Cryptic Lineages in the Cardiocondyla sl. kagutsuchi Terayama (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Discovered by Phylogenetic and Morphological Approaches

The taxonomy of ant species in the genus Cardiocondyla is very confused due to the extreme difficulty in separating many species based on morphology alone. In Japan, one group of the species complex Cardiocondyla sl. kagutsuchi has both winged and wingless worker-like (ergatoid) males (dimorphic) whereas others have only ergatoid males (monomorphic). The presence of both groups prompted us to hypothesize that C. sl. kagutsuchi presumably includes several independent species with differences in their male wing morphologies. However, whether any species boundary actually exists between the male groups has remained unsolved over the 10+ years since the previous revision of this genus. In this study, using discriminant and phylogenetic analyses, we compared the worker caste morphology of this species complex among lineages detected by phylogenetic analyses. In addition, we examined the number of sexuals present in field colonies. Our results revealed the existence of at least three morphological and phylogenetic groups within this species complex

Response distribution of a single-degree-of-freedom linear system subjected to non-Gaussian random excitation by using cross-correlation function

Response probability density function of a single-degree-of-freedom linear system subjected to non-Gaussian random excitation is investigated. The excitation is assumed to be a zero-mean stationary stochastic process prescribed by both the non-Gaussian probability density and the power spectral density with bandwidth and dominant frequency parameters. In this study, bimodal and Laplace distributions are used as the non-Gaussian distribution of the excitation. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to obtain the stationary probability distributions of the displacement and velocity of the system. Then, we calculate the maximum absolute value of the real part of cross-correlation function between the excitation and the response, which is considered as an evaluation index of waveform similarity between the excitation and the response. It is shown that the response probability distributions vary with the maximum value. With the aid of this maximum value, the shapes of the probability distributions of the system response can be predicted roughly without Monte Carlo simulations

Transcriptome map of plant mitochondria reveals islands of unexpected transcribed regions

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Plant mitochondria contain a relatively large amount of genetic information, suggesting that their functional regulation may not be as straightforward as that of metazoans. We used a genomic tiling array to draw a transcriptomic atlas of <it>Oryza sativa japonica </it>(rice) mitochondria, which was predicted to be approximately 490-kb long.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Whereas statistical analysis verified the transcription of all previously known functional genes such as the ones related to oxidative phosphorylation, a similar extent of RNA expression was frequently observed in the inter-genic regions where none of the previously annotated genes are located. The newly identified open reading frames (ORFs) predicted in these transcribed inter-genic regions were generally not conserved among flowering plant species, suggesting that these ORFs did not play a role in mitochondrial principal functions. We also identified two partial fragments of retrotransposon sequences as being transcribed in rice mitochondria.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The present study indicated the previously unexpected complexity of plant mitochondrial RNA metabolism. Our transcriptomic data (<it>Oryza sativa </it>Mitochondrial rna Expression Server: OsMES) is publicly accessible at [<url>http://bioinf.mind.meiji.ac.jp/cgi-bin/gbrowse/OsMes/#search</url>].</p

ドウブツ ヲ シイクスル ト イウコト カテイドウブツシイク ニ カンスル イシキチョウサ

大学生を対象に安楽死および動物虐待に関する意識調査を,四国および近畿の3つの中学に通う中学生を対象に家庭での動物飼育に関する意識調査をそれぞれ実施した。大学生への調査の結果,動物に身体的苦痛を伴う人の行為を主として動物虐待と認識している学生が多く見られ,およそ4分の3の学生は安楽死を場合によっては認めると回答した。一方,中学生に実施した動物飼育に関する調査結果では,動物への関心は動物飼育の有無で有意差がみられ,さらに,飼育動物種によっても影響されることが示された。飼育動物の中でもイヌおよびネコは飼育者にコミュニケーションへの意識を高めることも示唆された。Research was conducted on the acceptance of euthanasia and abuse against animals among college students, and the effects and actual home conditions for keeping companion animals among middle-high school students. Most of the college students recognized that animal abuse would include violence against animals, neglect of animal care, abandonment and unsanitary management of animals. Most of the students accepted euthanasia of animals under some conditions, for example when the animals suffered from an incurable disease. In the results of the research on middle-high school students, interest in animals was shown among animal-keeping students significantly more than among non-keeping students. And the interest differed by species of animals kept. Especially, dogs and cats induced a greater sense of communication among animal-keeping students than did other animals

Prevention of Reg I-induced β-cell apoptosis by IL-6/dexamethasone through activation of HGF gene regulation

AbstractReg (regenerating gene) product, Reg protein, is induced in pancreatic β-cells and acts as autocrine/paracrine growth factor for regeneration via the cell surface Reg receptor. However, high concentrations of Reg I protein induced β-cell apoptosis. In the present study, we found that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) attenuated the β-cell apoptosis induced by the high concentrations of Reg I protein and that the combined stimulation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and dexamethasone (Dx) induced the accumulation of HGF mRNA as well as Reg I mRNA in β-cells. The accumulation of the HGF mRNA was caused by the activation of the HGF promoter. Deletion analysis revealed that the region of −96 to −92 of the HGF gene was responsible for the promoter activation by IL-6+Dx. The promoters contain a consensus transcription factor binding sequence for signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT). Site-directed mutations of STAT-binding motif in the region markedly attenuated the HGF promoter activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay showed that STAT3 is located at the active HGF promoter in response to IL-6+Dx stimulation. These results strongly suggest that the combined stimulation of IL-6 and glucocorticoids induces the activation of both Reg and HGF genes and that the anti-apoptotic effects of HGF against the Reg I-induced apoptosis may help β-cell regeneration by Reg I protein

