Klossiella (Apicomplexa,Klossiellidae) in Petaurid and Macropodid Marsupials in Australia1

Six new species of Klossiella are described in the kidneys of Australian marsupials: Klossiella rufogrisei in Bennett's Wallaby, Macropus rufogriseus; Klossiella rufi in the Red Kangaroo, Macropus rufus; Klossiella thylogale in the Red-Bellied or Tasmanian Pademelon, Thylogale billardierii; Klossiella beveridgei in the Spectacled Hare-Wallaby, Lagorchestes conspicillatus; Klossiella bettongiae in the Tasmanian Bettong, Bettongia gaimardi; and Klossiella schoinobatis in the petaurid Greater Glider, Petauroides volans. It is concluded that the genus Klossiella has radiated widely among Australian marsupials, and that since it is present in American marsupials, it may have an ancient association with the subclass.     

Tissue culture media; the essential non-dialyzable factors in human placental cord serum

1. Human placental cord serum contains a factor or factors necessary for active growth of fibroblasts in tissue culture and a factor which prevents the appearance of a characteristic toxicity. 2. The growth-promoting factor(s) is stable to heating to 60°C. for 30 minutes and is associated with the euglobulin fraction of the serum. 3. Extraction of dried cord serum with benzene, chloroform, and ether does not cause any decrease in growth-promoting activity. 4. Sera from hypophysectomized, adrenalectomized, and thyroid-parathyroidectomized rats show as much growth-promoting activity as normal rat sera. 5. Bovine gamma globulins, anterior pituitary growth hormone, and insulin do not replace the serum growth factor. 6. The toxicity-preventing factor is serum albumin. 7. Evidence is presented that the toxicity is due to free fatty acids in the medium and that serum albumin acts by binding the fatty acids.     

Taxonomy and biology of the supposedly lestobiotic ant genus Paedalgus (Hym.: Formicidae)

Abstract. The taxonomy and biology of the supposedly lestobiotic ant genus Paedalgus is reviewed. Ten species are recognized, from Sri Lanka and the Afro tropical region, of which six are described here as new: distinctus, octatus, pisinnus, rarus, robertsoni and saritus. The genus is defined and an identification key to species is provided. Evidence for and against a lestobiotic lifeway is discussed and what is known of the biology of the species is reviewed.     

Physiologic Races of the Brown Rust of Brome Grasses

A number of cultures of the brown rust of Brome grasses havebeen isolated and maintained as single-spore strains. By theirinfection reactions on a representative selection of Brormusspp. at least five physiologic races have been characterized.Two of these have host-ranges confined to a single section ofthe genus, but others have a much wider host-range within thegenus. The uredospore stage of all was identical. Studies ofthe teleutospores have been limited and knowledge of the speciesof rust involved is incomplete. All belong to the group-speciesPuccinia dispersa Erikss. & Henn.; the species P. brominaErikss. and P. symphyti-bromorum Müller were included amongthe cultures studied, possibly also P. bromi-maximi Guyot. Ina large series of inoculations, over a period of in all 14 years,all physiologic races have been remarkably stable in their infectiontypes and host-range, and no confirmation of Marshall Ward's‘bridging-host’ theory has been obtained. Cultivationof two physiologic races for 164 generations on Bromus arduennensis,a species considered by Ward to have special significance asa bridging-host, induced no changes in their host-range.     

The Effects of Temperature upon Seed Development in Three Species of Forage Grasses

The effects of three temperature regimes, 25°C day/20°Cnight, 20°C day/15°C night and 15°C day/10°Cnight upon seed development in S.22 Italian ryegrass, S.24 perennialryegrass, S.215 meadow fescue and a Swiss ecotype of meadowfescue were investigated. The largest ovaries and largest seedswere obtained from the 15/10°C environment and floret fertilitywas greatest at 20/15°C. The largest seed weight per inflorescencewas at 20/15°C, except for the Swiss ecotype of meadow fescuewhere it was greatest at 15/10°C. The percentage germinationwas highest from those seeds developed at 25/20°C and thiswas particularly marked at germination temperatures of 13–20°C.There was a low rate of germination of seeds from the 15/10°Ctreatment, but they produced seedlings with the largest dryweights. It is concluded that year to year temperature differenceswill affect the yield and quality of seed crops of forage grasses.     

Survival,Birth Characteristics,and Cause-Specific Mortality of White-Tailed Deer Neonates

ABSTRACT Understanding survival of and factors that may predispose newborn deer (Odocoileus spp.) to mortality contribute to improved understanding of population dynamics. We captured free-ranging white-tailed deer neonates (n = 66) of radiocollared females that survived severe (Winter Severity Index [WSI] = 153) and mild (WSI = 45) winters 2000–2001 and 2001–2002. Mean dates of birth (26 May ± 1.7 [SE] days and 26 May ± 1.3 days) and estimated birth-masses of 2.8 ± 0.1 kg and 3.0 ± 0.1 kg were similar between springs 2001 (n = 31) and 2002 (n = 35), respectively. Neonate survival was similar between years; pooled mortality rates of neonates were 0.14, 0.11, and 0.20 at 0–1 weeks, 2–4 weeks, and 5–12 weeks of age, respectively, and overall survival rate for neonates to 12 weeks of age was 0.47. Predation accounted for 86% of mortality; the remaining 14% of deaths were attributed to unknown causes. Black bears (Ursus americanus) were responsible for 57% and 38% of predation of neonates in springs 2001 and 2002, respectively, whereas bobcats (Felis rufus) accounted for 50% in 2002. Wolves (Canis lupus) accounted for only 5% of predator-related deaths. Low birth-mass, smaller body size, and elevated concentrations of serum urea nitrogen (26.1 ± 2.6 mg/dL vs 19.3 ± 0.8 mg/dL) and tumor necrosis factor-α (82.6 ± 78.6 pg/mL vs. 2.3 ± 0.5 pg/mL) were associated with neonates that died within 1 week of birth. Even though we did not detect a direct relation between winter severity and birth or blood characteristics of neonates, evidence suggests that birth-mass and key serum indices of neonate nutrition were associated with their early mortality. Thus, managers can make more informed predictions regarding survival and cause-specific mortality of fawns and adjust management strategies to better control deer population goals.     

