Phylogeography of lethal male fighting in a social spider mite.

When males fight for access to females, such conflict rarely escalates into lethal fight because the risks and costs involved, that is, severe injury or death, are too high. The social spider mite, does exhibit lethal male fights, and this male-male aggressiveness varies among populations. To understand the evolution of lethal fighting, we investigated aggressiveness in 42 populations and phylogenetic relationships in 47 populations along the Japanese archipelago.

Variation in nesting behavior of eight species of spider mites, Stigmaeopsis having sociality.

Nesting behavior is considered to be an important element of social living in animals. The spider mites belonging to the genus Stigmaeopsis spend their lives within nests produced from silk threads. Several of these species show cooperative sociality, while the others are subsocial.

Reproductive isolation between Stigmaeopsis celarius and its sibling species sympatrically inhabiting bamboo (Pleioblastus spp.) plants.

Stigmaeopsis celarius Banks (hereafter Sc) is a spider mite living and feeding on the leaves of various bamboo species such as Moso bamboo [Phyllostachys edulis (=P. pubescens)] and Pleioblastus spp. (Poaceae).

[Clinical study of pulmonary infection in kidney transplantation recipients taking new immunosuppressant].

Objective: To explore the etiopathogenesis, therapy and incidence of pulmonary infection in kidney transplantation recipients taking new immunosuppressant.

Methods: The clinical data from 752 kidney transplant recipients were retrospectively analyzed, who were divided into 3 groups according to the immunosuppressants administered, namely group A (CsA+MMF+Pred, n=226), group B (FK506+MMF+Pred, n=386) and group C (FK506+Rap+Pred, n=140). The incidence and mortality of pulmonary infection were recorded and the analysis of etiopathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy of pulmonary infection were carried out in the 3 groups.

[Application of tacrolimus and cyclosporine A in HBV-carrying renal transplant recipients].

Objective: To compare the long-term effect and safety of tacrolimus (FK506) and cyclosporine (CsA) in kidney transplant (KT) recipients carrying hepatitis B Virus(HBV).

Methods: A total of 109 patients with HBV were randomized into FK506 group (52 cases) and CsA group (57 cases) after KT, and a 2-year-long follow-up of the patients was conducted to record the patient and graft survival, incidence of acute graft rejection and postoperative liver function.

Results: The 2-year patient/graft survival was 86.