A grid-based, satellite-image supported, multi-attributed vegetation mapping method (MÉTA)

In this paper we present the main characteristics of a new, grid-based, landscape-ecology-oriented, satellite-image supported, field vegetation mapping method, called MÉTA (MÉTA stands for Magyarországi Él?helyek Térképi Adatbázisa: GIS Database of the Hungarian Habitats). The goals of the MÉTA method based vegetation mapping program (MÉTA mapping) include the following: (1) to map the actual (semi-)natural vegetation of Hungary; (2) to evaluate Hungarian (semi-)natural vegetation heritage for conservation purposes; (3) to evaluate the present state of Hungarian landscapes from a vegetation point of view; (4) to collect vegetation and landscape ecological data for the prognosis of future changes of vegetation and the landscape. Spatial resolution, mapped attributes and mapping methods were developed to meet these goals. The MÉTA method uses a hexagon grid with cells of 35 hectares. In the hexagons, habitat types are listed, then the area, naturalness-based habitat quality, spatial pattern in the hexagon, effect of the neighbourhood, connectedness, and threats are recorded for each habitat type. Other attributes are recorded in the hexagons: potential natural vegetation, area occupied by invasive plant species, area of old fields, land use of grasslands, and landscape health status (naturalness and regeneration potential of the landscape in general). One hundred hexagons form a quadrat — mainly for practical, organizational reasons, but also for collecting certain vegetation data at this spatial scale. For standardization of mapping, three different pre-printed data sheets and two different kinds of guides have been composed (Mapping Guide and Habitat Guide) and field trainings were organized. For standardization of estimation of naturalness-based habitat quality and regeneration potential field examples were prepared for each habitat type and each category of these attributes.     

THE EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE ON SEXUAL DIFFERENTIATION IN THE TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE THELYGENIC—INTERSEXUAL OFFSPRING OF ORCHESTIA GAMMARELLUS (PALLAS) (AMPHIPODA; CRUSTACEA)

Some females of Orchestia gammarellus generate offspring which include too many females as well as intersexual males. This thelygeny related to intersexuality is temperature sensitive; it disappears above 22°C. It is induced by a feminising parasite described in another work. We have studied how the temperature acts on pubescent thelygenic females having either a known or unknown genotype (♀ 2AYY). The increase of female breeding temperature up to 25 or 30°C has two kinds of consequences for their offspring: (i) an increase in the male ratio, that is to say the expression of the normal genetic sex in potential neo females, and (ii) a correlative decrease in the proportion of intersexual males. The strength of these effects varies according to several parameters: temperature, exposure duration and genotype of tested females.     

(E160A)和(E160D)天花粉蛋白两种突变体晶体结构研究

培养了（Ｅ１６０Ａ）ＴＣＳ和（Ｅ１６０Ｄ）ＴＣＳ的单晶。在ＭＡＲＲｅｓｅａｒｃｈ面探测器系统上分别收集了０．１９３ｎｍ和０．２０ｎｍ分辨率的Ｘ射线衍射数据。数据处理用ＭＡＲＳＣＡＬＥ程序系统完成。用同晶差值Ｆｏｕｒｉｅｒ法解析了突变体的晶体结构,结构修正利用Ｘ－ＰＬＯＲ程序。修正结果,晶体学Ｒ因子分别为０．１７５,０．１７９,键长和键角的ＲＭＳ偏差分别为０．００１１ｎｍ和２．４５７°,０．００１３ｎｍ和２．６７５°。在这两个突变体的结构中均未见到Ｇｌｕ１８９侧链方向的改变。通过对（Ｅ１６０Ａ）ＴＣＳ和（Ｅ１６０Ｄ）ＴＣＳ的结构比较,说明（Ｅ１６０Ｄ）ＴＣＳ活性低于（Ｅ１６０Ａ）ＴＣＳ的原因：这可能是由于在（Ｅ１６０Ｄ）ＴＣＳ中Ｔｙｒ１１１和Ｔｙｒ７０的侧链都具有较大的运动性,使它们与腺嘌呤碱基的芳香堆垛作用减弱,从而导致活性的降低     

