Phytogeographical affinities at the crossroads of two continents: Distribution patterns of Lamiaceae in Chios Island (East Aegean Islands,Greece) and Çeşme–Karaburun Peninsula (West Anatolia,Turkey)

The East Aegean (East Aegean Islands, Greece and West Anatolia, Turkey) is a biogeographically transitional region, where biodiversity elements from Europe and Asia join. However, affinities in the region were until recently scarcely explored. We assess biogeographical affinities in the East Aegean focusing on distribution patterns of Lamiaceae plants in Chios Island and its adjacent Çe?me–Karaburun Peninsula. Detailed in-situ record was acquired for 48 native species. These were grouped based on their habitat and geological substrate preference, their distribution was mapped in grid cells and distribution patterns were analysed in relation to species groupings. In both Chios and Çe?me–Karaburun, species follow five distribution patterns: widespread, locally widespread, locally restricted, sporadic and rare. Fifty to 62% of the species exhibit similar distribution patterns, trends in habitat and geological substrate preference in Chios and Çe?me–Karaburun, results complying with previous evidence of close biogeographical affinities of the East Aegean Islands and neighbouring Anatolia. Differences observed between the two regions may be attributed to insularity effects, human impact and the melange, an old rock matrix known for its key role in elucidating regional geodynamic evolution. Distributions of widespread and locally widespread species in Chios give evidence of density compensation and niche shifts responses, however, the actual occurrence of these phenomena in island plant populations is still to be elucidated. Overall, the species distribution patterns, particularly those of rare ones, reflect the complex geological history, palaeogeography and human influence in the Aegean region.     

Conformationally Restricted 2-Substituted Wyosine Derivatives. 1H, 13C,and 15N NMR Study

Abstract

It was found by ¹H, ¹³C and ¹⁵N NMR study that substitution of 4,9-dihydro-4, 6-dimethyl-9-oxo-3-(2′,3′,5′-tri-O-acetyl-β-D-ribofuranosyl) imidazo [1,2-a]purine (wyosine triacetate, 1) at C2 position with electronegative groups CH₃O and C₆H₅CH₂O results in a noticeable electron distribution disturbance in the “left-hand” imidazole ring and a significant increase in the North conformer population of the sugar moiety.     

Highly‐enhanced larval growth during the cold season mediated by the basking behavior of the butterfly Parnassius citrinarius (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae)

Some insect species are thought to grow quickly, even in low temperatures under natural conditions, presumably by conducting basking behaviors to use sunlight. However, whether basking behavior in fact enhances developmental speed and shortens the larval period in the field has not been determined. Moreover, few studies have examined whether basking is behavioral thermoregulation or simply the result of highly‐heterogeneous heat environments in the field. To examine these issues, we conducted field observations and laboratory experiments using larvae of Parnassius citrinarius Motschulsky, which mature within a short period after the thaw in early spring. First, body temperatures of larvae were measured under sunny and cloudy conditions. Second, larval preference for warmer locations was examined. Finally, we compared the developmental speed of larvae when they basked under field conditions and when did not bask in laboratory conditions under different air temperature regimes. Under sunny conditions, larval body temperature was substantially higher than either the temperature of the host plant or the air temperature, and was equivalent to the temperature of dead leaves, which the larvae used as basking sites. In contrast, no such tendency was observed under cloudy conditions. Larvae exhibited an exclusive preference for warmer locations. Moreover, in the field, despite the low ambient temperature, larvae grew much faster than those reared in the laboratory. These results imply that the basking behavior of P. citrinarius larvae is active thermoregulation to maintain high body temperatures in the cold season.     

Taok2 controls behavioral response to ethanol in mice

Despite recent advances in the understanding of ethanol's biological action, many of the molecular targets of ethanol and mechanisms behind ethanol's effect on behavior remain poorly understood. In an effort to identify novel genes, the products of which regulate behavioral responses to ethanol, we recently identified a mutation in the dtao gene that confers resistance to the locomotor stimulating effect of ethanol in Drosophila. dtao encodes a member of the Ste20 family of serine/threonine kinases implicated in MAP kinase signaling pathways. In this study, we report that conditional ablation of the mouse dtao homolog, Taok2, constitutively and specifically in the nervous system, results in strain‐specific and overlapping alterations in ethanol‐dependent behaviors. These data suggest a functional conservation of dtao and Taok2 in mediating ethanol's biological action and identify Taok2 as a putative candidate gene for ethanol use disorders in humans.     

