Parental condition, brood sex ratio and differential young survival: an experimental study in gulls (Larus fuscus)

Empirical evidence is growing that the offspring sex ratio in birds can be biased in relation to the body condition of parents during breeding. The sex ratio bias may come about because (1) the actual production of the two sexes may be skewed and/or (2) there may be a sex bias in early nestling mortality contingent on parental condition. By manipulating parental condition and giving them a control brood to rear, thereby eliminating effects operating via the eggs, we examined the extent to which parental condition influences the post-hatching survival of male and female lesser black-backed gulls, Larus fuscus. We found that the pre-fledging survival of male chicks was strongly reduced in all-male broods reared by parents in poor condition. Pre-fledging survival of female chicks was, however, unaffected by parental condition or brood sex composition. Thus, independently of any production biases, sex differences in nestling mortality alone can bias the offspring sex ratio at fledging in relation to the prevailing rearing conditions. In other studies on gulls we have, however, also shown that females in poor condition at laying preferentially produce female eggs. Clearly a bias in fledging sex ratio can occur within the same species due to a combination of differential production and differential post-laying mortality; the latter can involve a differential effect of poor egg quality on male and female offspring, differential effects of brood sex composition on their survival and a difference in the capacity of parents to rear males and females. All of these processes need to be taken into account in attempting to understand offspring sex ratios. Received: 15 February 2000 / Revised: 7 August 2000 / Accepted: 26 August 2000     

Anthranilic acid: a free amino‐acid pheromone in the black chafer, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Holotrichia loochooana loochooana</Emphasis>

Summary. Ether extract of the abdominal gland of female black chafers Holotrichia loochooana loochooana (Sawada) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) induced a series of pre-mating behaviors that included short-distance orientation, mounting and abdominal bending toward females in the laboratory. When the extract was chromatographed on a silica gel column, the activity was eluted with 50% ether in hexane and ether fractions. GC-MS analyses revealed that both the active fractions contained anthranilic acid (2-aminobenzoic acid) as a major compound. When partitioned to basic, acidic and amphoteric fractions, pheromonal activity was observed with the latter two fractions and anthranilic acid was detected in these fractions by HPLC analyses. The amount of anthranilic acid in the female extract was estimated to be ca. 1.3 μg/female. Authentic anthranilic acid induced pre-mating behavior in males of at levels equal to that elicited by the compound in the extract. It also attracted male beetles to the traps in the field. Received 29 October 2002; accepted 9 January 2003. R1D=" Correspondence to:Hiroe Yasui, e-mail:yasui@affrc.go.jp     

不同粒径大气颗粒物几种重金属成分分析及其致突变性研究

采集冬季太原市一采样点不同粒径大气颗粒物,经分析,总悬浮颗粒物日均浓度为1.04mg/m~3,严重超标。其中粒径小于7.0μm的占49.6％,小于3.3μm的占33.5％。颗粒物无机提取液中5种金属元素的浓度由高到低依次为Pb、Mn、Cr、Ni和Cd。每一种元素均呈随颗粒物粒径减小浓度增高的趋势。以SOS显色法和小鼠体内骨髓细胞染色体畸变试验检测颗粒物的无机提取液和模拟肺泡液溶出液的遗传毒性,表明小粒径颗粒物遗传毒性较强;小于1.1μm的颗粒物,仅用相当于5m~3或10m~3空气量的样品液,即可诱发SOS反应或致染色体损伤。     

漳泽水库水体污染对黑斑蛙蝌蚪遗传毒性的野外调查研究

通过野外采集漳泽水库不同采样点的黑斑蛙蝌蚪,采用微核、核异常、彗星试验3种方法,研究了水体污染对蝌蚪红细胞微核率、核异常率和DNA断裂3种遗传毒性指标的影响。微核试验结果显示:各采样点红细胞微核率除泽头采样点外,均明显高于阴性对照(P0.01),其中水库入口店上采样点的微核率最高,为6.87‰,位于水库上、中、下游3个采样点的微核率逐渐下降,从大到小依次为:下韩(5.45‰)、台上(3.71‰)、泽头(2.33‰)。核异常试验结果显示:各采样点核异常率均明显高于阴性对照(P0.01),核异常率与微核率二者变化趋势趋于一致。彗星试验结果显示:各采样点红细胞尾长、尾矩与阴性对照相比差异均极显著(P0.01),尾长、尾矩的变化趋势与微核试验结果一致。对同样位于水库中游的采样点司徒和台上的4个指标进行多重比较分析发现:微核率、核异常率和彗星尾长差异均不显著(P0.05),而尾矩差异显著(P0.05)。综上可知,漳泽水库各采样点水体具有较高的遗传毒性,主要毒性作用为引起染色体(DNA)断裂;各采样点遗传毒性指标变化规律与水体污染物变化规律趋于一致,因此应用这3种方法可以有效地对水体遗传毒性进行检测。     

