Low Similarity Index Research Articles

Endophytic bacteria from tomato and chilli, their diversity and antagonistic potential against Ralstonia solanacearum

A total of 82 endophytic bacteria of tomato and chilli was isolated from different locations of tropical Islands of Andaman and Nicobar, India. Based on in vitro screening, 16 bacterial isolates that effectively inhibited Ralstonia solanacearum (a bacterial wilt pathogen) were characterised for their diversity and identified through Microbial Identification System (Biolog). Diversity analysed through BOX-PCR showed low similarity index among the antagonistic bacteria. Based on the in vitro antagonistic activities, the selected isolates were further characterised for siderophore, indole acetic acid production, phosphate solubilisation and other extracellular enzymes; it is found that most of the isolates were positive for these properties. The production of these metabolites may be responsible for the inhibition of the pathogen R. solanacearum. The isolates BECS3, BECS6 and BECS7 showed multiple attributes and demonstrated plant growth promotion properties through tomato- and chilli-based bioassay under greenhouse conditions. These bacterial inoculations were found to result in significant increase in root, shoot and biomass of both tomato and chilli. Hence, these isolates can be further formulated and used for field application.

云南会泽铅锌矿废弃矿渣堆常见植物内生真菌多样性

The fungi which cause asymptomatic infections in living plant tissues are called endophytic fungi.They comprise diverse groups of fungi and may protect their host plants against the insect pests and phytopathogens,as well as increase hosts fitness in extreme environments.In order to document the ecological relationship between endophytic fungi and their host plants which grown in heavy metal contaminanted soils,the endophytic fungal diversity,the dominant fungi and their host specificity of six dominant plant species(Arabis hirsuta,Acacia decurrens,Symplocos paniculata,Rabbosia eriocalyx,Arenaria serpyllifolia and Rosa longicuspis) collected from the Huize Pb-Zn mine wasteland of Yunnan Province,southwest China,were investigated.A total of 495 culturable endophytic fungi were isolated from 690 stems and leaf segments of the six plant species.The isolation rate of the endophytic fungi in the six plant species ranged from 0.42 to 0.93,and the mean isolation rate was 0.72.The highest isolation rate appeared in R.eriocalyx,and the lowest isolation rate appeared in Ro.longicuspis.It was found that the isolation rate of the endophytic fungi in the stems was significantly higher than that in the leaves(P0.05,t test) in the six plant species.Based on their morphological characteristics,the way of spore production and spore characteristics,the sporulating isolates were identified to genus level.Non-sporulating isolates were identified as mycelia sterile and sorted into different groups based on the colony surface texture,hyphal pigmentation and growth rates after two months sporulation.The fungi were identified to 20 taxa,of which Phoma and Peyronellaea were the dominant endophytic fungi.The endophytic fungal richness of the six plant species was different.The highest endophytic fungal richness appeared in Ara.hirsuta,R.eriocalyx and Ro.longicuspis,from which 13 endophytic fungal taxa were obtained.While,the lowest richness appeared in Aca.decurrens and only nine taxa were found in it.Each plant species harboured one to two dominant fungi.The dominant fungi of Ara.hirsuta,Aca.decurrens and R.eriocalyx were Phoma and Peyronellaea,the relative frequency of them were 47.22% and 27.78%,73.33% and 16%,48.21% and 27.68%,respectively.Alternaria was the dominant fungi of S.paniculata,the relative frequency was 46.67%.The dominant fungi of Are.serpyllifolia were Alternaria and Peyronellaea,the relative frequency was 26.74% and 25.58%,respectively.The dominant fungi of Ro.longicuspis were Phoma and Alternaria,the relative frequency was 33.34% and 15.56%,respectively.The diversity index of endophytic fungi in the six plant species ranged from 1.05 to 2.29,which was similar to the diversity index of other non-polluted environments,suggesting that there are various heavy metal-resistant endophytic fungi in heavy metal contaminated areas.Besides,the diversity index of endophytic fungi from stems was 0.98—2.13,it was higher than that from leaves(0.69—1.79).Furthermore,we also found that the similarity index of the endophytic fungi in the six plant species ranged from 0.455 to 0.833,and the highest similarity index appeared in S.paniculata and Ro.longicuspis(0.833),and the lowest similarity index appeared in Aca.decurrens and Ro.longicuspis,it was only 0.455.These results indicated that the host specificity of these endophytic fungi in the Pb-Zn mine wasteland was lower.

