The 1985 guinea/guinea‐bissau maritime boundary case and its implications

The 1985 Guinea/Guinea‐Bissau maritime boundary case was a landmark decision in maritime delimitation. For the first time, sub‐Saharan African states resorted to third‐party settlement, thereby making a significant contribution to the developing state practice on maritime delimitation. The Arbitration Tribunal took an unprecedented “regional approach,”; which had a direct effect on the two neighboring countries, Senegal and Sierra Leone. The Award provides lessons for unresolved conflicts and has implications for areas of future dispute such as in the Gulf of Guinea, where Cameroon has initiated proceedings against Nigeria.     

Flora of the Kazanian–Urzhumian boundary in the middle Permian of the Russian Platform

Rich fossil plant localities in the upper Guadalupian and the lowermost Lopingian of the Russian Platform are confined to several discrete “levels” or “horizons” divided by intervals that are almost devoid of plant remains. One such “horizon” is located at the boundary between the Upper Kazanian and the Urzhumian of the regional stratigraphic scale. Numerous localities of this level can be grouped into two geographical clusters, the northern one being confined to the Kama River Basin, and the southern one to the Orenburg Region and Southern Bashkortostan. Regarding the southern localities, three floras that are seemingly successive in time can be distinguished. Against a common background of articulates (Paracalamites and Equisetites), the lowermost flora is characterized by the dominance of leaves of Rufloria (Cordaitanthales) with very rare conifers. Conifers (Quadrocladus, Sashinia, Dvinostrobus) and leaves of Phylladoderma (Peltaspermales) are the most abundant elements of the middle assemblage, whereas Rufloria leaves are very seldom found together with the peltasperm Ginkgophyllum and the conifer-like Steirophyllum. The uppermost flora is dominated by Odontopteridium and Ustyugia, two closely related genera of peltasperms, whereas cordaitaleans are totally absent. Comparison with the northern localities, which can be linked to the type sections of the Upper Kazanian and the Urzhumian, enables the dating of these assemblages in terms of the regional stratigraphic scale. All three floras prove to be confined to the uppermost Kazanian, and only the youngest one could also occur in the lowermost Urzhumian. As the stratigraphic ranges of all observed plant taxa exceed the total stratigraphic interval under study, the sequence of the floras seems to be caused by ecological (most likely climatic) factors rather than the actual evolution of plants. In particular, the observed gradual elimination of cordaitaleans confirms the general view on the extinction of this group on the Russian Platform. The southwestern boundary of the occurrence of cordaitaleans on the Russian Platform stretched from the southwest to the northeast, approximately parallel to the palaeolatitudes reconstructed on the basis of palaeomagnetic data. During the Guadalupian it moved to the northeast, which is to the north considering the position of the North Pole of that time. Cordaitaleans were the main peat-forming plants in the Late Palaeozoic of northern Pangea (in the Kuznetsk, Tunguska and Pechora Basins). So their retreat to the north was most likely a consequence and a reflection of the warming and drying of the climate.     

Ecological disruption close to the Ordovician‐Silurian boundary

Following a long period of stability there was substantial ecological disruption in the late Ordovician, accompanied by widespread extinction. The ecological upheaval was spread over a period of time (1 My?) and varied in intensity between different groups.

The greatest change in brachiopod faunas occurred in the tropics, where there were widespread extinctions. In temperate regions the community structure, although disrupted, was not destroyed. The deep shelf associations (Benthic Assemblages 4–5) of the Rawtheyan persisted in an attenuated form into the Hirnantian when they were supplemented by genera of the ”Hirnantia fauna” and then became strongly re‐established in the Llandovery.

Trilobites, in contrast to brachiopods, suffered a worldwide extinction in the late Ashgill. Approximately 40% of trilobite genera became extinct at, or near, the Rawtheyan‐Hirnantian boundary.

Analysis of the distribution of Rawtheyan trilobite and brachiopod genera supports a correlation between geographical distribution and survival. Global range charts for brachiopod and trilobite genera, incorporating ecological and palaeogeographical data, have been compiled for this study.     

