Evidence from carbon isotope measurements for diverse origins of sedimentary hydrocarbons

The organic matter found in sedimentary rocks must derive from many sources; not only from ancient primary producers but also from consumers and secondary producers. In all of these organisms, isotope effects can affect the abundance and distribution of 13C in metabolites. Here, by using an improved form of a previously described technique in which the effluent of a gas chromatograph is continuously analysed isotopically, we report evidence of the diverse origins of sedimentary organic matter. The record of 13C abundances in sedimentary carbonate and total organic carbon can be interpreted in terms of variations in the global carbon cycle. Our results demonstrate, however, that isotope variations within sedimentary organic mixtures substantially exceed those observed between samples of total organic carbon. Resolution of isotope variations at the molecular level offers a new and convenient means of refining views both of localized palaeoenvironments and of control mechanisms within the global carbon cycle.     

Innovators and contrapreneurs: Crucial alliances that connect and separate organizational change processes

This paper focuses on the coupling among alliances, relationships, management, and activities, when major strategic changes are carried out in an old organization. The paper also points out hownew alliances andchanged relationships seem to be developing in a Norwegian company. As a conclusion, we point out six elements which, according to our research, have to be present to minimize the implementation of reversible processes in organizations where organizational change processes have been implemented so that continued change can go on in the company.     

Error rates in quadratic discrimination with constraints on the covariance matrices

In multivariate discrimination of several normal populations, the optimal classification procedure is based on quadratic discriminant functions. We compare expected error rates of the quadratic classification procedure if the covariance matrices are estimated under the following four models: (i) arbitrary covariance matrices, (ii) common principal components, (iii) proportional covariance matrices, and (iv) identical covariance matrices. Using Monte Carlo simulation to estimate expected error rates, we study the performance of the four discrimination procedures for five different parameter setups corresponding to standard situations that have been used in the literature. The procedures are examined for sample sizes ranging from 10 to 60, and for two to four groups. Our results quantify the extent to which a parsimonious method reduces error rates, and demonstrate that choosing a simple method of discrimination is often beneficial even if the underlying model assumptions are wrong.The authors wish to thank the editor and three referees for their helpful comments on the first draft of this article. M. J. Schmid supported by grants no. 2.724-0.85 and 2.038-0.86 of the Swiss National Science Foundation.     

Inhibition of the growth of cariogenic bacteria in vitro by plant falvanones

Phytoalexins, defensive compounds produced by plants against microbial infections, were purified fromSophora exigua (Leguminosae) and their growth inhibitory effects on oral cariogenic bacteria were determined in vitro. Among three isolated compounds, 5,7,2,4-tetrahydroxy-8-lavandulylflavanone completely inhibited the growth of oral bacteria including primary cariogenic mutans streptococci, other oral streptococci, actinomycetes, and lactobacilli, at concentrations of 1.56 to 6.25 g/ml.     

Variability of sterol utilization in stored-products insects

A comparison of sterol utilization by 3 stored-products insects revealed very different capabilities. The fluor beetle,Tribolium castaneum dealkylates and converts dietary sitosterol to about equal amounts of cholesterol (43.7%) and 7-dehydrocholeterol (39.8%), whereas another flour beetle,Tenebrio molitor, produces considerably less 7-dehydrocholesterol (16.8%) and relatively more cholesterol (66.7%) from sitosterol. The lepidopteran,Plodia interpunctella, utilized dietary sterol very similar to plant-feeding lepidoptera, producing primarily cholesterol (86.5%) from sitosterol.     

A novel mechanism for jumping in the indian ant<Emphasis Type="Italic">Harpegnathos saltator</Emphasis> (Jerdon) (Formicidae,Ponerinae)

The Indian antHarpegnathos saltator may be unique among insects in using its jumping capacity not only as an escape mechanism but also as a normal means of locomotion, and for catching its prey in flight. High-speed cinematography used to analyse the various phases of the jump suggests thatHarpegnathos employs a novel jumping mechanism to mediate these behaviours: namely the synchronous activation of its middle and hindlegs. Electrophysiological recordings from muscles or nerves in pairs of middle and hindlegs show remarkably synchronous activity during fictive jumping, supporting the synchronous activation hypothesis.Harpegnathos is not the only ant to jump, and a cladistic analysis suggests that jumping behaviour evolved independently three times during ant evolutionary history.     

Influence of bistramide A on the twitch tension in rat atrial heart muscle

Bistramide A, a new toxin isolated from the UrochordateLissoclinum bistratum Sluiter, was applied to rat auricular heart muscle bundles. At a stimulation frequency of 0.2 Hz, the toxin induces a dose-dependent reduction of the stimulated twitch tension force; it decreases and shortens the duration of the plateau and the slow repolarizing phase of the action potential. In the control solution, switching from a stimulation frequency of 0.2 Hz to 1 Hz decreases the force with which a positive potentiation develops either at a maintained high frequency or after switching from 1 Hz to 0.2 Hz. Bistramide A reduces both the force evoked at 1 Hz and the potentiation. The data suggest that Bistramide A blocks Na⁺ conductance; inhibits Ca⁺⁺ channels in a time-and frequency-dependent manner; reduces Na⁺–Ca⁺⁺ exchange activity; but does not modify the ability of the sarcoplasmic reticulum to be refilled although the rate of Ca⁺⁺ accumulation is decreased.     

Cholecystokinin is not a major regulator in the digestive system in the chicken

To find out whether physiological concentrations of cholecystokinin (CCK), a gastrointestinal hormone in mammals, are also active in chickens, the pancreatic amylase secretory response to CCK-8 was investigated in vitro. Rat pancreatic acini responded to the physiological concentration of CCK-8, but in chickens amylase release was induced at a concentration of CCK-8 1000 times higher than that observed in rats. In another experiment, biliary flow was tested with several doses of CCK-8. The bile flow was stimulated in a dose-dependent fashion, but a significant enhancement was not obtained at a concentration of 0.5 g CCK-8/kg body weight, which was considerably higher than physiological ones. It is concluded that endogeneous CCK does not have an important role in the digestive system in the chicken.     

The in vivo expression of the globin genes of theβ cistron in γ-,δ-, andδβ-thalassemia heterozygotes

There is considerable evidence suggesting that the switch from to and chain production after birth is due, in part, to silencing of the genes by stage-specific factors which bind to their promoters and to the competition from the adult ( and ) genes for a common enhancer element located in the locus control region. As a consequence one can expect that the increased Hb F production in adults with hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin or -thalassemia is directed mainly by -globin genes in cis to the deletion(s) responsible for these conditions. Here we review data on heterozygotes with -, -, or -thalassemia, who also had an^AT mutation, in cis or in trans, which was used as a marker of gene expression. The results show that a deletion affecting adult genes favors the expression of genes in cis, while the deletion of a single gene does not affect the expression of the gene in cis but leads to a faster switch postnatally.