Search

A zoneography of early maturation stages of organic matter, based on adsorbed gases (GA) interpretation, is confirmed by correspondence analyses (AFC) in seven offshore wells of Eastcan et al. of Labrador. Three major maturation stages are recognized: an immature biogenic methane stage (BIO), a superior (upper) methane stage (MES), and a superior (upper) condensate gas stage (CS). An immature (IM) and relatively sterile interval is intercalated between the BIO and the MES zones. The introduction of lithological variables in the correspondence analysis does not greatly influence the results for the well studies.

Summary Whilst studying the post-natal maturation of reflexes, EEG activity, rhythmic activity in Slonaker's wheels and the learning of adult mice, strains showing less pronounced rhythmic activity and more immature EEG and reflexes at birth were discovered. On the other hand some strains having a shorter post-natal period manifest an early maturation of their central nervous system. The results indicate that complex interactions exist between genotype and environment when the different post-natal maturation appearances are considered and that EEG activity may be useful in assessing development.

Artificial selection for high productivity (early maturation and large litters) early in life was maintained in a laboratory colony of Peromyscus maniculatus nebrascensis for 11 generations. A comparison of reproductive and developmental characteristics in this colony indicated that some traits, such as weight of females, age at maturation, and litter size, did not change over generations. However, other traits did change. An initial increase in the proportion of pairs breeding was offset by the inability of females to successfully raise their offspring. Weight of offspring was larger among wild females than among females born in captivity, although weight of offspring was not different between early and late generations in captivity. The relationship between offspring weight and litter size also differed between wild and laboratory-born females. We conclude that data derived from laboratory stocks do not necessarily reflect patterns exhibited by mice in natural populations. We recommend that generations in captivity be treated as a covariate in comparisons among laboratory stocks and that the interrelationships among reproductive and developmental traits be examined under natural conditions.

Data on the morphological development of inbred and F1 hybrid mice reared at 22·8 °C dry bulb, 17·8 °C wet bulb, and 32·2 °C dry bulb, 26·7 °C wet bulb are presented. Animals were weighed at birth, 1 and 2 weeks of age and at each developmental stage. All animals were examined for the freeing of the ear pinnae, eruption of the lower incisor teeth and perforation of the eye membranes and in addition females were examined for the appearance of the first pair of nipples and for perforation of the outer part of the vagina. Within each environment, but especially at 23 °C, there are genotypically characteristic differences in the ages at maturation of each variable. Though the ages of maturation of the different variables are highly correlated within genotypes, early maturation of one variable is not necessarily associated with the early maturation of others. Reciprocal F1 hybrid differences indicate a maternal effect upon the age of maturation which is more marked at 23 than at 32 °C. Comparisons of the ages at maturation in the two environments showed that the only character to mature earlier at 23 than at 32 °C was pinna freeing. The most marked influence of the 32 °C environment in advancing development was on the appearance of nipples and on vaginal opening. In almost all cases, animals reared at 32 °C were lighter at the time of maturation than those at 23 °C. Hence when allowance was made for environmental differences in body weight the association between an environment at 32 °C and early development was further enhanced. Those animals that were relatively heavy when weighed at the weekly interval prior to maturation matured earlier than the lighter ones, especially at 23 1C, indicating that morphological maturation was closely related to overall growth. Both the within, and between, litter variation in the ages and body weights at maturation of a strain tended to be greater in animals exposed to the higher temperature. In bilaterally distributed characters, asymmetrical maturation was more common at 32 than at 23 °C.

This study was undertaken to reveal the changes in the fluoride distribution in the developing enamel of rat upper incisors with varying fluoride administration. The work was carried out on four groups of Wistar rats, which received water containing 0, 25, 50 and 100 ppm fluoride, respectively, for 10 weeks. Six sites were selected in the developing enamel, corresponding to the stages of (A) matrix formation, (B) early maturation, (C) late maturation, (D) pigmented enamel in contact with alveolar bone, (E) enamel attached to gingivae and (F) erupted enamel. Five different enamel specimens were removed from each site except site A. The fluoride distribution in each specimen was analyzed from the enamel surface to the EDJ.The following results were obtained;1) The fluoride concentration was invariably highest at the surface and decreased sharply towards the interior of the enamel at every site in both control and experimental groups. The rat incisor enamel had a clear fluoride-gradient from surface to interior.2) The fluoride concentration increased with fluoride intake throughout the tissue and at each stage of development.3) The fluoride-gradient curves resembled each other at the different sites of tooth development. However, the fluoride concentration of the enamel interior was significantly higher at site B than it was at the other four sites.