Orchidaceae das Serras Negra e do Funil, Rio Preto, Minas Gerais, e similaridade florística entre formações campestres e florestais do Brasil

Neste estudo, foi realizado o levantamento das Orchidaceae das Serras Negra e do Funil (SN/SF), Zona da Mata de Minas Gerais, e uma análise da similaridade florística dessa família entre 29 áreas campestres e florestais do Brasil. Para tal análise, utilizou-se o algoritmo UPGMA, coeficiente de SØrensen, e 5.000 replicações de bootstrap. A análise de agrupamento revelou baixos índices de similaridade, exceto para os grupos Serra Negra + Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca e Parque Estadual da Ilha do Cardoso + Estação Ecológica Juréia-Itatins. Os resultados sugerem que a região das SN/SF represente um corredor florístico entre localidades na Serra da Mantiqueira (Parque Nacional do Itatiaia) e Serra do Mar (Reserva Biológica de Macaé de Cima). Foi observado o agrupamento de áreas com semelhanças ambientais e as regiões de campos rupestres se destacaram em termos de particularidades florísticas. O teste de Mantel revelou que a similaridade florística não está correlacionada à distância geográfica entre as áreas.

KOMPOSISI KEBERADAAN KRUSTASEA DI MANGROVE DELTA MAHAKAM KALIMANTAN TIMUR

Normal 0 false false false IN X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Mangrove area, Mahakam Delta, East Kalimantan . The aim of this research was to analyze the diversity and the richness of crustacean. The research was done in the locations where dense area (Muara Ilu I), moderate area (Muara Ilu II, P. Tunu) and rare area of mangroves Muara Pantuan (P. Lagenting Luar). The transect research method was used stand upright line of the seashore for mangrove and crustacean. The result of environment parameter shows relative in good condition for living mangrove and crustacean organisms. Total founded crustacean were 40 species and 9 families. The 38 species were non economic values and 2 species were economic values: Varuna yui and Scylla olivacea , also founded 2 new species: Metaplax sp. nov. (Grapsidae) and Macrophthalmus sp. nov. (Sesarmidae). The highest crustacean density varies depend on the environment characteristic of the research station. The highest density was 1456 ind/m 2 (station 6) and the lowest density was 27 ind/m 2 (station 8). Diversity Index was lower category (H’ = 3.0700), while Similarity Index (E = 2.0180) was high enough, so the distribution of crustacean relatively similar. Dominancy Index was low (C =   1.6270). While the highest mangrove diversity Index was at Muara Ilu I (H = 2.14) and following by Muara Ilu II (H = 1.40) and Mauara Pantuan (H = 2.03). Over all the three locations of mangrove vegetation (tree, belta and seed) are in the lower categories diversity index, similarity index and dominance index. Keywords: crustacean, mangrove ecosystem, Mahakam delta, East Kalimantan, diversity, density

Fine-Scale Bacterial Beta Diversity within a Complex Ecosystem (Zodletone Spring, OK, USA): The Role of the Rare Biosphere

