Achiasmatic meiosis and complex heterozygosity in female cyclopoid copepods (Copepoda,Crustacea)

In Mesocyclops edax S.A. Forbes, 2n=14, a North American copepod, the females are heterozygous for several interchanges leading to the formation of large rings of chromosomes (rings of 14, or of 12 plus 1 bivalent) at meiotic metaphase, comparable to those of the plant Oenothera, although no chiasmata are present. The chromosomes are more or less metacentric and have large terminal H-segments. In the rings homologous arms are held together by connecting fibers which insert close to the euchromatin-heterochromatin junctions. Coordinated orientation of the zigzag type seems to be the role.     

Accumulation of cadmium and lead in the gills of Mytilus edulis: X-ray microanalysis and chemical analysis.

The accumulation of Cd and Pb in the gills of the lamellibranch mollusc Mytilus edulis has been studied by electron microscopy, X-ray microanalysis, atomic absorption spectroscopy and radionuclide monitoring. The patterns of accumulation of the two elements differ markedly as do the sites of deposition whithin the gills. Lead is found extracellularly as crystalline deposits in the basal lamina which forms the capillary walls of the gill lamellae. The Pb is found associated with Ca in equiatomic ratios and occurs either as a mixed or complex carbonate. Cadmium is always associated with S and frequently with P in membrane bound vesicles within the cells of the gill epithelium and in the amoebocytes. The S is probably attributable to the presence of cysteine residues in a metal binding protein which can be extracted from the gills. Analysis of the metal binding protein shows that it binds Ag, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Sn and Zn. Its amino acid composition is similar to that reported for eels and limpets but has a lower cysteine content than mammalian metal binding protein.     

Measurement Reliability for Acupoint Activity Determined with the Prognos Ohmmeter

The concepts of meridians and acupoints are critical to traditional Chinese medicine but are met with skepticism in Western medicine. Empirical validation of these concepts is in its beginning stages and still hampered by problems with measurement. A promising avenue and foundation for validity testing is the demonstration that acupoint activity can be reliably measured via determination of electrical resistance at well-defined body surface points. In this article, efforts are described to maximize measurement reliability; we tested a variety of protocols to determine which method of data aggregation is associated with maximal reliability. Twenty-one healthy individuals were subjected to 5 repeated measurement cycles to test the predicted increase in reliability with increasing number of aggregated measurements. Reliability, defined as internal consistency, was indeed highest for 5 measurements (mean alpha = .88). Even the aggregate of only three measures was quite reliable (alpha = .84). Reliability for measuring acupoints on the left side of the body was roughly .05 higher than on the right side. Consistent with previous literature, we conclude that with repeated measures the reliability of electrical resistance measurements at acupoints is high and that a strong foundation for validation research is now laid.     

Review of Canadian species of the genera Gnathusa Fenyes,Mniusa Mulsant & Rey and Ocyusa Kraatz (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae)

Four species of Gnathusa Fenyes (G. alfacaribou Klimaszewski & Langor, G. caribou Lohse, G. eva Fenyes, and G. tenuicornis Fenyes) occur in the Nearctic and in Canada. Three species of Ocyusa Kraatz (O. asperula Casey, O. californica Bernhauer, O. canadensis Lohse), and three species of Mniusa Mulsant and Ray (M. minutissima (Klimaszewski & Langor), M. yukonensis (Klimaszewski & Godin), and M. odelli Klimaszewski & Webster, sp. n.), are known from the Nearctic and all but O. californica occur in Canada. The recently described Gnathusa minutissima Klimaszewski and Langor and Ocyusa yukonensis Klimaszewski and Godin, are transferred here to the genus Mniusa Mulsant & Rey. New provincial and state records are reported for: G. eva (Alberta), G. tenuicornis (Alberta, Oregon, and New Brunswick), O. canadensis (New Brunswick and Newfoundland), M. minutissima (New Brunswick), and M. yukonensis (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and British Columbia). The female of M. yukonensis was discovered and is illustrated for the first time. The genus Mniusa is reported for the first time from Canada and represents the first confirmed generic record for North America. Keys for identification of all Canadian species, images of body and genital structures, maps showing distribution mainly in Canada, and new bionomics data are provided.     

