327,358 research outputs found
Frontonia multinucleata Long, Song, Al-Rasheid & Wang, 2008, n. sp.
No full textFrontonia multinucleata n. sp. (Figs. 4–6; Table 1) Diagnosis: marine Frontonia in vivo 70–120 × 40–75 µm, dorsoventrally flattened about 2:1. 58– 67 somatic, 3 vestibular and 4–5 postoral kineties. 3 peniculi each with 4 kineties. 2–4 globular macronuclear nodules. Single contractile vacuole located in posterior 1 / 3 of cell length. Type location: A clear sandy beach (salinity 30 ‰) of Qingdao, China. Type slides: One holotype with silver nitrate impregnated specimens (slide number: 2007: 5: 17: 2) is deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, UK, and one paratype (slide number: 2006060101 - 2) is deposited in the Laboratory of Protozoology, Ocean University of China. Etymology: This species is the first one in Frontonia which has more than one macronucleus (2–4). Thus, it is named according to this character: multi- (many), nucleata. Description: Size in vivo about 70–120 × 40–75 µm. Cell shape rather constant, ellipsoidal in outline when viewed from ventral side (Figs. 4 A, 4 B; 5 A, 5 D). Dorsoventrally flattened about 2: 1. Extrusomes spindle-shaped, about 8 µm long (20–25 µm long after being ejected, Fig. 5 B), densely arranged in cortex (Figs. 4 A, 4 B; 6 C). Somatic cilia about 8 µm long. Cytoplasm colorless or grayish, often full of tiny granules, especially in caudal part (Figs. 4 A, 4 B; 5 A, 5 D). In all specimens observed from the culture which maintained for about 2 weeks, macronuclear nodules always in 2–4, yet mostly 4, generally globular in shape and about the same size, grouped or sparsely distributed (Figs. 4 A, 4 B, 4 G, 4 I; 6 B, 6 E, 6 F). One large contractile vacuole located in posterior 1 / 3 of cell length, ca. 15 µm in diameter (Figs. 4 A, 4 B, 4 E, 4 J; 5 E). Movement mainly by gliding back and forth on substrate; when swimming, moderately rapid with rotation around the long axis of the cell. Infraciliature as shown in Figs. 4 I–K. Both anterior and postoral sutures conspicuous, which extend onto dorsal side (Fig. 4 C, 4 I, 4 J). On average 63 somatic kineties; 4–5 postoral kineties (PK, Figs. 4 H, 4 I, 4 K; 6 N); 3 vestibular kineties, conspicuously short (Figs. 4 H, 4 I, 4 K; 6 J, 6 L). Single CVP right dorsally located, at approximately posterior 1 / 3 of cell length (Figs. 4 C; 6 G, 6 K). Triangular buccal cavity occupying about 1 / 5 of body length. Peniculus 1–3 about equally long, all with 4 kineties; among them, P 3 curved to right whose length becomes conspicuously shorter from right to left (Figs. 4 F, 4 H, 4 I, 4 K; 6 D, 6 H). Double-rowed paroral membrane on right side of buccal cavity (Figs. 4 H, 4 I, 4 K; 6 L). Argentophilic line positioned parallel to paroral membrane (Fig. 4 H). Silverline system as quadrangular cortical meshes (Fig. 6 I). Comparison: Frontonia multinucleata n. sp. is the only one among members of the genus, which has consistently several macronuclear nodules (vs. single in all other known congeners). Hence, the new species is easily recognizable (Fig. 10 C, 10 D, 10 I, 10 J, 10 K, 10 M, 10 N, 10 R, 10 S; Table 2).Published as part of Long, Hongan, Song, Weibo, Al-Rasheid, Khaled A. S. & Wang, Yangang, 2008, Taxonomic studies on three marine species of Frontonia from northern China: F. didieri n. sp., F. multinucleata n. sp. and F. tchibisovae Burkovsky, 1970 (Ciliophora: Peniculida), pp. 35-50 in Zootaxa 1687 on page 41, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18052
Frontonia didieri Long, Song, Al-Rasheid & Wang, 2008, n. sp.
