bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leptodontidium quercuum: antagonism to Lentinula edodes in Quercus logs and conidiogenesis
Authors: Tsuneda Akihiko , Maekawa Nitaro , Komatsu Mitsuo
Published: February 2008

A dematiaceous hyphomycete, Leptodontidium quercuum, was found to be an extremely deleterious antagonistic fungus for log cultivation of Lentinula edodes, or Shiitake. In response to the approach of Lentinula edodes hyphae, the antagonist formed distinct, narrow, and shiny black zone lines in outer sapwood, cambium, and inner bark regions of Quercus bed logs. The zone line was a pseudosclerotic plate consisting of several layers of thick-walled, highly pigmented cells, and caused deadlock of the two fungi. Abundant slime material was exuded from Leptodontidium quercuum hyphae during the formation of pseudosclerotic plates. Neither bleaching nor decay occurred in the regions occupied by Leptodontidium quercuum where lumens of wood fibers, tracheids, vessels, and ray parenchyma were filled with its black sclerotic cells. Conidia of Leptodontidium quercuum formed on agar culture media after 2 to several months of incubation at 20 °C. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that development of conidia was either sympodial or phialidic. However, their occurrence in nature and function in dispersal and colonization remain unknown. Key words: Leptodontidium quercuum, Lentinula edodes, mushroom cultivation, Quercus bed logs, antagonism, conidiogenesis.
Increased levels of airborne fungal spores in response to Populus tremuloides grown under elevated atmospheric CO2
Authors: Klironomos John N. , Rillig Matthias C. , Allen Michael F. , Zak Donald R. , Pregitzer Kurt S. , Kubiske Mark E.
Published: February 2008

Soil fungi are important components of terrestrial ecosystems. They function as decomposers, pathogens, parasites, and mutualistic symbionts. Their main mode of dispersal is to liberate spores into the atmosphere. In this study we tested the hypothesis that a higher atmospheric CO2 concentration will induce greater sporulation in common soil fungi, leading to higher concentrations of fungal propagules in the atmosphere. In our field experiment, the concentration of airborne fungal propagules, mostly spores, increased fourfold under twice-ambient CO2 concentrations. Analysis of decomposing leaf litter (likely the main source of airborne fungal propagules) indicated that the fungi produced fivefold more spores under elevated CO2. Our results provide evidence that elevations in atmospheric CO2 concentration can directly affect microbial function, which may have important implications for litter decay, fungal dispersal, and human respiratory health. Key words: atmospheric CO2, fungal spores, global change, Populus tremuloides.
Grazing response strategies along a snow deposition gradient: a laboratory experiment on three grass species from Svalbard
Authors: Wegener Christina , Odasz Ann Marie
Published: February 2008

The objective of this study was to determine whether Arctic grasses from different sites along a snow deposition gradient respond similarly to grazing. The effects of laboratory simulated grazing (two levels of clipping frequency, clipping height, and nutrition) on accumulated biomass of different plant parts and number of tillers were measured in the reindeer forage grasses Poa arctica R. Br. from a dry ridge habitat, Festuca rubra L. from a moist lee-side habitat, and Deschampsia alpina L. from a wet snowbed habitat in Svalbard. Both P. arctica and F. rubra increased the proportion of biomass allocated belowground at the cost of the aboveground structures in response to high clipping frequency combined with high clipping height, leaving total accumulated biomass unchanged. In D. alpina, on the contrary, the percentage of aboveground biomass increased at the cost of belowground structures in response to high clipping frequency and low clipping height. This results in higher vulnerability to clipping and reduced total biomass. These two contrasting response patterns may reflect differences in adaptations in the habitats. Stress tolerance is more important on wind-blown ridges and in lee-side habitats where the grazing season is longer. On the other hand, rapid growth is more important in the snowbed where the growing season is shorter. These strategies may be of great importance in regulating and driving the local foraging patterns of Svalbard reindeer. Key words: herbivory, Arctic, graminoids, plant strategy, forage.
Are germination strategies important for the ability of cespitose wetland sedges (Carex) to grow in forests?
Authors: Schütz Wolfgang
Published: February 2008

The seed germination behaviour of six cold-temperate, cespitose Carex species occurring either in wet forests or wet, open habitats was investigated under different light and temperature conditions. Germination tests were conducted in the laboratory with cold and wet stratified seeds in light and darkness, under four constant-temperature regimes and one fluctuating regime. Other germination tests were carried out in an experimental garden where freshly matured seeds sown on the soil surface were exposed to conditions typical for a sun-exposed site and a shaded (forest) site for 2 years. In the garden experiments, seeds at the sun-exposed site germinated soon after sowing in three species, whereas late-shedding species or species exhibiting primary dormancy germinated the following spring. Under the dense leaf canopy at the forest site, germination was inhibited completely during the first season in all species. Wet-forest species (Carex elongata, Carex remota) germinated the following spring before the leaf canopy closed, whereas the sedges adapted to open habitats (Carex canescens, Carex cespitosa, Carex pseudocyperus, Carex paniculata) failed to germinate, or only a low percentage germinated. Following transfer of ungerminated seeds from the shaded site to the sun-exposed site in the summer of the second year of the investigation, almost all of the hitherto ungerminated seeds germinated within 10 days. Results of laboratory experiments supported the findings in the garden experiments. At low mean temperatures (7 and 10 °C) in light, sedges adapted to open habitats did not germinate at all or showed a low percentage of germination, whereas forest sedges showed good germination. A high diurnal temperature amplitude and (or) a high constant temperature was needed to trigger the germination of a fraction of the seeds in dark treatments. It is suggested that the forest sedges are adapted to using a brief temporal regeneration niche during mid-spring, when mean temperatures are close to 10 °C and the leaf canopy has yet to close in central European, wet deciduous forests. In contrast, sedges adapted to open habitats probably fail to germinate under forest conditions because of their higher temperature requirements. Key words: Carex, germination, light, temperature, dormancy.
Population structure and genetic variation in Nectria fuckeliana
Authors: Vasiliauskas Rimvydas , Stenlid Jan
Published: February 2008