Temperature preference of juvenile lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) originating from the southern and northern parts of Norway

Fish are ectothermic animals and have body temperatures close to that of the water they inhabit. They can still control their body temperatures by selecting habitats with temperatures that maximize their growth, feed conversion and wellbeing. Lumpfish, Cyclopterus lumpus, is widely distributed in the North Atlantic Ocean and therefore exposed to variable water temperatures. Lumpfish is extensively used as cleanerfish in salmon farming in Norway and exposed to a wide temperature range along the north-south axis of the Norwegian coastline. But, if these temperature ranges correspond to the preference temperatures of lumpfish is not known. If lumpfish has adapted to regional temperatures along the Norwegian coast, differences in preference temperature for fish from different regions should be evident. In a selective breeding perspective, different selection lines for preference temperature would then be useful for further development of lumpfish as a cleanerfish.We subjected lumpfish juveniles weighing 154–426g originated from northern (Group North – GN) and southern (Group South – GS) Norway to a temperature preference test, using an electronic shuttle box system. The system allowed the fish to control the water temperature by moving between two chambers, and thereby choosing its preferred temperature in the range from 5 to 16 °C. We started the temperature at 7.8 ± 1.37 °C for GN and 7.58 ± 1.34 °C for GS, but all the fish except four (two each from GN and GS) chose lower temperatures (5.03–7.6 °C) in the first 18 h and stayed closer to that temperature during the next 30 h. Based on the results, GN and GS lumpfish preferred 6.92 ± 1.8 and 6.2 ± 1.2, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the groups. Neither was there any significant difference in growth rates (SGR) between the two groups. Based on our results, we suggest that lumpfish from any geographical origin along the Norwegian coast can be used anywhere in Norway. It follows that lumpfish from a single selection line could be used at any salmon farm in Norway independent of its location.     

Strength in numbers? Cytotype frequency mediates effect of reproductive barriers in mixed-ploidy arrays

When differentiated lineages come into contact, their fates depend on demographic and reproductive factors. These factors have been well-studied in taxa of the same ploidy, but less is known about sympatric lineages that differ in ploidy, particularly with respect to demographic factors. We assessed prezygotic, postzygotic, and total reproductive isolation in naturally pollinated arrays of diploid-tetraploid and tetraploid-hexaploid population mixes of Campanula rotundifolia by measuring pollinator transitions, seed yield, germination rate, and proportion of hybrid offspring. Four frequencies of each cytotype were tested, and pollinators consistently overvisited rare cytotypes. Seed yield and F1 hybrid production were greater in 4X-6X arrays than 2X-4X arrays, whereas germination rates were similar, creating two distinct patterns of reproductive isolation. In 2X-4X arrays, postzygotic isolation was near complete (3% hybrid offspring), and prezygotic isolation associated with pollinator preference is expected to facilitate the persistence of minority cytotypes. However, in 4X-6X arrays where postzygotic isolation permitted hybrid formation (44% hybrids), pollinator behavior drove patterns of reproductive isolation, with rare cytotypes being more isolated and greater gene flow expected from rare into common cytotypes. In polyploid complexes, both the specific cytotypes in contact and local cytotype frequency, likely reflecting spatial demography, will influence likelihood of gene exchange.     

