Die Zeteraktivit?t der Amsel (Turdus merula)

Zusammenfassung Das Zetern der Amseln wurde von 1969 bis 1972 in einem sehr regelmäßig besetzten Revier automatisch registriert. Sowohl das Zetern sämtlicher registrierter Amseln, als auch das Zetern bestimmter Individuen gehorchen den meisten Aschoff'schen Regeln. Zwischen Individuen sind die Zeteranfänge äußerst unterschiedlich, die Zeterenden dagegen nicht. Die individuellen Zeteranfänge reichen in der Vergleichszeit von ca. 50 min bis 20 min vor Sonnenaufgang (Mittelwerte für 1/3 Monat).

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The alarm-call activity of the Blackbird

Summary In a very regulary occupied district the alarm-call (Zetern) of blackbirds was automatically recorded from 1969 till 1972. The Zetern of all recorded blackbirds as well as the Zetern of single individuals obey to most of Aschoff's rules. Among the individuals the beginnings of the Zetern are extremly different, but not the endings of the Zetern.The interindividual beginnings of Zetern in the comparable time reach from about 50 min. to about 20 min. before sunrise (mean values for 1/3 of a month).

     

Idioms of distress: Kinship and sickness among the people of the Kingdom of Tonga

Idioms of distress refers to the popular expression of emotional tension that arises in the relationship between sickness and kinship. By reference to case studies and discussions among the Polynesian people of Tonga, the author shows where such tension arises and how it influences the sickness process. Sickness is necessarily a collective phenomenon which can best be understood not simply as a clinical event, but as an experience that is part of the experience of family. Various ways of expressing distress as a reflexive encounter between personal and cultural meaning systems are reviewed, as are several new concepts such as doing sickness as kinship, and turning in the process of decision making in the kinship management of sickness. The explanatory models of sickness in Tonga are shown to encompass culturally sanctioned expressions of distress as part of the adaptive coping mechanisms in that society. Distress frequently emerges in somatic form, as a number of studies have shown. However, the author emphasizes the kinship meaning of sickness, kinship management and sickness therapy, the adaptive process of idiomatic expressions of distress, which are expanded here and offered as potential avenues for elaboration in other cultural milieu. Two aspects of the notion idioms of distress are noted, and the phenomenon is understood as a process which acts as a prime mover in social change.     

The effect of intracapillary media feed protocols on hollow fiber cell culture

Summary Two intracapillary (IC) media feed protocols termed media rich and media lean were examined in an effort to understand the effect of this variable on hollow fiber cell cultures. The media rich protocol emphasized a high volume IC media per day (5 liters) containing no serum and a normal amount of extracapillary (EC) media serum (10% v/v). Alternatively, the media lean protocol used up to 1.0 liter of IC media per day containing 5% v/v serum and increased EC media serum (20% v/v). Both protocols produced substantial amounts of antibody in 25 days using HFN7.1 hybridoma cells (ATCC CRL 1606), however the media rich protocol produced twice as much antibody as the media lean protocol. The metabolism of the cells was dramatically different as measured by glucose uptake rate (GUR) with media lean cells having a six-fold lower GUR. Our results indicate that the media rich protocol is useful for producing larger amounts of antibody in a short time frame. The media lean protocol may be considered when the production costs of antibody, particularly media and serum, is the overriding concern.     

Effect of androgens on histochemical fibre type

Summary The temporal muscles of the guinea pig show a sexual differentiation reflected in their histochemical enzyme pattern. Using histochemical methods for mitochondrial (SDH, -GPDH), and glycolytic enzymes (phosphorylase, LDH) it could be shown, that in adult animals the male muscle is a white muscle with marked activity of glycolytic enzymes, the female muscle a red muscle displaying high activity of mitochondrial enzymes. This differential enzyme pattern can be converted by the application of testosterone to the female type during the postnatal development. The male sex hormone thus affects the histochemical enzyme pattern of the muscle, converting the red, female into a white, male muscle in the female guinea pig.     

