Behavioural plasticity induced by intraspecific competition in host orientation in a parasitoid

1. Accurate measurement of external conditions is fundamental for survival. For parasitoids, in particular, sensing the environmental conditions is key because they are short‐lived animals that must acquire information shortly after emergence. 2. This study investigated whether conspecifics during larval growth can influence and modify the decision to orient to different quality hosts in a parasitoid with an active host‐seeking larva. How the density of conspecifics during growth modifies these decisions was also studied. 3. When larvae were submitted to increases in the intensity of pre‐parasitism competition and then offered different host odours, they increased the orientation to poor‐quality hosts likewise. It was also found that this behaviour is general to orientation to hosts in different physiological states. 4. These results show that pre‐parasitism competition can influence and modulate orientation to poor‐quality hosts when high‐quality hosts are not available.     

Multixenobiotic defense mechanism (MDMX) in bivalves

Multixenobiotic defence mechanism (MXDM) consists in a cellular system that functions as membrane extrusion pumps effluxing organic compounds out of the cells. In bivalves, it represents a primordial protection against toxic effects of organic xenobiotics in preventing their cellular accumulation. It has raised attention during the last decade for its potential to be used as a biomarker of pollution. This article reviews the fundamental knowledge on the MXDM system in bivalves and the methods proposed to assess its activity. Finally, it reviews the major results of laboratory and field studies that enabled to hypothesise that MXDM could be used as a biomarker of environmental stress rather than of pollutant exposure.     

Expression of Escherichia coli PhoE protein in avirulent Salmonella typhimurium aroA and galE strains

Abstract Escherichia coli K-12 PhoE protein is found to be normally expressed and incorporated into the outer membrane of two avirulent Salmonella typhimurium strains, G30 and SH aroA . A hybrid protein which contains an insertion of an antigenic epitope of VP1 protein of foot-and-mouth disease virus into the PhoE protein, was also normally assembled into the Salmonella outer membranes. In the case of the G30 stain, which carries a galE mutation, the inserted epitope is accessible to antibodies in intact cells. In contrast, the epitope is less accessible in the case of the SH aroA strain, probably due to the shielding effect of the O-antigen in this strain.     

Charles Darwin goes to school: the role of cartoons and narrative in setting science in an historical context

Science education is under revision. Recent changes in society require changes in education to respond to new demands. Scientific literacy can be considered a new goal of science education and the epistemological gap between natural sciences and literacy disciplines must be overcome. The history of science is a possible bridge to link these ‘two cultures’ and to foster an interdisciplinary approach in the classroom. This paper acknowledges Darwin's legacy and proposes the use of cartoons and narrative expositions to put this interesting chapter of science into its historical context. A five-lesson didactic sequence was developed to tell part of the story of Darwin's expedition through South America for students from 10 to 12 years of age. Beyond geological and biological perspectives, the inclusion of historical, social and geographical facts demonstrated the beauty and complexity of the findings that Darwin employed to propose the theory of evolution.     

Distribution of macroalgae and macroalgal communities in gradients of physical conditions in Potter Cove, King George Island, Antarctica

The vegetation of a small fjord and its adjacent open shore was documented by subaquatic video. The distribution of individual species of macroalgae and the composition of assemblages were compared with gradients of light availability, hydrography, slope inclination, substratum, and exposition to turbulence and ice. The sublittoral fringe is usually abraded by winterly ice floes and devoid of large, perennial algae. Below this zone, the upper sublittoral is dominated by Desmarestia menziesii on steep rock faces, where water movements become irregular, or by Ascoseira mirabilis and Palmaria decipiens on weakly inclined slopes with steady rolling water movements. In the central sublittoral above 15 m, where turbulence is still active, Desmarestia anceps is outcompeting all other species on solid substratum, However, the species is not able to persist on loose material under these conditions. Instead, Himantothallus grandifolius may occur. Deeper, where turbulence usually is negligible, Desmarestia anceps also covers loose material. The change of dominance to Himantothallus grandifolius in the deep sublittoral cannot completely be explained at present. Himantothallus grandifolius also prevails in a mixed assemblage under the influence of grounding icebergs. Most of the smaller algae are opportunists with different degrees of tolerance for turbulence, but some apparently need more stable microhabitats and thus are dependent from continuing suppression of competitive large phaeophytes.The present work is part of the Argentinian-German cooperation program RASCALS (Research on Antarctic shallow coastal and littoral systems).     

