Anatomy of the antennal dorsal organ in female of Neodryinus typhlocybae (Hymenoptera: Dryinidae): A peculiar sensory structure possibly involved in perception of host vibration

Neodryinus typhlocybae (Hymenoptera: Dryinidae) is a natural enemy of the planthopper Metcalfa pruinosa, which was introduced from North America into Europe and has become established in various regions as a pest species. Vibrational signals play a crucial role in the communication of M. pruinosa, which appears to be exploited by N. typhlocybae. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy have shown that the antennae of N. typhlocybae females have peculiar and complex sensory structures: deep longitudinal grooves that house long sensilla trichodea, termed here “Antennal Dorsal Organs.” Such structures were not present on male antennae. These sensilla extend for the length of the grooves, without contact with the groove cuticle. Their hair shaft is empty and aporous, and inserted into a specialized socket, underneath which there is a cuticular ampulla‐like chamber. Each sensillum is associated with two sensory neurons: one terminates at the proximal end of the dendritic sheath; the other continues into the sensillum sinus and is enclosed in the dendritic sheath. This second sensory neuron then enters the ampulla‐like chamber through the circular opening, and then terminates with a conspicuous tubular body at the shaft base. The possible involvement of this peculiar structure in the context of host recognition mechanism is discussed. J. Morphol. 277:128–137, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Fine structural recognition specificities of IgE antibodies distinguishing amoxicilloyl and amoxicillanyl determinants in allergic subjects.

IgE antibodies in the sera of subjects allergic to beta-lactam antibiotics detect a spectrum of specificities ranging from side-chain groups to an entire penicillin or cephalosporin molecule. In addition to such structural heterogeneity of allergenic determinants, IgE antibodies in the sera of different allergic subjects show heterogeneous recognition responses. Detailed immunochemical studies were carried out on the sera of penicillin-allergic subjects that showed selective and unexpected reactions with the frequently prescribed penicillin, amoxicillin. Antibodies from one subject reacted only with the amoxicilloyl determinant while IgE from another subject showed multiple reactivity with penicilloyl and penicillanyl determinants of different penicillins but not with the amoxicilloyl determinant. Quantitative hapten inhibition studies revealed that the combining sites of the former antibodies were complementary to amoxicillin in a form that permits binding to the hydroxyaminobenzyl side-chain and the thiazolidine ring carboxyl. These conditions are satisfied with the drug in the '-oyl' but not in the '-anyl' form which involves linkage through the 2-carboxyl of the thiazolidine ring. With the second serum, adsorption studies showed that the wide-ranging reactivity of IgE was due to a single population of antibodies that detected a common specificity on the different penicillins. Combining site studies revealed clear recognition of the benzyl portion of the side-chain of benzylpenicilloyl, benzylpenicillanyl, ampicilloyl, ampicillanyl and amoxicillanyl determinants when free antibody access to the side-chain was possible but little or no recognition of the ring hydroxyl of amoxicillin. Such uninhibited access may not occur, however, when amoxicillin is conjugated in the '-oyl' form since opening the beta-lactam ring allows increased flexibility and rotation of the molecule and the possibility of close association of the hydroxyaminobenzyl side-chain of amoxicillin with the linked peptide carrier. In such close steric association, H-bonding involving the ring hydroxyl and amino acids of the carrier may prevent antibody access to the side-chain region of the amoxicilloyl determinant.     

Diagnostic parameters for selecting against novel spruce (Picea abies) decline: IV. Response of photosynthesis and transpiration to SO2+NO2 exposures

The dose- and time-response effects of 3 days of 6 h day-time sequential exposures to NO₂, SO₂ and SO₂+NO₂ of 0.45–1.81 μl l⁻¹ (ppm) SO₂ and 1.50–7.65 μl l⁻¹ NO₂ on photosynthesis, transpiration and dark respiration were examined for nine Carpatho-Ukrainian half-sib families and a population from the GFR ('Westerhof') of Norway spruce [ Piecea abies (L.) Karst.], all in their 5th growing season.
SO₂+NO₂ inhibited photosynthesis and transpiration and stimulated dark respiration more than SO₂ alone. SO₂ and SO₂+NO₂ at the lowest concentrations inhibited night transpiration, but increased it at the highest concentration, the strongest effects being obtained with combined exposures. Photosynthesis of the different half-sib families was affected significantly differently by SO₂+NO₂ exposures. NO₂ alone had no effects.
Sensitivity to transpiration decline correlated negatively with branch density. Height of trees correlated postitively with decline sensitivity in the seed orchard. The distribution of photosynthesis and transpiration sensitivities over all tested half-sib families correlated negatively with the distribution of decline sensitivity of their parents in a rural Danish seed orchard. The relative photosynthesis and transpiration sensitivities may thus serve as diagnostic parameters for selecting against novel spruce decline.     

