Quantitative genetic models of sexual selection

Summary Quantitative genetic models of sexual selection have disporven some of the central tenets of both the handicap mechanism and the sexy son hypothesis. These results suggest that the good genes approach to sexual selection may generally lead to erroneous results.Runaway sexual selection seems possible under a wide variety of circumstances. Quantittive genetic models have revealed runaway processes for sexually selected attributes expressed in both sexes and for attributes of parental care. Furthermore, the runaway could occur simultaneously in a series of populations that straddle an environmental gradient. While the models support the feasibility of runaway processes, empirical studies are needed to evaluate whether runaways actually happen. Estimates of critical genetic parameters are particularly needed, as well as measures of natural and sexual selection acting on the same population.The models also show that sexual selection has tremendous potential to produce population differentiation, particularly in epigamic traits. Differentiation is promoted by indeterminancy of evolutionary outcome, transient differences among populations during the final slow approach to equilibrium, sampling drift among equilibrium populations, and the tendency of sexual selection to amplify geographic variation arising from spatial differences in natural selection. Recent work with two- and three-locus models of sexual selection has produced results that parallel the results of the polygenic models^36–38,58. Thus the feature of indeterminate equilibria (outcome dependent on initial conditions) is common to both types of model.     

A new semisynthetic ergot peptide alkaloid: DCN 203-922

Summary We report the synthesis, stereochemistry and preliminary pharmacological evaluation of DCN 203-922, a novel ergot alkaloid of the cyclol type, which contains in its peptide moiety the uncommon amino acid L-allo-isoleucine.Part of this paper was reported by this author at the Herbstversammlung der Schweizerischen Chemischen Gesellschaft, Bern, in October 1986.     

A major metabolite of Δ1-tetrahydrocannabinol reduces its cataleptic effect in mice

Summary The results described here demonstrate that THC-induced catalepsy in mice can be substantially inhibited by the prior administration of ¹-THC-7-oic acid, the major metabolite of THC in most species including humans. This raises the possibility that the intensity and duration of action of THC may depend to a large degree on the levels of this metabolite at the sites of action.We thank the National Institute on Drug Abuse for supporting this project by grants DA-02043 and DA-02052 and for supplying all of the cannabinoids. One of us (S.B.) is also the recipient of a Research Scientist Award from NIDA. We are grateful to Kristen Carlson and Thomas Honeyman for helpful suggestions in preparing this report.     

Metabolism of 3β-hydroxycholest-5-en-26-oic acid in hamsters

Summary Metabolism of 26-hydroxycholesterol to 3-hydroxychol-5-en-24-oic acid and other C24-bile acids has been expected to occur by way of 3-hydroxycholest-5-en-26-oic acid in studies in vitro. 3-Hydroxycholest-5-en-26-oic acid was infused intravenously into bile fistula hamsters and the following C24-bile acids were identified: 3-hydroxychol-5-en-24-oic acid, lithocholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, and a small amount of cholic acid.     

Bovine microvascular endothelial cells of separate morphology differ in growth and response to the action of interferon-γ

Five cell types recently isolated from the bovine corpus luteum differed in their epithelioid morphology and their cytoskeleton, but shared common criteria of microvascular endothelial cells^1,2. To give strong evidence for the separate entity, the growth rate of the 5 phenotypically different cells was studied. They were seeded at low density on day 0. Most of these cells were treated with 200 to 1000 U recombinant bovine interferon- (IFN-) for 3 days. The untreated remainder served as controls. Cell counts were made for all cultures on days 4, 7, 10 and 13. morphology: 13 d after treatment with IFN- senescent cells as well as intact cells occurred in cultures of cell types 1 to 4. Cultures of cell type 5 were apparently unchanged and resembled their untreated counterparts. Desminpositive cells in cultures of cell type 2 developed cell processes. Growth rate: In the absence of IFN-, the growth rate was high for cell types 3 and 4, moderate for cell type 1, and low for cell types 2 and 5. The presence of IFN- caused anti-proliferative effects. These were higher for cell types 3 and 4 than for cell types 1 and 2. IFN- could be cytotoxic on cell type 3. In contrast, the cytokine tended to support the cell growth of cell type 5. These findings substantiate the postulate that endothelial cells exhibiting separate morphology in culture also function differently.     

Energy flow and community structure in freshwater ecosystems

The goal of this article is twofold: 1) It aims at providing an overview on some major results obtained from energy flow studies in individuals, populations, and communities, and 2) it will also focus on major mechanisms explaining community structures. The basis for any biological community to survive and establish a certain population density is on the one hand energy fixation by primary producers together with adequate nutrient supply and the transfer of energy between trophic levels (bottom-up effect). On the other hand, predator pressures may strongly control prey population densities one or more trophic levels below (top-down effect). Other interpopulation effects include competition, chemical interactions and evolutionary genetic processes, which further interact and result in the specific structuring of any community with respect to species composition and population sizes.     

由单片机AT89C51构成的定时控制系统

介绍了单片机ＡＴ８９Ｃ５１,给出了由ＡＴ８９Ｃ５１构成的定时控制系统,并将此系统与ＣＰＵ８０３１构成的单片机系统比较,具有结构简单、可靠性高的特点．     

海芋凝集素的理化性质鉴定

采用葡聚糖凝胶１００（ＳｅｐｈａｄｅｘＧ－１００）从天南星科植物海芋（Ａｌｏｃａｓｉａｏｄｏｒａ（Ｒｏｘｂ）Ｃ．Ｋｏｃｈ）中分离出了一种凝集素（简称ＡＯＬ）．ＡＯＬ对兔血有较强的凝集效果,而对各类型人血的凝集活力较弱,在３种糖蛋白中,猪甲状腺球蛋白对ＡＯＬ的凝血活力抑制最强;ＡＯＬ对培养人外周血白细胞的转化率高达７９％,超过对照ＰＨＡ的转化率;用ＳｅｐｈａｄｅｘＧ－２００柱测得ＡＯＬ的相对分子质量为３１５００;用癌细胞体外培养的方法证明了ＡＯＬ对肺腺癌细胞株Ｐ１８具有较强的直接杀伤能力．此外还发现ＡＯＬ对温度（８０℃以下）、变性剂（盐酸胍和脲）有较高的稳定性,在ｐＨ６～１０的范围内相当稳定．     

C60溶液,孤立分子及薄膜形态电子态结构分析

系统地给出了Ｃ６０在固态薄膜及不同有机溶液形态下的常规吸收光谱和三同商吸收光谱,确定了各相关光学跃迁能量,并通过对可见区电子－－振动光谱结构的指认分析,给出了有机溶液形态下Ｃ６０的能隙,基于Ｍａｘｗｅｌｌ－Ｇａｒｎｅｔｔ有效介质模型理论,由不同有机溶剂形态下Ｃ６０电子态能级结构参数外推获得了Ｃ６０孤立分子的本征电子态能级结构参数,从而为详细了解和研究Ｃ６０分子不同形态下电子态结构的变化提供了较完整     

Photoconductivity of fullerene derivatives

Two fullerene derivatives (compounds 1 and 2) have been synthesized. Their redox properties have been measured by cyclic voltammetry. The photoconductivities of poly(N_vinylcarbazo_le) (PVK) doped with fullerene and with their derivatives have been studied to explore the possible relationship between the reductibility of fullerenes and the photoconductivity of fullerenes_doped PVK. The charge generation efficiencies of PVK doped with fullerene and with its derivatives have changed remarkably: the diversity of charge generation efficiency is obvious in different doping systems. The result indicates that there is charge transfer between fullerenes and PVK.