Orientation and ingestion rates of larval Anopheles albimanus in response to floating particles

Response of fourth-instar larvae of Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann (Diptera: Culicidae) to food and inert particles floating at the water surface was studied. In a choice test, larvae aggregated at powdered organic materials (blood meal, liver powder alfalfa flour and wheat flour) but not at inert materials (kaolin, chalk or charcoal). Larvae responded positively to proteins as well as some carbohydrates, but not to cellulose. Retention of larvae at food sources found by random locomotion was found to be responsible for larval aggregation. Larvae ingested food particles 6–9 times faster than insert particles. The significance of Anopheline feeding behavior in the development of formulations of stomach toxins (bacterial agents) used in larval control is discussed.

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Zusammenfassung Die vorliegende Studie befasst sich mit Verhaltensreaktionen von Anopheles albimanus Viertlarven auf an der Wasseroberfläche schwimmende Partikel. Verteilung und Orientierung der Larven wurde in einer Wahlapparatur quantifiziert. Nach Auftrag von Alfalfamehl, Weizenmehl, Stärke, Blutmehl, Leberpulver und Fischmehl wurde Aggregation der Larven in den beköderten Fächern der Apparatur beobachtet. Sowohl Proteine (Casein) als auch einige Kohlehydrate (Amylose, Amylopectin) lösten Aggregationen der Larven aus. Im Unterschied dazu führte Auftrag von Kreide, Kaolin, Polyaethylenpulver, Talcum oder Cellulose nicht zu Aggregationen. Zur Beschreibung der Entstehung larvaler Aggregationen bei Futterstoffen wurden die Schwimmbewegungen der Larven in Anwesenheit von Weizenmehl als Ködersubstanz quantifiziert. Da keine Attraktion der Larven im Sinne einer gerichteten Schwimmbewegung beobachtet werden konnte, wird geschlussfolgert, dass sofortige Beendung der Suchaktivität der Larven bei zufällig gefundenen Futterquellen für die beobachteten Aggregationen bei organischen Substanzen verantwortlich ist.Die Fressraten der Larven bei Angebot verschiedener Substanzen im Überschuss wurde bestimmt. Larven fülten drei von insgesamt sechs Darmabschnitten innerhalb von 15–30 min bei Angebot von Futtersubstanzen, während die Füllung von nur zwei Darmabschnitten mit inerten Materialien erst nach 90–120 min zu beobachten war. Die Resultate werden in Bezug auf wasseroberflächengebundene Formulierungen von Frassgiften diskutiert. Inerte Trägersubstanzen werden wahrscheinlich wesentlich langsamer aufgenommen als Futtersubstanzen. Da An. albimanus Larven nicht von Futterquellen angezogen werden, ist eine rasche und wirksame Giftaufnahme besonders dann zu erwarten, wenn die gesamte Oberfläche der Brutgewässer mit toxinhaltigen Trägerpartikeln bedeckt werden kann.

     

The Thatcher illusion in humans and monkeys

Primates possess the remarkable ability to differentiate faces of group members and to extract relevant information about the individual directly from the face. Recognition of conspecific faces is achieved by means of holistic processing, i.e. the processing of the face as an unparsed, perceptual whole, rather than as the collection of independent features (part-based processing). The most striking example of holistic processing is the Thatcher illusion. Local changes in facial features are hardly noticeable when the whole face is inverted (rotated 180°), but strikingly grotesque when the face is upright. This effect can be explained by a lack of processing capabilities for locally rotated facial features when the face is turned upside down. Recently, a Thatcher illusion was described in the macaque monkey analogous to that known from human investigations. Using a habituation paradigm combined with eye tracking, we address the critical follow-up questions raised in the aforementioned study to show the Thatcher illusion as a function of the observer''s species (humans and macaques), the stimulus'' species (humans and macaques) and the level of perceptual expertise (novice, expert).     

The cytomegalovirus enhancer: a pan-active control element in transgenic mice.

In an effort to identify widely active positive regulatory elements, we have examined the action of the cytomegalovirus enhancer-promoter in transgenic mice. These elements activated expression in 24 of 28 tissues tested. The greatest expression was observed in the heart, kidney, brain, and testis. Maximum expression further localized to specific cells within the heart and kidney.     

