Ultrastructure of Phasmid Development in Meloidodera floridensis and M. charis (Heteroderinae)

Phylogenetic characters for Heteroderinae Luc. et al., 1988 are evaluated in Meloidodera which is believed to have primarily ancestral characters. Phasmid ultrastructure is observed in second-stage juveniles (J2), third-stage juvenile males, fourth-stage juvenile males, and fifth-stage males of Meloidodera floridensis and M. charis. Phasmid secretion occurs inside the egg before the J1-J2 molt. Before J2 hatch, concentric lamellar membranes occur within the sheath and socket cells. Some membranes become lamellae of the sheath cell plasma membrane; others become multilamellar bodies. During early molting, plasma membrane lamellae disappear and a distal dendrite segment appears in a rudimentary canal. After the molt, the distal dendrite is not present within the canal. The phylogenetic utility of phasmid features is discussed. In both species the ampulla shape and size between molts are stable features in juveniles and males. The posthatch J2 sheath cell receptor cavity may vary in a species specific manner, but comparative morphology requires precise timing after hatch.     

Body shape and differences between species

The variation of body shape among prosimians is reviewed. Special emphasis is placed on the selective advantages, that is the mechanical reasons, to which variants of the locomotor apparatus can be traced back. There are differences found in the cheiridia, but at present they cannot be explained in terms of mechanics; there is nearly no knowledge about the mechanical meaning of their diversity. Myological characteristics of taxa can be explained mechanically, but this has not yet been done. Well known are variations of body proportions. These discriminate higher taxa, and are largely coincident with the often-used locomotor categories. In spite of this, there are only few sound arguments about the real biomechanic value of characteristic proportions for a given locomotor mode. What is known on this field, is reviewed. Progress can be made only, if the mechanical conditions, set by postural behavior and locomotion, are understood completely. The subtle distinctions between lower taxonomic units can normally be identified only on the basis of detailed and quantified analyses of movements on one hand, and of biometrics on the other. In the few cases in which such studies have been made, the differences of morphology fit to the mechanical requirements of locomotion which also differ only in quantitative details.     

Effect of Ca on composition of fat body of peanut seed

Peanut fruits were grown in nutrient media with or without Ca and in a soil with two Ca levels, from the 20th day after penetration of the gynophore. Seed weight was smaller in the nutrient medium without Ca than in the nutrient medium with Ca, and it was also smaller in the soil with 4 meq of exchangeable Ca (L treatment) than in the soil with 10 meq of exchangeable Ca (H treatment). The fat body of seeds from the Ca deficient medium and the L treatment had a decreased phospholipid content and an increased simple lipid content. In the seed from the H treatment, phosphatidylcholine increased from the 30th to 60th day, while caldiolipin decreased. The amount of triglyceride in the simple lipid content of fat body was decreased by Ca deficiency in the nutrient medium, whereas that of diglyceride was increased, but these effects were not observed in the fat body of the seed from the L treatment. No effect of Ca deficiency was observed in the fatty acid composition of triglyceride.     

Nuclear and atomic analytical techniques in environmental studies in South America

The use of nuclear analytical techniques for environmental studies in South America is selectively reviewed since the time of earlier works of Lattes with cosmic rays until the recent applications of the PIXE (particle-induced X-ray emission) technique to study air pollution problems in large cities, such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The studies on natural radioactivity and fallout from nuclear weapons in South America are briefly examined.

     

Recent developments in in vivo neutron activation analysis facilities

Two new facilities for in vivo activation analysis of patients have been designed, developed, and constructed at Toronto General Hospital. One of these is for the determination of body calcium for the diagnosis of osteoporosis and other diseases associated with bone loss. The other is for the measurement of total body nitrogen for the determination of protein status. These facilities replace old university facilities and take into account the comfort and management of patients. In addition, in the case of the calcium facility, the precision of the measurements has been improved because of larger detector volume and increased neutron source strength. Both the facilities are now in routine hospital clinical use.     

山东省的菌根真菌及分布

1842年Vittadini观察到树木小根可以从在其上面形成根套的真菌中获得营养。1885年Frank发展和完善了Vittadini 的观察,提出     

Parasitization of the cottony-cushion scale in relation to host size

Measurements of body length of cottony-cushion scales,Icerya purchasi Maskell, are presented. Although length increased markedly with developmental stage, the length distributions of successive stages were found to overlap, making length an imperfect indicator of stage andvice versa. The likelihood of parasitism by the fly,Cryptochaetum iceryae (Williston), was found to increase with increasing scale size when scales of different sizes were concurrently made available to the parasites under field conditions. Also, parasite loads (no. of parasites per parasitized host) were found to increase with host size. The size ofC. iceryae pupae was found to depend on the developmental stage of the scale host in which pupation took place — the more developed (larger) the host, the larger the pupa. This result suggests that parasite growth is food limited in the smaller hosts, and that therefore its apparent preference for larger hosts is to the parasite's advantage.      