Studies on aneuploids of Petunia

Summary The seven possible primary trisomics of Petunia (2 n= 14) located in the progenies of triploid, hypertriploid and hypotriploid plants were distinguished from one another and from diploid on the basis of cytological and morphological criteria. They were provisionally named as Oval, Semi, Slender, Pseudonormal, Arrow, Narrow and Giant. In three of the trisomics, the extra chromosome was identified for the first time at pachytene stage. Postpachytene studies revealed no precise relationship between the length of extra chromosome and the frequency of multiple association.     

The adaptive significance of cultural behavior: Comments and reply

Summary Fundamentally, theoretically, there is only one process underlying genetic and cultural evolution: natural selection. Organism fitness-enhancement (adaptive significance) is one of its practical mechanisms; group formation and maintenance is another, often but not always through fitness-enhancement; and need-fulfillment is still another. If Durham can accept that formulation, and switch from organism-thinking to instruction-thinking (Cloak, 1975: 178), he will free himself from two handicaps: First, he can forget his worries about reductionism and determinism (1976a: 100, 101). Under this general theory of natural selection, cultural evolutionis biological evolution, continued by other (nongenetic) means. Second, he will spare himself the appearance of anthropomorphism, mentalism, and wishy-washiness attendant on his discussion of kinds of significance, other than adaptive significance, of cultural behaviors (1976a: 102–106, 115).     

Mitochondrial genetic damage induced in yeast by a photoactivated furocoumarin in combination with ethidium bromide or ultraviolet light

Summary Ethidium bromide (EB) and ultraviolet light (UV) in combination are known to produce a synergistic induction of petite mutants in yeast. Two other agents were combined with EB, 3-Carbethoxypsoralene (3 CPs) activated by 365 nm light or rays. EB in combination with 3 CPs also resulted in an enhanced production of petite mutants. After the photoaddition of 3 CPs in exponential phase cells, recovery of the petite mutation during dark liquid holding was inhibited by the presence of EB producing an enhanced number of petite mutants. The behavior of mitochondrial antibiotic resistance markers after individual and combined treatments with EB and 3 CPs indicates a random loss of markers after EB and a preferential loss of a certain region for the 3 CPs photoaddition. The combination of the two agents leads to an additivity of total drug marker losses rather than a synergistic loss. The combination of EB with rays produced no enhancement in petite induction. A combination of UV and 3 CPs showed a synergistic interaction for petite induction. These results indicate that the three agents, EB, UV and 3 CPs photoaddition may share a common repair step for mitochondrial lesions.     

The rapid switch-off of nitrogenase activity in obligate methane-oxidizing bacteria

Nitrogenase activity in the obligate methaneoxidizing bacterium Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) was added ammonia. This observation was extended to include other ammonia. This observation was extended to include other representative N₂-fixing species of methanotrophs. The ammonia switch-off of nitrogenase in M. capsulatus (Bath) was reversed on washing cells to remove excess ammonia, in the presence of chloramphenicol, suggesting that a form of covalent modification of nitrogenase may occur. Replacing the oxidizable substrate methanol with formaldehyde, formate, ethanol or hydrogen had no effect on nitrogenase switch-off. A number of potential nitrogen sources or intermediates of nitrogen metabolism such as glutamine, asparagine, glutamate and alanine when tested, did not effect switch-off. However, the rapid inhibition of nitrogenase activity of M. capsulatus (Bath) could be achieved by adding the uncoupler carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone or nitrite. The glutamine synthetase inhibitor methionine sulphoximine blocked the switch-off effect of ammonia, indicating that the metabolism of ammonia may be essential for switch-off to occur. Inhibitors of glutamate synthase did not alleviate the ammonia switch-off response. Methionine sulphoximine did not alleviate the rapid inhibition of nitrogenase by carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone indicating that the shortterm regulation of nitrogenase by uncouplers and ammonia proceed via different mechanisms.Abbreviations MSX methionine-DL-sulphoximine - DON 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine - GS glutamine synthetase - GOGAT glutamine 2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (glutamate synthase) - CCCP carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone     

