Praon Haliday (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) of Southeastern Europe: key, host range and phylogenetic relationships

A review of species in the genus Praon Haliday, 1833 is presented. Twenty described species are keyed and illustrated with scanning electron micrographs and line drawings. The Praon species presented in this work have been identified from 67 aphid taxa occurring on 120 plant taxa. Furthermore, 87 original parasitoid–aphid–plant associations of the species mentioned in the key are presented. Phylogenetic relationships among Praon species are reconstructed using parsimony and cladistic distance methods. Praon abjectum is the sister taxon to the remaining Praon species. We recognized three species group: “Parapraon”, “dorsale-yomenae” and “rosaecola”. Monophyly is suggested for “Parapraon” species group and paraphyly for “dorsale-yomenae” group. Finally, by phylogenetic reconstruction, a close phylogenetic relationship between “Parapraon” and “dorsale-yomenae” species group was found.     

Comparison of the Antimicrobial Adhesion Potential of Human Body Fluid Glycoconjugates Using Fucose-Binding Lectin (PA-IIL) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Ulex europaeus Lectin (UEA-I)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces a fucose-binding lectin (PA-IIL) which strongly binds to human cells. This lectin was shown to be highly sensitive to inhibition by fucose-bearing human milk glycoproteins. Since the glycans of these glycoproteins mimic human cell receptors, they may function as decoys in blocking lectin-dependent pathogen adhesion to the host cells. Human saliva and seminal fluid also contain such compounds, and body fluids of individuals who are “secretors” express additional fucosylated (alpha 1,2) residues. The latter are selectively detected by Ulex europaeus lectin UEA-I. The aim of the present research was to compare the PA-IIL and UEA-I interactions with human salivas and seminal fluids of “secretors” and “nonsecretors” with those obtained with the respective milks. Using hemagglutination inhibition and Western blot analyses, we showed that PA-IIL interactions with the saliva and seminal fluid glycoproteins were somewhat weaker than those obtained with the milk and that “nonsecretor” body fluids were not less efficient than those of “secretors” in PA-IIL blocking. UEA-I, which interacted only with the “secretors” glycoproteins, was most sensitive to those of the seminal fluids.     

On necessary and sufficient conditions for group selection efficacy

The statement “group selection predominates over individual selection” is formulated within a class of patch-structured models. Conditions involving both “selfish” and “altruistic” predator characteristics are then shown to be necessary and sufficient for group selection predominance in this class of models. Maynard Smith's criterion M < 1 (Group selection, Quart. Rev. Biol., June 1976, pp. 277–283) is shown to be sufficient but not necessary for group selection predominance.     

Molecular evidence of conspecificity of South African hares conventionally considered Lepus capensis L., 1758

Conventionally, Lepus capensis is considered to range across large parts of Africa, the Middle East, Central and Far East Asia. However, a recent morphological study restricts cape hares tentatively to a small range in the Western Cape Region of South Africa and groups all other L. capensis-type hares from South Africa into a new species: L. centralis. Here, we studied molecular relationships among L. capensis-type hares from South Africa. Phenotypically and morphologically the individuals matched either the newly described L. capensis or L. centralis. We examined 66 hares for allelic variation at 13 microsatellite loci and for sequence variation of the hypervariable domain 1 of the mitochondrial control region. All tree-generating analyses of the currently obtained sequences and all South African cape hare sequences downloaded from GenBank revealed monophyly when compared to sequences of various other Lepus species. A network analysis indicated close evolutionary relationships between hares of the “L. capensis-phenotype” and the “L. centralis-phenotype” (according to Palacios et al. 2008) from the southwest of the Western Cape, relative to their pronounced evolutionary divergence from all other more central, northern, and north-eastern L. capensis-type hares. F-statistics, a Bayesian admixture STRUCTURE model, as well as a principal coordinate analysis of microsatellite data indicated close genetic relationships among all South African L. capensis-type hares studied presently. A coalescence model-based migration analysis for microsatellite alleles indicated gene flow between most of the considered subspecies of cape hare, including L. capensis capensis and L. capensis centralis, theoretically sufficient to balance stochastic drift effects. Concordantly, AMOVA models revealed only little effects of partitioning microsatellite variation into the two suggested morpho-species “L. capensis” and “L. centralis”. Under an “Interbreeding Species Concept” (e.g. a strict or relaxed Biological Species Concept), the current molecular data demonstrate conspecificity of the two proposed morpho-species “L. capensis” and “L. centralis”. Based on the present molecular data the differentiation of subspecies of cape hares from southern Africa is discussed.     