BackgroundThe adaptation of pyrosequencing technologies for use in culture-independent diversity surveys allowed for deeper sampling of ecosystems of interest. One extremely well suited area of interest for pyrosequencing-based diversity surveys that has received surprisingly little attention so far, is examining fine scale (e.g. micrometer to millimeter) beta diversity in complex microbial ecosystems.Methodology/Principal FindingsWe examined the patterns of fine scale Beta diversity in four adjacent sediment samples (1mm apart) from the source of an anaerobic sulfide and sulfur rich spring (Zodletone spring) in southwestern Oklahoma, USA. Using pyrosequencing, a total of 292,130 16S rRNA gene sequences were obtained. The beta diversity patterns within the four datasets were examined using various qualitative and quantitative similarity indices. Low levels of Beta diversity (high similarity indices) were observed between the four samples at the phylum-level. However, at a putative species (OTU0.03) level, higher levels of beta diversity (lower similarity indices) were observed. Further examination of beta diversity patterns within dominant and rare members of the community indicated that at the putative species level, beta diversity is much higher within rare members of the community. Finally, sub-classification of rare members of Zodletone spring community based on patterns of novelty and uniqueness, and further examination of fine scale beta diversity of each of these subgroups indicated that members of the community that are unique, but non novel showed the highest beta diversity within these subgroups of the rare biosphere.Conclusions/SignificanceThe results demonstrate the occurrence of high inter-sample diversity within seemingly identical samples from a complex habitat. We reason that such unexpected diversity should be taken into consideration when exploring gamma diversity of various ecosystems, as well as planning for sequencing-intensive metagenomic surveys of highly complex ecosystems.

Reclassification of the Listeria-CAMP test strain ATCC 49444 Staphylococcus aureus as Staphylococcus pseudintermedius.

ATCC 49444, originally designated as Staphylococcus aureus, has been cited as a component strain in the CAMP test for identification of Listeria monocytogenes. A polyphasic study, in which molecular data were combined with cytochemical properties and physiological characteristics, identified this isolate as Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. The nucleotide sequences of the 16S rRNA and sodA genes from ATCC 49444 were determined and found to be identical to those of other S. pseudintermedius strains. Ribotyping analysis of ATCC 49444 indicated a low (0.2) similarity index with S. aureus and Staphylococcus intermedius strains but a similarity index of more than 0.66 with S. pseudintermedius isolates. A functional comparison of ATCC 49444 with S. aureus ATCC 25923 utilizing the CAMP test demonstrated equivalent hemolytic enhancement with L. monocytogenes isolates. While this study demonstrates that ATCC 49444 is a valid component strain for the CAMP test, it is proposed that ATCC 49444 be reclassified as S. pseudintermedius and that users worldwide be alerted to this reclassification and name change.

Keanekaragaman Burung di Desa Karangasem Kecamatan Wirosari Kabupaten Grobogan Jawa Tengah

The aim of this study was to measure the bird’s diversity at Karangasem Village, Wirosari District, Grobogan Regency mainly at the forest habitat, farm land and it settlements. The study was conducted on September until November 2008 used point count method. The data of birds species and its number analyzed by Shanon-Wiener species diversity index (H’), evenness index (E), dominance index (Di) and similarity index of Jaccard to describe the similar species of birds inter-habitat at Karangasem. The result indicated that there are 43 birds species of 22 families recorded at the location. About eight species among them are protected by the government, two among them included into CITES appendix II and one of them included into Vulnerable category of IUCN Red List. The birds diversity index and evenness index in the village of Karangasem ranges from 1.9 to 2.7 and 0.68 to 0.8. The highest and most dominant species are Collocalia linchi, Pycnonotus aurigaster, Lonchura leucogastroides and Lonchura punctulata. The analysis of Jaccard’s similarity index showed that the forests had more similarity to settlements than rice farming, which means there are high differences between habitats. There are differences in composition, structure, and featured bird species of the habitat, which caused low similarity index between the habitat ranges from 19.23% to 25.71%. Keywords : Birds diversity, point count, Karangasem

English

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was applied to pearl millet genotypes in order to assess the degree of polymorphisms within and among genotypes and to investigate if this approach was suitable for genetic studies of pearl millet. 20 genotypes were evaluated using 30 different 10-mer primers of arbitrary sequence. Most of the primers did not reveal any polymorphism; however 12 primers revealed scorable polymorphism between genotypes of pearl millet and these can be further evaluated for use in genetic mapping. Pair-wise comparisons of unique and shared polymorphic amplification products were generated by Jaccard’s similarity co-efficient. These similarity co-efficients were employed to construct a dendrogram showing phylogenetic relationships using unweighted paired group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA). The UPGMA analysis indicated a higher similarity between genotype PT 2835/1 and PT 5552 and lowest similarity index was observed between PT 5554 and PT 2835/1. Analysis of RAPD data appears to be helpful in determining the genetic relationship among 20 pearl millet genotypes. The associations among the 20 genotypes were also examined with Principle components analysis (PCA) from Jaccard’s similarity co-efficient and it is more informative to analyze the extreme genotypes.   Key words: Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), genetic diversity, pearl millet, principle component analysis (PCA)