Population structure and genetic variation in Nectria fuckeliana Booth isolated from Picea abies (L.) Karst. in Sweden and Lithuania was studied using somatic incompatibility tests and DNA fingerprinting. All incompatibility pairings between different isolates of N. fuckeliana resulted in demarcation zones; thus, no vegetative compatibility groups were detected. Each isolate was distinguishable from all other isolates on the basis of banding patterns produced by amplification of DNA using the M13 primer. No country-specific markers were observed. Principal component analysis of amplified banding patterns separated the isolates from Sweden and Lithuania into two clusters, showing genetic differentiation between the geographical populations across the Baltic sea. An analysis of similarity matrix, calculated by the program SIMQUAL from the numerical taxonomy package NTSYS-pc, confirmed the separation of the isolates into the two groups. Low genetic differentiation was revealed within both the Swedish and Lithuanian geographical populations of the fungus. Local distances in the forest stand (100 m) had no influence on the genetic similarity of the N. fuckeliana isolates (R2 = 0.003). Key words: Nectria fuckeliana, DNA fingerprinting, genetic variation, somatic incompatibility, population structure.
Holocene forest dynamics in southern Ontario, Canada: fine-resolution pollen data
Authors: Fuller Janice L.
Published: February 2008

Holocene fossil pollen data of fine temporal and spatial resolution were obtained from two small, closed lake basins in southern Ontario, Canada. Forest development is recorded in the pollen sequences, which document the invasion and expansion of tree populations during the early Holocene. Subsequent forest dynamics are discussed in terms of the main factors driving vegetation change, including climate, soil development, migration, disturbance regime (abiotic and biotic), and competition, which operate on a species pool with a variety of biological and ecological characteristics. The relative importance of these factors, influencing forest dynamics during the Holocene, appears to have varied over time. Key words: Fine resolution pollen data, forest dynamics, southern Ontario, Holocene.
Helicodendron praetermissum sp.nov. and Spirosphaera carici-graminis sp.nov., aero-aquatic fungi on monocotyledonous debris
Authors: Voglmayr Hermann
Published: February 2008

Two new species of aero-aquatic fungi, Helicodendron praetermissum sp.nov. and Spirosphaera carici-graminis sp.nov. are described and illustrated. They are compared with similar species. Because they were found exclusively on monocotyledonous plant remains submerged in small pools and ditches, their ecology and distribution is discussed. Key words: mitosporic fungi, hyphomycetes, aero-aquatic fungi, Helicodendron praetermissum, Spirosphaera carici-graminis.
Mycorrhizal fungi affect root stele tissue in grasses
Authors: Miller R. M. , Hetrick B. A. D. , Wilson G. W. T.
Published: February 2008

Although arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis was initially believed to have little or no impact on root morphology, we now recognize that subtle changes do occur and that these changes may be of considerable consequence to host growth and nutrition, as well as functional growth strategy. In examining the stele and root diameters of C3 and C4 grasses, C4 grasses were demonstrated to have a significantly larger proportion of their fibrous roots occupied by stele tissue than do C3 grasses. In fact, functional growth strategy (C3 versus C4) was observed to be a relatively good predictor of stele area. Mycorrhizal fungi also influenced the amount of stele tissue, but the effect was not the same for both C3 and C4 grasses. The stele area of all C4 grasses except for Sorghastrum nutans was greater in the presence of mycorrhizal colonization. Among the C3 grasses, only Bromus inermis showed a significant increase, although Elymus cinereus and Lolium perenne displayed significant decreases in response to arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization. Changes in the stele area of the plant species were closely related to their responsiveness to mycorrhizal symbiosis and might in part explain both beneficial and detrimental responses of plants to mycorrhizae. An increase in stele circumference induced by mycorrhizae would allow for greater uptake and passage of water and nutrients to the vascular cylinder, and growth depressions could be a direct outcome of reduced stele circumference. Thus, differences in stele circumference represent a possible mechanism for mycorrhizal impacts on host plants. These findings indicate that structural differences among grasses are related to different functional capabilities and further emphasize the need for better integration of comparative anatomy and morphology procedures in the study of mycorrhizal symbiosis. Key words: stele, root anatomy, mycorrhizal dependency, functional growth strategy, mycorrhiza, C3 and C4 grasses.
The vegetation and its environments in Maine peatlands
Authors: Anderson Dennis S. , Davis Ronald B.
Published: February 2008

