Empirical evaluation of a model-driven approach to enlargement of multi-dimensional questionnaires for assessing adaptability of the sleep–wake cycle

The spherical cube model was earlier proposed for explaining interrelationships between scales of multidimensional questionnaires designed for assessing adaptability of the human sleep–wake cycle. The purpose of this report was to use the model’s predictions for identification of new items associated with yet unassessed sub-traits of the sleep–wake adaptability. The 72-item Sleep–Wake Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SWPAQ) and an initial 320-item list created for a new inventory were administered to 139 respondents. Results of correlating the responses to these items with scores on six SWPAQ’ scales were used for classification of items in accord with the nomenclature proposed by the model and for selection of 120 items for the new inventory that allowed the assessment of the majority (more than 24) of the sleep–wake adaptability sub-traits predicted by the model. Some of these newly assessed sub-traits reflect individual variation in the success of biological adaptation to night and shift work.     

The subspecies ofHomo erectus

ClassifyingHomo erectus into subspecies can be based on either temporal or geographical differences, but there is no accepted system for using both. This can be done with subspecies names consisting of two elements — a prefix ofneo, meso, orpaleo to indicate grade, followed by a geographical term ofeuropus, africus, sinicus, orindicus to indicate line. Thus Rhodesian isHomo erectus neoafricus, Ngandong isHomo erectus neoindicus, Peking isHomo erectus mesosinicus, ER 3733 isHomo erectus paleoafricus, etc.     

Conditions of failure and recovery of maternal behavior in captive squirrel monkeys (Saimiri)

This paper deals with the functioning and malfunctioning of maternal behavior in relation to external and social conditions. During developmental studies in captive squirrel monkey groups, 49 mother-infant pairs were observed. There were several cases of maternal inadequacy subsequent to (1) postnatal transportation, (2) exaggerated social investigation by immatures,and (3) premature allomothering. Brief mother-infant separations by humans did not yield such failures. One female consistently prevented nursing with at least three of her five viable offspring. Complete or partial failure of maternal behavior did not preclude subsequent recovery and/or adequate allomothering. Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Med. Detlev Ploog on the occasion of his 60th birthday.     

Morphological variation of the Japanese raccoon dog: implications for geographical isolation and environmental adaptation

To test the effect of geographical isolation by 'Blakiston's Line' and the possibility of Bergmann's rule being valid, we comparatively examined the morphology of the crania, mandible and teeth of two subspecies of raccoon dog allopatrically distributed in Japan: Nyctereutes procyonoides albus and Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus . The Blakiston's Line is a biogeographic border separating mammalian and avian fauna in Japan, including N. p. albus and N. p. viverrinus . Most skull measurements of N. p. albus were larger than those of N. p . viverrinus , suggesting that the body size of N. p. albus could also be larger than that of N. p . viverrinus . Both subspecies were clearly isolated by Blakiston's Line and followed Bergmann's rule, with skulls of the northern subspecies, N. p. albus , larger than N. p. viverrinus . Premolars and molars of N. p. viverrinus were larger than those of N. p. albus , suggesting that N. p. viverrinus may be more frugivorous. The narrow postorbital constriction associated with development of temporal muscles in N. p. albus suggests this subspecies is more carnivorous.     

Stability of lipid domains

Membranes with simple lipid composition exhibit complex phase behavior. Ordered and disordered liquid phases can coexist in cholesterol-containing membranes with lipid compositions resembling biological membranes and at physiological temperatures. Research during the last years suggests that these lipid domains play a role in the organization of biological membranes. Understanding the principles that govern the formation and stability of lipid domains is of great importance to build a model that properly describes membrane structure and function. In this review, we describe the current knowledge of the chemical and physical basis of lipid domains and its application to biological membranes.     

Environmental sensitivity differs between rabbit lines selected for reproductive intensity and longevity

To better understand the mechanisms that allow some animals to sustain their productive effort in harsh environmental conditions, rabbit does from two selection lines (LP and V) were housed in normal (NC), nutritional (NF) or heat (HC) challenging environmental conditions from first to third partum. The LP line (n=85) was founded on reproductive longevity criteria by selecting does from commercial farms that had a minimum of 25 partum with more than 7.5 kits born alive per parity. Line V (n=79) was constituted from four specialised maternal lines into a composite synthetic line and then selected by litter size at weaning for 36 generations. Female rabbits in NC and NF environments were housed at normal room temperature (18°C to 24°C) and fed with control [11.6 MJ digestible energy (DE)/kg dry matter (DM)] or low-energy diets (9.1 MJ DE/kg DM). HC does were housed at high room temperatures (25°C to 35°C) and fed the control diet. Female rabbits in the HC and NF environments ingested 11.5% and 6% less DE than NC does, respectively (P<0.05). These differences between environments occurred in both lines, with the differences being higher for LP than for V does (+6%; P<0.05). Milk yield responses followed those of energy intake also being higher for LP does (+21.3 g/day; P<0.05). The environmental conditions did not affect the perirenal fat thickness (PFT), but a genotype by environment interaction was observed. In NC and HC, the PFT was higher for line V (+0.23 and +0.35 mm, respectively; P<0.05) than for LP does, but this was not the case at NF (−0.01 mm). Moreover, the PFT evolution was different between them. In the NC environment, LP does used the accreted PFT in late lactation (−0.29 mm), whereas V does did not (−0.08 mm). Conversely, in the HC environment, LP does showed a flat PFT evolution in late lactation, whereas V does accumulated PFT. In the NF environment, LP and V does had a similar PFT evolution. There was also a litter size reduction for V does of −2.59 kits total born in HC and −1.78 kits total born in NF environments, whereas this was not observed for LP does. The results for LP does indicate a direct use of DE ingested for reproduction with little PFT change, whereas V does actively use the PFT reserves for reproduction.     

Estimation of Sheet Thickness Distributions from Linear and Plane Sections

A biological “membrane” or a “barrier” can often be modelled by a sheet, namely a portion of space comprised between two smooth, quasi-parallel faces, such that sheet thickness is in general variable but very small in relation to face extent. Sheet thickness measurements are often of interest to the morphometrist, the physiologist and the pathologist. In the present paper, some stereological techniques are developed for estimating true sheet thickness distributions, and their moments, from the apparent thickness or intercept length measurements obtained, respectively, via random plane or linear sections. An important premise for the models to work is that of isotropic random (‘non-preferential’) sheet orientation relative to the sectioning probe.