Enzymatic characterization of nine endoparasite species of small ermine moths (Yponomeutidae)

Summary Eight hymenopterous and 1 dipterous species, all endoparasitic in eggs, larvae, or pupae of small ermine moths (Yponomeuta) were investigated for their allozyme variation at 3–29 loci. The mean heterozygosity level of the hymenopterous species is one-third of that of the dipterous species. Zymogram patterns of the parasite larvae do not interfere with those of the host.     

The effect of chronic heat stress on cortisol levels in the antarctic fishPagothenia borchgrevinki

Radioimmunoassay was used to determine levels of the stress-inducible glucocorticoid, cortisol, circulating in the plasma of the extremely stenothermal Antarctic fishPagothenia borchgrevinki at rest and after heat stress. Fish sampled immediately after capture (–1.9°C) had low cortisol levels (10.4±1.4 ng ml^–1, mean±SEM) as did fish which were laboratory rested for 3 days. Sudden exposure to 5°C (48h) resulted in a peak cortisol value after 3 h (69.9±6.8 ng ml^–1) whereas exposure to 8°C (6h) resulted in a peak value after 1 h (73.5±8.0 ng ml^–1). At both temperatures levels remained significantly elevated (p<0.05) for the entire period of exposure. Increased temperature also resulted in a significant change in haemoglobin, haematocrit and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (p<0.05). Plasma lactate was significantly elevated only after exposure to 8°C (p<0.05). Plasma cortisol levels fromP. borchgrevinki are reported here for the first time and show this cryopelagic Antarctic species to have an unusual hormonal stress profile.     

The cephalopod heart: The evolution of a high-performance invertebrate pump

Cephalopods typically have high metabolic rates. They have blood in which the oxygen carrier is haemocyanin, a pigment that is found only in solution and which never seems to be present in concentrations that will transport more than 4–5 vols % of oxygen. Their hearts must in consequence have very high cardiac outputs. In this account the performance of the heart ofNautilus, the only surviving ectocochleate, is contrasted with the performance of the hearts of coleoids,Octopus which has a relatively low metabolic rate (for a coleoid) and squids which have very high oxygen uptakes by any standards. In all these animals, heartbeat frequency is temperature-dependent and the additional oxygen demand in exercise is met very largely by a 2–3-fold increase in stroke volume. With the exception ofNautilus, cephalopods tend to utilise nearly all of the oxygen transported in the blood even at rest; they show very limited factorial scopes. Specific power output has, however, increased dramatically from 2.7 mWg^–1 in an activeNautilus to 5.5 mWg^–1 inOctopus and up to 20 or 30 mWg^–1 in species ofLoligo. The increase is almost entirely due to a 10-fold increase in heartbeat frequency. It is argued that frequency cannot be used as a means of responding to extra demand in an animal that must also carry automatic compensation for changes in metabolic rate dependent upon the ambient temperature, and that the use of frequency in some squid may be associated with a reduced temperature tolerance. Cephalopod systemic hearts do not scale directly with body mass, like the hearts of fish and the higher vertebrates. Smaller cephalopods have relatively larger hearts (as Mass^0.9). A typical 100-g coleoid would have a heart mass of 0.15 g. Oegopsid squids appear to be exceptional with hearts twice as large.     

Allozymes and the hybrid origin of the parthenogenetic lizardCnemidophorus exsanguis

Summary Allozyme electrophoresis was used to determine the hybrid parentage of the triploid parthenogenetic speciesCnemidophorus exsanguis. 19 of 33 loci were polymorphic inC. exsanguis and/or the 7 potential bisexual progenitors. It was determined from allele distributions thatC. exsanguis containes genomes form 3 different species, probablyC. costatus, C. inornatus andC. septemvittatus.Acknowledgments. We thank R.L. Bezy, W.M. Brown, A.E. Greer, C.S. Lieb, J.L. Patton and K.L. Wright for assistance in the field; the Departments of Game and Fish of Arizona and New Mexico and the Direccion General de la Fauna Silvestre, Mexico for providing collecting permits; and R.L. Bezy, H.W. Greene and D.B. Wake for discussions and criticisms. This research was supported in part by NSF Grants DEB 76-20599 and DEB 81-05615 and by a Research Fellowship in Herpetology from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County to DAG.     

