Abortion is incommensurable with fetal alcohol syndrome

A recent article argued for the immorality of abortion regardless of personhood status by comparing the impairment caused by fetal alcohol syndrome to the impairment caused by abortion. I argue that two of the premises in this argument fail and that, as such, one cannot reasonably attribute moral harms to abortion on the basis of the moral harms caused by fetal alcohol syndrome. The impairment argument relies on an inconsistent instantiation, which undermines the claim that personhood is irrelevant, and it does not fulfill its own ceteris paribus clause, which demands that no additional benefit be gained from abortion that would not be gained from causing fetal alcohol syndrome.     

Fish community response to the longitudinal environmental gradient in Czech deep-valley reservoirs: Implications for ecological monitoring and management

Ecological quality assessment of non-natural water bodies is, in contrast to natural systems, less developed and requires determining biological indicators that reliably reflect environmental conditions and anthropogenic pressures. This study was motivated to propose fish indicators appropriate for assessment of reservoir ecosystems in central Europe. We analysed changes in water quality, total biomass and the taxonomic, trophic and size composition of fish communities along the longitudinal axes of four elongated, deep-valley reservoirs. Due to high nutrient inputs from their catchments, the reservoirs exhibited pronounced within-system gradients in primary productivity and water transparency. Although fish communities were similar among the reservoirs and dominated by few native species, the community structure and biomass systematically changed along the longitudinal axes of the reservoirs. The biomass and proportion of planktivores/benthivores in the fish community were highest at eutrophic sites near the river inflow and declined substantially towards deep, more oligotrophic sites close to the dam. The biomass and proportion of piscivores significantly increased downstream within the reservoirs alongside improving water quality. At species level, perch Perca fluviatilis and bream Abramis brama responded most sensitively, although in opposite directions, to the longitudinal environmental gradient. The major longitudinal changes in fish community characteristics were found to be consistent between pelagic and benthic habitats. The results of this study suggest that fish communities are appropriate indicators of eutrophication and can be used for ecological quality assessment of non-natural lentic water bodies, such as reservoirs. Moreover, our results underline the necessity to consider within-system gradients in water quality and the fish community when planning sampling programmes for deep-valley reservoirs.     

EXPERIMENTAL EVOLUTION OF RESISTANCE IN BRASSICA RAPA: CORRELATED RESPONSE OF TOLERANCE IN LINES SELECTED FOR GLUCOSINOLATE CONTENT

The evolutionary response of plant populations to selection for increased defense may be constrained by costs of defense. The purpose of this study was to investigate such constraints on the evolution of defense due to a cost of defense manifested as a trade-off between defense and tolerance. Variation in the response to artificial damage (tolerance) among lines of Brassica rapa that had been artificially selected for foliar glucosinolate content (defense) was examined. Leaf area was removed from replicates of three selection lines (high glucosinolates, control, and low glucosinolates) at three damage levels (0%, 20%, and 60% damage). An external cost of defense would result in a statistically significant selection line by damage treatment interaction, with those selected for high defense expressing less tolerance than those selected for low defense. Damage treatment had a significant overall effect on estimated total fitness, with fitness declining with increasing damage level. Further, selection line also had a significant overall effect on estimated total fitness, with low-defense selection lines having higher fitness compared to both control and high-defense selection lines. More importantly, a cost of defense in terms of tolerance was demonstrated by a significant selection line-by-damage treatment interaction. This interaction was in the direction to demonstrate a genetic trade-off between defense and tolerance, with low-defense selection lines decreasing estimated total fitness in response to damage less than both control and high-defense selection lines. Variation in tolerance among selection lines was due to the greater ability of low-defense lines to maintain fruit and seed production despite the presence of damage. In terms of tolerance, this cost of glucosinolate production in B. rapa could constrain the evolution of increased defense and, in so doing, maintain individuals within the population that are poorly defended yet tolerant.     

