The effect of insignificant characters on the multivariate analysis of simple patterns of geographic variation

The multivariate analysis of a set of significant characters portrays a simple geographic cline which is evident even when very few characters are used. The effect of adding insignificant characters to the set of significant characters is studied, as is the effect of replacing significant characters by insignificant characters. The former (addition) causes only a slight decline in congruence between patterns of geographic variation but the latter (replacement) causes a substantial decline in congruence. The congruence between patterns of geographic variation obtained by multivariate analysis of independent character sets is plotted against character number and gives an S-shaped relationship when insignificant or significant plus insignificant characters are used. This is distinct from the convex asymptotic curve obtained when only significant characters are used. In spite of the reduction in congruence caused by the use of insignificant characters, multivariate analysis of insignificant characters consistently revealed the 'same' geographic pattern (i.e. 'cline') as the set of significant characters. However, it required 10 times as many insignificant characters to achieve this.     

The phylogenetic position of the Clitellata and the Echiura - on the problematic assessment of absent characters*

Absent characters (negative characters) are difficult to assess and their correct interpretation as symplesiomorphies, synapomorphies or convergencies (homoplasies) is one of the greatest challenges in phylogenetic systematics. Different phylogenetic assessments often result in contradictory phylogenetic hypotheses, in which the direction of evolutionary changes is diametrically opposed. Especially in deciding between primary (plesiomorphic) and secondary (apomorphic) absence, false conclusions may be reached if only the outgroup comparison and the principle of parsimony are employed without attempting any biological evaluation or interpretation of characters. For example, in the higher‐level systematization of the Annelida and related taxa different assessments of absent characters have led to conflicting hypotheses about the phylogenetic relationships and the ground pattern of the annelid stem species. Varying phylogenetic interpretations regarding the absence of the chemosensory nuchal organs in the clitellates and their presence in polychaetes initiated a controversy that produced two alternative phylogenetic hypotheses: (1) the Clitellata are highly derived Annelida related to a subtaxon within the, in this case, paraphyletic ‘Polychaeta’ or (2) the Clitellata are comparatively primitive Annelida representing the sister group of a monophyletic taxon Polychaeta. In the former, the absence of nuchal organs in the Clitellata is regarded as a secondary character, in the latter as primary. As most Clitellata are either limnetic or terrestrial, we must ask which characters are plesiomorphies, taken from their marine stem species without changes. In addition to a thorough investigation and evaluation of clitellate characters, a promising approach to these questions is to look for such characters in limnetic and terrestrial annelids clearly not belonging to the Clitellata. A similar problem applies to the evaluation of the position of the Echiura, which lack both segmentation and nuchal organs. Evidence is presented that in both taxa these absent characters represent derived, apomorphic character states. The consequences for their phylogenetic position and the questionable monophyly of the Polychaeta are discussed. The conclusion drawn from morphological character assessments is in accordance with recently published hypotheses based on molecular data.     

Analysis of characters and classification based on information theory in the species of the Greater Antilles of the fern familiy Gleicheniaceae

We define a set of characters for the study of the fern family Gleicheniaceae. These characters have no ordered states. We establish a classification, through a divisive strategy, on the basis of these characters applied to the species occurring in the Greater Antilles. We used a technique based on information theory. A computational program was implemented to obtain this classification. With the same technique a procedure is used in order to compare a set of classifications reached under a different set of characters. The results obtained under three classifications on the family of this study are shown.     

Study on legibility of characters for the elderly--effects of character display modes on legibility

It is more crucial than ever to consider the elderly when designing products. One of the important things to remember is the legibility of characters, since this influences the accessibility and usability of products. We studied the effects of character attributes on legibility using 70 subjects (60 aged 46-79 with no apparent ocular problems except presbyopia, and 10 aged 68-80 with cataracts). Thirty 10-key television remote control models were made. The characters on each were different, and were based on combinations of three attributes-height (5 levels), thickness (3 levels), and display mode (2 levels; positive: black characters on a white background, negative: white characters on a black background). Participants subjectively evaluated the legibility of the characters for each 10-key sample under two ambient illuminance conditions: 500 lx and 50 lx. They also performed paired comparisons on samples with the same height and thickness but different display modes. Subjective data were analyzed using a three-way factorial ANOVA for character height, thickness, and display mode. Legibility was significantly affected by all factors for those without cataracts under both illuminance conditions, and the interaction between thickness and display mode was significant. A two-way factorial ANOVA was performed for height and display mode for each thickness. Legibility was, in general, better for thinner characters in negative mode and was better in negative mode under dark illuminance for those with and without cataracts. This tendency was more pronounced in the elderly (over 65 years old). Paired comparisons showed that legibility was better in negative mode under both illuminance conditions, especially with medium and thin characters, for those with and without cataracts. Although there are few accounts of the effects of positive and negative modes in various existing guidelines, this finding would suggest that legibility can be enhanced by using the negative mode.     