Some connections between physiognomic traits and intelligence

A sample of 84 female subjects (students) was taken and split up on the basis of the IST-ratings (“Intelligence Structure Test” by Amthauer) into two extreme groups of “more intelligent” (N = 14) and “less intelligent” (N = 11) subjects with an aim to testing Kozeny's findings. Using his photographic-statistical method, Kozeny had observed that “more intelligent” people have a more open eye, a smaller and straighter mouth, a stronger chin, and—above all in its side dimensions—a better developed forehead. These physiognomic indicators of differences in intelligence were confirmed to a large extent by the measurements taken from the portraits of the subjects.     

Parsimony Analysis as a Specific Kind of Homology Estimation and the Implications for Character Weighting

“Remane-Hennigian systematists” still reject parsimony analysis for phylogenetics, because homology or apomorphy analyses are not included. In contrast, “pattern cladists” regard homology as a deductive concept after applying a parsimony test of character congruence. However, as in molecular phylogeny, selection of “good” characters is always done on the basis of ana priorihomology analysis. The distribution criterion of homology—“homologous characters have identical or hierarchical distribution”—is the basis of parsimony analysis. Because this criterion also might fail in cases of genealogical reticulation or concerted homoplasy, character congruence is not a strict test but another probabilistic criterion of homology. A synthetic approach is proposed for phenotypic analysis with application ofa prioricriteria of homology. The resultinga prioriprobabilities of homology serve as criteria for selection and weighting of characters (very low = not selected/poor/mediocre/good/Dollo characters). After application of a parsimony algorithm the final cladogram decides homology estimations.     

Spatial and temporal preferences for trans-splicing in Ciona intestinalis revealed by EST-based gene expression analysis

Ciona intestinalis is a useful model organism to analyze chordate development and genetics. However, unlike vertebrates, it shares a unique mechanism called trans-splicing with lower eukaryotes. In the computational analysis of trans-splicing in C. intestinalis we report here, we discovered that although the amount of non-trans-spliced and trans-spliced genes is usually equivalent, the expression ratio between the two groups varies significantly with tissues and developmental stages. Among the seven tissues studied, the observed ratios ranged from 2.53 in “gonad” to 19.53 in “endostyle”, and during development they increased from 1.68 at the “egg” stage to 7.55 at the “juvenile” stage. We further hypothesize that this enrichment in trans-spliced mRNAs in early developmental stages might be related to the abundance of trans-spliced mRNAs in “gonad”. Our analysis indicates that in C. intestinalis, although there may not exist strong fundamental requirements for genes to be trans-spliced, the populations of non-trans-spliced and trans-spliced genes are likely to be spatially and temporally regulated differently.     

On the interaction between stabilizing social factors and destabilizing trophic factors in small rodent populations

Mathematical models are developed in order to analyze whether or not social factors, such as, for example, the “social fence” (J. B. Hestbeck, 1982, Oikos 39, 157–163) will stabilize population density: the dynamic interaction between social factors and (dynamic) trophic factors is analyzed. It is concluded that social factors such as the “social fence” tend to stabilize population density; hence, if density cycles (as, e.g., seen in many microtine rodents) are observed in nature, it seems reasonable to conclude that density cycles are driven by, for example, trophic interactions and not by social factors. It is suggested that the “social fence” may explain why so many populations including several microtine populations have fairly stable densities despite the ever-existing destabilizing trophic interactions. Contrary to what is implied by J. B. Hestbeck (1983, “A Mathematical Model of Population Regulation in Cyclic Mammals,” Lecture notes in biomathematics, Vol. 52, Springer-Verlag, Berlin/New York), the analysis presented in this paper demonstrates that seasonal environmental changes are not essential for the generation of regular density cycles. Seasonal changes may, however, be necessary for generating a microtine-like density cycle. Empirical information on microtine rodents relating to the “social fence hypothesis” is discussed.     

