A study of variation in the pollen spectra of honeys sampled from the Baixa Limia‐Serra do Xurés Nature Reserve in north‐west Spain

The pollen content of eleven honey samples from ten different apiaries in the Baixa Limia – Serra do Xurés Nature Reserve and other honey commercialised by the cooperative as “Mel do Xurés” (north‐west Spain) was subjected to quantitative and qualitative melissopalynological analysis. The quantitative analysis found that ten samples belonged to Maurizio's Class III and one to Class IV. According to the qualitative analysis, four samples were classified as unifloral honey with Erica, four samples as multifloral honey with Erica pollen as the principal component and three samples as multifloral honey with Cytisus‐type pollen and Erica as the principal component pollen. The pollen spectra differ between the diverse honeys analysed, with a common denominator being Erica and Cytisus‐type pollen being abundant in all. For the rest of the samples, the pollen spectra were mainly the same, but with different relative percentages among secondary elements. Thus, either as a secondary or an important element, 91% of the honeys contained Quercus, 82% Castanea sativa Miller, 45% Rubus, 36% Cistus and 27% Lithodora prostrate (Loisel) Griseb,. In particular, we record for the first time the presence of Ribes and Ilex aquifolium L. pollen in Spanish honeys as an important minor or minor pollen component.     

贺兰山岩黄耆及其近缘种的分类学研究

依据植物野外和腊叶标本形态观察以及小叶脉序观察,对贺兰山岩黄耆(豆科)及其近缘种进行了分类学研究。结果表明:贺兰山岩黄耆及其近缘种之间较为稳定的差别体现在花器官的形态方面。贺兰山岩黄耆与短翼岩黄耆的主要区别特征是小苞片长为萼筒的1～2倍,旗瓣与龙骨瓣近等长,而后者的小苞片长为萼筒的0.5～0.8倍,旗瓣长为龙骨瓣的0.8倍。贺兰山岩黄耆与华北岩黄耆和费尔干岩黄耆的主要区别是翼瓣长为龙骨瓣的0.3～0.5倍,而后二者的翼瓣长均为龙骨瓣的0.7～0.8倍。在小叶脉序特征方面,贺兰山岩黄耆与短翼岩黄耆和华北岩黄耆近似,均为小叶一级脉纤细,二级脉不分支,二级脉环外有较多网结三级脉,具少量复合二级间脉或不明显,而费尔干岩黄耆小叶一级脉粗,二级脉多分支,二级脉环外有少量网结三级脉,具明显的简单二级间脉。此外,小叶脉序特征可能在岩黄耆属组间关系的探讨中发挥作用。     

LncRNAs as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in gastric cancer: A novel approach to personalized medicine

Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death with 5-year survival rate of about 30–35%. Since early detection is associated with decreased mortality, identification of novel biomarkers for early diagnosis and proper management of patients with the best response to therapy is urgently needed. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) due to their high specificity, easy accessibility in a noninvasive manner, as well as their aberrant expression under different pathological and physiological conditions, have received a great attention as potential diagnostic, prognostic, or predictive biomarkers. They may also serve as targets for treating gastric cancer. In this review, we highlighted the role of lncRNAs as tumor suppressors or oncogenes that make them potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of gastric cancer. Relatively, lncRNAs such as H19, HOTAIR, UCA1, PVT1, tissue differentiation-inducing nonprotein coding, and LINC00152 could be potential diagnostic and prognostic markers in patients with gastric cancer. Also, the impact of lncRNAs such as ecCEBPA, MLK7-AS1, TUG1, HOXA11-AS, GAPLINC, LEIGC, multidrug resistance-related and upregulated lncRNA, PVT1 on gastric cancer epigenetic and drug resistance as well as their potential as therapeutic targets for personalized medicine was discussed.     

