Three new species of the leafhopper genus Tambocerus Zhang & Webb (Hemiptera,Cicadellidae) from southern China

Three new species, Tambocerus dentatus, T. longicaudatus and T. robustispinus spp. n. from southern China, are described and illustrated. A checklist and distribution to the Tambocerus species from China is provided together with a key for their separation.     

Climate‐driven rampant speciation of the Cape flora

Aim To test whether the radiation of the extremely rich Cape flora is correlated with marine‐driven climate change. Location Middle to Late Miocene in the south‐east Atlantic and the Benguela Upwelling System (BUS) off the west coast of South Africa. Methods We studied the palynology of the thoroughly dated Middle to Late Miocene sediments of Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1085 retrieved from the Atlantic off the mouth of the Orange River. Both marine upwelling and terrestrial input are recorded at this site, which allows a direct correlation between changes in the terrestrial flora and the marine BUS in the south‐east Atlantic. Results Pollen types from plants of tropical affinity disappeared, and those from the Cape flora gradually increased, between 10 and 6 Ma. Our data corroborate the inferred dating of the diversification in Aizoaceae c. 8 Ma. Main conclusions Inferred vegetation changes for the Late Miocene south‐western African coast are the disappearance of Podocarpus‐dominated Afromontane forests, and a change in the vegetation of the coastal plain from tropical grassland and thicket to semi‐arid succulent vegetation. These changes are indicative of an increased summer drought, and are in step with the development of the southern BUS. They pre‐date the Pliocene uplift of the East African escarpment, suggesting that this did not play a role in stimulating vegetation change. Some Fynbos elements were present throughout the recorded period (from 11 Ma), suggesting that at least some elements of this vegetation were already in place during the onset of the BUS. This is consistent with a marine‐driven climate change in south‐western Africa triggering substantial radiation in the terrestrial flora, especially in the Aizoaceae.     

Electrophysiological evidence for the autoregulation of β-cell secretion by insulin

Electrophysiological studies of cultured rat pancreatic β-cells using intracellular microelectrodes show that exogenous insulin over the range of 0.1–10.0 μg/ml inhibits the electrical activity due to 27.8 mM glucose in a dose-related manner. This inhibitory effect is manifested by a mean increase of the membrane potential from about ?20 to ?30 mV and inhibition of the manner of cells impaled showing spike activity from 60 to less than 10%. The inhibitory influence of insulin is rapid occuring within 5 min for the highest level used. The results provide evidence for a negative feedback role of insulin in regulating its own release.     

A semiautomated fluorometric determination of 5-hydroxyindoles in the nanogram range

Automated determinations of 5-hydroxytryptamine and its main metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, have been described (Technicon autoanalyzer). The determinations are based on an extraction procedure from deproteinized tissue extracts or cerebrospinal fluid by means of butanolheptane mixtures. The indoles are transferred from the organic phase to a water phase and determined fluormetrically with the cysteine-o-phthaldialdehyde method. The method is highly sensitive: solutions containing 1 ng/ml can be reproducibly determined. Twenty samples per hour can be passed through the system. The determination of both 5-hydroxyindoles is performed with the same manifold.     

Petrosal bones of metatherian mammals from the Late Palaeocene of Itaboraí (Brazil), and a cladistic analysis of petrosal features in metatherians

Metatherian petrosal bones were recovered from the early Late Palaeocene Itaboraí, Brazil, and are formally described. A cladistic analysis of the distribution of 56 petrosal and basicranial characters among extant and fossil metatherians was conducted, resulting in seven parsimonious trees. Relationships among metatherian ingroup taxa are congruent with current understanding of metatherian phylogeny. Metatheria is diagnosed by eight petrosal synapomorphies: stapedial artery absent in adults; reduced, intramural prootic canal; extrabullar internal carotid artery; inferior petrosal sinus between petrosal, basisphenoid, and basioccipital; cava supracochleare and epiptericum completely separated; reduction of the lateral flange; reduction of the anterior lamina; separation of the jugular foramen from the opening for the inferior petrosal sinus. The Palaeocene taxa Mayulestes , Pucadelphy s, and Andinodelphys from Tiupampa, and Petrosal Type II from Itaboraí are the sister groups of all other South American and Australian metatherians. This analysis confirms previous results showing the South American 'monito del monte' Dromiciops nested within the Australasian radiation. Within this australidelphian clade, Dromiciops is closely related to the dasyurids. The South American Caenolestes appears more closely related to the Australidelphia than to the South American didelphids. The Petrosal Types I, III, IV and V from Itaboraí are the stem taxa of the clade Australidelphia plus Caenolestes . The significant synapomorphies supporting this relationship are: enlargement of the fossa subarcuata that produces a bulbous ventral aspect of the mastoid and loss of post-temporal canal.  Journal compilation © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 150 , 85–115. No claim to original French government works.     

Embryos of common thresher shark Alopias vulpinus in southern Brazil, South Atlantic Ocean

Eight embryonic thresher sharks Alopias vulpinus (53·9–124 cm total length) were collected from two females caught by commercial longline off southern Brazil in September and November 2004. Morphometric measurements are provided.     

Transforming Milk in a Global Economy

Large-scale milk production and consumption historically have been localized to Europe and countries with large European-derived populations. However, global patterns have now shifted, with dramatic increases in milk consumption in Asian countries and flat or declining consumption in European and European-derived countries. Efforts to market it around the world emphasize milk's positive effects on child growth, and, by extension, the individual and national benefits that derive from that growth. At the same time, milk has newly emerged in milk promotions in the United States as food that facilitates weight loss. Milk has been able to achieve a global presence and continuing relevance in populations in which its consumption has been declining by continually transforming and repositioning itself as a "special" food with properties able to alleviate the health concerns seen as most salient at the time.     

Zebra stripes and tiger stripes: the spatial frequency distribution of the pattern compared to that of the background is significant in display and crypsis

Some striped animals are camouflaged in their natural environment, whereas others are conspicuous. Mammals are known to have spatial frequency analysers in their visual mechanism, and it is suggested that the spatial characteristics of a striped pattern are different in camouflaged and conspicuous animals. Fourier analysis of the stripes of the zebra shows spatial frequencies in the pattern that are unlikely to be present so strongly in their natural background scene. A similar analysis of the camouflaging stripes of a tiger show that the distribution of spatial frequencies are similar to that in the background scene.