A MORPHOLOGIC AND GENETIC STUDY OF THE ISLAND FOX, UROCYON LITTORALIS.

The Island Fox, Urocyon littoralis, is a dwarf form found on six of the Channel Islands located 30-98 km off the coast of southern California. The island populations differ in two variables that affect genetic variation: effective population size and duration of isolation. We estimate that the effective population size of foxes on the islands varies from approximately 150 to 1,000 individuals.

Photomovement in Dunaliella salina: Fluence rate-response curves and action spectra.

We determined the action spectra of the photophobic responses as well as the phototactic response in Dunaliella salina (Volvocales) using both single cells and populations. The action spectra of the photophobic responses have maxima at 510 nm, the spectrum for phototaxis has a maximum at 450-460 nm. These action spectra are not compatible with the hypothesis that flavoproteins are the photoreceptor pigments, and we suggest that carotenoproteins or rhodopsins act as the photoreceptor pigments.

Analysis of coyote mitochondrial DNA genotype frequencies: estimation of the effective number of alleles.

A restriction-site survey of 327 coyotes (Canis latrans) from most parts of their North American range reveals 32 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genotypes. The genotypes are not strongly partitioned in space, suggesting that there is high gene flow among coyote subpopulations. Consequently, each new geographic location added to the study has a decreasing probability of containing a mtDNA genotype that had not been previously discovered.

Molecular distance and divergence time in carnivores and primates.

Numerous studies have used indices of genetic distance between species to reconstruct evolutionary relationships and to estimate divergence time. However, the empirical relationship between molecular-based indices of genetic divergence and divergence time based on the fossil record is poorly known. To date, the results of empirical studies conflict and are difficult to compare because they differ widely in their choice of taxa, genetic techniques, or methods for calibrating rates of molecular evolution.

INTROGRESSION OF COYOTE MITOCHONDRIAL DNA INTO SYMPATRIC NORTH AMERICAN GRAY WOLF POPULATIONS.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genotypes of gray wolves and coyotes from localities throughout North America were determined using restriction fragment length polymorphisms. Of the 13 genotypes found among the wolves, 7 are clearly of coyote origin, indicating that genetic transfer of coyote mtDNA into wolf populations has occurred through hybridization. The transfer of mtDNA appears unidirectional from coyotes into wolves because no coyotes sampled have a wolf-derived mtDNA genotype.

Photomovement in Dunaliella salina: fluence rate-response curves and action spectra.

We determined the action spectra of the photophobic responses as well as the phototactic response in Dunaliella salina (Volvocales) using both single cells and populations. The action spectra of the photophobic responses have maxima at 510 nm, the spectrum for phototaxis has a maximum at 450-460 nm. These action spectra are not compatible with the hypothesis that flavo-proteins are the photoreceptor pigments, and we suggest that carotenoproteins or rhodopsins act as the photoreceptor pigments.

The density of the cell sap and endoplasm of Nitellopsis and Chara.

We measured the densities of the cell sap, endoplasm and cell wall of Nitellopsis obtusa and Chara corallina using interference microscopy, refractometry, immersion refractometry, equilibrium sedimentation and chemical microanalysis techniques. These values are important for the determination of many rheological properties of the cytoplasm as well as for understanding buoyancy regulation, dispersal mechanisms and how cells respond to gravity. The average densities of the cell sap, endoplasm and cell wall are 1,006.

Nature of the water channels in the internodal cells of Nitellopsis.

The hydraulic resistance was measured on internodal cells of Nitellopsis obtusa using the method of transcellular osmosis. The hydraulic resistance was approximately 2.65 pm-1 sec Pa, which corresponds to an osmotic permeability of 101.

Genetic fingerprinting reflects population differentiation in the California Channel Island fox.

Restriction fragment profiles generated by hybridization of hypervariable minisatellite DNA probes have been used for paternity analysis but not for comparisons at the level of populations, because the profiles are thought to evolve too rapidly to be informative over large time intervals. But in small isolated populations, the fixation of restriction-fragment polymorphisms can outpace the generation of fragment-length variability through recombination. Here we report on an analysis of DNA fingerprints of the California Channel Island fox (Urocyon littoralis).

Large sequence divergence among mitochondrial DNA genotypes within populations of eastern African black-backed jackals.

In discussions about the relative rate of molecular evolution, intraspecific variability in rate is rarely considered. An underlying assumption is that intraspecific sequence differences are small, and thus variations in rate would be difficult to detect or would not affect comparisons among distantly related taxa. However, several studies on mammalian mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have revealed considerable intraspecific sequence divergence.

Gravity-dependent polarity of cytoplasmic streaming in Nitellopsis.

The internodal cells of the characean alga Nitellopsis obtusa were chosen to investigate the effect of gravity on cytoplasmic streaming. Horizontal cells exhibit streaming with equal velocities in both directions, whereas in vertically oriented cells, the downward-streaming cytoplasm flows ca. 10% faster than the upward-streaming cytoplasm.