SUMMARY A 5-year-old girl with the McCune-Albright syndrome presented with precocious puberty secondary to autonomously functioning ovarian cysts, followed by true central puberty. Progression from gonadotrophin-independent to gonadotrophin-dependent precocious puberty may occur from elevated sex steroid levels leading to the early maturation of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis.

Photoperiods of 19 h light or more induced sexual maturation in male underyearling rainbow trout but did not influence maturation in the females. Early maturation was not a consequence of the increased growth under long photoperiods. The rate of mortality was much higher in the early maturing males than in the immature fish.

The relationships between plasma gonadotropins, testicular gonadotropin receptors, and plasma testosterone were examined during neonatal life and throughout sexual maturation in the rat. The binding affinity of testicular LH receptors (2.4 X 10(10) M-1) was significantly higher than that of FSH receptors (2.1 X 10(9) M-1) at all stages of development. The concentration of FSH receptors in the testis reached a peak between 10-15 days of age, then fell to a constant level from 25-90 days. However, the testis content of FSH receptors increased continually with age and reached a plateau at day 60. Plasma FSH declined after birth to a nadir at 15 days, then rose rapidly to a peak at day 38, and fell to a plateau from day 50 through adult life. In contrast to the rapidly changing profile of plasma FSH during early maturation, alterations in plasma LH were less marked throughout development. Although a progressive rise in plasma LH concentration was observed between days 36-51, the simultaneous changes in testicular LH receptors and plasma testosterone were much more prominent. Testicular LH receptors showed a continuous increase in concentration and total number with advancing age and testis growth. The major rise in LH receptor concentration occurred between 15-38 days age, at the same time as the rise in plasma FSH concentration and the phase of rapid testicular growth. Plasma testosterone fell during the 8th-24th days after birth, then rose rapidly between days 35-55. The pubertal rise in plasma testosterone occurred about 15 days after testicular LH receptors began to increase and was coincident with the continuing rise in LH receptor content from day 35 until day 55 and with the progressive increase in plasma LH during this period. These observations have demonstrated that the early development of testicular FSH receptors in followed by a prominent rise in plasma FSH, with concomitant increases in testicular growth and LH receptor concentration. The resulting increase in gonadal sensitivity to LH could be responsible for the marked increase in secretion of testosterone which occurs during puberty in the presence of a relatively small change in the circulating LH concentration. The sequence of changes observed in gonadotropins and their testicular receptors is consistent with the view that FSH-induced testicular sensitivity to LH is an important factor in sexual maturation in the male rat.

The Primrose Prospect lies 48 km east of Sable Island on the Scotian Shelf below 80 km of water. The subsurface geology is characterized by the presence of Jurassic salt that has pierced the early Cretaceous sediments and uplifted late Cretaceous and early Tertiary beds to provide localized structural closure, shale compaction, and anomalously high heat gradients in the younger sediments overlying the salt mass. The reservoir rocks interbedded with the compacted shales contain wet gas, condensate, and 31° API oil. The organic matter in these shales, which consists essentially of amorphous material, has undergone thermal alteration and maturation at a very shallow depth, a condition not apparent in coeval beds elsewhere in the area. This localized alteration of the organic matter is considered to have occurred in response to the thermal and pressure effects of the underlying halokinetic structure and could have resulted in the genesis of the mature hydrocarbons.