Anti-implantation and anti-fertility potentials of Anethum graveolens L. extracts in rats

Ovarian hormones affected some enzymes in reproductive tissues. Previous studies revealed Anethum graveolens (dill) seed extract elevated ovarian hormones. In this study, we compared the effects of dill seed and leaf extracts on some enzymes activities and infertility potential. Female Wistar rats were divided into three groups of control, dill seed and dill leaf aqueous extracts treated groups. Experimental groups received 1 mL of 0.5 g kg^?1 of each extract orally for 25 days (five estrous cycles). Estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle stimulating hormone concentrations were determined. Uterus and ovaries were removed and their glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase activities were measured. Female rats of three groups were mated with untreated males. Fetuses were extracted in the 20th gestational day and their weights and crown rump lengths were measured. Anti-fertility and anti-implantation activities and fertility indices were calculated. Glucose-6-phosphate activity of dill seed treated group increased 1.6 times in the endometrium and 1.7 times in the myometrium. Progesterone concentration and lactate dehydrogenase activity of serum increased in the dill seed treated group compared to the control and dill leaf treated group. A significant decrease was observed in weights and crown rump lengths of fetuses, weights of placenta, and fertility index of the dill seed treated group compared to the control and dill leaf treated group, but its anti-implantation and anti-fertility indices increased. We suggested that high level of glucose-6-phosphate could entail increased oxidative stress in uterus and ovary. High lactate dehydrogenase activity in serum may affect cell membranes. Higher secretion of progesterone caused hormonal imbalance and produced estrous cycle irregularity. It was concluded that dill seed but not dill leaf extract could induce infertility in an animal model.     

人发铅、锌含量的研究

从山西省临汾市及其效区,收集了1518份健康人的头发样品（年龄从新生儿到70岁）,用原子吸收光谱法测定其锌（Zn)和铅（Pb）的含量,结果表明：女性头发中锌的含量高于男性,而男性头发中铅的含量高于女性,从婴儿组（＜1岁）到青春发育组（15－19岁）,发锌含量随着年龄的增长而增加,从青春发育组到老年组（61－70岁）,发锌含量随着年龄的增长而降低,新生儿头发中含铅量量低,从新生儿到幼儿期91－2岁）,发铅含量随着年龄的增长而增加,从幼儿期开始,随着年龄增长,发铅含量不断下降,这些结果意味着,人体中铅与锌可能是相互拮抗的,结果还表明,城市居民（除新生儿外）的发铅含量高于郊区居民的发铅含量,然而,城市和郊区居民的发锌含量未见差异。     

中华鳖的性别决定机制

设置了6种温度条件,对中华鳖卵进行了人工孵化,以探讨其性别决定机制。结果显示,温度条件能够影响子代性比（♂/[♂ ♀]),在24℃、27℃、31℃33℃、和35℃孵育条件下,子代性比出现明显偏差（P＜0.01）;在29℃条件下雌雄比例相近（P＜0.05）,为证实孵化的结果,还对中华鳖的染色体G－带型和精母细胞联会复合体进行了分析,没有发现有异型性染色体的分化;PCR扩增Sox基因,亦未见有雌、雄个体的差异,本研究结果认为,中华鳖的性别决定属于温度依赖型（TSD）机制。     

Innovative work behavior and sex‐based stereotypes: Examining sex differences in perceptions and evaluations of innovative work behavior

Building on role congruity theory, we predict that innovative work behaviors are stereotypically ascribed to men more than to women. Because of this bias, women who innovate may not receive better performance evaluations than those who do not innovate, whereas engaging in innovative work behaviors is beneficial for men. These predictions were supported across 3 complementary field and experimental studies. The results of an experiment (Study 1; N = 407) revealed that innovative work behaviors are stereotypically associated with men more than women. In Studies 2 and 3, using multisource employee evaluation data (N = 153) and by experimentally manipulating innovative work behaviors (N = 232), respectively, we found that favorable performance evaluations were associated with innovative work behaviors for men but not for women. These studies highlight a previously unidentified form of sex bias and are particularly important for those wishing to increase innovative behaviors in the workplace: We need to address this phenomenon of “think innovation‐think male.”     

