Dietary selection in adultLocusta migratoria

Dietary selection was investigated during the first 15 days of adult life in male and femaleLocusta migratoria L. Insects were provided with two artificial diets, one containing 10, 20 or 28% protein but no digestible carbohydrate, the other 10, 20 or 28% digestible carbohydrate but no protein. Amounts eaten, detailed feeding patterns and somatic and reproductive growth were measured. Unfortunately the artificial diets did not support female reproductive development. Nevertheless, there was convincing evidence that insects regulated both protein and carbohydrate intake during the somatic growth phase by dietary selection and altered consumption.

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La sélection des aliments parLocusta migratoria adulte

Résumé La sélection des aliments a été suivie pendant les 15 premiers jours de vie imaginale des mâles et des femelles deLocusta migratoria L. Les insectes recevaient 2 régimes alimentaires, l'un contentant 10, 20 ou 28% de protéines, mais pas de carbohydrates assimilables, l'autre 10, 20 ou 28% de carbohydrates assimilables, mais pas de protéines. Les quantités consommées, le détail de la prise de nourriture, et les croissances somatique et reproductive ont été mesurés. Malheureusement, ces régimes artificiels n'ont pas permis le développement ovarien des femelles. Cependant, il y a des preuves convaincantes que les insectes ont contrôlé leur apport en protéines et en carbohydrates pendant la phase de croissance somatique par une sélection alimentaire et une modification de la consommation.

     

Spectrum of mutations in cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a disorder characterized by elevated sweat electrolytes and thick mucous secretions due to abnormal chloride permeability in epithelial tissues. The gene responsible for this disease, the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) was identified by a positional cloning approach 3 years ago. Since that time, over two hundred mutations have been found in CFTR genes from affected individuals. Analysis of these disease-associated mutations has provided new insight into the etiology of this disease and into the mechanisms of epithelial electrolyte secretion.     

The relationship between relative weight and school attendance among elementary schoolchildren

Objective: To determine the relationship between relative weight and school attendance among elementary schoolchildren. Research Methods and Procedures: A total of 1069 fourth to sixth graders from nine elementary schools in the inner city of Philadelphia, PA, were part of an ongoing randomized control trial to assess prevention strategies for obesity. The mean rate of students eligible for free/reduced meals was 82.9 ± 11.5%. Weight was measured in the second semester of the academic year. Absentee data for the entire academic year were recorded by homeroom teachers. Participants were classified into relative weight categories described by the Institute of Medicine: underweight, normal‐weight, overweight, and obese. Results: ANOVA showed that overweight children were absent significantly more than normal‐weight children (12.2 ± 11.7 days vs.10.1 ± 10.5 days) (p < 0.05). Linear regression showed that the obese category remained a significant contributor to the number of days absent even after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, and gender. Discussion: These data suggest that in addition to the medical and psychosocial consequences of being overweight, heavier children have greater risk for school absenteeism than their normal‐weight peers. As the rate of childhood obesity increases, parallel increases in school absenteeism should be expected.     

Do you have to be tall and educated to be a migrant? Evidence from Spanish recruitment records, 1890–1950

We use Spanish military records stemming from the late-19th to the mid-20th century to assess internal migrants’ self-selection. We find that migrants were, on average over the whole period, around one centimeter taller than non-migrants, and in the booming 1920s, the height advantage of movers reached three centimeters. The positive self-selection was larger for migrants originating in poorer provinces and traveling longer distances. A further finding is that migrants were positively selected in terms of literacy and socio-economic status according to their occupation. Professionals were most likely to have migrated internally and farmers least.     

Dietary self-selection by Heliothis zea larvae: roles of metabolic feedback and chemosensory stimuli

The effects on dietary self-selection of phagostimulation and metabolic feedback from nutrients were seperated by using two unusual carbohydrates alone or in combination: mannitol, which is nutritive but not phagostimulatory for H. zea larvae; and sorbose, which is weakly phagostimulatory but not nutritive. Last instar H. zea larvae recognized and responded positively to mannitol by metabolic feedback when it was included in a diet with casein. When offered a choice of two diets, one containing casein but lacking a utilizable carbohydrate and another lacking casein but including either mannitol or sorbose, they did not self-select for either mannitol or sorbose. However, in a similar experiment, in which the carbohydrate diet contained a mixture of mannitol and sorbose, there was a positive response, demonstrating that both metabolic feedback and phagostimulation are required to elicit self-selection.

