Body size,litter size,timing of reproduction,and juvenile survival in the Unita ground squirrel,Spermophilus armatus

The timing of reproduction affected litter size, offspring mass, and offspring survival in the Uinta ground squirrel, Spermophilus armatus, in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. Survival of juvenile females to yearling age varied negatively with date of weaning and positively with individual offspring mass. At the same time, juveniles weaned early in the season were lighter, and juveniles weaned later in the season were heavier. The coefficient of variation for juvenile body mass, originally measured at weaning, significantly decreased by the time juveniles entered hibernation, indicating that individuals weaned early and light caught up in body mass to individuals weaned later and heavier. From the perspective of the mother's investment in the litter, litter size (corrected for mother's mass) decreased with later wcaning dates, while the relationship of weaning date to litter mass (corrected for mother's mass) was significant in only one year. Maternal allocation of resources in litters changed over the season so that mothers produced many, small offspring early in the season, and fewer, large offspring late in the season.     

Diversity,metabolic types and δ13C carbon isotope ratios in the grass flora of Namibia in relation to growth form,precipitation and habitat conditions

The grass flora of Namibia (374 species in 110 genera) shows surprisingly little variation in ¹³C values along a rainfall gradient (50–600 mm) and in different habitat conditions. However, there are significant differences in the ¹³C values between the metabolic types of the C4 photosynthetic pathway. NADP-ME-type C4 species exhibit the highest ¹³C values (–11.7 ) and occur mainly in regions with high rainfall. NAD-ME-type C4 species have significantly lower ¹³C values (–13.4 ) and dominate in the most arid part of the precipitation regime. PCK-type C4 species play an intermediate role (–12.5 ) and reach a maximum abundance in areas of intermediate precipitation. This pattern is also evident in genera containing species of different metabolic types. Within the same genus NAD species reach more negative ¹³C values than PCK species and ¹³C values decreased with rainfall. Also in Aristida, with NADP-ME-type photosynthesis, ¹³C values decreased from –11 in the inland region (600 mm precipitation) to –15 near the coast (150 mm precipitation), which is a change in discrimination which is otherwise associated by a change in metabolism. The exceptional C3 species Eragrostis walteri and Panicum heterostachyum are coastal species experiencing 50 mm precipitation only. Many of the rare species and monotypic genera grow in moist habitats rather than in the desert, and they are not different in their carbon isotope ratios from the more common flora. The role of species diversity with respect to habitat occupation and carbon metabolism is discussed.     

Effects of interleukin-12 on in vitro culture with interleukin-2 of regional lymph node lymphocytes from lung cancer patients

 In the present study, we carried out a functional analysis of regional lymph node lymphocytes (RLNL) from patients with lung cancer after in vitro activation by interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-12 (IL-12). IL-12 (100 U/ml) enhanced both the proliferation and cytotoxic activity of RLNL in a culture with low doses of IL-2 (5 – 10 JRU/ml). After comparing an RLNL culture with a low dose of IL-2 alone, a higher proportion of CD8⁺ cells and CD56⁺ cells and a lower proportion of CD4⁺ cells were found in the culture with both IL-12 and a low dose of IL-2. Such a combination of the cytokines effectively activated RLNL in terms of the expression of IL-2 receptors. In the culture condition of IL-12 and a low dose of IL-2, a synergistic effect was observed in the production of such cytokines as interferon γ, tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), and TNFβ, as well as in tumor cytotoxicity. However, the addition of IL-12 inhibited the cytotoxicity of RLNL in the culture with a high dose of IL-2 (100 JRU/ml). This inhibition is considered to be partially due to the endogenous production of TNFα by lymphocytes, because the neutralization of TNFα bioactivity partially restored the cytotoxic activities of RLNL. Furthermore, in the presence of hydrocortisone, IL-12 synergistically enhanced the cytotoxic activity of RLNL cultured with a high dose of IL-2. These results provide useful information about the improvement of adoptive immunotherapy against cancer using RLNL. Received: 2 February 1996 / Accepted: 30 July 1996     

Characterisation of the anti-bladder-cancer monoclonal antibody BLCA-8: Identification of its antigen as a neutral glycolipid

A monoclonal antibody, BLCA-8, was raised against the human bladder cancer cell line, UCRU-BL-17CL. By flow cytometry and immunoperoxidase staining, this antibody was found to possess high specificity for bladder tumours, some reactivity with fetal tissues, and no reactivity with normal bladder, or any normal or malignant tissue. This high specificity and the stability of the antigen to the urinary environment suggest that BLCA-8 may have potential for use as an anti-bladder-cancer therapeutic agent. By thin-layer chromatography and autoradiography, BLCA-8 was found to bind four components within the neutral lipid fraction of a bladder cancer cell line, UCRU-BL-17/23. These components hadR _F values of 0.22, 0.16/0.15 (doublet), 0.12 and 0.08, and migrated below globoside, indicating the presence of more than four sugars. By enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay and thin-layer chromatography it was found that the binding of BLCA-8 to the lipid extract was increased by both mild alkaline hydrolysis and enzymatic treatments, indicating that adjacent phospholipids and glycolipids interfere with the accessibility of the antibody-binding site. Full biochemical characterisation of the BLCA-8 antigen is currently underway.     

