Dynamic sweating response of man to infrared irradiation in various spectral regions

In an attempt to detect differences in the thermal effect of infrared irradiation of different wavelengths, transient sweating response to infrared irradiation in various spectral regions was examined. In Series 1, the ventral or dorsal surface of the nude subject was irradiated repetitively for a period of 4 min (2 min on, 2 min off) by each of three kinds of infrared heaters with main emissivity in near-infrared (NIR; 0.7–2.8 m), intermediate-infrared (MIR; 1.5–5.8 m), and far-infrared (FIR; 2.8–25 m) regions. The sweating response on a non-irradiated area tended to be the greatest with MIR, while the magnitude of the sweating response on the irradiated area showed no consistent differences among various wavelengths. The results infer that MIR stimulated cutaneous thomoreceptors most effectively, while its direct effect on local sweat gland activity was minimal. In Series 2, the effects of 9–12 min irradiations in more restricted ranges of wavelength were compared by the combination of the three kinds of heaters with filters (translucent to wavelength ranges of 1.3–2.7, 2.7–3.5, 3.6–8.0 m, respectively). The sweating response on a remote area was predominantly greater with the range of 2.7–3.5 m than with the other wavelength ranges, while the local effect on sweating was minimal with this range. The results of Series 2 reinforce those of Series 1, indicating that the degree of stimulation of cutaneous thermoreceptors and of direct thermal effect on sweat gland activity differ with spectral regions incident on the skin, thus affecting local and remote effects on the sweating response.     

黄土丘陵半干旱区不同作物生态效能研究

深入研究特定生态环境条件下不同作物生产力及其生态效能,对于合理调控农田生态系统,探讨提高系统生产力途径具有重要意义。60年代以来,在国际生物学计划(IBP)的影响下,美国、日本、菲葎宾等国先后进行了小麦、水稻、大豆等作物农田生态效能研究。我国于“六·五”期间分别在南方稻区、黄淮海平原以及北方灌区等不同农业区开展了多种作物种植制度生产力问题研究,并取得重     

A simple method for shortening a plasmid genome using a system of plasmid cointegration mediated by a Tn3 mutant

This paper describes a simple method for the isolation of small plasmids of various sizes from pSMI, a derivative of the resistance plasmid R 100. The method is based on the observation that a repressor-negative mutant of the ampicillin-resistance (amp^r) transposon Tn3, Tn3 No. 5, mediates cointegration of a plasmid carrying Tn 3 No. 5 (pMB8::Tn 3 No. 5) into virtually any site on pSMI. The resulting cointegrate plasmids contain the pSMI sequence which is joined with the amp^r gene of the Tn 3 mutant. This cointegration is so frequent that large cointegrate plasmids can be readily detected in the total plasmid DNA prepared from cells carrying pSMI and pMB8::Tn3 No. 5. We were able to isolate small plasmids of various sizes by digesting the total plasmid DNAs with restriction endonucleases which cut both pSM 1 and Tn3 No. 5 sequences present in the cointegrates and subsequently ligating the restriction fragment containing both the amp^r gene and the region necessary for replication of pSMI. Analysis of these plasmids, named pBV plasmids, with restriction endonucleases and by nucleotide sequencing allowed us to determine regions necessary or unnecessary for replication, thus defining a minimal replication region of pSMI. The present method is generally useful for the isolation of small derivatives from any large plasmid for the study of genes and sites adjacent to or within the minimal replication region of the plasmid.     

Ornithochory and plant succession in mediterranean abandoned orchards

Data on the occurrence of species with fleshy diaspores and on breeding birds were collected in three abandoned orchards, resp. 8, 11 and 24 years after abandonment. Most of the 41 phanerophytes and vines with fleshy diaspores are also found in the borders of the orchards, the more so if the number of years since abandonment increases. Most species have small seeds and red or black coloured diaspores, most of which ripen in autumn. The frequent species show a characteristic distribution pattern in relation to the distance of the fruit trees: high densities near the trunk and uniform decrease with distance. This is explained by the behaviour of frugivorous birds. No correlation was found between distribution patterns and soil conditions. Age structure of colonizing species shows a distribution conforming an inversed J curve in the more recently abandoned orchard. The main conclusions are:

1. Pioncor trees are attractive for frugivorous birds and may act as nuclei. This supports the facilitation model.
2. The distribution of diaspores by birds helps to homogenize the species distribution on the regional level but at the site level individual differences in nucleation cause a heterogeneity.