This study is based on relevés from 96 peatlands representing the typologic, environmental, and geographic variation of Maine peatlands, and on peat pore-water chemistry at a representative set of 51 of these peatlands. We give optima and tolerances of pH, Ca, P, NO3-N, NH4-N, and influence of upper on lower vegetational strata for the 73 most common vascular plant species, excluding sedges, which are presented elsewhere. The program TWINSPAN differentiated 30 plant communities. Environments of the first seven TWINSPAN divisions differed largely by Ca, pH, P, NH4, Fe, microrelief, substrate depth, degree of humification, and climate. A canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) with forward selection entered pH, P, Na, Fe, Ca, Mg, and percent H2O as the minimum number of variables which best explains species variation. A CCA of the lower strata vascular plants demonstrated the importance of the upper strata (percent overstory) on species' distributions. Gradients of pH–alkalinity and percent overstory are primary in determining Maine's peatland vegetation. Other important gradients are percent H2O in upper peat, concentrations of lithic elements (P, Fe, Mn, Al, and Si) in pore water, and climate. Although these gradients partially covary, some of the variation in species' distributions can be attributed to independent aspects of individual gradients. Species richness across the range of peatland types is related to pH–alkalinity for vascular plants, and to percent H2O, microrelief, and percent overstory for bryophytes. Key words: plant communities, Maine, multivariate statistical analysis, peatlands, mires, vegetation.
The embryogenesis of the larval head of Simulium venustum Say (Diptera: Nematocera)
Authors: Craig D. A.
Published: February 2008

The embryogenesis of the larval head of Simulium venustum Say is reexamined, as the known accounts of simuliid embryology do not describe the origin of the cephalic fans. It is shown that the cephalic fans are derived from the premandibular appendages, that the cephalic apotome is composed of both labral and protocephalic elements, that the egg burster marks the posterior limit of the embryonic labrum, and that the ventral median portion of the larval head capsule is submental in origin. The single prothoracic proleg arises as a single structure late in development.The embryogenesis of the simuliid cephalic fans is compared with that of similar structures in other nematocerous larvae. It is concluded that the cephalic fans of simuliid and the mouth brushes of Aedes larvae are not homologous.It is proposed that the cephalic fans be renamed premandibular fans, that the postgenal cleft be renamed the submental cleft, and that the hypostomial teeth be renamed the mental teeth.
Cytotaxonomy of Aphididae
Authors: Robinson A. G. , Chen Ya-Hwai
Published: February 2008

Idiograms of the somatic chromosomes of 110 species of Aphididae are presented. It is concluded that although 2n chromosome numbers have stabilized in some genera at 8, 10, or 12, there has been so much fragmentation, and possibly also fusion, that there is no evidence to suggest a primitive number for aphids, nor to assist in studies on their phylogeny. Special problems in aphid systematics at the generic or specific level may be solved by examination of karyotypes.
An electron microscopic study of the pigeon breast muscle
Authors: Grinyer I. , George J. C.
Published: February 2008

The distinctive cytological features of the red and white fibers of the pigeon pectoralis muscle have been studied with the electron microscope. In the red fibers, which are more numerous, numerous fat droplets occur between the myofibrils, as do large mitochondria, some of which attain giant size (4 × 1.3 μ). The white fibers, which are larger than the red, contain fewer and smaller mitochondria whose cristae are not so closely packed and the matrix not so dense as in the mitochondria of the red fibers. The white fibers contain large concentrations of glycogen granules but not fat droplets. Conspicuously large aggregations of mitochondria occur in the subsarcolemmal region as they do also in the immediate vicinity of the capillaries of both fibers, but those of the white fibers are markedly smaller. Some myofibrils of red fibers are closely associated with the capillaries, and it is suggested that their contractile activity effects muscular pumping of the blood in the capillaries to facilitate the intramuscular transport of oxygen and metabolites. The triads of the sarcoplasmic reticulum in the white fiber occur at the level of the Z-line. In the red fiber, however, they seem to be located at the A-I junction but may also be seen at the Z-line and at varying levels between the Z-line and the A-I junction. The Z-line in the red fibers is thicker than that in the white fibers. The M-band is prominent in both types of fiber. From the nature of the intracellular organization of the two types of fiber, it is suggested that the red fibers are "slow twitch" fibers and the white fibers "fast twitch" fibers. The former are engaged in sustained activity whereas the latter are active only for short periods of time.
Malathion-induced teratisms in the developing chick
Authors: Greenberg J. , LaHam Q. N.
Published: February 2008

Malathion is one of the organophosphorous insecticides least toxic to mammals. The toxicity of this compound in chick embryos is known; however, its teratogenic nature has not been recorded. Concentrations of 3.99 and 6.42 milligrams of malathion were injected into the yolk sacs of 4- and 5-day-old incubated eggs respectively. This procedure consistently produced deformed chicks with a combination of sparse plumage, micromelia, overall growth retardation, and beak defects.
Changes in the blood constituents of reindeer and caribou occurring with age
Authors: McEwan E. H. , Whitehead P. E.
Published: February 2008