Experimentally induced encapsulation ofDiplostomum phoxini (Faust) in the fish host

Summary Experimentally induced encapsulation ofDiplostomum by the hostPhoxinus, is recorded for the first time and requires the metacercariae to develop in fish at a temperature (23–26°C) which is above that naturally encountered.Acknowledgment. It is a pleasure to thank M. R. L. Johnston for his advice.     

The karyotype ofTyphlonectes compressicauda (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) with comments on chromosome evolution in caecilians

Summary Typhlonectes compressicauda has a diploid number of 28. Its karyotype, when compared to that of other caecilians, suggests some discordance in the hypothesized model of chromosome reduction in the evolution of amphibian lineages.We thank Sharon B. Emerson and Diana Diehl, University of Illinois at Chicago Circle, for helping us to acquire specimens. The work was supported by National Science Foundation Grant DEB 77-22642 to MHW.     

(S)-(+)-4,4,4-Trifluoro-3-(indole-3-)butyric acid,a novel fluorinated plant growth regulator

Racemic 4,4,4-trifluoro-3-(indole-3-)butyric acid (TFIBA) has been synthesized and shown to inhibitAvena coleoptile elongation. (S)-(+)-TFIBA (fig. 1), which was prepared by an enzymatic method and markedly promotes root growth of Chinese cabbage, lettuce and rice plants, is a novel fluorinated plant growth regulator. Activity of the (S)-(+)-enantiomer of TFIBA was 10-fold greater than that of the (R)-(–)-enantiomer in the first two plant species and 5-fold greater in rice.     