辣椒镰孢根腐病防病促生细菌的筛选及其效应

【目的】筛选辣椒(Capsicum annuum L.)根腐病防病促生细菌并明确其防病促生效应。【方法】采集健康辣椒根围土壤样品,以辣椒根腐病病原真菌茄镰孢(Fusarium solani)和尖镰孢(Fusarium oxysporum)为指示菌,采用平板对峙法筛选生防细菌,采用选择性培养基筛选溶无机磷、溶有机磷、固氮菌和解钾菌等促生菌,钼锑抗比色法测定溶磷量,凯氏定氮法测定固氮量,火焰原子吸收光谱法测定解钾量。对特性良好组合的菌株进行16S rDNA序列分析鉴定并制作菌剂,最后采用盆栽法测定菌剂防病促生效果。【结果】共筛选得到323株特性良好的功能菌株,拮抗菌78株,溶有机磷菌87株,溶无机磷菌107株,固氮菌128株,解钾菌123株,部分菌株同时具有多个功能特性。互作组合得到6个特性良好的菌株组合,包括8株功能菌株,鉴定发现XP271和XP181为枯草芽胞杆菌(Bacillus subtilis),XP125为特基拉芽胞杆菌(Bacillus tequilensis),XP236为耐盐芽胞杆菌(Bacillus halotolerans),XP79为巨大芽胞杆菌(Bacillus ...     

Early Pleistocene Equus (Equidae,Perissodactyla) from Andersson Loc. 32 in Qixian,Shanxi, China

The Equus specimens of Andersson Loc. 32 in Qixian, Shanxi previously identified as Equus cf. sanmeniensis are rediscovered in this research. The skull has moderate size, deep nasal notch, clear preorbital fossa, undulated lateral outline, upper cheek tooth with simple fossette and incisor with incomplete cup, should be identified as Equus teilhardi. The mandible has cheek tooth with V-shaped linguaflexid, incisor with incomplete cup, moderate size, strong pli caballinid and deep ectoflexid on molar, should be identified as Equus qingyangensis. This skull is first record of a complete cranial material of E. teilhardi, reveals many important cranial features of E. teilhardi, supports anatomical comparison and phylogenetic discussion with other stenonid horses. The morphological differences between E. teilhardi and E. qingyangensis show their different niches, further explain the reason of their coexistence. Incomplete cup on incisor is an unstable feature. It has been found in several species of stenonid horses, likely a remaining feature derived from the most primitive Equus, Equus simplicidens. The small-sized stenonid horses with short limbs and incisors with incomplete cups likely have relation with E. teilhardi, such as Equus yunnanensis and Equus stehlini. E. qingyangensis has most primitive features in Eurasian stenonid horses.     

Two new Zoopsis species and their relationships to other zoopsids (Jungermanniopsida: Lepidoziaceae)

Abstract

We describe and illustrate two highly distinctive new species of Zoopsis from New Zealand. To assess their relationships to other species we performed parsimony and splits-based analysis of morphological data. Our analysis resolves Zoopsis bicruris as a member of subgenus Zoopsis, but is inconclusive with respect to the affinities of Z. matawaia. Our analysis groups Zoopsis matawaia with Z. ceratophylla and Zoopsidella caledonica, on the basis of their shared possession of caducous leaf lobes. The interpretation of this character as a defining apomorphy is at odds with currently accepted hypotheses of character evolution, which regard it as symplesiomorphic, and regard reduced seta anatomy as an apomorphy defining Zoopsidella. However, trees constrained to retain Zoopsidella as a monophyletic unit were two steps longer than unconstrained trees, and had slightly poorer measures of support. Our analysis resolves Monodactylopsis nested within Zoopsidella, which is in turn nested within Zoopsis, and identifies Hyalolepidozia as sister to a clade corresponding to the Zoopsidoideae with moderate bootstrap support.     

基于16S rRNA和rpoB基因的分子系统发育分析在铜绿假单胞菌鉴定中的应用

为对比16S rRNA和rpo B基因分子系统发育分析与传统表型分类法对铜绿假单胞菌的鉴定,评估16S rRNA和rpo B基因序列分析在铜绿假单胞菌鉴定中的应用,用表型分类方法对临床自动微生物鉴定系统鉴定为铜绿假单胞菌的23株分离株进行再鉴定,PCR扩增23株分离株16S rRNA和rpo B基因片段,并测序进行系统发育分析。结果表明,表型再鉴定结果与自动微生物鉴定系统鉴定结果一致。基于两个基因的系统发育分析均显示分离株p22与不动杆菌属序列聚为一枝,其余22株分离株与铜绿假单胞菌序列聚为一枝。因此p22应鉴定为不动杆菌,16S rRNA和rpo B基因序列分析均能准确鉴定铜绿假单胞菌并能较好建立假单胞菌属内种间关系。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycoplasma alkalescens</Emphasis> demonstrated in bronchoalveolar lavage of cattle in Denmark

Mycoplasma alkalescens is an arginine-metabolizing mycoplasma, which has been found in association with mastitis and arthritis in cattle. Routine bacteriological examination of 17 bronchoalveolar lavage samples from calves with pneumonia in a single herd in Denmark, identified M. alkalescens in eight samples. The organism was found as a sole bacterilogical findings in five of the samples as well as in combination with Mannheimia haemolytica, Haemophilus somni and Salmonella Dublin. This is the first report of isolation of M. alkalescens in Denmark.     