Packed cell volume, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, reticulocytes, total leucocytes, and plasma protein concentration were measured each week throughout the year for six reindeer and six caribou. Red blood cells (RBC), packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb), and reticulocyte numbers were lower in the reindeer than caribou, whereas the leucocyte concentrations were higher. Activity and excitement, part of the aggressive behavior displayed by rutting caribou, resulted in an increase of PCV, Hb, and plasma protein levels by 21%, 18.5%, and 10%, respectively. In female caribou, about an 8% drop in these value; occurred during estrus. From the fifth month of pregnancy to parturition, PCV, Hb, and plasma protein increased by 17%, 13.5%, and 11%, respectively.
Three new species of the genus Tylenchorhynchus Cobb, 1913 (Tylenchidae: Nematoda) from Canada
Authors: Wu Liang-Yu
Published: February 2008

Three new species of the genus Tylenchorhynchus Cobb, 1913 from Canada are named and described. Tylenchorhynchus irregularis n. sp. differs from all closely related species in the irregular width of the cuticular annulation, especially in the posterior half of the body. T. longus n. sp. is similar to T. superbus Allen, 1955 but differs from this species in relative tail length and annulation of the tail terminus. T. laminatus n. sp. resembles T. leptus Allen, 1955 but differs in the details of the lip region, spear length, and laminated annules.
The effects of salmon pituitary gonadotropin on the ovary and the sexual behavior of the female guppy, Poecilia reticulata
Authors: Liley N. R. , Donaldson E. M.
Published: February 2008

Ten hypophysectomized female guppies and 10 hypophysectomized and gonadectomized females were treated with the partially purified gonadotropin fraction of the pituitary of pacific salmon. Control fish were hypophysectomized and given saline injections.It was found that salmon gonadotropin stimulates growth and maturation of the ovary in the guppy. The results also suggest that the gonadotropin stimulates the secretion of an ovarian hormone which is involved in the regulation of sexual behavior. The significance of an initial low level of sexual response in both gonadotropin-treated groups is discussed.
The anatomy of salivary glands of Anopheles stephensi Liston
Authors: Wright K. A.
Published: February 2008

Salivary glands of female Anopheles stephensi Liston have been found to consist of three glandular regions, i.e. the proximal and distal portions of lateral lobes, and the distal portion of the median lobe; and of two non-glandular regions, the intermediate portions of the lateral and median lobes. Secretory material which appears as large secretion masses in whole glands is entirely extracellular. From the manner of preservation of this secretory material, it is suggested that that of the distal portion of the median lobe is present in the most concentrated, or least hydrated form, while that of the proximal portions of the lateral lobes is present in the least concentrated, or most hydrated form. As the cellular anatomy of the intermediate portions shows membrane developments similar to those found in other cells that are concerned with water transport, it is suggested that these intermediate portions function to dilute the concentrated secretions of the more distal portions. Variations in endoplasmic reticulum and ribosome distribution and in nuclear morphology of the cells of the proximal portions of the lateral lobes suggest that these cells have a continuous cycle of secretory activity.
Development of mantle organs, feeding, and locomotion in postlarval Macoma balthica (L.) (Lamellibranchiata)
Authors: Caddy J. F.
Published: February 2008

Postlarval M. balthica is well adapted for interstitial life in a particulate sediments, although metamorphosis to the adult form and function is not complete until a shell length of 2 mm is reached.Spatfall at 300–310 μ shell length is followed by a plantigrade stage in which the ciliated plantiform foot is used as an organ of feeding, locomotion, and rejection of pseudofaeces. The inhalant current is produced by the ciliation of the foot and inner demibranch, and enters through the pedal gape. This is already separated from the lumen of the inhalant siphon by the cruciform apparatus. Food sorting in the early postlarvae is exclusively by the palps, which are well developed in the midline to overhang the mouth, and already have simple sorting ridges on their inner surfaces.Siphon development proceeds by infolding of the fusions of the mantle edge around the siphonal apertures. In early postlarvae the pseudofaeces are transported to the pedal gape by the mantle ciliary tract, and swept from the mantle edge by the foot. At approximately 1 mm shell length, rejection of pseudofaeces occurs via the inhalant siphon, which only gradually takes over its adult function as exclusive route of the inhalant current at between 1 and 2 mm.
Marine nematodes of Canada. II. Marine nematodes from the Minas Basin – Scots Bay area of the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia
Authors: Hopper B. E.
Published: February 2008

A total of 44 nematode taxa were encountered in an examination of six collections of marine nematodes from the Minas Basin – Scots Bay area of the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia. Of these only 16 were sufficiently represented by adequate specimen material to permit proper species identification. Fifteen species were identified as being European species while one is described as new to science. Haliplectus cylindrocaudatus n. sp. differs from other Haliplectus spp. by its cylindrical tail terminus. Ptycholaimellus Cobb, 1920 is reestablished as a valid genus and is considered distinctive in that the cephalic setae are inserted on a protrusile vestibular region. Hypodontolaimus monodon Schuurmans Stekhoven, 1942 is transferred to this genus. Mesotheristus Wieser, 1956 is defined as having lateral alae and the male of the type species, M. setosus, as possessing two opposed and outstretched testes. Daptonema fimbriatum Cobb, 1920 and Theristus (Trichotheristus) erectus Wieser and Hopper, 1967 are transferred to Mesotheristus. Theristus (Cylindrotheristus) oxyuroides Schuurmans Stekhoven sensu Wieser and Hopper, 1967 is renamed Cylindrotheristus miamiensis n. sp.
A non-histological method for determining the completeness of hypophysectomy in the goldfish (Carassius auratus)
Authors: Johansen P. H. , Roy A. W.
Published: February 2008