Building cross‐cultural coalitions: A case‐study of the Black‐Korean Alliance and the Latino‐Black Roundtable

A case‐study is presented of two Los Angeles‐based cross‐cultural coalitions, the Black‐Korean Alliance [BKA] and the Latino‐Black Roundtable [LBR]. An analysis of the development and eventual dissolution of these two coalitions is presented against the backdrop of the history of relations between the African‐American, Korean‐American and Latino communities of Los Angeles. The central issues leading to the breakup of the two coalitions were: lack of resources, internal power dynamics between coalition partners, nationalistic factions within the broader communities, cross‐cultural dynamics between coalition members, the use of a dialogue model to frame coalition activities, and the analysis of intergroup relations underlying the formation of the coalitions. The applied and theoretical implications of the research are discussed.     

Minorities policy in the post‐Soviet republics: The case of the Gagauzi

This article explores the obstacles to crafting comprehensive policies for ethnic minorities within the Soviet successor states. It focuses on a case that has been viewed as a model for the peaceful resolution of ethnic conflict in the region: Moldova's devolution of power to its small Gagauz (Christian Turkic) minority. The relationship between the Moldovan government and the Gagauzi reached its nadir in 1990, when Moldovan volunteer forces and Gagauz irregulars stood at the brink of all‐out civil war over the issue of a separate Gagauz political entity. Since then, however, Moldova has created a special administrative unit known as Gagauz Yeri ('the Gagauz land'). In contrast to other ethno‐territorial disputes in the former Soviet Union, the Gagauz case has illustrated that a range of policy options exists between the extremes of maintaining a highly centralized, unitary state structure and the devolution of authority to loosely related confederative units.     

Southern Cone maritime security after the 1984 Argentine‐Chilean treaty of peace and friendship

Abstract

The Southern Cone of South America and the adjacent regions of the South Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans, as well as the opposite regions of the Antarctic, present some difficult legal, political, economic, and military problems. As the tip of the Southern Cone has been conflict prone, the political and military interests of Argentina and Chile have tended to predominate. The 1984 Argentine‐Chilean Treaty of Peace and Friendship was a significant achievement in conflict resolution, and could lead to greater economic, political and even military cooperation between the two states. Nonetheless, the general area at the tip of the Southern Cone remains conflict prone as evidenced in part by the conflicts over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands, the Beagle Channel, the Drake Passage, and the Antarctic.     

The palynological assemblages from the J–K boundary beds of the Bureya Basin,Russian Far East

Palynological assemblages were studied from the coal-bearing Upper Jurassic (Talanja Formation) to the Lower Cretaceous (Dublikan Formation) deposits of the Bureya Basin, Russia. The palynological assemblages from the upper part of the Talanja Formation are dominated by gymnosperms, mainly Ginkgocycadophytus (up to 40%) and conifers related to Pinaceae (up to 70%). The contribution of non-seed plants is not great, but their diversity is considerable. The miospore assemblages of the Talanja sequence are characterized by the last appearance of the spore taxa Staplinisporites pocockii, Camptotriletes cerebriformis, Camptotriletes nitida, and Cingulatisporites sanguinolentus. The palynological assemblage from the Dublikan Formation is dominated by ferns (up to 84%), represented mainly by Cyathidites and Duplexisporites. Among gymnosperms the role of Classopollis increases (making up about 20%). Another feature is the first appearance of the spore taxa Stereisporites bujargiensis, Neoraistrickia rotundiformis, Contignisporites dorsostriatus, Appendicisporites tricostatus, and Concavissimisporites asper.     

Deciphering foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus–host tropism

Abstract

The pattern of interactions between foot and mouth disease (FMD) viral protein 1 (VP1) with susceptible and resistant host integrins were deciphered. The putative effect of site-directed mutation on alteration of interaction is illustrated using predicted and validated 3D structures of VP1, mutated VP1 and integrins of Bos taurus, Gallus and Canis. Strong interactions were observed between FMDV-VP1 protein motifs at conserved tripeptide, Arg-Gly-Asp ¹⁴³RGD¹⁴⁵ and at domain ⁶⁷⁶SIPLQ⁶⁸⁰ in alpha-integrin of B. taurus. Notably, in-silico site-directed mutation in FMDV-VP1 protein led to complete loss of interaction between FMD-VP1 protein and B. taurus integrin, which confirmed the active role of arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) domain. Interestingly, in-vitro analysis demonstrates the persistence of the putative tropism site ‘SIPLQ’ in different cattle breeds undertaken. Thus, the attempt to decipher the tropism of FMDV at host receptor level interaction might be useful for future FMD control strategies through development of mimetic marker vaccines and/or host receptor manipulations.