HAVE MALE AND FEMALE GENITALIA COEVOLVED? A PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF GENITALIC MORPHOLOGY AND SEXUAL SIZE DIMORPHISM IN WEB‐BUILDING SPIDERS (ARANEAE: ARANEOIDEA)

Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) can strongly influence the evolution of reproductive strategies and life history. If SSD is extreme, and other characters (e.g., genitalic size) also increase with size, then functional conflicts may arise between the sexes. Spiders offer an excellent opportunity to investigate this issue because of their wide range of SSD. By using modern phylogenetic methods with 16 species of orb-weaving spiders, we provide strong evidence for the "positive genitalic divergence" model, implying that sexual genitalic dimorphism (SGD) increases as SSD increases. This pattern is supported by an evolutionary mismatch between the absolute sizes of male and female genitalia across species. Indeed, our findings reveal a dramatic reversal from male genitalia that are up to 87x larger than female genitalia in size-monomorphic species to female genitalia that are up to 2.8x larger in extremely size-dimorphic species. We infer that divergence in SGD could limit SSD both in spiders, and potentially in other taxa as well. Further, male and female body size, as well as male and female genitalia size, are decoupled evolutionarily. Finally, we show a negative scaling (hypoallometry) of male and female genitalic morphology within sexes. Evolutionary forces specific to each sex, such as larger female size (increased fecundity) or smaller male size (enhanced mate-searching ability), may be balanced by stabilizing selection on relative genitalic size.     

THE EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE ON SEXUAL DIFFERENTIATION IN THE TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE THELYGENIC—INTERSEXUAL OFFSPRING OF ORCHESTIA GAMMARELLUS (PALLAS) (AMPHIDOPA; CRUSTACEA

An increase in temperature to 25 or 30°C during embryonic development and the first stages of post-embryonic development in the temperature-sensitive thelygenic offspring of Orchestia gammarellus, brings about a higher male ratio in the broods, that is to say weakens or cancels the action of the feminising factor. The effect appears much earlier at 30 than at 25°C. At 30°C, the results achieved partly depend on the stage of embryonic development during which the heat treatment is applied. The more sensitive stages correspond to gastrulation and the formation of germ layers. The sensitivity to the increased temperature depends on the sexual genotype of the individuals: the 2AYY are more sensitive than the XY animals.     

分子动力学模拟HPV(16, 18)E6蛋白

目的:对人乳头瘤病毒HPV16,18中E6蛋白结构进行分子模拟和分析,寻找可以作为蛋白-配体相互作用的关键结构区域。方法:以HPV16 E6蛋白为模板,对HPV18 E6蛋白进行同源建模,对构建的HPV18 E6模型以及晶体结构模型HPV16 E6进行分子动力学模拟,通过微观上的loop环分析和宏观上的整体运动分析研究了HPV18 E6与HPV16 E6在溶剂环境下结构变化的异同。结果:发现靠近N端loop环在蛋白-配体结合过程中能介导控制配体、水、离子进出的"门控"的作用,解释了两个蛋白在水溶剂中的运动构象的变化。结论:本研究解释了HPV16 E6与HPV18 E6两个蛋白在溶剂中的运动机制,并发现了loop环在其中扮演"门控"的作用,解释了两个蛋白在水溶剂中的运动构象的变化,该发现能够为基于两个蛋白为靶点的药物设计提供理论依据。     

Synopsis of the species of Myxidium Bütschli, 1882 (Myxozoa: Myxosporea: Bivalvulida)

A synopsis of the species of Myxidium Bütschli, 1882 (Myxozoa: Myxosporea: Bivalvulida) is presented. It includes a total of 232 nominal species, whose principal morphological and morphometric characteristics, site of infection within the host, and original hosts and locality are indicated in a tabulated format. A diagrammatic illustration of a spore of most of the species is also provided.     