蚓激酶研究进展

蚓激酶是一种新型的溶栓制剂,具有良好的溶血栓治疗效果。综述了至今为止分离到的蚓激酶成分、生物学活性、药物学作用、抑制剂和空间结构分析等方面的研究进展 。     

槭树科植物广义形态学性状分支分析

通过45个广义的形态学性状对槭树科(Aceraceae)尤其是槭属(Acer L.)的主要类群做了分支分析,结果显示：1)槭属内由于各类群分布着较多的同塑性状状态,而难以为属下组间关系的解决提供更多有价值的信息;通过对具体的性状状态分布分析显示,对于象槭属这样在形态上分化较大的类群,由于多数分类性状在不同类群间经历了平行和逆转演化,因而在较低分类阶元水平很难选择合适的性状来通过分支分析构建其系统发育;2)鸡爪槭组(section Palmata)作为整个槭属的基部类群,虽然支持率较低,但与其它类群相比在槭属内维持了较多的原始性状;3)金钱槭属(Dipteronia Oliv.)的两个种作为单系得到了100％的靴带支持,且和槭属作为姐妹群也得到了较好的支持。     

The Impact of Molecular Methods on the Systematics of Angiosperms

A comparison is made between the systematics of selected orders and families based on morphology and other “classical” characters on the one hand, and the results of molecular methods on the other hand. It can be shown that taxa defined by a broad array of characters from morphology, anatomy, embryology and phytochemistry usually are confirmed by molecular results. On the other hand a family like the Saxifragaceae s.l. delimited solely on the basis of floral morphology has been shown to be grossly polyphyletic. Some quite surprising results of the molecular analyses usually agree with some embryological or phytochemical characters, and sometimes even with characters of vegetative morphology and anatomy. As a special case “unequal ancient splits” are discussed, where one clade contains few genera and species usually retaining many primitive characters, and the other shows great diversity and contains the more advanced members.     

A Preliminary Research on the Numerical Classification of the Genus Panax from China

In this paper, 10 species and varieties of the genus Panax from China were studied by means of numerical taxonomic methods. At first, the geometric approaches and statistical treatments were used and some new characters induced by the fundamental characters were defined for the numerical representation of the morphological characters of plants. Consequently, forty-seven morphological, three chemical, one geographical and one cytological characters were adopted. The principal component analysis and the similarity coefficients were computed on the standardized data. Based upon the correlation matrix and the distance matrix respectively, the Q and R cluster analyses were carried out, and UPGMA was used in both Q and R cluster analyses. According to the R cluster analysis, all characters are mainly divided into 5 sets: A, B, C, D and E (Fig. 2). The tree-like diagram illustrates that chemical constituents of triterpenoids and the chromosome numbers are related to some morphological characters, such as the roots, the rhizomes, the seeds and the leaves. It is of interest to note that the thicker the fleshy roots, the larger the seeds and the wider the teeth of leaflet, the higher the content of the tetracyclic triterpenoids of dammarane type it contains. On the other hand, the Q cluster analysis showed that Panax as a whole may be divided into two groups (Fig. 3). The first group includes P. ginseng, P. quinquefolius, P. notoginseng and P. zingiberensis and the second group includes P. stipuleanatus, P. pseudo-ginseng, P. japonicus var. japonicus, P. japonicus var. angustifolius, P. japonicus var. major and P. japonicus var. bipinnatifidus. The results of the computation of principal component analysis indicate that the first principal component consistes of the characters occurring in the sets A and B. It shows that the variation in Panax has two opposite directions. One of them, corresponding to the set A, is represented by the first group, and the other, corresponding to the set B, is by the second group. Finally, some questions about the use of the genus in medicine were discussed.     

The larval hyobranchial apparatus of discoglossoid frogs: its structure and bearing on the systematics of the Anura (Amphibia: Anura)

The morphology of the larval hyobranchial apparatus of discoglossoid frog species representing the genera Ascaphus, Alytes, Bombina, and Discoglossus is described and the resulting characters were analysed cladistically. Seven species representing seven major lineages of frogs were included in the cladistic analysis of characters. Several changes in the terminology of the musculature are introduced, and a new interpretation of the subarcualis-muscle system is presented. The phylogenetic analysis suggest that the hyobranchial apparatus was substantially altered in the lineages leading to and within the Pipanura. This notably involved fusion, reduction and loss of skeletal structures and muscles, and splitting of certain muscles into muscle groups. The result confirm previous hypotheses based on the study of adults: discoglossoid species retain the most numlerous plesiomorphic characters among extant ianurans. The larval hyobranchial apparatus is in many features structrually similar to that of urodeles. Many of their character states were most likely present in the most recent common ancestor of all living forgs. The cladistic analysis of 31 characters of ithe larval hyobranchial apparatus supports major clades: Anura, Bombinanura, Pipanura, and Pelobatoidea + Neobatrachia. The cladiostic analysis and interpretation of larval characters is in part compatible with phylogenetic hypotheses based on characters of adults and rRNA sequences, but is in conflict with the Mesobatrachia and Archaeobatrachia concepts of other authors.     

