Nephelometry determined serum immunoglobulin isotypes in healthy Thai children aged 2-15 years

Knowledge of what constitute normal serum immunoglobulin (Ig) concentrations are important for the diagnosis of immunologic disorders. Data on normal Ig evaluated by nephelometry are limited in healthy Asian children, none being available for Thai children. One hundred and forty-eight healthy Thai children aged 2-15 years were tested for serum immunoglobulins G, A, M, G1, G2, G3, and G4 (Ig G, A, M, G1, G2, G3, and G4) by nephelometry. Sixty-three percent were girls of median interquartile range age 6.9 (4.8-9.7) years. The geometric means for each Ig were summarized and categorized by age. Statistical analyses were used to compare Igs between sexes and age groups, and to compare IgG in this study with data from other published studies. The average ratios of IgG subclasses/IgG for Ig G1:2:3:4 were 66:22:5:7%. IgG, IgA, IgG2, and IgG3 concentrations showed a gradual increase with increasing age. There were no significant sex differences for any immunoglobulin isotype (P= 0.971). Our mean IgG concentration was lower than that measured by the radial diffusion method in healthy Thai children (P < 0.05). In all age groups, the mean IgG concentration in our study was significantly higher than that reported in Turkish and USA children, evaluated by the nephelometric and radial diffusion techniques, respectively (both P < 0.001). This study provides information about normal Ig concentrations measured by nephelometry in healthy Asian children and illustrates the importance of ascertaining normal Ig values for age- and ethnic-matched controls using the same assay to diagnose immunologic disorders correctly.     

Population structure and colonization of Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) in China,inferred from mtDNA COI sequences

The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, is a serious pest of fruits and vegetables in South‐east Asia, and, because of quarantine restrictions, impedes international trade and economic development in the region. Revealing genetic variation in oriental fruit fly populations will provide a better understanding of the colonization process and facilitate the quarantine and management of this species. The genetic structure in 15 populations of oriental fruit fly from southern China, Laos and Myanmar in South‐east Asia was examined with a 640‐bp sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. The highest levels of genetic diversity were found in Laos and Myanmar. Low to medium levels of genetic differentiation (F_ST ≤ 0.134) were observed among populations. Pooled populations from mainland China differed from those in Laos and Myanmar (F_ST = 0.024). Genetic structure across the region did not follow the isolation‐by‐distance model. The high genetic diversity observed in Laos and Myanmar supports the South‐east Asian origin of B. dorsalis. High genetic diversity and significant differentiation between some populations within mainland China indicate B. dorsalis populations have been established in the region for an extended period of time. High levels of genetic diversity observed among the five populations from Hainan Island and similarity between the Island and Chinese mainland populations indicate that B. dorsalis was introduced to Hainan from the mainland and has been on the island for many years. High genetic diversity in the recently established population in Shanghai (Pudong) suggests multiple introductions or a larger number of founders.     

Molecular phylogeography reveals an antitropical distribution and local diversification of Solenogyne (Asteraceae) in the Ryukyu Archipelago of Japan and Australia

An antitropical distribution represents an intriguing disjunction, in which a given species or sister lineages occupy regions north and south of the tropics but are absent from the intervening areas. Solenogyne mikadoi endemic to the Ryukyu Archipelago is regarded as an Australian element. Testing the phylogenetic relationship with Australian congeners and discussing the onset timing and causes of the disjunction would potentially enhance the understanding of antitropical distribution. A nuclear ribosomal DNA phylogeny was reconstructed using Bayesian and most parsimonious criteria with allied genera. Solenogyne was monophyletic and clustered with Lagenophora huegelii endemic to Australia, indicating the antitropical distribution and Australian origin of Solenogyne. Multispecies coalescent analysis based on nuclear ribosomal DNA and chloroplast DNA indicated the divergence of S. mikadoi and Australian congeners in the Plio‐Pleistocene. Phylogenetic network analyses suggested that the ancestral lineage of S. mikadoi first colonized the southernmost island in the archipelago and then dispersed northward. The migration to the archipelago likely followed the flourishing of Solenogyne in open vegetation communities that radiated in south‐eastern Australia during the late Pliocene. This disjunction might arise through long‐distance dispersal across the tropics or, alternatively, through extinction in the tropics as a result of unsuitably high temperatures during climate oscillation and/or competitions from diverse tropical flora surviving since the early Tertiary. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 105 , 197–217.     

