Life Tables of Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae): with a Mathematical Invalidation for Applying the Jackknife Technique to the Net Reproductive Rate

Life table data for the melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett), reared on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) were collected under laboratory and simulated field conditions. Means and standard errors of life table parameters were estimated for two replicates using the jackknife technique. At 25ºC, the intrinsic rates of increase (_r_) found for the two replicates were 0.1354 and 0.1002 day-1, and the net reproductive rates (_R_~0~) were 206.3 and 66.0 offspring, respectively. When the cucumbers kept under simulated field conditions were covered with leaves, the _r_ and _R_~0~ for the two replicates were 0.0935 and 0.0909 day-1, 17.5 and 11.4 offspring, respectively. However, when similar cucumbers were left uncovered, the _r_ and _R_~0~ for the two replicates were 0.1043 and 0.0904 day-1, and 27.7 and 10.1 offspring, respectively. Our results revealed that considerable variability between replicates in both laboratory and field conditions is possible; this variability should be taken into consideration in data collection and application of life tables. Mathematical analysis has demonstrated that applying the jackknife technique results in unrealistic pseudo-_R_~0~ and overestimation of its variance. We suggest that the jackknife technique should not be used for the estimation of variability of _R_~0~

TRPV4, TRPC1, and TRPP2 assemble to form a flow-sensitive heteromeric channel

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, a superfamily of ion channels, can be divided into 7 subfamilies, including TRPV, TRPC, TRPP, and 4 others. Functional TRP channels are tetrameric complexes consisting of 4 pore-forming subunits. The purpose of this study was to explore the heteromerization of TRP subunits crossing different TRP subfamilies. Two-step coimmunoprecipitation (co-IP) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) were used to determine the interaction of the different TRP subunits. Patch-clamp and cytosolic Ca2+ measurements were used to determine the functional role of the ion channels in flow conditions. The analysis demonstrated the formation of a heteromeric TRPV4-C1-P2 complex in primary cultured rat mesenteric artery endothelial cells (MAECs) and HEK293 cells that were cotransfected with TRPV4, TRPC1, and TRPP2. In functional experiments, pore-dead mutants for each of these 3 TRP isoforms nearly abolished the flow-induced cation currents and Ca2+ increase, suggesting that all 3 TRPs contribute to the ion permeation pore of the channels. We identified the first heteromeric TRP channels composed of subunits from 3 different TRP subfamilies. Functionally, this heteromeric TRPV4- C1-P2 channel mediates the flow-induced Ca2+ increase in native vascular endothelial cells.-Du, J., Ma, X., Shen, B., Huang, Y., Birnbaumer, L., Yao, X. TRPV4, TRPC1, and TRPP2 assemble to form a flowsensitive heteromeric channel.Fil: Du, Juan. Chinese University Of Hong Kong; Hong Kong. Anhui Medical University; ChinaFil: Ma, Xin. Chinese University Of Hong Kong; Hong KongFil: Shen, Bing. Chinese University Of Hong Kong; Hong Kong. Anhui Medical University; ChinaFil: Huang, Yu. Chinese University Of Hong Kong; Hong KongFil: Birnbaumer, Lutz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. National Institutes of Health; Estados UnidosFil: Yao, Xiaoqiang. Chinese University Of Hong Kong; Hong Kon

Neo-tectonic Movement in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) Region of China and Its Effects on the Coastal Sedimentary Environment

This chapter presents the Late Quaternary neo-tectonic movement in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region of China and its effects on the coastal sedimentary environment. Taking the Xilin Hill fault as the example, we have explained the reason of the PRD formation, inferred its interactions with local/regional climate and sea-level changes, and analyzed the evolution of the PRD formation and its controlling factors of the coastal sedimentary environment

LATE ORDOVICIAN BRACHIOPOD RONGATRYPA XICHUANENSIS FROM XICHUAN, HENAN PROVINCE, CENTRAL CHINA

The atrypide brachiopod Rongatrypa Popov & Cocks, 2014 is one of the early members of the subfamily Clintonellinae. This genus was previously known only from the Kazakh terranes. Here, we reassign a species to the genus, Rongatrypa xichuanensis (Xu, 1996), from the Shiyanhe Formation (Katian, Upper Ordovician) of Xichuan, Henan Province, central China. A wide range of shell sizes was found and measured to investigate the ontogeny of the species, and several specimens were selected for serial sectioning to examine the internal morphology. The linear regression results of natural logarithms of length vs. width and depth vs. width revealed an allometric growth pattern, perhaps influenced by the development of the lophophore. Rongatrypa xichuanensis inhabited a shallow marine oxygenated environment in the South China palaeoplate near the palaeo-equator. The distribution of Rongatrypa across South China and Kazakh terranes reflects the proximity of these blocks in the Late Ordovician