Units of measurement for fractal extent,applied to the coastal distribution of bald eagle nests in the Aleutian Islands,Alaska

Summary Attempts to measure the nesting density or territory size of bald eagles led to a fundamental difficulty, inherent in all such measurements on organisms which are distributed along an irregular boundary, such as a coastline. The length of such a boundary is not a meaningful measure, and neither can a meaningful area be associated with each nest. Mandelbrot's (1983) fractal geometry applies to the problem, but has not previously supplied practical units of measurement for fractals such as coastlines or rugged surfaces. A practical method is given for measuring the extent of such fractals, introducing a unit of variable dimension, the metron, which includes the existing SI units of length, area and volume as special cases. A linear measure, the spacing allows densities on fractals of different dimensions to be compared directly. The method is applied to the distribution of bald eagle nests along the coastlines of two islands in the Aleutians, and an extension of the method to handle distributions on mountainsides and island surfaces is indicated.     

Genetics of Ia-like alloantigens in chickens and linkage withB major histocompatibility complex

Two sets of backcross matings were performed to test for linkage between genes coding for the Ia-like antigens (Ia) and the B erythrocyte antigens (Ea-B) of the chicken. Evidence is presented which indicates that the la antigens are determined by a single codominant locus and that theEa-B and Ia loci are on the same chromosome. Failure to detect a single recombinant between theEa-B and Ia loci out of 208 progeny suggests close linkage of the two genes with a map distance of up to about 2 centimorgans. The Ia genes are thus included in theB major histocompatibility complex of the chicken.     

Polysaccharide and protein secretion by grass microhairs

Summary Secretory activities of bicellular microhairs from grasses belonging to the subfamilies Chloridoideae, Arundinoideae, Panicoideae, and Bambusoideae, and including the chloridoid, panicoid and Enneapogon microhair morphological types, have been investigated. Light microscopic histochemistry indicated that all microhairs studied secrete polysaccharide and protein (or glycoprotein), including those which also secrete salt. Localization of polysaccharide at ultrastructural level using periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazidesilver proteinate staining revealed that in panicoid type microhairs dictyosomes are involved in polysaccharide secretion, whereas in the chloridoid and Enneapogon types partitioning membranes seem to be involved instead.Abbreviations Ag silver precipitates representing localization of polysaccharide - BC basal cell - C cuticle - CC cap cell - CH cuticular chamber - CN system of membrane bound channels and vesicles - CP chloroplast - CW cell wall - D dictyosomes - M mitochondria - N nucleus - PTM partitioning membranes - RER rough endoplasmic reticulum - S secretory material - St starch grain - US unstained dictyosome cisternae - V vesicle     

Ultrastructure and behaviour of the spindle pole body of the aphid-pathogenic fungusErynia neoaphidis

Summary A detailed account of the ultrastructure and behaviour of the spindle pole body (SPB) of the entomophthoraceous fungusErynia neoaphidis is presented for the first time.The SPB consists of extranuclear (ENC) and intranuclear (INC) components. The ENC is a saucepan-shaped structure which lies in a pocket of the nuclear envelope. It is composed of a forked, fibrillar handle and a shallow, cylindrical pan. The pan has a wall of two layers, both of which are thickened with a regular periodicity so that they appear to be beaded. It is postulated that the pan is formed from rough endoplasmic reticulum and that it synthesizes the amorphous, electron-dense material coating the ENC.The INC is a saucer-shaped, electron-dense plaque in which the ends of the spindle microtubules terminate. During metaphase, a clear zone separates the INC from the nuclear envelope and persists until telophase. The roles of the amorphous, electron-dense material and the clear zone as well as the method of SPB replication are discussed.     

Concluding remarks

On the basis of symposium contributions onChlorella, Hibbertia, Eucalyptus, Ambrosia and on numerical approaches some fundamental problems of (bio)systematics, evolution, and taxonomic categories are discussed: Methods available for analysing affinities; conflicting evidence from phenetic, biochemical, cytogenetic and other analyses; further classification problems in cases of intermediacy, etc. While sibs of various levels and their natural hierarchy often can be objectively defined, this appears impossible for particular taxonomic levels itself (e. g. species). A single objective taxonomic system of organisms is unrealistic. Certain guiding lines for relative and practicable concepts of species and genus are proposed.Presented at the symposium Speciation and the Species Concept during the XIIth International Botanical Congress, Leningrad, July 8, 1975.     