Multiple origins of sequestrate basidiomes within Entoloma inferred from molecular phylogenetic analyses

The genus Entoloma comprises diverse trophic modes and basidiome morphologies. Although Entoloma includes some sequestrate species, their origins are not clearly understood in relation to phylogenetic position and trophic status. In this study, we collected 34 sequestrate Entoloma specimens in Japan over a 9-y period. Their identities and phylogenetic positions were determined by molecular analyses using three nuclear loci [internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) regions of rDNA and RNA polymerase II second LSU (rpb2) gene]. Based on species delimitation of 97 % sequence matches in the ITS region, which is a suitable region for species-level identification of higher fungi, we identified four sequestrate Entoloma species. Molecular phylogenetic analyses that included all related sequences in the International Nucleotide Sequence Database revealed that the four sequestrate Entoloma species belonged to two major phylogroups. One of the phylogroups was Inocephalus–Cyanula, which is composed only of saprotrophic species. Three of the Japanese sequestrate species, as well as three previously known sequestrate species from other regions, fell into at least two independent clades in this phylogroup, indicating multiple origins of sequestrate forms within this saprotrophic lineage. Another phylogroup, Rhodopolioid, was also shown to include a sequestrate species for the first time. Because the Rhodopolioid phylogroup is composed exclusively of mycorrhizal species (ectomycorrhizal and tuberculate mycorrhizal species), the sequestrate form may also have evolved from a mycorrhizal ancestor. Our results suggest that sequestrate basidiomes have evolved multiple times, irrespective of their trophic status in Entoloma. Finally, based on molecular and morphological characteristics, here we describe two new sequestrate Entoloma species, i.e., Entoloma prismaticum Sasaki, Kinoshita et Nara, sp. nov. and Entoloma hypogaeum Sasaki, Kinoshita et Nara, sp. nov.     

Review of the Southeast Asian species of the Aenictus javanus and Aenictus philippinensis species groups (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Aenictinae)

The Southeast Asian species of the Aenictus javanus and Aenictus philippinensis groups are revised. Six species (four named and two new species) of the Aenictus javanus group occurring in this area are: Aenictus doydeei Jaitrong & Yamane, 2011, Aenictus duengkaei Jaitrong & Yamane, sp. n., Aenictus javanus Emery, 1896, Aenictus longinodus Jaitrong & Yamane, sp. n., Aenictus nishimurai Terayama & Kubota, 1993, and Aenictus piercei Wheeler & Chapman, 1930. Four species (three named and one new species) are recognized in the Aenictus philippinensis group: Aenictus pangantihoni Zettel & Sorger, 2010, Aenictus philippinensis Chapman, 1963, Aenictus punctatus Jaitrong & Yamane, sp. n., and Aenictus rabori Chapman, 1963. Aenictus piercei is removed from the members of the Aenictus piercei group sensu Jaitrong and Yamane (2011) and transferred to the Aenictus javanus group. Lectotypes and paralectotypes are designated for Aenictus piercei and Aenictus rabori. Size variation occurs among individuals from single colonies of the Aenictus javanus group, while the workers in the Aenictus philippinensis group are clearly monomorphic.     

Deciduousness in a seasonal tropical forest in western Thailand: interannual and intraspecific variation in timing, duration and environmental cues

Seasonal tropical forests exhibit a great diversity of leaf exchange patterns. Within these forests variation in the timing and intensity of leaf exchange may occur within and among individual trees and species, as well as from year to year. Understanding what generates this diversity of phenological behaviour requires a mechanistic model that incorporates rate-limiting physiological conditions, environmental cues, and their interactions. In this study we examined long-term patterns of leaf flushing for a large proportion of the hundreds of tree species that co-occur in a seasonal tropical forest community in western Thailand. We used the data to examine community-wide variation in deciduousness and tested competing hypotheses regarding the timing and triggers of leaf flushing in seasonal tropical forests. We developed metrics to quantify the nature of deciduousness (its magnitude, timing and duration) and its variability among survey years and across a range of taxonomic levels. Tree species varied widely in the magnitude, duration, and variability of leaf loss within species and across years. The magnitude of deciduousness ranged from complete crown loss to no crown loss. Among species that lost most of their crown, the duration of deciduousness ranged from 2 to 21 weeks. The duration of deciduousness in the majority of species was considerably shorter than in neotropical forests with similar rainfall periodicity. While the timing of leaf flushing varied among species, most (∼70%) flushed during the dry season. Leaf flushing was associated with changes in photoperiod in some species and the timing of rainfall in other species. However, more than a third of species showed no clear association with either photoperiod or rainfall, despite the considerable length and depth of the dataset. Further progress in resolving the underlying internal and external mechanisms controlling leaf exchange will require targeting these species for detailed physiological and microclimatic studies.     

