Orientation and Shape Discrimination in Juveniles and Adults of the Mangrove Crab Aratus pisonii (H. Milne Edwards, 1837): Effect of Predator and Chemical Cues

Behavioral responses of juveniles and adults of the mangrove crab Aratus pisonii (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) to black geometric shapes of equal surface area was measured. Crabs were tested either in presence or absence of chemicals generated from two common predator species, the portunid crab Callinectes ornatus Ordway, and the soapfish Haemulon aurolineatum Cuvier, 1830. The present study tested the hypothesis that A. pisonii (1) has the capacity to orient to visual cues; (2) it discriminates between different visual objects based on a combination of chemical and visual information and (3) this behavior changes with age. When presented with single black targets in background water, juveniles oriented toward all shapes. This behavioral response was interpreted as visual orientation toward potential shelter. Among shapes, juveniles showed preference for the vertical rectangle, probably due to the recognition of natural visual elements like mangrove roots. In predator conditioned water, juveniles exhibited a stronger response than in background water. Thus, juveniles were able to detect by odor the potential presence of predators. Change in responsiveness between adults and juveniles was also demonstrated.     

An outline of functional self-organization in V1: synchrony, STLR and Hebb rules

A model of self-organization of synapses in the striate cortex is described, and its functional implications discussed. Principal assumptions are: (a) covariance of cell firing declines with distance in cortex, (b) covariance of stimulus characteristics declines with distance in the visual field, and (c) metabolic rates are approximately uniform in all small axonal segments. Under these constraints, Hebbian learning implies a maximally stable synaptic configuration corresponding to anatomically and physiologically realistic ‘‘local maps’’, each of macro-columnar size, and each organized as Möbius projections of a “global map” of retinotopic form. Convergence to the maximally stable configuration is facilitated by the spatio-temporal learning rule. A tiling of V1, constructed of approximately mirror-image reflections of each local map by its neighbors, is formed. The model supplements standard concepts of feed-forward visual processing by introducing a new basis for contextual modulation and neural network identifications of visual signals, as perturbation of the synaptic configuration by rapid stimulus transients. On a long time-scale, synaptic development could overwrite the Möbius configuration, while LTP and LTD could mediate synaptic gain on intermediate time-scales.     

Courtship herding in the fiddler crab <Emphasis Type="Italic">Uca elegans</Emphasis>

Male and female animals are not always complicit during reproduction, giving rise to coercion. One example of a system that is assumed to involve sexual coercion is the mate herding behaviour of fiddler crabs: males push females towards the home burrow with the goal of forcing copulation at the burrow entrance. We recorded and analysed in detail the courtship behaviour of a North Australian species of fiddler crab Uca elegans. Courtship was composed of four main phases: broadcast waving, outward run, herding and at burrow display. During interactions males produced claw-waving displays which were directed posteriorly towards the female and which varied in timing and structure depending on the courtship phase. We suggest that courtship herding in U. elegans is driven primarily by mate choice for the following reasons, (1) females can evade herding, (2) no other reproductive strategies were observed, (3) males broadcast their presence and accompany courtship with conspicuous claw waves, and (4) the behaviour ends with the female leading the male into the home burrow. As an alternative function for herding in U. elegans we suggest that the behaviour represents a form of courtship guiding, in which males direct complicit females to the correct home burrow.     

Retinal pigmentation, visual acuity and brightness levels.

This study investigates the hypothesis that the degree of retinal pigmentation in the human eye is adaptive as it relates to the maintenance of visual acuity in optically stressful environments, deserts and snowfields. Eighty-four subjects were examined, an estimation of their degree of retinal pigmentation made by ophthalmoscopic examination and their binocular visual acuity tested over ten levels of brightness. The general level of retinal pigmentation did not influence mean visual acuity within the levels of brightness used in this study. The hypothesis was, therefore, rejected, but with the proviso that this study should be extended to even higher levels of brightness than were obtained here. There was no difference in mean pupil size at various levels of illumination between individuals grouped by degree of retinal pigmentation.     

异色瓢虫视觉系统中5-HT阳性神经元的分布

本文运用树脂石蜡（Colophony-Paraffin,CP;专利号：ZL98125709．7）组织包埋切片技术,结合免疫组织化学链酶菌抗生物素蛋白一过氧化物酶（Streptavidin-Peroxidase,SP）双染法,对异色瓢虫视觉系统中5-羟色胺（5-HT）能神经元的分布进行了初步研究。结果显示,异色瓢虫视觉系统的结构及5-HT免疫反应系统相对比较特殊。5-HT阳性神经元胞体数目较少,染色显著,并聚集成群。根据胞体定位、细胞形态及轴突走向,可大体分为5群,其中包括1群呈弱反应的光感细胞。5-HT阳性膨大纤维支配所有的视神经纤维网,并呈柱状或分层排列模式。结果表明5-HT作为经典的神经递质在昆虫的视觉信息处理过程中可能发挥重要的调节作用,且主要以远距离的广域神经调节模式为主,并在特定区域和GABA有伴随现象。此外,昆虫视觉系统中5-HT的含量还可能与其明暗适应的生理调节方式具有相关性[动物学报51（5）：912—918,2005]。     

单眼睑缝合1周建立形觉剥夺性弱视猫模型

目的比较正常组、模型组及对照组的图形视觉诱发电位(PVEP)和扫描视觉诱发电位(SVEP)视力,研究各组的视觉电生理表现,探讨单眼睑缝合1周是否可以建立形觉剥夺性弱视模型。方法分析三组PVEP的波形变化、潜时及完成一次诱发反应的时间;比较各组由SVEP得出的客观视力。结果①正常组PVEP由2个波峰组成“M型”(正向波向上),模型组及对照组出现波的分离—波形由多个波组成,而且完成一次反应的时间延长。②缝合侧的N75延迟,SVEP视力较正常组差且差别有统计学意义。③对照组未缝合侧视力恢复到正常水平而缝合侧视力仍差且与正常组有统计学差异。结论短期形觉剥夺的视觉电生理变化是弱视猫的一种表现,单眼睑缝合1周即可建立形觉剥夺性弱视猫的模型。     

Identification of a novel IVD mutation in a consanguineous family with isovaleric acidemia

Isovaleric acidemia (IVA) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by a deficiency of isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase encoded by IVD gene. In this case study we report the first Saudi IVA patients from a consanguineous family with a novel transversion (p.G362V) and briefly discuss likely phenotype–genotype correlation of the disease in the Saudi population. We explored the functional consequences of the mutation by using various bioinformatics prediction algorithms and discussed the likely mechanism of the disease caused by the mutation.     

苦丁茶防晒组分萃取工艺的可视化分析

对采用超声辅助法萃取苦丁茶防晒组分进行了较为系统的研究。选择萃取时间、萃取剂体积分数、萃取温度、样品细度4个主要影响因素,运用多因素多水平可视化设计法安排实验。以防晒光区的紫外吸收面积值作为防晒组分萃取含量的实验评定指标。用自主提出的多因素多水平实验结果可视化分析方法对多维空间实验数据进行分析。得出当ρ(苦丁茶)=0.20 g/L时,最佳工艺范围为萃取时间30～60 min、萃取剂体积分数φ(C2H5OH)为50%～70%、萃取温度50～65℃、萃取样品细度140～160目。