Effects of estrogen treatment on glutamate uptake in cultured human astrocytes derived from cortex of Alzheimer's disease patients

Estrogen is thought to play a protective role against neurodegeneration through a variety of mechanisms including the activation of growth factors, the control of synaptic plasticity, and the reduction of response to various insults, such as iron and glutamate. Increasing evidence indicates an increased level of extracellular glutamate and a down-regulation of glutamate transporters in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we show that glutamate uptake in astrocytes derived from Alzheimer's patients is significantly lower than that from non-demented controls. Estrogen treatment increases glutamate uptake in a dose-dependent pattern. Two glutamate transporters, GLT-1 and GLAST, are expressed in the astrocytes. Up-regulation of the glutamate transporters is induced by estrogen treatment in AD astrocytes only. Our data suggest that the action of estrogen on glutamate uptake by astrocytes might contribute to its potential neuroprotective role in AD.     

Preliminary phylogenetic analysis of the Protanisoptera (Insecta: Odonatoptera)

The Permian suborder Protanisoptera (Insecta: Odonatoptera) is revised and a new phylogenetic hypothesis proposed after analyses based on wing venation and different outgroups. After our study the families Camptotaxineuridae and Kaltanoneuridae are excluded from the Protanisoptera. After a new phylogenetic analysis, the family Permaeschnidae is redefined and the families Pholidoptilidae, Polytaxineuridae, Callimokaltaniidae and Hemizygopteridae are restored, as already proposed for the latter three families by Bechly (1996). The new genus Proditaxineura is described. The genus Gondvanoptilon RÖSLER et al., 1981 is excluded from the Meganisoptera: Erasipteridae and re-included in the Permaeschnidae, as already proposed by Bechly (1998). Permaeschna proxima MARTYNOV, 1931 is considered as a junior synonym of Permaeschna dolloi MARTYNOV, 1931. Pholidoptilon camense ZALESSKY, 1931 is excluded from Permaeschna MARTYNOV, 1931 and the genus Pholidoptilon [Zalessky, 1931a] and [Zalessky, 1931b] is restored. Ditaxineurella stigmalisMARTYNOV, 1940 is excluded from the Hemizygopteridae and considered as a Protanisoptera Incertae sedis.     

Hironoia fusiformis gen. et sp. nov.; a cornalean fruit from the Kamikitaba locality (Upper Cretaceous,Lower Coniacian) in northeastern Japan

The application of sieving techniques to bulk samples from the Ashizawa Formation, Futaba Group (Lower Coniacian) of northeastern Honshu, Japan, has yielded well-preserved mesofossil assemblages comparable with those recently described from eastern North America, Europe, and central Asia. Among the most abundant and distinctive components of these assemblages are fusiform fruits that are assigned here to a new genus and species, Hironoia fusiformis gen. et sp. nov. The fruits developed from an epigynous ovary with three to four locules. Each locule bears one seed and has a distinctive dorsal germination valve. These features of the fruit, along with the adnate calyx, indicate an affinity to extant Cornales and specifically the Cornaceae sensu lato. The recognition of an unequivocal cornalean fruit in the Early Coniacian–Early Santonian of Japan provides the earliest record of this group in the fossil record. It also establishes a minimum age for the early divergence of the asterid clade, a major group of living angiosperms comprising more than a third of all species of extant flowering plants. Electronic Publication     

The scales of salticid spiders

The form and location of the scales of salticid spiders, as revealed by light and scanning electron microscopy, provide useful diagnostic characters for the separation of species, the assignment of species to genera, and a further understanding of the relationships between salticid genera. Partly on the basis of distinctions provided by scale structure, the new genus Platycryptus , type-species Aranea undata De Geer, 1778, is defined. Metaphidippus vitis Cockerell, 1894, is placed in the genus Sassacus Peckham, 1895, and Paromaevia michelsoni (Barnes), 1955, is returned to the genus Maevia . The placement of Eris, Hentzia, Icius, Metaphidippus, Phidippus , and Sassacus in the subfamily Dendryphantinae is substantiated; Tutelina and Zygoballus are added to this group. On the basis of common scale structure, Evarcha, Habrocestum, Menememerus, Phlegra, Platycryptus , and Sitticus are tentatively assigned to the subfamily Habrocestinae. Scales of Anasntis, Corythalia, Cosmophasis, Hyllus, Marpissa, Metacyrba, Pellenes, Plexippus, Salticus, Sarinda, and Thiodina are also described.     

Pyramidodinium atrofuscum gen. et sp. nov. (Dinophyceae), a new marine sand-dwelling coccoid dinoflagellate from tropical waters

A new marine sand‐dwelling coccoid dinoflagellate Pyramidodinium atrofuscum Horiguchi et Sukigara gen. et sp. nov. is described from Jellyfish Lake, Republic of Palau. The dinoflagellate alternates a non‐motile vegetative stage with a motile gymnodinioid stage within its life cycle. The non‐motile stage is dominant in the life cycle and the dinoflagellate reproduces itself by means of the production of two motile cells. The released motile cell swims only for a short period and is directly transformed into the non‐motile cell. The non‐motile cell is sessile, pyramidal in shape, with a single longitudinal ridge and a double transverse ridge. The surface of the cell wall is covered with many processes. The motile cell has a Gymnodinium‐like morphology, but no apical groove is present. An ultrastructural study revealed that the dinoflagellate possesses typical dinoflagellate organelles. Based on the unique morphology of the vegetative non‐motile stage, we propose a new genus Pyramidodinium for this dinoflagellate, with the type species Pyramidodinium atrofuscum Horiguchi et Sukigara, gen. et sp. nov.     

Multi‐gene phylogenetic analyses of New Zealand coralline algae: Corallinapetra Novaezelandiae gen. et sp. nov. and recognition of the Hapalidiales ord. nov.

Coralline red algae from the New Zealand region were investigated in a study focused on documenting regional diversity. We present a multi‐gene analysis using sequence data obtained for four genes (nSSU, psaA, psbA, rbcL) from 68 samples. The study revealed cryptic diversity at both genus and species levels, confirming and providing further evidence of problems with current taxonomic concepts in the Corallinophycidae. In addition, a new genus Corallinapetra novaezelandiae gen. et sp. nov. is erected for material from northern New Zealand. Corallinapetra is excluded from all currently recognized families and orders within the Corallinophycidae and thus represents a previously unrecognized lineage within this subclass. We discuss rank in the Corallinophycidae and propose the order Hapalidiales.