Attraction of the egg parasitoid,Gonatocerus ashmeadi Girault (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) to synthetic formulation of a (E)-β-ocimene and (E,E)-α-farnesene mixture

Glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS), Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar), is a vector of the xylem-inhabitant bacterium Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al., which causes Pierce’s disease of grapevines. Current GWSS control strategies in California, USA include area-wide insecticide applications and mass release of mymarid egg parasitoids, including Gonatocerus ashmeadi Girault. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to identify (E)-β-ocimene and (E,E)-α-farnesene as volatiles emitted from grapevines on which GWSS had previously fed and oviposited. Attractiveness of female G. ashmeadi to sugar-based formulations containing either (E)-β-ocimene, (E,E)-α-farnesene, or a mixture of both was evaluated using Y-tube olfactometry. When exposed to synthetic formulation containing a mixture of (E)-β-ocimene and (E,E)-α-farnesene vs. blank control, 61% of G. ashmeadi females initially chose the synthetic formulation. After the initial choice for a Y-tube arm, females visited the Y-tube arm connected to the source of formulation more often than it did to the arm connected to a blank control. There was no difference in the female’s time spent in the arm connected to the formulation. When testing formulations containing either (E)-β-ocimene or (E,E)-α-farnesene alone, there was a 1:1 ratio between the proportion of parasitoid’s first choice, visits, and residence time. Results suggest that synthetic formulations containing mixtures of certain plant volatiles may be used to localize GWSS egg parasitoids in vineyard systems. Results are discussed in the context of potential applications in GWSS biological control programs.     

A case of hyperlipidemia with homozygous apolipoprotein E5 (Glu3→Lys)

In this study, we present clinical feature of a novel case with homozygous apolipoprotein (apo) E5.The patient was a 53-year-old Japanese woman. She was from a small island off the coast of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Her parents were first degree cousins. No corneal opacification, xanthomatosis, lymphadenopathy, or hepatosplenomegaly was observed. There have been no signs of clinically overt atherosclerosis to date. Her serum total cholesterol, triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol levels were 11.6, 6.1 and 1.2 mmol/l, respectively, and apo A-I, A-II, B, C-II, C-III and E levels were 121, 34.8, 269, 10.4, 25.7 and 10.3 mg/dl, respectively. Serum lipoprotein profile analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and differential staining revealed markedly increased cholesterol and TG in both β and preβ-migrated lipoproteins, whereas α-migrated lipoprotein showed decreased cholesterol. Her apo E isoform analyzed by isoelectric focusing (IEF) was found to be homozygous apo E5.Polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of her apo E and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) genes revealed that she had a homozygous apo E (Glu³→Lys) and heterozygous LPL variant Ser⁴⁴⁷ to Ter. Her son and daughter, both of whom had hyperlipidemia, were found to have apo E3/5 phenotype. Direct sequencing analysis of her apo E gene confirmed a homozygous one nucleotide change: G to A at nucleotide position of 2836 in the exon 3, resulting in Glu³→Lys mutation.This is the first report of lipids and lipoprotein profiles in patients with homozygous apo E5 (Glu³→Lys).     

Microstructure de Thamnoptychia Limbata (Eaton, 1832)Tabulata,dévonien, État de New-York

The wall of Thamnoptychia consists of a granularmedian lamina flanked by thick margins of cupular microlamellae in which are inserted fibrous spines. Ramose Tabulate Corals, with a considerable peripheral microlamellar thickening, are here united in the family Thamnoptychiidae nov. This name substitutes Dendroporidae De Fromentel 1861, since Dendropora owns a microstructure which differs it from all other Tabulate Corals.     