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma     

Synthesis of Oligoribonucleotides Containing 4‐Thiouridine Using the Convertible Nucleoside Approach and the 1‐(2‐Fluorophenyl)‐4‐Methoxypiperidin‐4‐yl Group

Oligoribonucleotides containing 4‐thiouridine were prepared using the Fpmp group for protection of the 2′‐OH. Two uridine derivatives with the 1,2,4‐triazolyl and the 2‐nitrophenyl groups at position 4 were used to obtain 4‐thiouridine by postsynthetic substitution with sodium hydrogen sulfide. Both uridine derivatives allow the preparation of the desired oligonucleotides in good yields.     

Some aspects of the socio‐cultural adjustment of recent Soviet immigrants to the United States*

While Europe is unifying, it is also becoming more diverse, making multiculturalism one of the most hotly debated political issues in Western Europe. Minority citizens occupy an important place in the landscape of this challenging issue. Using the Eurobarometer 53 survey of European citizens, I look at the gap between Europeans who claim minority heritage and those who do not in support for multiculturalism in fifteen European Union member nations, taking into account percentage of extreme right-wing vote. This contextual factor has a persistent significant effect on the difference between minority and non-minority attitudes. High levels of support for extreme right-wing parties may have a polarizing effect, heightening awareness of personal heritage and making ethnic identity more salient in attitudes towards multiculturalism. This suggests an extension of group threat theory in which conceptions of what constitutes both a group and a threat can be created at the level of discourse.     

New (1‐Deaza)Purine Derivatives via Efficient C‐2 Nitration of the (1‐Deaza)Purine Ring

Nitration of substituted (1‐deaza)purines using a mixture of tetrabutylammonium nitrate (TBAN) and trifluoracetic acid anhydride (TFAA) was applied to prepare nitrosubstituted (1‐deaza)purines at low temperature. The nitro group influences the system twofold: 1) it activates other substituents towards nucleophilic aromatic substitution and 2) it can be substituted itself leading to a variety of di‐substituted (1‐deaza)purines, also via solid phase syntheses. Several of the molecules obtained were studied for their antiprotozoal activity and for interactions with the different human adenosine receptors.     

24‐H entrainment and ultradian fluctuations in the activity of the lizard Gallotia galloti galloti (sauria‐lacertidae)

Abstract

Activity data from two experimental lizard groups were analysed in order to search for 24 h‐entrained and ultradian periodicities. The data of a first group were obtained through motion sensitive platforms situated under the animals’ cage and continuously for up to 12 consecutive days; those from a second group were collected by manual recording of the behaviour patterns of individual animals for 2 h each day over a 10‐day period. Lizards from both groups were situated in cages inside isolated chambers in which a light‐dark cycle (12:12), a temperature of 28°C ±1° and a relative humidity of 50–60% were maintained. Periodogram analysis showed the existence of a significant period peak (p < 0.01) at 24 h. Autocorrelation functions and spectral analysis of different data‐segment lengths showed that ultradian periodicities were present in the daily motor activity, appearing as noisy though frequency‐band limited. Differences in the frequency band‐limited fluctuations were found between morning and afternoon activities: during the morning ultradian activity appears distributed in two bands (4.5–36 c/day and 63–94 c/day), the power being mainly concentrated in the second one, while during the afternoon it was in the 4.5–36 c/day band. Results from the second lizard group showed only one band (24–60 c/day) overlapped with the first one from the latter group. Although activity recording methods and some experimental conditions are discussed as possible sources of these differences, the possibility of endogenous ultradian variation within the individuals is also suggested.     

Experimental Stations of the Institute of Experimental Biology and the Development of Russian Genetics (1917–1929)

Russian Journal of Developmental Biology - The history of the experimental stations of the Institute of Experimental Biology organized near Moscow by N.K. Kol’tsov, the founder of the...     

