安徽潜山古新世(犭亚)兽科新材料及系统发育

本文记述了发现于潜山盆地中古新统望虎墩组上段的两件保存较好的(犭亚)兽类化石,它们分别代表了两个新属种:古井曙(犭亚)(新属、新种)(Eosigale gujingensis gen. et sp. nov.)和余氏棋盘兽(新属、新种)(Qipania yui gen. et sp. nov.)。在分析(犭亚)兽科各属及相关类群特征的基础上,重新厘订了(犭亚)兽科的涵义,探讨了(犭亚)兽类与亚洲其他古老真兽类之间的系统发育关系,认为(犭亚)兽科和假古猬科的关系最近。     

菱臼齿兽((犭亚)目、哺乳纲)耳区的骨骼结构

本文详细描述了菱臼齿兽耳区各个部分的基本结构;并指出了耳区结构与某些啮齿类的相似性,以及中耳鼓泡组成成份与戈壁(犭亚)兽(Anagale gobiensis)的区别。     

华南一种晚古新世灵长类

本文记述了在广东浓山组大塘圩段中发现的一种晚古新世的狐猴类动物(Iemuriform)——短吻石猴(Petrolemur brevirostre gen.et sp.nov.),并认为被归入(犭亚)科(Anagalidae)的王河悬猴兽(Anaptogale wanghoensis)和安徽“双峰兽”(“Diacronus”anhuiensis)可能是灵长类。     

华南古新世哺乳类一新科

本文记述了一个新科(丽(犭亚)科)的两个新属和四个新种。文中除对四新种进行了较详细的描述与对比外,还初步讨论了丽(犭亚)科、(犭亚)科与假古猬科同Kennalestes和zalambdalestids之间的亲缘关系。从目前材料来看,在形态上,丽(犭亚)比Gypsonictops更接近于Kennalestes。丽(犭亚)科有可能是后者的古新世后裔,(犭亚)科和假古猬科的起源或许与达种白垩纪真兽类也有密切关系。     

安徽古新世(犭亚)兽科的新属种(上)

自从1928年发现了(犭亚)兽科的第一批材料后,几十年来进展不多。1970-1972年,中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所安徽考察队在安徽省的潜山县和宣城县一带的“红层”中找到了一批(犭亚)兽科的新材料。经研究,计有六个新属,八个新种及两个未定种。“世界上一切事物无不具有两重性”,这批新材料也有两重性。一方面,它所包括的属种相当丰富;但在另一方面,每个属种的材料却相当少,保存也差。本文只是对上述材料作初步的记述和讨论,许多问题尚待继续研究。     

广东南雄上古新统(犭亚)类化石

在这篇文章中记述了在广东浓山组中发现的三种(犭亚)类(Anagalida)化石,同时描述了一块江西池江组中发现的假古猬类(pseudictopid)左上颌。这里还认为安徽潜山盆地发现的两块标本 V4307和 V4318是一种新的假古猬类。根据下颌吻区和犬齿形态的差异,将假古猬类分为两个进化分支,(犭亚)兽类(Anagalidae)也可分为臼齿釉质层进入与不进入齿槽两个类型。这些分异在早中古新世已出现,因此,假古猬类和(犭亚)兽类两者的分化则要追溯到更早一些时候。据已知材料,认为假古猬类的四肢比例和形态更接近于某些原始啮齿类。     

关于Interogale和Anchilestes属分类位置的讨论

Interogale和Anchilestes属原被归入(犭亚)目(哺乳纲)。本文根据属型种Interogale datan-gensis的吻区结构及Anchilestes impolitus的颊齿特征,对两属的分类位置进行了讨论,认为它们代表裂齿目的两个古老类型。     

广东南雄晚古新世哺乳类二新种

记述了发现在广东南雄晚古新世地层中的北柱兽目和钝脚目各一新种———中间沟柱兽 (Bothriostylopsmediussp .nov .)和大塘南岭兽 (Nanlingilambdadatangensissp .nov.)。中间沟柱兽的个体大小介于南方种 (B .notios)和进步种 (B .progressus)之间 ,但M3尤其是m3相对上述两种更大。大塘南岭兽比池江南岭兽 (N .chijiangensis)个体小、下颊齿跟座窄小、下后尖比下前尖高大。     