Functional asymmetry of the F0 motor in bacterial ATP synthases

F₁F₀ ATP synthases use the electrochemical potential of H⁺ or Na⁺ across biological membranes to synthesize ATP by a rotary mechanism. In bacteria, the enzymes can act in reverse as ATP-driven ion pumps creating the indispensable membrane potential. Here, we demonstrate that the F₀ parts of a Na⁺- and H⁺-dependent enzyme display major asymmetries with respect to their mode of operation, reflected by the requirement of ∼100 times higher Na⁺ or H⁺ concentrations for the synthesis compared with the hydrolysis of ATP. A similar asymmetry is observed during ion transport through isolated F₀ parts, indicating different affinities for the binding sites in the a/c interface. Together with further data, we propose a model that provides a rationale for a differential usage of membrane potential and ion gradient during ATP synthesis as observed experimentally. The functional asymmetry might also reflect an important property of the ATP synthesis mechanism in vivo . In Escherichia coli , we observed respiratory chain-driven ATP production at pH 7–8, while P -site pH values < 6.5 were required for ATP synthesis in vitro . This discrepancy is discussed with respect to the hypothesis that during respiration lateral proton diffusion could lead to significant acidification at the membrane surface.     

Children’s exposure to sustainability practices during the transition from preschool into school and their learning and socioemotional development

Evidence that the learning gains of preschool fade as children transition into elementary school has led to increased efforts to sustain preschool advantages during this key transitional period. This study explores whether the observed benefits of sustainability practices for a range of child outcomes are explained and/or moderated by family and school mechanisms selecting children into experiencing these practices. Analyses of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort revealed that both family and school factors predicted children’s exposure to several PK-3 sustainability practices. PK-3 sustainability practices were associated with reading (but not math) gains and better interpersonal skills (but not fewer externalizing behaviors) following the transition into kindergarten. These links were not conditioned by the selection mechanisms. The findings highlight who is more likely to seek out (at the family level) or offer (at the school level) sustainability practices and how relevant they are to fighting preschool fadeout.     

In vivo priming of helper and suppressor T cells by alloantigens. Frequency analysis with the use of an in vitro limiting dilution assay

Earlier studies have demonstrated that T cells activated in mixed lymphocyte reactions can exert positive as well as negative allogeneic effects on B cells expressing the appropriate alloantigens on their surface. We investigated the effect of in vivo priming of T cells with alloantigens on their capacity to help or suppress allogeneic B cell cultures against sheep erythrocytes. We used immunization protocols that have been shown to be optimal for induction of alloantigen-specific delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and alloantigen-specific suppressor T (Ts) cells for DTH. The results show that in vivo stimulation with alloantigens, depending on the immunization route and the lymphoid organ studied, can be as effective as in vitro stimulation in increasing the frequency of alloantigen-specific helper T (Th) cells and Ts cells. Subcutaneous immunization induced a 10-fold frequency raise of Th cells as well as of Ts cells in the lymph nodes. In the spleen the Th cell population was hardly affected by s.c. immunization, whereas the Ts cell population increased by at least a factor 20. Intravenous immunization, on the other hand, selectively expanded the Th cell population in the spleen, whereas the splenic Ts cell population and the Th and Ts cells in the lymph nodes were not affected. Comparison of these results with our previous data concerning characteristics and the requirements of in vivo activation of alloantigen-specific DTH reactive T cells and of alloantigen-specific Ts cells suggest that different Ts cell populations are involved in suppression of alloantigen-specific DTH in vivo and of allogeneic suppression of in vitro induced sheep erythrocytes specific antibody formation.     

Resolution of d,l-menthol by interesterification with triacetin using the free and immobilized lipase of Candida cylindracea

Summary Interesterification in isooctane with triacetin as an acyl donor was found to be a new and effective method of racemic resolution of d,l-menthol, when using the free and immobilized lipase of Candida cylindracea. No water was produced by this highly stereoselective type of reaction in contrast to ester synthesis with acetic acid as an acyl donor. Even with diacetin no possible back reaction occurred and the enzyme was easily separated from the reaction solution as opposed to ester hydrolysis in aqueous systems. Inhibition of interesterification was caused by increasing concentrations of the acyl donor triacetin by more than 10 mmol·l^-1 on the one hand, and especially by diacetin on the other hand. The reaction product menthyl acetate had no influence. By adding water the interesterification activity of the lipase was reduced significantly. An alteration of the acyl donor triacetin to longerchained triglycerides caused changes in higher specific activities but poor enantioselectivities of the products, as in the case of ester synthesis starting from longer-chained organic acids.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Fritz Wagner on the occasion of his 60th birthday