The new Russian diaspora ‐ an identity of its own? Possible identity trajectories for Russians in the former Soviet republic

The collapse of the unitary Soviet state has plunged its former citizens into a profound identity crisis. Particularly hard hit are the twenty‐five million Russians living in the non‐Russian successor states. Formerly members of the dominant nationality of a multinational state they have been turned into a new Russian diaspora. Whether in time they should come to regard themselves as Latvians (Ukrainians, Georgians, etc.) of Russian extraction or as Russians who happen to be living in Latvia, Ukraine, Georgia, etc. will clearly influence political relations both within and among the Soviet successor states. Identity formation is a prolonged process and is influenced by a number of factors. The author attempts to outline a typology of possible identity trajectories of the Russian diaspora and discusses a number of influential factors which are deemed important to the identity formation. These factors work very differently in the various non‐Russian successor states, and there is therefore no reason to believe that all Russians living outside the Russian Federation will develop the same identity. There is, however, good reason to expect that in the final outcome a very large number of them will develop an identity which sets them apart from the Russian core group.     

Lithostratigraphy and carbonate microfacies across the Permian–Triassic boundary near Julfa (NW Iran) and in the Baghuk Mountains (Central Iran)

Permian–Triassic boundary sections in the Julfa (NW Iran) and Abadeh (Central Iran) regions display a succession of three characteristic rock units, (1) the Paratirolites Limestone with the mass extinction horizon at its top, (2) the ‘Boundary Clay’, and (3) the earliest Triassic Elikah Formation with the conodont P–Tr boundary at its base. The carbonate microfacies reveals a facies change, in the sections near Julfa, within the Paratirolites Limestone with an increasing number of intraclasts, Fe–Mn crusts, and biogenic encrustation. A decline in carbonate accumulation occurs towards the top of the unit with a sponge packstone in the sections, and finally resulting in a complete demise of the carbonate factory. The succession of the ‘Boundary Clay’ differs in the two regions; thin horizons of sponge packstone are present in the Julfa region and ‘calcite fans’ of probably inorganic origin in the Abadeh Region. The skeletal carbonate factory of the Late Permian was restored with the deposition of microbial carbonates at the base of the Elikah Formation, where densely laminated bindstone, floatstone with sparry calcite spheres, and oncoid wackestone/floatstone predominate.     

Hidden diversity in the non‐caryophyllaceous plant‐parasitic members of Microbotryum (Pucciniomycotina: Microbotryales)

Abstract

Members of the fungal genus Microbotryum are well‐known parasites on eudicotyledonous plant hosts. However, recent studies focused exclusively on Microbotryum species being parasites in the anthers of Caryophyllaceae in which strong host‐specificity was confirmed by molecular analyses. Consequently, species numbers have risen considerably as multi‐host parasites were split up in so‐called cryptic species. We subjected three non‐caryophyllaceous Microbotryum groups to molecular phylogenetic analyses to see whether we would confirm multi‐host morphospecies or if host‐specific cryptic species in these selected groups could be revealed as well (i.e. a group of non‐caryophyllaceous anther smuts, parasites on different Fallopia species, and parasites on Polygonum bistorta and Polygonum vi‐viparum). We applied a multiple analysis strategy to correct for varying alignment effects on a two‐locus dataset (ITS and LSU rDNA). The results obtained by the different approaches are uniform; high host‐specificity exists in the non‐ caryophyllaceous anther smuts, but overlapping host ranges occur in the parasites of Fallopia species. Results for the parasites of Polygonum are similar, with Microbotryum bistortarum being separated into three lineages and M. marginale forming a lineage on P. bistorta which apparently is conspecific with M. bistortarum p.p. Our study shows that phylogenetic patterns within Microbotryum are much more complicated than deduced from morphological observations alone. Even though Microbotryum species are highly host‐specific, it is impossible to identify species based solely on host taxa affiliation. Species status is reinstated for the anther smut on Salvia pratensis.     