Hallucal grasping behavior in Caluromys (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae): Implications for primate pedal grasping

A key feature in primate evolution is a foot with a divergent opposable hallucal metatarsal bearing a large peroneal process. Extant primates are characterized by a powerful hallucal grasp—an either “euprimate” or “plesiadapoid-euprimate” ancestor acquisition—that facilitates the exploitation of fine branches, an ability that increased the fitness of ancestral euprimates. In this context, the didelphid marsupial Caluromys has been used as the extant analog to this primate morphotype stage due to some morphological, ecological, and behavioral features. However, the extent to which and the positional and support contexts in which Caluromys uses powerful hallucal grasping are not known. This renders analogies to any mode of “euprimate” or “stem primate” grasping poorly substantiated. The present paper quantifies locomotor and postural behavior, support use, and associated frequencies of hallucal grasping in captive Caluromys philander via analysis of video recordings. During locomotion, Caluromys primarily used diagonal sequence walk, clamber, and climb, whereas stand, foot-hang, and bipedal stand were the dominant postures. Small, fine, horizontal, and moderately inclined branches were frequently used. Overall rates of “apparently powerful hallucal grasps” were high, but were exceptionally high during clamber, climb, foot-hang, and bipedal stand. Additionally, an “apparently powerful hallucal grasp” was very common upon fine, small, steep, and vertical branches. The extensive use of such powerful hallucal grasping provided stability and safety that enabled Caluromys to proficiently utilize fine branches of various orientations. The ability to negotiate such unstable supports, further reflected in foot anatomy, provides evidence that the morphobehavioral complex of Caluromys can serve as an extant analog to the plesiadapoid-euprimate ancestor, represented as a terminal branch feeder with effective hallucal grasping.     

The Phylogenetics of Mycotoxin and Sclerotium Production in Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus oryzae

Aspergillus flavus is a common filamentous fungus that produces aflatoxins and presents a major threat to agriculture and human health. Previous phylogenetic studies of A. flavus have shown that it consists of two subgroups, called groups I and II, and morphological studies indicated that it consists of two morphological groups based on sclerotium size, called “S” and “L.” The industrially important non-aflatoxin-producing fungus A. oryzae is nested within group I. Three different gene regions, including part of a gene involved in aflatoxin biosynthesis (omt12), were sequenced in 33 S and L strains of A. flavus collected from various regions around the world, along with three isolates of A. oryzae and two isolates of A. parasiticus that were used as outgroups. The production of B and G aflatoxins and cyclopiazonic acid was analyzed in the A. flavus isolates, and each isolate was identified as “S” or “L” based on sclerotium size. Phylogenetic analysis of all three genes confirmed the inference that group I and group II represent a deep divergence within A. flavus. Most group I strains produced B aflatoxins to some degree, and none produced G aflatoxins. Four of six group II strains produced both B and G aflatoxins. All group II isolates were of the “S” sclerotium phenotype, whereas group I strains consisted of both “S” and “L” isolates. Based on the omt12 gene region, phylogenetic structure in sclerotium phenotype and aflatoxin production was evident within group I. Some non-aflatoxin-producing isolates of group I had an omt12 allele that was identical to that found in isolates of A. oryzae.     

Photosynthetic characteristics of the economic brown seaweed <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Hizikia fusiforme</Emphasis> (Sargassaceae,Phaeophyta), with special reference to its “leaf” and receptacle

Photosynthetic responses to irradiance and temperature of “leaves” and receptacles were compared in February (vegetative stage) and May (reproductive stage) in the seaweed, Hizikia fusiforme (Harvey) Okamura (Sargassaceae, Phaeophyta) from Nanao Island, Shantou, China. Irradiance-saturated photosynthesis (P_max) was significantly higher in receptacles than in “leaves” on a fresh weight basis, and that of “leaves” was greater in May than in February at ambient seawater temperatures. The optimum temperature for P_max was 30^∘C for both “leaves” and receptacles, being 5–10^∘C higher than the ambient seawater temperature. The apparent photosynthetic efficiencies were greater in receptacles than in “leaves” within the tested temperature range of 10–40^∘C. The irradiance for saturating photosynthesis for both “leaves” and receptacles was temperature-dependent, with the highest values (about 200μmolphotonsm⁻²s⁻¹) at 30^∘C.     

