A novel hydroperoxyl substituted cembranolide diterpene from marine soft coral Lobophytum crassum

A new cembranolide diterpene with a hydroperoxyl substitution was isolated from the marine soft coral Lobophytum crassum. The structure was elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectral methods.

Estudio de Protictitherium crassum del Cerro de los Batallones (Torrejón de Velasco, Madrid): aportación a la filogenia y evolución de la familia hyaenidae

En esta tesis doctoral se aborda el estudio sistemático y paleobiológico de los fósiles del hiénido Protictitherium crassum FILHOL, 1883 del sistema de yacimientos miocenos del Cerro de los Batallones (Torrejón de Velasco, Madrid, España). La abundancia, representatividad y el excepcional estado de conservación de los restos fósiles hallados en los yacimientos del Cerro de los Batallones, de edad Vallesiense (MN 10), han permitido contar con una excelente colección de material fósil para un estudio morfológico, sistemático, filogenético y paleobiológico detallado...

De palingenesia veterum seu metempsychosi sic dicta pythagorica. libri III. quibus num Pythagoras animarum humanarum de corpore uno in aliud corpus crassum vel hominis vel bruti etc. transmigrationem adseruisse: atque hinc & carnibus, & fabis abstinuisse censeatur recte disquiritur ... / Guilielmi Irhovii.

P. 218-219 misnumbered as p. 118-119.

Antibacterial and cytotoxic properties of isoprenoids from the red sea soft coral, Lobophytum sp

Purpose: To evaluate the antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of the secondary metabolites of Lobophytum sp. Methods: Maceration with methanol: chloroform (1:1) was applied to extract the coral material. Chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques were employed for fractionation, isolation and elucidation of pure compounds. Antibacterial activities were performed by well diffusion method against three Gram-positive and four Gram-negative bacteria. Brine shrimp lethality test was employed to predict toxicity, while antitumor activity were tested by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method against Ehrlich carcinoma cells. Results: Four sesquiterpenes, one cembranoid type diterpenes and two steroids were isolated. 1 exhibited significant antibacterial activity against four tested bacteria (P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, S. epidermis, and S. pneumonia) with MIC value of 15 μg/mL. Moreover, 1 showed high diameter zone of inhibition ranging from 16 - 18 mm against test bacteria. Compounds 4 and 5 displayed moderate antibacterial activity against all test bacteria with inhibition zone diameter (IZD) ranging from 11 – 15 mm and MIC values of 30 μg/mL. 2, 3, 6 and 7 exhibited weak antibacterial activity (IZD, 7 - 11 mm; MIC ≥ 30 μg/mL). In addition, only diterpene compound (4) showed high toxicity against A. Salina and antitumor activity against Erhlich carcinoma cells with the LD50 of 25 and 50 μg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: This study reveals the strong antibacterial activity of sesquiterpene alismol (1) and the potential antibacterial and antitumor activity of cembranoid type diterpene, cembrene A (4).