ガッコウシイクドウブツ ノ シイクケイケン ガ ドウブツ ニ タイスル カンガエカタ ニ アタエル エイキョウ

小学校時代の動物飼育の経験が,動物飼育や動物に対する考え方にどういった影響をおよぼすかについて,3地域(愛媛,京都および奈良)の中学生,保護者および教員を対象に調査を行った。調査方法はアンケート方式とし,二択式(はい/いいえ),複数選択方式および自由記述式の設問を用意した。得られた回答については各々の解答方式に合わせて統計学的な解析を施した。解析の結果,動物に対する関心度に男女差,地域差がみとめられることや,保護者,教員と生徒で関心度が異なることなどが明らかになった。これらの結果から,本調査方法の中から動物への関心度を測ることができるアンケート調査部分の抽出が可能であり,また同時に性別や地域色に合わせた学校飼育動物の提案などが将来的に可能になると考えられ,さらに世代,立場を越えての効果を発揮する学校における動物飼育のあり方についての議論に一石を投じる可能性が示された。The objective of this research is to investigate how school-owned animals affect man\u27s or woman\u27s sense of animals. We constructed questionnaires directed toward junior high school students, their parents, and teachers in Japan. The responses were statistically analyzed based on multivariate analysis (Hayashi\u27s Quantification Methods type III). The analysis extracted six available axes, in particular, the axis 1 (illustrating discrimination ; \u27curious toward animal-less interest to animal\u27) significantly related to gender, region and position (student, parent or teacher) on one-way ANOVA (p<0.0083). In conclusion, there\u27s a possibility that we could propose the management and choice of species of school animals or companion animals in the near future

ドウブツ ヲ シイクスル ト イウコト カテイドウブツシイク ニ カンスル イシキチョウサ

大学生を対象に安楽死および動物虐待に関する意識調査を,四国および近畿の3つの中学に通う中学生を対象に家庭での動物飼育に関する意識調査をそれぞれ実施した。大学生への調査の結果,動物に身体的苦痛を伴う人の行為を主として動物虐待と認識している学生が多く見られ,およそ4分の3の学生は安楽死を場合によっては認めると回答した。一方,中学生に実施した動物飼育に関する調査結果では,動物への関心は動物飼育の有無で有意差がみられ,さらに,飼育動物種によっても影響されることが示された。飼育動物の中でもイヌおよびネコは飼育者にコミュニケーションへの意識を高めることも示唆された。Research was conducted on the acceptance of euthanasia and abuse against animals among college students, and the effects and actual home conditions for keeping companion animals among middle-high school students. Most of the college students recognized that animal abuse would include violence against animals, neglect of animal care, abandonment and unsanitary management of animals. Most of the students accepted euthanasia of animals under some conditions, for example when the animals suffered from an incurable disease. In the results of the research on middle-high school students, interest in animals was shown among animal-keeping students significantly more than among non-keeping students. And the interest differed by species of animals kept. Especially, dogs and cats induced a greater sense of communication among animal-keeping students than did other animals

Influence of genetic factors on the ephedrine alkaloid composition ratio of Ephedra plants

We investigated the ephedrine alkaloid [(-)-ephedrine and (+)-pseudoephedrine] composition ratio of a crude Chinese herbal drug described in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia \u27Ephedra herb (Chinese name: Mahuang)\u27. There were marked changes in the alkaloid composition ratio of wild plants in areas where both male and female clusters coexisted. However, in genetically homogeneous areas with the growth of male or female clusters alone, all of the coefficients of the regression lines were positive, but each gradient varied. This suggests that the alkaloid composition ratio has a clear tendency in each individual. Based on this, we cultivated individuals for vegetative propagation, and evaluated the alkaloid content ratio. Those propagated by separating the roots showed a specific tendency regardless of the cultivation area (Wakayama, Tanegashima). Those propagated by separating the herbaceous stem showed a specific tendency regardless of the soil or harvest time. In addition, we surveyed the (-)-ephedrine content ratio of 3- to 6-year-old strains. There was a high positive correlation coefficient between the previous and subsequent years. These findings suggest that the ephedrine alkaloid composition ratio of Ephedra herb depends on genetic factors, but not on environmental factors or the growth period

イヌメラノコルチン2ジュヨウタイイデンシ ニ オケル イチエンキタケイ ノ ケンシュカンヒカク ト クンレンノウ トノ カンレンセイ ニ ツイテ

本研究ではイヌのメラノコルチン2受容体(MC2R)遺伝子に存在する一塩基多型(SNPs ; 600G>C, 858G>A)と,「訓練能スコア」との関連性をゴールデンレトリーバー,ラブラドールレトリーバー,ミニチュアシュナウザー,マルチーズ,柴の5犬種,計77個体のゲノムDNAを用いて調査した。77個体のゲノムDNAについて遺伝子型判別を行った結果,ラブラドールレトリーバー,マルチーズ,柴の3犬種において600G>Cの遺伝子型およびアレル頻度に犬種差が認められた。また,600G>C多型によって判別される遺伝子型と訓練能スコアとの間に有意な関連が認められた。The relationships between behavioral trait data \u27obedience score\u27 and the genotype of two polymorphisms (600G>C and 858G>A) in the melanocortin 2 receptor gene (MC2R) were analyzed in 77 dogs of Golden retriever, Labrador retriever, Maltese, Miniature schnauzer and Shiba Inu breeds. From the genotyping of the polymorphism among the 77 dogs, we found inter-breed variations of genotype and of allelic frequency for 600G>C polymorphic region among Labrador retriever, Maltese, and Shiba Inu breeds. Furthermore, a statistical analysis revealed that genotype of 600G>C (G/G, G/C, C/C) was significantly associated with\u27 obedience score\u27