不同种群中海南粗榧(Cephalotaxus mannii)形态变异研究

通过变异系数和性状差异显著性检验,研究了海南粗榧在坝王岭等５个种群内和种群间不同形态变异以及形态总体变异。结果表明：①海南粗榧营养器官性状比生殖器官性状变异大;枝性状组中,分枝角度变异较小;叶性状组中,叶数量变异较大;球果、种子生物量变异都大于它们的其它性状。②在５个种群内,同一性状变异幅度基本相同。③同一性状在种群间和种群内的变异基本接近。④不同性状在种群间存在差异,有的显著,有的不显著,但种群间形态总体差异都不显著     

茶树种质资源亲缘关系的研究进展

种质资源是现代育种和进行生物技术研究的物质基础 .茶树种质资源亲缘关系的研究将为探讨茶树的起源、进化和分类以及为茶树育种和资源的充分利用提供科学依据 .对茶树种质资源亲缘关系在形态学、化学、染色体、同工酶及DNA等方面的研究成果作了综述 ,并就进一步开展茶树种资源亲缘关系的研究进行了探讨     

The influence of variation and of developmental constraints on the rate of multivariate phenotypic evolution

A model of multivariate phenotypic evolution is analysed under the assumption that all characters have the same variance or at least constant ratios of variance. The rate of evolution is examined as a function of the amount of phenotypic variance in a variety of adaptive landscapes (fitness functions). It is demonstrated that the effect of variation depends on the type of adaptive landscape. In “well behaved” adaptive landscapes the rate of evolution can theoretically increase without limits, depending on the amount of heritable phenotypic variation. However, in other adaptive landscapes there are upper limits to the rate of evolution which cannot be exceeded if phenotypic variation is developmentally unconstrained, i. e. if it is the same for all characters. Further it is shown that the maximal rate of evolution becomes small if the number of characters becomes large. Fitness functions of this type are called malignant. It is argued that malignant fitness functions are more adequate models for the evolution of typical organismic systems, because they are models of functionally interdependent characters. It is concluded that there are upper limits to the rate of phenotypic evolution if the variation of functionally interdependent characters is developmentally unconstrained. The possible role of developmental constraints in adaptive phenotypic evolution is discussed.     

A Reexamination of the Arachnid Theory on the Origin of Vertebrata

A method of phylogenetic classification, based on Hennig's theory of cladism and Sokal and Sneath's theory of numerical taxonomy, is outlined. The necessity of using non-morphological characters in superphyletic classification is argued. It is suggested that the vertebrates arose from members of the annelid superphylum, an alternative implied by the Arachnid theory advocated by Gaskell and Patten. A testing of this theory by reference to non-morphological characters corroborates the affiliation between Vertebrata and the annelid superphyium, but the available data do not warrant a definite answer as concerns the theory.     

刚竹属植物非笋期营养体分类的初步研究

刚竹属(PhyllostachysSieb. et Zucc.)是一个主产于中国,大约有60种的竹亚科大属,当前其属内种间的划分和鉴定主要依据秆箨和新秆的特征。然而,本属植物的笋期大多仅持续20~30 d,其他时间很难见到鲜笋或新鲜秆箨和新秆。应用现今流行的分种检索表和形态特征来鉴别处于非笋期营养生长状态的竹种往往作用不大,这就需要重新寻找更多的证据来解决这一问题。据长期的野外调查和栽培植物的定点观察,一些性状,如秆的节内距、小枝及叶的排列方式、叶耳及繸毛存在与否及其排列方式、叶舌是否伸出、叶片背面毛被状况等可以作为本属植物非笋期分类的重要依据。如果把握得恰当,利用这些性状和其他特征的组合可以在非笋期将本属现知的所有竹种划分开来,并据此编制了此期的分种检索表。     

国产五味子科五种植物叶片脉序研究

首次报道了国产五味子科５种植物的叶脉特征,对科、属、种的特征作了描述,编排有分种检索表．通过与八角科叶脉的比较,支持建立五味子科与八角科的观点,认为五味子属的系统位置在南五味子属之后,并讨论了八角目的演化趋势     

