THERMAL EVOLUTION OF EGG SIZE IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

We measured the size of eggs produced by populations of Drosophila melanogaster that had been collected along latitudinal gradients in different continents or that had undergone several years of culture at different temperatures in the laboratory. Australian and South American populations from higher latitudes produced larger eggs when all were compared at a standard temperature. Laboratory populations that had been evolving at 16.5°C produced larger eggs than populations that had evolved at 25°C or 29°C, suggesting that temperature may be an important selective agent in producing the latitudinal clines. Flies from laboratory populations produced larger eggs at an experimental temperature of 16.5°C than at 25°C, and there was no indication of genotype-environment interaction for egg size. Evolution of egg size in response to temperature cannot be accounted for by differences in adult body size between populations. It is not clear which life-history traits are direct targets of thermal selection and which are showing correlated responses, and disentangling these is a task for the future.     

Controlled experiments of habitat fragmentation: a simple computer simulation and a test using small mammals

Habitat fragmentation involves a reduction in the effective area available to a population and the imposition of hard patch edges. Studies seeking to measure effects of habitat fragmentation have compared populations in fragments of different size to estimate and area effect but few have examined the effect of converting open populations to closed ones (an effect of edges). To do so requires a shift in spatial scope-from comparison of individual fragments to that of fragmented versus unfragmented landscapes. Here we note that large-scale, controlled studies of habitat fragmentation have rarely been performed and are needed. In making our case we develop a simple computer simulation model based on how individual animals with home ranges are affected by the imposition of habitat edges, and use it to predict population-level responses to habitat fragmentation. We then compare predictions of the model with results from a field experiment on Peromyscus and Microtus. Our model treats the case where home ranges/territories fall entirely within or partially overlap with that of sample areas in continuous landscapes, but are restricted to areas within habitat fragments in impacted landscapes. Results of the simulations demonstrate that the imposition of hard edges can produce different population abundances for similar-sized areas in continuous and fragmented landscapes. This edge effect is disproportionately greater in small than large fragments and for species with larger than smaller home ranges. These predictions were generally supported by our field experiment. We argue that large-scale studies of habitat fragmentation are sorely needed, and that control-experiment contrasts of fragmented and unfragmented microlandscapes provide a logical starting point.     

Change in floral nectar components from fresh to senescent flowers ofCapparis spinosa (Capparidaceae), a nocturnally flowering Mediterranean shrub

We studied the nectar characteristics in relation to flower age of the summer flowering Mediterranean shrubCapparis spinosa in three localities in Southern Greece. Anthesis was nocturnal. Nectar volume, concentration, and sucrose/hexose ratio varied with site, year, and between individual plants; amino acid concentration varied only with site. The sucrose/hexose ratio decreased considerably with flower age, while the glucose/fructose ratio remained constant (ca. 1), implying that nectar sucrose broke down in the course of anthesis. Sugar breakdown increased with water content of nectar. Amino acid concentration was strongly age-dependent: It was low in fresh flowers, relatively high in middle-aged ones (except aspartic acid that was extremely increased), and very high in senescent ones. We attribute the amino acid changes to phenomena related to flower senescence in the dark.     

Root,shoot and soil parameters required for process-oriented models of crop growth limited by water or nutrients

A review is given of the prospects for using process-oriented models of water and nutrient uptake in improving integrated agriculture. Government-imposed restrictions on the use of external inputs will increase the likelihood of (temporary) nutrient or water stress in crop production in NW Europe and thus a better understanding is required of shoot-root-soil interactions than presently available. In modelling nutrient and water uptake, three approaches are possible: 1) models-without-roots, based on empirically derived efficiency ratios for uptake of available resources, 2) models evaluating the uptake potential of root systems as actually found in the field and 3) models which also aim at a prediction of root development as influenced by interactions with environmental factors. For the second type of models the major underlying processes are known and research can concentrate on model refinement on the one hand and practical application on the other. The main parameters required for such models are discussed and examples are given of practical applications. For the third type of models quantification of processes known only qualitatively is urgently needed.     

The growth pattern of chimpanzees: Somatic growth and reproductive maturation inPan troglodytes

Growth of chimpanzees reared at the Kumamoto Primates Park of Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co. Ltd. was studied cross-sectionally from the viewpoints of somatic growth and reproductive maturation. Distance and velocity curves were expressed using spline function method. Males showed adolescent growth acceleration in body weight, with a peak at 7.86 yrs of age, but not in trunk length. Females showed continuous rapid growth from mid-juvenile to adolescent phase in both body weight and trunk length, but no isolated adolescent spurt. The Sanwa chimpanzees matured at about 12.5 yrs of age for females and 15.0 yrs for males. The mean adult weights and trunk lengths were 53.2 kg and 507.8 mm for males and 42.7 kg and 481.6 mm for females. The Sanwa chimpanzees had similar growth patterns to those of the Yerkes chimpanzees, although they showed a slight delay in infancy, and a higher growth rate from the early juvenile phase onwards. Growth patterns in these two laboratories may be regarded as “normative” for laboratory-reared chimpanzees. They matured earlier than wild chimpanzees by more than two years. The major reason for the retarded maturation in wild chimpanzees is the delay of growth from infant to the early juvenile phases (0–4 yrs of age), probably owing to a limited nutritional supply from the mother. Development of the testes comprised three phases: slow growth from infant to juvenile (until 6.4 yrs); rapid growth around adolescence (until 9.2 yrs); and adult (mean testicular volume, 187 cm³). Setting the nutritional standard at 2,000–2,600 Cal/day (= Kcal/day) per adult, calories were considered for captive chimpanzees in each age class.     

