Survival,fecundity and reproductive recovery period of Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) during long-term preservation on maize pollen and after switch to Tetranychus urticae Koch

Immature stages of the predacious mite, Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) were reared on eggs of Tetranychus urticae Koch and gravid females were preserved on pollen of maize, Zea mays L. for 30, 45, 60 and 80?days. Afterwards, pollen was shifted to prey eggs for 15?days to evaluate their survival, fecundity and reproductive recovery period. All adult females of N. californicus survived the different maintenance periods and the following 15?days after pollen switch to the prey. Furthermore, predator females consuming pollen produced relatively few eggs during the preservation experiments, while they laid the majority of eggs during 15?days after pollen change to T. urticae without a second mating. The fecundity during the conservation periods significantly increased with increasing the maintenance period, whereas the reverse occurred subsequent to the shift to the prey. Moreover, the reproductive recovery period after the switch to T. urticae was inversely associated with the preservation period. Therefore, maize pollen is a useful alternative food for long-term survival and for maintaining fecundity of N. californicus females to exhibit an adequate numerical response to T. urticae at a subsequent time.     

Circadian Discrimination of Reward: Evidence for Simultaneous Yet Separable Food- and Drug-Entrained Rhythms in the Rat

A unique extra-suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) oscillator, operating independently of the light-entrainable oscillator, has been hypothesized to generate feeding and drug-related rhythms. To test the validity of this hypothesis, sham-lesioned (Sham) and SCN-lesioned (SCNx) rats were housed in constant dim-red illumination (LL_red) and received a daily cocaine injection every 24?h for 7 d (Experiment 1). In a second experiment, rats underwent 3-h daily restricted feeding (RF) followed 12 d later by the addition of daily cocaine injections given every 25?h in combination with RF until the two schedules were in antiphase. In both experiments, body temperature and total activity were monitored continuously. Results from Experiment 1 revealed that cocaine, but not saline, injections produced anticipatory increases in temperature and activity in SCNx and Sham rats. Following withdrawal from cocaine, free-running temperature rhythms persisted for 2–10 d in SCNx rats. In Experiment 2, robust anticipatory increases in temperature and activity were associated with RF and cocaine injections; however, the feeding periodicity (23.9?h) predominated over the cocaine periodicity. During drug withdrawal, the authors observed two free-running rhythms of temperature and activity that persisted for >14 d in both Sham and SCNx rats. The periods of the free-running rhythms were similar to the feeding entrainment (period?=?23.7 and 24.0?h, respectively) and drug entrainment (period?=?25.7 and 26.1?h, respectively). Also during withdrawal, the normally close correlation between activity and temperature was greatly disrupted in Sham and SCNx rats. Taken together, these results do not support the existence of a single oscillator mediating the rewarding properties of both food and cocaine. Rather, they suggest that these two highly rewarding behaviors can be temporally isolated, especially during drug withdrawal. Under stable dual-entrainment conditions, food reward appears to exhibit a slightly greater circadian influence than drug reward. The ability to generate free-running temperature rhythms of different frequencies following combined food and drug exposures could reflect a state of internal desynchrony that may contribute to the addiction process and drug relapse. (Author correspondence: heiko@vetmed.wsu.edu)     

An Inbred Lineage of Djungarian Hamsters with a Strongly Attenuated Ability to Synchronize

