Dominance among male chimpanzees in the Mahale Mountains National Park,Tanzania: A preliminary study

Dominance relationships among male chimpanzees in the Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania, were analyzed. Although all adolescent males were unequivocally subordinate to all adult males, dominance relationships within the age classes were much less clear. Especially among adolescent males, few pant-grunts or agonistic interactions occurred. While adolescent males frequently pant-grunted at adult males, these latter males, except the alpha and the youngest, rarely pant-grunted to one another. This suggests that a difference of social status exists between adolescent and adult males. Adult males rarely display overt dominance to one another probably because the presence of other males affects their interactions. Moreover, they seem to try to keep their dominance relationship ambiguous when making it overt is not advantageous to them. This may be a political way for males to coexist with one another in a unit-group.     

Long-Term Trends in Matrilineal Inbreeding Among the Japanese Macaques of Arashiyama B Troop

In a long-term study of sexual behavior in Japanese macaques, we found that matrilineal inbreeding accounted for 2.9% of the copulations recorded for the Arashiyama B troop during 7 mating seasons between 1968 and 1984. Of the 906 copulatory dyads, 46 (5.1%) occurred among kin. Close matrilineal kin dyads (r = 1/2–1/8, 1.1% of the total of copulatory dyads) strongly avoided matrilineal inbreeding, but for remote kin dyads (r > 1/8, 4.0% of the total) the tendency was weaker in some years. Among the possible determinants of matrilineal inbreeding, we found that it tended to occur among younger and lower-ranking males as an effect of troop demographic changes. There is no significant association between female rank and matrilineal inbreeding. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that different degrees of kin relatedness are discriminated by individuals with respect to mate choice.     

Synthesis and pharmacology of the isomeric methylheptyl-Δ-tetrahydrocannabinols

The synthesis of the 3-heptyl, and the eleven isomeric 3-methylheptyl-Δ⁸-tetrahydrocannabinols (3–7, R and S methyl epimers, and 8) has been carried out. The synthetic approach entailed the synthesis of substituted resorcinols, which were subjected to acid catalyzed condensation with trans-para-menthadienol to provide the Δ⁸-THC analogue. The 1′-, 2′- and 3′-methylheptyl analogues (3–5) are considerably more potent than Δ⁸-THC. The 4′-, 5′- and 6′-methylheptyl isomers (6–8) are approximately equal in potency to Δ⁸-THC.     

INTRACORPOREAL HEAT DISSIPATION FROM A RADIOISOTOPE-POWERED ARTIFICIAL HEART

The feasibility of radioisotope-fueled circulatory support systems depends on the ability of the body to dissipate the reject heat from the power source driving the blood pump as well as to tolerate chronic intracorporeal radiation. Our studies have focused on the use of the circulating blood as a heat sink. Initial in vivo heat transfer studies utilized straight tube heat exchangers (electrically and radioisotope energized) to replace a segment of the descending aorta. More recent studies have used a left ventricular assist pump as a blood-cooled heat exchanger. This approach minimizes trauma, does not increase the area of prosthetic interface with the blood, and minimizes system volume. Heat rejected from the thermal engine (vapor or gas cycle) is transported from the nuclear power source in the abdomen to the pump in the thoracic cavity via hydraulic lines. Adjacent tissue is protected from the fuel capsule temperature (900 to 1200 degrees F) by vacuum foil insulation and polyurethane foam. The in vivo thermal management problems have been studied using a simulated thermal system (STS) which approximates the heat rejection and thermal transport mechanisms of the nuclear circulatory support systems under development by NHLI. Electric heaters simulate the reject heat from the thermal engines. These studies have been essential in establishing the location, suspension, surgical procedures, and postoperative care for implanting prototype nuclear heart assist systems in calves. The pump has a thermal impedance of 0.12 degrees C/watt. Analysis of the STS data in terms of an electrical analog model implies a heat transfer coefficient of 4.7 x 10(-3) watt/cm(2) degrees C in the abdomen compared to a value of 14.9 x 10(-3) watt/cm(2) degrees C from the heat exchanger plenum into the diaphragm.     

