Did aggregation favour the initial evolution of warning coloration? A novel world revisited.

From experiments using novel prey signals to avoid innate reactions to traditional signals, Alatalo & Mappes (1996, Nature, 382, 708-710) concluded that gregariousness would have selected for warning coloration as it originated for the first time, whereas a solitary prey distribution would not. We have investigated this suggestion in experiments using the same novel prey and background symbols and wild-caught great tit, Parus major, predators. We compared the attack rate on cryptic unpalatable and aposematic unpalatable prey in either a solitary or an aggregated treatment.

Pharmacological studies on perazine and its primary metabolites.

The study served to answer the question whether metabolites possibly contribute to the clinical actions of the neuroleptic drug perazine. The primary metabolites demethylperazine and perazine sulfoxide were investigated with regard to influences on behavior in mice, to an antiemetic action in dogs, and to a modification of the pressor effect of noradrenaline in rats. In contrast to perazine, none of the metabolites exhibited effects that can be interpreted to indicate neuroleptic or antidepressive properties of the compounds.

[Traffic safety in treatment with dosulepin].

Forty-eight healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 61 years, 24 men, 24 women, received dosulepin (Idom) or placebo in a randomized fashion over a period of 16 days. The study was designed as a double-blind, placebo controlled parallel trial. The single daily dose of 75 mg was given in the evening.