Linnaeus was right all along: Ulva and Enteromorpha are not distinct genera.

Ulva, one of the first Linnaean genera, was later circumscribed to consist of green seaweeds with distromatic blades, and Enteromorpha Link was established for tubular forms. Although several lines of evidence suggest that these generic constructs are artificial, Ulva and Enteromorpha have been maintained as separate genera. Our aims were to determine phylogenetic relationships among taxa currently attributed to Ulva, Enteromorpha, Umbraulva Bae et I.K. Lee and the monotypic genus Chloropelta C.E. Tanner, and to make any nomenclatural changes justified by our findings. Analyses of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer DNA (ITS nrDNA) (29 ingroup taxa including the type species of Ulva and Enteromorpha), the chloroplast-encoded rbcL gene (for a subset of taxa) and a combined data set were carried out. All trees had a strongly supported clade consisting of all Ulva, Enteromorpha and Chloropelta species, but Ulva and Enteromorpha were not monophyletic. The recent removal of Umbraulva olivascens (P.J.L. Dangeard) Bae et I.K. Lee from Ulva is supported, although the relationship of the segregate genus Umbraulva to Ulvaria requires further investigation. These results, combined with earlier molecular and culture data, provide strong evidence that Ulva, Enteromorpha and Chloropelta are not distinct evolutionary entities and should not be recognized as separate genera. A comparison of traits for surveyed species revealed few synapomorphies. Because Ulva is the oldest name, Enteromorpha and Chloropelta are here reduced to synonymy with Ulva, and new combinations are made where necessary.

Low mating frequency of queens in the stingless bee Scaptotrigona postica and worker maternity of males.

Kin selection models of intracolonial conflict over the maternity of males predict that social hymenopteran workers should favour the production of sons and nephews over brothers when the effective mating frequency (me) of the queen is low (me2. Stingless bees have been used to support these models in that me within the group is considered low and workers are thought often to monopolise the parentage of males. We genetically analysed 20 worker and 20 male pupae from each of 10 colonies of the stingless bee Scaptotrigona postica (= Scaptotrigona aff. depilis) using six microsatellite loci and demonstrate queen monandry in eight nests and apparent low me in the other two. However, four colonies contained an additional matriline, possibly due to queen supersedure (serial polygyny), which complicated their genetic structure. Across colonies, workers were responsible for the maternity of 13% of all males. These data are broadly in agreement with predictions from kin selection theory, though the question remains open as to why workers do not secure a greater share of male maternity in this and other stingless bee species in which workers are more closely related to nephews than brothers.

Sediment distribution, hydrolytic enzyme profiles and bacterial activities in the guts of Oneirophanta mutabilis, Psychropotes longicauda and Pseudostichopus - what do they tell us about digestive strategies of abyssal holothurians?

This paper describes inter-specific differences in the distribution of sediment in the gut compartments and in the enzyme and bacterial profiles along the gut of abyssal holothurian species — Oneirophanta mutabilis, Psychropotes longicauda and Pseudostichopus villosus sampled from a eutrophic site in the NE Atlantic at different times of the year. Proportions of sediments, relative to total gut contents, in the pharynx, oesophagus, anterior and posterior intestine differed significantly in all the inter-species comparisons, but not between inter-seasonal comparisons. Significant differences were also found between the relative proportions of sediments in both the rectum and cloaca of Psychropotes longicauda and Oneirophanta mutabilis. Nineteen enzymes were identified in either gut-tissue or gut-content samples of the holothurians studied. Concentrations of the enzymes in gut tissues and their contents were highly correlated. Greater concentrations of the enzymes were found in the gut tissues suggesting that they are the main source of the enzymes. The suites of enzymes recorded were broadly similar in each of the species sampled collected regardless of the time of the year, and they were similar to those described previously for shallow-water holothurians. Significant inter-specific differences in the gut tissue concentrations of some of the glycosidases suggest dietary differences. For example, Psychropotes longicauda and Pseudostichopus villosus contain higher levels of chitobiase than Oneirophanta mutabilis. There were no seasonal changes in bacterial activity profiles along the guts of O. mutabilis and Pseudostichopus villosus. In both these species bacterial activity and abundance declined between the pharynx/oesophagus and anterior intestine, but then increased along the gut and became greatest in the rectum/cloaca. Although the data sets were more limited for Psychropotes longicauda, bacterial activity increased from the anterior to the posterior intestine but then declined slightly to the rectum/cloaca. These changes in bacterial activity and densities probably reflect changes in the microbial environment along the guts of abyssal holothurians. Such changes suggest that there is potential for microbial breakdown of a broader range of substrates than could be otherwise be achieved by the holothurian itself. However, the present study found no evidence for sedimentary (microbial) sources of hydrolytic enzymes.