Das Parallelenproblem im Corpus Aristotelicum

Summary In the Corpus Aristotelicum are numerous items suggesting that the assertion of the fifth postulate in Euclid's Elements had been preceded by attempts to demonstrate this postulate itself, or some equivalent fundamental proposition, within the rigorous frame of Absolute Geometry in Bolyai's sense. Thus geometers contemporary with Aristotle tried to solve the problem which became known commonly in later centuries as the Problem of Parallels.Probably these geometers first attempted a direct solution. Only one text at our disposal supports this hypothesis: (1) Anal. Prior. 65 a 4–7. My analysis below in Chapter I shows that a mathematical meaning can be read from this somewhat obscure text only if it is interpreted as an allusion by Aristotle to those geometers who believe they are demonstrating, obviously in an absolute way, the proposition Elem. I 29, equivalent to the fifth postulate, but do not realize that in the process they are using lemmas which result themselves from the proposition to be demonstrated. Such a lemma would assert the uniqueness of the parallels, existence of which was shown in an absolute way in Elem. I 27. My conjecture and reconstruction afford a natural explanation for an inconsequence singular for Book I of the Elements, namely, the presence of the proposition Elem. I 31 in the purely Euclidean part of the book, in spite of the fact that the assertion merely repeats the absolute proposition Elem. I 27 without explicitly containing any Euclidean element.It is probable that the failure of these direct attempts led to an indirect approach to the problem through reductio ad absurdum of some hypothesis contrary to what was to become Postulate V or to some equivalent proposition. Numerous texts survive from which it is clear that geometers contemporary with Aristotle followed fairly far the consequences of an hypothesis contrary to the fifth postulate, obtaining important results which are partly identical with some theorems of Saccheri. Some of these texts attest first of all that what Saccheri called the Hypothesis of the Obtuse Angle had been stated in an independent and explicit way and that the fundamental result, identical with Prop. 14 of Saccheri's Euclides ab omni naevo vindicatus (1733), had been obtained, namely, that within Bolyai's Absolute Geometry this hypothesis leads to the remarkable formal contradiction that parallels intersect. This conclusion followed from two different formulations of the Obtuse Angle Hypothesis: (2) Anal. Prior. 66a 11–14, if the exterior angle (formed by a secant which intersects two parallel straight lines) is smaller than the interior angle (opposite and situated on the same side of the secant), and (3) 66a 14–15, if the sum of the angles in a triangle is greater than 2R. Finally, an item in (4) Ethica ad Eudemum 1222b 35–36 shows us that by investigating the Obtuse Angle Hypothesis, the Greek geometers also discovered the quadrilateral in which the sum of the angles is equal to 8R; this quadrilateral, which does not appear even in Saccheri's book, is the maximal quadrilateral of the Riemann geometry, a quadrilateral degenerated into a straight line closed upon itself (Chapter IV 20).Nowhere in the Corpus does the Hypothesis of the Acute Angle appear in an independent formulation. Nevertheless in (5) Anal. Poster. 90a 33–34 this Hypothesis is mentioned along with the other two: namely, Aristotle states that the essence of the triangle consists in the sum of its angles' being equal to, greater than or less than 2R (Chapter V 27). The formulation of the fifth postulate in the Elements allows greater probability to the conjecture of independent existence of the Acute Angle Hypothesis as well. Indeed, in its original formulation the fifth postulate is redundant, since it unnecessarily specifies in which of the half-planes (bounded by the secant) the intersection of the two straight lines occurs; this specification is itself a theorem. The Acute Angle Hypothesis must have been formulated not only symmetrically to (3) Anal. Prior. 66 a 14–15, that is, the sum of the angles of the triangle is less than 2R, as results from (5) Anal. Poster. 90 a 33–34, but also symmetrically to (2) Anal. Prior. 66 a 11–14. In the latter case the following final conclusion should have been reached in order to reduce to absurdity the Acute Angle Hypothesis: Two straight lines cut by a secant are incident if the sum of the interior angles (on the same side of the secant) is smaller than 2R, and the incidence occurs on that side of the secant where the sum of the angles is less than 2R. In the frame of the Acute Angle Hypothesis, this end conclusion is relevant only if this final specification (concerning the half-plane where the incidence occurs) is explicitly emphasised. According to my conjecture, it was precisely the practical impossibility of reaching this conclusion as a theorem of Absolute Geometry that later determined Euclid to transpose this decisive end conclusion from the Acute Angle Hypothesis, without changing its wording, and to include it among the postulates (Chapter II 13).A queer passage of Proklos (In primum Euclidis Elementorum, ed. Friedlein p. 368, 26–369, 1) in which the Acute Angle Hypothesis is presented in the form of a Zenonian paradox reinforces the conjecture that this hypothesis was studied independently by the ancient geometers (Chapter VI 33). Thus failure to solve the Problem of Parallels preceded not only the later Non-Euclidean geometry but also Euclidean geometry itself.The general undifferentiated Contra-Euclidean Hypothesis appears in the following form in all the other texts examined: The sum of the angles in the triangle is not equal to 2R. This hypothesis is nowhere qualified by Aristotle as being absurd or impossible: On the contrary, he takes it always as being just as much justified a priori as is the Euclidean theorem Elem. I 32 which contradicts it. For instance in (6) Anal. Poster. 93 a 33–35 Aristotle puts the problematical alternative: Which of the two propositions is right (or, which of the two constitutes the Logos, the raison d'être of the triangle), the one that states that the sum of the angles in the triangle is equal to 2R, or on the contrary, the one that states that the sum of the angles in the triangle is not equal to 2R (Chapter V 28)?In a number of texts the theorem Elem. I 32 itself and the general Contra-Euclidean Hypothesis are treated as being a sort of principle, and stress is laid on the idea that the logical consequences of each of these items invariantly preserve its specific (Euclidean or non-Euclidean) geometrical content [(7) 1187 a 35–38 (Chapter IV 18); (8) 1222 b 23–26 (Chapter IV 19); (9) 1187 b 1–2 (Chapter IV 18); (10) 1222 b 41–42 Chapter IV 21); (11) 1187 b 2–4 (Chapter IV 18)]; (12) Physica 200 a 29–30: If the sum of the angles in the triangle is not equal to 2R, then the principles of geometry cannot remain the same (Chapter V 25); (13) Metaph. 1052 a 6–7: It is impossible that the sum of the angles in the triangle be sometimes equal to 2R and sometimes not equal to 2R (Chapter V 24). Finally, the most important item of this sort is to be found in (14) De Caelo 281 b 5–7: If we accept as a starting hypothesis that it is impossible for the sum of the angles in the triangle to be equal to 2R, then the diagonal of the square is commensurable with its side (Chapter III).Another group of texts reveal Aristotle's attitude as regard these Contra-Euclidean theorems: (15) 1222 b 38–39 (Chapter IV 20); (16) 200 a 16–19 (Chapter VI 30); (17) 402 b 18–21 (Chapter VI 31); (18) 171 a 12–16 (Chapter VI 32); (19) 77 b 22–26 (Chapter V 26); (20) 101 a 15–17 (Chapter VI 31); (21) 76 b 39–77 a 3 (Chapter VI 31). These passages reveal Aristotle's conviction that these paradoxical Contra-Euclidean propositions (which cannot be annihilated by reductio ad absurdum) are nevertheless inacceptable as bad, probably because their graphical construction requires curved lines for representing the concept of straight lines.Finally, another group of texts show that Aristotle sensed in a way the necessity of adding to the foundations of Geometry a new postulate, from which the proposition Elem. I 32 should follow rigorously.