Wave separation versus bandpass filtering: a comparative non-linear analysis of brain α-EEG signals with and without psychotropic drug treatment

Attempts to demonstrate low-dimensional attractor behaviour in the analysis of electroencephalographic (EEG) signals meet with difficulties that in part stem from a departure from single-system dynamics. In order to address this problem, the -waves can be extracted by digital filtering or by wave separation; these two techniques are compared in order to specify the conditions in which finite impulse response (FIR) bandpass filters can be used. The comparison was made using 18 EEG records of 3 min duration under resting conditions (6 subjects, 3 records per subject: prior to apomorphine administration, then 90 min and 150 min post-treatment). No presence of low-dimensional dynamic episodes in -signals was observed without digital processing. Sixty 5 s sections showing attractor behaviour were found after filtering and twenty five 5 s sections after wave separation. The mean correlation dimension was calculated for each experimental condition and for 4 subjects, in order to observe the temporal profile of the drug. When attractors were found after wave separation, bandpass filtering then also showed attractor behaviour, with the same temporal profile. However, the reverse is not true: attractors were found after bandpass filtering that were not present after wave separation; in this case the results deserve confirmation, although the temporal profiles for all cases in which attractors were found after filtering remained comparable.     

Continuous,high capacity reconstitution of nutrient media from concentrated intermediates

We designed an Integrated Media Preparation System (IMPS) for continuous, on-line preparation of cell culture media and delivery to intermediate storage vessels or directly to a bioreactor. Key components of the IMPS include: a high precision, continuous fluid mixing device; formulation-specific liquid medium concentrates; validated process controls and membrane filtration; and automated dispensing into large volume flexible plastic containers. The IMPS system is designed to produce sterile, single-strength liquid medium from common raw materials at a delivery rate of 1000–3000 liters per hour and will manufacture homogenous batches from several thousand liters to over 60,000 liters. Fortified nutrient media prepared from multi-component 50X concentrates have been demonstrated to accelerate bioreactor seed chains, increase product yield, and reduce the overall manufacturing cost of nutrient medium. A productivity matrix will analyze the fully-loaded costs and contrast alternative methods for media preparation against projected biological yield.Abbreviations IMPS Integrated Media Preparation System - 50X Nutrient fluid components formulated at fifty-fold final use concentration - 1X Nutrient fluid formulated at final, single-strength use concentration - cGMP Current Good Manufacturing Practices - SCADA Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition - PLC Process Logic Controller - LTI Life Technologies, Inc. - WFI Water for Injection - CIP Clean in place - SIP Sterilize in place - HPLC High performance liquid chromatography - DMEM Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium     

Free amino compounds and cell volume regulation in erythrocytes from different marine fish species under hypoosmotic conditions: the role of a taurine channel

Erythrocytes from the marine fish species ballan wrasse (Labrus berggylta Ascanius), bullhead (Myoxocephalus scorpius L.), cod (Gadus morhua L.), dab (Limanda limanda L.), eelpout (Zoarces viviparus L.), flounder (Platichthys flesus L.), lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus L.), plaice (Pleuronectes platessa L.), sole (Solea solea L.) and turbot (Scophthalmus maxima L.) possess the capacity for regulatory volume decrease. This property was demonstrated in vitro by reduction of the osmolality of the incubation medium from 330 to 255 mosmol·kg^-1. During the 4-h incubation period only the lumpfish cells completely regained the original volume. Twenty-seven free amino compounds were present in detectable amounts in the erythrocytes. At normal osmolality the taurine content was between 14.0 mol·g dry weight^-1 (lumpfish) and 147.4 mol·g dry weight^-1 (sole). Except in the bullhead, taurine was the quantitatively dominating amino compound in the erythrocytes from all species, and accounted for betwee 23% (lumpfish) and 88% (sole) of the total content of free amino compounds. In each species the regulatory volume decrease was associated with a reduction in the cellular content of taurine. Taurine contributed to between 6% (lumpfish) and 36% (flounder) of the cell shrinkage. There was a significant negative correlation, however, between the cellular concentration of taurine at normal osmolality and the capacity of the cells for regulatory volume decrease. Gamma-aminobutyric acid and/or glycine also contributed to the process of volume regulation, but to a lesser extent than taurine. The volume regulatory efflux of taurine and -aminobutyric acid were mediated by taurine channels. It is suggested that these channels also mediated the reduction in the cellular contents of glycine.Abbreviations cmp counts per minute - dw dry weight - GABA -amino-n-butyric acid - MW molecular weight - SD standard deviation - ww wet weight