An inbred lineage of Ph. sungorus was established at our institute showing some unusual characteristics of the circadian system that appear incompatible with an adequate adaptation to the periodic environment. We identified a hamster for which activity onset was delayed under light‐dark conditions (L:D=14∶10 h) by about 4 h in relation to the light‐dark transition. As the activity offset remained synchronized with the time of light‐on, the activity period (α) became compressed to 6 h. By means of a special breeding program, the percentage of animals showing such a phenomenon increased, indicating that it has a genetic component. Also, it is possible now to breed a larger number of hamsters to further investigate the rhythm deviations and the underlying mechanisms. Activity rhythms were investigated using passive infrared motion sensors. Whereas some of the hamsters showed a rather stable phase delay of activity onset relative to the onset of darkness, some animals progressively delayed their activity onset up to a critical, minimal length of α (3.03±0.02 h). Thereafter, the rest‐activity rhythm started to free‐run with a remarkably long period (τ=25.02 h) or became arrhythmic. Some hamsters showed several consecutive cycles alternating between a free‐running rhythm and entrainment, with increasing τ and reducing the phases of temporary entrainment. Finally, these hamsters became arrhythmic. The total amount of activity per day was similar in the wild type and delayed activity onset hamsters. The latter did increase the intensity of activity, thereby compensating for the shorter α. The period length in constant darkness was significantly longer in the delayed hamsters compared to wild type animals (24.37±0.03 h vs. 24.24±0.02 h; p<0.001). However, this difference seems too small to cause the later activity onset. The phase response following a light pulse (100 lux, 15′ at CT14 where CT12=activity onset) was similar in delayed and wild type hamsters (?1.66±0.12 h and ?1.82±0.16 h). As access to running wheels is known to influence the circadian pacemaker, particularly to strengthen oscillator coupling, a set of further experiments was conducted. The free‐running period was significantly shorter when the hamsters were provided with running wheels (24.25±0.04 h and 24.07±0.04 h in wild type and delayed hamsters, respectively; p<0.005 and p<0.05). However, the effect on the activity onset was not unequivocal. In many hamsters it was still delayed, whereas in others the unlocking of the wheels led to an expansion of α. The described inbred lineage appears to be an excellent model to further investigate the properties and the interaction of the two oscillators underlying the daily activity pattern.     

Variability in the Period of the Blood Pressure Orcadian Rhythm in Human Beings

In studies and assessments of human beings done in natural settings, it is assumed that the period τ of circadian rhythms, including ones of systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, is equal to 24 hours. To test this hypothesis, SBP and DBP rhythms were studied in 112 medication-free, non-hospitalized subjects (62 males, 47.1 + 2.0 years [χ ± SEM], and 50 females, 54.5 ± 2.1 years) by 48h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Of these, 26 were hypertensive (diurnal SBP> 140 mmHg and diurnal DBP> 90 mmHg) and 86 normotensive. All subjects were synchronized by their habitual daytime activities from ?08:00h to ?23:00h ± lh and by sleep at night. The BP was assessed at 15-minute intervals during a continuous 48h span using a Spacelabs model #90207 ABPM. The time series data of each subject were individually evaluated by power spectra analysis for the prominent x of the SBP and DBP rhythms. The prominent X differed from 24 hours in 22/112 subjects for SBP and in 16/112 subjects for DBP. Generally, in these individuals the τ was less than 24 hours. The occurrence of non-24h τ's was more frequent in hypertensive than normotensive subjects; the difference between the groups in the distribution of the prominent τ's by class (τ = 24h, >=12, 12h<24h, etc.) was statistically significant (χ² test =19.1; p < 0.001). No difference in the distribution of x's of blood pressure was detected according to the subject's age and gender. These findings suggest that ABPM done only for a duration of 24h may be too short to characterize accurately the features of the day-night variation in human BP, including the precise period of its rhythm. (Chronobiology International, 14(3), 307–317, 1997)     

Extinction and recolonization of maritime Antarctica in the limpet Nacella concinna (Strebel, 1908) during the last glacial cycle: toward a model of Quaternary biogeography in shallow Antarctic invertebrates

Quaternary glaciations in Antarctica drastically modified geographical ranges and population sizes of marine benthic invertebrates and thus affected the amount and distribution of intraspecific genetic variation. Here, we present new genetic information in the Antarctic limpet Nacella concinna, a dominant Antarctic benthic species along shallow ice‐free rocky ecosystems. We examined the patterns of genetic diversity and structure in this broadcast spawner along maritime Antarctica and from the peri‐Antarctic island of South Georgia. Genetic analyses showed that N. concinna represents a single panmictic unit in maritime Antarctic. Low levels of genetic diversity characterized this population; its median‐joining haplotype network revealed a typical star‐like topology with a short genealogy and a dominant haplotype broadly distributed. As previously reported with nuclear markers, we detected significant genetic differentiation between South Georgia Island and maritime Antarctica populations. Higher levels of genetic diversity, a more expanded genealogy and the presence of more private haplotypes support the hypothesis of glacial persistence in this peri‐Antarctic island. Bayesian Skyline plot and mismatch distribution analyses recognized an older demographic history in South Georgia. Approximate Bayesian computations did not support the persistence of N. concinna along maritime Antarctica during the last glacial period, but indicated the resilience of the species in peri‐Antarctic refugia (South Georgia Island). We proposed a model of Quaternary Biogeography for Antarctic marine benthic invertebrates with shallow and narrow bathymetric ranges including (i) extinction of maritime Antarctic populations during glacial periods; (ii) persistence of populations in peri‐Antarctic refugia; and (iii) recolonization of maritime Antarctica following the deglaciation process.     