Angiosperm epiphytes as conservation indicators in forest fragments: A case study from southeastern Minas Gerais, Brazil

Epiphytes play an important role in the flora and ecology of the tropical regions. Most floristic studies within the state of Minas Gerais focus on terrestrial, woody plant diversity, but this is a different approach, looking at epiphytic angiosperms in three highland areas in Southeastern Minas Gerais, namely Mata do Bau (MB), Reserva Biologica da Represa do Grama (RBRG) and Parque Estadual de Ibitipoca (PEI). Regular collections were performed in these sites between 1999 and 2007, complemented by herbarium records for PEI, and 181 species of epiphytic angiosperms were recorded in 66 genera, within 12 families. Orchidaceae, with 89 species, was by far the largest, and the most species rich genera were Peperomia (Piperaceae) and Pleurothalliss.l. (Orchidaceae), with 12 species each. Similarity analysis has shown a closer relationship between MB and RBRG, both composed by seasonal semideciduous forest, however, Jaccard (0.163) index are low. A similarity analysis including other 21 areas of southeastern and southern Brazil revealed strong influence of sazonality, vegetation type and altitude in the composition of the epiphytic flora, and a relative independence regarding the geographic proximity of the areas sampled. From the conservation standpoint, 30 species recorded for this work appear in the red list for the state of Minas Gerais, under different conservation categories. The low similarity indices obtained between the studied areas underline the importance of the conservation of each one of the remaining forest fragments in Minas Gerais, as their relative geographical proximity does not necessarily mean that their epiphytic flora is similar.

Variation between bee communities on a sand dune complex in the Great Basin Desert, North America: Implications for sand dune conservation

Sand dunes across the Mojave and Great Basin Deserts house rich bee communities. The pollination services these bees provide can be vital in maintaining the diverse, and often endemic, dune flora. These dune environments, however, are threatened by intense off-highway vehicle (OHV) use. Conservation efforts adopted by land managers often consist of setting aside a portion of a dune system that is off-limits to OHV use, but little work has been done showing the extent to which this protects native bee communities. A two-year study of bee communities on a Great Basin sand dune complex in Dugway Proving Ground located in northwestern Utah revealed low similarity index values between closely situated collecting plots (1–40 km apart). Similarity values ranged from 0.13 to 0.70 for species composition, and from 0.07 to 0.57 when similarity was weighted by abundance. Distance between plots had no significant relationship to similarity when richness and abundance were considered. Bee similarity between plots was significantly correlated with floral similarity. These results indicate that dune conservation strategies that preserve “representative” portions of dune systems may be insufficient to protect bees and the pollination services they provide.

Molecular characterization of Desmodium species — An important ingredient of ‘Dashmoola’ by RAPD analysis

Identification of medicinal plants by their molecular signature is a fast growing tool. The identification of Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC. (Shalparni, a constituent of Ayurvedic formulation "Dashmoolarishtha") was carried out using genomic approach. Authentic samples of D. gangeticum(L.) DC., D. velutinum (Willd.) DC. and D. triflorum (L.) DC. were analyzed and compared to commercial samples of various origin. Within twenty primers used, eleven gave 223 RAPD fragments. RAPD profiles of three species showed very low similarity index (0.21-0.39), whereas market samples showed high similarity of 0.82-0.89 with authenticated D. gangeticum.

