An Improved Energy Method For Determining Young'S Modulus By Instrumented Indentation Using A Berkovich Tip

We previously proposed a method for estimating Young's modulus from instrumented nanoindentation data based on a model assuming that the indenter had a spherical-capped Berkovich geometry to take account of the bluntness effect. The method is now further improved by releasing the constraint on the tip shape, allowing it to have a much broader arbitrariness to range from a conical-tipped shape to a flat-ended shape, whereas the spherical-capped shape is just a special case in between. This method requires two parameters to specify a tip geometry, namely, a volume bluntness ratio V-r and a height bluntness ratio h(r). A set of functional relationships correlating nominal hardness/reduced elastic modulus ratio (H-n/E-r) and elastic work/total work ratio (W-e/W) were established based on dimensional analysis and finite element simulations, with each relationship specified by a set of V-r and h(r). Young's modulus of an indented material can be estimated from these relationships. The method was shown to be valid when applied to S45C carbon steel and 6061 aluminum alloy.

Inland free-living nematodes in China: A historical review of taxonomic studies with descriptions of Aphanonchus orientalis sp nov (Chromadorida : Leptolaimidae) and Daptonema limnobia sp nov (Monhysterida : Xyalidae)

The study of inland free-living nematodes is relatively imperfect in China, only seventeen papers were previously published. Since the early researches in 20-30s, few works have been accomplished until 80s. Altogether 171 taxa were formerly recorded, among which, over eighty species have been re-combined. A checklist of the former records with notes on their distribution is presented in this paper. Recently, the function of free-living nematodes has received much attention from Chinese zoologists. Hence, the present authors carried out their studies with emphasis on taxonomy of inland nematodes. During the survey of freshwater lakes, two species are found to be nem to science. Aphanonchus orientalis sp. nov. is characterized by having sclerotized vagina, the presence of 10-11 tubular supplements and 42-62 alveoli supplements in males, but no alveoli in females. Daptonema limnobia sp, nov. is distinguished from other species of the genus in the presence of larger and more anteriorly located amphids, shorter bifurcated spicules, smaller apophysis of gubernaculum, shorter terminal setae, and postvulval uterine sac in females.

The freeliving nematode genus Parodontophora Timm 1963 (Nematoda : Axonolaimidae) is not exclusively marine: Parodontophora limnophila sp nov from freshwater in China

Parodontophora limnophila sp. nov. is described from Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake of China. It is characterized by having an amphid with its posterior end close to the base of the stoma, relatively short cephalic setae, opisthocephalic setae arranged as two subdorsal groups of three longitudinally arranged setae and two single subventral setae, excretory pore at the level of the anterior part of the stoma and renette gland 34-47% of the oesophageal length. To date, the new species is the only Parodontophora species found in freshwater habitats.

