The effect of host resistance on the metabolic rate of engorged females of Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi

Abstract. This study investigated the effect of acquired resistance in guinea-pigs on the metabolic rate of adult females of the tick Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi. Guinea-pigs were subjected to three successive infestations of ticks and the rate of CO₂ production (Vco₂) measured in first and third infestation engorged females. Ticks which fed on resistant hosts showed a 52% decrease in mass compared to ticks that fed on naive animals. Reduction in mass was accompanied by a decrease in Vco₂ (mlh^-1) per tick but an increase in mass specific Vco₂ (mlg^_1h^_1). However, both groups shared a single allometric relationship between body mass and metabolic rate (Vco₂). We suggest that the differences in size rather than any factor directly relating to the mechanism of acquired resistance account for the differences in metabolic rate between ticks fed on naive and resistant guinea-pigs.     

Leaf morphology and anatomy of Camellia section Camellia (Theaceae)

The delimitations of species in Camellia section Camellia have been disputed for many years, resulting from uncertain relationships among species. Leaf morphological and anatomical characters for 54 species and three varieties in this section were investigated to reveal the relationships. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were conducted using the transformed data for quantitative and qualitative characters from leaf morphology and anatomy. Combining the results of statistical analysis with comparative leaf characters of morphology and anatomy, we discussed the taxonomic treatment of section Camellia by Chang compared with that of Ming and we conclude that section Camellia consists of c. 50 species. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 159 , 456–476.     

轮状病毒腹泻患儿检测结果分析

目的:探讨轮状病毒感染与天气因素之间的关系,以指导临床采取合理的防治策略.方法:采用免疫胶体金法对1155例腹泻患儿进行轮状病毒检测;收集2005年到2007年的天气资料;分别分析轮状病毒阳性患儿人次与温度、湿度之间变化的规律.结果:501份标本轮状病毒阳性,6m-24m年龄段婴幼儿阳性检出率最高.每年秋季(第33周时)随着周平均气温缓慢下降患儿人次开始逐渐上升,到第41周患儿人数达到最高峰,之后回落,达高峰前几周湿度也略有下降,表明天气因素与轮状病毒的传播有密切的关系.结论:秋季周平均气温、相对湿度是影响轮状病毒传播流行的自然因素.     

Does sympatry predict life history and morphological diversification in the Mexican livebearing fish Poeciliopsis baenschi?

Understanding why some species coexist and others do not remains one of the fundamental challenges of ecology. Although there is evidence to suggest that closely‐related species are unlikely to occupy the same habitat because of competitive exclusion, there are many cases where closely‐related species do co‐occur. Research comparing sympatric and allopatric populations of co‐occurring species provides a framework for understanding the role of phenotypic diversification in species coexistence. In the present study, we compare phenotypic divergence between sympatric and allopatric populations of the livebearing fish, Poeciliopsis baenschi. We focus on life‐history traits and body shape, comprising two sets of integrated traits likely to diverge in response to varying selective pressures. Given that males and females can express different phenotypic traits, we also test for patterns of divergence among sexes by comparing size at maturity and sexual dimorphism in body shape between males and females in each population type. We take advantage of a natural experiment in western Mexico where, in some locations, P. baenschi co‐occur with a closely‐related species, Poeciliopsis turneri (sympatric populations) and, in other locations, they occur in isolation (allopatric populations). The results obtained in the present study show that sympatric populations of P. baenschi differed significantly in life‐history traits and in body shape compared to their allopatric counterparts. Additionally, males and females showed different responses for size at maturity in sympatric conditions versus allopatric conditions. However, the amount of sexual dimorphism did not differ between sympatric and allopatric populations of P. baenschi. Hence, we conclude that not all traits show similar levels of phenotypic divergence in response to sympatric conditions. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 100 , 608–618.     