Genetic and morphological divergence among sympatric canids.

Numerous studies have suggested that the extent of character divergence observed between two sympatric species reflects the intensity of competition for resources or space. However, the influence of time on divergence is often overlooked. We examined the relationship between time and character divergence in two groups of congeneric, sympatric canids on two continents: South American foxes and African jackals.

Tropospheric lifetimes of halogenated anaesthetics.

Concern has been expressed over the use of the halogenated anaesthetics halothane (CF3CClBrH), enflurane (CF2HOCF2CFClH) and isoflurane (CF2HOCHClCF3) because of their potential for stratospheric ozone destruction. Halogenated species also contribute to global warming. The significance of the anaesthetics in stratospheric ozone loss or in 'greenhouse' heating depends on their atmospheric lifetimes.

Calcium requirement of phytochrome-mediated fern-spore germination: No direct phytochrome-calcium interaction in the phytochrome-initiated transduction chain.

Phytochrome-mediated germination of fern spores of Dryopteris paleacea Sw. was initiated by a saturating red-light (R) irradiation after 20 h of imbibition. For its realization external Ca(2+) was required, with a threshold at a submicromolar concentration, and an optimum was reached around 10(-4) M.

Rural trauma management.

Rural trauma is a major problem in the United States. Up to 70 percent of trauma fatalities occur in rural areas, even though 70 percent of the population live in urban areas. Over the past 3 decades, numerous studies have defined the concept of preventable trauma death in both rural and urban populations.

Coats' disease.

Coats' disease is an ocular condition characterized by telangiectatic vessels, microaneurysms, and intraretinal and subretinal exudates. This disease entity is usually uniocular, occurs in young males in their first decade of life, and has a prevalence for the temporal retina. A case report of Coats' disease is presented along with a discussion of its management and treatment.

Calcium requirement of phytochrome-mediated fern-spore germination: no direct phytochrome-calcium interaction in the phytochrome-initiated transduction chain.

Phytochrome-mediated germination of fern spores of Dryopteris paleacea Sw. was initiated by a saturating red-light (R) irradiation after 20 h of imbibition. For its realization external Ca2+ was required, with a threshold at a submicromolar concentration, and an optimum was reached around 10(-4) M.

Early quantitative method for measuring germination in non-green spores of Dryopteris paleacea using an epifluorescence-microscope technique.

A method is described to determine germination by blue-light excited red fluorescence in the positively photoblastic spores of Dryopteris paleacea Sw. This fluorescence is due to chlorophyll as evidenced from 1) a fluorescence-emission spectrum in vivo, where a bright fluorescence around 675 nm is obtained only in red light (R)-irradiated spores and 2) in vitro measurements with acetone extracts prepared from homogenized spores. Significant amounts of chlorophyll can be found only in R-treated spores; this chlorophyll exhibits an emission band around 668 nm, when irradiated with 430 nm light at 21 degrees C.

Hepatitis B virus in human tears: ocular examination of an asymptomatic carrier.

The hepatitis B virus or Dane particle has been linked to hepatocellular carcinoma and is a major cause of chronic liver disease. Hepatitis B virus is found in blood and many body fluids including human tears. A 31-year-old White male was inadvertently discovered to have chronic active hepatitis secondary to a hepatitis B infection, during an autoimmune disorder work-up for recurrent episcleritis.

Evolution of heterochromatin-associated satellite DNA loci in felids and canids (Carnivora).

Cloned satellite DNAs that hybridize primarily to C-band-positive regions of felid and canid chromosomes were used to probe the organization of satellite families in the genomes of 16 species of felids and 15 species of canids. Southern-blot and quantitative dot-blot experiments demonstrated that satellite families within the great cats (panthera lineage) vary considerably in regard to amount and/or sequence mismatch and vary some-what in regard to restriction patterns. Satellite families within the canids appeared to be more uniform in regard to both amount/sequence and restriction patterns, although some canid species did differ significantly from the consensus in both respects.

Chromosomal localization of satellite DNA sequences among 22 species of felids and canids (Carnivora).

In situ hybridization was carried out using cloned satellite DNAs from the domestic cat and domestic dog as probes to metaphase chromosomes from 12 species of felids and 10 species of canids. Autoradiographic silver grains along metaphase chromosomes were counted and analyzed with regard to the mean number of grains per cell in each species, their chromosomal location, and their presence or absence on specific autosomes or sex chromosomes, where known. Among the felids and canids there was a 7.

Chromosomal evolution of the Canidae. II. Divergence from the primitive carnivore karyotype.

The Giemsa-banding patterns of chromosomes from the arctic fox (Alopex lagopus), the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), the kit fox (Vulpes macrotis), and the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) are compared. Despite their traditional placement in different genera, the arctic fox and the kit fox have an identical chromosome morphology and G-banding pattern. The red fox has extensive chromosome arm homoeology with these two species, but has only two entire chromosomes in common.