Sex identification in female crayfish is bimodal

Sex identification has been studied in several species of crustacean decapods but only seldom was the role of multimodality investigated in a systematic fashion. Here, we analyse the effect of single/combined chemical and visual stimuli on the ability of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii to identify the sex of a conspecific during mating interactions. Our results show that crayfish respond to the offered stimuli depending on their sex. While males rely on olfaction alone for sex identification, females require the combination of olfaction and vision to do so. In the latter, chemical and visual stimuli act as non-redundant signal components that possibly enhance the female ability to discriminate potential mates in the crowded social context experienced during mating period. This is one of the few clear examples in invertebrates of non-redundancy in a bimodal communication system.     

Perturbations in the antioxidant metabolism during Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection in chicken

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of vitamin E on pro/anti-oxidant status in the liver, brain and heart of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infected chickens. Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and the levels of reduced glutathione and malonaldehyde were estimated in selected tissues of uninfected, NDV-infected and NDV + vit. E-treated chickens. A significant increase in MDA levels in brain and liver (p < 0.05) was observed in NDV-infected chickens when compared to controls. The activities of SOD, CAT, GPx, GR, GST and levels of GSH were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in brain and liver of NDV-infected chickens over controls. On the other hand, a significant decreased MDA levels and enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity levels were observed in NDV + vit. E-treated animals compared to NDV-infected chickens. Histopathological studies revealed that liver of NDV infected chicken shows focal coagulation and infiltration of hepatocytes, whereas neuronal necrosis and degeneration of Purkinje cells were observed in brain and moderate infiltration of inflammatory cells was observed in heart. However such histological alterations were not observed in NDV + vit. E-treated animals. The results of the present study, thus demonstrated that antioxidant defense mechanism is impaired after the induction of NDV, suggesting its critical role in cellular injury in brain and liver. Further, the results also suggest that vitamin E treatment will ameliorate the antioxidant status in the infected animals. The findings could be beneficial to understand the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of NDV and therapeutic interventions of antioxidants.     

石油污染对僧帽牡蛎(Ostrea cucullata)抗氧化酶的影响

在厦门岛及附近海域的轮渡码头、杏林湾、同安湾、黄厝4个地点现场采集牡蛎样品，研究牡蛎全组织石油烃含量与其消化腺、鳃超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）活性之间的关系，并探讨了将僧蛎抗氧化酶作为监测海洋石油污染的生物标志物（biomarker）的可能性。结果表明：（1）采自轮渡码头、杏林湾、同安湾、黄厝的牡蛎全组织石油烃含量分别为380．68、112．34、27．31、20．37μg/g；（2）牡蛎消化腺SOD、CAT活性均高于鳃；（3）牡蛎消化腺和鳃CAT、SOD活性均随石油烃含量的增加而增强，由相关系数来判断两者相关性显著，适合作为海洋石油污染的生物标志物。     

Accumulation of cadmium and copper by female Oxya chinensis(Orthopera: Acridoidea) in soil-plant-insect system

One purpose of this research is to present accumulation of cadmium （Cd） and copper （Cu） by female Oxya chinensis （Orthopera： Acridoidea） in a simulated soil-plant-insect ecosystem treated with Cd. Fourth-instar nymphs of O. chinensis had been fed on wheat （Triticurn aestivum） seedlings contaminated with Cd and Cu for one month. In the ecosystem, the Cd concentration in wheat seedlings rose greatly with the increasing of Cd in the soil, but the Cu concentration in wheat seedlings was not found elevated. There was a highly significant difference（P〈0.05） in Cd concentrations of wheat seedlings and not any significant difference（P〉0.05） in Cu concentrations of wheat seedlings. The Cd and Cu concentration in different body part-head, thorax, abdomen, and hind femur, varied under different Cd concentrations in soil. There were significant differences （P〈0.05） in the four parts of Cd and Cu accumulations with all treatments. The order of Cd accumulation was thorax 〉abdomen 〉head 〉hind femur and the Cu was abdomen 〉thorax 〉 head〉hind femur. The results indicated that Cd and Cu were accumulated from the soil to grasshoppers through the plant; that is to say, Cd and Cu in environment could be transported to animal or human via food chain.     

