Genetic transmission of migratory behavior into a nonmigratory bird population

Summary Crossbreeding experiments with blackcaps from a nonmigratory population (of the Cape Verde Islands) and a migratory population (from southern Germany) demonstrated that the urge to migrate as well as orientation behavior can be transmitted rapidly into a nonmigratory bird population and thus have a substantial genetic basis.     

Effects of bicuculline and chlordiazepoxide on locomotor activity and avoidance performance in rats

Summary Bicuculline, at a dose of 1 mg/kg which, per se, failed to change locomotor activity in rats, counteracts the facilitating effect induced by chlordiazepoxide (10 mg/kg). Conversely, bicuculline (1 mg/kg) does not modify the decrease of motor activity and the disruption of avoidance performance induced by this benzodiazepine derivative (20 mg/kg).     

Bacterial nonspecific acid phosphohydrolases: physiology, evolution and use as tools in microbial biotechnology

Bacterial nonspecific acid phosphohydrolases (NSAPs) are secreted enzymes, produced as soluble periplasmic proteins or as membrane-bound lipoproteins, that are usually able to dephosphorylate a broad array of structurally unrelated substrates and exhibit optimal catalytic activity at acidic to neutral pH values. Bacterial NSAPs are monomeric or oligomeric proteins containing polypeptide components with an M _r of 25 – 30 kDa. On the basis of amino acid sequence relatedness, three different molecular families of NSAPs can be distinguished, indicated as molecular class A, B and C, respectively. Members of each class share some common biophysical and functional features, but may also exhibit functional differences. NSAPs have been detected in several microbial taxa, and enzymes of different classes can be produced by the same bacterial species. Structural and phyletic relationships exist among the various bacterial NSAPs and some other bacterial and eucaryotic phosphohydrolases. Current knowledge on bacterial NSAPs is reviewed, together with analytical tools that may be useful for their characterization. An overview is also presented concerning the use of bacterial NSAPs in biotechnology. Received 21 November 1997; received after revision 10 March 1998; accepted 10 March 1998     

Robertsonian fusion between homologous chromosomes in a natural population of the least cotton rat,Sigmodon minimus (Rodentia,Cricetidae)

Zusammenfassung Die diploide Chromosomenzahl vonSigmodon minimus, einem Nager der Familie der Cricetiden ist 30. Im Karyotyp befindet sich kein grosses metazentrisches Chromosom. Bei Tieren aus einer Population von Silver City, New Mexico, wurden 29 Chromosomen gefunden. Eines davon war relativ gross und metazentrisch. Beim Paaren der Chromosomen in Meiose ist es evident, dass das metazentrische Chromosom das Fusionsprodukt von 2 homologen Chromosomen ist.

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The author wishes to thank Dr. J.Wright, Dr. J. S.Findley and Mr. J. T.Mascarello for their assistance in procuring the live specimens.     

Interdependence between locomotor activity and duration of wakefulness in humans during isolation

Summary Locomotor activity was recorded in 14 subjects who lived singly in an isolation unit for 16 to 88 days. Their free-running circadian rhythms had a mean period of 25.9 h, with individual means in the duration of wakefulness () ranging from 12.1 to 22.9 h. Intraindividually, the hourly means of activity were negatively correlated with to such a degree that the total amount of activity per day remained constant irrespective of large variations in .     

Evolution and ecological correlates of uniparental reproduction in freshwater snails

We review the spatial and temporal correlates of uniparental reproduction in freshwater snails as they pertain to the ecological hypotheses for the maintenance of biparental sex. The biogeographic evidence from two species (Potamopyrgus antipodarum andBulinus truncatus) presently supports the Red Queen hypothesis that biparental reproduction is selected as a way to reduce the risk to progeny of parasite attack. Uniparental reproduction in these species is associated with low levels of infection by parasites (castrating digenetic trematodes), suggesting that parthenogenesis or self-fertilization can replace cross-fertilization when the risk of infection is low. In addition, inB. truncatus, the opportunity for cross-fertilization coincides with the season in which parasite attack is highest. In a third species (Campeloma decisum), parthenogenetic reproduction is correlated with latitude and the presence of a non-castrating trematode that may prevent cross-fertilization; these patterns suggest that parthenogenesis has been selected as a mechanism to assure reproduction. Finally, we discuss the spotty taxonomic distribution of parthenogenetic species.     

Genetic structure and division of labor in honeybee societies

Summary Recent studies have demonstrated a genotypic component to the division of labor among worker honeybees. However, these studies used artificially-selected strains of bees or colonies derived from queens that were instrumentally inseminated with the semen from very few males. We present evidence for genotypic variability among groups of workers performing tasks in colonies with naturally-mated queens. These results demonstrate that genetic structure is a level of social organization in honeybees.     

高速铁路基础结构动态性能演变及服役安全的基础科学问题

中国高速铁路已经由大规模建造进入长期安全稳定运营阶段,如何科学维护庞大规模的高速铁路运营线路,使高速铁路长期保持高安全、高稳定、高可靠的运营品质,是我国现阶段面临的重大课题.在分析总结中国高速铁路基础结构构造特点及其复杂运营环境特点的基础上,提出了高速铁路基础结构动态性能演变及服役安全的三个基础科学问题:环境与动载耦合重复作用下高速铁路基础结构关键工程材料与结构动态性能演变,高速铁路基础结构累积变形与轨面几何形态的映射关系,基础结构劣化与高速列车-基础结构耦合系统动态性能的相互影响及演化机制;回顾评述了国内外在此方面的研究现状与最新进展;指出了本领域今后的发展趋势以及需要重点关注和加强的基础研究工作.     