Experiments show that the loss of fin color of the goldfish correlates perfectly with the complete removal of the pituitary gland, and this color loss can be used as a criterion for determining the completeness of hypophysectomy.
Preparation of thin sections of mites for high resolution light microscopy
Authors: Kuo J. S. , McCully Margaret E.
Published: February 2008

A method is described for the preparation of sections 0.5 to 2 μ thick of the mite Caloglyphus mycophagus by fixation in acrolein and embedding in glycol methacrylate.
Postfledging parental care in the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
Authors: Kopachena Jeffrey G. , Falls J. Bruce
Published: February 2008

We studied parental care in White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) during the last 4 days of the nestling period and the first 4 days of the fledgling period. Both parents made more provisioning trips and delivered more food to fledglings than to nestlings. Though male and female parents provided nestlings with equal amounts of food, female parents provided fledglings with more food than did male parents. Fledglings received fewer items per trip than did nestlings. This suggests that fledging was associated with a change in parental foraging strategies. Postfledging parental care did not differ between broods from late nests and broods that were to be followed by a second nesting attempt.
Selective utilization of fatty acids in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum) red muscle mitochondria
Authors: Kiessling K.-H. , Kiessling A.
Published: February 2008

This study was undertaken to establish whether fatty acids are generally oxidized at the same rate or if a pattern of oxidation rates exists to protect certain fatty acids from degradation for ATP formation. Beta-oxidation was studied in red muscle mitochondria of 10 major fatty acids that are acquired in the diet and occur in the fat depots of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum). The mitochondria were isolated by fractional centrifugation and the fatty acids were added as coenzyme A esters in the presence of carnitine. The fatty acids could be separated into roughly three groups in relation to their oxidation rates. Two fatty acids (14:0 and 16:0) were oxidized as rapidly as pyruvate. Another six acids (16:1 n − 7, 18:0, 18:1 n − 9, 20:1 n − 9, 22:1 n − 9 and 22:6 n − 3) were oxidized at about three-quarters to one-half the rate of pyruvate. The two essential fatty acids (18:2 n − 6 and 18:3 n − 3) had a slow oxidation rate, about one-fifth of that of pyruvate. The liver mitochondria from rainbow trout oxidized 18:0, 18:1, 18:2, and 18:3 at the same rate, 70–80% of that of pyruvate. These results show that rainbow trout red muscle discriminates between fatty acids used in energy production and essential fatty acid precursors, as indicated by the low β-oxidation rate of the latter acids.
Effect of social environment on plasma hormones and availability of milt in spawning male rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum)
Authors: Rouger Y. , Liley N. R.
Published: February 2008

In this study we investigate the social stimuli responsible for the increases in plasma hormones and in the availability of milt in male rainbow trout allowed to interact with sexually active females. Males were placed in five experimental groups receiving different levels of sensory contact with females: no sensory cues, chemical cues, chemical and visual cues, full sensory and behavioural interaction with a nesting ovulated female, full sensory and behavioural interaction with an inactive postspawning female. Plasma levels of 11-ketotestosterone, 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one and gonadotrophin increased only in males allowed full sensory contact with nesting females. Levels of 11-ketotestosterone did not change in males receiving visual and chemical cues, and decreased in the three other groups of males. The amount of milt that could be stripped from males increased only in those males placed with active females. Spermatocrit did not differ among the groups.
Systematic and ecological characteristics of Paralvinella sulfincola Desbruyères and Laubier, a new polychaete (family Alvinellidae) from northeast Pacific hydrothermal vents
Authors: Tunnicliffe Verena , Desbruyères Daniel , Jollivet Didier , Laubier Lucien
Published: February 2008

Polychaetes of the family Alvinellidae (Terrebellida) are endemic to hydrothermal vent communities. A new species from the Juan de Fuca and Gorda ridges in the Northeast Pacific is described; aspects of its buccal appendages, segment number, and uncini placement are unique. Because of initial confusion with a sympatric species, Paralvinella palmiformis Desbruyères and Laubier, protein mobilities were examined to differentiate the species electrophoretically with reference to a third alvinellid, Alvinella pompejana. Among the 17 loci scored, fewer than a quarter of the alleles were present in the two Paralvinella species; Paralvinella sulfincola n.sp. has several diagnostic allozymes. This new species inhabits tubes on the sides of active smoker chimneys and migrates upward as the chimney grows. Individuals are recorded within 1 cm of hydrothermal fluids at temperatures in excess of 300 °C; the species appears to have several molecular adaptations to high ambient temperatures. The Alvinellidae form a fascinating group within which to study phylogenetic and selective processes.
Recent observations of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Japanese waters off Ogasawara and Okinawa
Authors: Darling J. D. , Mori K.
Published: February 2008