内蒙古阿左旗乌兰塔塔尔早渐新世鬣齿兽化石

记述了在内蒙古阿左旗乌兰塔塔尔早渐新世乌兰塔塔尔组中发现的鬣齿兽一新种——内蒙古鬣齿兽(Hyaenodon neimongoliensis sp．nov．)。新种在大小和特征上与Hyaenodonpervagus相近或相似,但它的pl为单齿根,前面的下前臼齿之间有齿隙,下颊齿无舌侧齿带。     

山西垣曲盆地中始新世的原翼齿兽(鬣齿兽科,肉齿目,哺乳纲)化石

记述了在山西省垣曲县王茅乡郭家村火石坡地点发现的原翼齿兽属一新种──童氏原翼齿兽(Ｄｒｏｐｔｅｒｏｄｏｎ ｔｏｎｇｉ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．)。新种比伊尔丁原翼齿兽(Ｐ．ｉｒｄｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ)个体小、下颌联合部靠前、下前臼齿之间有齿隙、ｍ３跟座小。新材料为垣曲盆地可能存在中始新世伊尔丁曼哈期地层提供了证据。     

Reference values for the concentrations of As,Cd, Co,Cr, Cu,Fe, I,Hg, Mn,Mo, Ni,Pb, Se,and Zn in selected human tissues and body fluids

This report attempts to formulate reference ranges of elemental concentrations for 15 trace elements in selected human tissues and body fluids. A set of samples consisting of whole blood, blood serum, urine, milk, liver, and hair were chosen and considered for 15 elements of biological significance: As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, F, Fe, I, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn. The results represent wholly or partially data received from 40 countries of the global regions of Africa, Asia, Europe, North, South, and Central America, Australia, and New Zealand. This survey, even if qualitative, has been useful in demonstrating certain trends of trace-element scenarios around the world. It is of course recognized that both diet and environment exert a strong influence on the distribution pattern of several elements, such as As, Cd, Mn, Pb, Se, and Zn. A limited comparison of the available information on soil status of different countries reflected some interesting associations for elements, such as Mn and Zn. Importantly, this study revealed that only a few countries were in a position to identify a reasonable amount of data on samples requested for this project. Regretably, for a number of countries, any dependable data for even such essential elements as Cu, Fe, and Zn were not available. In view of the nutritional importance of many elements, the time is ripe for concerted efforts by intergovernmental agencies to initiate investigations or commission task forces/projects to generate reliable reference data for selected global regions, which sadly lack data of any kind at present.     

EDTA chelation effects on urinary losses of cadmium, calcium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, magnesium, and zinc

The efficacy of a chelating agent in binding a given metal in a biological system depends on the binding constants of the chelator for the particular metals in the system, the concentration of the metals, and the presence and concentrations of other ligands competing for the metals in question. In this study, we make a comparison of the in vitro binding constants for the chelator, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, with the quantitative urinary excretion of the metals measured before and after EDTA infusion in 16 patients. There were significant increases in lead, zinc, cadmium, and calcium, and these increases roughly corresponded to the expected relative increases predicted by the EDTA-metal-binding constants as measured in vitro. There were no significant increases in urinary cobalt, chromium, or copper as a result of EDTA infusion. The actual increase in cobalt could be entirely attributed to the cobalt content of the cyanocobalamin that was added to the infusion. Although copper did increase in the post-EDTA specimens, the increase was not statistically significant. In the case of magnesium, there was a net retention of approximately 85% following chelation. These data demonstrate that EDTA chelation therapy results in significantly increased urinary losses of lead, zinc, cadmium, and calcium following EDTA chelation therapy. There were no significant changes in cobalt, chromium, or copper and a retention of magnesium. These effects are likely to have significant effects on nutrient concentrations and interactions and partially explain the clinical improvements seen in patients undergoing EDTA chelation therapy.     