Identification of a periplasmic dimethylsulphoxide reductase in Hyphomicrobium EG grown under chemolithoheterotrophic conditions with dimethylsulphoxide as carbon source

Hyphomicrobium EG can grow with dimethylsulphoxide as sole carbon and energy source with oxygen as electron acceptor. In the present work we have found that the dimethylsulphoxide reductase of this bacterium could be assayed with dithionite-reduced methylviologen as reductant but not with NADH. Sub-cellular fractionation of Hyphomicrobium EG showed that the dimethylsulphoxide reductase was a periplasmic enzyme. An antibody to the dimethylsulphoxide reductase of Rhodobacter capsulatus cross-reacted with a polypeptide in the periplasmic fraction from Hyphomicrobium EG which had the same M _r as the dimethylsulphoxide reductase of Rhodobacter capsulatus. It is suggested that the reduction of dimethylsulphoxide in Hyphomicrobium involves respiratory electron transfer.Abbreviations DMSO dimethylsulphoxide - DMS dimethylsulphide     

Über einen intrazellulären Parasiten beiCryptomonas (Cryptophyceae), I

An intracellular parasite occurring inCryptomonas rostratiformis and less numerously also inC. erosa andC. phaseolus. The parasite is described. It grows in the dorsal side of the host near the nucleus from which it is optically indistinguishable in young stages. When mature the parasite fills 1/3 to 1/2 the volume of theCryptomonas cell. It is seen as a colourless blister, which pushes back the plastid of the host. Reproduction occurs by separation of the protoplast into a hundred or moreBodo-like swarmers which perhaps represent the infectious phase. Under certain conditions, however, such as during decline of theCryptomonas population, the parasite transforms into thick-walled spindle-shaped cysts. Like the swarmers these cysts are released by rupture of the cryptomonad cells. The fate of the cysts is not known. TheCryptomonas population is destroyed by the infection in the course of a few days. Literature studies have shown that the parasite has been known for a long time, but considered incorrectly by different authors as part of theCryptomonas, or as a result of phagotrophic uptake of theCryptomonas. The parasite is compared with a somewhat similar parasite inMallomonas, and with certain parasitic dinoflagellates. The similarity with the latter is superficial only as it posesses a eucaryotic nucleus. The parasite shows some similarity with the genusParadinium (Mycetozoa) as well as with certainSporozoa.

     

Loss of rice PARAQUAT TOLERANCE 3 confers enhanced resistance to abiotic stresses and increases grain yield in field

Plants frequently suffer from environmental stresses in nature and have evolved sophisticated and efficient mechanisms to cope with the stresses. To balance between growth and stress response, plants are equipped with efficient means to switch off the activated stress responses when stresses diminish. We previously revealed such an off-switch mechanism conferred by Arabidopsis PARAQUAT TOLERANCE 3 (AtPQT3) encoding an E3 ubiquitin ligase, knockout of which significantly enhances resistance to abiotic stresses. To explore whether the rice homologue OsPQT3 is functionally conserved, we generated three knockout mutants with CRISPR-Cas9 technology. The OsPQT3 knockout mutants (ospqt3) display enhanced resistance to oxidative and salt stress with elevated expression of OsGPX1, OsAPX1 and OsSOD1. More importantly, the ospqt3 mutants show significantly enhanced agronomic performance with higher yield compared with the wild type under salt stress in greenhouse as well as in field conditions. We further showed that OsPQT3 expression rapidly decreased in response to oxidative and other abiotic stresses as AtPQT3 does. Taken together, these results show that OsPQT3 is functionally well conserved in rice as an off-switch in stress response as AtPQT3 in Arabidopsis. Therefore, PQT3 locus provides a promising candidate for crop improvement with enhanced stress resistance by gene editing technology.     