The current status of humpback whales in waters off Ogasawara and Okinawa islands, Japan, and the relationship of these populations to each other and to humpback whales in the central-eastern North Pacific were investigated. Fluke-identification photographs collected from 1987 to 1990 were analyzed to estimate abundance and determine individual behavior patterns, and were compared with humpback photoidentifications from other regions. In total, 177 humpbacks were identified. At the end of the study period the rate of discovery of "new" whales was still high, suggesting a substantially larger overall population. Whales were commonly sighted throughout the Ogasawara archipelago from December to May, and were present during the same period near the Kerama Islands, Okinawa. Humpback whales were not regularly seen near Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, or near Kenting, Taiwan. Repeat sightings of individuals indicate that some whales were present for extended periods off Ogasawara. The predominant behavior patterns were those related to calving and mating. Two whales were identified in both the Okinawa and Ogasawara regions in different years, suggesting that both regions are used by the same population. Identification of one whale in both Japan and Hawaii (reported elsewhere) indicates the potential for mixing of western and eastern North Pacific humpback populations; the overall matching effort to date suggests that this interchange is relatively small.
Assessment of the population structure of western North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) based on sighting and mtDNA data
Authors: Schaeff Catherine M. , Kraus Scott D. , Brown Moira W. , White Bradley N.
Published: February 2008

Photoidentifications and 11 years of sighting data revealed that only two-thirds of the western North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) reproductive females took their calves to the Bay of Fundy, the only known summer nursery. Study of cow–calf pairs further indicated that female, and to a lesser extent male, calves were philopatric with respect to this nursery. To further examine population structure, mtDNA composite restriction morphs were determined for 150 animals (47% of the population). Using 11 restriction enzymes, three composite mtDNA morphs were identified. One morph was not found among reproductive females that brought all of their calves to the Bay of Fundy. In contrast, all three morphs were present, in the same relative frequencies, among males that were seen in the Bay of Fundy and those that were not. These findings support the hypothesis that this population may be divided into two subgroups, which are defined by their use of the Fundy nursery, and that males are generally less philopatric than females. Animals from both subgroups were seen on the southern Scotian shelf, where most right whale courtship behavior was observed. Hence, although segregated by nursery areas, the western North Atlantic right whales probably represent a single breeding population.
Risks of fighting in relation to age and territory holding in fallow deer
Authors: Alvarez Fernando
Published: February 2008

Detailed analysis of the fighting and sparring behaviour of male fallow deer (Dama dama) shows that the peculiar palms of their antlers play a role in normal fighting and sparring. Analysis of the risks involved in the different fighting techniques (according to the force and torque, and the bending stress produced in the antlers) shows a tendency for the best endowed age-class (the "masters") to bring their large body mass into play in initiating fights involving the most risky technique. The increasing risk of fighting when densities of grazing does are high in the fighting zone indicates the fallow deer males' ability to assess territory quality. Nonterritorial masters trying to intrude into another master's territory are ready to use the most risky fighting technique, whereas the territory holder tries to resolve the conflict by display alone. The structural similarities between fighting using the push technique and sparring indicate that the latter mimics the former, being a means by which the initiator of sparring might convey information about his own fighting ability and perhaps also obtain information about the fighting ability of his prospective opponents.
The relationships between protein intake and protein accretion, synthesis, and retention efficiency for individual grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella (Valenciennes)
Authors: Carter C. G. , Houlihan D. F. , Brechin J. , McCarthy I. D.
Published: February 2008

The aim of this study was to investigate the influences of diet, ration, and individual variation on protein-nitrogen flux in the grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella (Valenciennes). Grass carp were fed either lettuce or a pelleted diet or were starved. Fish fed lettuce had lower rates of protein accretion than those fed the pelleted diet and some lost body protein. Rates of whole-animal protein synthesis were ranked as follows: pellet-fed fish > lettuce-fed fish > starved fish. Productive protein value was negatively correlated with rate of protein degradation and positively correlated with the efficiency of retention of synthesized protein. Rates of protein synthesis were not correlated with productive protein value and these data suggest that ultimately it is the rate at which proteins are degraded that determines efficiency of growth. Comparison of pairs offish eating the same diet and amounts of food but having different growth rates demonstrated that the faster growing fish had lower rates of protein degradation, higher retention of synthesized protein, higher RNA activity, a lower capacity for synthesis, and variable rates of protein synthesis.
A mathematical model of body kinematics in swimming tadpoles
Authors: Oxner W. M. , Quinn J. , DeMont M. E.
Published: February 2008

A mathematical model is described that predicts the body kinematics of tadpoles swimming in a straight line at constant velocity. The model is a forced beam with a variable moment of inertia and cross-sectional area. The beam is free at both ends and forced cyclically at the position that corresponds to the base of the tail in a real animal. This forcing regime simulates the real contraction of locomotor muscles. Finite-dimensional numerical techniques were used to approximate the solution. The lowest predicted fundamental frequency of vibration should be the resonant frequency of vibration of the tadpole. The predicted resonant frequency and the observed swimming frequencies were in good agreement.
Morphological and functional characteristics of the olfactory and gustatory organs of three Salvelinus species
Authors: Hara Toshiaki J. , Sveinsson Torarinn , Evans Robert E. , Klaprat Dorthy A.
Published: February 2008