No full textFrontonia didieri n. sp. (Figs. 1–3; Table 1) Diagnosis: Marine Frontonia in vivo ca. 100–150 × 45–80 μm, body dorsoventrally slightly flattened. 61–71 somatic, consistently 3 vestibular while 3–5 postoral kineties. Both peniculus 1 and 2 consisting of 4 kinety rows; peniculus 3 three-rowed, extremely different in lengths. One oval macronucleus. Single contractile vacuole centrally-located, with about eight conspicuous collecting canals. Type location: A mesotrophic sandy beach near Qingdao, salinity ca. 12 ‰. Type slides: One holotype with protargol impregnated specimens (slide number: 2007: 5: 17: 1) is deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, UK, and one paratype with silver nitrate impregnated specimens (slide number: 2005110701 - 2) is deposited in the Laboratory of Protozoology, Ocean University of China. Etymology: We dedicate this species to Dr. Pierre Didier, a famous French protozoologist, who has greatly contributed to the ciliate taxonomy and systematics. Description: Size in vivo mostly about 120 × 60 µm, with ratio of length: width about 2: 1. Body shape rather constant, elliptical in outline with both anterior and posterior ends slightly narrow; dorsoventrally flattened about 5: 4 (Figs. 1 A, 1 E; 3 A). Extrusomes spindle-shaped, about 4 µm long, densely arranged (Figs. 1 A; 3 B). Somatic cilia about 7 µm long. Cytoplasm transparent and colourless, usually filled with many large diatoms (up to 50 µm long) (Figs. 1 A, 1 E; 3 E). Macronucleus ellipsoidal, centrally positioned (Figs. 1 C, 1 E, 1 F; 3 H). One contractile vacuole (CV), about 15 µm in diameter, positioned equatorially, with ca. eight long and conspicuous collecting canals (Figs. 1 A; 3 J). CV-pores (CVP) mid-dorsally positioned (Fig. 2 A–D). Movement mostly by gliding back and forth on substrate; when swimming, moderately fast with rotation about the long axis of the cell. Buccal cavity shallow and small, triangular in outline, occupying about 1 / 6 of body length (Figs. 1 A; 3 A– C, 3 G). Buccal apparatus as shown in Figs. 1 C, 1 G and 3 F, 3 K: consistently 3 long vestibular kineties (VK) with densely arranged kinetosomes, extending from anterior level of buccal cavity to about middle level of cell. 3 peniculi (P 1–3) located on left wall of cavity: P 1 and 2 about equally long, positioned close to each other, and each composed of 4 rows of kinetosomes, whereas the posterior ends of those rows in P 1 are conspicuously shortened; peniculus 3 (P 3) consisting of only 3 kineties, of which only the rightmost one is complete, the middle row is about half length and the leftmost one is extremely shortened, i.e. about 1 / 10 length of rightmost one. The paroral membrane (PM) double-rowed, located on right edge of the buccal cavity (Figs. 1 G; 3 F). On average 66 somatic kineties. Both anterior and postoral sutures conspicuously long and extending onto dorsal side (Figs. 1 C, 1 F; 2 A–D). 3–5 postoral kineties (PK) locating posterior to the buccal cavity and ending at the postoral suture (PS) (Fig. 1 C, 1 D, 1 G). Silverline system as in other congeners: quadrangular cortical meshes after silver nitrate impregnation (Fig. 3 D). to be continued. Comparison: Currently, over 40 morphotypes have been included in the genus Frontonia (Bullington 1939; Carey 1992; Dragesco 1960; Dragesco 1972; Dragesco & Dragesco-Kernéis 1986; Foissner et al. 1994; Kahl 1931; Long et al. 2005; Petz et al. 1995; Roque 1961; Roque & Puytorac 1972). Among those, about 27 were reported from fresh water biotopes, whereas F. didieri n. sp. is diagnosed by the unique, conspicuous contractile vacuole collecting canals from living cells (Alekperov 2005; Burkovsky 1970 a, b; Foissner et al. 1994; Long et al. 2005; Petz et