Physiological consequences of mitochondrial antibiotic-resistant mutations in Paramecium: growth-rates, cytochromic defects and cyanide-insensitive respiration of mutant and erythromycin-treated wild-type strains.

Summary A set of mitochondrial antibiotic-resistant mutants of Paramecium have been analyzed with respect to their growth-rates, cytochromic content and respiratory properties. The mutants could be arranged in a continuous series ranging from strains equivalent to wild-type to severely affected ones; affected strains display longer generation times, reduced amount of cytochrome oxidase and very high levels of cyanideinsensitive respiration. Perfect phenocopies of the mutants were obtained by treating wild-type cells with low concentrations of erythromycin suggesting that the mutations exert their pleiotrophic effect by perturbating mitochondrial protein synthesis in agreement with the idea that these mutations affect the mitochondrial ribosomes. In the mitochondria of some of the mutants, electrons can be channelled with equal efficiency into the classical cyanide-sensitive pathway and the alternate cyanide insensitive (and SHAM_sensitive) one, providing direct demonstration of the branching of these two respiratory pathways. In the absence of any added inhibitor, however, electrons tend to be channelled in the cyanide-sensitive pathway.All the physiological data fit perfectly the genetic data concerning the stability of the various mutations in mixed mitochondrial populations, i.e., markers that were known to be strongly counter-selected with respect to wild-type in such populations correspond to severely affected strains, while markers that were known to be stable correspond to healthy strains. A more quantitative analysis of the data shows that that there is little or no complementation between wild-type and mutated mitochondria in mixed cells indicating a high extent of functional autonomy of mitochondria in Paramecium.     

Polymorphism and Mendelian inheritance of photosystem II 23-kilodalton polypeptide

Soluble proteins from leaves of Nicotiana glauca Grah., N. langsdorffii Weinm., their reciprocal hybrids and amphiploid hybrid (N. glaucaxN. langsdorffii) were resolved by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Among a group of well-resolved polypeptides, in the isoelectric-point range of 5–5.5 and relative-molecular-mass (M_r) range of 18–23 kilodaltons (kDa), species-specific variation was observed. Polypeptides designated L and l are specific to N. langsdorffii, and G and g to N. glauca, while C is common to both species. Polypeptides L, G and C are localized in the chloroplasts and associated with thylakoid membranes. Polypeptide L is more acidic than polypeptide G, and both polypeptides have an M_r of 23 kDa. They were isolated from two-dimensional gels and their first 13 N-terminal amino-acid sequences were determined. These were found to be identical to the 13N-terminal amino acids of the photosystem II (PSII) 23-kDa polypeptide from spinach (T. Jansen et al. (1987) FEBS Lett. 216, 234–240) and, except for one change, to those from pea (R. Wales et al. (1989) Plant Molec. Biol., in press). Polypeptides G and L cross-react with antiserum against the PSII 23-kDa polypeptide from pea. Therefore, polypeptides G and L are extrinsic PSII 23-kDa polypeptides. They appear jointly and in equal amounts in the reciprocal hybrids. Since chloroplasts in Nicotiana are maternally inherited, these results demonstrate that polypeptides G and L are encoded by nuclear genes, are polymorphic variants of the PSII 23-kDa polypeptide, and are inherited in a Mendelian manner.Abbreviations kDa kilodalton - LS large subunit of Rubisco - M_r relative molecular mass - NEPHGE non-equilibrium pH gradient gel electrophoresis - PSII photosystem II - Rubisco ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase - SDS-PAGE sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - SS small subunit of Rubisco     

Die Feinstruktur der Zirbeldrüse normaler,trächtiger und experimentell beeinflußter Meerschweinchen