     

Middle Ordovician reefs of Norway

The Middle Ordovician reefs of Norway were the first to develop in the western part of the Balto-scandian epicontinental sea and are the earliest coral-stromatoporoid reefs so far reported in Europe. Small patch reefs in the Steinvika Limestone, Langesund-Skien district, consist mainly of algae, echinoderms, corals and stromatoporoids. Bryozoans, molluscs, arthropods and brachiopods are also present. The reefs developed on pelmatozoan-rich substrates and are organically zoned, consisting of a pioneer community of stemmed echinoderms and sheet algae, a high-diversity intermediate community dominated by fasciculate corals and a low diversity climax community of massive corals and stromatoporoids. These communities are interpreted as the seral stages of an autogenic ecological succession. Small patch reefs are also present in the laterally equivalent Mjøsa Limestone, Toten and Nes-Hamar districts. These are organically very similar to those in the Steinvika Limestone and developed in an identical way. A large complex, consisting of several reefs, is also present in the Mjøsa Limestone. Unlike the reefs elsewhere, which developed within shallow inshore areas, this complex developed at the outer edge of the inshore shelf. The outstanding feature of the complex is the main reef forming the offshore limit which is totally dominated by stromatoporoids and lacks a sequential development. This is due to the influence of the harsher environment at the shelf edge.     

Development of species diversity in some mediterranean plant communities

Summary Plant communities in the Mediterranean region have been analyzed with the emphasis on community processes regulating diversity trends. We want to know how several mechanisms that contribute to the maintenance or to the modification of species diversity, act: (i) in different communities, during an ecological succession (from old fields to forests), and (ii) in forest communities throughout the year. Some of these mechanisms were investigated through difference in stratification, life-form, phenology, dispersal agent, and microenvironmental gradient.The paper censists of two parts. The first one deals with the relationship between structural and biological diversity in conjunction with succession stages leading to a Quereus pubescens forest. It is concluded that diversity, however it is measured, fluctuates during the succession: it increases initially (15 years after abandonment) and also in later stages when trees appear in the fields; it decreases after 20 years when Brachypodium phoenicoides dominates and in the latest stages of the succession studied. These trends may be interpreted in relation to the evolution of life form and dispersal agents spectra during the succession.The second part concerns community-structure and biological diversity in relation to the organization of two Quercus pubescens forests. It appears that the species richness in the understory of the forests, may be explained by: (i) the tendency of the modal height of species foliage distribution to oceupy different positions, (ii) the quasicomplete asynchronism in the major phenophases of the dominant species, (iii) different horizontal patterns of species distribution along a light gradient.These schemes are discussed in relation to ecological hypotheses on diversity in relation to succession, and to community organization.Nomenelature follows: P. Fournier (1961). Les quatre flores de France for the Gramineae and Liliaceae, Flora Europea for the other taxa.The support of the Délégation de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique through the grants N567, N633, N674 (Structure et dynamique des formations à Chène pubescent en zone bioclimatique méditerranéenne) is acknowledged. We thank J. Biondel, R. Bonhomme and M. Dueray for technical and scientific assistance. We are greatly indebted to Dr. E. van der Maarel for his helpful improvements of this text.     

Pigment architecture of the human telencephalic cortex

Summary Cortical lamination and parcellation of the retrosplenial region in the human brain is evaluated with the aid of frontal serial sections stained for nerve cells (15 m), myelin sheaths (100 m), and lipofuscin granules (800 m).For the most part, the retrosplenial region is buried in the depth of the sulcus corporis callosi covering the posterior parts of the cingulate gyrus. It lies between the supracallosal derivatives of the allocortex (fascia dentata, cornu ammonis, subiculum) and the mature parietal isocortex.The region can be subdivided into five areas. The transitory periallocortical Area ectosplenialis is followed by a richly differentiated proisocortical core displaying extremely externopyramidal, externoteniate, and astriate to unitostriate characteristics. The parvocellular core is averagely poor in pigment (Typus clarus) and rich in myelinated fibres (Typus dives). Minor structural differences allow for its subdivision into a lateral, an intermediate, and a medial retrosplenial field. The accompanying Area parasplenialis is adjacent to the equoteniate parietal isocortex. It is only weakly externopyramidal, externoteniate, and propebistriate. The already homotypical field shows an average pigmentation and myelin content. These structural features permit its classification as a belt area of the retrosplenial core.Supported by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft