Sex differences in adrenocortical structure and function

Summary Adrenal glands of adult male hamsters are larger and secrete more cortisol than those of females. Stereology was therefore used to study zonal and cellular aspects of development of the adrenal cortex of male and female hamsters. Adrenal glands were studied at weekly intervals from day 21 to day 77 of postnatal ontogenesis. Within this period, body weight did not differ significantly between the sexes. During development, absolute and relative adrenal weights were higher in males; their zona glomerulosa (ZG), zona fasciculata (ZF) and zona reticularis (ZR) become markedly larger than those in females. No marked changes in the volume of individual ZG cells occurred although ZF cells and ZR cells become larger in male than female animals. The total number of adrenocortical cells increased within the period studied, a greater increase being observed in ZG and ZF in males. No distinct sex difference was observed in the number of ZR cells throughout development. From day 56 of postnatal life the adrenal cortex of male hamster contained more parenchymal cells than the female gland. These results thus indicate that sex differences in hamster adrenal cortex depend upon changes in number and size of parenchymal cells.Supported in part by a grant from the Committee of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences     

Edward Smith Deevey 1914–1988

Stone loach and bullhead were given a choice of Chironomus and Asellus prey in experiments using solitary fish and fish in company. Solitary fish ate more than fish in company. The effect of light and substratum type on feeding was investigated. Both species ate more prey items on gravel than silt when a significant difference was observed. Bullhead ate more than loach in the light on both substrata. The only experiment in which loach ate more than bullhead was on a silt substratum in the dark. It is concluded that these two species utilise different components of the available food resources in chalk streams by adopting different habitats.     

The molecular evolution of ZFY-related genes in birds and mammals

Summary We report the isolation and nucleotide sequence determination of clones derived from five ZFY-related zinc-finger genes from birds and mammals. These sequences are analyzed with reference to the previously published human genes, ZFX and ZFY, and mouse genes, Zfx, Zfa, Zfy-1, and Zfy-2. The analysis indicates that ZFY-related genes are highly conserved in birds and mammals, and that the rate of nucleotide substitution in the Y-linked genes is not as high as predicted. However, the mouse Zfy-1 and Zfy-2 genes are markedly divergent members of the ZFY gene family; we suggest this relates to X-inactivation of the mouse gene Zfx.     

Spermatogenesis in XY, XYSxra and XOSxra mice: a quantitative analysis of spermatogenesis throughout puberty

Adult XYSxra mice exhibit varying degrees of spermatogenic deficiency but are usually fertile, while XOSxra mice have severe spermatogenic failure and are always sterile. The present quantitative spermatogenic analysis documents when these anomalies first appear during puberty. The results demonstrate that in XYSxra mice there was increased degeneration of pachytene spermatocytes and, to a lesser extent, meiotic metaphase stages. On average, there were only one-half the number of spermatids compared with the XY controls. The defect in XOSxra mice appeared a little later, with an almost complete arrest and degeneration during the meiotic metaphases, so that the number of spermatids produced was only 3% of the control value. These results are discussed in relation to an hypothesis that links sex chromosome univalence during meiotic prophase with spermatogenic failure.     

Effects of progesterone and estradiol on the proliferation of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated human lymphocytes

In this paper we report on a study to elucidate whether the response of human lymphocytes to mitogenic stimulation was modified by physiological changes which occur during the menstrual cycle. Experiments with untreated cultures showed intra-individual variation to mitogen stimulation in female lymphocyte cultures, but a significant correlation between the menstrual cycle and the proliferation kinetics of lymphocytes was not found. Consequently, we performed experiments in which two of the hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle in women, estradiol and progesterone, were added to cultured human lymphocytes obtained from both men and women. The results indicate that both hormones at physiological concentrations have the capacity to modify the proliferation of PHA-stimulated human lymphocytes. Therefore, both hormones could play a role in the induction of the intra-individual variation observed in the untreated female cultures. However, in vivo other factors could also modify the proliferation kinetics of human lymphocytes preventing the demonstration of the effects of a single factor, such as the hormonal changes occurring during the menstrual cycle.     

Occurrence and performance of the aspen blotch miner,Phyllonorycter salicifoliella,on three host-tree species

Summary Larvae of the aspen blotch miner, Phyllonorycter salicifoliella Chambers (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), feed within leaves of three host-tree species in north-central Minnesota, USA. Far more individuals occur on Populus tremuloides than on P. balsamifera or P. grandidentata. We tested whether this pattern of host use reflected variable performance among alternative hosts by examining survivorship, sources of mortality, pupal mass, feeding efficiency, and development time of miners on each tree species. We also determined foliar water, nitrogen, condensed tannin, and phenolic glycoside content of host trees to test if host-tree chemical attributes were responsible for differences in performance. There was no significant difference in egg-to-adult survival among miners on different hosts, although dominant sources of mortality did vary. Miners on P. grandidentata suffered less parasitism and more predation than those on the other hosts, even though most parasitoid species attacked miners on all hosts. The other performance parameters varied among host species, but not in a consistent pattern. Pupal mass was greatest on P. tremuloides and P. balsamifera, the hosts with comparatively high foliar nitrogen and low phenolic glycoside concentrations. However, feeding efficiency was greatest and development time shortest for miners on P. grandidentata. Thus, pupal mass was the only index of performance maximized on P. tremuloides, the most commonly used host. Infrequent occurrence of Phyllonorycter salicifoliella on P. grandidentata results in part from phenological differences between this and the other host species. Low oviposition rates on P. balsamifera are correlated with low abundance of this host at the study site and a phenolic glycoside profile different from that of the other host species.     