The acoustic diversity of the seabed based on the similarity index computed from Chirp seismic data

Abstract Lee, G. H., Kim, H. J., Kim, D. C., Yi, B. Y., Nam, S. M., Khim, B. K., and Lim, M. S. 2009. The acoustic diversity of the seabed based on the similarity index computed from Chirp seismic data. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 227–236. The similarity index (SI), computed from the singular value decomposition of seabed-echo envelopes recorded in Chirp seismic data, was tested in mapping the acoustic diversity of the seabed in Suyong Bay, Busan, Korea. Rocky bottom is characterized by low SI values, indicating acoustic heterogeneity, and sedimentary seabed by high SI values, also indicating acoustic homogeneity. Isolated areas of low SI values, not identified as rocky bottom in Chirp profiles, may suggest a shallow basement. The gradual seaward change of the substratum from coarse-grained to relatively poorly sorted, finer-grained sediments also corresponds to an overall seaward decrease in the SI value. The straightforward and quick computation of the SI makes it possible to assess the gross acoustic diversity of the seabed in almost real time.

TH‐C‐AUD C‐01: Lung Mechanical Modeling Based On the 3He MR Tagging and Lobar Segmentation

Purpose: Direct measurements of the lung deformation by MR tagging during breathing motion revealed that the deformation is neither linear nor continuous. To improve the accuracy of deformable registration by finite element analysis, the lung is segmented into subanatomical regions, to allow sliding motion between lobes. Method and Materials: One healthy volunteer underwent MR tagging studies. Multiple‐slice two‐dimensional and volumetric three‐dimensional MR tagged images of the lungs were obtained at end‐inhalation and end‐exhalation, and deformation vector field (DVF) was computed. A patient CT was selected and the left lung was segmented into upper and lower lobes. The 2D contours were converted to 3D mesh and subsequently to tetrahedra for finite element analysis (FEA). Boundary conditions and material properties were assigned in the ABAQUS, FEA modeling software. Diaphragm provided the active driving pressure and the chest wall provided a passive constraint. The FEA computed DVF was compared with the measured DVF using a similarity index (SI) normalized to 1 for a perfect match and 0 for a complete mismatch. Results: A 3D lung DVF was generated from the MR tagging. Distinct discontinuity was observed between lung lobes. With the assumption that the lung is a continuous elastic object, the FEA model failed to model the discontinuity along the fissure and resulted in a low SI (0.53), which was improved to 0.89 by segmenting the lung and introducing the additional freedom of inter‐lobar motion. Conclusion: DVF measured from MR tagging can be a reference in validating deformable registration of lung, particularly in regions with low imaging contrast. Using this reference, the authors were able to significantly improve the accuracy of deformable registration with lobar segmentation in the FEA modeling.

Unstable Composition of the Fecal Microbiota in Ulcerative Colitis During Clinical Remission

Studies have identified abnormal characteristics of the gut microbiota in patients with active IBD, but whether the changes are causal or secondary to inflammation remains uncertain. We investigated dynamics of fecal microbiota in ulcerative colitis (UC) during remission by genomic technology. Patients in clinical remission and on stable maintenance mesalazine therapy were recruited (N = 33). Fecal samples were collected at regular intervals over a period of 1 yr. Sixteen patients who remained in remission and eight healthy controls were included in the analysis. Variable V6 to V8 regions of the 16S rRNA gene in DNA extracts from fecal samples were amplified by polymerase chain reaction. Amplicons were separated by denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis, band profiles were compared by software, and similarity indices were calculated from densitometric curves. Band profiles showed unique patterns with low similarity index between individuals, suggesting host specificity in the predominant microbiota. Within the same individual, profiles were stable in controls but varied notably over time in patients. In controls, the similarity index was remarkably stable (78 +/- 8% mean +/- SD) over a period of 24 months. However, patients showed a steady decline in similarity index versus the initial profile, dropping down to 42 +/- 24% at month 3 of follow-up and to 23 +/- 19% at month 12 (P < 0.001). Biodiversity of the dominant microbiota, as estimated by number of bands, was lower in patients (17 +/- 4) than controls (23 +/- 4, P < 0.01). Molecular analysis of fecal bacteria in patients with inactive UC shows low biodiversity and temporal instability.

