Two types of luliberin-immunoreactive perikarya in the preoptic area of the rat

Summary At the light microscopic level, following immunostaining with a single antiserum against luliberin (LRF), two types of hormone-producing perikarya in the preoptic area are demonstrated. The two cell types differ in their morphological features: a bipolar, smooth-contoured cell type can be differentiated from an irregularly contoured unipolar type. Intermediate forms between both cell types occurring in the same area are not observed. Electron microscopically, both cell types contain labeled granules of similar size and immunoreactivity. It is dicussed whether the uneven surface of the one cell type is due to areas of synaptic contacts, and whether both cell types are integrated in different neuronal and functional circuits. Moreover, at the ultrastructural level, from the irregularly contoured LRF-producing perikarya a further positively stained cell type, probably a glial cell, can be differentiated. The specific labeling of the latter is caused by its content of immunoreactive lysosomal bodies. Differentiation between the labeled glial cells and the irregularly contoured LRF-producing perikarya is not possible at the light microscopic level.Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Grant Nr. Kr 569/3) and by the Stiftung Volkswagenwerk     

The influence of thick floating vegetation (Water hyacinth: Eichhornia crassipes) on the physico — chemical environment of a fresh water wetland

Measurements made in fresh water wetland have shown that temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and bicarbonate alkalinity in the hyacinth infested area were lower, but dissolved free carbon dioxide concentration was excitingly greater than in the open water area. This extreme hypoxic and hypercarbic condition of hyacinth covered areas was caused by the thick coverage of Eichhornia crassipes which was crucial for the composition of the characteristic flora and fauna.     

Centres of diversity quantified—A maximum variance approach to a biogeographic problem

Summary A quantitative method that optimizes the mapping of species diversity in phytogeographic studies is described. Diversity is computed on the basis of species number per unit area. The optimal size of unit area for which diversity is computed is held to be that which maximises the diversity difference between species-rich and species-poor regions. An example is given using Turkish Papaver. A very high correspondence is found between intuitive insights based on long study and the computer-generated diversity maps. Phytogeographic elements were also determined by computer after gridding Turkey at the scale discovered to be optimal for diversity and scoring the grid squares for presence-absence of each species. In this case, too, quite high correspondence was found between the computer and intuitive results.Nomenclature follows Cullen (1965).The authors express their thanks to Mr. K. Roberts, University of Western Ontario Computing Centre of writing the original maximum variance program and to the National Research Council of Canada for supporting the computing side of the project.     

Structure and Disorder in an Unfolded State under Nondenaturing Conditions from Ensemble Models Consistent with a Large Number of Experimental Restraints

Obtaining detailed structural models of disordered states of proteins under nondenaturing conditions is important for a better understanding of both functional intrinsically disordered proteins and unfolded states of folded proteins. Extensive experimental characterization of the drk N-terminal SH3 domain unfolded state has shown that, although it appears to be highly disordered, it possesses significant nonrandom secondary and tertiary structure. In our previous attempts to generate structural models of the unfolded state using the program ENSEMBLE, we were limited by insufficient experimental restraints and conformational sampling. In this study, we have vastly expanded our experimental restraint set to include ¹H-¹⁵N residual dipolar couplings, small-angle X-ray scattering measurements, nitroxide paramagnetic relaxation enhancements, O₂-induced ¹³C paramagnetic shifts, hydrogen-exchange protection factors, and ¹⁵N R₂ data, in addition to the previously used nuclear Overhauser effects, amino terminal Cu²⁺-Ni²⁺ binding paramagnetic relaxation enhancements, J-couplings, chemical shifts, hydrodynamic radius, and solvent accessibility restraints. We have also implemented a new ensemble calculation methodology that uses iterative conformational sampling and seeks to calculate the simplest possible ensemble models. As a result, we can now generate ensembles that are consistent with much larger experimental data sets than was previously possible. Although highly heterogeneous and having broad molecular size distributions, the calculated drk N-terminal SH3 domain unfolded-state ensembles have very different properties than expected for random or statistical coils and possess significant nonnative α-helical structure and both native-like and nonnative tertiary structure.     

Shapes and functions of species–area curves (II): a review of new models and parameterizations

This paper has extended and updated my earlier list and analysis of candidate models used in theoretical modelling and empirical examination of species–area relationships (SARs). I have also reviewed trivariate models that can be applied to include a second independent variable (in addition to area) and discussed extensively the justifications for fitting curves to SARs and the choice of model. There is also a summary of the characteristics of several new candidate models, especially extended power models, logarithmic models and parameterizations of the negative-exponential family and the logistic family. I have, moreover, examined the characteristics and shapes of trivariate linear, logarithmic and power models, including combination variables and interaction terms. The choice of models according to best fit may conflict with problems of non-normality or heteroscedasticity. The need to compare parameter estimates between data sets should also affect model choice. With few data points and large scatter, models with few parameters are often preferable. With narrow-scale windows, even inflexible models such as the power model and the logarithmic model may produce good fits, whereas with wider-scale windows where inflexible models do not fit well, more flexible models such as the second persistence (P2) model and the cumulative Weibull distribution may be preferable. When extrapolations and expected shapes are important, one should consider models with expected shapes, e.g. the power model for sample area curves and the P2 model for isolate curves. The choice of trivariate models poses special challenges, which one can more effectively evaluate by inspecting graphical plots.     

Spectrum structures and biological functions of 8-mers in the human genome

The spectra of k-mer frequencies can reveal the structures and evolution of genome sequences. We confirmed that the trimodal spectrum of 8-mers in human genome sequences is distinguished only by CG2, CG1 and CG0 8-mer sets, containing 2,1 or 0 CpG, respectively. This phenomenon is called independent selection law. The three types of CG 8-mers were considered as different functional elements. We conjectured that (1) nucleosome binding motifs are mainly characterized by CG1 8-mers and (2) the core structural units of CpG island sequences are predominantly characterized by CG2 8-mers. To validate our conjectures, nucleosome occupied sequences and CGI sequences were extracted, then the sequence parameters were constructed through the information of the three CG 8-mer sets respectively. ROC analysis showed that CG1 8-mers are more preference in nucleosome occupied segments (AUC > 0.7) and CG2 8-mers are more preference in CGI sequences (AUC > 0.99). This validates our conjecture in principle.     

Individually mark–mass release–resight study elucidates effects of patch characteristics and distance on host patch location by an insect herbivore

1. How organisms locate their hosts is of fundamental importance in a variety of basic and applied ecological fields, including population dynamics, invasive species management and biological control. However, tracking movement of small organisms, such as insects, poses significant logistical challenges. 2. Mass‐release and individual–mark–recapture techniques were combined in an individually mark–mass release–resight (IMMRR) approach to track the movement of over 2000 adult insects in an economically important plant–herbivore system. Despite its widespread use for the biological control of the invasive thistle Carduus nutans, the host‐finding behaviour of the thistle head weevil Rhinocyllus conicus has not previously been studied. Insects were released at different distances from a mosaic of artificially created host patches with different areas and number of plants to assess the ecological determinants of patch finding. 3. The study was able to characterize the within‐season dispersal abilities and between‐patch movement patterns of R. conicus. Weevils found host plant patches over 900 m away. Large patches, with tall plants, situated close to the nearest release point had the highest first R. conicus resights. Patch area and plant density had no effect on the number of weevils resighted per plant; however, R. conicus individuals were more likely to disperse out of small patches and into large patches. 4. By understanding how R. conicus locates host patches of C. nutans, management activities for the control of this invasive thistle can be better informed. A deeper mechanistic understanding of host location will also improve prediction of coupled plant–herbivore spatial dynamics in general.