Host preference and suitability in the endoparasitoid Campoletis chlorideae is associated with its ability to suppress host immune responses

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Blockage of glucocorticoid receptors during memory acquisition, retrieval and reconsolidation prevents the expression of morphine-induced conditioned place preferences in mice

Association between the reward caused by consuming drugs and the context in which they are consumed is essential in the formation of morphine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP). Glucocorticoid receptor (GRs) activation in different regions of the brain affects reward-based reinforcement and memory processing. A wide array of studies have demonstrated that blockage of GRs in some brain areas can have an effect on reward-related memory; however, to date there have been no systematic studies about the involvement of glucocorticoids (GCs) in morphine-related reward memory. Here, we used the GR antagonist RU38486 to investigate how GRs blockage affects the sensitization and CPP behavior during different phases of reward memory included acquisition, retrieval and reconsolidation. Interestingly, our results showed RU38486 has the ability to impair the acquisition, retrieval and reconsolidation of reward-based memory in CPP and sensitization behavior. But RU38486 by itself cannot induce CPP or conditioned place aversion (CPA) behavior. Our data provide a much more complete picture of the potential effects that glucocorticoids have on the reward memory of different phases and inhibit the sensitization behavior.     

瓜实蝇对虚拟波长下不同颜色的趋性（英文）

利用害虫对不同颜色的趋性进行害虫防治, 如利用黄板对实蝇的监测和防治已有很长的历史, 然而尚未见把颜色量化进行实蝇对颜色偏嗜性研究的报道。为探明对瓜实蝇Bactrocera cucurbitae最具吸引力的颜色及其虚拟波长, 本试验应用Dan Bruton的虚拟波长与RGB值的函数关系, 把RGB值转换为虚拟波长; 选择RGB值［(0, 213, 255), (0, 255, 146), (54, 255, 0), (129, 255, 0), (195, 255, 0), (255, 255, 0), (255, 190, 0)和 (255, 119, 0)］的颜色进行打印, 这些颜色对应的虚拟波长分别是480, 500, 520, 540, 560, 580, 560和600 nm; 在八面体内进行瓜实蝇对8种颜色的偏嗜性试验。结果表明： 波长在520~560 nm 之间对应的颜色对瓜实蝇的吸引率高于其他虚拟波长对应的颜色, 而540 nm (黄绿色, RGB值为 129, 255, 0)对应的颜色纸对瓜实蝇的吸引率最大。此外田间颜色偏嗜性试验也证实了黄绿色对瓜实蝇有最强的引诱作用。结果说明, 黄绿色（虚拟波长540 nm）是吸引瓜实蝇的关键颜色, 黄绿色粘虫板可作为监测与防治瓜实蝇的一种有效方法。     

The self-morningness/eveningness (Self-ME): An extremely concise and totally subjective assessment of diurnal preference

The assessment of diurnal preference, or the preferred timing of sleep and activity, is generally based on comprehensive questionnaires such as the Horne–Östberg (HÖ). The aim of the present study was to assess the reliability of a subject’s self-classification as extremely morning (Self-MM), more morning than evening (Self-M), more evening than morning (Self-E) or extremely evening (Self-EE) type, based on the last question of the HÖ (Self-ME). A convenience sample of 461 subjects [23.8?±?4.7 years; 322 females] completed a full sleep–wake assessment, including diurnal preference (HÖ), night sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI), daytime sleepiness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, KSS), and habitual sleep–wake timing (12?d sleep diaries; n?=?296). Significant differences in HÖ total score were observed between Self-ME classes, with each class being significantly different from neighboring classes (p?<?0.0001). Significant differences in sleep–wake timing (bed time, try to sleep and sleep onset, wake up, and get up time) were observed between Self-ME classes. Such differences were maintained when sleep–wake habits were analysed separately on work and free days, and also in a smaller group of 67 subjects who completed the Self-ME as a stand-alone rather than as part of the original questionnaire. Significant differences were observed in the time-course of subjective sleepiness by Self-ME class in both the large and the small group, with Self-MM and Self-M subjects being significantly more alert in the morning and sleepier in the evening hours compared with their Self-E and Self-EE counterparts. Finally, significant differences were observed in night sleep quality between Self-ME classes, with Self-EE/Self-E subjects sleeping worse than their Self-MM/Self-M counterparts, and averaging just over the abnormality PSQI threshold of 5. In conclusion, young, healthy adults can define their diurnal preference based on a single question (Self-ME) in a way that reflects their sleep–wake timing, their sleepiness levels over the daytime hours, and their night sleep quality. Validation of the Self-ME across the decades and in diseased populations seems worthy.