Sex-biased investment in yolk androgens depends on female quality and laying order in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata)

The Trivers–Willard hypothesis predicts sex biases in parental investment according to parental condition. In addition, parents may need to sex bias their investment if there is an asymmetry between the sexes in offspring fitness under different conditions. For studying maternal differential investment, egg resources are ideal subjects because they are self contained and allocated unequivocally by the female. Recent studies show that yolk androgens can be beneficial to offspring, so here we test for sex-biased investment with maternal investment of yolk testosterone (T) in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) eggs. From the Trivers–Willard hypothesis, we predicted females to invest more in male eggs in optimum circumstances (e.g. good-condition mother, early-laid egg), and more in female eggs under suboptimal conditions (e.g. poor-condition mother, late-laid egg). This latter prediction is also because in this species there is a female nestling disadvantage in poor conditions and we expected mothers to help compensate for this in female eggs. Indeed, we found more yolk T in female than male eggs. Moreover, in accordance with our predictions, yolk T in male eggs increased with maternal quality relative to female eggs, and decreased with laying order relative to female eggs. This supports our predictions for the different needs and value of male and female offspring in zebra finches. Our results support the idea that females may use yolk androgens as a tool to adaptively manipulate the inequalities between different nestlings.     

苯并(a)芘和芘的混合物暴露对梭鱼肝脏抗氧化酶活性的影响

在实验生态条件下，研究浓度范围从0.1-50μg/L的苯并（a)芘和芘的等浓度混合物暴露对梭鱼（Mugil so-iuy)肝脏抗氧化酶活性的影响。结果显示，对肝脏谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GPx)和超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性的影响主要表现出抑制效应。在暴露过程中，抗氧化酶活性也有出现短暂的诱导，高浓度组出现诱导的时间比低浓度组早。SOD和GPx活性的变化有一定的同步性。CAT活性在暴露早期出现诱导。抗氧化酶活性的变化间接反映了环境中氧化胁迫的存在。     

Cobalt and manganese stress in the microalga Pavlova viridis （Prymnesiophyceae）： Effects on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes

Pollution of marine environment has become an issue of major concern in recent years.Serious environmental pollution by heavy metals results from their increasing utilization in industrial processes and because most heavy metals are transported into the marine environment and accumulated without decomposition.The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects on growth,pigments, lipid peroxidation,and some antioxidant enzyme activities of marine microalga Pavlova viridis,in response to elevated concentrations of cobalt(Co)and manganese(Mn),especially with regard to the involvement of antioxidative defences against heavy metal-induced oxidative stress.In response to Co~(2 ),lipid peroxidation was enhanced compared to the control,as an indication of the oxidative damage caused by metal concentration assayed in the microalgal cells but not Mn~(2 ).Exposure of Pavlova viridis to the two metals caused changes in enzyme activities in a different manner,depending on the metal assayed:after Co~(2 )treatments,total superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity was irregular,although it was not significantly affected by Mn~(2 )exposure.Co~(2 )and Mn~(2 )stimulated the activities of catalase(CAT)and glutathione(GSH),whereas,ghitathione peroxidase(GPX)showed a remarkable increase in activity in response to Co~(2 )treatments and decreased gradually with Mn~(2 )concentration,up to 50μmol/L,and then rose very rapidly,reaching to about 38.98% at 200μmol/L Mn~(2 ).These results suggest that an activation of some antioxidant enzymes was enhanced,to counteract the oxidative stress induced by the two metals at higher concentration.     