Zusammenfassung In der Meerschweinchenzirbeldrüse lassen sich elektronenmikroskopisch helle und dunkle Pinealzellen sowie einzelne Gliazellen nachweisen. In den bei weitem überwiegenden hellen Pinealzellen zeichnet sich ein Teil der vesicle-crowned rodlets (VCR) durch lokale Auftreibungen aus. Von VCR deutlich abzugrenzen sind die vesicle-crowned balls (VCB). Erstmalig beschrieben wird das Vorkommen von sog. Zylindern, die als Vorstufen von VCB aufgefaßt werden. In den relativ seltenen dunklen Pinealzellen, die sich durch chromatinreiche Kerne und elektronendichtes Zytoplasma auszeichnen, sind Vesikel, VCR, VCB und Zylinder seltener als in hellen Pinealzellen. Die reichlich vorhandenen marklosen Nervenfasern finden sich vor allem in perivasculären Räumen, seltener im Parenchym. Synapsen zwischen Nerven und Pinealzellen wurden nicht beobachtet. In den Zirbeldrüsen trächtiger Meerschweinchen zeichnen sich in der 2. Hälfte der Tragzeit die hellen Pinealzellen durch stärkere Lappung der Kerne, gehäuftes Auftreten von laktiven Zonen, Vermehrung von Mitochondrien, glattem ER, agranulären Vesikeln, VCR, VCB und Zylindern aus. Die dunklen Pinealzellen nehmen während der Tragzeit an Zahl zu. Post partum bilden sich diese Veränderungen innerhalb einer Woche zurück. Längerer Aufenthalt der Tiere in Dunkelheit führt zu einer Aktivierung der hellen Pinealzellen mit auffallender Vermehrung der VCR und zu einer Zunahme der dunklen Zellen. Unter Dauerbelichtung kommt es in den hellen Zellen zu einer Abnahme fast aller Zellorganellen und zu einer starken Vermehrung der VCR, die nach 70 Tagen auch Formveränderungen aufweisen. Nach Reserpinbehandlung beobachtet man eine Verminderung und degenerative Veränderungen der VCR. Es wird diskutiert, daß die VCR als prae- bzw. postsynaptische Strukturen der Erregungsübertragung von Nerven zu Pinealzellen bzw. von Pinealzellen untereinander dienen könnten.

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The fine structure of the pineal gland of normal, pregnant and experimentally affected guinea-pigs

Summary By means of electron microscopy light and dark pinealocytes can be distinguished in the guinea-pig pineal gland. Glial cells are rare. In the light pinealocyte. the most frequent cell type, some vesicle-crowned rodlets (VCR) show circumscribed thickenings. From these structures vesicle-crowned balls (VCB) have to be clearly distinguished. Furthermore cylinders occur, which, it is suggested, are precursors of VCB. Dark pinealocytes characterized by chromatin-rich nuclei and electron-dense cytoplasm are rare and contain fewer vesicles, VCR, VCB and cylinders than light pinealocytes. Numerous non-myelinated nerve fibres are situated within perivascular spaces, a few also in the parenchyma. Synapses between nerve fibres and pinealocytes were not observed. In the pineal gland of pregnant guinea-pigs the following changes can be observed in the second half of gestation. The light cells show many nuclear indentations and an increase of active zones, mitochondria, smooth ER, agranular vesicles, VCR, VCB, and cylinders respectively. The dark cells increase in number. After birth these changes reverse to normal within one week. Constant darkness leads to an activation of the light cells accompanied by an increase of the VCR and to an increase in number of the dark cells. Under constant illumination the light cells show a decrease of their organelles and a strong increase of the VCR. After 70 days the VCR also show a change in shape. Following reserpine treatment the VCR decrease in number and show signs of degeneration. It is discussed that the VCR function as pre- or postsynaptic structures and that they are involved either in transmitting impulses from nerve fibres to pinealocytes or from one pinealocyte to the other.

Untersuchung unter Leitung von Univ.-Doz. Dr. L. Vollrath.     