遮荫对半夏叶片光合色素与保护酶活性的影响

对半夏进行不同程度遮荫处理,研究了其生长过程中叶组织的光合色素含量、叶绿素a/b值、保护酶体系(SOD、POD、CAT)活性和丙二醛(MDA)含量的变化及其生理特性.结果表明:不同处理的半夏在生长过程中,光合色素的含量呈先升后降的趋势;与全光照相比,遮荫处理的叶绿素含量较高,叶绿素a/b值较低,类胡萝卜素含量在生长发育中早期较低而后期较高;SOD、POD、CAT活性呈由低到高再降低的趋势,MDA含量持续升高;遮荫处理的SOD、POD活性和MDA含量均低于全光照处理,CAT活性则表现为先高于后低于全光照处理.适度的遮荫可以提高半夏叶绿素的含量,降低膜系统受到的伤害,改善半夏的倒苗状况,为半夏叶片的生长提供较好的环境.     

Phylogenetic relationships of the lower Caenogastropoda (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Architaenioglossa, Campaniloidea, Cerithioidea) as determined by partial 18s rDNA sequences

Phylogenetic analyses of partial sequences spanning approximately 450 nucleotides near the 5'end of the 18s rDNA strongly support the monophyly of Apogastropoda and its constituent clades, Caenogastropoda and Heterobranchia. Representatives of the architaenioglossan groups Cyclophoroidea, Ampullariidae and Viviparidae invariably emerge within Caenogastropoda in all analyses. While the Cyclophoroidea and Ampullariidae are monophyletic, the varying position of Viviparidae in all outcomes contradicts its hypothesized sister group relationship with Ampullariidae, and thus the monophyly of Ampullarioidea. Because of the position of Viviparidae, Architaenioglossa does not emerge as a clade in any of our analyses. Campanile consistently emerges between Cyclophoroidea and Cerithioidea, or in a clade with Cyclophoroidea and Ampullariidae, a position not predicted by previous morphological studies. Maximum parsimony analyses of sequence data show Caenogastropoda to comprise a series of sequentially diverging higher taxa. However, maximum likelihood analyses as well as maximum parsimony analyses using only trans-versions divide Caenogastropoda into two clades, one containing the architaenioglossan taxa, Campaniloidea and Cerithioidea, the other containing the higher caenogastropod taxa included in Eucaenogastropoda (Haszprunar, 1988) [= Hypsogastropoda (Ponder & Lindberg 1997)l. Denser taxon sampling revealed insertions to be present in the 18s rDNA gene of several caenogastropod taxa. Earlier reports (Harasewych et al. 1997b) of reduced sequence divergence levels in Caenogastropoda are shown to be restricted to Hypsogastropoda. Based on a broader taxonomic sampling, divergence levels within Caenogastropoda are comparable to those found within Heterobranchia.     

Predator avoidance costs and habituation to fish chemicals by a stream isopod

1. We examined whether long-term exposure to chemical cues of predatory longear sunfish (Lepomis megalottis) affected growth and rates of leaf processing by the isopod, Lirceus fontinalis, an important facultative shredder in low-order streams in the eastern United States, and whether isopods habituated to sunfish chemicals. 2. Long-term (24 days) exposure to fish chemicals did not affect growth or the extent of leaf processing by isopods in the laboratory. Thus, chemical cues alone may not be important in triggering long-term predator avoidance behaviours that could potentially reduce fitness or affect community processes like Litter breakdown. 3. Isopods exposed to fish chemicals for 3, 9 and 15 days were significantly more active than individuals unexposed to fish chemicals, when transferred to another environment with fish chemicals. This result, coupled with results of the growth experiment, suggests that isopods habituate to fish chemical stimuli and that time to habituation is c. 3 days or less. Because fish chemicals can mislead prey about predator presence, and hence be a non-threatening stimulus, they are probably important in eliciting only short-term antipredatory behaviours by isopods.     

Identification of Precystic Stages and Encystment Kinetics Analysis of Colpoda inflata by Using an Immunofluorescent Method

ABSTRACT. The application of an immunocytochemical method to identify precystic stages and to analyse the encystment kinetics, by using a polyclonal antiserum against isolated cyst walls from the ciliate Colpoda inflata , is reported for the first time. Three different precystic phases were chosen on the basis of morphological changes and degree of cyst wall formation. By using this procedure a better identification of mature resting cysts with regard to precystic cells or young cysts is provided. An average consensus encystment kinetics of C. inflata , by using an accumulated class frequency analysis, is reported.