel variation in scent emissions, have the potential to respond to balancing selection between herbivores and pollinators. The available data reveal that chemical aspects of floral phenotypes are important across the specialization–generalization spectrum, and thus are widely applicable to mainstream pollination ecology.     

The role of pollinator shifts in the floral diversification of Iochroma (Solanaceae)

Differences in floral traits among plant species have often been attributed to adaptation to pollinators. We explored the importance of pollinator shifts in explaining floral divergence among 15 species of Iochroma. We examined four continuously varying floral traits: corolla length, nectar reward, display size, and flower color. Pollinator associations were characterized with a continuously varying measure of pollinator importance (the product of visitation and pollen deposition) for four groups of pollinators: hummingbirds, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Diptera. A phylogenetic generalized least squares approach was used to estimate correlations between pollinator groups and floral traits across a sample of Bayesian trees using different models of trait evolution. Multivariate analyses were also employed to identify suites of traits associated with each pollinator group. We found that nonphylogenetic models typically fit the data better than phylogenetic models (Brownian motion, Ornstein-Uhlenbeck), and thus results varied little across trees. Our results indicated that species with high nectar reward and large displays are significantly more likely to be pollinated by hummingbirds and less likely to be pollinated by all groups of insects. Corolla length and flower color did not show any consistently significant associations with pollinator groups. For these two traits, we discuss alternative evolutionary forces, including phylogenetic inertia and community-level factors.     

Natural selection along an environmental gradient: a classic cline in mouse pigmentation

We revisited a classic study of morphological variation in the oldfield mouse ( Peromyscus polionotus ) to estimate the strength of selection acting on pigmentation patterns and to identify the underlying genes. We measured 215 specimens collected by Francis Sumner in the 1920s from eight populations across a 155-km, environmentally variable transect from the white sands of Florida's Gulf coast to the dark, loamy soil of southeastern Alabama. Like Sumner, we found significant variation among populations: mice inhabiting coastal sand dunes had larger feet, longer tails, and lighter pigmentation than inland populations. Most striking, all seven pigmentation traits examined showed a sharp decrease in reflectance about 55 km from the coast, with most of the phenotypic change occurring over less than 10 km. The largest change in soil reflectance occurred just south of this break in pigmentation. Geographic analysis of microsatellite markers shows little interpopulation differentiation, so the abrupt change in pigmentation is not associated with recent secondary contact or reduced gene flow between adjacent populations. Using these genetic data, we estimated that the strength of selection needed to maintain the observed distribution of pigment traits ranged from 0.0004 to 21%, depending on the trait and model used. We also examined changes in allele frequency of SNPs in two pigmentation genes, Mc1r and Agouti , and show that mutations in the cis -regulatory region of Agouti may contribute to this cline in pigmentation. The concordance between environmental variation and pigmentation in the face of high levels of interpopulation gene flow strongly implies that natural selection is maintaining a steep cline in pigmentation and the genes underlying it.     

Association of red coloration with senescence of sugar maple leaves in autumn

We evaluated the association of red coloration with senescence in sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) leaves by assessing differences in leaf retention strength and the progression of the abscission layer through the vascular bundle of green, yellow, and red leaves of 14 mature open-grown trees in October 2002. Computer image analysis confirmed visual categorization of leaves as predominantly green, yellow or red, and chemical quantification of leaf pigment concentrations verified that leaf color reflected underlying differences in leaf biochemistry. Significantly lower chlorophyll concentrations within red and yellow leaves indicated that senescence was more advanced in leaves from these color categories relative to green leaves. Among leaf types, only red leaves contained high concentrations of anthocyanins. There were significant differences in leaf retention capacity among color categories, with the petioles of green leaves being the most firmly attached to twigs, followed by red and then yellow leaves. Microscopic analysis indicated that yellow leaves had the most advanced extension of the abscission layer through the vasculature, with green and red leaves having significantly less abscission layer progression than yellow. A more limited progression of the abscission layer through vascular bundles may be evidence of delayed leaf senescence that could extend resorption of mobile leaf constituents. Together, results from this study suggest an association between leaf anthocyanin content and functional delays in senescence.     

色变银环蛇与正常银环蛇的形态学及毒性比较研究

目的研究色变银环蛇与正常银环蛇的形态学差异。方法比较蛇外形、鳞片、毒腺、排毒量、毒性等情况。结果色变银环蛇与正常银环蛇的鳞片数目无异,但其毒腺大小、排毒量、毒性均有明显差异。结论可能由于蛇的生存环境发生了改变,故而出现了银环蛇的形态改变。     

Photography in limnology: documentation of lake color using a CCD camera

During a survey of Norwegian lakes, photographic records were made of lake color as reflected by a white Secchi disk positioned at half of the depth of extinction. The pictorial distinction between different lakes is documented in this article. The pictures recorded can readily be transferred to a color model [e.g., Commission Internationale de L’Éclairage (CIE)-Lab]; from there, numerical color parameter values such as hue (h*, the quality of color) and chroma (C*, the intensity of color) may be assigned to each record. There are, however, limitations and obstacles connected with the transformation of color values recorded by a CCD camera (or film digitizers) to absolute numerical values comparable between different cameras and systems. A single CCD camera may be useful for documenting lake color, but there are technical limitations restricting its use as a scientific instrument for quantitative purposes.     

Spectral Test Instrument for Color Vision Measurement

Common displays such as CRT or LCD screens have hmlted capabilities in displaying most color spectra correctly. The main disadvantage of these devices is that they work with three primaries and the colors displayed are the mixture of these three colours. Consequently these devices can be confusing in testing human color identification, because the spectral distribution of the colors displayed is the combined spectrum of the three primaries. We have developed a new instrument for spectrally correct color vision measurement. This instrument uses light emitting diodes (LEDs) and is capable of producing all spectra of perceivable colors, thus with appropriate test methods this instrument can be a reliable and useful tool in testing human color vision and in verifying color vision correction.     

彩色多普勒超声对无水酒精治疗肝细胞癌早期疗效的评价

目的:探讨彩色多普勒超声评价无水酒精治疗肝细胞癌早期疗效的临床应用价值。方法:利用彩色多普勒血流显像(CDFI)、彩色多普勒能量图(CDE)检查技术,经皮无水酒精瘤内注射(PEI)治疗52例肝细胞癌(肿块直径1.65.0cm),疗程结束后一周,以CDFI及CDE血流显示的有无作为评价PEI早期疗效的观察指标,并行组织学活检病理检查。结果:52个肿块经PEI治疗后,CDFI及CDE示大部分肿块血流信号消失,小部分肿块能检出血流信号,但较治疗前明显减少。以病理检查结果为金标准,CDFI及CDE评价PEI治疗后肿瘤的灭活情况,其敏感性为:50.0%、77.8%,准确性为78.8%、90.4%,Kappa值为:0.486、0.779。结论:CDFI、CDE动态监控PEI治疗过程对指导治疗意义重大,CDFI、CDE评价PEI结果客观、可靠,CDE可以敏感而直观地显示PEI治疗后肿瘤周边及内部残存的血流信号,对指导PEI治疗、时机及靶目标的选择以提高疗效具有重要的临床应用价值。