Differences in preference for species-specific female calls between acoustically experienced and acoustically naive maleRibautodelphax planthoppers (Homoptera: Delphacidae)

Males of the planthopper Ribautodelphax imitanswere exposed to playbacks of either conspecific or heterospecific (R. imitantoides)female calls during their development from egg to adult, and thereafter these, as well as naive males,were offered a two- way choice between these calls. Males of all treatments approached the conspecific call significantly more often. However, males primed by the conspecific call chose the heterospecific call almost four times less often than did males primed by heterospecific calls or naive males, thus showing that the preference for conspecific calls can be partly learned. Males primed by heterospecific calls performed very similarly to completely naive males, suggesting that the signal recognition mechanism is much less sensitive to heterospecific calls than to conspecific calls. Males with experience of the conspecific female call tended to take more time to reach the call source in the trials than both other types of males. The evolutionary implications of these findings are discussed.     

Effects of pre-adult and adult experience on host acceptance in choice and non-choice tests in two strains ofTrichogramma

The effect of adult learning through an oviposition experience, and pre-adult learning through development inside a host was investigated in two strains of an Australian egg parasitoid,Trichogramma nrivelae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). Host response was measured in two types of laboratory preference tests. In single host tests, females reared on three lepidopteran hosts (Heliothis punctigera (Noctuidae),Papilio aegeus (Papilionidae), andHypolimnas bolina (Nymphalinae)) were presented host eggs individually, and allowed two ovipositions. Pre-adult experience affected host preference in only one strain, while acceptance of a host was increased in both strains when they had previously oviposited in this host species. An oviposition experience had a stronger effect on host preference than pre-adult experience. In choice tests, pairwise combinations of hosts were arranged in an alternating grid. The ratio of host acceptances to host contacts was computed for the whole test and up to the first oviposition. These indicated that effects of rearing host were weak or absent, but the host chosen initially had a strong effect on host preference. Relative size of the hosts had a strong effect on choice of the first host. The implications of learning inTrichogramma are discussed in relation to host preference testing procedures and the selection of candidate strains for mass rearing and inundative release.     

Early agonistic experience and rank acquisition among free-ranging infant rhesus monkeys

Several aspects of agonistic experience are described for freeranging infant rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)on Cayo Santiago. Even before infants are fully integrated with peers in rank dominance based on maternal ranks,infants of highranking mothers tend to be threatened less frequently by other members of the group and are less likely to be threatened by unfamiliar individuals than are infants of lowranking mothers. There is no evidence that fearful interactions between pairs of infants are related to their mother’s ranks before 22 weeks of age. However, an imperfect hierarchy can be constructed for infants between 27 and 30 weeks of age. At this age,infants of higherranking mothers are also more likely to receive protection when threatened than are infants of lowerranking mothers. When protected, their protectors are less likely to emit fearful gestures to the infants’ threatener. Close female relatives appear to play a large role in the protection of infants and may be more directly responsible for the differences described above than the mother, other relatives, or other highranking members of the group. It is suggested that more than one mechanism, including intervention by the mother and by close female relatives,may be important in rank acquisition among peers.     

Experience acquisition by Trichogramma australicum Girault (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)

We investigated experience acquisition (alpha-conditioning) by females of the parasitoid Trichogramma australicum using host eggs of the noctuid moth Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner). We compared the acceptance of a host egg by females with different levels of ovipositional experience. The level of experience was designated using the standard oviposition sequence: (1) host contact (C); (2) host examination (E); (3) drilling (D); (4) full insertion (FI); and (5) oviposition (O). Each treatment consisted of a single experience level, but together these consituted a qualitative behavioural continuum of oviposition experience from naive (N) to experienced wasps. We found that host experience by adult T. australicum females can modify their behaviour. Mean duration of host finding was: N = C > E = D > FI = O. Mean duration of host examination and full insertion were: N = C > E = D = FI = O. Drilling was constant for all experience levels. Experience in drilling of the chorion during the previous host-exposure process represents a critical experience for a female and results in efficient handling and more ready acceptance of a subsequently encountered host egg.     

食品科学与工程专业生物化学教学体会——从应用型人才培养角度出发

生物化学是生命科学、食品科学、医学等多个领域相关专业的基础课。笔者从食品科学与工程专业应用型人才培养的角度出发,对人才培养目标、教学内容、教学方法与手段和教师的"爱与激情"等几个方面进行了探讨,以期更好地指导、促进生物化学的教学工作。     

我国医疗技术管理中引入医疗技术评估的路径探讨

2015年以来,在简政放权的大环境下,我国医疗技术管理面临着从重审批的分级分类管理向重监管转型的挑战和机遇,亟需探索建立更加科学合理的医疗技术管理体系。使用医疗技术评估的科学工具和手段是在医疗技术管理领域国际通行的理念和做法。本文梳理了我国医疗技术管理政策沿革,介绍了国际典型代表英国医疗技术管理的过程和方法,并为完善我国医疗技术管理提供了几条政策建议。     

Sex differences in the antecedents of animal use attitudes

Abstract

Sex differences in attitudes toward the use of animals have been reported in previous research. This study examines sex differences in the levels of, and the interrelations among, three potential antecedents of attitudes toward animal use: caring value orientation, pet care experience and attachment to pets. Path analysis showed that pet care experience, through attachment to pets, accounted for a significant portion of variance in animal use attitudes in both males and females. Caring value orientation was directly linked to animal use attitudes in females, but in males, caring value orientation affected attachment to pets, which in turn impacted on animal use attitudes. Results are discussed in terms of Gilligan's theory of socialization.     

Social isolation increases male aggression toward females in the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus

Social isolation has often been reported to facilitate male aggressiveness in various animal species. If social isolation also escalates male aggressive behavior towards females, the mating success of the aggressive males will be low. This study evaluated the effect of social isolation on mating behavior in the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus, which has traditionally been considered to be an asocial species. The results showed that social isolation from same-sex individuals enhanced male aggressiveness to females, and the mating success of aggressive males was reduced under the experimental conditions. More aggressive males exhibited a longer latency to court than less aggressive males. These results suggest that because male aggressiveness causes a delay in courtship, aggressive males may have reduced mating success. This demonstrated that social relationships are a critical factor affecting male mating success, even if the species is normally considered solitary.