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Aram Frenkian zum Gedächtnis

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Vorgelegt von J. E. Hofmann     

Chromosomal evolution and zoogeographic origin of southeast Asian shrews (genusCrocidura)

To the origins and evolution of Indomalayan shrews, we investigated the chromosomal variations of 14 species ofCrocidura from SE Asia. Intraspecific polymorphism was mainly due to variation in the number of short chromosomal arms butC. lepidura andC. hutanis showed a polymorphism due to a centric fusion. The undifferentially stained karyotypes were similar in 9 species, all possessing 2n=38 and FN=54–56 (68);C. fuliginosa had 2n=40 and FN=54–58. These karyotypes are close to the presumed ancestral state for the genusCrocidura. Four species from Sulawesi had a reduced diploid number (2n=30–34), a trend not observed among other SE Asian species but present in few Palaearctic taxa. Compared to the apparent stasis of karyotypic evolution observed among other SE Asian species, the high degree of interspecific differences reported among Sulawesian shrews is unusual and needs further investigation.Stasis and reduction in diploid number found in both Indomalayan and Palaearctic species suggest that these two groups share a common ancestry. This is in sharp contrast to most Afrotropical species which evolved towards higher diploid and fundamental numbers. The zoogeographical implications of these results are discussed.     

Tumor incidence in Visna virus inoculated mice

Summary Mice (female Swiss albino) inoculated when newborn with Visna virus had tumors in 77% of cases when examined 8–12 months later. The tumors were mainly of the mammary carcinoma type. The tumor incidence in noninfected control animals was only 20%. In contrast, no increased incidence of tumors was observed among Visna virus-inoculated inbred mice (BALB/c, CBA and DBA) with low incidence of spontaneous mammary carcinoma.This study was supported by grant No. B75-16X-4511-01 of the Swedish Medical Research Council.     