Lorica Production in Choanoflagellates–A Model System for Investigating the Mechanics, Controls and Dynamics of Secretion

BIOMINERALIZATION is the process by which living organisms assemble structures from naturally occurring inorganic compounds. Mineral deposition is common and widespread amongst Protozoa and in most instances the mineralized structures provide skeletal support and protection for softer organic parts [10]. The 2 most common minerals to be deposited by Protozoa are silica and calcium carbonate. Groups of Protozoa that deposit silica, which we are concerned with here, include the diatoms, chrysophytes, choanoflagellates, Radiolar-ia, Heliozoa and testate amoebae [10]. In the majority of silica-depositing protista, silica is taken up from the medium in the form of monomelic orthosilicic acid Si(OH)₄ (soluble reactive silicate) and deposited as amorphous, polymerised biogenic silica or opal within membrane-bounded vesicles known as silica deposition vesicles (SDV). Often biogenic silica is characteristically patterned and ornamented and for most protozoan groups the morphology of silicified parts is of prime taxonomic importance. By far the most extensively studied group of silica-depositing organisms are the diatoms [1, 12, 13]. To date most of our knowledge of silica metabolism in protists has been based on investigations into this group. Diatoms require silica for the production of their frustules. Uptake and deposition of silica occurs within a closely denned portion of the cell cycle, between nuclear division and cell separation. It occupies about ± of the cell cycle and without an adequate supply of silica diatoms are unable to produce new frustule valves with the result that cell division cannot be completed. Diatoms, therefore, have an obligate requirement for silica and without this nutrient they cease to grow [11]. In contrast to diatoms a number of other silica-depositing protistan groups, such as loricate choanoflagellates and certain chrysophytes, have a facultative requirement for silica. In the past decade the ultras true ture, physiology and ecology of loricate choanoflagellates have been extensively studied by a number of different workers [7] and the significance of these studies to our understanding of the mechanisms, controls and dynamics of silica secretion is summarised and discussed here.     

Avian Density and Nest Survival on the San Pedro River: Importance of Vegetation Type and Hydrologic Regime

Abstract: Lowland riparian vegetation in the southwestern United States is critically important for maintaining a high richness and density of breeding birds. Further investigation is needed within riparian corridors, however, to evaluate the relative importance of vegetation type and hydrologic regime for avian density and nest survival as targets for regional conservation or restoration efforts. We estimated the densities of 40 bird species and for species grouped on the basis of nest height and dependence on surface water in gallery cottonwood–willow (Populus spp.–Salix spp.) forests, saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) shrub lands, and terrace vegetation types along a gradient in the hydrologic regime of the San Pedro River, Arizona, USA. We also assessed nest survival for shrub-nesting insectivores and herbivores. Canopy-nesting birds as a group and 14 individual bird species reached their greatest densities in cottonwood forests regardless of the hydrologic regime. Water-dependent birds as a group reached their highest density in both intermittent- and perennial-flow cottonwood stands, but certain species occurred almost exclusively in perennial-flow sites. Two shrub-nesting species and the brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) were most abundant in saltcedar shrub lands, and the brown-headed cowbird was most abundant in saltcedar stands with intermittent flows. Mesquite (Prosopis spp.) and big sacaton (Sporobolus wrightii) grassland each maintained the highest densities of certain species within ≥1 hydrologic regime. Shrub-nesting insectivores had the greatest nest survival in cottonwood, including Arizona Bell's vireo (Vireo bellii arizonae), and also had lower proportions of nests parasitized and preyed upon, although 95% confidence intervals among vegetation types overlapped. Nest survival for both shrub-nesting insectivores and herbivores was lowest in intermittent-flow saltcedar, although, again, confidence intervals overlapped. Nest survival was lower in parasitized than nonparasitized nests in mesquite and across vegetation types for Arizona Bell's vireo and in cottonwood for Abert's towhee (Pipilo aberti). Riparian management that maintains heterogeneous riparian vegetation types, including floodplain vegetation comprising cottonwood–willow gallery riparian forests with some stretches of perennial flow, are important for maintaining the high diversity and abundance of breeding birds on the San Pedro River and probably across the region. Cottonwood stands also appear to maintain highest nest survival for some shrub-nesting birds.     

DNA quantification is technically feasible and of value in cervical smear samples: possible applications for determination of progression in low grade dyskaryosis

This study evaluates the feasibility of DNA analysis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia III (CIN III) lesions on cervical smear and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPET) blocks with a view to extending this type of analysis to milder grades of dyskaryosis. DNA ploidy was determined by image analysis using a CAS 200 Image Analyser. Seventeen patients with a diagnosis of CIN III were studied. Results show that all smear and tissue samples were non-diploid with nine aneuploid and eight tetraploid lesions. In 6/7 patients whose smears and corresponding biopsies were examined there was complete agreement as to the DNA profile. We conclude that DNA quantification is technically feasible in archival, routinely prepared cervical smears. This technique should now be applied to CINI and CINII cervical smears to determine if it is of value in identifying those lesions that will progress to CIN III. This study is particularly timely with the possibility in the near future of estimation of ploidy by image analysis using instruments such as the Highly Optimized Microscope Environment (HOME) system.