Food sharing: a model of manipulation by harassment

Most analyses of food-sharing behavior invoke complex explanationssuch as indirect and delayed benefits for sharing via kin selectionand reciprocal altruism. However, food sharing can be a moregeneral phenomenon accounted for by more parsimonious, mutualisticexplanations. We propose a game theoretical model of a generalsharing situation in which food owners share because it is in their own self-interest—they avoid high costs associatedwith beggar harassment. When beggars harass, owners may benefitfrom sharing part of the food if their consumption rate islow relative to the rate of cost accrual. Our model predictsthat harassment can be a profitable strategy for beggars if they reap some direct benefits from harassing other than sharedfood (such as picking up scraps). Therefore, beggars may manipulatethe owner's fitness payoffs in such a way as to make sharingmutualistic.     

Vacuum ultraviolet circular dichroism of poly(galacturonic acid), sodium polygalacturonate and calcium polygalacturonate

Vacuum ultraviolet circular dichroism spectra are reported for poly(galacturonic acid) solution and film, sodium polygalacturonate solution and film, and calcium polygalacturonate gel. In addition to the positive c.d. band near 208 nm previously observed, we find a pair of higher energy bands at 170 180 nm (negative) and 145 nm (positive). The low energy band, assigned to an $\text{n-π}{}^1$ carboxyl transition, is blue-shifted upon gelation or film formation.     

Numerical taxonomy of Pseudomonas based on published records of substrate utilization

Data published by R. Y. Stanier, N. J. Palleroni, M. Doudoroff and their colleagues on Pseudomonas have been analysed by numerical taxonomy. Records on 401 strains were used, representing 155 characters, mostly utilization of substrates as carbon-energy sources. Twenty-nine phenons were recognized, which included 394 strains: the remaining 7 remained unclustered. The results were in very good accord with the conclusions of these authors. Almost all phenons were well separated with very little overlap. Many of them corresponded to distinct species, and others corresponded to recognized biotypes. Some small groups may represent unnamed new species.Analyses by Gower's Coefficient showed five major groupings: A) the fluorescent pseudomonads; B) biochemically active species (Pseudomonas cepacia, P. pseudomallei and allies); D) P. solanacearum and allies; and E) P. mallei. P. diminuta does not appear to be clearly distinct from P. vesicularis, nor does P. alcaligenes appear clearly distinct from P. pseudoalcaligenes. There may, however, be some difference between P. multivorans and P. cepacia.Analyses using the Pattern Coefficient differed mainly in the relationships shown by a few of the metabolically active species. Of the two coefficients, the Pattern Coefficient gave results that were in somewhat better agreement with evidence from nucleic acids, but it showed an unexpectedly close relationship between P. solanacearum and P. cepacia.     

Plasma exchange and human factor VIII concentrate in managing haemophilia A with factor VIII inhibitors.

Plasma exchanges were combined with human factor VIII concentrate therapy in the treatment of major bleeding episodes in five patients with haemophilia A and factor VIII inhibitors. All patients had a good clinical response to combined treatment. Inhibitor levels showed satisfactory falls before rapid secondary increases of inhibitor levels took place. A sixth patient with von Willebrand''s disease and a factor VIII clotting activity inhibitor was successfully prepared for operation using plasma exchange. Postoperative haemostasis and healing were normal. In two patients the plasma exchanges were relatively more effective than the administered human factor VIII in reducing the levels of factor VIII inhibitor. Combined plasma exchange and human factor VIII treatment may offer a rapidly effective means of reducing factor VIII inhibitor levels in this group of patients, together with significant saving of costs.