Comparative analyses of mitogenomes in the social bees with insights into evolution of long inverted repeats in the Meliponini.

The insect mitogenome is typically a compact circular molecule with highly conserved gene contents. Nonetheless, mitogenome structural variations have been reported in specific taxa, and gene rearrangements, usually the tRNAs, occur in different lineages. Because synapomorphies of mitogenome organizations can provide information for phylogenetic inferences, comparative analyses of mitogenomes have been given increasing attention. However, most studies use a very few species to represent the whole genus, tribe, family, or even order, overlooking potential variations at lower taxonomic levels, which might lead to some incorrect inferences. To provide new insights into mitogenome organizations and their implications for phylogenetic inference, this study conducted comparative analyses for mitogenomes of three social bee tribes (Meliponini, Bombini, and Apini) based on the phylogenetic framework with denser taxonomic sampling at the species and population levels. Comparative analyses revealed that mitogenomes of Apini and Bombini are the typical type, while those of Meliponini show diverse variations in mitogenome sizes and organizations. Large inverted repeats (IRs) cause significant gene rearrangements of protein coding genes (PCGs) and rRNAs in Indo-Malay/Australian stingless bee species. Molecular evolution analyses showed that the lineage with IRs have lower d N/ d S ratios for PCGs than lineages without IRs, indicating potential effects of IRs on the evolution of mitochondrial genes. The finding of IRs and different patterns of gene rearrangements suggested that Meliponini is a hotspot in mitogenome evolution. Unlike conserved PCGs and rRNAs whose rearrangements were found only in the mentioned lineages within Meliponini, tRNA rearrangements are common across all three tribes of social bees, and are significant even at the species level, indicating that comprehensive sampling is needed to fully understand the patterns of tRNA rearrangements, and their implications for phylogenetic inference.

Cloning and characterization of a clip domain serine protease and its homolog (masquerade) from Eriocheir sinensis.

Serine proteinases (SPs) or SP homologs (SPHs) including clip domain SPs (cSPs) or SPHs (cSPHs) play critical roles in digestion, embryonic development, hemolymph coagulation, and melanization. In this study, one cSP (EscSP) and one SPH, similar to Drosophila masquerade (EsMas), were identified from hepatopancreas of the Chinese mittern crab Eriocheir sinensis. They both possess the clip domains at the N-terminal, EscSP has only one clip domain, but EsMas has seven clip domains. One SP or SP-like domain was at the C-terminal of EscSP and EsMas respectively. In contrast to EscSP, absence of a catalytic residue of Ser resulted in the loss of SP activity of EsMas. Tissue distribution analysis showed that EscSP mRNA was mainly expressed in hepatopancreas, nerve and eyestalk tissue; whereas the EsMas transcript was mainly distributed in eyestalk, muscle, nerve and hemocytes. EscSP in hemocytes showed significant increase after a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or peptidoglycan (PGN) challenge. However, down-regulation of EsMas was observed in hemocytes challenged by LPS from 2 to 24 h, by contrast EsMas could be induced by PGN challenge at 2 and 24 h. All these findings indicated that EscSP and EsMas might be involved in the innate immune defenses in E. sinensis.

Rubusdianchuanensis sp. nov. (Rosaceae) from Sichuan and Yunnan, southwest China.

Rubusdianchuanensis, a new name for the species previously named as R.vicarius by W. O. Focke in 1911, is proposed. A detailed description, illustrations, and remarks on its phenology, ecology, and geographic distribution are provided. This raspberry (subg. Idaeobatus) is endemic to China and was only found in Sichuan and Yunnan, southwest China. Morphologically, it is most similar to R.ovatisepalus but clearly differs from the latter by having leaf densely white or grey tomentose abaxially, usually leaf-like bracts at the base of inflorescence, 1-6 cm long pedicels, and triangular-ovate sepals with acute to caudate apex.

[Spatial variation in diurnal courses of stem temperature of Betula platyphylla and Fraxinus mandshurica and its influencing factors]. / ç™½æ¡¦å’Œæ°´æ›²æŸ³æ ‘å¹²æ¸©åº¦æ—¥å˜åŒ–çš„ç©ºé—´å˜å¼‚åŠå ¶å½±å“å› å­.

Plant temperature is an important parameter for estimating energy balance and vegetation respiration of forest ecosystem. To examine spatial variation in diurnal courses of stem temperatures (Ts) and its influencing factors, we measured the Ts with copper constantan thermocouples at different depths, heights and azimuths within the stems of two broadleaved tree species with contrasting bark and wood properties, Betula platyphylla and Fraxinus mandshurica. The results showed that the monthly mean diurnal courses of the Ts largely followed that of air temperature with a 'sinusoi dal' pattern, but the Ts lagged behind the air temperature by 0 h at the stem surface to 4 h at 6 cm depth. The daily maximal values and ranges of the diurnal course of Ts decreased gradually with increasing measuring depth across the stem and decreasing measuring height along the stem. The circumferential variation in Ts was marginal, with slightly higher daily maximal values in the south and west directions during the daytime of the dormant season. Differences in thermal properties (i.e. , specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity) of both bark and wood tissue between the two species contributed to the inter specific variations in the radial variation in Ts through influencing the heat exchange between the stem surface and ambient air as well as heat diffusion within the stem. The higher reflectance of the bark of B. platyphylla decreased the influence of solar radiation on Ts. The stepwise regression showed that the diurnal courses of Ts could be well predicted by the environmental factors (R2 > 0.85) with an order of influence ranking as air temperature > water vapor pressure > net radiation > wind speed. It is necessary to take the radial, vertical and inter specific varia-tions in Ts into account when estimating biomass heat storage and stem CO2 efflux.

[Clinical study on acupuncture combined with hyperbaric oxygenation for improving balance function of cerebral infarction].

OBJECTIVE: To observe effect of acupuncture combined witb byperbaric oxygenation on balance function of cerebral infarction. METHODS: Seventy-two cases were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, 36 cases in each group. The control group were treated with routine medicine and hyperbaric oxygenation, and the treatment group with acupuncture on the basis of treatment method of the control group. Berg balance scale (BBS) was used for investigating changes of balance function before and after treatment in the patient of cerebral infarction. RESULTS: After treatment, the balance function improved in the two groups, with more significant improvement in the treatment group. And increase of motor function in the treatment group was more rapid than that in the control group (P