Thermoregulatory adjustments during continuous heat exposure

Body temperature regulation was studied in 6 male subjects during an acclimation procedure involving uninterrupted heat exposure for 5 successive days and nights in a hot dry environment (ambient temperature = 35 degrees C, dew-point temperature = 7 degrees C; air velocity = 0.2 m.s-1). Data were obtained at rest and during exercise (relative mechanical workload = 35% VO2max). At rest, hourly measurements were made of oesophageal and 4 local skin temperatures, to allow the calculation of mean skin temperature, and of body motility and heart rate. During the working periods these measurements were made at 5 min intervals. Hourly whole-body weight loss was measured at rest on a sensitive platform scale while in the working condition just before starting and immediately after completing the bicycle exercise. The results show that, in both exercise and at rest, the successive heat exposures increased the sweat gland output during the first 3 days. Afterwards, sweat rate decreased without any corresponding change in body temperature. For the fixed workload, the sweat rate decline was associated with a decrease in circulatory strain. Adjustments in both sweating and circulatory mechanisms occur in the first 3 days of continuous heat exposure. The overall sweat rate decline could involve a redistribution of the regional sweating rates which enhances the sweat gland activities of skin areas with maximal evaporative efficiencies.     

肾神经在扩张心房时对尿量和尿钠排出的作用

单侧肾去神经的麻醉狗,用乳胶小囊扩张肺静脉-心房连接部,观察到神经完好肾的尿流量与排钠量均显著增加(P<0.01);去神经肾的尿流量仍显著增加(P<0 01),但排钠量无明显变化(P>0.05);两侧肾的肾小球滤过率(GFR)及肾血浆流量(RPF)均保持稳定;神经完好肾的静脉血浆肾素活性(PRA)及血管紧张素Ⅱ水平(PAⅡ)均明显降低,PAⅡ降低的幅度与尿流量增加的幅度无相关(r=-0.2975,P>0.05);与排钠量增加的幅度也无相关(r=-0.2359,P>0.05);去神经肾的PRA和PAⅡ都没有显著变化。说明在刺激心房感受器引起的利尿与尿钠排泄的反应中,肾神经主要促进肾对尿钠的排出。肾神经的这种作用既不是通过改变GFR和RPF,也不是抑制肾素的释放,而可能是由于直接影响肾小管对钠的重吸收。     

Acetate as the main energy substrate for the sulfate-reducing bacteria in Lake Eliza (South Australia) hypersaline sediments

Abstract Simultaneous measurements of sulfate reduction and acetate oxidation using ³⁵S and ¹⁴C tracers showed that acetate was the main energy substrate for the sulfate-reducing bacteria in Lake Eliza sediments. Sulfate reduction rates calculated from acid-volatile sulfide data only, correlated with acetate oxidation at around 0.5:1. However, the rates calculated from acid-volatile plus pyrite sulfur data correlated with acetate oxidation at a ratio of around 1:1. Molybdate completely inhibited sulfate reduction but acetate oxidation was not totally inhibited. From 10 to 15% of acetate oxidation was not attributable to the sulfate-reducing bacteria. There was rapid accumulation of acetate, within the first 12 h of incubation. Acetate, propionate and butyrate accumulated in the presence of molybdate.     

The allometric approach to species differences in brain size

Allometric methods can be used to test quantitative theories of the relationship between brain size and body size across species, and to search for ecological, behavioural, life history, and ontogenetic correlates of brain size. Brain size scales with an allometric exponent of around 0.75 against body size across mammals, but is closer to 0.56 for birds and for reptiles. The slope of the allometric line often varies depending upon the taxonomic level of analysis. However, this phenomenon, at least in mammals, may be a statistical artifact. Brain size for a given body size (relative brain size) varies among orders in birds and mammals, and some dietary associations with relative brain size have been found in particular taxa. Developmental status at birth is the most consistent correlate of relative brain size: precocial neonates have larger brains for a given maternal size than altricial neonates in both birds and mammals. Altricial neonates, however, have more brain growth following birth, and in birds also have larger relative adult brain sizes. Energetic explanations for differences in neonatal brain growth, although attractive on theoretical grounds, have largely failed to stand up to empirical tests.     

Ideal nutrient productivities and nutrient proportions in plant growth

Abstract I propose that one single formulation can be applied to relate growth and content of several nutrients, including the most important macronutrients, of most plant species. The plant growth rate is proportional to the nutrient content minus a given minimal concentration of the nutrient in minimum. The proportionality factor, the nutrient productivity, and the minimum concentration are species specific properties. The nutrient productivity formulation is shown to apply for very different plant species and for different nutrients.     

Dung burial strategies in some South African coprine and onitine dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)

ABSTRACT.

• 1 The dung colonization and dung burial behaviour of twelve crepuscular/nocturnal tunnelling (paracoprid) species of beetles were examined in order to identify mechanisms which might facilitate resource (dung) partitioning. The species were selected from a diverse assemblage of dung beetles, the members of which coexist in the sandy-soil regions of Natal, South Africa.
• 2 The pattern of dung colonization in relation to dung age was examined in the field using baited pitfall traps. Some species, e.g. Onitis deceptor Peringuey, Catharsius tricornutus De Geer and Copris elphenor Klug, showed a marked preference for fresh dung (1–2 days old) whereas other species, e.g. O. viridulus Boheman and Copris fallaciosus Gillet, preferred older dung (3–7 days old).
• 3 Two distinct patterns of dung burial were recognized. In the Coprini, dung burial was complete within 24–48h of pad colonization, and the level of dung burial was similar in the laboratory and in the field. In the Onitini, dung burial occurred progressively over a 12-day period, although the timing of initiation of dung burial varied between species: in O. deceptor nearly all individuals had begun burial within 2 days of pad colonization, whereas only 20% of O. viridulus had commenced dung burial by that time. However, nearly all O. viridulus had buried substantial quantities of dung by day 12.
• 4 The mass of dung buried per pair by the larger coprine beetles (100–300 g) and onitine beetles (400–1000 g) suggests that there is potential for inter- and intraspecific competition, even in pads colonized by relatively few beetles. The colonization and use of dung of different ages are discussed as means of resource partitioning in relation to the relative abilities of species to compete for dung.