al. 1995; Roque 1961; Roque and Puytorac 1972). Considering the body shape, size and the marine habitat, Frontonia didieri n. sp. is similar to F. caneti Dragesco, 1960 and F. vacuolata Dragesco, 1960 though in both forms the detailed structure of the oral apparatus is lacking (Table 2; Dragesco 1960). Nevertheless, F. d i d i e r i n. sp. can be clearly distinguished in vivo from the latter two by its centrally located contractile vacuole with the prominent collecting canals (vs. no collecting canals, CV left and located subcaudally in F. c a n e t i, or located caudally in F. vacuolata) (Fig. 10 D and 10 Q). Frontonia lynni and F. salmastra Dragesco and Dragesco-Kernéis, 1986 also resemble F. didieri n. sp. with reference to the general morphology (i.e. living cells) and the infraciliature of the buccal apparatus (Fig. 10 I, 10 J, 10 O, 10 P). The new species can be recognized, however, in the presence of the collecting canals (vs. no collecting canals in the latter species), lower number of somatic kineties (61–71 vs. 71–83 in F. lynni, 90–100 in F. salmastra) and fewer kinety rows in peniculus 3 (3 vs. 4 in F. lynni and F. s a l m a s t r a) (Table 2). In addition, the dissimilarity of both forms is firmly supported by 18 S rRNA gene sequence data as the sequence of F. didieri differs significantly in 143 nucleotides from that of F. l y n n i (structural similarity 91.8%) (Fig. 11).Published as part of Long, Hongan, Song, Weibo, Al-Rasheid, Khaled A. S. & Wang, Yangang, 2008, Taxonomic studies on three marine species of Frontonia from northern China: F. didieri n. sp., F. multinucleata n. sp. and F. tchibisovae Burkovsky, 1970 (Ciliophora: Peniculida), pp. 35-50 in Zootaxa 1687 on pages 36-41, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18052
Frontonia didieri Long, Song, Al-Rasheid & Wang, 2008, n. sp.
No full textFrontonia didieri n. sp. (Figs. 1–3; Table 1) Diagnosis: Marine Frontonia in vivo ca. 100–150 × 45–80 μm, body dorsoventrally slightly flattened. 61–71 somatic, consistently 3 vestibular while 3–5 postoral kineties. Both peniculus 1 and 2 consisting of 4 kinety rows; peniculus 3 three-rowed, extremely different in lengths. One oval macronucleus. Single contractile vacuole centrally-located, with about eight conspicuous collecting canals. Type location: A mesotrophic sandy beach near Qingdao, salinity ca. 12 ‰. Type slides: One holotype with protargol impregnated specimens (slide number: 2007: 5: 17: 1) is deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, UK, and one paratype with silver nitrate impregnated specimens (slide number: 2005110701 - 2) is deposited in the Laboratory of Protozoology, Ocean University of China. Etymology: We dedicate this species to Dr. Pierre Didier, a famous French protozoologist, who has greatly contributed to the ciliate taxonomy and systematics. Description: Size in vivo mostly about 120 × 60 µm, with ratio of length: width about 2: 1. Body shape rather constant, elliptical in outline with both anterior and posterior ends slightly narrow; dorsoventrally flattened about 5: 4 (Figs. 1 A, 1 E; 3 A). Extrusomes spindle-shaped, about 4 µm long, densely arranged (Figs. 1 A; 3 B). Somatic cilia about 7 µm long. Cytoplasm transparent and colourless, usually filled with many large diatoms (up to 50 µm long) (Figs. 1 A, 1 E; 3 E). Macronucleus ellipsoidal, centrally positioned (Figs. 1 C, 1 E, 1 F; 3 H). One contractile vacuole (CV), about 15 µm in diameter, positioned equatorially, with ca. eight long and conspicuous collecting canals (Figs. 1 A; 3 J). CV-pores (CVP) mid-dorsally positioned (Fig. 2 A–D). Movement mostly by gliding back and forth on substrate; when swimming, moderately fast with rotation about the long axis of the