The reproduction of summer flounder, Paralichthys dentatus (L.), occurring in the Middle Atlantic Bight was studied from 1974–1979. Males dominated the length interval between 21–35 cm t.l. and were essentially absent in samples >55 cm t.l. Females were more abundant in all length intervals >45 cm t.l. Length at maturity ranged from 24–27 cm t.l. for males and from 30–33 cm t.l. for females which coincided with length at age two. Ovarian egg diamerter frequencies indicated summer flounders are serial spawners and the trend in mean and maximum maturity indexes (% ovary weight of total fish weight) indicated spawning began in September and continued through February in 1975 and probably into March in 1976. Annual condition cycle of males peaked in September and was lowest in April while females’ cycle reached a maximum in October which coincided with peak spawning time. Fecundity was related to length, weight and ovary weight for 1974–1977 and the length-fecundity equation F= 0.0007975 L3.402 was found to be the best predictive relationship. The overall reproductive strategy of summer flounder was discussed and apparently tends to maximize reproductive potential through an extended spawning season, early maturation, high fecundity, serial spawning and extensive spawning migrations.

(1973). Early Maturation of Brook Trout in the Laboratory. The Progressive Fish-Culturist: Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 150-153.

SUMMARY. 1 The normal reproductive cycle of the minnow, Phoxinus laevis, is described, and some environmental factors which influence it are examined. 2 A high temperature of 17° C. in winter allows the early maturation stages, started in the previous summer, to continue. Such development, however, only proceeds as far as the production of primary spermatocytes, or the early part of the secondary growth phase of the primary oocytes. 3 Long daily periods (17 hours) of artificial light in winter, together with a temperature of 17° C., induce maturation of the gonads with the formation of spermatozoa and ova. A certain critical temperature is necessary before the gonads can be stimulated to maturity. 4 In male fish subjected to extra light, together with a temperature of 17° C., the vas deferens is found to have acquired an opening into the kidney duct. In the female a comparable opening is not induced. 5 The implications of these results are examined in relation to other known types of reproductive cycles of the fish and higher vertebrates.

On the basis of a self-report measure of rate of physical maturation, college students were categorized into groups of early, average, and late maturers and compared on a number of personality measures. Results indicated that: (a) late physical maturation represents a handicap to the personality development of boys, (b) early maturation is no greater an asset to personality development in boys than is an average rate of maturation, (c) the effects of rate of maturation on personal adjustment are much less profound in girls than boys, (d) the direction of the effects is similar in both sexes.

The germ cells in human embryonic ovaries arise by proliferations from the germinal epithelium. These cells pass through the early maturation phases, including synizesis, beginning at about the third month. Four distinct periods may be distinguished in ovogenesis, each having its own peculiar characteristics: the early embryonic period from seven weeks to three months, the middle embryonic period from three to five months, the late embryonic period from five to seven months, and the adult period. The early embryonic period shows only growth and multiplicative phases; the middle embryonic period is distinguished by maturation phases, among which phases are interpolated which do not appear elsewhere in the species; the late embryonic period is charcterized by phases similar to those of the adult male germ cells, and the adult period by the omission of early maturation phases preliminary to the maturation divisions.