A re-appraisal of two members of the genus Notholca from the Andes,with a note on the fine structure of the lorica of N. foliacea (Ehrenberg)

Rotifers described from the Andes by Murray (1913) and De Beauchamp (1939) as Notholca foliacea (Ehrenberg) are reviewed and re-assessed as Notholca walterkostei De Paggi, 1982. They are compared with N. foliacea and details of the lorica of this species seen with the scanning electron microscope are presented.     

Diagnosis of a peripheral neuroectodermal tumour by fine needle aspiration

One case of malignant peripheral neuroectodermal tumour successfully diagnosed by cytology is presented. Although a Papanicolaou stained smear could not lead to a diagnosis more specific than a malignant small cell tumour, ancillary analytic methods performed on the cytologic material including immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy yielded the correct diagnosis of peripheral neuroectodermal tumour. This case demonstrates that a precise categorization of small round cell tumours may be achieved by cytology as long as some material is kept for immunocytochemical and ultrastructural studies.     

Evaluation of fine needle aspiration of the male breast for the diagnosis of gynaecomastia

Fine needle aspiration of the male breast can present problems of diagnosis because the cytological presentation of gynaecomastia can be confused with that of adenocarcinoma. We reviewed breast aspirates from 24 male patients in order to determine the accuracy of cytology as a method of diagnosing gynaecomastia. Discrepancies were observed between the original cytology reports on one hand and the review cytology and biopsies on the other. Of the 24 aspirates from the male breast, the cytology was reported as negative in 16 cases, suspicious in three cases and malignant in five. In four cases of the negative group, a specific diagnosis of gynaecomastia was made. In two of the negative cases the subsequent biopsies revealed adenocarcinoma. Of the five cases reported on the original cytology as adenocarcinoma, two on review showed the features of florid gynaecomastia and this was confirmed on biopsy and three confirmed the initial diagnosis of adenocarcinoma. The cytological features of gynaecomastia which distinguish it from adenocarcinoma are discussed.     

Fate of sperm tail components after incorporation into the hamster egg

The changes in the cytoplasmic organelles of sperm tail in golden hamster eggs fertilized in vivo were observed by electron microscopy. Eggs were obtained from oviducts of hamsters that had been superovulated and inseminated by injection of cauda epididymal spermatozoa into the uteri. In the egg cytoplasm 10 hours after insemination, some of the mitochondria of the spermatozoon midpiece had begun to swell, and a number of multivesicular bodies were observed surrounding the midpiece. The fibrous sheath of the principal piece quickly disappeared prior to the first cleavage, whereas the axoneme and outer dense fibers were unaltered. During the two-cell stage, numerous multivesicular bodies gathered around the midpiece and fused with the mitochondria. The heterophagic vacuoles thus formed then gradually separated from the axial fibers. The outer dense fibers were disarranged and partially torn into small segments; then they seemed to dissociate into substructural granular components. The axonemal microtubules had begun to swell but were still present in the two blastomeres. It is indicated from these observations that at least the mitochondria of the tail constituents carried into the oocyte are digested into small molecular elements by the multivesicular bodies and are possibly distributed as nutrients for the blastomeres during the early stage of development.     

辽宁海城小孤山遗址发掘简报

从小孤山晚更新世洞穴遗址出土了38种哺乳动物化石、上万件石制品以及一批制作精美的骨角制品和装饰品。石器工业在技术与类型上和华北旧石器关系密切。大致相同的骨针和穿孔兽牙于三十年代曾在周口店山顶洞遗址发现过,但是与欧洲马格德林鱼叉相似的角制鱼叉在中国旧石器文化中是头一次发现。