Studies on the Genus Schizopepon Maxim. (Cucurbitaceae)

The classical and numerical taxonomy, palynology and the geographical distribution of the Genus Schizopepon are dealt with in the present paper. Having commented on various opinions regarding the systematic position of the genus, the present authors consider that C. Jeffrey’s treatment of Schizopepon as a new and monogeneric tribe, Schizopeponeae, should be supported. The gross morphological characters in the genus are assessed from the taxonomic point of view. Some characters, such as stamens with an elongated connective or not, different insertions of ovules and various forms of ovaries and fruits, may be used for distinguishing subgenera. The pollen grains of all the species were observed under light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results show that a strong differentiation has taken place in the pollen of the genus, and in consequence it may be regarded as an important basis for dividing subgenera and species. Especially it should be pointed out that degrees of development of colpi and positions of ora are positively correlated with the external characters used for distinguishing subgenera. According to the morphological and palynological characters, the genus Schizopepon may be divided into three subgenera and eight species: 1. Subgenus Schizopepon: 5 species, S. bryoniaefolius Maxim., S. monoicus A. M. Lu et Z. Y. Zhang, S. dioicus Cogn., S. longipes Gagnep. and S. macranthus Hand.-Mazz.; 2. Subgenus Rhynchocarpos A. M. Lu et Z. Y. Zhang: 1 species, S. bomiensis A. M. Lu et Z. Y. Zhang; 3. Subgenus Neoschizopepon A. M. Lu et Z. Y. Zhang: 2 species, S. bicirrhosus (C. B. Clarke) C. Jeffrey and S. xizangensis A. M. Lu et Z. Y. Zhang. The 8 OTU’s including all the species of this genus and 31 characters, of which 16 are morphological characters and 15 palynological characters, were used in the numerical taxonomic treatment. After standardization of characters, the correlation and distance matrices were computed. The correlation matrices are made to test the various clustering methods. At last, the UPGMA clustering method was selected and its result is shown in the form of phenogram. The result of numerical analysis is similar to that of the classical classification. Schizopepon Maxim. is a genus of East Asia-Himalayan distribution. China has all 8 species and 2 varieties, of which 6 species are endemic. Based on the statistics of spedies number, the distribution centre of the genus is considered to be in the Hengduan Mountains (Yangtze-Mekong-Salwin water divides) and the adjacent areas of the southwest China.     

移植物宿主反应的评价方法探讨

目的：研究移植物入机体后产生宿主反应的评价方法。方法：通过测量移植物植入机体后不同时期出现的结缔组织包囊的厚度变化，并进行统计学分析，从而探讨移植物的宿主反应特性的方法。结果：通过实验综合分析得出经表面处理的移植物的宿主反应特性较原为移植物有明显好转。结论：移植物植入机体后出现的结缔组织包囊的厚度变化，经统计学分析，可充分反应该移植物的宿主反应特性。通过本实验可较有效地、正确地评价该移植物的生物学特性。     

Relationships within the family Actiniidae (Cnidaria,Actiniaria) based on molecular characters

Current sea anemone systematics is based on relatively few morphological characters, and potentially could benefit from the use of molecular characters. In this paper, the phylogenetic relationships of 12 species from 6 genera in the family Actiniidae have been investigated using electrophoretically separated isozymes. A numerical cladistic analysis has produced an estimated phylogeny. The implications of this phylogeny for the taxonomic use of certain morphological characters are discussed.     

Phylogenetic position of the Tardigrada based on the 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequences

The phylogenetic position of the Tardigrada remains uncertain. This is due to the limited information available, and the uncertainty of whether some characters are homologous or analogous with other taxa. Based on some morphological characters, current discussion centres on whether the taxon branches from the annelid-arthropod lineage, or lies within the arthropod complex. The molecular data presented here from an analysis of the 18S rRNA gene sequences are used to test the validity of these two hypotheses. Phylogenetic inference by the maximum parsimony and distance (neighbour-joining) methods suggests that the Tardigrada is a sister group of the major protostome eucoelomate assemblage that emerged before the arthropods, annelids, molluscs, and sipunculids evolved. The tardigrade clade also appears as an independent lineage separate from the nematode clade, thus supporting the current idea that tardigrades do not have a close aschelminth relationship. The molecular data also imply that several morphological features, considered significant in determining the phylogenetic relationships of tardigrades, are not synapomorphic characters.     

山东小麦族植物叶表皮微形态的研究

利用光学显微镜,对山东小麦族5属9种植物的叶片下表皮微形态特征进行了研究。叶片下表皮微形态在属间差异明显,可作为分属的参考依据;山东5种鹅观草属植物的叶片下表皮微形态可分为两种类型,这与形态上划分的拟披碱草组和犬草组相一致。