Apoptosis and cell-cycle regulatory proteins in colorectal carcinoma: relationship to tumour stage and patient survival

The quantitative assessment of apoptotic index (AI) and mitotic index (MI) and the immunoreactivity of p53, bcl-2, p21, and mdm2 were examined in tumour and adjacent normal tissue samples from 30 patients with colonic and 22 with rectal adenocarcinoma. Individual features and combined profiles were correlated with clinicopathological parameters and patient survival data to assess their prognostic value. Increased AI was significantly associated with increased bcl-2 expression (p

A Phase I and Pharmacokinetic Study of OSI-7904L, a Liposomal Thymidylate Synthase Inhibitor in Combination with Oxaliplatin in Patients with Advanced Colorectal Cancer.

OSI-7904L is a liposomal formulation of a potent thymidylate synthase (TS) inhibitor. This phase I study evaluated the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics (PK) of OSI-7904L administered in combination with oxaliplatin every 21 days in patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma. METHOD: A 3+3 study design was utilized at predefined dose levels. Polymorphisms in the TS enhancer region and XPD enzyme were investigated as potential predictors of efficacy and toxicity. RESULTS: Fourteen patients received 76 cycles of treatment. At the highest dose level (OSI-7904L 9 mg/m(2), oxaliplatin 130 mg/m(2)) investigated, one of nine patients experienced dose-limiting toxicity of grade 3 oral mucositis with cycle 1 and five further patients required dose reductions. The toxicity profile of stomatitis, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, sensory neuropathy and skin rash was consistent with that expected for a TS inhibitor/oxaliplatin combination regimen. PK analysis showed high interpatient variability with no detectable interaction between OSI-7904L and oxaliplatin. Partial radiological responses were documented in two patients. CONCLUSIONS: The recommended regimen for further investigation is OSI-7904L 9 mg/m(2) and oxaliplatin 130 mg/m(2).

Ca(2+) signals coordinate zygotic polarization and cell cycle progression in the brown alga Fucus serratus

Zygotes of the fucoid brown algae provide excellent models for addressing fundamental questions about zygotic symmetry breaking. Although the acquisition of polarity is tightly coordinated with the timing and orientation of the first asymmetric division-with zygotes having to pass through a G1/S-phase checkpoint before the polarization axis can be fixed -the mechanisms behind the interdependence of polarization and cell cycle progression remain unclear. In this study, we combine in vivo Ca(2+) imaging, single cell monitoring of S-phase progression and multivariate analysis of high-throughput intracellular Ca(2+) buffer loading to demonstrate that Ca(2+) signals coordinate polarization and cell cycle progression in the Fucus serratus zygote. Consistent with earlier studies on this organism, and in contrast to animal models, we observe no fast Ca(2+) wave following fertilization. Rather, we show distinct slow localized Ca(2+) elevations associated with both fertilization and S-phase progression, and we show that both S-phase and zygotic polarization are dependent on pre-S-phase Ca(2+) increases. Surprisingly, this Ca(2+) requirement cannot be explained by co-dependence on a single G1/ S-phase checkpoint, as S phase and zygotic polarization are differentially sensitive to pre-S-phase Ca(2+) elevations and can be uncoupled. Furthermore, subsequent cell cycle progression through M phase is independent of localized actin polymerization and zygotic polarization. This absence of a morphogenesis checkpoint, together with the observed Ca(2+)dependences of S phase and polarization, show that the regulation of zygotic division in the brown algae differs from that in other eukaryotic model systems, such as yeast and Drosophila.