Pancreatic glucagon cells contain endorphin-like immunoreactivity

Summary On the basis of the histochemical activity of succinic dehydrogenase, only two fibre-types are distinguished in pigeon pectoralis major muscle. These are narrow Red and broad White. The histochemical activity of myofibrillar ATPase was studied in these two distinct fibre-types. Both fibre-types showed high activity for the ATPase. Red fibres of pigeon pectoralis were not alkali-labile, at incubation pH 9.4, as were the Type I fibres of both avian and mammalian muscles. Again unlike Type I fibres, the Red fibres of pigeon pectoralis lacked the characteristic activation of acid-preincubated ATPase reaction. Pigeon pectoralis Red fibres are known to posses some characteristics of fast-twitch fibres (e.g. high fat, considerable phosphorylase, fibrillenstruktur myofibrillar arrangement, focal en plaque pattern of nerve endings). It is emphasized, therefore, that the pigeon pectoralis Red fibres are not equivalent to Type I or slow-twitch, muscle fibres, but they are possibly fast-twitch fatigue resistent or Type II Red muscle fibres.     

Purification and properties of two fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolases in Bifidobacterium

Fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase was purified from type strains of two species of the genus Bifidobacterium: B. globosum and B. dentium. The first species has a preferred animal habitat, like feces of animals and rumen of cattle; the latter is harboured in human habitats, like feces and dental caries of man. Two electrophoretic types of phosphoketolase (F6PPK) were previously distinguished and called animal and human type according to the habitat of the bifid organism. The purified preparations of these two phosphoketolases displayed very different optimum pH range, metal activator and molecular weight; outstanding difference was found in the substrate specificity: the enzyme from B. globosum was able to split xylulose-5-P as well as fructose-6-P, whereas the phosphoketolase from B. dentium appeared to be specific for fructose-6-P.     

Ultrastructure of four types of striated muscle fibers in the atlantic hagfish (Myxine glutinosa,L.)

Summary Four types of striated muscle fibers with distinctive ultrastructure were defined in the Atlantic hagfish (Myxine glutinosa, L.): white, intermediate, and red fibers of m. parietalis, and red fibers of m. craniovelaris.White fibers are thick, contain very few mitochondria and fat vacuoles, and possess distinct and separate myofibrils with thin Z-disks and distinct M-lines. Intermediate fibers are thinner, possess largely similar myofibrils that often are even better separated due to a higher content of fat vacuoles and especially mitochondria and glycogen granules. Red fibers of m. parietalis contain large amounts of mitochondria, fat vacuoles, and glycogen granules. Their myofibrils possess M-lines, and although branching more, the myofibrils of red fibers conform with a Fibrillenstruktur pattern like those of white and intermediate fibers. Red fibers of m. craniovelaris are very thin, possess many smaller fat vacuoles, and large amounts of mitochondria and glycogen granules. The myofibrils are significantly thinner than in m. parietalis fibers, run as quite independent well separated units, possess thicker Z-disks, and lack M-lines. Large amounts of myosatellite cells are associated with these red fibers.Triads are located near A/I-junctions in all four fiber types and occur irregularly, the density of triads being different in the various fiber types.We are indebted to Dr. Finn Walvig, Biological Station, University of Oslo, Drøbak, for supply of hagfishes, and we also wish to thank Dr. Jan K. S. Jansen, Institute of Physiology, University of Oslo, for valuable suggestions during this study.     

Problems of studying coral-reef ecosystems

The term reef has still to be defined in ecological terms. It is essential to discuss and to classify the most significant characteristics of coral-reef ecosystems. Coral reefs involve a number of interdependent problems of semantics, planeteary and regional geotectonics, paleo geography, geomorphology, ecology, hydrobiology and zoogeography. From an ecological point of view, the solution to these problems requires analyzing the correlation between the notions biocoenosis and ecosystem. We may regard a coral reef either as a super organism or as a complex aggregation of almost mutually independent organisms, more or less randomly composed during evolution. The pros and cons, as well as contraditions between these two possibilities can be largely setteled by means of historical anlyses.