Developmental patterns of supercooling capacity in a subantarctic wingless fly

Anatalanta aptera is a wingless fly which lives in subantarctic islands, particularly in sea bird colonies. Developmental patterns of supercooling capacity were studied in an experimental population reared at 5°C and fed ad libitum. Mean supercooling points of the eggs, second and third instar larvae, pupae, teneral and mature adults were –28.0°C, –10.8°C, –8.8°C, 17.6°C, –16.6°C and –8.2°C respectively. Low mean supercooling points were found for inactive stages (eggs, pupae) and, unexpectedly among Diptera, teneral adults. Mature adults had a combination of low supercooling ability, high lipid content and physogastry. The results are compared with those obtained in winged species from other families of Diptera.     

Induced recovery of defective membrane expression of a CC chemokine receptor 5 mutant by phytohemagglutinin

CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is a member of the G-protein-coupled receptor superfamily. It plays an important role in macrophage tropic human immunodeficiency virus-1 entry and in some inflammatory reactions. CCR5-893(–) is a single-nucleotide deletion that results in complete truncation of the C tail of the gene product. We detected CCR5-893(–) in a sample of patients infected with non-tuberculosis mycobacteria and found that it was maintained heterozygously with a frequency of 2%. There is no association between this mutation and any immunodeficiency. Membrane expression of CCR5-893(–) was substantially reduced compared to the wild type, but this defective surface presentation recovered greatly recovered in the presence of 2 mg l-1 phytohemagglutinin (PHA). However, PHA inducement did not affect the total intracellular expression of CCR5-893(–) or wild-type CCR5. Thus we suggest there exist some PHA-induced factor(s) that could mediate the presentation of truncated CCR5.Received 23 July 2003; accepted 18 August 2003     

A newTrichoplusia ni antennal receptor neuron that responds to attomolar concentrations of a minor pheromone component

Summary A newly discovered third class of sensillum trichodea on the antenna ofTrichoplusia ni contains an olfactory receptor neuron that responds to (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol acetate at 1×10^–18 M. The threshold of this neuron is 100–1000 times lower than the thresholds of two previously described pheromone-sensitive neurons that detect (Z)-7-dodecen-1-ol acetate and (Z)-7-tetradecen-1-ol acetate. The sensitivity and selectivity of this receptor neuron is evidence that (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol acetate may be important for sexual behavior.     

Chemical examination of the roots ofCissampelos pareira Linn. Part V. structure and stereochemistry of hayatidin

Zusammenfassung Das Alkaloid Hayatidin, aus Wurzeln vonCissampelos pareiras Linn. isoliert, konnte nach Reduktion seines Äthyläthers und Identifikation der Fragmente durch die Darstellung passender Derivate mit protonmagnetischer Resonanz und weiteren Methoden als (+–)-4'-O-Methylbebeerine charakterisiert werden.     

Field bioassay of male Douglas-fir beetle compound 3-methylcyclohex-3-en-1-one

Summary Synthetic 3-methylcyclohex-3-en-1-one, or 3,3-MCH, decreased by 77% the flight aggregation ofDendroctonus pseudotsugae (Scolytidae) to sticky traps containing attractant (frontalin, -pinene, and resin). However, windthrown trees were protected by 3,3-MCH much less than is known to occur with the isomer 3,2-MCH.This research was supported in part by NSF grants BMS 72-02522 and DEB 77-11361 and the O.S.U. School of Forestry. We thank the administration of the Siuslaw National Forest for study sites, and Dr L.M. Libbey for GC/MS of 3,3-MCH. Oregon State University Ag. Exp. Sta. Tech. Paper No. 4313.     

A new quaternary ammonium compound with plant growth regulatory activity

Summary Of several quaternary ammonium derivatives tested, 1-allyl-1-(3,7-dimethyloctyl)piperidinium bromide showed the best growth-retarding activity. OnChrysanthemum morifolium the growth retardation obtained with a single application of 100–200 ppm compared favourably with that obtained from 2–3 applications of 3400 ppm of N-dimethylaminosuccinamic acid (daminozide).     