铃期增温对棉花产量、品质的影响及其生理机制

以泗棉3号棉花品种为材料,于2010和2011年在南京农业大学牌楼试验站设置铃期(7月13日-8月24日)增温试验,模拟全球增温条件下棉花产量、品质的变化趋势及其生理机制.结果表明: 在铃期增温2～3 ℃(日均温31.1～35.2 ℃)条件下,植株总生物量下降约10%,单株皮棉及籽棉产量降低30%～40%.棉纤维品质变化显著,且不同纤维品质指标对增温的响应程度存在较大差异:马克隆值和断裂比强度显著升高,纤维长度下降,而整齐度指数和伸长率无显著变化.棉株光合能力、干物质累积能力和光合产物输出能力显著下降;可溶性氨基酸、可溶性糖、蔗糖含量及碳氮比均显著下降,而淀粉含量显著上升;增温条件下营养器官干物质分配比例增多,生殖器官干物质分配比例相对减少,经济系数随之降低.棉株下部果枝受增温影响较小,中、上及顶部果枝受增温影响较大.表明在增温2～3 ℃条件下,棉株大部分时间处于热胁迫状态,不仅光合能力下降,而且光合产物向“库”端的转运能力下降,最终导致其减产.     

贡嘎山不同林龄峨眉冷杉种子雨及土壤种子库

本文采用种子雨收集器、土壤种子库筛选、室内萌发实验及野外实地调查等手段,研究了贡嘎山海螺沟内不同林龄和海拔分布上下界限的6个峨眉冷杉(Abies fabri)林的土壤种子库、种子雨的组成和时空分布特征.结果表明:土壤种子库分布随土壤深度增加而减少,主要集中在凋落物层;在同一海拔,随着林龄增加,土壤种子库和种子雨大小先增加再降低,成熟林达到最大值,且其完整种子比例最高,整体质量最好;不同海拔,林龄相近的成熟林调查结果显示,海拔分布上下界限的峨眉冷杉林土壤种子库和种子雨显著小于海拔分布中段的成熟林,这可能与海拔引起的水热条件差异有关;峨眉冷杉林的最佳结实阶段在成熟林,其种子质量好,且散布后在林下保存得最好;树种生物学特性和林下微生境可能是主要原因.     

皖西白鹅胚胎中、后期肌组织发育变化的观察

分别于17、23、29胚龄各取6枚胚胎发育正常的种蛋,分离鹅胚的心脏、肌胃及大腿骨骼肌,制作石蜡切片,HE染色,显微观察、摄影.观察皖西白鹅胚胎中、后期肌肉组织发育的变化.结果表明,17d时的骨骼肌、平滑肌、心肌的发育程度均较低,没有形成正常的肌纤维形态,之后呈现随龄性增长.骨骼肌和平滑肌在17 d～23 d期间是以肌纤维数量的增加为主,即成肌细胞的分裂增殖,23 d～29 d 期间成肌细胞分化融合形成肌纤维;心脏成纤维细胞增殖速度较快,17 d心脏肌纤维已经排列紧密基本吻合成网状;17 d后主要是心肌纤维的伸长和成熟化的过程.说明胚胎期心肌组织的生长发育要早于骨骼肌与平滑肌.     

Multiple mating in Anastrepha fraterculus females and its relationship with fecundity and fertility

The occurrence of female remating has been widely reported in insects and the frequency at which it occurs and the factors driving females’ remating behavior have been shown to be both species specific and variable within species. Herein, we studied the remating behavior of females from a well established laboratory colony and a wild population of the South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), under laboratory conditions. Latency to first mating (number of days from the onset of the experiment until the first copula) was shorter for remating females than for females that did not remate. Two‐day fecundity was higher for females that did remate than for monogamous females. Egg hatch was sustained after remating and was not affected by the number of times the female mated. However, when females willing to remate were prevented from doing so, percent egg hatch showed a significant drop. These results and the fact that remating occurred more often in more fecund females than in less fecund ones suggest that remating may be a response to sperm depletion. Remating frequency was similar in laboratory and wild flies, but 2‐day fecundity was higher for laboratory than for wild females of similar mating status. Also, the length of the refractory period (time between first and second copulation) was longer for wild than for laboratory females. Differences between strains could be the result of artificial selection. Results are discussed from a theoretical and applied perspective in the context of direct benefits to females.