Interannual differences in the relative timing of southward migration of male and female western sandpipers (Calidris mauri)

In the shorebird subfamily Calidridinae, one of the parents shortens parental care and initiates southward migration before the other. We estimated the difference in passage date between male and female western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) at their first major stopover on the southward migration from breeding areas in Alaska, in 18 years between 1978 and 2000. Overall, adult females preceded adult males by 1.22 days. A novel finding was that among juveniles, which migrate approximately a month later than adults, females preceded males by similar magnitude (1.14 days). There was wide variation among years, however, and males actually preceded females in years with late hatch. We relate these findings to hypotheses for female-first southward migration in sandpipers.     

Frugivory is associated with low measures of plasma oxidative stress and high antioxidant concentration in free-ranging bats

Oxidative stress—an imbalance between reactive pro- and neutralising antioxidants—damages cell structures and impairs fitness-relevant traits such as longevity and reproduction. Theory predicts that feeding on diets with high antioxidant content such as fruits should reduce oxidative stress; however, there is no support of this idea in free-ranging mammals. Bats cover a large variety of ecological niches, and therefore, we asked if measures of oxidative stress are lower in species with fruit diets. We measured reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) representing total pro-oxidants produced and antioxidants in the plasma of 33 Neotropical bat species. Species with a fruit diet showed the lowest level of ROM and the highest concentration of antioxidants, followed by omnivorous and animalivorous species. Potentially, frugivorous species ingest more antioxidants with food and thus are able to neutralise more pro-oxidants than species not feeding on fruits, resulting in an overall lower level of oxidative stress. We therefore showed for the first time that measures of oxidative stress vary according to diets in free-ranging mammals.     

Flavonoid wing pigments increase attractiveness of female common blue (Polyommatus icarus) butterflies to mate-searching males

 Common blue butterflies (Polyommatus icarus) sequester flavonoids from their larval host plants and allocate these UV-absorbing pigments to the wings. In field experiments using dummies constructed from female butterflies, mate-searching males inspected flavonoid-rich dummies more intensively than those with little or no flavonoids. Flavonoid content as signalled by UV-wing pattern may indicate ontogenetically determined female quality or enhance detectability to males. Received: 21 March 2000 / Accepted in revised form: 17 May 2000     

Blue-green eggshell coloration is not a sexually selected signal of female quality in an open-nesting polygynous passerine

It has been proposed that blue-green egg colours have evolved as a post-mating signal of female quality, selected by males allocating their parental effort in response to the strength of this signal. We tested two main assumptions of the sexually selected egg coloration hypothesis: (1) whether the intensity of eggshell blue-green chroma (BGC) reflects female quality; and (2) whether males make their decisions on the level of parental care that they provide according to the intensity of eggshell BGC. As a model species, we chose the facultatively polygynous great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus). In this species, females simultaneously paired with the same male, compete for his nest attendance and could benefit from signalling their quality through egg coloration. However, we found no association between the variation in eggshell BGC and the measures of female quality (physical condition, mean egg volume and age). Moreover, great reed warbler males did not adjust their investment (as measured in terms of nest defence against a brood parasite) in relation to the eggshell BGC. We conclude that blue-green egg coloration in this open-nesting passerine is unlikely to have a signalling function. Rather, the large colour variation among clutches of individual females may depend on yearly fluctuations in environmental conditions.     

四溴联苯醚对剑尾鱼毒性及其抗氧化系统的影响

研究了四溴联苯醚(tetrabromodiphenyl ether,BDE-47)对剑尾鱼的急性毒性及其肝脏还原型谷光甘肽(GSH)、谷胱甘肽硫转移酶(GST)、丙二醛(MDA)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)及7-乙氧基异吩恶唑酮-脱乙基酶(EROD)活性的影响.结果表明,BDE-47对剑尾鱼毒性作用属于高毒.GST和EROD...     