角蟾科（Megophryidae; Anura）蝌蚪的形态多样性和生态适应

角蟾科（Megophryidae）是以角蟾属（Megophrys Kuhl and Van Hasselt, 1822）为模式属而建立的，隶于无尾目（Anura），变凹型亚目（Anomocoela）。角蟾科包括2 亚科11 属142 种，分布于东洋界，从巴基斯坦、中国西部向东直到菲律宾和苏达群岛；中国有9 属75 种分布于华中和华南地区。角蟾科被认为是原始的两栖动物之一，其分类学、系统学、生态学、动物地理学的研究均深受中外科学家的瞩目。近年来，通过形态学、古生物学、细胞学、生态学、支序系统学的研究，角蟾科的分类与系统学研究取得了较大进展。与成体形态和分子系统学研究结果相比较，蝌蚪的研究存在更多的问题和挑战，尚需深入研究：（1）角蟾科蝌蚪的形态多样性分析；（2）角蟾科的系统发育关系与蝌蚪的演化，以及口漏斗的起源；（3）角蟾科蝌蚪表型分化与栖息环境和觅食行为的适应演化。针对上述问题，本文对角蟾科9 属30 种蝌蚪的形态特征，包括外部宏观形态和口器外部结构特征、口器内部显微结构、唇齿和角质颌的亚显微结构作了深入细致、多层次的比较研究；通过12s rRNA 和cytochrome b 基因构建最大简约树，采用贝叶斯系统发育进行分析，蝌蚪型的演化采用祖先性状的重建方法分析；得到如下结论：1）初步将角蟾科蝌蚪分为4 种类型；并且建立了2 种新的角蟾科蝌蚪类型。A 型：拟髭蟾型蝌蚪，该型蝌蚪包括拟髭蟾属、髭蟾属、齿蟾属和齿突蟾属的物种；B 型：新类型，掌突蟾型蝌蚪，该型蝌蚪在本文中包括掌突蟾属、小臂蟾属的物种；C 型：新类型，短腿蟾型蝌蚪，一种特化类型，该型蝌蚪在本文中仅包括短腿蟾属的物种；D 型：角蟾型蝌蚪，该型蝌蚪在本文中包括无耳蟾属、小口拟角蟾属和异角蟾属的物种。2）对角蟾科的分类进行了修订：（1）支持角蟾科两个亚科的分类系统；（2）角蟾亚科包括拟角蟾属、异角蟾属、无耳蟾属和短腿蟾属；该亚科形态差异小，系统学关系比较复杂，暂不作族级分类的再划分；（3）拟髭蟾亚科分为2 个族：拟髭蟾族，该族物种具有类型A 的蝌蚪，包括4 个属：拟髭蟾属、髭蟾属、齿蟾属、齿突蟾属；掌突蟾族，该族物种具有类型B 的蝌蚪，包括2 个属：掌突蟾属和小臂蟾属。3）结合分子系统进化关系探讨了4 种蝌蚪类型的演化。（1）角蟾科蝌蚪的最近共同祖先来自于一类具有拟髭蟾型蝌蚪性状的蝌蚪；（2）掌突蟾型蝌蚪和角蟾亚科的蝌蚪是由具有拟髭蟾型蝌蚪性状的祖先蝌蚪分别演化而来；（3）短腿蟾型蝌蚪是角蟾型蝌蚪的一种特化类型；（4）外群蝌蚪具有与拟髭蟾型蝌蚪相似的性状，进一步印证了类拟髭蟾型蝌蚪是角蟾科蝌蚪的最近共同祖先的假说；（5）具有口漏斗的蝌蚪类型是由不具口漏斗的蝌蚪类型演化而来，在角蟾科中口漏斗是一种衍生性状。4）分析了角蟾科四种蝌蚪类型与栖息环境的适应演化。（1）角蟾科蝌蚪的口部和体形的变化反映了该科蝌蚪由缓流向类似静水生境的回水凼的渐变式适应，角蟾科蝌蚪的形态显示了多方面的适应变化；（2）随着蝌蚪类型由A 向D的演化，当水速较大时，拟髭蟾型的蝌蚪营流水攀吸型生活方式；当水速递减时，掌突蟾型蝌蚪营流水附着型生活方式；当水速进一步递减时，具有较小口漏斗的短腿蟾型蝌蚪和具有大漏斗的角蟾型蝌蚪营流水浮泳型生活。角蟾科蝌蚪对于水流递减的适应演化说明蝌蚪的生态学适应是具有进化意义的；（3）蝌蚪口器内部结构的分化揭示了蝌蚪和食性的适应关系，蝌蚪以口部的唇齿与角质颌刮取或吞吸水中的物质，然后，通过口乳突有选择地过滤进入口腔中食物。拟髭蟾亚科蝌蚪的唇齿多而窄，唇齿间距宽，颌鞘粗而稀，反映了其植食性为主的特点；它们的舌前乳突一般为指状，在口腔入口处所占面积小，其机械过滤的作用很多被唇齿和角质颌分担了；而角蟾亚科的蝌蚪，其角质颌弱，其舌前乳突一般为匙状，几乎填满了口腔入口处，因此舌前乳突起了主要的机械过滤作用。The family Megophryidae is the largest and most diverse families inArchaeobatrachia, and most of its species occur in India, Pakistan, and eastward intoChina, Southeast Asia, Borneo and the Philippines to the Sunda Islands. Currently thefamily includes 142 species have been grouped into two subfamilies, Megophryinaeand Leptobrachiinae. The mountains of central and southern China are rich in speciesof Megophryidae, 75 species belong to 9 genera and two subfamilies.The family was supposed to be ideal materials of studies in many fields of biology,such as taxonomy, evolution, systematics, ecology, and biogeography. Recently, therehave a great development in taxonomy and systematics of megophryids throughstudied by morphology, paleontology, cytology, ecology, and cladistics. However,larvae of megophryids were generally unknown, although the tadpoles might be veryimportant for above studies.In this paper, we examined the evolutionary scenario of the tadpoles’ morphologyin the context of a phylogenetic framework. Our objectives are (1) to evaluate thedivergence of larval body shape and oral discs in the family Megophryidae, (2) toexplore the evolutionary trends of the larvae in megophryidae, and test if thefunnel-shaped oral disc is apomorphic, and (3) to explore the relationship of the larvalstructure, diet and microhabitat.We examined larval morphology of 30 megophryid species, the larval body shape,oral discs, the buccopharyngeal cavity, and jaw sheaths and denticles of the Chinesemegophryid frogs were re-examined. We constructed a phylogeny of the species on thebasis of published mitochondrial cytochrome b and 16S rRNA gene segments usingpartitioned Bayesian analyses. Furthermore, hypothetical changes of larval morphologywere inferred using parsimony principle on the phylogeny. The results showed that:1) Four tadpole types in Megophryidae. The larval morphological charactersseries in Chinese megophryids fall into four general categories according to the bodyshape and oral discs: (A) Leptobrachiini type, species from genera Leptobrachium,Oreolalax, Scutiger and, Vibrissaphora share this type of tadpoles. (B) Leptolalax type,species of genus Leptolalax have this type of tadpoles. (C) Brachytarsophrys type,species of the genus Brachytarsophrys have this type of tadpoles. (D) Megophryinitype, species of the genera Atympanophrys, Ophryophryne, and Xenophrys share this type of tadpoles. Of which B