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Résumé Les chenilles d'H. zea peuvent choisir un mélange nutritif optimal parmi deux régimes séparés, répondant à des besoins alimentaires différents. Cette aptitude à l'autosélection pose la question des voies de sélection d'un régime optimal par l'insecte. L'autosélection est probablement réalisée par un feedback métabolique des aliments; la stimulation sensorielle par les aliments pourrait jouer elle aussi un rôle. Notre objectif est de séparer ces deux facteurs et d'en déterminer l'importance relative.Des L 5 venant de muer ont pu s'alimenter sur 2 régimes nutritionnellement complets, mais dont l'un contenait des carbohydrates (sucrose) mais non des protéines, tandis que l'autre contenait des protéines (caséine) mais non des carbohydrates. L'auto-sélection caséine/sucrose a été 81/19; elle correspond à la portion idéale pour le dernier stade des chenilles H. zea établie lors d'expériences antérieures (Waldbauer et al., 1984a). Pour comparer l'importance relative du feedback métabolique et de la stimulation sensorielle, 2 carbohydrates ont été substitués au sucrose, qui est à la fois nutritif et phagostimulant: le mannitol, nutritif mais ne stimulant pas de prise de nourriture, et le sorbose, faiblement stimulant mais non nutritif. Quand elles ont le choix, les chenilles ne sélectionnent ni mannitol, ni sorbose, mais consomment presque exclusivement le régime alternatif à la caséine. Quand sorbose et mannitol sont mélangés et proposés ensemble, la réponse est positive, montrant que le feedback métabolique et la stimulation sensorielle sont impliqués tous deux dans l'autosélection alimentaire.Des expériences en deux étapes d'autosélection ont montré que le feedback métabolique est de première importance. Dans la première, les chenilles avaient le choix entre caséine seule et caséine et mannitol. Les chenilles ont consommé significativement plus d'aliment avec mannitol que sans carbohydrate, bien que les goûts des deux régimes aient du être identiques, puisque le mannitol n'a pas de goût pour H. zea. La caséine a été vraisemblablement assez phagostimulante pour maintenir suffisamment les chenilles sur l'aliment avec mannitol et ainsi permettre au feedback métabolique du mannitol d'influer sur leur maintien sur cet aliment sans en rechercher un autre.Dans d'autres expériences, les chenilles ont eu le choix entre un régime alimentaire classique avec de la caséinne et d'autres n'ayant plus leur caséine mais avec des quantités décroissantes de sucrose. Elles n'ont pas réagi en consommant plus d'aliments avec du sucrose dilué, mais en consommant plus de caséine. Cependant, si du mannitol, pourtant non phagostimulant, est ajouté à des aliments avec du sucrose dilué pour remplacer le sucrose manquant, les chenilles ne compensent plus en consommant plus d'aliments avec de la caséine, mais de la même façon qu'elles le feraient avec un aliment contenant la concentration adéquate de sucrose, montrant qu'elles perçoivent ainsi le feedback métabolique du mannitol, qui est pourtant sans goût.

     

西南地区文化多样性时空格局

我国西南地区少数民族类别众多,各民族在历史发展中形成了许多优秀的文化传统和独特的生态意识。本研究以县级行政区为基本研究单元,基于民族类别及其人口定量测度了西南地区的文化多样性指数,并比较了1990年、2000年与2010年的动态变化。西南地区文化多样性指数具有明显的空间异质性,整体上呈现西北低东南高的格局。虽然文化多样性指数在时间序列上有一定程度的增加,但总体上县域尺度的文化多样性水平偏低。此外,随着空间尺度的扩大,文化多样性指数逐渐增加,即西南地区整体上表现为"大杂居,小聚居"的分布格局。省域尺度上,文化多样性的差异总和与各组分差异均随时间的推移而减少,同时,其民族构成的相似性趋于增加,表明西南地区各民族人口的分布更加融合,民族交融成为趋势。在西南地区的生态环境背景下,文化多样性的空间分布与平均坡度密切相关。研究探讨了民族融合的社会历史背景,分析了阶梯过渡带具有较高文化多样性的原因,并呼吁加强对西南地区优秀传统文化的重视与保护。     

不同群体中ATXN2基因编码区CAG重复的变异研究

在中国6个生活环境差异较大的少数民族群体中进行ATXN2基因编码区CAG重复的变异研究,以衡量其是否受到正选择的作用以及寻找推动选择作用的因素。采集6个民族群体共291个健康无关个体,对其进行STR分型,直接计数其等位基因及等位基因型频率,计算其线性Fst值,构建针对该基因的系统进化树,并对各群体进行MDS分析。线性Fst值结果显示:回族和彝族群体间ATXN2基因STR位点进化的差异具有显著性,其他4个群体相互间无显著性差异。结合已报道的其他群体进一步分析,回族、哈尼族、云南蒙古族以及内蒙古自治区蒙古族每个人群都与日本人群有显著性差异;回族、内蒙古自治区蒙古族与汉族具有显著性差异。6个群体中ATXN2基因STR的等位基因频率有各自的分布特点,稀有等位基因频率变化产生的原因可能是选择作用的结果。     

