Sex-linked,androgen-dependent differences in renal retention of trimethylselenonium ions

The metabolism of trimethylselenonium ions (TMSe) was studied in male and female rats during maturation. Selenium (Se) retention in the whole body as well as in organs was found to be significantly higher in male rats than in female a few hours after parenteral administration of TMSe. The pronounced Se accumulation was observed in male kidneys. This sex-linked difference was dependent on the presence of gonades and started to be manifested with sexual maturation during the third decade of postnatal life. The effects of steroid hormones on the retention of Se from TMSe were examined in female and castrated male rats. The results indicate that TMSe metabolism in rat kidneys may be influenced by androgen steroids.     

Syntaxonomy of the Onopordum acanthium communities in temperate and continental Europe

Ruderal communities dominated by Onopordum acanthium are encountered in those regions of Europe with a dry and continental climate. Variability in the climate and local phytogeography within these regions is reflected in the floristic variability of the communities studied. A floristic cline within the communities was summarised by means of multivariate classification and ordination methods. Two associations distributed in temperate Europe and belonging to the Onopordetalia, the Onopordetum acanthii s.str. and Carduo acanthoidis-Onopordetum acanthii, were distinguished; The Carduo acanthoidis-Onopordetum is varied and occurs in several geographic races and sub-races. The Onopordetum acanthii s.str. is confined to deep inner-montane valleys with a continental climate. The other Onopordum acanthium communities described from Spain belong to the Scolymo hispanici-Onopordetalia nervosi.Abbreviations CA = correspondence analysis - CLC = complete linkage clustering     

Some notes on the terminology of brassinosteroids

In this paper the definitions of brassinolide, brassinolide activity andbrassins are reviewed, and definitions for the terms brassin, naturalbrassinosteroids and brassinosteroid analogues, based on biosynthetic reasoningand structure similarity are proposed.