cell. Buccal cavity shallow and small, triangular in outline, occupying about 1 / 6 of body length (Figs. 1 A; 3 A– C, 3 G). Buccal apparatus as shown in Figs. 1 C, 1 G and 3 F, 3 K: consistently 3 long vestibular kineties (VK) with densely arranged kinetosomes, extending from anterior level of buccal cavity to about middle level of cell. 3 peniculi (P 1–3) located on left wall of cavity: P 1 and 2 about equally long, positioned close to each other, and each composed of 4 rows of kinetosomes, whereas the posterior ends of those rows in P 1 are conspicuously shortened; peniculus 3 (P 3) consisting of only 3 kineties, of which only the rightmost one is complete, the middle row is about half length and the leftmost one is extremely shortened, i.e. about 1 / 10 length of rightmost one. The paroral membrane (PM) double-rowed, located on right edge of the buccal cavity (Figs. 1 G; 3 F). On average 66 somatic kineties. Both anterior and postoral sutures conspicuously long and extending onto dorsal side (Figs. 1 C, 1 F; 2 A–D). 3–5 postoral kineties (PK) locating posterior to the buccal cavity and ending at the postoral suture (PS) (Fig. 1 C, 1 D, 1 G). Silverline system as in other congeners: quadrangular cortical meshes after silver nitrate impregnation (Fig. 3 D). to be continued. Comparison: Currently, over 40 morphotypes have been included in the genus Frontonia (Bullington 1939; Carey 1992; Dragesco 1960; Dragesco 1972; Dragesco & Dragesco-Kernéis 1986; Foissner et al. 1994; Kahl 1931; Long et al. 2005; Petz et al. 1995; Roque 1961; Roque & Puytorac 1972). Among those, about 27 were reported from fresh water biotopes, whereas F. didieri n. sp. is diagnosed by the unique, conspicuous contractile vacuole collecting canals from living cells (Alekperov 2005; Burkovsky 1970 a, b; Foissner et al. 1994; Long et al. 2005; Petz et al. 1995; Roque 1961; Roque and Puytorac 1972). Considering the body shape, size and the marine habitat, Frontonia didieri n. sp. is similar to F. caneti Dragesco, 1960 and F. vacuolata Dragesco, 1960 though in both forms the detailed structure of the oral apparatus is lacking (Table 2; Dragesco 1960). Nevertheless, F. d i d i e r i n. sp. can be clearly distinguished in vivo from the latter two by its centrally located contractile vacuole with the prominent collecting canals (vs. no collecting canals, CV left and located subcaudally in F. c a n e t i, or located caudally in F. vacuolata) (Fig. 10 D and 10 Q). Frontonia lynni and F. salmastra Dragesco and Dragesco-Kernéis, 1986 also resemble F. didieri n. sp. with reference to the general morphology (i.e. living cells) and the infraciliature of the buccal apparatus (Fig. 10 I, 10 J, 10 O, 10 P). The new species can be recognized, however, in the presence of the collecting canals (vs. no collecting canals in the latter species), lower number of somatic kineties (61–71 vs. 71–83 in F. lynni, 90–100 in F. salmastra) and fewer kinety rows in peniculus 3 (3 vs. 4 in F. lynni and F. s a l m a s t r a) (Table 2). In addition, the dissimilarity of both forms is firmly supported by 18 S rRNA gene sequence data as the sequence of F. didieri differs significantly in 143 nucleotides from that of F. l y n n i (structural similarity 91.8%) (Fig. 11).Published as part of Long, Hongan, Song, Weibo, Al-Rasheid, Khaled A. S. & Wang, Yangang, 2008, Taxonomic studies on three marine species of Frontonia from northern China: F. didieri n. sp., F. multinucleata n. sp. and F. tchibisovae Burkovsky, 1970 (Ciliophora: Peniculida), pp. 35-50 in Zootaxa 1687 on pages 36-41, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18052
A special pair of phytohormones controls excitability, slow closure, and external stomach formation in the Venus flytrap.