The fragility of “white Irish” as a minority ethnic identity in England

This paper is a methodological reflection on the experiences of a white Irish woman researching ethnicity in England. Ethnic identity is described as a performance between two social actors that requires the collusion of both parties in order to be socially accepted. The history and disputes around the white Irish ethnic group category in England are discussed. Through the use of fieldnotes and interview extracts, I discuss how I became aware that my ethnic identity was not always recognized by participants, and in some cases the distinction between white Irish and white British was denied. At the micro level, this affects my rapport with individual participants, while at the macro level it resonates with historical relationships between Ireland and England. I argue that such experiences can lead to an existential threat to a person’s ethnic identity and therefore that the status of white Irish identity in England can be fragile.     

中国10个民族永生细胞系的建立与保存

永久保存我国各少数民族的遗传信息是中国人类基因组计划的重要内容,为此,采用EB病毒(epstein-barr Svirus EBV)上清液及Hepes转化外周血B淋巴细胞,并加入环孢霉素A(cyclosporine A)抑制T淋巴细胞,成功地对中国哈萨克族、满族、朝鲜族、赫哲族、蒙古族、锡伯族、回族、布依族、四川汉族和福建汉族的部分个体建立了永生细胞系。其中哈萨克族64株,朝鲜族58株,赫哲族18株,锡伯族43株,回族63株,布依族67株,满族65株,蒙古族62株,四川汉族51株,福建汉族58株。总计549株。为保存我国各民族遗传资源、分析各少数民族间的遗传学差异及其起源,奠定了材料基础。 Establishment and Preservation of Immortal Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines of the 10 Ethnic Groups in China HUANG Xiao-yi,LIU An,YU Yang,MA Lin-lin,SHI Rong-qian,Lü Fu-qu,JIANG Yan,SUN Wen-jing,XUE Ya-li,FU Song-bin,LI Pu Department of Medical Genetics,Harbin Medical University,Harbin 150086,China Abstract:The immortal lymphoblastoid cell lines were established by EBV transformation of B cells and addition of cyclosporin A to inhibit the activity of T cells.In the present study,549 immortal cell lines of different ethnic groups of Hazak,Manchu,Korea,Hozhe,Mongolia,Sibe,Hui, Puyi,Han in Fujian and Han in Sichuan were established.Through our research,we found it is harmful for B lymphocytes to transform if excessful leucocytes are inoculated.And it is crisis that cyclosporine A shoud be added the last.Our work is an important part of the research of human genome diversity for the exploration of the origin and evolution of different ethnic groups,and it also provides enough research materials for further studies.Moreover,we have sent 50 cell lines of Hozhe,Mongolia,Sibe,Daur,Oroqen to CEPH.Thus it is possible for us to utilize the genetic resources of CEPH freely. Key words：immortal lymphoblastoid cell line;EBV;ethnic groups;reserved in liquid-nitrogen     

Does prior residency interact with loss? A study of male–male contests in the hermit crab Pagurus minutus

Residency is an important predictor of success in contests with ownership asymmetries. Residency often can interact with a winning experience. However, given that some residents lose a contest even when showing an ownership advantage and that the process leading to loss often determines the loser's subsequent success, prior ownership might also interact with a loss. Here, we staged experimental contests between males of the hermit crab Pagurus minutus with a similar-sized weapon (i.e., cheliped) to examine this possibility. Male–male contests in this species occur between a solitary intruder and an owner guarding a mature female. We evaluated (a) whether resource ownership and female value affect the contest outcome and (b) whether the probability of winning after losing differs depending on the initial role of the loser (i.e., owner or intruder) by using precopulatory guarding pairs of P. minutus collected from the field. In the first fighting trial, we found an ownership advantage and increasing owner success as the body size of his partner increased. Although some owners lost the fight, in contrast to our prediction, the frequency of losing in the second fighting trial did not differ between prior owners and prior intruders. Because losers from the first fighting trial of male–male contests have no female regardless of their initial role, this shared solitary status might be related to the lack of difference in success in the second fighting trial. Moreover, unlike in other animals, resident status might not always assure greater fighting ability in P. minutus males because guarding Pagurus males can avoid male–male contests by climbing up objects in the field. Losers in the first trial, therefore, may have been weaker contestants based on traits other than size, regardless of whether they were owners or intruders.