Microsatellite polymorphism and its association with body weight and selected morphometrics of farm red fox (Vulpes vulpes L.)

Polymorphism of 30 canine-derived microsatellites was studied in a group of 200 red foxes kept on 2 Polish farms. 22 out of 30 microsatellites were selected to study association between marker genotypes and body weight (BW), body length (BL), body circumference (BC), tail length (TL), ear height (EH), length of the right front limb (FRLL), length of the right rear limb (RRLL), length of the right front foot (FRFL) and length of the right rear foot (RRFL). A total of 112 alleles and 243 genotypes were found at 22 autosomal microsatellite loci. Three monomorphic loci deemed as uninformative were excluded from the study. The association between marker genotypes and the studied traits was analysed using general linear model (GLM) procedure and least squares means (LSM). Linkage disequilibrium (LD) was estimated to assess non-random association between microsatellite loci. Out of 19 microsatellites studied four markers showed no association with the studied traits, three markers had a significant effect on one trait, and another three markers had significant effect on two traits. Among ten microsatellites with significant effect on four economically important traits (BW, BL, BC, TL) four were associated with two characters: marker FH2613 with BW and BC, marker FH2097withBL and BC, marker ZUBECA6 with BW and BC, whereas marker REN75M10 was associated with BL and TL. The strongest LD (r(2) ranged from 0.15 to 0.33) was estimated between nine loci with significant effect on economically important traits (BW, BL, BC, TL)

Confining H3PO4 network in covalent organic frameworks enables proton super flow

Development of porous materials combining stability and high performance has remained a challenge. This is particularly true for proton-transporting materials essential for applications in sensing, catalysis and energy conversion and storage. Here we report the topology guided synthesis of an imine-bonded (C=N) dually stable covalent organic framework to construct dense yet aligned one-dimensional nanochannels, in which the linkers induce hyperconjugation and inductive effects to stabilize the pore structure and the nitrogen sites on pore walls confine and stabilize the H3PO4 network in the channels via hydrogen-bonding interactions. The resulting materials enable proton super flow to enhance rates by 2–8 orders of magnitude compared to other analogues. Temperature profile and molecular dynamics reveal proton hopping at low activation and reorganization energies with greatly enhanced mobility

A tooth of a marine crocodylomorph from the Jurassic of the Cracow-Czestochowa Upland

An incomplete tooth-crown showing the features characteristic of marine crocodylomorphs of the family Metriorhynchidae has been found in glauconitic marls from the uppermost Callovian/lowermost Oxfordian of Ogrodzieniec, situated in the southern part of the Cracow-Czestochowa Upland. The precise taxonomic identification is not possible, but to date only the genus Metriorhynchus has been known from the Callovian. This is the first evidence of Metriorhynchidae in the Cracow-Czestochowa Upland (Polish Jura Chain)

Nest-like accumulations of faunal remains in the Middle Jurassic ore-bearing clays of the Kraków-Czestochowa Upland and their palaeobiological implications

Distinct faunal accumulations in the uppermost Bajocian/lowermost Bathonian, lowermost and Middle Bathonian of the Polish Jura (south-central Poland) have been detected. The fossils are densely packed in the centre of the accumulations and more or less dispersed in their margins. The accumulations vary in size, but all are rich in various groups of organisms, of which the molluscs (mainly bivalves) and echinoderms predominate. The echinoderms are all disarticulated, and shelly fauna occur as angular fragments with sharp edges, of random sizes and without any signs of abrasion. The different sizes of the fossil remains, from tiny echinoderm ossicles or juvenile shelly fauna to medium-sized shell fragments or belemnite rostra, exclude any transportation and thus sorting. Worth of noting is the occurrence of similar faunal groups in each accumulation. The general shape and composition of the accumulations, as well as their taphonomical features, especially the angularity of shell fragments, point to durophagous (shell-crushing) predation rather than physical processes. The various organisms may indicate that the potential predator (most probably fish) fed on various invertebrates. The indigestible particles were later regurgitated forming the accumulations discussed. The presence of various epibionts on the fossil fragments indicate,that they rested upon the sea-floor for some time-span after they had been regurgitated. Then the scavengers, as well as current action or water movements, have been responsible for dispersion of some of the fossils, as is well-visible at the margins of the investigated accumulations.

Microconchids - a little known group of Carboniferous of the Upper Silesia fossil organisms and their occurrence in the Upper

The present article concerns a characteristics of enigmatic encrusting organisms of the order Microconchida (microconchids), similar to polychaetes of the genus Spirorbis, as well as a description of their finds from the Upper Carboniferous of the Upper Silesia region, southern Poland. The microconchids described here may represent the genus Microconchus. Most of the individuals encrust terrestrial flora and bivalve shells, and thus they certainly inhabited freshwater or, at most, brackish water environment. Similarly as the Recent polychaetes of the genus Spirorbis, the microconchids described here occur in association composed of both adult and juvenile individuals. The juveniles, however, dominate, what may indicate they have died due to some stress conditions (high rate of deposition and/or low oxygen content in the water). The microconchids are poorly-preserved. The original calcitic mineralogy of their tubes was replaced by phases similar to lead sulfide and dolomite