Habitat Impact on Ultraviolet Reflectance in Moths.

A comparison of 95 species of Central European moths, representing 11 families and inhabiting various habitats, was carried out in order to detect the potential impact of biotope on the ultraviolet (UV) light reflectance of their wings. Based on digitized photographs taken under UV light conditions, a phylogeny-controlled redundancy analysis relating UV reflectance to preferred habitat type (xerophilous, mesophilous, and hygrophilous) and habitat openness (open, semiopen, and closed) was carried out. Species preferring hygrophilous habitats displayed significantly higher UV wing reflectance than species inhabiting xerothermic and mesic habitats, and this pattern remained significant even after controlling for phyletic relationships. In contrast, UV wing reflectance displayed no pattern related to habitat openness. Given the higher UV reflectance of water and humid surfaces, we interpret these results, which are based on the first comprehensive sampling of UV reflectance in Central European moths, in terms of predator avoidance under habitat-specific light conditions. We conclude that the moisture content of the environment may markedly contribute to the variation of appearance of moth wings for better imitation habitat characteristics and therefore to increase protection.

Secondary acute myeloid leukemia - a single center experience.

Secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML) may arise from the previous clonal disorder of hematopoiesis, usually from myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or from chronic myeloproliferative neoplasia (cMPN) or after exposure to a leukemogenic agent (previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy, some immunosuppressive drugs or environmental leukemogenic agents). Secondary origin of AML is associated with unfavorable prognosis and it is not considered to be conventionally curable (with the exception of secondary acute promyelocytic leukemia). The presented study is a retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed and treated at the Department of Hemato-Oncology, University Hospital Olomouc in 1996-2008. Over that period of time, a total 574 patients with AML were diagnosed. Of those, 430 patients were diagnosed as having primary AML; in 86 patients, sAML transformed from myelodysplastic syndrome and 58 patients were followed or treated for various malignancies or were treated with potentially leukemogenic agents because of non-malignant disorders. Patients with secondary AML are older and less commonly treated with curative intention than those with primary AML. According to cytogenetic findings, their prognosis is often worse. Complete hematologic remission is achieved with a low probability, relapse of the disease occurs frequently and overall survival is worse in almost all prognostic subgroups. With the exception of secondary acute promyelocytic leukemia, the prognosis of which does not differ from very good prognosis of the primary forms, secondary AML is not considered a conventionally curable disease.