Vegetation structure and primary production in acidified lakes in southwestern Sweden

Summary Research during the last two decades has clearly pointed out that dramatic ecosystem changes have occured in lakes due to deposition of acid substances and decreased pH. Today a large number of lakes and running waters in Scandinavia are suffering biological damage with disappearing fish populations, overgrowth of the bottom by mosses and filamentous algae, reduced invertebrate fauna, increased transparency etc.—Of all documented biological changes the effect on macrophyte succession, in particular that ofSphagnum, is the most striking effect. Along with the growth of filamentous algae, these changes have brought about major shifts in the composition of the primary producers. The biomass in one lake was estimated to be 6.5 t (dry wt) corresponding to about 24 g m^–2, the relevant proportions being 52% forSphagnum, 34% forLobelia and 15% forIsoetes. Percentage production in the whole lake is 54% forSphagnum, 29% forLobelia and 17% forIsoetes, which gives an estimated production of 2.9 t yr^–1 or 9 g m^–2 yr^–1.Sphagnum is a recent flora element and its occurrence is related to the acidification of the lakes. The investigations also show that the growth ofLobelia is reduced in acid lakes compared to other oligotrophic lakes due to shading by the benthic mat of filamentous algae, detritus andSphagnum debris.—One can conclude that there are several quantitative and qualitative changes in the macrophyte community which are related to acidification. One can also conclude that liming of lakes cause elimination ofSphagnum and some increase in the production ofIsoetids.     

Amounts of nuclear DNA in anurans of the USSR

Summary The amounts of nuclear DNA in blood erythrocytes of 18 species of Anura from the USSR have been determined to be in the range of 4.0–20.6 pg (10^–12 g). Brown frogs of genusRana have lower mean genome sizes than green frogs. Palaearctic Anura, as a whole, have a greater content of nuclear DNA than the species of the same families from regions further south.     

Propriétés antiacétylcholinestérasiques du diiodométhylate debis-(diméthylamino-3-phénoxy)-1-3 propane,de ses dérivés phénoliques et des esters carbamiques correspondants

Summary Thein vitro anti-acetylcholinesterase properties ofbis-(dimethylamino-3-phenoxy)-1-3 propane dimethiodide (2842 CT) of two phenolics derivatives (3443 CT and 3116 CT) and of the two corresponding carbamic esters (3152 CT et 3113 CT) have been compared using human red blood corpuscles as enzyme source; under specified conditions, the Cl-50 are respectively 8 × 10^–7 M for 2842 CT, 3.5 × 10^–9 for the two phenolic compounds, and 1.5 × 10^–9 for the carbamic esters. The potencies of these phenols are very close to those of the carbamates, being a bit higher or lower depending on the concentration of the inhibitor and on the time of the readingThe two phenolic compounds, like 2842 CT, react readily with the enzyme contrarily to the carbamic esters which combine slowly. On the other hand the inhibition by the phenolic derivatives is as stable against washing as that by the carbamates. The carbamates, but not the phenols, show the slow displacement phenomenon.Some of these characteristics are compatible with the hypothesis that carbamic compounds could act through liberated phenolic functions but others indicate that carbamic groups have a role of their own.     

Semisynthesis and biological properties of the [B24-leucine]-, [B25-leucine]- and [B24-leucine,B25-leucine]-analogues of human insulin

Summary Trypsin-catalyzed coupling of porcine desoctapeptide-insulin with synthetic octapeptides produced the [Leu^B24]-(I), [Leu^B25]- (II) and [Leu^B24, Leu^B25]- (III)analogues of human insulin. I, II and III displayed respectively 20–30%, 1–2% and 0.5% of the receptor binding activity of the normal hormone. Biological activities of these analogues seemed to be proportional to their binding potencies when assayed in vitro, while in an in vivo assay analogue I was fully active and II exhibited 10–20% of normal activity. III was less active than II in all assays tested.