Phylogeny,classification, and biogeography of Afrotrichloris,Apochiton, Coelachyrum,Dinebra, Eleusine,Leptochloa, Schoenefeldia,and a new genus,Schoenefeldiella (Poaceae: Chloridoideae: Cynodonteae: Eleusininae)

To investigate the evolutionary relationships among species of Afrotrichloris, Apochiton, Coelachyrum, Dinebra, Eleusine, Leptochloa, and Schoenefeldia of subtribe Eleusininae, a phylogeny based on DNA sequences from nine gene regions (ITS, rps16-trnK, rps3, rps16, rpoC2, rpl32-trnL, ndhF, ndhA, ccsA) is presented. Previous molecular phylogenies indicated that Coelachyrum was polyphyletic and Schoenefeldia was paraphyletic, with Afrotrichloris embedded within it. Apochiton burttii was embedded in the Coelachyrum clade paired with C. longiglume, Coelachyrumpoiflorum was placed outside of Coelachyrum and sister to Eleusine, and Schoenefeldia is paraphyletic, with its two species forming a grade sister to Afrotrichoris. Our molecular phylogeny supports recognition of a new genus, Schoenefeldiella, and a new combination, Schoenfeldiella transiens. In addition, we provide generic emendations for Coelachyrum, which now includes five species including a new combination proposed here, Coelachyrum burttii, and Eleusine, which now includes 11 species.     

Substance,rights, value,and abortion

Most serious contemporary opposition to abortion is grounded on the belief that human fetuses are members of the same moral category as beings like us, and that the loss of any such life is one of the worst possible losses. Substance view theorists oppose abortion for this reason: in their view beings like us are essentially rational substances with inherent moral worth, and those who perform induced abortion fail to recognize this moral worth. In a recent series of articles, Rob Lovering presents reductio‐style arguments against the substance view, in part arguing that it is inconsistent with our intuitions in rescue and spontaneous abortion cases. In a recent reply, Henrik Friberg‐Fernros argues that the substance view can evade these problematic implications because of a distinction between killing and letting die. According to this argument, the fetus’s right to life is a negative right not to be killed, not a positive right to be rescued, thus the anti‐abortion theorist who lets fetuses die acts acceptably. I argue this stance fails to recognize the inherent moral worth that the substance view contends fetuses possess. One who refrains from saving a person, or doesn’t care how many people she saves, cannot reasonably claim to value life. Furthermore, this stance is at odds with most contemporary anti‐abortion views that oppose induced abortions of both the killing and letting die variety.     

Definitions,measurements, and classifications of stimuli,situations, and environments

A review is presented of issues relevant to the definition, measurement, and classification of stimuli, situations, and environments. Problems such as the lack of adequate definitions of concepts, error and bias in measurement procedures, confusion between measurement of a concept and measurement of its behavioral effects, and the lack of agreement among alternative measures are emphasized. It is suggested that concepts be defined in terms of objective characteristics while allowing for the study of the transactional relationship between organism and environment. The work of the ethologists in defining stimuli while studying their relationship to different organismic states and situational contexts is emphasized in this regard. Following Brunswik, it is also suggested that wherever possible there be a representative sampling of variables in natural settings. Note from the editors: From time to time, Human Ecology will publish a review article. Our first in this series is a review by a psychologist of basic definitional and conceptual problems in environmental studies.This paper was prepared while the author was a Visiting Research Fellow at the Educational Testing Service. The support of ETS and my colleagues in the Division of Psychological Studies is gratefully acknowledged. The review was also supported in part by a grant from the Rutgers University Research Council.     

Crystal structure, detonation performance, and thermal stability of a new polynitro cage compound: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15-nonanitro-2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15-nonaazaheptacyclo [5.5.1.13, 11. 15, 9] pentadecane

A new polynitro cage compound 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15-nonanitro-2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15-nonaazaheptcyclo [5.5.1.1(3,11).1(5,9)] pentadecane (NNNAHP) was designed in the present work. Its molecular structure was optimized at the B3LYP/6-31 G(d,p) level of density functional theory (DFT) and crystal structure was predicted using the Compass and Dreiding force fields and refined by DFT GGA-RPBE method. The obtained crystal structure of NNNAHP belongs to the P-1 space group and the lattice parameters are a = 9.99 ?, b = 10.78 ?, c = 9.99 ?, α = 90.01°, β = 120.01°, γ = 90.00°, and Z = 2, respectively. Based on the optimized crystal structure, the band gap, density of state, thermodynamic properties, infrared spectrum, strain energy, detonation characteristics, and thermal stability were predicted. Calculation results show that NNNAHP has detonation properties close to those of CL-20 and is a high energy density compound with moderate stability.     