城市新规划地土壤动物群落组成和多样性:以上海市世博会会址为例

作者采用野外调查和群落多样性指标数据统计结合的方法,对上海市世博会会址区域内土壤动物群落组成和多样性进行了研究,目的是了解该地区的土壤健康状况,并为城市规划提供科学依据。采样共获得土壤动物10,765头,隶属于23个类群。中小型土壤动物中蜱螨目是该地区的主要优势类群,弹尾纲是次优势类群;大型土壤动物中,后孔寡毛目为主要优势类群,等足目、鞘翅目和腹足纲为次优势类群。总体结果显示:该地区土壤动物种类丰富,其垂直分布整体遵循随土壤层的加深而递减的趋势;但水平分布因采样点的不同存在显著性差异。     

急诊手术的职业暴露及防护对策

目的:通过对医务人员在急诊手术中职业暴露的情况调查,了解急诊手术中标准预防现状,提出合理化建议和措施。方法:对2007年6月-2010年5月手术患者乙肝、丙肝、梅毒、艾滋病的阳性率进行比较,现场调查急诊手术中防护用品的使用情况。结果:手术患者乙肝、丙肝、梅毒、艾滋病的阳性率逐年上升,职业暴露的危险性越来越大;急诊手术中医务人员防护用品使用率的高低取决于血液、体液、分泌物的污染程度。结论:对医务人员要加强职业安全教育,强化标准预防,提高医务人员的整体防护水平,避免或减少职业暴露的危害,在救死扶伤的同时,保护好自身安全。     

急诊手术的职业暴露及防护对策

目的：通过对医务人员在急诊手术中职业暴露的情况调查,了解急诊手术中标准预防现状,提出合理化建议和措施。方法：对2007年6月．2010年5月手术患者乙肝、丙肝、梅毒、艾滋病的阳性率进行比较,现场调查急诊手术中防护用品的使用情况。结果：手术患者乙肝、丙肝、梅毒、艾滋病的阳性率逐年上升,职业暴露的危险性越来越大;急诊手术中医务人员防护用品使用率的高低取决于血液、体液、分泌物的污染程度。结论：对医务人员要加强职业安全教育,强化标准预防,提高医务人员的整体防护水平,避免或减少职业暴露的危害,在救死扶伤的同时,保护好自身安全。     

Contribution of Photorespiration to Changes of Carbon Isotope Characteristics in Plants Affected by Stress Factors

Experimental data available in literature on changes in the carbon isotopic composition of biochemical fractions and metabolites isolated from plant biomass (Clusia minor) and photosynthesizing algae (Chlorella stigmatophora) under the action of environmental stress factors are reviewed and analyzed. Within the framework of previously suggested mechanism of carbon isotope fractionation in photosynthesis, all studied fractions and metabolites obtained from plants and photosynthesizing algae can be divided into two groups according to their carbon isotope composition. The first group includes the fractions and metabolite pools that contain carbon stored by cell during the carboxylase phase of Rubisco functioning. The second group consists of those formed primarily by the photorespiratory carbon flow, generated during the oxygenase phase of Rubisco functioning. The first group represents the assimilatory branch of photosynthesis and is enriched in ¹²C relative to carbon of biomass, whereas the second group represents the photorespiratory branch and is enriched in ¹³C. Under the action of environmental stress factors, such as incident light intensity, moisture availability, and salinity; the isotope composition of metabolites and fractions changes, which reflects variable contributions of the assimilatory and photorespiratory flows to the metabolite synthesis. These isotope shifts were used to study biochemical adaptation of plants to stress conditions and to elucidate the role of photorespiration in this adaptation.