and C are two novel types.2）Taxonomic implications. The present study leads us to reconsider the generalclassification of tribes attributed to members of Megophryidae. More specifically,concerning the phylogenetic relationships and the two novel tadpole types describedherein, we propose a provisional taxonomy for the family but suggest that further taxasampling of other megophryids be performed to confirm this taxonomic change. TheMegophryidae is composed of two subfamilies (Leptobrachiinae and Megophryinae).The Leptobrachiinae was recogonized the two tribes: (1) tribe Leptobrachiini sensuDubois, corresponding to the tadpole of type A, including four genera, i.e.,Leptobrachium, Oreolalax, Scutiger and, Vibrissaphora; (2) tribe Leptolalaxini,corresponding to the tadpole of novel type B, including two genera, i.e., Leptolalaxand Leptobrachella. However, the relationships among the genera of Megophryinaewere largely unresolved, they recognized no monophyletic groups above the generalevel. A more thorough sampling will likely foster a better taxonomic solution.3) The larval evolutionary scenario in Megophryidae.Type A is characteristicof normal-mouthed with multiple tooth rows, representing the tadpole type of theMRCA of Chinese megophryids. Type B is characteristic of normal-mouthed withreduced tooth rows, prolonging labium, and integumetary glands. Type C ischaracteristic of no labial teeth and smaller umbeliform oral disc. Type D ischaracteristic of no labial teeth, enlarged umbeliform oral disc, representing the tadpoleof the MRCA of subfamily Megophryinae. A previous hypothesis, referring tofunnel-shaped oral discs as an apomorphy, is supported.4) The larval adaptation to habitats in Megophryidae. Tadpoles generallyadhere to substrates using their mouths, and the microhabitat that the tadpoles occupyreflects the degree of adhesion and oral complexity. The morphological changes inmegophryid tadpoles virtually allow a progressive adaptation to a changing habitatfrom faster water to slower water. Within the tadpoles of Type A to type D, the TOTbecomes smaller and smaller, and the oral disc orientates from anteroventral toumbelliform upturned, and eye position orientates from dorsal to lateral, and the trunkis more and more depressed and tail becomes relatively longer and slender. Within therunning water, the normal-mouthed with multiple tooth rows of Leptobrachiini tadpoles are correlated with lotic-suctorial, benthic feeders with anteroventral oraldisc and the largest body. With the water’s velocity decreasing, the lotic-adherentfeeders of Leptolalax tadpoles have tube-shaped labium with reduced tooth rows andintegumetary glands. And then, the smaller umbeliform in Brachytarsophrys tadpolesand the enlarged umbeliform oral disc in the Megophryini tadpoles are inhabitmicrohabitats of non-flowing backwaters of rivers, indicative of adaptive traits oflotic-neustonic surface feeders. The scheme of megophryid tadpoles andmicrohabitats provided the first clear evidence which congruent with the hypothesis ofAltig and Johnston (1989). The ecological divergence plays a general role in thedivergence and evolution of megophrid larvae. There is a definite correlation amongthe buccopharyngeal cavity, diet and feeding mechanisms, the tadpole graze orswallow the food particles, then through papillae which like a sieve and sort out foodparticles to the oesophagus. The tadpole of Leptobrachiinae possess multiple toothrows, wide intertooth distance as well as thick and sparse jaw sheath, these tadpolesinhabit bottom of the streams and graze on epiphyton or major detritus of organicmatter on the substrates, their prelingual papillae like single finger, the mechanicalpurpose of papillae served share in by tooth and jaw. The tadpoles of Megophryinaeoccur near the water surface of small streams and are the filter feeder, their dietincludes plankton and organic debris floating on the water surface, those tadpolepossess weak jaw, their prelingual papillae like spoon, the mechanical purpose ofpapillae served mostly for sieve.