On the phylogeny of Early Cardioceratidae (Ammonoidea) and Cadoceratinae from Central Russia at the Bathonian–Callovian boundary

The phylogeny of the Middle Jurassic Cardioceratidae is reconstructed on the basis of a study of their shell morphology and analysis of their stratigraphic distribution. The phylogenetic lineage Cranocephalites → Arctocephalites → Arcticoceras → Paracadoceras is assigned to the subfamily Arctocephalitinae (Upper Bajocian–lowermost Callovian). The subfamily Cadoceratinae (Upper Bajocian–Callovian) also originating from Cranocephalites includes the phylogenetic lineage Greencephalites → Cadoceras → Longaeviceras; and lateral branches Chamoussetia and Platychamoussetia. The origin of the Early Callovian Eckhardites, also assigned to Cardioceratidae, is not established. The generic names Rondiceras and Cadochamoussetia are considered as junior synonyms of Cadoceras and Chamoussetia, respectively. The Early Callovian species Cadoceras bellabimba sp. nov. is described.     

The Interaction of Per‐O‐Acetylated Acyclic 1‐(1‐Butylindol‐3‐yl)‐1‐deoxy‐ketoses with Silylated Uracil

The per‐O‐acetylated open chain derivatives of 1‐(1‐butylindol‐3‐yl)‐1‐deoxy‐1‐L‐sorbose and 1‐(1‐butylindol‐3‐yl)‐1‐deoxy‐L‐tagatose, which are readily available by alkaline degradation of 1‐butylascorbigen followed by acetylation, were used in a nucleoside‐type synthesis. The interaction of these ketoses derivatives with bis‐(trimethylsilyl)‐uracil yielded in each case a mixture of (E)‐2,4,5,6‐tetra‐O‐acetyl‐1‐(1‐butylindol‐3‐yl)‐1,3‐dideoxy‐3‐(uracil‐1‐yl)‐L‐xylo‐hexa‐1‐enitol and (E)‐2,4,5,6‐tetra‐O‐acetyl‐1‐(1‐butylindol‐3‐yl)‐1,3‐dideoxy‐3‐(uracil‐1‐yl)‐L‐lyxo‐hexa‐1‐enitol, which were separated by preparative HPLC. The deacetylation of each of these compounds by MeONa in MeOH produced a mixture of 1‐(1‐butylindol‐3‐yl)‐1,3‐dideoxy‐4‐O‐methyl‐3‐(uracil‐1‐yl)‐α‐L‐sorbopyranose and 1‐(1‐butylindol‐3‐yl)‐1,3‐dideoxy‐4‐O‐methyl‐3‐(uracil‐1‐yl)‐β‐D‐fructopyranose, which were also separated by HPLC, the structures were confirmed by NMR.     

Plastome phylogenomic insights into the Sino‐Japanese biogeography of Diabelia (Caprifoliaceae)

Understanding the causes of the Sino‐Japanese disjunctions in plant taxa has been a central question in eastern Asian biogeography, with vicariance or long‐distance dispersal often invoked to explain such patterns. Diabelia Landrein (Caprifoliaceae; Linnaeoideae) comprises four shrubby species with a Sino‐Japanese disjunct distribution. The species diversification time within Diabelia, covering a long geological history of the formation process of the Sino‐Japanese flora, dated back to the middle Oligocene, therefore, Diabelia would be an ideal model to elucidate the biogeographic patterns of Sino‐Japanese disjunctions with climate fluctuation. In this study, we analyzed complete plastome sequence data for 28 individuals representing all four species of Diabelia. These 28 plastomes were found to be highly similar in overall size (156 243–157 578 bp), structure, gene order, and content. Our phylogenomic analysis of the plastomes supported a close relationship between Diabelia ionostachya (Nakai) Landrein & R.L. Barrett var. wenzhouensis (S.L. Zhou ex Landrein) Landrein from eastern China and Diabelia spathulata (Siebold & Zucc.) Landrein var. spathulata from Japan. Diabelia serrata (Siebold & Zucc.) Landrein was identified as sister to a population of Diabelia sanguinea (Makino) Landrein from Tochigi in central Japan and D. spathulata Landrein, from Toyama, central Japan. Most Diabelia lineages were estimated to have differentiated 8–28 Mya. Our results indicate that two independent vicariance events could explain the disjunction between Japan and Korea in the mid to late Miocene, and between Zhejiang and Japan in the early Miocene.