FEMALE PROMISCUITY AND MATERNALLY DEPENDENT OFFSPRING GROWTH RATES IN MAMMALS

Conflicts between family members are expected to influence the duration and intensity of parental care. In mammals, the majority of this care occurs as resource transfer from mothers to offspring during gestation and lactation. Mating systems can have a strong influence on the severity of familial conflict—where female promiscuity is prevalent, conflict is expected to be higher between family members, causing offspring to demand more resources. If offspring are capable of manipulating their mothers and receive resources in proportion to their demands, resource transfer should increase with elevated promiscuity. We tested this prediction, unexplored across mammals, using a comparative approach. The total durations of gestation and lactation were not related to testes mass, a reliable proxy of female promiscuity across taxa. Offspring growth during gestation, however, and weaning mass, were positively correlated with testes mass, suggesting that offspring gain resources from their mothers at faster rates when familial conflict is greater. During gestation, the relationship between offspring growth and testes mass was also related to placenta morphology, with a stronger relationship between testes mass and growth observed in species with a less invasive placenta. Familial conflict could have a pervasive influence on patterns of parental care in mammals.     

A social science view on the FRAME symposium: identities and networks

This paper, written by two social scientists, presents a social science perspective on the issues raised at the FRAME symposium on Human Alternatives to Animal Studies. Drawing upon the authors' experience of conducting research with stem cell scientists, issues around access to human tissue for in vitro uses are considered. The paper concludes by raising questions pertinent to both interested social scientists and the Three Rs agenda.     

Slightly modifying pseudoproline dipeptides incorporation strategy enables solid phase synthesis of a 54 AA fragment of caveolin‐1 encompassing the intramembrane domain

This work contributes to highlight the benefits of pseudoproline dipeptides introduction in difficult SPPS. We show how a slight modification in the positioning choice conditioned the synthesis achievement of a 54 amino acid long caveolin‐1 peptide encompassing the intramembrane domain. Furthermore, we report a side reaction correlated with the coupling steps and generating truncated fragments with a mass deviation of + 42 Da. Considering the need of structural data for membrane proteins, most of which are considered as prevalent therapeutic targets, chemical synthesis provides an interesting alternative pathway to obtain hydrophobic domains by pushing back the frontiers of conventional RP methods of purification. Copyright © 2009 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Monitoring Cognitive and Emotional Processes Through Pupil and Cardiac Response During Dynamic Versus Logical Task

The paper deals with the links between physiological measurements and cognitive and emotional functioning. As long as the operator is a key agent in charge of complex systems, the definition of metrics able to predict his performance is a great challenge. The measurement of the physiological state is a very promising way but a very acute comprehension is required; in particular few studies compare autonomous nervous system reactivity according to specific cognitive processes during task performance and task related psychological stress is often ignored. We compared physiological parameters recorded on 24 healthy subjects facing two neuropsychological tasks: a dynamic task that require problem solving in a world that continually evolves over time and a logical task representative of cognitive processes performed by operators facing everyday problem solving. Results showed that the mean pupil diameter change was higher during the dynamic task; conversely, the heart rate was more elevated during the logical task. Finally, the systolic blood pressure seemed to be strongly sensitive to psychological stress. A better taking into account of the precise influence of a given cognitive activity and both workload and related task-induced psychological stress during task performance is a promising way to better monitor operators in complex working situations to detect mental overload or pejorative stress factor of error.     

Nouvelles données sur le genre Imerites Rouchadzé, 1933 (Ammonitida,Ancyloceratina) ; réponses et précisions apportées au travail de Bert,Delanoy et Canut, 2009

This work is mainly an answer to the work of Bert, Delanoy and Canut, on the genus Imerites Rouchadzé, and we add also some points to the knowledge of this genus. An answer is given for the implication of one of the authors (J.V.) of this present work, about the origin of the genus Imerites Rouchadzé, and some significant bibliographic references, not named in the 2009 work, are specified and placed in their context. The characteristics of the ornamental stage “Pseudoshasticrioceras” mainly defined by an oval and compressed section of the whorls and by regular ventrolateral clavi, well marked, which frame the venter in a typical way (Bert et al., p. 181), don’t allow to affirm the presence of this stage during the ontogeny of all species of the genus Imerites Rouchadzé, contrary to what Bert, Delanoy and Canut (p. 30, 31) wrote. The type-species of the genus Imerites Rouchadzé is made clear by the application of the rules of the I.C.Z.N. code. The article 23, with the paragraph 23.1 of the I.C.Z.N. code, imply the senior synonymy of Imerites cristatus (Orbigny) on Imerites giraudi (Kilian), even if the Kilian's species is still the type species of the genus Imerites Rouchadzé. The taxinomical validity of the species Imerites cristatus (Orbigny) is confirmed. Its morphological variability is clarified by the distinction of four referential morphotypes, Cristatus, Giraudi, Favrei and Raricostatum. Consequently, the assumption of a shape-dimensional dimorphism into the populations of the genus Imerites Rouchadzé is rejected, awaiting irrefutable proof. A new species, Imerites stephaniae sp. nov., is described. It was collected in the Gerhardtia sartousiana Zone, in the uppermost part of the Gerhardtia provincialis Subzone, and it is a probable ancestor of the cogeneric species of the Imerites giraudi Zone.