NEDD9 overexpression: Prognostic and guidance value in acute myeloid leukaemia

It has been demonstrated that neural precursor cell expressed developmentally downregulated protein (NEDD) plays crucial roles in tumorigenesis and may serve as potential biomarkers in cancer diagnosis and prognosis. However, few studies systematically investigated the expression of NEDD family members in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). We systemically determined the expression of NEDD family members in AML and determined their clinical significance. We identified that NEDD9 expression was the only member among NEDD family which was significantly increased in AML. NEDD9 overexpression was more frequently classified as FAB-M4/M5 (p = 0.008 and 0.013, respectively), hardly as FAB-M2/M3. Moreover, NEDD9 overexpression was significantly associated with complex karyotype and TP53 mutation. The significant association between NEDD9 overexpression and survival was also observed in whole-cohort AML and non-M3 AML patients. Notably, AML patients with NEDD9 overexpression may benefit from hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), whereas those cases without NEDD9 overexpression did not. Finally, a total of 822 mRNAs and 31 microRNAs were found to be differentially expressed between two groups. Among the microRNAs, miR-381 was also identified as a microRNA that could direct target NEDD9. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that NEDD9 overexpression is associated with genetic abnormalities as well as prognosis and might act as a potential biomarker guiding the choice between HSCT and chemotherapy in patients with AML after achieving complete remission.     

Molecular phylogenetic analysis shows that <Emphasis Type="Italic">Amanita ponderosa</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">A. curtipes</Emphasis> are distinct species

Amanita curtipes and A. ponderosa are two Mediterranean taxa sharing a number of morphological features as well as their habitat. Their synonymy or variety status has been proposed by several authors. To clarify this taxonomic issue we have sequenced the D1-D2 domains of the 28S rRNA gene as well as the complete ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of several specimens of the two species collected in Spain, and aligned these sequences with those from other Amanita species. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the two regions revealed that A. ponderosa and A. curtipes are clearly distinct species. The distribution of Amanita species in the phylogenetic trees was consistent with the division of the genus in subgenera and sections as proposed by previous authors. Sequences of A. ponderosa and A. curtipes were grouped in a monophyletic cluster together with other species of the section Amidella. However, A. ponderosa was closer to other species in the section, such as A. peckiana and A. volvata, than to A. curtipes. We also indicate the macromorphological characters that are most useful to reliably distinguish A. ponderosa and A. curtipes.     

Examination of diatom type material: Nitzschia delicatissima Cleve,Thalassiosira minuscula Krasske,and Cyclotella nana Hustedt

Type material of Thalassiosira minuscula Krasske and material identified by the respective authors as Nitzschia delicatissima Cleve and Cyclotella nana Hustedt (= Thalassiosira pseudonana Hasle et Heimdal) have been examined in light and electron microscopes. It is suggested that the slide labelled “Nitzschia delicatissima Helder 7/5–97” is accepted as neotype of the species since the original material must be regarded as lost, and that Thalassiosira pseudonana is identical to the diatom isolated by Guillard as clone 3-H. Nitzschia actydrophila Hasle and Thalassiosira monoporocyclus Hasle are rejected as separate species, the first being conspecific with N. delicatissima and the second with T. minuscula. The question is raised whether more emphasis should be laid on iconotypes of small diatom species identifiable only in the electron microscope than on real individuals.     

Defensive secretion of the tenebrionid beetle,Blaps mucronata: Physical and chemical determinants of effectiveness

Summary The primary components of the defensive secretions ofBlaps mucronata (Tenebrionidae) are two quinones (methyl-p-benzoquinone and ethyl-p-benzoquinone) and the hydrocarbon 1p-n-tridecene. The hydrocarbon is shown, by comparison with longer- and shorter-chainn-alkanes and 1-n-alkenes, to be optimally suited as carrier of the quinones, and as a surfactant that promotes spread of secretion over the beetle's body following discharge from the gland openings at the abdominal tip. As shown from repellency tests with ants (Monomorium pharaonis) and topical irritancy tests with cockroaches (Periplaneta americana), the antiinsectan potency of the secretion derives as much from the hydrocarbon as from the quinones.Paper no. 82 of the seriesDefensive Mechanisms of Arthropods     

Toward Modern Classification of Eustigmatophytes,Including the Description of Neomonodaceae Fam. Nov. and Three New Genera1