钻地风属和冠盖藤属（虎耳草科）的分类学修订

钻地风属（Schizophragma Siebold & Zucc.）和冠盖藤属（Pileostegia Hook. f. & Thomson）隶属于虎耳草科绣球花亚科绣球花族植物，分布于东亚。本论文对钻地风属和冠盖藤属进行了全面的分类学研究：重点分析了钻地风属和冠盖藤属各形态性状的变异式样，确定了二属的性状变异范围;在光学显微镜下，对钻地风属中6种5变种和冠盖藤属中2种共130份材料的叶表皮特征进行了深入、全面的观察和研究;并对二属的叶脉序特征进行了研究。结果显示，苞片存在与否、不育花存在与否、花瓣顶端是否联合、蒴果和种子的形状、叶片质地、生长习性、表皮细胞垂周壁加厚与否、气孔器分布、类型、气孔大小、保卫细胞轮廓、外拱盖是否双层、二级脉、三级脉、高级脉及网眼等特征在属的水平上具有重要的分类学意义，这些性状特征支持将钻地风属和冠盖藤属作为两个独立的属处理。根据形态性状及叶脉序特征推测，冠盖藤属较原始，钻地风属较进化。在钻地风属中，叶片毛被的有无及类型、叶片形状和叶缘的形状等特征可作为可靠的分种依据;叶表皮特征在种及种下等级具有重要的分类学意义;叶脉序多呈现环节曲行羽状脉式样，二级脉具分枝，在种间存在细微差别。根据形态性状及叶脉序特征推测，厚叶钻地风S. crassum Hand.-Mazz.和白背钻地风S. hypoglaucum Rehder可能为钻地风属中较原始的类群，秦榛钻地风S. corylifolium Chun和绣球钻地风S. hydrangeoides Siebold & Zucc.可能较进化。在冠盖藤属中，叶片毛被的有无及类型、叶片形状等特征可作为可靠的分种依据;该属中叶表皮特征相似，2个种间叶表皮特征无差异;叶脉序多呈现环节曲行羽状脉式样，二级脉无分枝，在种间差异极小。 作者在研究了近2000份腊叶标本的基础上，结合叶表皮特征和叶脉序特征，认为钻地风属和冠盖藤属为两个独立的属。首次对钻地风属和冠盖藤属进行了世界性的分类学修订，确认钻地风属含7个种、5个变种，冠盖藤属含2个种。对钻地风属中的5个名称和冠盖藤属中的2个名称进行了归并;为钻地风属中的1个名称和冠盖藤属中的2个名称指定了后选模式;发现被命名为维西钻地风S. crassum Hand.-Mazz. var. hsitaoianum (Chun) C. F. Wei的类群其正确名称为S. crassum Hand.-Mazz. var. ellipticum J. Anthony;恢复了变种小粉绿钻地风S. integrifolium Oliv. var. minus Rehder;重新界定了白背钻地风和小粉绿钻地风的变异范围，澄清了中国文献中记载的粉绿钻地风S. integrifolium Oliv. var. glaucescens Rehder长期存在的名实混乱问题。本论文对各个分类群进行了详细的形态描述，给出了分种检索表，并附分布资料及地理分布图。

Investigation of benthic community change over a century-wide scale in the western English Channel

Since the early part of the 20th Century the impact of a range of anthropogenic activities in our coastal seas has steadily increased. The effect of such activities is a major cause for concern but in the benthic environment few studies exist that date back more than a few decades. Hence understanding long term changes is a challenge. Within this study we utilized a historic benthic dataset and resurveyed an area west of Eddystone reef in the English Channel previously investigated 112 years ago. The aim of the present work was to describe the current benthic community structure and investigate potential differences between 1895 and 2007. For each of the four major phyla investigated (Polychaeta, Crustacea, Mollusca and Echinodermata), multivariate community analysis showed significant differences between the historic and contemporary surveys. Echinoderm diversity showed a clear reduction between 1895 and 2007. The sea urchins Echinus esculentus, Spatangus purpureus, and Psammechinus miliaris and large star-fish Marthasterias glacialis showed reductions in abundance, in some cases being entirely absent from the survey area in 2007. Polychaetes showed a shift from tubiculous species to small errant and predatory species such as Glycera, Nephtys, and Lumbrineris spp. Within the group Mollusca large species such as Pecten maximus and Laevicardium crassum decreased in abundance while small species increased. Crustaceans in 1895 were dominated by crab species which were present in similar abundances in 2007, but, the order Amphipoda appeared to show a significant increase. While some of the differences observed could stem from differences in methodologies between the surveys, in particular increases of small cryptic species, the loss of large conspicuous species was judged to be genuine. The study area is an important beam trawling and scallop dredging ground; the differences observed are concomitant with changes generally associated with disturbance from demersal fishing activities such as these.