Delayed inducible resistance against a leaf-chewing insect in four deciduous tree species

Summary Both mechanical damage to mountain birch foliage and rearing of moth larvae on the trees reduced the growth of Epirrita autumnata larvae reared on these trees in the following year. The effects of physical damage and some other cues from insects were additive. On bird cherry the performance of Epirrita larvae was equal on untreated trees and on trees artificially defoliated in the previous year, but larval growth was reduced on previously insect-damaged branches. With mountain ash just physical damage per se reduced the performance of Epirrita larvae. On Salix phylicifolia there were no significant differences in the growth or survival of Epirrita on untreated control bushes and on bushes with partial larval damage during the previous year. Among untreated control trees the growth and survivorship of Epirrita were higher on fast-growing willow and bird cherry than on the slow-growing mountain birch. Mountain birch and mountain ash, the two deciduous tree species adapted to nutrient-poor soils, showed delayed inducible resistance triggered by defoliation (artificial or insect-made). This supports the hypothesis that delayed inducible resistance may be a passive response due to nutrient-stress caused by defoliation. On the other hand, the additional increase in the resistance of mountain birch triggered by specific cues from insects suggests that this response may be an evolved defense against leaf-eating insects.     

Artificial seeds in barley: encapsulation of microspore-derived embryos

Summary An in vitro culture system has been developed for barley (Hordeum vulgare), which yields high frequencies of high quality microspore-derived embryos without an intervening callus phase. The embryos are very similar to zygotic embryos with regard to their morphology and germination capacity. These embryos were encapsulated in sodium alginate to produce individual beads containing one embryo each. In accordance with the literature, these beads are denoted artificial seeds. The artificial seeds germinated well and with a root system superior to that of non-encapsulated embryos. The artificial seeds also maintained their germination capacity for at least 6 months, whereas non-encapsulated embryos did not survive more than 2 weeks in storage. Artificial seeds, thus, probably provide a simple and universal delivery system of in vitro plantlets to greenhouse or field.     

Observations on the reduction of non-activated carboxylates by Clostridium formicoaceticum with carbon monoxide or formate and the influence of various viologens

Crude extracts or supernatants of broken cells of Clostridium formicoaceticum reduce unbranched, branched, saturated and unsaturated carboxylates at the expense of carbon monoxide to the corresponding alcohols. The presence of viologens with redox potentials varying from E ₀=-295 to-650 mV decreased the rate of propionate reduction. The more the propionate reduction was diminished the more formate was formed from carbon monoxide. The lowest propionate reduction and highest formate formation was observed with methylviologen. The carbon-carbon double bond of E-2-methyl-butenoate was only hydrogenated when a viologen was present. Formate as electron donor led only in the presence of viologens to the formation of propanol from propionate. The reduction of propionate at the expense of a reduced viologen can be followed in cuvettes. With respect to propionate Michaelis Menten behavior was observed. Experiments are described which lead to the assumption that the carboxylates are reduced in a non-activated form. That would be new type of biological reduction.Non-standard abbreviations glc Gas liquid chromatography - HPLC high performance liquid chromatography - RP reverse phase; Mediators (the figures in parenthesis of the mediators are redox potentials E ₀ in mV) - CAV²⁺ carbamoylmethylviologen, 1,1-carbamoyl-4,4-dipyridinium dication (E ₀=-296 mV) - BV²⁺ benzylviologen, 1,1-dibenzyl-4,4-dipyridinium dication (E ₀=-360 mV) - MV methylviologen, 1,1-dimethyl-4,4-dipyridinium-dication (E ₀=-444 mV) - DMDQ²⁺ dimethyldiquat, 4,4-dimethyl-2,2-dipyridino-1,1-ethylendication (E ₀=-514 mV) - TMV²⁺ tetramethylviologen, 1,1,4,4-tetramethyl-4,4-dipyridinium dication (E ₀=-550 mV) - PDQ²⁺ propyldiquat, 2,2-dipyridino-1,1-propenyl dication (E ₀=-550 mV) - DMPDQ²⁺ dimethylpropyldiquat, 4,4-dimethyl-2,2-dipyridino-1,1-propenyl dication (E ₀=-656 mV) - PN productivity number=mmol product (obtained by the uptake of one pair of electrons) x (biocatalyst (dry weight) kg)^-1×h^-1     

Seed abortion in wind-dispersed pods of Dalbergia sissoo: maternal regulation or sibling rivalry?

