Some observations on variegation inDrosophila

Attempts to modify experimentally the variegated phenotypes of the mutantsz inDrosophila melanogaster andw ^m2 inD. hydei, were largely unsuccessful. Transplanted eyes ofz were found to be more intensely pigmented, but this effect was not influenced by treatment of the imaginal disks or by the host's genotype. Inw ^m2, increased pigmentation was observed after treatment with 5-bromo-uracil.Thew ^m2 phenotype is strongly modified by supernumerary Y chromosomes. One Y shifts the eye colour from yellow to brown, two Y's, to dark red. In the Malpighian tubules, two Y's have a similarly strong effect, but one Y a slight effect only. Malpighian tubules ofw ^m2 larvae were used for a quantitative analysis of mottling. An average clonal cluster size of 1.1 was found. This indicates that the state of pigmentation is determined around the last cell division in the embryo.     

四川自贡大山铺成渝龟科—新属

描述了产自四川自贡大山铺恐龙化石坑中的三件龟甲标本,命名为一新属新种—周氏四川龟（Sichuanchelyschowigen．etsp．nov．）。该属以椎盾极横宽,中部缘盾极狭长为主要特征,它代表了成渝龟科中一类较特别的类型。     

Combined histochemical and biochemical investigation to the reliability of the demonstration of arylsulphatase activity in cryostat sections

Summary The reliability of the enzyme histochemical technique, for the demonstration of arylsulphatase activity, using 6-bromo-2-naphthylsulphate as a substrate, is biochemically tested by using partly purified lysosome and microsome preparations from fresh human placenta tissue. Microsomes from frozen placenta with an arylsulphatase deficiency and lysosomes from rat liver, are also investigated. For the biochemical test methods, 6-bromo-2-naphthylsulphate and p-nitrocatecholsulphate are used as substrates. Under similar reaction conditions, varying the pH of the incubation medium and adding inhibitors or activators, the histochemical and biochemical reactions are compared. The results of this study whow that the enzyme histochemical technique — except for some limitations — is suitable for the demonstration of microsomal arylsulphatase in cryostat sections.     

Ant versus bird exclusion effects on the arthropod assemblage of an organic citrus grove

1. Predation‐exclusion experiments have highlighted that top‐down control is pervasive in terrestrial communities, but most of these experiments are simplistic in that they only excluded a single group of predators and the effect of removal was evaluated on a few species from the community. The main goal of our study was to experimentally establish the relative effects of ants and birds on the same arthropod assemblage of canopy trees. 2. We conducted 1‐year long manipulative experiments in an organic citrus grove intended to quantify the independent effects of bird and ant predators on the abundance of arthropods. Birds were excluded with plastic nets whereas ants were excluded with sticky barriers on the trunks. The sticky barrier also excluded other ground dwelling insects, like the European earwig Forficula auricularia L. 3. Both the exclusion of ants and birds affected the arthropod community of the citrus canopies, but the exclusion of ants was far more important than the exclusion of birds. Indeed, almost all groups of arthropods had higher abundance in ant‐excluded than in control trees, whereas only dermapterans were more abundant in bird‐excluded than in control trees. A more detailed analysis conducted on spiders also showed that the effect of ant exclusion was limited to a few families rather than being widespread over the entire diverse spectrum of spiders. 4. Our results suggest that the relative importance of vertebrate and invertebrate predators in regulating arthropod populations largely depends on the nature of the predator–prey system.     

Older Adults with Dementia Are Sedentary for Most of the Day

Purpose

Self-reported data suggest that older adults with dementia are inactive. The purpose of the present study was to objectively assess the physical activity (PA) levels of community-dwelling and institutionalized ambulatory patients with dementia, and to compare with the PA levels of cognitive healthy older adults.

Methods

We used actigraphy to assess the PA levels in institutionalized (n = 83, age: 83.0 ± 7.6, Mini-Mental-State Examination (MMSE): 15.5 ± 6.5) and community-dwelling dementia patients (n = 37, age: 77.3 ± 5.6, MMSE-score: 20.8 ± 4.8), and healthy older adults (n = 26, age: 79.5 ± 5.6, MMSE-score: 28.2 ± 1.6). We characterized PA levels based on the raw data and classified <100 counts/min as sedentary behavior.

Results

Institutionalized dementia patients had the lowest daily PA levels (1.69 ± 1.33 counts/day), spent 72.1% of the day sedentary, and were most active between 8:00 and 9:00 am. Institutionalized vs. community-dwelling dementia patients had 23.5% lower daily PA levels (difference M = 0.52, p = .004) and spent 9.3% longer in sedentariness (difference M = 1.47, p = .032). Community-dwelling dementia patients spent 66.0% of the day sedentary and were most active between 9:00 to 10:00 am with a second peak between 14:00 to 15:00. Community-dwelling dementia patients vs healthy older adults’ daily PA levels and sedentary time were 21.6% lower and 8.9% longer, respectively (difference M = 0.61, p = .007; difference M = 1.29, p = .078).

Conclusions

Institutionalized and community-dwelling dementia patients are sedentary for most of the day and the little PA they perform is of lower intensity compared to their healthy peers. Their highest PA peak is when they get out of bed in the morning. In addition, it seems that institutionalized living is associated with lower PA levels in dementia patients. These are the first results that objectively characterize institutionalized as well as community-dwelling dementia patients’ PA levels and confirm that dementia patients are inactive.     

鄂西大蓟根的化学成分的研究

本题对菊科蓟属植物鄂西大蓟根Cirsium henryi的化学成分进行系统研究。采用硅胶柱色谱法分离了五个单体成分并以光谱分析法鉴定它们的结构:乙酰丁香酸(p-Hydroxycinnamic acid,1),原儿茶酸(protocate-chuic acid,2),香草酸(vanillic acid,3),二羟丙基软脂酸酯(2,3-dihydroxypropyl hexadecanoate,4)和胡萝卜苷(glucoraphenin,5)。这些化合物均为首次从该植物中分离得到。     

Impact of vCJD on blood supply.

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) is an at present inevitably lethal neurodegenerative disease which can only be diagnosed definitely post mortem. The majority of the approximately 200 victims to date have resided in the UK where most contaminated beef materials entered the food chain. Three cases in the UK demonstrated that vCJD can be transmitted by blood transfusion. Since BSE and vCJD have spread to several countries outside the UK, it appears advisable that specific risk assessments be carried out in different countries and geographic areas. This review explains the approach adopted by Germany in assessing the risk and considering precautionary measures. A fundamental premise is that the feeding chain of cattle and the food chain have been successfully and permanently cleared from contaminated material. This raises the question of whether transmissions via blood transfusions could have the potential to perpetuate vCJD in mankind. A model calculation based on actual population data showed, however, that this would not be the case. Moreover, an exclusion of transfusion recipients from blood donation would add very little to the safety of blood transfusions, but would have a considerable impact on blood supply. Therefore, an exclusion of transfusion recipients was not recommended in Germany.     

B 超引导下子宫内膜消融术治疗更年期功血51 例临床分析

目的:探讨在B超引导下子宫内膜消融术治疗更年期功血的效果。方法:扩张宫颈至6.5号,吸宫,在B超监视下由子宫右前壁始向外刮凝,依次顺时针方向刮凝宫腔2周。结果:治愈31例(60.8%),有效19例(37.3%),好转1例(1.9%),无效0例。结论:电凝刀子宫内膜消融术与其他更年期功血治疗方法相比,消融的范围及深度由B超监视,安全性高,创伤小,不开刀,恢复快,并且治愈率高,更容易在临床上推广。