Three new ground wētā species and a redescription of Hemiandrus maculifrons

Taxonomy lies at the heart of species conservation, yet many large New Zealand orthopterans remain undescribed. Among New Zealand’s anostostomatid wētā, Hemiandrus (ground wētā) is the most speciose genus but also the most poorly characterised and thus most in need of taxonomic and ecological work. Here we redescribe H. maculifrons and describe two new species of ground wētā previously encompassed by the specific name Hemiandrus maculifrons: Hemiandrus luna sp. nov. and H. brucei sp. nov. We also describe a morphologically similar and related species, Hemiandrus nox sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:71EA0879-A2F9-46B2-A105-E97A9AB25061

http://zoobank.org/References/71EA0879-A2F9-46B2-A105-E97A9AB25061     

Assessment of changes in the brca2 and p53 genes in breast invasive ductal carcinoma in northeast Brazil

Background

BRCA protein interacts with at least 13 different proteins that have been implicated with cancer susceptibility and loss of BRCA function is correlated to sensitivity to DNA crosslinking agents in preclinical models.

Results

BRCA2 methylation frequency was 44%, p53 Pro22 allele frequency was 32% and heterozygous frequency of Arg/Pro72 genotype was 60% which could be associated as risk factor for metastasis (p = 0.046 OR = 4.190). Regarding to polymorphism of codon 249 the frequency of Arg249 allele presented 82% which was considered not statistically significant.

Conclusions

There was not statistical significance to BRCA2 promoter methylation with any parameters chosen. However, our findings suggest that patients who present heterozygous genotype at codon 72 of p53 gene may have a major susceptibility to any type of metastasis and this could serve as potential auxiliary biomarker for poor prognosis.     

A modified and automated version of the 'Fluorimetric Detection of Alkaline DNA Unwinding' method to quantify formation and repair of DNA strand breaks

Background  

Formation and repair of DNA single-strand breaks are important parameters in the assessment of DNA damage and repair occurring in live cells. The 'Fluorimetric Detection of Alkaline DNA Unwinding (FADU)' method [Birnboim HC, Jevcak JJ. Cancer Res (1981) 41:1889–1892] is a sensitive procedure to quantify DNA strand breaks, yet it is very tedious to perform.     

New Zealand ground wētā (Anostostomatidae: Hemiandrus): descriptions of two species with notes on their biology

Abstract

Although the New Zealand ground wētā (Anostostomatidae: Hemiandrus) are widespread and abundant, little has been described of their ecology and behaviour. Within the genus several lineages have evolved with ovipositors that are unusually short for this orthopteran family. Some species with this derived morphological character also exhibit maternal care of eggs and offspring. Two new species are described here, Hemiandrus maia sp. nov. and Hemiandrus electra sp. nov. Although morphologically similar with medium length ovipositors, they are not sister taxa and live at opposite ends of South Island, New Zealand. The behaviour of Hemiandrus maia sp. nov. was studied using burrow door re-construction as a key to activity patterns. Observations at night and burrow excavation during the day were used to identify features of their behaviour. Maternal care of both eggs and nymphs was observed. Hemiandrus maia sp. nov. were shown to eat fruit, invertebrates and seeds without discrimination.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1C7EB0D2-D01B-4D3A-B643-D17813EC2084     

Shape based kinetic outlier detection in real-time PCR

Background  

Real-time PCR has recently become the technique of choice for absolute and relative nucleic acid quantification. The gold standard quantification method in real-time PCR assumes that the compared samples have similar PCR efficiency. However, many factors present in biological samples affect PCR kinetic, confounding quantification analysis. In this work we propose a new strategy to detect outlier samples, called SOD.     

The next evolutionary synthesis: from Lamarck and Darwin to genomic variation and systems biology

The evolutionary synthesis, the standard 20^th century view of how evolutionary change occurs, is based on selection, heritable phenotypic variation and a very simple view of genes. It is therefore unable to incorporate two key aspects of modern molecular knowledge: first is the richness of genomic variation, so much more complicated than simple mutation, and second is the opaque relationship between the genotype and its resulting phenotype. Two new and important books shed some light on how we should view evolutionary change now. Evolution: a view from the 21 ^st century by J.A. Shapiro (2011, FT Press Science, New Jersey, USA. pp. 246. $34.99.) examines the richness of genomic variation and its implications. Transformations of Lamarckism: from Subtle Fluids to Molecular Biology edited by S.B. Gissis &; E. Jablonka (2011, MIT Press, Cambridge, USA. pp. 457) includes some 40 papers that anyone with an interest in the history of evolutionary thought and the relationship between the environment and the genome will want to read. This review discusses both books within the context of contemporary evolutionary thinking and points out that neither really comes to terms with today's key systems-biology question: how does mutation-induced variation in a molecular network generate variation in the resulting phenotype?     

拐芹根化学成分研究Ⅱ

从伞型科当归属植物拐芹(Angelica polymorpha Maxim)的根及根茎中又分得4个结晶性化合物。经物理常数测定、光谱分析,分别鉴定为欧前胡素Ⅰ,异氧化前胡内酯Ⅱ,Pabulenol Ⅲ,Phellopterin Ⅳ。