Summary Dalbergia sissoo, a wind-dispersed tropical tree, shows a positively skewed distribution of seeds per pod. This is attributed to the enhanced dispersal advantage of few-seeded pods due to their reduced wing loading (ratio of weight to pod surface area) and low settling velocity. The proximate mechanisms causing the positively skewed distribution were investigated. The distribution could not be attributed to the distribution pattern of ovule number per ovary, pollen grain limitation, lack of ovule fertilization, or post-fertilization elimination of many-seeded pods. Rather, it was caused by the post-fertilization abortion of seeds within a pod 2 weeks after fertilization. This intra-pod seed abortion (IPSA) is due to a dominance hierarchy of fertilized ovules from the distal (near stigma) to the basal end, generated by the temporal differences in fertilization. The dominant developing seeds at the distal end cause the abortion of others through the production and diffusion of an aborting agent. When the dominance hierarchy of the siblings is not intense, pods are formed with more than one seed. We argue that the positively skewed distribution of seeds per pod is not due to maternal regulation but is a result of sibling rivalry. We propose that this sibling rivalry is generated by genetic differences in pollen grain fitness and disucss the results in the context of parent-offspring conflict.     

柱霉属一新种——蝙蝠蛾柱霉

从青海省化隆地区采集冬虫夏草新鲜标本,经分离培养获一纯种,并经鉴定是隶属暗色孢科Dematiaceae的柱霉属Scytalidium Pesante,其形态特征与近似种——黄棕柱霉Scytalidium fulvum进行了比较,由于分生孢子量度及生活习性与黄棕柱霉有着明显差别,故定为一新种,命名为蝙蝠蛾柱霉Scytalidium hepiali C.L.Li sp.nov.该新种在PDA培养基上生长迅速,25℃,培养10天菌落直径2.5cm。菌丝相互平排列成菌丝束。产孢细胞裂殖产孢,节孢子2型:(1)无色,透明,薄壁,圆柱形,桶形。(2)淡褐色,厚壁,椭圆形,桶形,亚球形。蝙蝠蛾柱霉在蛋白胨、葡萄糖液体培养基中进行深层培养,26℃,20天。发酵液用乙醇抽提,减压蒸馏,甲醇溶解,过滤,减压浓缩,蒸馏水溶解,冷冻干燥。从1升发酵液中获虫草菌素制品50～70mg。从拮抗试验表明虫草菌素能抑制枯草芽孢杆菌的生长。     

虫生真菌双生座壳孢的研究

双生座壳孢(Aschersonia duplex Berk.)系日本卷毛蚧的病原真菌。此菌在人工培养基和自然基物上生长好,并能产生大量分生孢子。对 C 源中的蔗糖、葡萄糖、甘露醇、山梨糖;N 源中的蛋白胨,天冬素、L-酪氨酸、KNO_3利用好。生长适温22—26℃。病原流行季节相对湿度在80％以上。田间接种,对寄主致病性强,有应用潜力。     

鹅掌楸种子和胚胎发育的研究

应用控制授粉、软 X-射线法、常规石蜡制片法和荧光检测等手段,研究了鹅掌楸(Lirio-dendron chinense(Hemsl.)Sarg.胚胎发育和控制授粉与结籽率的相关性。控制授粉后2小时花粉萌发,6小时萌发率最高,柱头可授期持续30小时左右。花粉管借助于柱头毛之间的分泌物进入柱头沟,经花柱沟、珠孔塞和珠心冠原进入胚囊,行珠孔受精。授粉后2周,胚乳为2至3细胞厚的狭组织;第6周,胚乳充满胚囊腔,珠心随之解体殆尽;第7到8周,球形胚、心形胚发生;第14到16周,子叶形成;第22周种子或熟,胚乳丰富。单株自然授粉结籽率不足1%。控制授粉后,单个聚合果的最高结籽率可达39%,9个聚合果的平均结籽率为17.7%。