A note on the effectiveness of behavioural rehabilitation for reducing inter-dog aggression in shelter dogs

The effectiveness of a rehabilitation program for reducing inter-dog aggression was evaluated at the municipal animal shelter. Sixteen dogs (of 60 examined) met the study criteria of medium inter-dog aggression as determined by an inter-dog aggression test. These dogs received a 10-day treatment of daily rehabilitation for 30 min (rehabilitation group, n = 9) or daily release into an outdoor enclosure for 30 min (control group, n = 7). Rehabilitation consisted of desensitising and counter-conditioning dogs to the approach of other “stimulus” dogs. Most dogs in the rehabilitation group showed a decline in aggression scores when re-tested after the last treatment (day 11), and differed significantly from the control dogs which showed either an increase or no change in aggression scores (U = 8.5, P < 0.01). Rehabilitation dogs also showed lower frequencies of aggressive body postures (“facing the stimulus dog”, P < 0.05, and “stiff posture”, P < 0.10) and higher frequencies of less assertive postures (“ears back”, P < 0.05, and “lowered neck”, P < 0.10) on day 11. The differences between groups were no longer significant when a reduced sample of dogs was tested 1 week after rehabilitation ended (day 18). The study shows short-term reduction of inter-dog aggression through rehabilitation, but further work is needed on effective ways of maintaining the behavioural change.     

Perinatal adaptation in mammals: the impact of metabolic rate

Mammalian birth is accompanied by profound changes in metabolic rate that can be described in terms of body size relationship (Kleiber's rule). Whereas the fetus, probably as an adaptation to the low intrauterine pO₂, exhibits an “inappropriately” low, adult-like specific metabolic rate, the term neonate undergoes a rapid metabolic increase up to the level to be expected from body size. A similar, albeit slowed, “switching-on” of metabolic size allometry is found in human preterm neonates whereas animals that are normally born in a very immature state are able to retard or even suppress the postnatal metabolic increase in favor of weight gain and O₂ supply. Moreover, small immature mammalian neonates exhibit a temporary oxyconforming behavior which enhances their hypoxia tolerance, yet is lost to the extent by which the size-adjusted metabolic rate is “locked” by increasing mitochondrial density. Beyond the perinatal period, there are no other deviations from metabolic size allometry among mammals except in hibernation where the temporary “switching-off” of Kleiber's rule is accompanied by a deep reduction in tissue pO₂. This gives support to the hypothesis that the postnatal metabolic increase represents an “escape from oxygen” similar to the evolutionary roots of mitochondrial respiration, and that the overall increase in specific metabolic rate with decreasing size might contribute to prevent tissues from O₂ toxicity.     

Testing German shepherd puppies to assess their chances of certification

Behavioral activity of 7-week-old German shepherd puppies was tested and the activities analyzed if they could be used for predicting police efficiency of the individual. In total 206 individuals sired by 42 sires and 44 dams were used. The activities were divided into 10 tasks in which reactions and behavior of pups were scored from 0 to 5 points. All pups were tested separately from other conspecifics. Probability that the puppy will pass the certification was tested by a logistic regression. Of the 206 puppies, 148 passed the certification while 58 failed. Some tested behavioral variables were moderately to highly correlated with one another. Therefore we applied a factor analysis. Three factors were retained accounting for 100% of the shared variance. After inspection of the rotated factor pattern matrix and its confidence intervals, it appeared that variables “Independent movement and interactions with the tester”, “Negotiating obstacles”, “Entering a room”, “Behavior toward a person”, and “Behavior in new environments” loaded on Factor 1 (“Factor for movement”), while variables “Response to distracting stimuli caused by a shovel”, “Response to a distracting noise while left alone in a room”, and “Response to loud distracting stimuli” on Factor 2 (“Factor for responding to noise”) and variables “Retrieval” and “Tug of war” on Factor 3 (“Factor for attitude to predation”). In the final logistic regression model, the probability that the puppy will pass the certification depended on the higher weight at the time of testing (, P = 0.0005), on the “Factor for attitude to predation” (, P = 0.0007), on the “Factor for responding to noise”, where the higher the score, the weaker was the response (, P = 0.0232), and on the “Factor for movement” showing an increasing probability with decreasing score (, P = 0.0219). The tests in our study seem to be a good base which might enable selection for suitable dogs as early as 7 weeks of age. The puppies having high probability to pass certification in adulthood were heavy individuals willing to chase, catch, and fetch a tennis ball, and follow a rag drawn away from them, while weakly responding to a distracting noise in various situations and showing low activity while negotiating obstacles and moving and interacting with the tester. To conclude, contrary to skeptical assumptions expressed by various authors, the specific puppy tests for police dogs provide a reliable tool for predicting future service ability of a puppy. Differences in methodology are likely to contribute to a lack of consensus among various studies.     