Morphological features and response characteristics of the olfactory and gustatory organs were studied in three char species, Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), brook char (S. fontinalis), and lake char (S. namaycush). In brook, lake, and Norwegian-stock Arctic chars the olfactory rosette consisted of 12–16 primary olfactory lamellae radiating from the rostro-caudally oriented raphe, with the secondary folding typical of salmonids. Nauyuk-stock Arctic char had fewer (7–9) olfactory lamellae without secondary folding. Electro-olfactogram response characteristics to L-cysteine, L-arginine, and L-glutamate, representing neutral, basic and acidic amino acids, respectively, were similar, with threshold concentrations of 10−9–10−8 M. Structure–activity relationship studies showed that the amino acid spectrum for Arctic char differed from those of brook and lake chars. Most characteristic was that esterification of the carboxyl group of L-arginine enhanced its effectiveness. The taste buds were generally distributed in rows oriented anterior–posterior in the palate. Each species showed distinct distribution patterns, and the highest densities (up to 40/mm2) of palatal taste buds were counted in brook char. The palatine nerve of the three species responded specifically to L-proline, hydroxy-L-proline, and L-alanine. Adaptation to L-proline eliminated responses to hydroxy-L-proline and L-alanine. No response was registered to betaine, one of the most potent gustatory stimulants for teleosts. Tetrodotoxin, quinine, and strychnine were potent gustatory stimulants in the three species. The detection threshold for tetrodotoxin was lower than for L-proline in Arctic char. We conclude that the three char species have only one main palatine gustatory amino acid receptor, that for L-proline.
Seasonal occurrence and annual return of humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, in the southern Gulf of Maine
Authors: Clapham Phillip J. , Baraff Lisa S. , Carlson Carole A. , Christian Margaret A. , Mattila David K. , Mayo Charles A. , Murphy Margaret A. , Pittman Sharon
Published: February 2008

A study of 518 individually identified humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the southern Gulf of Maine between 1979 and 1988 showed high rates of both within-season occurrence and annual return. On average, 77.3% of whales were resighted on more than 1 day during the year (maximum 83 days), with occupancies ranging from 1 to 324 days (mean 88.1 days). The mean rate of return of individuals in consecutive years was 73.2% (range 59.1–87.4%), and the majority of whales were still being resighted up to 10 years later. Only 13 humpbacks were recorded during 50 midwinter surveys. Variation in the occurrence of individuals appears to be related to variability in the abundance of prey and perhaps to regional preferences.
MODIFIED HAWKING RADIATION FROM A KERR–NEWMAN BLACK HOLE DUE TO BACK-REACTION
Authors: LIU BO , WANG GANG , LIU WENBIAO
Published: February 2008

Hawking radiation from a general Kerr–Newman black hole is investigated using Damour–Ruffini's method. Considering the back-reaction of particle's energy, charge and angular momentum to the spacetime, we obtain a modified nonthermal spectrum. Maybe the information loss paradox can be explained, furthermore, the result is also consistent with the result obtained using Parikh and Wilczek's method.
THE PRINCIPLE OF LEAST ACTION FOR TEST PARTICLES IN A FOUR-DIMENSIONAL SPACE–TIME EMBEDDED IN 5D
Authors: PONCE DE LEON J.
Published: February 2008

It is well known that, in the five-dimensional scenario of braneworld and space–time-mass theories, geodesic motion in 5D is observed to be non-geodesic in 4D. Usually, the discussion is purely geometric and based on the dimensional reduction of the geodesic equation in 5D, without any reference to the test particle whatsoever. In this work we obtain the equation of motion in 4D directly from the principle of least action. So our main thrust is not the geometry but the particle observed in 4D. A clear physical picture emerges from our work. Specifically, that the deviation from the geodesic motion in 4D is due to the variation of the rest mass of a particle, which is induced by the scalar field in the 5D metric and the explicit dependence of the space–time metric on the extra coordinate. Thus, the principle of least action not only leads to the correct equations of motion, but also provides a concrete physical meaning for a number of algebraic quantities appearing in the geometrical reduction of the geodesic equation.
BARYOGENESIS BY QUANTUM GRAVITY
Authors: HAMADA KEN-JI , MINAMIZAKI AZUSA , SUGAMOTO AKIO
Published: February 2008

A novel mechanism of baryogenesis is proposed on the basis of the phase transition from the conformal invariant spacetime to the Einstein spacetime in quantum gravity. Strong-coupling gravitational excitations with dynamical mass about 1017 GeV are generated at the transition. They eventually decay into ordinary matters. We show that the low energy effective interactions between the gravitational potential describing the excitation and the non-conserving matter currents by the axial anomalies can explain matter asymmetry out of thermal equilibrium.
IDENTIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT OF SESSIONS GENERATED BY INSTANT MESSAGING AND PEER-TO-PEER SYSTEMS
Authors: CHEN ZHONGQIANG , DELIS ALEX , WEI PETER
Published: February 2008

Sessions generated by Instant Messaging and Peer-to-Peer systems (IM/P2Ps) not only consume considerable bandwidth and computing resources but also dramatically change the characteristics of data flows affecting both the operation and performance of networks. Most IM/P2Ps have known security loopholes and vulnerabilities making them an ideal platform for the dissemination of viruses, worms, and other malware. The lack of access control and weak authentication on shared resources further exacerbates the situation. Should IM/P2Ps be deployed in production environments, performance of conventional applications may significantly deteriorate and enterprise data may be contaminated. It is therefore imperative to identify, monitor and finally manage IM/P2P traffic. Unfortunately, this task cannot be easily attained as IM/P2Ps resort to advanced techniques to hide their traces including multiple channels to deliver services, port hopping, message encapsulation and encryption.