Selected endocrine disrupting compounds (Vinclozolin,Flutamide, Ketoconazole and Dicofol): Effects on survival,occurrence of males,growth, molting and reproduction of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Daphnia magna</Emphasis>

BACKGROUND, AIM AND SCOPE: Pollution-induced endocrine disruption in vertebrates and invertebrates is a worldwide environmental problem, but relatively little is known about effects of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in planktonic crustaceans (including Daphnia magna). Aims of the present study were to investigate acute 48 h toxicity and sub-chronic (4-6 days) and chronic (21 days) effects of selected EDCs in D. magna. We have investigated both traditional endpoints as well as other parameters such as sex determination, maturation, molting or embryogenesis in order to evaluate the sensitivity and possible use of these endpoints in ecological risk assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have studied effects of four model EDCs (vinclozolin, flutamide, ketoconazole and dicofol) on D. magna using (i) an acute 48 h immobilization assay, (ii) a sub-chronic, 4-6 day assay evaluating development and the sex ratio of neonates, and (iii) a chronic, 21 day assay studying number of neonates, sex of neonates, molting frequency, day of maturation and the growth of maternal organisms. RESULTS: Acute EC50 values in the 48 h immobilization test were as follows (mg/L): dicofol 0.2, ketoconazole 1.5, flutamide 2.7, vinclozolin >3. Short-term, 4-6 day assays with sublethal concentrations showed that the sex ratio in Daphnia was modulated by vinclozolin (decreased number of neonate males at 1 mg/L) and dicofol (increase in males at 0.1 mg/L). Flutamide (up to 1 mg/L) had no effect on the sex of neonates, but inhibited embryonic development at certain stages during chronic assay, resulting in abortions. Ketoconazole had no significant effects on the studied processes up to 1 mg/L. DISCUSSION: Sex ratio modulations by some chemicals (vinclozolin and dicofol) corresponded to the known action of these compounds in vertebrates (i.e. anti-androgenicity and anti-oestrogenicity, respectively). Our study revealed that some chemicals known to affect steroid-regulated processes in vertebrates can also affect sublethal endpoints (e.g. embryonic sex determination and/or reproduction) in invertebrates such as D. magna. CONCLUSIONS: A series of model vertebrate endocrine disrupters affected various sub-chronic and chronic parameters in D. magna including several endpoints that have not been previously studied in detail (such as sex determination in neonates, embryogenesis, molting and maturation). Evaluations of traditional reproduction parameters (obtained from the 21 day chronic assay). as well as the results from a rapid, 4-6 day, sub-chronic assay provide complementary information on non-lethal effects of suspected organic endocrine disrupters. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: It seems that there are analogies between vertebrates and invertebrates in toxicity mechanisms and in vivo effects of endocrine disruptors. However, general physiological status of organisms may also indirectly affect endpoints that are traditionally considered 'hormone regulated' (especially at higher effective concentrations as observed in this study) and these factors should be carefully considered. Further research of D. magna physiology and comparative studies with various EDCs will help to understand mechanisms of action as well as ecological risks of EDCs in the environment.     

APM对小麦根尖分生组织细胞异常有丝分裂的诱导

探讨了不同浓度（c／μmol．L－1）和不同处理时间（t／h）下APM对小麦根尖分生组织细胞有丝分裂的影响．实验结果表明，在c（APM）＝1～4μmol／L、处理t＜5h可明显提高有丝分裂指数，对前期和中期细胞分裂的促进作用更为明显；但c（APM）的增加与有丝分裂指数的提高无明显线型关系；APM可促使间期细胞微核形成、中期细胞染色体聚合现象和扰乱纺锤丝的功能．纺锤丝功能上的扰乱可引起细胞的“不均等分裂”和“多极化分裂”形成上述两种细胞异常有丝分裂的临界浓度和处理时间分别为c＝5μmol／L和t＞5h．