Floristics and plant biogeography in China

In 1998, a revolutionary system of angiosperm classification, the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system was published.Meanwhile, another new system of classification of angiosperms, the eight-class system was proposed by C.Y. Wu and colleagues based on long term work on the flora of China. The Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae project was initiated in 1959 and completed by 2004. It is the largest Flora so far completed in the world, including 31 228 species of vascular plants,or one-eighth of the global plant diversity. The English-language and updated Flora of China (FOC) is an international joint effort initiated in 1988 and accelerated in 1998. Up to now, 15 of the 24 volumes of the FOC have been published. Based on the fioristic data, the composition, characteristics, floristic divisions and affinities of the flora of China have been studied by Wu and colleagues since 1965. In the past 10years, analyses of the available floristic data have been very productive.The East Asiatic Floristic Kingdom was proposed in 1998. All 346 families of angiosperms in China, according to the eightclass system of classification, were comprehensively discussed by using knowledge of current and historical distribution of seed plants in the world, together with some morphological and molecular data. A scheme of distribution patterns or areal-types of families and genera of seed plants in China was modified and elucidated, together with a proposed scheme of areal-types of the world. Molecular phylogenetic and biogeographical studies of angiosperms in China in the past 10 yearsalso witnessed a progressive development. Integration of morphological and molecular data and fossil evidence revealed some significant results. Eastern Asia, which used to be regarded as an important center of survival during the ice age, is likely an important center of diversification of angiosperms.     

Collection and Use of Wild Edible Fungi in Nepal

Collection and Use of Wild Edible Fungi in Nepal. The significance of the contribution of wild edible mushrooms to rural livelihoods is acknowledged, but remains largely unexplored. This study investigates the collection of wild edible Nepalese fungi, which species are used, and what are the specific characteristics of the collectors and the collection. Data were collected using 282 structured questionnaires, interviews, and forest walks in 17 districts, environmental household accounts from 413 households in two communities, and a review of literature. A total of 228 species of wild fungi are confirmed to be used for food, and collection is most widespread among the high-mountain Tibeto-Nepalese ethnic groups, which collect an average of 18.1 kilograms (kg) fresh mushrooms per year per household, with some households collecting as much as 160 kg. We found no relation between wealth status and subsistence collection, although the commercial collectors are predominantly the poor earning up to six months of unskilled labor salary per season. Given the limited local trade and occurrence of globally marketed species, the scope for increasing contributions to rural livelihoods from collection of mushrooms, and risks in relation to this are briefly discussed.     

The trade in bear parts from Myanmar: an illustration of the ineffectiveness of enforcement of international wildlife trade regulations

We assessed the effectiveness of national and international wildlife trade regulations in Asia by surveying four wildlife markets in Myanmar for bears and bear parts. Bears are protected in Myanmar and neighbouring countries, and are included in CITES Appendix I, precluding international trade. Three of the four wildlife markets were situated at the border with neighbouring countries (China and Thailand) whereas the fourth, situated in Myanmar’s interior, also catered to international markets. During seven checks (1999–2006) we recorded 1,200 bear parts, representing a minimum of 215 individual bears. Most items were from Asiatic black bears Ursus thibetanus but also sun bear Helarctos malayanus parts were offered for sale. There were significant temporal and spatial differences in what items were offered for sale. Prices were low (USD 4–40 per item) and the total monetary value of the items for sale was USD 6,500–9,500 (not including gall bladders). Carcasses, skulls, canines, paws, claws, whole skins, pieces of skin, gall bladders and derivates, were openly displayed, with vendors being frank about prices, origin, and potential buyers. Only in the interior were prices quoted in the local currency; at the other three markets currencies of the neighbouring countries were used. Legal (international) trade in bears or bear parts from Myanmar is virtually non-existent, and the observed trade in bear parts strongly indicates a serious lack of enforcement effort. International trade in bear parts from Myanmar is significant, and open, and we conclude that the enforcement of wildlife trade regulations, at least when they concerns bear species, have by and large failed.     

Pollen Morphology of Eight Genera of the Subtribe Mutisiinae Less. sensu Bremer （Compositae） from Asia

The pollen morphology of 28 species and one variety representing eight genera of the subtribe Mutisiinae Less. sensu Bremer （Compositae） was investigated by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and light microscopy. The pollen grains are usually radically symmetrical, isopolar, and tricolporate. The shape varies from spheroidal to subprolate in equatorial view and is three-lobed circular in polar view. Based on exine sculpturing observed under SEM, the pollen grains can be divided into three types： （i） type Ⅰ, with macrogranulate sculpture; （ii） type Ⅱ, with a finely granulate sculpture; and （iii） type Ⅲ with spiny sculpture. The palynological data showed that the Macroclinidium Maxim. was remarkably distinguished from those of the other seven genera. The variation of pollen characteristics within the Mutisiinae in Asia is little at species level, but it proves some useful information for studying the relationships among genera and it has an important significance in further understanding the evolutionary history of Mutisiinae.