In this paper, we propose an extensible framework that not only helps to identify and classify IM/P2P-generated sessions in real time but also assists in the manipulation of such traffic. Consisting of four modules namely, session manager, traffic assembler, IM/P2P dissector, and traffic arbitrator, our proposed framework uses multiple techniques to improve its traffic classification accuracy and performance. Through fine-tuned splay and interval trees that help organize IM/P2P sessions and packets in data streams, we accomplish stateful inspection, traffic re-assembly, data stream correlation, and application layer analysis that combined will boost the framework's identification precision. More importantly, we introduce IM/P2Ps "plug-and-play" protocol analyzers that inspect data streams according to their syntax and semantics; these analyzers render our framework easily extensible. Identified IM/P2P sessions can be shaped, blocked, or disconnected, and corresponding traffic can be stored for forensic analysis and threat evaluation. Experiments with our prototype show high IM/P2Ps detection accuracy rates under diverse settings and excellent overall performance in both controlled and real-world environments.
AN OPEN SERVICE ARCHITECTURE FOR THE HYPERION PEER DATABASE SYSTEM
Authors: YOUSAF TASMEIA , KIRINGA ILUJU , JIANG LEI
Published: February 2008

The need for data sharing across heterogeneous data sources is growing. Peer Database Management Systems (PDBMSs) offer one data sharing approach, which favors a direct and dynamic node-to-node model of communication with no centralized control. Moreover, Service Oriented Architectures (SOA) using Web service technologies allow users to leverage existing assets towards the goal of building new architectures and integrating existing systems that can be componentized. We propose an Open Service Architecture for PDBMSs (OSAP). This architecture offers the main services of a PDBMS as Web services that are invoked via the communication network using a set of well-defined interfaces. This approach provides power and flexibility in terms of development and usage of the system. We have implemented this architecture within the Hyperion PDBMS infrastructure. We provide an analysis of the implementation of the OSAP architecture in terms of its characteristics. We also conduct a performance comparison with both the original Hyperion architecture, and a much simpler architecture that hides all the internal functionalities offered by a PDBMS as private processes that can be used by other peers only through one single web service which acts as peer manager.
SCALABLE CATALOG INFRASTRUCTURE FOR MANAGING ACCESS COSTS AND SOURCE SELECTION IN WIDE AREA NETWORKS
Authors: ZADOROZHNY VLADIMIR , RASCHID LOUIQA , GAL AVIGDOR
Published: February 2008

A WAN environment, such as the Internet, connects a federation of hundreds of servers with tens of thousands of clients, which poses a substantial scalability challenge. Clients may choose among sources that vary in both their content and quality as well as in their access latencies. At the same time, Internet accessible data sources exhibit transient behavior; the unpredictable behavior of a dynamic WAN results in a wide variability in access cost (end-to-end latency). This motivates a need for a source selection strategy that requires maintaining access cost distributions (latency profiles) for each client/server pair. However, in the presence of hundreds of servers and thousands of clients, managing latency profiles cannot scale. We present a scalable methodology to manage latency profiles that use non-random associations between client/server pairs. Such non-random associations may be identified by topology-independent measures such as correlation and mutual information. We propose a Catalog infrastructure that implements our methodology and utilize non-randomly associated latency profiles to estimate access cost distribution for client/server pairs. We perform an extensive experimental study demonstrating feasibility and efficiency of our approach.
CFTR Function and Prospects for Therapy
Authors: Riordan John R.
Published: February 2008

Mutations in the gene coding for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) epithelial anion channel cause cystic fibrosis (CF). The multidomain integral membrane glycoprotein, a member of the adenine nucleotide-binding cassette (ABC) transporter family, conserved in metazoan salt-transporting tissues, is required to control ion and fluid homeostasis on epithelial surfaces. This review considers different therapeutic strategies that have arisen from knowledge of CFTR structure and function as well as its biosynthetic processing, intracellular trafficking, and turnover.
Calorimetry and Thermodynamics in Drug Design
Authors: Chaires Jonathan B.
Published: February 2008

Modern instrumentation for calorimetry permits direct determination of enthalpy values for binding reactions and conformational transitions in biomolecules. Complete thermodynamic profiles consisting of free energy, enthalpy, and entropy may be obtained for reactions of interest in a relatively straightforward manner. Such profiles are of enormous value in drug design because they provide information about the balance of driving forces that cannot be obtained from structural or computational methods alone. This perspective shows several examples of the insight provided by thermodynamic data in drug design.