Was Hopkins right? Influence of larval and early adult experience on the olfactory response in the granary weevil Sitophilus granarius (Coleoptera,Curculionidae)

Abstract The induction of olfactory preferences by larval and early adult experience for odour from wheat or maize grain was examined for the granary weevil Sitophilus granarius L. in a static four-chamber olfactometer. Weevils were reared on either wheat or maize grain and received different early adult experience. It turned out that weevils that were reared in wheat and isolated as pupae from the kernels preferred wheat odour in the olfactometer when they emerged without any odour or in the presence of maize odour. Weevils that emerged in the presence of wheat odour preferred both wheat and maize odour. When weevils emerged normally as adults from the wheat kernel in which they developed, maize odour was avoided. In contrast, for weevils that were reared in maize no preferences were found in most experiments. Only weevils that emerged in the presence of wheat odour preferred the maize odour over the controls. These results demonstrate that host-selection behaviour in S. granarius weevil is shaped by experience according to the Hopkins host-selection principle or the chemical legacy hypothesis and the neo-Hopkins principle.     

FOUNDER-FLUSH SPECIATION IN DROSOPHILA PSEUDOOBSCURA: A LARGE-SCALE EXPERIMENT

A founder-flush-crash model of speciation has been proposed that may particularly apply to island and other colonizations. Previous laboratory experiments testing the model have given inconsistent results. We have conducted a large experiment with Drosophila pseudoobscura designed to meet the essential postulates of the model and to separately test some of the postulates. Forty-five experimental and 12 control populations have been studied during seven successive founder-flush-crash cycles, or about 50 generations. Sexual isolation tests yield significantly positive assortative mating in a few tests between pairs of experimental populations. Populations with fewer founders (N = 1 or 3) yield more significant instances of assortative mating than those with more founders (n = 5, 7, or 9), and this difference becomes statistically significant for pooled data. Only one of 15 population pairs tested three times (generations 25, 32, and 46) shows positive assortative mating in all three tests. No significant assortative mating occurs between control populations, including highly inbred ones. We conclude that although founder events may occasionally lead to the evolution of assortative mating and hence to speciation, our results do not support the claim that the founder-flush-crash model identifies conditions very likely to result in speciation events.     

皖南尖吻蝮蛇蛇毒纤溶组分中结合态钙的生化特性

利用原子吸收法和荧光探针法了皖南尖吻蝮蛇蛇毒纤溶组分每分子中含有一个含,以Ｔｂ＾３＋作荧光探针测得Ｔｂ＾３＋与ＦＰ中色氨酸残基之间的距离约为０．３７５ｎｍ。     

茶园蜘蛛、昆虫群落动态的研究

该文研究报道了皖南地区茶园蜘蛛、昆虫的种类和群落结构,结果如下:1.茶园中昆虫、蜘蛛种类有28个,其中5、6月群落中动物种类多,多样性指数大。调查期内,品种园内动物优势种是天敌。2.主成分分析(PCA)表明:在无人为干扰的品种园内,节肢动物群落结构稳定;进行化学防治的采摘茶园群落结构不稳定。此研究对于在茶园内合理使用农药、繁荣生物群落,提高茶叶品质有重要意义。     

浙江产蝮蛇(Agkistrodon halys Pallas)蛇毒抗凝血活酶组份抗凝机理的研究

应用三次离子交换柱层析和一次凝胶过滤从浙江产蝮蛇毒中分离纯化了抗凝血活酶组份。测定出该组份由119个氨基酸残基组成,分子量为15,000道尔顿,等电点为9.4,N—末端为组氨酸。 纯化的抗凝血活酶组份在体外对血浆重钙化时间有显著影响,但不延长血浆凝血酶原时间和凝血酶时间,对纤维蛋白也无溶解作用,极低浓度（0.5微克/毫升）的抗凝组份就能抑制血液凝血活酶的生成。家兔静脉注射抗凝血活酶组份后十分钟,全血凝固时间和血浆重钙化时间均明显延长,但血浆凝血酶原时间、纤维蛋白含量和全血凝块溶解时间却不受影响。 蝮蛇毒抗凝血活酶组份具有磷脂酶A_2活性,但血浆中磷脂的水解似乎并不是血浆凝固延迟的主要原因,很可能是抗凝血活酶组份能够同血浆中凝血活酶组份（磷脂部份）可逆地结合,从而干扰了凝血酶原的活化。     

