Pelagostrobilidium liui n. sp. (Ciliophora,Choreotrichida) from the Coastal Waters of Northeastern Taiwan and an Improved Description of Pelagostrobilidium minutum Liu et al., 2012

The number of somatic kineties in Pelagostrobilidium ranges from 4 to 6 according to the present state of knowledge. This study investigates Pelagostrobilidium liui n. sp. using live observation, protargol stain, and small subunit rDNA data sequencing. Pelagostrobilidium liui n. sp. is characterized by having a spherical‐shaped body, four somatic kineties, with kinety 2 spiraled around the left side of body, about six elongated external membranelles, and invariably no buccal membranelle. It differs from its most similar congener, Pelagostrobilidium minutum Liu et al., 2012 , in (i) cell shape; (ii) macronucleus width; (iii) oral apparatus; (iv) anterior orientation of kinety 2; (v) location where kinety 2 commences; (vi) arrangement of kinety 1; (vii) distance between the anterior cell end and the locations where kineties commence; and (viii) the presence of 12 different bases (including two deletions) in the small subunit rDNA sequences. The diagnosis of P. minutum Liu et al., 2012 is also improved to include the following new characteristics: invariably four somatic kineties; kineties 2 and 4 alone commence at the same level; kinety 2 originates from right anterior cell half on ventral side, extends sinistrally posteriorly, over kinety 1, around left posterior region, terminates near posterior cell end on dorsal side; kinety 1 commences below anterior third of kinety 2.     

Robustness of the biotic indicators used for classification of ecological status of lotic water bodies: A testing method when the data series are short

Successful implementation of the Water Framework Directive and achieving its objective of good ecological status of all water bodies depend on the power of the set of monitoring indicators to capture the change in the ecological status of aquatic systems. In this context, testing the robustness and sensitivity of ecological indicators currently used for assessing the status of lotic water bodies is instrumental for the adaptation and further development of assessment methods. This is also a prerequisite for an effective, context-based monitoring system and for improving the quality of the decision making for water bodies. This is particularly challenging in regions where the sets of indicators are under development, the data series are relatively short and data which addresses the individual error sources are lacking. Here we show that hierarchical clusters and ordination analysis provide appropriate tools with which the validity of the ecological status of water bodies set up based on biological multimetric monitoring indices in a small water basin could be tested. We hypothesize that robust and informative monitoring methods classify all water bodies belonging to a single ordination grouping in the same quality class (high, good, moderate, poor or bad). In our case study multimetric biological indicators failed to discriminate between the good and moderate ecological status. Community structure as well as water conductivity and nitrate load were primarily responsible for the observed difference between ordination groupings. Inconsistencies shown in our case study are likely to be induced by insufficient refinement of monitoring schemes and by the constraints existing in the data series and available metadata. We show that multiplication of indicators leads to discrepant interpretation and problematic application. Proposed ordination analysis proves to be a simple and useful tool to detect such discrepancies and support further progress in indicator development. Integrated and longer data and metadata series are needed to refine context-based monitoring methods.     

Rhodobacteraceae on the marine brown alga Fucus spiralis are abundant and show physiological adaptation to an epiphytic lifestyle

Macroalgae harbour specific microbial communities on their surface that have functions related to host health and defence. In this study, the bacterial biofilm of the marine brown alga Fucus spiralis was investigated using 16S rRNA gene amplicon-based analysis and isolation of bacteria. Rhodobacteraceae (Alphaproteobacteria) were the predominant family constituting 23% of the epibacterial community. At the genus level, Sulfitobacter, Loktanella, Octadecabacter and a previously undescribed cluster were most abundant, and together they comprised 89% of the Rhodobacteraceae. Supported by a specific PCR approach, 23 different Rhodobacteraceae-affiliated strains were isolated from the surface of F. spiralis, which belonged to 12 established and three new genera. For seven strains, closely related sequences were detected in the 16S rRNA gene dataset. Growth experiments with substrates known to be produced by Fucus spp. showed that all of them were consumed by at least three strains, and vitamin B₁₂ was produced by 70% of the isolates. Since growth of F. spiralis depends on B₁₂ supplementation, bacteria may provide the alga with this vitamin. Most strains produced siderophores, which can enhance algal growth under iron-deficient conditions. Inhibiting properties against other bacteria were only observed when F. spiralis material was present in the medium. Thus, the physiological properties of the isolates indicated adaption to an epiphytic lifestyle.     

豫东平原聚落景观格局变化

中国的快速城镇化必然导致聚落景观格局的变化,但目前相关研究对平原地区关注相对较少。文中选取豫东平原地区的开封、商丘、周口市,运用GIS空间分析方法和ENVI遥感影像处理技术,对该地区1972、2015年市域中观尺度上的聚落规模、聚落景观空间变化特征进行分析。结果显示:(1)在聚落发展过程中,1972—2015年聚落斑块数量有所减少,聚落规模逐渐扩张,市域内最大聚落斑块扩张相对更为明显;对聚落斑块扩张强度的分析发现,城市市辖区及周边乡镇聚落扩张强度相对较高。(2)地区内聚落斑块空间分布表现出聚集分布特征,但该时期聚集程度有所减弱;两个年份聚落核密度分布格局大致相似,局部地区存在多核扩散现象,市域尺度上的核密度分布存在地区差异。(3)对斑块形状指数的分析发现,研究区狭长或曲折聚落斑块在空间上分散布局,整体上区域内聚落形状趋于规则。(4)随着距河流、道路距离的增加,聚落斑块总面积和数量有所减少,且道路对聚落分布仅在一定范围内存在较大影响,距中心城市0—6km范围内聚落受中心城区发展辐射影响较大。本文的分析可为平原地区聚落景观的优化布局和聚落用地的集约化发展提供一定的参考。     

Ghrelin receptors in human gastrointestinal tract during prenatal and early postnatal development

The aim of our study was to investigate the appearance, density and distribution of ghrelin cells and GHS-R1a and GHS-R1b in the human stomach and duodenum during prenatal and early postnatal development. We examined chromogranin-A and ghrelin cells in duodenum, and GHS-R1a and GHS-R1b expression in stomach and duodenum by immunohistochemistry in embryos, fetuses, and infants. Chromogranin-A and ghrelin cells were identified in the duodenum at weeks 10 and 11 of gestation. Ghrelin cells were detected individually or clustered within the base of duodenal crypts and villi during the first trimester, while they were presented separately within the basal and apical parts of crypts and villi during the second and third trimesters. Ghrelin cells were the most numerous during the first (∼11%) and third (∼10%) trimesters of gestation development. GHS-R1a and GHS-R1b were detected at 11 and 16 weeks of gestation, showed the highest level of expression in Brunner's gland and in lower parts of duodenal crypts and villi during the second trimester in antrum, and during the third trimester in corpus and duodenum. Our findings demonstrated for the first time abundant duodenal expression of ghrelin cells and ghrelin receptors during human prenatal development indicating a role of ghrelin in the regulation of growth and differentiation of human gastrointestinal tract.