A J E Smith,M.A., D.Phil., D.Sc. (1935–2012)

Abstract

Based on morphology and phylogenetical analyses of nrITS sequences, the Andean endemic Plagiochila (Jamesoniella) dependula is placed in Plagiochila sect. Fuscoluteae. Perianths, oil bodies and sporophytes are described for the first time. Morphologically, P. dependula is characterized by entire, dorsally mostly shortly decurrent, laterally appressed, reniform leaves which are covered by irregular papillae and membranous wax platelets, papillose oil bodies, intercalary androecia with opposite bracts that overlap dorsally, a plagiochilid perianth with an entire mouth, a 250 μm thick capsule wall with thickenings in all layers, large 1–4 celled spores, and bispiral elaters. Morphotypes of Plagiochila fuscolutea with laterally appressed leaves differ from P. dependula by an at least moderately decurrent, broad dorsal leaf base, a ±smooth upper leaf surface, and by its often toothed leaf apices. Plagiochila wolframii is placed in the synonymy of P. fuscolutea. Maximum likelihood and parsimony analyses of 29 Plagiochila ITS sequences resolve P. dependula in a well-supported clade with several other representatives of P. sect. Fuscoluteae. Branch lengths within sect. Fuscoluteae point to a sudden diversification. Accessions of P. heterophylla s.str. from Great Britain (formerly known as P. atlantica) and Costa Rica form an unsupported monophyletic lineage.     

Distribution of Copper, Iron, and Zinc in Biological Samples (Scalp Hair, Serum, Blood, and Urine) of Pakistani Viral Hepatitis (A–E) Patients and Controls

The aim of the present study was to compare the level of copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) in biological samples (serum, blood, urine, and scalp hair) of patients suffering from different viral hepatitis (A, B, C, D, and E; n?=?521) of both gender age ranged 31–45 years. For comparative study, 255 age-matched control subjects, of both genders residing in the same city were selected as referents. The elements in the biological samples were analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry, prior to microwave-assisted acid digestion. The validity and accuracy of the methodology was checked by using certified reference materials (CRMs) and with those values obtained by conventional wet acid digestion method on same CRMs. The results of this study showed that the mean values of Cu and Fe were higher in blood, sera, and scalp hair samples of hepatitis patients, while Zn level was found to be lower than age-matched control subjects. The urinary levels of these elements were found to be higher in the hepatitis patients than in the age-matched healthy controls (p?<?0.05). These results are consistent with literature-reported data, confirming that the deficiency of zinc and hepatic iron and copper overload can directly cause lipid peroxidation and eventually hepatic damage.     

Les Cneoraceae (Rutales): Étude Taxonomique,Palynologique et Systématique

Après avoir revu l'ensemble des caractères morphologiques, anatomiques, caryologiques, embryologiques, phytochimiques, sérologiques et palynologiques les auteurs concluent à la nécessité de séparer les deux genres Cneorum et Neochamaelea et de rattacher la famille aux Rutales. Par l'étude détaillée des caractères du pollen, ils montrent également que l'ultrastructure de l'exine est identique dans les deux genres, bien que l'ornementation et le nombre des apertures soient différents. Le type pollinique des Cneoraceae est comparable à celui des Rutaceae, Simaroubaceae et vient étayer l'opinion fréquemment admise que la famille appartient à l'ordre des Rutales.     

THE DISCOVERY OF THE CRIBRIFORM PLATE IN SINOCONODON YOUNCI (TRICONODONTA,MAMMALIA)

ThepresenceofacribriformplateinlivingplacentalsandthemarsupialsandabsenceinmonotremesmayimplythatmammalsarediphyleticandtheoriginofcribriformplatetookplacewithinthcMammalia.Buttheconc1usioncamefromthe1ivingmammalsonly,andhasnotbeensupportedbypalaeontologicalevidence.Itsappearanceinoneoftheoldestandthemostprimitivemammals,Sinoconodon,possiblysuggeststhatthecribriformplatemayoccurearlier,i.e.inthetimeofthetransitionfromtheadvancedmammal-likereptiles,Cynodontia,tothetruemammals,andthatthedistrib…