The class Eustigmatophyceae includes mostly coccoid, freshwater algae, although some genera are common in terrestrial habitats and two are primarily marine. The formal classification of the class, developed decades ago, does not fit the diversity and phylogeny of the group as presently known and is in urgent need of revision. This study concerns a clade informally known as the Pseudellipsoidion group of the order Eustigmatales, which was initially known to comprise seven strains with oval to ellipsoidal cells, some bearing a stipe. We examined those strains as well as 10 new ones and obtained 18S rDNA and rbcL gene sequences. The results from phylogenetic analyses of the sequence data were integrated with morphological data of vegetative and motile cells. Monophyly of the Pseudellipsoidion group is supported in both 18S rDNA and rbcL trees. The group is formalized as the new family Neomonodaceae comprising, in addition to Pseudellipsoidion, three newly erected genera. By establishing Neomonodus gen. nov. (with type species Neomonodus ovalis comb. nov.), we finally resolve the intricate taxonomic history of a species originally described as Monodus ovalis and later moved to the genera Characiopsis and Pseudocharaciopsis. Characiopsiella gen. nov. (with the type species Characiopsiella minima comb. nov.) and Munda gen. nov. (with the type species Munda aquilonaris) are established to accommodate additional representatives of the polyphyletic genus Characiopsis. A morphological feature common to all examined Neomonodaceae is the absence of a pyrenoid in the chloroplasts, which discriminates them from other morphologically similar yet unrelated eustigmatophytes (including other Characiopsis-like species).     

Frequent concomitant presence of Desulfitobacterium spp. and "Dehalococcoides" spp. in chloroethene-dechlorinating microbial communities

The presence of chloroethene dechlorination activity as well as several bacterial genera containing mainly organohalide-respiring members was investigated in 34 environmental samples from 18 different sites. Cultures inoculated with these environmental samples on tetrachloroethene and amended weekly with a seven organic electron donor mixture resulted in 11 enrichments with cis-DCE, ten with VC, and 11 with ethene as dechlorination end product, and only two where no dechlorination was observed. “Dehalococcoides” spp. and Desulfitobacterium spp. were detected in the majority of the environmental samples independently of the dechlorination end product formed. The concomitant presence of Dehalococcoides spp. and Desulfitobacterium spp. in the majority of the enrichments suggested that chloroethene dechlorination was probably the result of catalysis by at least two organohalide-respiring genera either in parallel or by stepwise catalysis. A more detailed study of one enrichment on cis-DCE suggested that in this culture Desulfitobacterium spp. as well as Dehalococcoides spp. dechlorinated cis-DCE whereas dechlorination of VC was only catalyzed by the latter.     

A revised synonymy for Syrrhopodon trachyphyllus (Calymperaceae,Musci) and some related old world taxa

Several taxa erroneously regarded as conspecific with Syrrhopodon trachyphyllus Mont. are reinstated. These include Syrrhopodon cavifolius Sande Lac., S. planifolius P. de la Varde, S. semperi Müll. Hal., S. tosaensis Cardot and Calymperopsis katemensis Zanten (=Syrrhopodon katemensis (Zanten) L.T. Ellis, comb. nov.). Syrrhopodon ludovicae Broth. & Paris is recognized as a synonym of S. mammillosus Müll. Hal., Syrrhopodon orientalis W. D. Reese & P. J. Lin as conspecific with S. cavifolius Sande Lac., Syrrhopodon cambodiensis Tixier as synonymous with S. semperi, S. calymperoides Cardot & P. de la Varde as conspecific with Syrrhopodon prolifer Schwägr., and S. prolifer var. mossmanensis W. D. Reese is placed in synonymy with S. katemensis (Zanten) L.T. Ellis. Varieties of Syrrhopodon prolifer Schwägr. occurring in the palaeotropics are discussed.     

Morphology,biology, and systematics ofCryptochlora perforans (Chlorarachniophyta), a phagotrophic marine alga

The life cycle ofCryptochlora perforans is described under culture conditions, including the following stages: Naked and walled amoebae, cysts, coccoid, palmelloid and flagellate stages. Phagotrophy of living diatoms, movement and reproduction are documented. Amoebae ofCryptochlora are chemotactically attracted by damaged algal filaments, perforate and penetrate such filaments, and subsequently engulf part of their contents. A comparison is made with a culture ofChlorarachnion reptans Geitler, according to earlier and own observations. Chloroplast structure as well as zoospore morphology confirm close affinities betweenCryptochlora andChlorarachnion. Generic characters as well as possible phylogenetic affinities with amoeboidXanthophyta andProtozoa are discussed.