The mystery of a missing bone: revealing the orbitosphenoid in basal Epicynodontia (Cynodontia,Therapsida) through computed tomography

The basal non-mammaliaform cynodonts from the late Permian (Lopingian) and Early Triassic are a major source of information for the understanding of the evolutionary origin of mammals. Detailed knowledge of their anatomy is critical for understanding the phylogenetic transition toward mammalness and the paleobiological reconstruction of mammalian precursors. Using micro-computed tomography (μCT), we describe the internal morphology of the interorbital region that includes the rarely fossilized orbitosphenoid elements in four basal cynodonts. These paired bones, which are positioned relatively dorsally in the skull, contribute to the wall of the anterior part of the braincase and form the floor for the olfactory lobes. Unlike procynosuchids and the more basal therapsids in which the orbitosphenoids are well developed, dense, and bear a ventral keel, the basal epicynodonts Cynosaurus, Galesaurus, and Thrinaxodon display cancellous, reduced, and loosely articulated orbitosphenoids, a condition shared with many eucynodonts. The hemi-cylindrical orbitosphenoid from which the mammalian condition is derived re-evolved convergently in traversodontid and some probainognathian cynodonts.     

Male scent-marking pheromone of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bombus ardens ardens</Emphasis> (Hymenoptera; Apidae) attracts both conspecific queens and males

To explore the role of the volatiles emitted from male labial gland (LG) of the bumblebee Bombus ardens ardens, we investigated the responses of virgin queens and males to volatiles using a gas chromatography–electroantennographic detector (GC–EAD) system and Y-tube olfactometer. GC–EAD analysis revealed that citronellol, the main compound detected in the male LG, caused clear electrophysiological responses in the antennae of B. a. ardens virgin queens and males although two minor compounds elicited antennal responses when applied in a high concentration. Behavioral tests using a Y-tube olfactometer showed that queens and males were significantly attracted to both LG extracts and citronellol more than to the solvent alone. This is the first study to demonstrate that citronellol as a major compound of male scent-marking pheromone in B. a. ardens functions as a sex attractant for queens. The results also suggest that this compound has another function as a trail marker used by males.     

Seasonality and microhabitat selection in a forest-dwelling salamander

Many small terrestrial vertebrates exhibit limited spatial movement and are considerably exposed to changes in local environmental variables. Among such vertebrates, amphibians at present experience a dramatic decline due to their limited resilience to environmental change. Since the local survival and abundance of amphibians is intrinsically related to the availability of shelters, conservation plans need to take microhabitat requirements into account. In order to gain insight into the terrestrial ecology of the spectacled salamander Salamandrina perspicillata and to identify appropriate forest management strategies, we investigated the salamander’s seasonal variability in habitat use of trees as shelters in relation to tree features (size, buttresses, basal holes) and environmental variables in a beech forest in Italy. We used the occupancy approach to assess tree suitability on a non-conventional spatial scale. Our approach provides fine-grained parameters of microhabitat suitability and elucidates many aspects of the salamander’s terrestrial ecology. Occupancy changed with the annual life cycle and was higher in autumn than in spring, when females were found closer to the stream in the study area. Salamanders showed a seasonal pattern regarding the trees they occupied and a clear preference for trees with a larger diameter and more burrows. With respect to forest management, we suggest maintaining a suitable number of trees with a trunk diameter exceeding 30 cm. A practice of selective logging along the banks of streams could help maintain an adequate quantity of the appropriate microhabitat. Furthermore, in areas with a presence of salamanders, a good forest management plan requires leaving an adequate buffer zone around streams, which should be wider in autumn than in spring.     