Egg laying and host stage preference at constant temperatures inEncarsia tricolor [Hym.: Aphelinidae]

Encarsia tricolor Foërster is a facultative autoparasitoid that develops on the important pestTrialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) in outdoor crop conditions, which makes this aphelinid species promising for biological control programs in regions where field and protected crops coexist. In this paper we report the results obtained in the study of daily and totalE. tricolor egg laying and of adult female preference for different host stages in which to lay eggs at constant temperatures in the range 10 to 32 °C. Only whitefly nymphs were present in the searching arena (tomato leaflets). The mean number of eggs laid per female in one day ranged from 4.0 (10 °C and 32 °C) to 15.2 (24 °C). The mean total number of eggs increased with temperature from 10 to 28 °C, reaching a maximum of 123 eggs per female at 28 °C, and decreased sharply from 28 to 32 °C. The relation between the intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) and temperature in the range 10 to 28 °C followed a straight line whose equation was r_m=?0.076+0.011*T (R²=0.99). The r_m ofE. tricolor was greater than the r_m ofT. vaporariorum when temperature was higher than 9.2 °C. The preference for any particular host instar in which to lay eggs was not always significant. However, N4 was the host instar preferred whenever preference was statistically significant.     

Sex pheromone components of the leafroller moth Pandemis cerasana

Female-tip washings of the leafroller moth, Pandemis cerasana, were found to contain (E)-11-tetradecenyl acetate, (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate, (E)-11-tetradecenol, (Z)-11-tetradecenol and tetradecyl acetate, based on chemical analysis and electroantennogram tests. The relative amounts of these compounds in the gland were ca. 64:21:10:3:2 in the order named. Only (E)-11 and (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate were required for attraction of males to trap dispensed in the ratio 3:1, respectively.     

Effects of fenvalerate and azinphosmethyl on two-spotted spider mite and phytoseiid mites

The pyrethroid fenvalerate showed significantly faster activity against adult two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch c.f. azinphosmethyl using broad bean leaf discs sprayed in a Potter tower. LC₅₀s for fenvalerate were similar at 24 and 48 hr (0.056 and 0.051g AI/1) while LC₅₀s for azinphosmethyl were significantly different at 24 and 48 hr (0.72 and 0.38g AI/1, respectively). Mortality was partitioned to run-off and direct mortality. Fenvalerate showed an increasing contribution to mortality by run-off with increasing concentration. Increasing concentrations of azinphosmethyl had no effect on the proportion of T. urticae running off the discs. Fenvalerate inhibited egg production c.f. azinphosmethyl (60% and 20% inhibition respectively c.f. control after 24hr). The effect was not permanent. Carbaryl showed no acaricidal or inhibitory effects at 1g AI/1. T. urticae detected fenvalerate residues as reflected by choice of oviposition sites on untreated halves of leaf discs c.f. treated halves. Azinphosmethyl had no effect on oviposition preference. Phytoseiid mites were highly sensitive to fenvalerate residues. Predators moved off the test arena into sticky barriers after feeding on fenvalerate-treated eggs or walking on glass slides treated at 0.00005g AI/1.

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Résumé Les insecticides pyrethroïdes ont été utilisés pour lutter contre les pullulations d'araignées rouges. Cette note examine les réponses de Tetranychus urticae Koch et des prédateurs phytoseiidés résistants aux organo-phosphorés, Amblyseius fallacis Garman et Typhlodromus occidentalis Nesbitt, au fenvalerate (pyrethroïde) et à l'azinphosmethyl (organophosphate). Quelques essais avec du carbaryl sont indiqués.Une femelle adulte de T. urticae est placée sur une rondelle de feuille de Phaseolus vulgaris L. pulvérisée dans une tour de Potter.Les résultats sur la mortalité en fonction de la dose obtenus montrent une activité plus rapide du fenvalerate que de l'azinphosmethyl. Les DL₅₀ du fenvalerate (0,056 et 0,051g AI/I) sont les mêmes à 24 et 48 h, tandis que l'azinphosmethyl montre une activité plus lente (DL₅₀ de 0,72 et 0,38g AI/I à 24 et 48 h). La mortalité se partage entre la sortie de la rondelle et la mortalité in situ.Le fenvalerate provoque une plus forte répulsion que l'azinphosmethyl. Contrairement à l'azinphosmethyl le fenvalerate inhibe la production d'oeufs 60% et 20% d'inhibition à DL50 au bout de 24 h par rapport au témoin. Cette inhibition n'est pas permanente. Le carbaryl n'a pas d'effets inhibiteur ou acaricide à 1g AI/l.Les femelles adultes de T. urticae décèlent les résidus de fenvalerate sur les rondelles et pondent leurs oeufs sur les moitiés non traitées ou traitées à l'azinphosmethyl.Les Phytoseiides sont très sensibles aux résidus de fenvalerate. Après consommation d'oeufs traités, A. fallacis est incapable d'éviter des bandes gluantes. T. occidentalis décèle des traitements à 0,00005g AI/l en quittant les lames traitées par les bandes gluantes.

     

Temperature behavioral responses of the American eel,Anguilla rostrata (Lesueur), from Maryland

Acute temperature preference tests were conducted with American eels, Anguilla rostrata, collected from Maryland's eastern shore. Eels were acclimated to temperatures of 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30°C. Final temperature preferendum was 16.7°C. Data differ from the temperature responses of the majority of fishes tested to date in that acclimation temperature did not influence selected temperatures. Similar results were obtained for various other fishes (Oncorhynchus, Salmo, Salvelinus) by other investigators. Behavioral responses at various acclimation temperatures were observed.