Molecular characterization of an ecdysone inducible gene E75 of Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis and elucidation of its role in molting by RNA interference

Ecdysone inducible gene. E75 is a primary target of ecdysone receptor (EcR). and is found to play a critical role in the molting process of arthropods In this study, a cDNA encoding the E75 of Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis (FcE75) was cloned using RT-PCR and RACE techniques FcE75 cDNA was 3611 bp in length with an ORF of 2394 bp. The deduced amino acid sequence of FcE75 had the highest sequence identity to E75 from a land crab Gecarcinus lateral's and E75 of the shrimp Metapenaeus crisis Quantitative real-time PCR revealed a prominently high expression of FcE75 mRNA in the whole body RNA extract of late premolt period (D3) juvenile shrimp. The role of E75 in the process of shrimp molting was investigated using the RNA interference technique Long double-stranded RNA corresponding to the FcE75 (dsE75) efficiently silenced the FcE75 transcript levels in juvenile F. chinensis. Further, injection with dsE75 completely arrested the molting process in experimental shrimp which eventually caused death Setogenic analysis of the uropods from molt-arrested shrimp, showed defective epidermal retraction, poor development of setae and new cuticle. These results indicate that E75 might be related to the molting process and is essential for proper molting and survival of shrimp This is the first report demonstrating the use of double stranded RNA to elucidate the possible role of E75 in the molting of decapod crustaceans (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc All rights reserved

Further Indo-West Pacific palaemonoid shrimps (Crustacea : Decapoda : Palaemonoidea), principally from the New Caledonian region

Based on the material deposited in the Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, collected from the Indo-West Pacific, principally from the New Caledonian region, the present paper reports 117 palaemonoid shrimp species, which belong, respectively, to Anchistioididae ( one genus, one species), Gnathophyllidae ( one genus, one species), Palaemonidae Palaemoninae ( seven genera, nine species), and Palaemonidae Pontoniinae ( 30 genera, 106 species), including eight new species. The new species are all Pontoniinae: Mesopontonia brevicarpalis sp. nov., Palaemonella komaii sp. nov., Periclimenes crosnieri sp. nov., Periclimenes forgesi sp. nov., Periclimenes loyautensis sp. nov., Periclimenes paralcocki sp. nov., Periclimenes paraleator sp. nov., and Periclimenes pseudalcocki sp. nov. The last six new species are members of the deep-water "Periclimenes alcocki species complex'', which has more than two ( usually four) pairs of dorsolateral telson spines anterior to the posterior telson margin, the cornea is usually reduced, the dactyl of the major second chela is generally flanged and the chela is sometimes covered with small tubercles. The complex is usually found at more than 200m depth in the West Pacific. The species can be distinguished from each other by the armature of ambulatory propod and dactyl, diameter of cornea, rostrum shape and the number of pairs of dorsolateral telson spines. Mesopontonia brevicarpalis sp. nov., from the southeast coast of Africa, is the seventh species of the genus. Palaemonella komaii sp. nov. is very similar to Palaemonella dolichodactylus Bruce, 1991 and Palaemonella hachijo Okuno, 1999. These three species share the features of very long and slender ambulatory pereiopods with the dactyl more than eight times longer than its basal depth and with several long setae on the dorsal dactylar margin.

