Interpreting animal wall-following behavior

Summary Using computer simulations and behavioral experiments with the American cockroach, we found that active vs passive (barrier-directed) wall-following can be readily distinguished and quantified by incorporating a range of convex curves into test arenas. Although previously considered strongly thigmotactic, more than 50% of running American cockroaches depart convex curves with diameters, less than 1 m. A new framework for evaluating wall-following behaviors is presented.     

Mite parasitism of moths: Examples of paleosymbiosis in Dominican amber

Summary Two adult moths (families Gracillariidae and Tineidae) in Dominican amber each contained a pair of larval parasitic mites attached to their bodies. The larval mites were identified as belonging to the family Erythraeidae and represent the first fossil evidence of moths parasitized by mites. Phylogenic and evolutionary implications of this find are discussed in light of similar extant associations.     

Effect of metabolic versus respiratory acid-base changes on isolated coronary artery and saphenous vein

Summary Experiments were performed on helically cut strips from coronary artery and saphenous vein to determine the relative influence of metabolic versus respiratory acid-base changes. Tensions were measured over a range of various HCO₃ ^– concentrations and pCO₂'s. The results suggest that tension is influenced by extracellular pH and is independent of pCO₂.Supported by USPHS grant No. HL24232.     

The range of life in amber: significance and implications in DNA studies

A survey of the major fossiliferous amber deposits is provided, including ages and various categories of life forms reported from each. The frequence of occurrence of the major groups of plants and animals in these amber deposits is also given. Thus far, DNA from four insect and one plant species has been extracted from amber fossils. In the case of the stingless bee in Dominican amber, evidence of reproducibility is provided, since two independent laboratories isolated DNA from six or more different specimens of the same insect.Amber sources for DNA studies are listed together with their advantages and disadvantages. The important points are the availability of desired pieces, the proper identification of the fossil, verification of the amber deposit, the cost involved, and the feasibility of causing damage to the specimen. The availability of several types of amber (Mexican, Dominican, Baltic, Chinese, Canadian, Siberian and Lebanese) at four major sources (academic collections, commercial dealers, private collections and amber mines) is discussed. The scientific implications of obtaining DNA from amber inclusions are presented.     

Hormonal manipulation of carrageenin-induced pyresis in rats

Summary The intensity of the hyperthermic response in rats promoted by subplantar injection of 1 mg of carrageenin is directly related to the irritant properties of the type of carrageenin. The overall pyretic response is more dramatic in female rats than in male rats. Subtle changes in the time-course hyperthermic profiles are seen after hormonal modifications.This work was supported by NIH, MBS research grant No. RR08111.     

Strain difference in sex ratio response of mice to lactate dehydrogenase virus infection

Zusammenfassung Durch Infektion mit LDH-Virus wird bei Mäusen, deren Nachkommen normalerweise ein Geschlechtsverhältnis <1 aufweisen, ein solches von 1 erreicht. Da sich die Infektion der Eltern beider Stämme nicht in einer unterschiedlichen Zunahme der Serum-LDH, wohl aber in einer solchen der Spermien-LDH auswirkt, wird angenommen, dass die LDH-Aktivität der Spermien sich in einer zwar noch unbekannten Weise auf das Geschlechtsverhältnis der Nachkommen auswirkt.

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Supported by a grant from the Maryland Division of the American Cancer Society.     

无线智能网络的钢结构疲劳损伤监测

利用美国伊利诺伊大学结构健康监测项目组研制的应变无线智能传感器（SHM-S）结合雨流周期计数法,对钢结构疲劳寿命进行监测。通过分布式数据采集的办法,无线智能传感器将应变的振幅和均值用三维直方图进行传输,压缩原始应变数据,提高了信号传输的效率并降低了传感器发射的能源消耗,使长期疲劳寿命监测成为可能。通过钢结构悬臂梁实验验证了基于无线智能网络的钢结构疲劳寿命监测方法的可行性。     

Heritability of locomotor performance and its correlates in a natural population

Summary Locomotor capacities and their physiological bases are thought to be of considerable selective importance in natural populations. Within this functional complex, organismal performance traits (e.g., speed, stamina) are expected to be of more direct selective importance than their suborganismal determinants (e.g., heart size). Quantitative genetics theory predicts that traits of greater selective importance should generally have lower heritabilities at equilibrium. Contrary to these expectations, we report that organismal performance traits had the highest heritabilities in a natural population of garter snakes.