No full text
Venus flytrap's leaves can catch an insect in a fraction of a second. Since the time of Charles Darwin, scientists have struggled to understand the sensory biology and biomechanics of this plant,
Dionaea muscipula
. Here we show that insect-capture of
Dionaea
traps is modulated by the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonates. Water-stressed
Dionaea
, as well as those exposed to the drought-stress hormone ABA, are less sensitive to mechanical stimulation. In contrast, application of 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), a precursor of the phytohormone jasmonic acid (JA), the methyl ester of JA (Me-JA), and coronatine (COR), the molecular mimic of the isoleucine conjugate of JA (JA-Ile), triggers secretion of digestive enzymes without any preceding mechanical stimulus. Such secretion is accompanied by slow trap closure. Under physiological conditions, insect-capture is associated with Ca
2+
signaling and a rise in OPDA, Apparently, jasmonates bypass hapto-electric processes associated with trap closure. However, ABA does not affect OPDA-dependent gland activity. Therefore, signals for trap movement and secretion seem to involve separate pathways. Jasmonates are systemically active because application to a single trap induces secretion and slow closure not only in the given trap but also in all others. Furthermore, formerly touch-insensitive trap sectors are converted into mechanosensitive ones. These findings demonstrate that prey-catching
Dionaea
combines plant-specific signaling pathways, involving OPDA and ABA with a rapidly acting trigger, which uses ion channels, action potentials, and Ca
2+
signals.
</jats:p
Branching fraction and CP asymmetry of the decays B+→K0Sπ+ and B+→K0SK+
No full textAn analysis of B+ → K0
Sπ+ and B+ → K0
S K+ decays is performed with the LHCb experiment. The pp
collision data used correspond to integrated luminosities of 1 fb−1 and 2 fb−1 collected at centre-ofmass
energies of
√
s = 7 TeV and
√
s = 8 TeV, respectively. The ratio of branching fractions and the
direct CP asymmetries are measured to be B(B+ → K0
S K+
)/B(B+ → K0
Sπ+
) = 0.064 ± 0.009 (stat.) ±
0.004 (syst.), ACP(B+ → K0
Sπ+
) = −0.022 ± 0.025 (stat.) ± 0.010 (syst.) and ACP(B+ → K0
S K+
) =
−0.21 ± 0.14 (stat.) ± 0.01 (syst.). The data sample taken at
√
s = 7 TeV is used to search for
B+
c
→ K0
S K+ decays and results in the upper limit ( fc · B(B+
c
→ K0
S K+
))/( fu · B(B+ → K0
Sπ+
)) <
5.8 × 10−2 at 90% confidence level, where fc and fu denote the hadronisation fractions of a ¯b
quark
into a B+
c or a B+ meson, respectively
Measurement of the isospin asymmetry in B -> K(*) mu+mu- decays
No full textThe isospin asymmetries of B → K (∗) μ + μ − decays and the partial branching fractions of B 0 → K 0 μ + μ − and B + → K ∗+ μ + μ − are measured as a function of the di-muon mass squared q 2 using an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1 collected with the LHCb detector. The B → Kμ + μ − isospin asymmetry integrated over q 2 is negative, deviating from zero with over 4 σ significance. The B → K ∗ μ + μ − decay measurements are consistent with the Standard Model prediction of negligible isospin asymmetry. The observation of the decay B 0 → K S μ + μ − is reported with 5.7 σ significance. Assuming that the branching fraction of B 0 → K 0 μ + μ − is twice that of B 0 → K S μ + μ −, the branching fractions of B 0 → K 0 μ + μ − and B → K ∗+ μ + μ − are found to be (0.31−0.06) × 10−6 and (1.16 ± 0.19) × 10−6, respectively
Uronema orientalis Pan & Huang & Fan & Ma & Al-Rasheid & Miao & Gao 2015, spec. nov.