QUANTITATIVE GENETICS OF SPRINT RUNNING SPEED AND SWIMMING ENDURANCE IN LABORATORY HOUSE MICE (MUS DOMESTICUS)

We tested the hypothesis that locomotor speed and endurance show a negative genetic correlation using a genetically variable laboratory strain of house mice (Hsd:ICR: Mus domesticus). A negative genetic correlation would qualify as an evolutionary “constraint,” because both aspects of locomotor performance are generally expected to be under positive directional selection in wild populations. We also tested whether speed or endurance showed any genetic correlation with body mass. For all traits, residuals from multiple regression equations were computed to remove effects of possible confounding variables such as age at testing, measurement block, observer, and sex. Estimates of quantitative genetic parameters were then obtained using Shaw's (1987) restricted maximum-likelihood programs, modified to account for our breeding design, which incorporated cross-fostering. Both speed and endurance were measured on two consecutive trial days, and both were repeatable. We initially analyzed performances on each trial day and the maximal value. For endurance, the three estimates of narrow-sense heritabilities ranged from 0.17 to 0.33 (full ADCE model), and some were statistically significantly different from zero using likelihood ratio tests. The heritability estimate for sprint speed measured on trial day 1 was 0.17, but negative for all other measures. Moreover, the additive genetic covariance between speeds measured on the two days was near zero, indicating that the two measures are to some extent different traits. The additive genetic covariance between speed on trial day 1 and any of the four measures of endurance was negative, large, and always statistically significant. None of the measures of speed or endurance was significantly genetically correlated with body mass. Thus, we predict that artificial selection for increased locomotor speed in these mice would result in a decrease in endurance, but no change in body mass. Such experiments could lead to a better understanding of the physiological mechanisms leading to trade-offs in aspects of locomotor abilities.     

Colony orientation and successful defence behaviour in the conifer aphid, Schizolachnus pineti

We studied colony structure and body orientation behaviour of Schizolachnus pineti, a specialised aphid feeding on needles of Scots pine. Aphids feeding at the margin of a colony always face towards the centre of the colony, bounding the colony with their legs. This behaviour increased the defence success aginst the specialised parasitoid (Pauesia unilachni) and the specialised predator (Scymnus nigrinus). Both enemies had less success when attacking S. pineti from the abdominal site when compared to the front. We assume that the defence orientation displayed by marginally feeding aphids has an adaptive nature and is particularly effective when feeding in a row on linear plant structures such as needles.     

Neuropeptide Y perfused in the preoptic area of rats shifts extracellular efflux of dopamine,norepinephrine and serotonin during hypothermia and feeding

This study examined the localized action of neuropeptide Y (NPY) on monoamine transmitter activity in the hypothalamus of the unrestrained rat as this peptide induced hypothermia, spontaneous feeding or both responses simultaneously. A guide tube was implanted in the anterior hypothalamic pre-optic area (AH/POA) of Sprague-Dawley rats. Then either control CSF vehicle or NPY in a dose of either 100 ng/μl or 250 ng/μl was perfused by push-pull cannulae in this structure in the fully sated, normothermic rat. Successive perfusions were carried out at a rate of 20 μl/min for 6.0 min with an interval of 6.0 min elapsing between each. Samples of perfusate were assayed by HPLC for their levels of dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (5-HT) and their respective metabolites. Whereas control CSF was without effect on body temperature (T_b) or feeding, repeated perfusions of NPY over 3.0 hr caused dose—dependent eating from 4 to 39 g of food, hypothermia of 0.9 to 2.3°C or both responses concurrently. As the rats consumed 11–39 g of food, the efflux of NE, MHPG, DOPAC and 5-HT was enhanced significantly, whereas during the fall in T_b the efflux of NE, DOPAC and 5-HIAA from the AH/POA increased. When the T_b of the rat declined simultaneously with eating behavior, the levels in perfusate of DOPAC and HVA increased significantly while MHPG declined. During perfusion of the AH/POA with NPY the turnover of NE declined while DA and 5-HT turnover increased during hypothermia alone or when accompanied by feeding. These results demonstrate that the sustained elevation in NPY within the AH/POA causes a selective alteration in the activity of the neurotransmitters implicated in thermoregulation, satiety and hunger. These findings suggest that both DA and NE comprise intermediary factors facilitating the action of NPY on neurons involved in thermoregulatory and ingestive processes. The local activity of NPY on hypothalamic neurons apparently shifts the functional balance of serotonergic and catecholaminergic neurons now thought to play a primary role in the control of energy metabolism and caloric intake.