     

Age and growth rate determinations of an intertidal bivalve, Phacosoma japonicum, using internal shell increments

A venerid bivalve Phacosoma japonicum (Reeve) occurring commonly in the Japanese coastal area preserves periodic growth lines in the shell cross-section. Long-term shell growth patterns of this species have been traced for many individuals on the intertidal flat of the Seto Inland Sea, west Japan. Sclerochronological analysis of these individuals and specimens collected monthly shows that several growth cessation marks within their shells are formed during the winter of each year prior to spawning. Hence the marks were used for age and growth rate determinations. As large individuals showed little shell growth for more than two years after the formation of 7 or 8 annual increments, this species probably has a lifespan of more than ten years. Shell growth patterns of this species based on annual increments can be accurately approximated by a von Bertalanffy curve. The number of microgrowth increments formed during a year tends to decrease with age, although it varies markedly among specimens of the same age. Furthermore, even in summer during rapid shell growth, the microgrowth increments do not represent daily and/or sub-daily tidal rhythms in many specimens. The results of this study and those by several authors strongly suggest that the annual increments are the key for age and growth rate determinations of both living and fossil bivalve species.     

Basal ppGpp level adjustment shown by new spoT mutants affect steady state growth rates and rrnA ribosomal promoter regulation in Escherichia coli

Summary This work describes an approach towards analyzing the regulatory effects of variation of guanosine 3,5-bispyrophosphate (ppGpp) basal levels in Escherichia coli during steady state growth. A series of strains was derived by mutating the spoT gene (which encodes the major cellular ppGppase) so as to obtain systematic increments in ppGpp basal levels. These strains differ genetically at the spoT locus and, in some cases, also at the relA locus because of the severity of spoT mutant alleles. Measurements of ppGpp revealed a ten-fold range of basal levels during growth on minimal medium. The empirical relationship between ppGpp concentration and growth rate is a simple linear inverse correlation. Tandem rrnA ribosomal RNA promoters, present on a multicopy plasmid, are shown to be differentially regulated over this range of basal levels. The upstream P ₁ promoter activity shows an inverse exponential relation to ppGpp concentration whereas the downstream P ₂ promoter is only weakly affected. We conclude that there are systematic regulatory consequences associated with small changes in ppGpp basal levels during steady state growth that probably are part of a continuum with more dramatic effects observed during the stringent response to amino acid deprivation.     

Filtration rate capacities in 6 species of European freshwater bivalves

Summary Filtration rate capacities in undisturbed freshwater bivalves were determined by means of two different methods (indirect clearance and suction methods) in Anodonta anatina (L.), Unio tumidus Philipsson, Unio pictorum (L.), Unio crassus Philipsson, Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas) and Sphaerium corneum (L.). In A. anatina, D. polymorpha, and S. corneum the filtration rate (FR, 1 h^-1) at 19–20°C as a function of dry tissue weight (DW, g) or ash-free dry weight (AFDW, g) could be expressed by the equations: 1.10 DW^0.78, 6.82 DW^0.88, and 2.14 AFDW^0.92, respectively. In U. tumidus, U. pictorum, and U. crassus filtration rates were comparable with those of A. anatina. In D. polymorpha the b value of the corresponding regression of gill area on dry weight was 0.87. The rates of water transport in freshwater bivalves are 2–8 times lower than in marine bivalves of comparable size. A corresponding difference in the filtration rate per gill area unit is found. The measured filtration rates in undisturbed bivalves are substantially higher (at least 4 times) than previously reported. This indicates that the impact of bivalve water processing on freshwater ecosystems is greater than hitherto suggested.     

Cultivar differences in the rate of nitrate uptake by intact wheat plants as related to growth rate

Six Argentinian wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars grown in nutrient solutions in controlled environment were compared for their nitrate uptake rates on a root dry weight basis. Up to 3-fold differences were observed among the cultivars at 16, 20 and 24 days from germination, either when measured by depletion from the nutrient solution in short-term experiments, or by total N accumulation in the tissue during 8 days.
No differences in total N concentration in root or shoots were found among cultivars. Although the different cultivars showed significant differences in shoot/root ratio and nitrate reductase activity (EC 1.6.6.1) in the roots, none of these parameters was correlated with the nitrate uptake rate. However, nitrate uptake was found to be positively correlated (r = 0.99) with the shoot relative growth rate of the cultivars. The three cultivars with the highest nitrate uptake rates and relative growth rates showed a positive correlation between root nitrate concentration and uptake. However, this correlation was not found in the cultivars with the lowest growth and uptake rates.
Our results indicate that the difference in nitrate uptake rate among these cultivars may only be a consequence of their differences in growth rate, and it is suggested that at least two mechanisms regulate nitrate uptake, one working when plant demand is low and another when plant demand is high.