全氟辛烷磺酸对赤子爱胜蚓的抗氧化酶、代谢酶和DNA损伤的影响

非致死浓度下全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)对土壤生物的毒性作用研究在国内外鲜见报道.因此,本文采用人工土壤培养法,通过亚急性试验,研究了PFOS对赤子爱胜蚓(Eisenia fetida)生长抑制、谷胱甘肽硫转移酶(GST)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)及DNA损伤的影响.结果表明,PFOS暴露急性期和亚急性期,非致死浓度PFOS显著抑制蚯蚓生长(p=0.000),生长抑制率随着暴露浓度、暴露时间的增大而逐渐增大,42 d时250 mg·kg^-1处理组的生长抑制率最大(55.86%).PFOS暴露急性期和亚急性期,非致死浓度PFOS对GST和CAT活性没有显著性影响(GST:p=0.067;CAT:p=0.123),采用GST和CAT酶活性评价非致死浓度PFOS对蚯蚓的生态毒性时,需要参考其他指标进行综合分析.PFOS暴露急性期,非致死浓度PFOS可致体腔细胞DNA损伤;PFOS暴露亚急性期,体腔细胞DNA损伤随着暴露时间的增加而逐渐得到恢复.     

孔石莼克生作用对赤潮异弯藻生长和抗氧化系统活性的影响

通过实验生态学和生物化学的方法,研究了孔石莼(Ulva pertusa Kjellman)克生作用对赤潮异弯藻[Heterosigma akashiwo (Hada) Hada]生长及其叶绿素a(Chl-a)含量、可溶性蛋白含量、丙二醛(MDA)含量、总抗氧化能力(T-AOC)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活力、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活力和谷胱甘肽过氧化酶(GPX)活力的影响。结果表明:孔石莼的克生作用会明显抑制赤潮异弯藻的生长,且赤潮异弯藻抗氧化系统活性对其有明显的响应。克生作用会使T-AOC和SOD活力呈现降低的趋势;MDA含量和CAT活力呈现升高的趋势;GPX活力呈现先升高而后下降趋势;Chl-a含量和可溶性蛋白含量并无明显变化。推测孔石莼克生作用诱导赤潮异弯藻产生活性氧自由基,是藻体受损伤的主要原因。     

Biochemical screening for chromosomal disorders and neural tube defects (NTD): is adjustment of maternal alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) still appropriate in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM)?

Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) has been reported to be decreased in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). The objective of the present study was to reinvestigate this finding in detail. Maternal serum levels of AFP, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and unconjugated estriol (uE3) in 114 diabetic women, of whom 84 had IDDM, were compared to those of 19,251 control pregnancies in the second trimester (15th to 20th gestational weeks). The mean body weight at the date of sampling was 73.7 kg in all diabetic women, 72.7 kg in women with IDDM and 68.3 kg in non-diabetic women, respectively. Body weights were significantly (p<0.001) elevated in all diabetic pregnancies. Using weight-adjusted MoM (multiple of the median) values no statistical difference of serum levels in diabetic and non-diabetic pregnant women was found. Median MoM levels were 1.01 (hCG), 1.01 (uE3), 1.06 (AFP) in all diabetic women, and 0.95 (hCG), 0.96 (uE3), 0.96 (AFP) in women with IDDM, respectively. Ignoring adjustment for maternal weight leads to a reduction of all serum parameters in diabetic pregnancies. However, median MoM values of all three analytes are not statistically different when compared to non-diabetic pregnancies. This finding is contrary to the results of former studies from the 1970s and 1980s. It is concluded that progress in insulin adjustment and blood glucose surveillance of diabetic patients on the whole has balanced out serum levels. Therefore adjustment of serum AFP values for diabetic status no longer seems reasonable. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

不同类型植物凋落物参与下炼锌废渣对斑马鱼抗氧化酶和神经毒性的影响

为评价矿山生态修复过程中植物凋落物参与下炼锌废渣体系浸出液对水生生物抗氧化酶和神经毒性的影响,通过模拟添加不同类型代表性修复植物(三叶草、刺槐、构树和法国梧桐)凋落物处理黔西北土法炼锌废渣,检测在不同处理废渣浸出液中暴露28 d斑马鱼(Danio rerio)组织中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、丙二醛...