Organisation of the nervous system in the Acoela: an immunocytochemical study

In order to broaden the information about the organisation of the nervous system in taxon Acoela, an immunocytochemical study of an undetermined Acoela from Cape Kartesh, Faerlea glomerata, Avagina incola and Paraphanostoma crassum has been performed. Antibodies to 5-HT and the native flatworm neuropeptide GYIRFamide were used. As in earlier studies, the pattern of 5-HT immunoreactivity revealed an anterior structure composed mainly of commissures, a so-called commissural brain. Three types of brain shapes were observed. No regular orthogon was visualised. GYIRFamide immunoreactive cell clusters were observed peripherally to the 5-HT immunoreactive commissural brain. Staining with anti-GYIRFamide revealed more nerve processes than did staining with anti-FMRFamide. As no synapomorphies were found in the organisation of the nervous system of the Acoela and that of the Platyhelminthes, the results support the view that the Acoela is not a member of the Platyhelminthes. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.

Abundance and biomass of dinoflagellates and ciliates at time series station Helgoland Roads, North Sea, 2007-2009

A monitoring programme for microzooplankton was started at the long-term sampling station ''Kabeltonne'' at Helgoland Roads (54°11.30' N; 7°54.00' E) in January 2007 in order to provide more detailed knowledge on microzooplankton occurrence, composition and seasonality patterns at this site and to complement the existing plankton data series. Ciliate and dinoflagellate cell concentration and carbon biomass were recorded on a weekly basis. Heterotrophic dinoflagellates were considerably more important in terms of biomass than ciliates, especially during the summer months. However, in early spring, ciliates were the major group of microzooplankton grazers as they responded more quickly to phytoplankton food availability. Mixotrophic dinoflagellates played a secondary role in terms of biomass when compared to heterotrophic species; nevertheless, they made up an intense late summer bloom in 2007. The photosynthetic ciliate Myrionecta rubra bloomed at the end of the sampling period. Due to its high biomass when compared to crustacean plankton especially during the spring bloom, microzooplankton should be regarded as the more important phytoplankton grazer group at Helgoland Roads. Based on these results, analyses of biotic and abiotic factors driving microzooplankton composition and abundance are necessary for a full understanding of this important component of the plankton.

Upper Cenozoic dinoflagellate cysts from the continental slope and rise off New Jersey

This report contains the occurrence data for dinoflagellate cysts recorded from 163 samples taken from Sites 902 through 906, during Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 150. The dinoflagellate cyst (dinocyst) stratigraphy has been presented in Mountain, Miller, Blum, et al. (1994, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.150.1994), and was based on these data. This report provides the full dinocyst data set supporting the dinocyst stratigraphic interpretations made in Mountain, Miller, Blum, et al. (1994). For Miocene shipboard dinocyst stratigraphy, I delineated 10 informal zones: pre-A, and A through I, in ascending stratigraphic order. These zones are defined in Shipboard Scientific Party (1994a, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.150.103.1994), and are based on my studies of Miocene dinocyst stratigraphy in the Maryland and Virginia coastal plain (de Verteuil and Norris, 1991, 1992; de Verteuil, 1995). This zonation has been slightly revised (de Verteuil and Norris, 1996), and the new formal zone definitions are repeated below. Each new zone has an alpha-numeric abbreviation starting with "DN" (for Dinoflagellate Neogene). The equivalence between the informal zones reported in Mountain, Miller, Blum, et al. (1994), and the new DN zones is illustrated in Figure 1. For clarity, I delineated both zonations in the range charts that accompany this report (Tables 1-6). De Verteuil and Norris (1996a), using these and other data, correlated the DN zonation with the geological time scale of Berggren et al. (1995). Figure 2 summarizes these correlations and can be used to check the chronostratigraphic position of samples in this report, as determined by dinocyst stratigraphy. A thorough discussion of the basis for, and levels of uncertainty associated with, these correlations to the Cenozoic time scale can be found in de Verteuil and Norris (1996a). The Appendix lists all the dinocyst taxa recorded during shipboard analyses of Leg 150 samples. Open nomenclature is used for undescribed taxa. The range charts and Appendix also include reference to several new taxa that de Verteuil and Norris (1996b) described from Miocene coastal plain strata in Maryland and Virginia. Names of these taxa in Tables 1 through 6 and in the Appendix of this report are not intended for effective publication as defined in the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN, Greuter et al., 1994). Therefore, taxonomic nomenclature contained in this report is not to be treated as meeting the conditions of effective and valid publication (ICBN; Article 29).