Aega sheni, a new species of Aegidae (Crustacea : Isopoda : Cymothoida) from southern China and Australia

Aega sheni sp. nov. from Chinese and Australian waters, is described and figured. This species is characterized by the plate-like expansion of antennule peduncle articles 1 and 2, very large eyes (nearly making contact), numerous robust setae on the inferior margins of the ischium of pereopods 2 and 3, large distal lobe on the propodus of pereopods 1-3, shape and setation of the uropods, and the rounded pleotelson posterior margin. Aega sheni has been recorded at depths of 300-435 metres.

华北克拉通新生代玄武岩携带的地幔橄榄岩Fe同位素地球化学及含金云母地幔岩岩石学研究

In recent years, thanks to the improvement of analytical methods and the use of MC-ICP-MS, Fe isotope can be measured precisely. Fe isotope shows considerable variation both in biological and inorganic processes (from low T to high T) in nature, Therefore, Fe isotope has become one of the exciting frontier sciences and has favorable prospects of the application to the geosciences and life sciences. Based on a comprehensive review of available references in the related field, this study focuses on the development of techniques for high-precision measurement of iron isotope using MC-ICP-MS, and application of the techniques developed to study the Fe isotopes as well as major and trace element compositions of minerals (Ol, Opx, Cpx and Sp) from spinel peridotitic xenoliths from Cenozoic alkaline basalts to investigate Fe isotopic features of the lithospheric mantle beneath the North China Craton. The minerals from these xenoliths are similar to those off-cratonic peridotites world-wide, but are remarkably different from those on-cratonic peridotites and clinopyroxenes from these spinel lherzolites exhibit two types of chondrite-normalized REE patterns i.e. LREE-depleted and flat or spoon-shaped. It is noted that total abundances of REE in clinopyroxenes from these peridotites show a broad negative correlation with Cr# numbers of Cpx and Sp. The Fe isotope results show that the spinel peridotitic xenoliths have small but distinguishable Fe isotopic variations in minerals (generally Ol < Opx < Cpx) and samples, and the isotopic range in spinel is relatively large. Positive linear relationship with the ε57Fecpx/ε57Feopx ratio close to one unit has been observed between Fe isotopes of coexistent Opx and Cpx, indicating that the Cpx and Opx have generally reached Fe isotopic equilibrium. However, Fe isotopes between the Ol and Sp show apparent disequilibrium. The broadly negative correlation between mineral Fe isotopes and oxygen fugacity (fo2), metasomatic indexes such as spinel Cr#, (La/Yb) N and (La/Sm) N ratios of clinopyroxenes suggest that Fe isotopic variations in different minerals and peridotites were probably produced by melt-peridotite interaction. This study further confirms the previous observation that the lithospheric mantle has distinguishable and heterogeneous Fe isotopic variations at a scale of xenoliths. Mantle metasomatism that induces the interaction of the lithospheric mantle peridotite with metasomatic agent is a most potential mechanism for the Fe isotope fractionation in mantle peridotites. Therefore, Fe isotope could be a new and powerful tool to probe the evolution of the lithospheric mantle. We also report mineral compositions, clinopyroxene trace element concentrations and Sr-Nd isotopes for newly-discovered phlogopite-bearing spinel lherzolite and olivine clinopyroxenite xenoliths from three different localities （Hannuoba, Hebei Province; Jining Sangyitang, Inner Mongolia; Hebi, Henan Province）of the North China Craton. Systematic comparisons with phlogopite-free spinel lherzolite xenolith from the same locality reveals that the phlogopite-bearing peridotitic xenoliths have relatively higher Al2O3, CaO, Na2O, K2O, TiO2 contents and lower MgO contents than those phogopite-free counterparts. The former also has higher LREE concentrations, but relatively less radiogenic Sr-Nd isotopic ratios. This demonstrates that mantle metasomatism can not only enrich the basaltic components and trace element concentrations, but also make a decrease in Mg# of the peridotites and olivines and a relative depletion in Sr-Nd isotopes. 87Rb/86Sr-87Sr/86Sr isochrons of the phlogopite-bearing xenoliths indicate that mantle metasomatism happened in the Mesozoic and/or Cenozoic time. The metasomatic agent was derived from the asthenosphere. The result also manifests that the widespread similarity of the geochemical features such as major and trace elements and isotopic compositions in the Cenozoic lithospheric mantle beneath the North China Craton to those “oceanic” lithospheric mantle could be as a result of the ubiquitous presence of the interaction between the old refractory peridotites and the infiltrated asthenospheric melt, rather than the actually newly-accreted lithospheric mantle.