Duplications of additively acting genes in the evolution of a plant (Microseris pygmaea)

Summary Crosses betweenMicroseris pygmaea (10 pappus parts per fruit) andM. bigelovii (5 pappus parts) have revealed 10-determining genes that additively determine the average number of pappus parts in the hybrids. One or two such genes are found in different populations. Two independent duplications of the original 10-determining gene seem to have occurred.     

人体生物力学模型建立及在汽车安全中的应用

汽车的发明给人类社会带来了巨大进步和便利,但同时引发的交通事故造成大量的人员伤亡与经济损失.本论文采用医学CT/MRI扫描获得人体主要组织的几何参数,采用有限元仿真分析工具建立人体有限元生物力学模型,结合文献已有的组织材料实验与尸体实验对模型进行仿真验证,模型验证参考了尸体实验数据进行了正面碰撞和侧面碰撞的仿真验证,碰撞中接触力、胸骨位移量、力-位移响应与实验吻合较好.开展了汽车方向盘与胸部碰撞的仿真应用研究,方向盘冲击作用于人体的生物力学响应与损伤特性符合真实事故中的变形规律,能再现肋骨骨折及内脏损伤,模型可应用于汽车碰撞事故中人员的损伤评估研究.     

New directions in the chemistry of natural products: The organic chemist as a pathfinder for biochemistry and medicine

Zusammenfassung Im Rückblick und Ausblick wird anhand einiger ausgewählter Arbeiten aus dem Laboratorium des Verfassers gezeigt, wie die Ziele und Methodologie der modernen Naturstoff-Forschung sich im Laufe der letzten 20 Jahre geändert haben. Noch immer kommen die unerwartetsten Anregungen für ungewöhnliche Strukturen aus der Natur, so zum Beispiel die neuen Tier-AlkaloideHistrionicotoxin und seine Begleiter, die an einem Spiro-cyclohexyl-piperidin-Skelett, Azetylen- und Allen-Seitenketten enthalten. Mehr noch als die Struktur interessiert beimBatrachotoxin die selektive Wirkung auf den passiven Transport von Natrium-Ionen durch Membranen elektrogener Gewebe, ein Effekt, der durchTetrodotoxin reversibel aufgehoben werden kann. Heute zählt man auch die Eiweiss-Stoffe zu den wichtigen Naturprodukten. Ihre Erforschung wurde durch die Einführung selektiver Spaltungsmethoden ermöglicht und erleichtert, was am Beispiel desImmunoglobulins und desKollagens gezeigt wird. Diese Spaltungsmethoden beruhen auf der Ausnutzung benachbarter Gruppen-Effekte, die weiterhin auch als Basis zum Ausbau von Enzym-Modellen dienen. Die Beschäftigung mit der Chemie der Überträgersubstanzen der Nervenfortleitung, wie Dopamin und Noradrenalin, führte zur Auffindung von6-Hydroxydopamin, das zum ersten Mal selektiv «chemische Sympathektomie» erlaubt. In der physiologischen Inaktivierung dieser Nervenhormone spielt dieBrenzkatechin O-Methyltransferase eine grosse Rolle im Stoffwechsel, der man durch Reindarstellung und Beschreibung des Enzyms näherzukommen versucht. Im Stoffwechsel von aromatischen Substraten bedeutet die ersteIsolierung eines Arenoxyds einen wichtigen Fortschritt. Ein derart labiles Stoffwechselprodukt spielt in der langfristigen Toxikologie aromatischer Arzneimittel und in der Ätiologie von Krebs durch cancerogene Kohlenwasserstoffe eine Rolle. Zum Studium von Oxydationsmechanismen mikrosomaler oder Modell-Hydroxylierungen wird als Kriterium mehr und mehr die sogenannteNIH-Verschiebung herangezogen.

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13. Paul Karrer Lecture, presented 30 June 1971, in the Aula of the University of Zurich. German title: Neue Ziele in der Naturstoffchemie: Der organische Chemiker als Wegbereiter der Biochemie und Medizin.     

Developmental genes as a potential tool in population ecology of complex animal life cycles?

Many aquatic invertebrates possess complex life cycles, which include a switch from a vegetative to a sexual mode of reproduction. While sexual reproduction is usually linked to slow rates of propagation, vegetative reproduction leads to high rates of clonal propagation and a fast increase in population size. I have attempted to identify developmental genes which are differentially expressed between sexually and vegetatively reproducing individuals. Quantitative assays of the expression of those diagnostic genes could be applied to field samples to gain information on the reproductive status of the sample. Here I outline a general strategy for identifying and testing the usefulness of homeobox genes as candidates for regulatory genes whose expression patterns are indicative of a sexual or vegetative developmental phase.     

Genetic load and effective size of natural populations ofDrosophila melanogaster in Korea

Summary The effect of 750 second chromosomes ofDrosophila melanogaster on viability was studied. 19.3% of them proved letal or semilethal (=drastics) in homozygous condition. Compared to data obtained in previous years at the same sampling site, a significant frequency decrease of drastics during the past decade could be observed. The dynamic processes taking place in the Korean wild populations ofD. melanogaster are discussed.Acknowledgment. This work was supported by a research grant from the Korean Science and Engineering Foundation.     

Analysis of a population of Cannabis sativa L. originating from Mexico and cultivated in France (author's transl)

Cannabinoid content of a population of Cannabis sativa L. originating from Mexico and cultivated in France is studied. The statistical analysis of results shows how difficult it is to obtain homogenous and representative samples. This problem is correlated to genetic heterogeneity of seeds.