No full text<i>Uronema orientalis</i> spec. nov. (Fig. 4; Table 1) <p> <b>Diagnosis:</b> <i>In vivo</i> about 40–55 × 20–30 μm with a truncated apical plate; buccal field about 50% of body length; consistently twenty somatic kineties; membranelle 1 (M1) one-rowed, divided into two parts: the anterior part (M1a) and the posterior part (M1b), comprising four and three basal bodies, respectively; contractile vacuole caudally positioned near ventral margin; contractile vacuole pore (CVP) positioned at end of the second somatic kinety; marine habitat.</p> <p> <b>Type locality:</b> A beach near Sculpture Garden (36°4′N; 120°29′E), Qingdao, China.</p> <p> <b>Type slides:</b> The holotype slide (registration number: PXM-2012041301) and one paratype slide (registration number: NHMUK 2013.8.15.2) with protargol stained-specimens are deposited in the Laboratory of Protozoology, OUC and the Natural History Museum, London, respectively.</p> <p> <b>Dedication and etymology:</b> The species receives its name ‘ <i>orientalis</i> ’ from the locality where it was isolated.</p> <p> <b>Description:</b> Size <i>in vivo</i> about 40–55 × 20–30 μm, elongate-elliptical in outline (Figs 4A, E). An- terior end flat, with an apical plate, dorsal posterior area broadly rounded (Figs 4A, E). Buccal field about 50% of body length (Fig. 4A). Pellicle smooth, with- out ridges (Figs 4E–G). Extrusomes bar-shaped, about 4 μm long, and sparsely arranged beneath pellicle. Cytoplasm colourless to grayish, containing several to many large (ca 5 μm across) food vacuoles and dumb- bell-shaped crystals, which are usually 4 μm long (Figs 4A, I, J). Single macronucleus oval to spherical, centrally located (Fig. 4C). Contractile vacuole moderately large, 5 μm in diameter, caudally positioned (Figs 4A, J). Somatic cilia about 10 μm long, densely arranged; single caudal cilium approximately 20 μm long (Figs 4G, H). Swimming moderately fast while rotating about main body axis, sometimes crawling on debris, or resting on the bottom.</p> <p>Consistently twenty somatic kineties arranged longitudinally, which usually have monokinetids in the entire length of each row (Figs 4B, C, K). Buccal apparatus as shown in Figs 4D, K: M1 one-rowed, divided into two parts: the anterior part (M1a) and the posterior part (M1b) comprising four and three basal bodies, respectively. M2 composed of two longitudinal rows of basal bodies; M3 comprising three longitudinal rows (Figs 4D, K). Paroral membrane on right of buccal cavity terminating halfway along M2 (Figs 4D, K). Scutica consisting of four pairs of basal bodies (Figs 4D, K). Contractile vacuole pore positioned at the end of second somatic kinety (Fig. 4L).</p> <p> <b>SSU rRNA gene sequence:</b> The SSU rRNA gene sequence of <i>Uronema orientalis</i> spec. nov. has been deposited in the GenBank database with the accession number, length and G+C content as follows: KF840517, 1657 bp, 42.37%.</p> <p> <b>Remarks and comparison:</b> Considering the morphology, infraciliature and habitat, three species have similarities with our new species: <i>Uronema marinum</i> Dujardin, 1841, <i>U. elegans</i> Maupas, 1883 and <i>U. heteromarinum</i> Pan <i>et al</i>., 2010.</p> <p> Though <i>Uronema marinum</i> is similar to <i>U. orientalis</i> in body shape and the conspicuous extrusomes, it can be distinguished by the patterns of M1 (one row with 3–6 basal bodies in <i>U. marinum</i> vs. divided into two parts and comprising four and three basal bodies, respectively in <i>U. orientalis</i>), the number of somatic kineties (12–14 vs. 20 in <i>U. orientalis</i>), and the location of the contractile vacuole pore (at posterior end of kinety 2 in <i>U. marinum</i> vs. at posterior end of kinety 1 in <i>U. orientalis</i>) (Pan <i>et al</i>. 2010).</p> <p> Compared with <i>Uronema orientalis</i>, <i>U. elegans</i> is distinguished by the ratio of body length to width (1.5: 1 vs. 2.5: 1 in <i>U. orientalis</i>) and more somatic kineties (23–26 vs. 20) (Song <i>et al</i>. 2002).</p> <p> <i>Uronema heteromarinum</i> differs from <i>U. orientalis</i> in having reticulate ridges on a notched pellicle and fewer somatic kineties (15–16 vs. 20 in <i>U. orientalis</i>) (Pan <i>et al</i>. 2010).</p>Published as part of <i>Pan, Xuming, Huang, Jie, Fan, Xinpeng, Ma, Honggang, Al-Rasheid, Khaled A. S., Miao, Miao & Gao, Feng, 2015, Morphology and Phylogeny of Four Marine Scuticociliates (Protista, Ciliophora), with Descriptions of Two New Species: Pleuronema elegans spec. nov. and Uronema orientalis spec. nov., pp. 31-43 in Acta Protozoologica 54 (1)</i> on pages 38-40, DOI: 10.4467/16890027AP.15.003.2190, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/8356852">http://zenodo.org/record/8356852</a>
Soil ciliates from Saudi Arabia, including descriptions of two new genera and six new species.