Reliability of Analyses of Hg,Fe, Ca,K, P,pH, Alkalinity,Conductivity, Hardness and Colour from Lakes

The aim of this report has been to present results concerning analytical quality controls of Hg analysis of fish and sediment, analyses of Fe, Ca, total-P, K, pH, alkalinity, conductivity, colour and hardness (Ca + Mg) of lake water samples. Despite the fact that these are standard parameters in many regular water control programs, there are major differences in the reliability with which these parameters can be determined. The focus here is on an overall inter-laboratory comparison between the parameters. Six laboratories have been involved in the analysis. Selected results: pH gives the lowest (average) relative standard deviation (error), about 2 %; conductivity gives an error of about 5–7 %; alkalinity yields an average error of as much as 13–25 %, which is the largest among the parameters studied here; colour also gives a high error, 9–15 %; hardness gives a relative standard deviation of about 6–7 %. Of the other parameters (i. e., Hg, Fe, Ca and P), Hg gives the best reliability and Fe and P the lowest. To have knowledge of the reliability of the analytical data is of paramount importance in most control programs and research projects.     

Whales,lifespan, phospholipids,and cataracts

This study addresses the question: why do rats get cataracts at 2 years, dogs at 8 years, and whales do not develop cataracts for 200 years? Whale lens lipid phase transitions were compared with the phase transitions of other species that were recalculated. The major phospholipids of the whale lens were sphingolipids, mostly dihydrosphingomyelins with an average molar cholesterol/phospholipid ratio of 10. There was a linear correlation between the percentage of lens sphingolipid and lens lipid hydrocarbon chain order until about 60% sphingolipid. The percentage of lens sphingolipid correlated with the lens lipid phase transition temperature. The lifespan of the bowhead whale was the longest of the species measured and the percentage of whale lens sphingolipid fit well in the correlation between the percentage of lens sphingolipid and lifespan for many species. In conclusion, bowhead whale lens membranes have a high sphingolipid content that confers resistance to oxidation, allowing these lenses to stay clear relatively longer than many other species. The strong correlation between sphingolipid and lifespan may form a basis for future studies, which are needed because correlations do not infer cause. One could hope that if human lenses could be made to have a lipid composition similar to whales, like the bowhead, humans would not develop age-related cataracts for over 100 years.     

Uniform hypothesis of cell behavior--movement, contact inhibition of movement, adhesion, chemotaxis, phagocytosis, pinocytosis, division, contact inhibition of division, fusion.

The cell has been represented as a charged liquid drop. Contrary to the DLVO-theory, the effect of the surface potential upon the value of the interfacial tension of the cell membrane has also been taken into consideration. The cell membrane has visco-elastic properties and its constituents may move against each other. Cell movement is caused by the appearance of a small number of the electrically charged constituents of the cell membrane on the leading edge of the cell. This produces a local decrease in the surface tension and the cell membrane expansion. At the moment of contact between two cells proton transfers occur between the strongly negatively charged microvilli of one cell and the body of the other, analogous to a condenser breakdown. This, through the effect on the surface tension, causes contact inhibition of movement. The distribution of the proton dissociable groups modifies the interaction between the cells (differentiation) and between the cell and the substratum (adhesion). Adsorption of the charged compounds at the surface of the cell membrane, decreasing the surface potential and increasing the surface tension, causes the phenomena of chemotaxis, phagocytosis and pinocytosis. Cell division, considered in the terms of the surface energy, requires an adequate supply of considerable quantities of energy inversely proportional to the surface potential value. In case of a reduction of the distance between the cells, their surface potential and the energetic barrier of the cell division processes increases, and causes contact inhibition of cell division. Due to their high charge, division of neoplastic cells is inhibited much later than division of normal cells, or is completely ininhibited due to geometric conditions. Fusion of the cell membrane in the intra-cellular and intercellular processes is a reverse process in relation to the cell division.     

Simultaneous measurement of the trace elements Al, As, B, Be, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Rb, Se, Sr, and Zn in human serum and their reference ranges by ICP-MS

The goal of this article was to establish reference ranges of the concentration of trace elements in human serum and to compare these results with those reported by other authors. We describe the sample preparation and measurement conditions that allow the rapid, precise, and accurate determination of Al, As, B, Be, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Rb, Se, Sr, and Zn in human serum samples (n=110) by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Accuracy and precision were determined by analyzing three reconstituted reference serum samples by comparison with other methods and by the standard addition procedure. The advantages of the ICP-MS method include short time of analysis of the elements mentioned, low detection limit, high precision, and high accuracy. Disadventages include a high risk of contamination due to the presence of some of the elements of interest in the environment, the relatively delicate sample handling, and the high cost of the equipment.