Systematics of Anopheles barbirostris van der Wulp and a sibling species of the Barbirostris Complex (Diptera: Culicidae) in eastern Java,Indonesia

This study provides the first integrated morphological and molecular characterization of Anopheles barbirostris van der Wulp, the nominotypical member of the Barbirostris Complex of malaria vectors in the Oriental Region, and An. vanderwulpi sp.n. , a sibling species of the complex found in sympatry with An. barbirostris in the vicinity of its type locality in eastern Java, Indonesia. The adult, larval and pupal stages of An. barbirostris are described and compared with those of An. vanderwulpi. The two species, however, are essentially isomorphic. The genetic identity of An. barbirostris s.s. is based on a diagnostic cytochrome oxidase I gene sequence to ensure stable use of the specific name for the prevalent concept of the species. The genetic identity of the new species is also established. Diagnostic DNA sequences for these species serve as a foundation for further taxonomic studies, and for investigations into their roles in the transmission of malaria and filariasis. The discussion includes a brief review of Anopheles classification and species complexes.     

Phylogenetic relationships within the extant Mustelidae (Garnivora): appraisal of the cladistic status of the Simpsonian subfamilies

Cladistic analysis of extant mustelids based on a data matrix consisting of 30 characters derived from morphological study of the head skeleton in all 23 genera, and 16 characters gleaned from the literature, yielded 75 most parsimonious trees with a consistency index of 0.487 using PAUP 3.0s. The analysis strongly supports the monophyly of both the Mephitinae (skunks) and Lutrinae (otters). The Mustelinae (weasels, martens, wolverine, etc) is probably paraphyletic, but there is some support for a monophyletic group consisting of the mustelines and the honey badger Mellivora. The Melinae (badgers) is a polyphyletic group; the badger ecomorph probably evolved independently at least three times within the Mustelidae. On consensus trees, there is a lack of resolution concerning the relationships within the Mephitinae and Lutrinae and the positions of Galictis and Mustela. These results are broadly congruent with a cladistic interpretation of Simpson's intent in his influential 1945 classification. Thus, a paraphyletic Mustelinae is consistent with Simpson's conception of a horizontal grouping, whereas the Mephitinae and Lutrinae represent vertical divergent lineages. In contrast, the cladistic status of the Melinae is not consistent with Simpsonian classificatory principles. The status of the monotypic Mellivorinae cannot be evaluated without considering its putative fossil members; however, the clustering of Mellivora with the badger Taxidea is not consistent with Simpson's scheme. Some of the more inclusive clades in the most parsimonious trees are vulnerable to minor changes to the data matrix. The fossil record is consistent with the basic outlines of the cladistic pattern and explains various ostensible biogeographic anomalies. Bootstrap analysis identified marked variation in the support for the components of the cladistic pattern.     

The Effect of Subjecting Peas to Air Enriched with Carbon Dioxide: II. RESPIRATION AND THE METABOLISM OF THE MAJOR ACIDS

Whole peas at about 75 per cent of their maximum fresh weightwere subjected to 5–30 per cent CO₂ in air for periodsof from 1–6 d, then returned to air for a further 1 d.Samples were withdrawn at intervals and organic acids, ^TCO₂and ethanol estimated as well as the rate of respiration. Slicesof cotyledons suspended in water were also subjected to highconcentrations of CO₂ in air for 3 h. The rate of respiration was inhibited progressively by increasein CO₂ content of the tissue. The high internal CO₂ contentof the intact pea causes an inhibition of its rate of respirationby about 25 per cent. Alcohol production commenced at between10 and 15 per cent CO₂ in the ambient gas and slowly increasedin rate up to 37 per cent. The CO₂-air mixtures reduced the content of malate, pyruvateand -oxoglutarate, increased that of succinate and left citrateunaffected. On return to air malate rose rapidly and succinatefell slowly to their original concentrations. During the sameperiod the concentration of PEP fell sharply and after about1 h rose again, whereas oxalacetate showed a reverse response.It is argued that the rapid re-synthesis of malate was by carboxylationof PEP to oxalacetate and that this reaction was stimulatedby a change in pH rather than by the direct effect of the changein concentration of CO₂. In one experiment ¹⁴CO₂ was supplied for 2 h before return toair and the movement of ¹⁴C followed for 6 h. The results supportthe method of re-synthesis of malate proposed.     

B700 Antigen as a Component of an Antimelanoma Vaccine: Formalinized Extracellular Antigens

Formalin fixation has enjoyed widespread use in the preparation of antibacterial and other vaccines, but rather less use in antitumor vaccines. Previous studies from our laboratories have demonstrated the efficacy of antimelanoma vaccines in mice, produced from formalinized antigens shed by cultured melanoma cells. In this study, we provide evidence that the immunodominant component of that vaccine is the well-characterized B700 melanoma antigen.     

SAAT: sonication-assisted Agrobacterium-mediated transformation

Plant transformation via Agrobacterium can be limited by both host specificity and the inability of Agrobacterium to reach the proper cells in the target tissue. Described here is a new and efficient Agrobacterium-based transformation technology that overcomes these barriers and enhances DNA transfer in such diverse plant groups as dicots, monocots, and gymnosperms. This new technology, called sonication-assisted Agrobacterium-mediated transformation (SAAT), involves subjecting the plant tissue to brief periods of ultrasound in the presence of Agrobacterium. Scanning electron and light microscopy reveal that SAAT treatment produces small and uniform fissures and channels throughout the tissue allowing the Agrobacterium easy access to internal plant tissues. Unlike other transformation methods, this system has the potential to transform meristematic tissue buried under several cell layers. SAAT increases transient transformation efficiency in several different plant tissues including leaf tissue, immature cotyledons, somatic and zygotic embryos, roots, stems, shoot apices, embryogenic suspension cells and whole seedlings. A 100- to 1400-fold increase in transient - glucuronid ase expression has been demonstrated in various tissues of soybean, Ohio buckeye, cowpea, white spruce, wheat and maize. Stable transformation of both soybean and Ohio buckeye has been obtained using SAAT of embryogenic suspension culture tissues. For soybean, SAAT treatment was necessary to obtain stable transformation with this tissue     

Reply to Opler on Apachean Subsistence, Residence, and Girls' Puberty Rites

Archaeological evidence shows that Apaches occupied the central Plains area from A.D. 1525–1725 in Wyoming, South Dakota. Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. Toward the end of this period they were semi-sedentary farmers living in houses generically like those of the Plains-Prairies earth lodge. Because in their southward migration they contacted Plains-Prairies farmers earlier than those in the Southwest proper, and farming was women-dominated and residence matrilocal for the Hidatsa, Mandan, Arikara, Pawnee, and Wichita, it seems highly probable that these Plains Apaches acquired matrilocal residence and a female farming division of labor at this time before contacting Tanoans in the Southwest. The more western Apacheans, who may not have had contact with Plains tribes, could have acquired matrilocal residence from western Pueblos, including the Keresans, who were probably all matrilocal before Spanish contact. It is doubtful that the wild plant gathering of Apachean women was sufficient to cause matrilocal residence, because in parts of California and the Great Basin where women gathered a greater proportion of the diet than Apachean women, residence was vary rarely matrilocal.