No full textSix soil samples from natural and cultivated sites of Saudi Arabia were investigated for ciliate diversity, using the non-flooded Petri dish culture method, live observation, and silver impregnation. We identified 135 species, all new for the fauna of Saudi Arabia, of which seven were undescribed: Spathidium alqasabi nov. spec.; Enchelyodon alqasabi nov. spec.; Metauroleptus arabicus nov. gen., nov. spec.; Pseudohemisincirra arabica nov. gen., nov. spec.; Saudithrix terricola Berger, Al-Rasheid and Foissner, 2006; Oxytricha Arabica nov. spec.; and Erimophrya monostyla nov. spec. Based on Spathidium alqasabi, S. seppelti foissneri Vďačný et al., 2006 and S. seppelti etoschense Foissner et al., 2002 are raised to species rank; for the latter, a new name is required to avoid homonymy: Spathidium fraterculum nov. nom. The new genus Metauroleptus, which possesses two long and two to three short ventral cirral rows, generates all dorsal kineties intrakinetally and produces caudal cirri exclusively in dorsal kinety 1. Metauroleptus belongs to the hypotrichs, while family classification remains doubtful. The same applies to the new hypotrich genus Pseudohemisincirra, which has frontoventral and transverse cirri, while buccal cirri and caudal cirri are absent. The number of species contained in Saudi Arabian soils, including sand dunes, is in the range reported from other regions of the earth, suggesting that ciliates are well adapted to dry habitats, possibly mainly by their ability to produce very resistant resting cysts, most surviving for a long time due to reduced metazoan predation
Measurement of the ratio of branching fractions B(B0→K∗0γ )/B(B0s→φγ ) and the directCP asymmetry inB 0→K∗0γ
No full textThe ratio of branching fractions of the radiative B decays B0→K⁎0γ and B0s→ϕγ has been measured using an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1 of pp collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of s√=7TeV. The value obtained is
B(B0→K⁎0γ)B(B0s→ϕγ)=1.23±0.06(stat.)±0.04(syst.)±0.10(fs/fd),
where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is the experimental systematic uncertainty and the third is associated with the ratio of fragmentation fractions fs/fd. Using the world average value for B(B0→K⁎0γ), the branching fraction B(B0s→ϕγ) is measured to be (3.5±0.4)×10−5.
The direct CP asymmetry in B0→K⁎0γ decays has also been measured with the same data and found to be
ACP(B0→K⁎0γ)=(0.8±1.7(stat.)±0.9(syst.))%.
Both measurements are the most precise to date and are in agreement with the previous experimental results and theoretical expectations
A hybrid GA–PS–SQP method to solve power system valve-point economic dispatch problems
No full textThis study presents a new approach based on a hybrid algorithm consisting of Genetic Algorithm (GA), Pattern Search (PS) and Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) techniques to solve the well-known power system Economic dispatch problem (ED). GA is the main optimizer of the algorithm, whereas PS and SQP are used to fine tune the results of GA to increase confidence in the solution. For illustrative purposes, the algorithm has been applied to various test systems to assess its effectiveness. Furthermore, convergence characteristics and robustness of the proposed method have been explored through comparison with results reported in literature. The outcome is very encouraging and suggests that the hybrid GA–PS–SQP algorithm is very efficient in solving power system economic dispatch problem
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