Serologic and molecular characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Jordanian clinical isolates compared with the strains of International Antigenic Typing Scheme

One hundred clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were serologically classified into 7 Jordanian serotypes (labeled JO1–JO7) Odeh, 2002, M.Sc. thesis, University of Jordan). Using the slide agglutination test, 4 of them (JO4, JO5, JO6, and JO7) were serologically matched with the International Antigenic Typing Scheme (IATS) strains (IATS 20, IATS 10, IATS 6, and IATS 11). One serotype (JO1) showed a weak cross-reaction with IATS 1. The remaining 2 local serotypes (JO2 and JO3) did not react with any of the 20 IATS strains. Serologic analysis data showed to a certain extent correlations with molecular data using genetic clustering and similarity indices generated by random amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR). Each of the 4 identified local serotypes formed a cluster with its serologically matched IATS strain with relatively high average similarity indices, whereas lower average similarity index was observed between IATS 1 and JO1, in consistence with the weak serologic reaction using the slide agglutination test. On the other hand, the 2 nontypeable serotypes (JO2 and JO3) formed 2 separate clusters that could not be matched to any of the IATS strain. Phenotypic and genotypic analyses suggest that JO2 and JO3, and possibly JO1, can be new serotypes of P. aeruginosa. RAPD-PCR was also used to study the relative relatedness among the 20 IATS strains. The IATS strains formed 2 main clusters. Half of the IATS strains formed one main cluster that included IATS 11–20. The remaining IATS strains (8 strains) formed the second main cluster, with the exception of IATS 4 and 9, where each formed a separate cluster.

Genetic Diversity among Syrian Cultivated and Landraces Wheat Revealed by AFLP Markers

Genetic diversity among some important Syrian wheat cultivars was estimated using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Five Triticum aestivum L. and 10 Triticum turgidum ssp. durum were analyzed with 11 EcoRI–MseI primer pair combinations. Of the approximately 525 detected AFLP markers, only 46.67% were polymorphic. Cluster analysis with the entire AFLP data divided all cultivars into two major groups reflecting their origins. The first one contained T. aestivum L. cultivars, and the T. turgidum ssp. durum cultivars and landraces were grouped in the second. Narrow genetic diversity among all cultivars was detected with an average genetic similarity of 0.884. The lowest similarity index (0.9) was found between Cham5 and Hamary (durum wheat), whereas this value was 0.93 between Salamony and Bouhouth 4 (T. aestivum L.). The narrow genetic diversity level indicates that these genotypes could be originated from the same source. AFLP analysis provides crucial information for studying genetic variation among wheat cultivars and provides important information for plant improvement.

Assessment of Genetic Diversity among Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) Accessions using Molecular Markers

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana), an allotetraploid cereal, is widely cultivated in the arid and semiarid regions of the world. Being rich in protein and calcium, finger millet serves as an important staple food for rural populations in developing tropical countries where calcium deficiency and anemia are wide spread. Thirty-two finger millet genotypes were fingerprinted using 50 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Out of the total 529 loci generated using the 50 RAPD primers, 479 loci (91%) were polymorphic and informative to differentiate the accessions. Cluster analysis grouped the 32 finger millet accessions into two major clusters. Among the 32 finger millet genotypes, GEC 182 and CO 12 were distantly related with a low similarity index of 0.315. These two accessions also differed considerably in days to flowering and grain weight; GEC 182 is early flowering and has bold grains, while CO 12 is late flowering and has smaller grains. These two accessions with higher diversity at molecular level, phenology and grain weight will be ideal as parents in hybridization programme, to develop improved finger millet varieties suitable for peninsular region of India.