Effects of social conditions on Juvenile Hormone mediated reproductive development in Bombus terrestris workers

Abstract. During the annual life cycle of the bumble bee Bombus terrestris (L.) colony, there is a stage characterized by worker reproduction in the presence of the queen. It has been proposed that this is a result of a decrease in queen inhibition. This hypothesis was examined by studying the effects of queens taken from colonies at different stages of development on several aspects of worker physiology and behaviour: rates of Juvenile Hormone (JH) release in vitro , ovary development, and behaviour associated with reproduction. After optimizing and validating the radiochemical assay for JH release for bumble bee workers, we found that queenless workers had significantly more developed ovaries and higher rates of release of JH than did queenright workers, confirming and extending previous findings that suggest that bumblebee ovarian development is under JH control. Mated queens, separated from their colony and brood, can have the same inhibitory effect on the reproductive development of callow workers. In contrast, workers confined with virgin queens or in queenless groups demonstrated a significantly higher rate of release of JH, overt aggression and threatening behaviours. However, there were no differences in rates of release of JH between workers confined in groups in the laboratory with queens taken from colonies either before or after the onset of worker reproduction. Furthermore, overt aggression and threatening behaviours were similar and low in both types of groups. These results gave no support to the hypothesis that a decrease in queen inhibition is associated with the onset of worker reproduction. We also show that young workers reared in colonies either before or after worker reproduction occurs, or in queenless colonies, all demonstrated similar, low rates of release of JH. These results suggest that older workers may inhibit the corpora allata of younger workers in queenless colonies.     

反义寡核苷酸片段可抑制鲫鱼视网膜电压依赖性钾离子通道的表达

爪蟾卵母细胞经注射鲫鱼视网总ＲＮＡ后,可表达大量电压依赖性钾离子通道。在此基础上,我们进一步发现,一个特定序列的寡核苷酸能专一地抑制该通道的表达。由于我们设计与合成的该片段与果蝇、小鼠中已克隆的钾通道中编码Ｎ端的一个多肽的ｍＲＮＡ完全互补,因此推测：鲫鱼视网膜中的Ｋ这个区域与其它物种的Ｋ通道有高度同源性,这为克隆该基因和研究它的功能提供了重要资料。     

Species boundaries,phylogenetic relationships,and ecological differentiation inAnthriscus (Apiaceae)

Species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships of 17 taxa ofAnthriscus (Apiaceae), with special emphasis on the critical sect.Cacosciadium, were explored using morphological data with principal component analysis, phenetics, and phylogenetics. The analyses did not provide satisfactory resolution of taxa from sect.Cacosciadium and only four species were retained. The total number of species was reduced to nine. Sect.Cacosciadium is distinguished by only two synapomorphies while sects.Anthriscus andCaroides are better supported. Present geographic and ecological variation suggests that the radiation ofAnthriscus occurred through divergence of peripheral isolated populations adapting to different habitats: high montane meadows and screes, shady climax forests, and seasonally dry habitats at lower altitudes. The adaptive significance of particular morphological traits is discussed.     

Continuity,Collapse or Metamorphosis? Demographic anthropology and the study of change within human populations.Foreword

this first paper introduces the topic of the volume, outcomes of a symposium organised at the 13th ICAES held in Mexico in August 1993. It briefly reminds of the convergence between anthropology and demography up to date and stresses on the need of real transdisciplinary work in this challenging domain. The aim of the symposium was to make a contribution on the central theme chosen by the congress — the cultural and biological dimensions of global change — while examining the place of demographic anthropology in the study of change. The papers presented at the symposium have been organised in three parts which form the present volume: the composition of population, the choice of spouse and mobility, the reproduction and dynamics of populations. The basic mechanisms of change are considered through examples at the level of local populations. This also leads to question the definitions of human groups and to make a “declaration” stressing on the importance of individual heterogeneity and the arbitrariness and reductive nature of any grouping of individuals, stating therefore the misapprehension of the most recent scientific work inherent to the rationale of programs of “ethnic cleasing”. Translated from the french by prof. Derek F. Roberts     

Vegetative diversification and radiation in subtribeDendrobiinae (Orchidaceae): Evidence from chloroplast DNA phylogeny and anatomical characters

The data derived from a chloroplast DNA restriction site analysis of subtribeDendrobiinae (Orchidaceae) indicate that extreme vegetative diversification is concentrated in two limited parts of this group. Overlaying the vegetative character states onto the chloroplast DNA cladogram suggests that several xeromorphic, vegetative characters evolved in the lines leading to the above-mentioned clades. Several anatomical characters are also associated with xeromorphy. These vegetative and anatomical characters facilitated the establishment of this group in various dry habitats. On the other hand, the modifications of size and number of parenchymatous cells substantially contributed to the vegetative diversification. This fact implies that a simple structural adjustment can result in a major modification of growth habits in theDendrobiinae.     

A cladistic analysis ofAnisopappus (Asteraceae: Inuleae)

A cladistic analysis of the genusAnisopappus (Asteraceae: Inuleae) has been undertaken. A hypothesis of species interrelationships in the genus is presented for the first time. The analysis also includedArctotis (Arctoteae), used as outgroup, and five additional genera from theInuleae: Geigeria, Calostephane, Asteriscus, Buphthalmum, Pulicaria, andInula. It is concluded thatAnisopappus is a monophyletic group situated at the base of the tribe, diagnosed by, e.g., their obtuse stylar sweeping-hairs. The species with acute sweeping-hairs were found to be derived within the genus. Problems concerning species delimitation, biogeography and character evolution in the genus are briefly discussed.