Surface sediment analyses, bivalve and gastropod taxa of marine sediments from the Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania

High-nutrient tropical carbonate systems are known to produce sediments that, in terms of skeletal composition, are reminiscent of their extra-tropical counterparts. Such carbonate systems and associated carbonate grain assemblages in the tropics are rare in the present-day world. Nonetheless, it is crucial to gain a better understanding of those ecosystems, including their drivers and players because such settings potentially represent models for ancient depositional systems as well as for predicted future environmental conditions. One of the modern occurrences of eutrophic tropical carbonate systems is the northern Mauritanian Shelf. The marine environment is characterized by an eastern boundary upwelling system that pushes cool and nutrient-rich intermediate waters onto a wide epicontinental platform (Golfe d'Arguin) where the waters warm up to tropical temperatures. The resulting facies is mixed carbonate-siliciclastic with a dominant foramol association grading into bimol and barnamol grain assemblages in the shallowest areas forming the Banc d'Arguin. Besides this cool water-related heterozoan association, the carbonate sediment is characterized by tropical molluskan species, while chlorozoan biota (e.g., corals and algal symbiont-bearing foraminifers) are entirely absent. We here present a first comprehensive facies analysis of this model example of eutrophic tropical carbonates. Furthermore, we reconstruct the loci of carbonate production and provide a conclusive depositional model of the Banc d'Arguin that received little attention to date due to its poorly accessible nature.

Physicochemical characteristics and protist occurrence at stations sampled in 2007/2008 in the eastern Beaufort Sea

This study documents, for the first time, the abundance and species composition of protist assemblages in Arctic sea ice during the dark winter period. Lack of knowledge of sea-ice assemblages during the dark period has left questions about the retention and survival of protist species that initiate the ice algal bloom. Sea-ice and surface water samples were collected between December 27, 2007 and January 31, 2008 within the Cape Bathurst flaw lead, Canadian Beaufort Sea. Samples were analyzed for protist identification and counts, chlorophyll (chl) a, and total particulate carbon and nitrogen concentrations. Sea-ice chl a concentrations (max. 0.27 µg/l) and total protist abundances (max. 4 x 10**3 cells/l) were very low, indicating minimal retention of protists in the ice during winter. The diversity of winter ice protists (134 taxa) was comparable to spring ice assemblages. Pennate diatoms dominated the winter protist assemblage numerically (averaging 77% of total protist abundances), with Nitzschia frigida being the most abundant species. Only 56 taxa were identified in surface waters, where dinoflagellates were the dominant group. Our results indicate that differences in the timing of ice formation may have a greater impact on the abundance than structure of protist assemblages present in winter sea ice and at the onset of the spring ice algal bloom.

Dinoflagellates of ODP Leg 104 holes

Dinoflagellate cysts, pollen, and spores were studied from 78 samples of the Eocene to Miocene section of ODP Site 643 at the outer Wring Plateau. Dinoflagellate cysts ranging from less than 1,000 to rarely over 30,000 per gram of sediment in the Paleogene, and generally between 50,000 and 100,000 in the Miocene were present. The shift to conspicuously higher cyst frequencies takes place in the lowermost Miocene section and appears to reflect increased cyst recruitment rather than a change in sedimentation rate. Of the 179 dinoflagellate cyst forms whose ranges were recorded, 129 are known species. Fifteen assemblage zones have been recognized, although the upper Eocene is missing and no substantial lower Eocene was recorded at Site 643. Norwegian Sea and Rockall Plateau zonations were compared with this study. Detailed correlation with existing onshore section zonations was difficult because key zonal species are inadequately represented; however, the middle to upper Miocene zonation established for Denmark is applicable. Pollen and spores occur with relatively low frequencies, and palynodebris is generally absent, in contrast to the observations from DSDP Leg 38. Thirty-nine samples from Eocene to Miocene sediments at Site 642 were studied and correlated with Site 643. A lower Eocene cyst assemblage present in Hole 642D is older than the questionably lower Eocene assemblage from Site 643. Site 642 has a lower Eocene to lower Miocene hiatus.