Study of nonplanarity of peptide bond using theoretical calculations

The conformational dependence of nonplanarity of the peptide bond of formylglycinamide has been studied using ab initio and density functional theory methods. Hartree-Fock self-consistent field theory (HF), M?ller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) of ab initio and B3LYP level of theory of dft method have been used employing 6-31++G** basis set. The MP2 method predicts better results than HF and B3LYP levels of theory for conformational stability dependence of nonplanarity. Systematic dependence of planarity deviation has been observed in MP2 theory. The chemical hardness values successfully predict the conformational region, but fail to obey maximum hardness principle. It is concluded that the most reliable dft method could not successfully predict the planarity of peptide bond in comparison with electron correlated method of ab initio method.     

Molecular mechanisms and global dynamics of fibrillation: an integrative approach to the underlying basis of vortex-like reentry

Art Winfree's scientific legacy has been particularly important to our laboratory whose major goal is to understand the mechanisms of ventricular fibrillation (VF). Here, we take an integrative approach to review recent studies on the manner in which nonlinear electrical waves organize to result in VF. We describe the contribution of specific potassium channel proteins and of the myocardial fiber structure to such organization. The discussion centers on data derived from a model of stable VF in the Langendorff-perfused guinea pig heart that demonstrates distinct patterns of organization in the left (LV) and right (RV) ventricles. Analysis of optical mapping data reveals that VF excitation frequencies are distributed throughout the ventricles in clearly demarcated domains. The highest frequency domains are found on the anterior wall of the LV at a location where sustained reentrant activity is present. The optical data suggest that a high frequency rotor that remains stationary in the LV is the mechanism that sustains VF in this model. Computer simulations predict that the inward rectifying potassium current (IK1) is an essential determinant of rotor stability and frequency, and patch-clamp results strongly suggest that the outward component of IK1 of cells in the LV is significantly larger than in the RV. Additional computer simulations and analytical procedures predict that the filaments of the reentrant activity (scroll waves) adopt a non-random configuration depending on fiber organization within the ventricular wall. Using the minimal principle we have concluded that filaments align with the trajectory of least resistance (i.e. the geodesic) between their endpoints. Overall, the data discussed have opened new and potentially exciting avenues of research on the possible role played by inward rectifier channels in the mechanism of VF, as well as the organization of its reentrant sources in three-dimensional cardiac muscle. Such an integrative approach may lead us toward an understanding of the molecular and structural basis of VF and hopefully to new preventative approaches.     

Distributed processing on the basis of parallel and antagonistic pathways simulation of the femur-tibia control system in the stick insect

In inactive stick insects, sensory information from the femoral chordotonal organ (fCO) about position and movement of the femur-tibia joint is transferred via local nonspiking interneurons onto extensor and flexor tibiae motoneurons. Information is processed by the interaction of antagonistic parallel pathways at two levels: (1) at the input side of the nonspiking interneurons and (2) at the input side of the motoneurons. We tested by a combination of physiological experiments and computer simulation whether the known network topology and the properties of its elements are sufficient to explain the generation of the motor output in response to passive joint movements, that is resistance reflexes. In reinvestigating the quantitative characteristics of interneuronal pathways we identified 10 distinct types of nonspiking interneurons. Synaptic inputs from fCO afferents onto these interneurons are direct excitatory and indirect inhibitory. These connections were investigated with respect to position and velocity signals from the fCO. The results were introduced in the network simulation. The motor output of the simulation has the same characteristics as the real system, even when particular types of interneurons were removed in the simulation and the real system.