Postnatal nutrition influences male attractiveness and promotes plasticity in male mating preferences

Poor early-life nutrition could reduce adult reproductive success by negatively affecting traits linked to sexual attractiveness such as song complexity. If so, this might favor strategic mate choice, allowing males with less complex songs to tailor their mating tactics to maximize the reproductive benefits. However, this possibility has been ignored in theoretical and empirical studies. By manipulating the micronutrient content of the diet (e.g., low or high) during the postnatal period of male zebra finches, we show for the first time (1) that males reared on a poor (low) micronutrient diet had less complex songs as adults; (2) that these males, in contrast to the high micronutrient diet group, were more selective in their mating strategies, discriminating against those females most likely to reduce their clutch size when paired with males having less complex songs; and (3) that by following different mating strategies, males reared on the contrasting diets obtained similar reproductive benefits. These results suggest that early-life dietary conditions can induce multiple and long-lasting effects on male and female reproductive traits. Moreover, the results seem to reflect a previously unreported case of adaptive plasticity in mate choice in response to a nutritionally mediated reduction in sexual attractiveness.     

喷射时刻对柴油甲醇组合燃烧发动机颗粒物排放的影响

为了进一步减少甲醇掺烧后的柴油机颗粒物排放,在一台由增压中冷的高压共轨柴油机改造成的柴油甲醇组合燃烧(DMCC—diesel/methanol compound combustion)发动机上详细研究了柴油喷射时刻对两种燃料共燃时的颗粒物生成及其排放的影响.试验工况选择重型柴油机常用的A50工况.试验结果表明,当柴油在上止点后喷射时,颗粒物排放的数量浓度随着甲醇替代率的增加而减少,当上止点前喷射时,颗粒物的数量浓度先减少后增加.随着喷射时刻的提前,颗粒中超细颗粒所占比例增大.随着喷射时刻的推迟,甲醇替代率降低颗粒物质量浓度的作用增强,同时甲醇替代率降低颗粒物几何平均直径的作用减弱.     

暴风雪中的救难"天使"——沈阳消防官兵抗击暴雪纪实

2007年3月4日．一场56年不遇的狂风暴雪席卷沈城。危急关头,英雄的沈阳消防官兵．挺身而出,奋勇抢险．为人民驱走了一个个灾难．在暴风雪中,他们以无私奉献的精神和过硬的技术本领保卫了人民的平安。     

求真务实,着力做好地震安评工作

山东省胶南市地震局在上级业务主管部门精心指导和市委、市政府正确领导下,在兄弟区市的大力支持配合下,认真贯彻落实防震减灾法律法规,切实履行工作职责,依法加强建设工程抗震设防管理,积极主动应对挑战,创新工作思路,扎实提高地震安评工作能力,始终把全市重要建设工程安全性评价工作做为首要工作来抓。2006年对青岛港董家口码头等10项重大工程进行了地震安全性评价工作,工程安评率达到100％,在青岛地区保持领先地位,地震安评工作实现了历史性的突破,从而确保了胶南市各类工程的抗震质量,提高了城乡规划建设安全系数和整体防御能力,保障了全市经济和社会的协调发展。     

保护地球环境

1972年联合国在瑞典的斯德哥尔摩召开了有113个国家参加的联合国人类环境会议。会议讨论了保护全球环境的行动计划,通过了《人类环境宣言》。会议建议联合国大会将这次会议开幕的6月5日定为“世界环境保护日”。同年10月联合国大会第27届会议接受并通过了这一建议。每年的6月5日,世界各国都开展群众性的环境保护宣传纪念活动,以唤起全世界人民都来注意保护人类赖以生存的环境,自觉采取行动参与环境保护的共同努力,同时要求各国政府和联合国系统为推进环境保护进程做出贡献。     

社会呼唤更多志愿者

1971年,联合国志愿人员组织正式成立,它的宗旨是动员具有献身精神并有一技之长的志愿人员,帮助发展中国家尽快实现其发展目标。1985年,第40届联大确定从1986年起,每年12月5日为“国际志愿人员日”。1994年12月5日,由共青团中央等单位发起的中国青年志愿者协会在北京成立。中国志愿者也从此在全国各地展开了活动。     

防治"空巢综合症"

“空巢家庭”是指无子女共处,只剩下老年人独自生活的家庭。据了,解,在发达国家,“空巢家庭”出现较早,现在十分普遍,老年人与子女同住的只占10％-30％,除了日本,大多数老年人均与子女分居。美国第二次世界大战前,52％的老年人与子女同住,到了20世纪80年代,与子女同住的只有百分之十几,在比利时、丹麦、法国和英国,65岁以上独居者家庭占全部家庭户11％;