Molecular phylogeny of Camponotus ants in Korea

AbstractThe molecular phylogeny of 12 species of Camponotus ants in Korea was examined using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers as inputs for an analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) and cluster analysis to describe the relationships between species. For comparison, morphometric data (based on 10 morphological characters) were also gathered for phylogenetic analysis. Assessments of similarity between species were made, and the results of these assessments are compared for the molecular and morphological data sets. In the morphometric analysis, the following groups were identified: (i) C. atrox, C. kiusuensis, C. japonicus and C. concavus (93% similarity); (ii) C. sp. 1 (be diverging at 80% similarity); (iii) C. jejuensis, C. sp. 3, C. itoi, C. nawai and C. tokioensis (94.5% similarity); and (iv) C. nipponensis and C. quadrinotatus (94.5% similarity). Formica fusca was 73.5% similar to the 12 Camponotus species studied here. The group comprising C. nawai and C. tokioensis had the highest similarity index (97.36%), followed by the group comprising C. jejuensis and C. sp. 3 (95%), then C. atrox and C. kiusuensis (94.5%), and then C. nipponensis and C. quadrinotatus (93.5%). In the molecular analysis the following groups were identified: (i) C. atrox and C. jejuensis (30% similarity); (ii) C. concavus, C. japonicus and C. itoi (25% similarity); (iii) C. kiusuensis, C. nawai, C. sp. 3, C. nipponensis, C. quadrinotatus and C. sp. 1 (24% similarity); and (iv) C. tokioensis (be diverging at 23% similarity). The most closely related group in the molecular analysis was C. nawai and C. sp. 3 (75% similarity), followed by C. concavus and C. japonicus (50.5% similarity), then C. atrox and C. jejuensis (30%), and then C. quadrinotatus and C. sp. 1. Camponotus tokioensis was the least closely related to other species among the 12 species studied. Although C. jejuensis and C. tokioensis were found to be 93.6% similar on the basis of morphometric data, molecular data indicated only 23% similarity, the lowest similarity index between any two species considered here. Camponotus jejuensis has marked morphological similarities to C. tokioensis, but on the basis of molecular data gathered in the present study, we refute the proposal that they are synonyms or sister species.

A study on the vertical profile of bacterial DNA structure in the Puruogangri (Tibetan Plateau) ice core using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis

AbstractThe bacterial DNA structures at different depths in the Puruogangri (Tibetan Plateau) ice core (83.45m) were investigated by the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) DNA fingerprinting technique. DGGE profiles indicated that the bacterial species diversity in glacial ice is high, and indigenous species represented by common bands in all samples may grow on the glacial surface. Bacterial diversity, as estimated by Shannon indices (mean 2.91; SD 0.25; n = 13), was comparable to that of soil habitats and had a positive correlation with Ca2+ concentration (R = 0.71; P&lt; 0.01), a good proxy of dust. This suggested that the soil ecosystem was the main source of bacteria in this glacier. The low similarity indices (0–43%) were found between the ice-core samples, which corresponded to the episodic deposition under defined climatic conditions and low activity of microorganisms in glacial ice. The profiles of bacterial species composition in glacial ice may be a bio-indicator of climatic changes or dating.

Altered patterns of muscle activation during performance of four functional tasks in patients with shoulder disorders: Interpretation from voluntary response index

Altered motor control of the shoulder muscles during performance of a specific motor task in patients with shoulder disorders (SDs) has been an interesting subject to researchers. This study compared shoulder muscle activation patterns by surface electromyography (sEMG), including the upper trapezius (UT), lower trapezius (LT), and serratus anterior (SA) muscles, during four functional tasks in 25 patients with SDs and controls. A voluntary response index (VRI) was calculated, including magnitude and similarity index (SI), to quantify sEMG patterns during four functional tasks. Responsiveness and clinically meaningful levels of discrimination between patients and control for EMG magnitude and SI were determined. An altered pattern of motor control during four functional tasks was evident in the patients, in which greater EMG amplitude and abnormal EMG patterns were found. For SI among four functional tasks, normal subjects ranged from 0.80 to 1.00 while patients ranged from 0.70 to 0.99. High probabilities (97%) of discrimination between patients and normal subjects were found by SI method during an overhead height task (patients: 0.85–0.96, normal subjects: 0.95–1.00). Our results also suggest that an individual can be estimated to be abnormal when lower SI values are observed during the four functional tasks.