A broadly neutralizing human monoclonal antibody that recognizes a conserved, novel epitope on the globular head of the influenza H1N1 virus hemagglutinin

The conserved influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) stem domain elicits cross-reactive antibodies, but epitopes in the globular head typically elicit strain-specific responses because of the hypervariability of this region. We isolated human monoclonal antibody 5J8, which neutralized a broad spectrum of 20th century H1N1 viruses and the 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus. Fine mapping of the interaction unexpectedly revealed a novel epitope between the receptor-binding pocket and the Ca₂ antigenic site on HA. This antibody exposes a new mechanism underlying broad immunity against H1N1 influenza viruses and identifies a conserved epitope that might be incorporated into engineered H1 virus vaccines.     

Hemolytic and coagulation properties of Sphaeridiotrema globulus (Trematoda)

Metacercariae of Sphaeridiotrema globulus (Trematoda) were obtained from naturally infected Goniobasis virginica (Pleuroceridae). Excysted metacercariae were placed individually on blood-agar plates. After 8 hr of incubation at 42 C the plates exhibited beta-hemolysis. The reaction zone was approximately 1.5 mm in diameter. Laboratory-reared mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) were infected with S. globulus. Mallards developed fatal sphaeridiotremiasis and demonstrated increased prothrombin time on days 3 and 6 postinfection.     

Sepsis progression and outcome: a dynamical model

Background  

Sepsis (bloodstream infection) is the leading cause of death in non-surgical intensive care units. It is diagnosed in 750,000 US patients per annum, and has high mortality. Current understanding of sepsis is predominately observational and correlational, with only a partial and incomplete understanding of the physiological dynamics underlying the syndrome. There exists a need for dynamical models of sepsis progression, based upon basic physiologic principles, which could eventually guide hourly treatment decisions.     

Geographic isolation facilitates the evolution of reproductive isolation and morphological divergence

Geographic isolation is known to contribute to divergent evolution, resulting in unique phenotypes. Oftentimes morphologically distinct populations are found to be interfertile while reproductive isolation is found to exist within nominal morphological species revealing the existence of cryptic species. These disparities can be difficult to predict or explain especially when they do not reflect an inferred history of common ancestry which suggests that environmental factors affect the nature of ecological divergence. A series of laboratory experiments and observational studies were used to address what role biogeographic factors may play in the ecological divergence of Hyalella amphipods. It was found that geographic isolation plays a key role in the evolution of reproductive isolation and divergent morphology and that divergence cannot be explained by molecular genetic variation.     

Bioprecipitation: a feedback cycle linking Earth history,ecosystem dynamics and land use through biological ice nucleators in the atmosphere

Landscapes influence precipitation via the water vapor and energy fluxes they generate. Biologically active landscapes also generate aerosols containing microorganisms, some being capable of catalyzing ice formation and crystal growth in clouds at temperatures near 0 °C. The resulting precipitation is beneficial for the growth of plants and microorganisms. Mounting evidence from observations and numerical simulations support the plausibility of a bioprecipitation feedback cycle involving vegetated landscapes and the microorganisms they host. Furthermore, the evolutionary history of ice nucleation‐active bacteria such as Pseudomonas syringae supports that they have been part of this process on geological time scales since the emergence of land plants. Elucidation of bioprecipitation feedbacks involving landscapes and their microflora could contribute to appraising the impact that modified landscapes have on regional weather and biodiversity, and to avoiding inadvertent, negative consequences of landscape management.     

Fractal Long‐Range Correlations in Behavioural Sequences of Wild Chimpanzees: a Non‐Invasive Analytical Tool for the Evaluation of Health

Quantitative evaluation of health impairments in wild chimpanzees was explored using fractal long‐range correlations of behavioural sequences. The health status of 13 chimpanzees in the Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania was evaluated non‐invasively using standard behavioural observation and parasitological analysis of stool samples. Based on these data, individuals were classified as being either healthy or sick. Behavioural sequences were analysed and shown to exhibit long‐range power law correlations. The behavioural sequences of individuals in healthy and sick states were quantitatively evaluated using detrended fluctuation analysis of social and non‐social behaviours within behavioural sequences. These values were compared and significant differences in long‐range correlations were found between health states. Sex differences were also noted, with female social behaviour displaying a larger fractal dimension than male social behaviour. The fractal dimension of females declined significantly in sick individuals. This analysis of behaviour provides a new and effective non‐invasive method to record and evaluate the general state of health and related stress of animals in the wild. Possible applications of this method in captive situations include the monitoring and evaluating of stress levels over time.