Variation in hostplant relations and courtship signals of weed-associated populations of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), from Australia and Asia: a test of the recognition species concept

Populations of the morphological species, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), were found to breed and feed on the grass, Leersia hexandra Schwartz, at six sites in Queensland, Australia. They differ from sympatric rice-feeding populations in characters of pulse repetition frequencies of male and female acoustic courtship signals. The two host-derived populations hybridize freely in the laboratory, but in mate choice experiments show very significant preferences for homogametic matings. No indication of field hybridization has been found, so that the two morphologically inseparable populations represent sympatric biological species in Australia.
Populations from L. hexandra are also reported from four localities in Sri Lanka and one in Orissa, India. These resemble previously studied populations from the Philippines. They differ significantly in courtship call characters, both from sympatric rice-associated populations and from allopatric Leersia -associated populations from Australia.
The geographical variation reported for acoustic signals is not consistent with Paterson's recognition concept of species, but may be interpreted in terms of theories of allopatric speciation involving sexual selection for mate recognition signals.     

Taxonomy and ecological niche modeling: Implications for the conservation of wood partridges (genus Dendrortyx)

Ecological niche models (ENMs) have a wide range of biological applications, particularly in conservation. To build these models, two sources of information are needed: occurrence records for the species of interest and environmental variables. However, taxonomic limits are often unclear, and the selection of occurrence data depends on the species concept being used. In this study we generated ENMs based on different taxonomic levels within the Dendrortyx group, which is comprised of three species and several subspecies; we analyzed the geographic and ecological distribution patterns and discuss the implications for the biogeography and conservation of this group. Our results suggest that the area with suitable climate depends on the taxonomic category used in the model, which in turn affects the interpretation of the importance of different biogeographic barriers and introduces variation into the potential differentiation of Dendrortyx. In terms of conservation, Dendrortyx macroura and Dendrortyx leucophrys are in a low risk category, that of “least concern,” although they may be amended to a higher category when their allopatric lineages are considered as the units for modeling. We suggest carrying out an a priori taxonomic analysis to facilitate the empirical identification of the units to be modeled in order to allow for a better ecological and biogeographic interpretation and more sound conservation policies.     

A chemically stable fluorescent marker of the ureter

Surgical methods guided by exogenous fluorescent markers have the potential to define tissue types in real time. Small molecule dyes with efficient and selective renal clearance could enable visualization of the ureter during surgical procedures involving the abdomen and pelvis. These studies report the design and synthesis of a water soluble, net neutral C4′-O-alkyl heptamethine cyanine, Ureter-Label (UL)-766, with excellent properties for ureter visualization. This compound is accessed through a concise synthetic sequence involving an N- to O-transposition reaction that provides other inaccessible C4′-O-alkyl heptamethine cyanines. Unlike molecules containing a C4′-O-aryl substituent, which have also been used for ureter visualization, UL-766 is not reactive towards glutathione and the cellular proteome. In addition, rat models of abdominal surgery reveal that UL-766 undergoes efficient and nearly exclusive renal clearance in vivo. In total, this molecule represents a promising candidate for visualizing the ureter during a variety of surgical interventions.     

巨大垂体腺瘤经蝶手术后发生脑脊液鼻漏的危险因素分析

目的:探讨巨大垂体腺瘤经蝶手术脑脊液鼻漏的发病原因,并提出相关的修补措施。方法:选择2009年2月-2012年8月在我院进行诊治的巨大垂体腺瘤患者180例,所有患者均采用经蝶手术摘除巨大垂体腺瘤。观察预后情况。结果:在接受经蝶手术的180例患者中,25例发生脑脊液鼻漏,发生率为13.8%。其中男性15例,女性10例。单因素多因素分析都显示肿瘤大小、慢性蝶窦炎与再次手术与脑脊液鼻漏的发生有直接关系,为独立的影响因素(P0.05)。对25例出现脑脊液鼻漏的患者采用鼻内镜手术进行治疗,全部病例经手术修复后获得一次性治愈。随访6个月,无1例复发,无术后并发症。结论:巨大垂体腺瘤经蝶手术脑脊液鼻漏的发病率比较高,肿瘤大小、慢性蝶窦炎与再次手术为主要的独立危险因素,要积极采用鼻内镜下治疗。     

Return of the Native: Cognition and Site-Specific Expertise in Orangutan Rehabilitation

Ex-captive orangutans that have returned to free forest life in Bornean forests offer exceptional opportunities to assess the cognitive challenges facing feral great apes. They also provide opportunities to track readaptation, which requires building expertise to survive in tropical rain forests and to integrate into orangutan communities. I outline some of the foraging problems that ex-captive orangutans encounter, the cognitive processes used in their solutions, and acquisition patterns. Evidence derives primarily from observational studies of feeding behavior in free-ranging ex-captives. Discussion focuses on implications for conservation initiatives.     

早期心脏康复对老年急性心肌梗死PCI术后心功能及心理状态的影响

摘要 目的：探讨早期心脏康复对老年急性心肌梗死（acute myocardial infarction, AMI）患者经皮冠状动脉介入（percutaneous coronary intervention, PCI）术后心功能及心理状态的影响。方法：2018年1月~2018年12月间成功实施PCI的62例老年AMI患者随机分为研究组（n=31）和对照组（n=31），同时选择30例健康体检者作为健康组。对照组按照《中国经皮冠状动脉介入治疗后康复程序》给予常规康复训练，研究组结合根据6 min步行试验（6min walking test, 6MWT）制定个性化的康复训练方案，包括院内、院外心脏康复干预、心理干预及随访，为期6个月。比较两组术后心功能、心理状态、终点事件的发生情况。结果：康复后6个月，两组左心室舒张末期内径(left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, LVEDD)、左室收缩末期内径（left ventricular end-systolic diameter, LVESD）、左心室射血分数(left ventricular ejection fraction, LVEF)各心功能指标均较康复前明显提高，且研究组明显优于对照组(P<0.05)。研究组康复后6个月LVEF与健康组比较，差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。康复后6个月，两组90项症状自评量表（symptom check list-90, SCL-90）各项目中除敌对、偏执外，其余项目评分均显降低，且研究组躯体化、强迫症状、抑郁、焦虑、精神病性显著低于对照组(P<0.05)。康复随访期间，研究组终点事件的总发生率9.7%，显著低于对照组25.8%，且6 min步行距离（6 min walking distance, 6MWD亦较对照组明显增加(P<0.05)。结论：早期心脏康复可明显促进老年AMI患者PCI术后心功能恢复，改善心理状态，降低术后不良终点事件发生风险。     

High hydrostatic pressure in cancer immunotherapy and biomedicine

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) has been known to affect biological systems for >100?years. In this review, we describe the technology of HHP and its effect macromolecules and physiology of eukaryotic cells. We discuss the use of HHP in cancer immunotherapy to kill tumor cells for generation of whole cell and dendritic cell-based vaccines. We further summarize the current use and perspectives of HHP application in biomedicine, specifically in orthopedic surgery and for the viral, microbial and protozoan inactivation to develop vaccines against infectious diseases.