Influence of temperature on the δ13C values and distribution of methanotroph‐related hopanoids in Sphagnum‐dominated peat bogs

Methane emissions from peat bogs are mitigated by methanotrophs, which live in symbiosis with peat moss (e.g. Sphagnum). Here, we investigate the influence of temperature and resultant changes in methane fluxes on Sphagnum and methanotroph‐related biomarkers, evaluating their potential as proxies in ancient bogs. A pulse‐chase experiment using ¹³C‐labelled methane in the field clearly showed label uptake in diploptene, a biomarker for methanotrophs, demonstrating in situ methanotrophic activity in Sphagnum under natural conditions. Peat cores containing live Sphagnum were incubated at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25°C for two months, causing differences in net methane fluxes. The natural δ¹³C values of diploptene extracted from Sphagnum showed a strong correlation with temperature and methane production. The δ¹³C values ranged from ?34‰ at 5°C to ?41‰ at 25°C. These results are best explained by enhanced expression of the methanotrophic enzymatic isotope effect at higher methane concentrations. Hence, δ¹³C values of diploptene, or its diagenetic products, potentially provide a useful tool to assess methanotrophic activity in past environments. Increased methane fluxes towards Sphagnum did not affect δ¹³C values of bulk Sphagnum and its specific marker, the C₂₃ n‐alkane. The concentration of methanotroph‐specific bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs), aminobacteriohopanetetrol (aminotetrol, characteristic for type II and to a lesser extent type I methanotrophs) and aminobacteriohopanepentol (aminopentol, a marker for type I methanotrophs) showed a non‐linear response to increased methane fluxes, with relatively high abundances at 25°C compared to those at 20°C or below. Aminotetrol was more abundant than aminopentol, in contrast to similar abundances of aminotetrol and aminopentol in fresh Sphagnum. This probably indicates that type II methanotrophs became prevalent under the experimental conditions relative to type I methanotrophs. Even though BHP concentrations may not directly reflect bacterial activity, they may provide insight into the presence of different types of methanotrophs.     

Hotspots of biotic compositional change in lakes along vast latitudinal transects in northern Canada

Ecotones mark zones of rapid change in ecological structure at various spatial scales. They are believed to be particularly susceptible to shifts caused by environmental transformation, making them key regions for studying the effects of global change. Here, we explored the variation in assemblage structure of aquatic primary producer and consumer communities across latitudinal transects in northeastern North America (Québec‐Labrador) to identify spatial patterns in biodiversity that indicated the location of transition zones across the landscape. We analyzed species richness and the cumulative rate of compositional change (expressed as beta‐diversity) of diatoms and chironomids to detect any abrupt shifts in the rate of spatial taxonomic turnover. We used principal coordinates analysis to estimate community turnover with latitude, then applied piecewise linear regression to assess the position of ecotones. Statistically significant changes in assemblage composition occurred at 52 and 55°N, corresponding to the transition between closed‐ and open‐crown forest, and to the southern onset of the forest tundra (i.e., the forest limit), respectively. The spatial distribution of ecotones was most strongly related to air temperature for chironomids and to vegetation‐ and soil‐related chemical attributes of lake water for diatoms, including dissolved organic carbon content and water color. Lakes at mid‐ to high‐latitudes currently face pressures from rapidly rising temperatures, accompanied by large increases in organic carbon inputs from their catchments, often leading to browning and its associated effects. The biota at the base of food webs in lakes located in transition zones are disproportionately affected by the cascading effects of these multi‐factorial changes, concurrent with pronounced terrestrial greening observed in these regions. Similar patterns of biotic shifts have been observed along alpine aquatic transects, indicating the potential for widespread restructuring of cold, high‐altitude and high‐latitude freshwater communities due to global change.