Australopithecus, Meganthropus and Ramapithecus

The South African members of Australopithecus form a single group, trending from earlier, more gracile or smaller forms, to later, more robust or larger forms, in accordance with the “Law of Cope”. This is supported by the evidence of the lower first deciduous molar: it is only slightly molarized in the earlier, smaller forms and astonishingly heavily molarized in the later, robust forms, such as that of Kromdraai. Hence, Robinson's view that two different genera are represented by the gracile and robust forms is not supported here. A. robustus is seen as a late offshoot of the Australopithecus stem. The resemblance of the Taung dm₁ to that of Sinanthropus, except for the more differentiated talonid of the Taung specimen, suggests that the separation of the Australopithecinae and Homininae must have taken place at an earlier stage than that represented by the oldest South African Australopithecinae. The lower jaw of Meganthropus of Java combines certain characteristics of A. africanus with those of A. robustus: Meganthropus might provisionally be called “Australopithecoid”. The geographically intermediate India has yielded a hominid, Ramapithecus punjabicus, but the author does not consider “Kenyapithecus” to be a hominid. “K. wickeri” is a pongid species of its own and “K. africanus” a Proconsul. Ramapithecus sensu stricto is known only from the Indian Siwaliks and the author suggests that the transition from Ramapithecus to a still unknown Australopithecus took place in the same region prior to their migration into Africa and Southeast Asia.     

Impact of herbal medicines on physical impairment

The usefulness of recording physical impairment during intervention studies in chronic low back patients has been questioned. A re-analysis of all of our studies investigating aqueous extracts of Harpagophytum procumbens and a proprietary ethanolic Salix extract for chronic non-specific low back pain revealed that the “physical impairment” component of the Arhus low back pain index changed very little during treatment despite appreciable changes in the other two components, “pain” and “disability”, over time. For comparison, we also extracted data from the literature on the topical use of capsaicin, which showed the same thing. There may be little to lose from omitting the time-consuming assessments of “physical impairment” in studies of the (primarily analgesic) effectiveness of herbal preparations.     

The nature and affinities of the “robust” Australopithecines: a review

The fossil evidence of the “robust” australopithecines is reviewed with an emphasis on the taxonomic divisions and evolutionary relationships among this group of hominids. The hypodigms of A. robustus, A. crassidens and A. boisei are described, and the significance of morphological variation within and between these species is assessed. Phylogenetic relationships among the “robust” australopithecines are examined using maximum parsimony analysis, and evolutionary scenarios are evaluated in the light of recent discoveries in East Africa.     

Tainted Blood and Vengeful Spirits: The Legacy of Japan’s Yakugai Eizu (AIDS) Trial

Medical anthropologists often point to the importance of “illness narratives” as emergent or incipient forms in which patients attempt to make sense of the moral dimensions of illness and suffering (Kleinman 1988; Mattingly 1998). In this article I draw upon published accounts, newspapers, and legal documents, supplemented by ethnographic interviews carried out from 1999 to 2001, to show how plaintiffs in the yakugai AIDS trials brought by HIV-infected hemophiliacs against the Japanese government and the pharmaceutical industries that sold them tainted blood products appropriated powerful cultural themes in producing narrative accounts of their suffering. These narratives resonate with themes of lost trust, filial piety, and the desire for a “good death.” In contrast, I show how the neat and tidy narrative that emerged in the course of the yakugai AIDS trial served to impose meaning upon the plaintiffs’ unruly experiences such that, when it was over, the Japanese public was convinced that the “AIDS problem” had been “solved.”     

Kinetoplast DNA in the insect trypanosomes Crithidia luciliae and Crithidia fasciculata: III. Heteroduplex analysis of the C. luciliae minicircles

We have investigated the nature of the sequence heterogeneity of the minicircles of Crithidia luciliae kinetoplast DNA by EM heteroduplex analysis of minicircles cleaved with endonuclease HindIII. Approximately 40% of the minicircles showed—after denaturation and reannealing—structures indicative of sequence rearrangements: the majority contained heteroduplex “eyes” interpreted as due to inversions; about 10% of the heteroduplexes yielded structures interpreted as due to translocations and a similar fraction showed insertions and deletions. The category of “eyed” molecules was analyzed in detail: four minicircle segments were found that displayed a high incidence of such eyes indicating that the rearrangements were not scattered at random over the minicircles. Moreover, since also “eyes” were found overlapping two or three of the four regions, we postulate that these segments are capable of recombining with each other. We conclude that specific segmental rearrangements form the main basis of the minicircle sequence heterogeneity in Crithidia.