Although a number of interesting facts have been demonstrated in connexion with the adaptability to spring planting (the ability of plants to maintain normal growm even when the sowing has been postponed until spring) in cereals, in the case of the rape plant, room still seems to be left for further investigations. As in wheat and barley, there are various degrees of adaptability to spring planting in the rape plant acoording to its variety, the differences being closely related to physiologioal factors, such for example as susceptibility to winter cold, tendency to bolting in warm climates, etc., with the result that a clear understanding of these factors is essential for breeding as well as from the standpoint of culturing technique. Experiments for the purpose just mentioned were conducted in 1940 at the Konosu Farm of the Imperial Experiment Station, using 137 varieties of rape plant preserved by that station and 94 varieties that were recommended by the various prefectural stations throughout the country. The seeds were sown every tenth day during the period from Feburuary 24 to April 14, special precautions being taken to maintain uniform moisture in the soil through the period of experiment by means of timely application of water, and to keep the plants free from diseases and insects by, frequent spraying. The degrees of adaptability to spring planting determined by a method proposed by Prof. ENOMOTO (1929), the degrees being designated by notations O-VI, as shown schematically in the Table on page 405. The results are summarised as follows: 1. Variation in abaptability to spring planting according to variety. As shown in Table 4, which is derived from Table 2 nd 3, the variation is quite striking, there being a number of classes in degrees of this character. It will be seen that the defferences in plant character hitherto recognized as a spring or a winter tybe of growth hab t are only a part of fhese wide variartions. It will also be found that compared with wheat and barley, the rape varieties, as a wbole, are of rather low degrees in this chatacter. 2. Relation between the adaptability to spring planting and early maturation. The correlation of spring adaptability (Y), with the date of maturation (X), as shown in Table 5, is very close, its coefficient being 72 percent in 113 varieties, that is, the greater the adaptability to spring planting, the earlier its time of maturation, whence the latter may be a good, though not a conclusive, index of the former. 3. Relation between the spring adaptability and the plant form. As will be seen from Table 6, spring adaptability (Y) is also closely correlated with plant form (X), the latter being classified according to Dr. U (1931), that is, the higher the form index number, the less the adaptability to spring planting, consequently higher in winter adaptability. This correlation is, however, not so great, the coefficient being 73 percent. 4. Relation between spring adaptability and stalk elongation. In certain varieties of rape, the stalk elongates to a certain extent before bolting, while in others it remains relatively short. The correlation of this character with the adaptability to spring planting is shown in Table 7, from which however it is not possible to deduce any definite relation between these two characters. 5. Relation between spring adaptability and the number of days required for bolting after sowing. From Table 8, it will be seen that the lower the variety in adaptability to spring planting, the more fhe number of days from sowing time until bolting. On the other hand, among the varieties belonging to the same class as regards spring adaptability, the number of days required for bolting varies with the season when it is sown, that is, the later the sowing date, the less, at first, and more, afterwards the number of days in consideration. It was found moreover that the lower the adaptability of the variety to spring planting, the earlier the sowing time when t

O presente estudo descreve a estrutura, fases de maturação testicular e espermatogênese de Devario aequipinnatus, uma espécie com grande potencial de utilização como modelo biológico em experimentação animal. D. aequipinnatus possui o testí­­culo tubular anastomosado com distribuição espermatogonial irrestrita. Foram observadas quatro fases de maturação testicular, com base nas alterações do epitélio germinativo testicular associado aos estágios das células germinativas presentes: Maturação Inicial, Maturação Intermediária, Maturação Final e Regressão. Devido í­Â proximidade filogenética, a morfologia testicular do D aequipinnatus é semelhante aos demais Cypriní­­deos, a exemplo, zebrafish (Danio rerio), o que corrobora com a hipótese da utilização do D aequipinnatus como modelo biológico em experimentação animal.

The seasonal levels and amounts of carbohydrate, lipid, and protein were determined for the gonad, gut, epithelium with spines, and test of young and old Mellita quinquieperforata (Leske). These biochemical constituents were evaluated in relation to the nutrient reserves, body shape, energy requirements, and habitat of the animal. Results indicated that young animals have gonad and gut indices which are twice as great as older animals. Gonad and gut indices show similar cyclic changes, with gonad indices reaching a peak in March and April. The gonadal carbohydrate level is highest (36%) during early maturation. As the gonads continue to mature, levels of carbohydrate decrease and levels of lipid and protein increase. Carbohydrate appears to be stored in the gonad. There are significantly greater amounts of lipid and protein in the epithelium with spines and in the test of younger sand dollars as compared to older sand dollars. Differences in biochemical composition between ovaries and testes are not significantly different during the spawning season. Increased water temperatures in summer are associated with mass mortalities of older animals. It would appear that older animals are not as nutritionally ‘fit’ as younger animals because of lower nutrient reserves and increased respiration at high water temperatures.

With scanning electron microscopy, globules were seen in inter-cellular spaces between ameloblasts with ruffled borders and papillary cells at early maturation stage. Numerous globules were located on longitudinal folds between parallel ridges on the sides of ameloblasts, but only a few in the papillary layer. In previously-scanned specimens sectioned for transmission electron microscopy, the globules were composed of finely granular material. Vacuoles containing material identical to extra-cellular granules were observed in intra-cellular portions of the ameloblasts and papillary cells.

Binding of serotonin to rat brain membranes increased linearly from birth to adulthood, but newborn receptor densities were already 39% of adult levels. These data suggest a postnatal development of serotonin receptors, coincident with synaptic maturation but do not preclude a non-transmitter function for serotonin during early maturation.

Isometric tension was measured in arterial strips from neonatal lambs and adult sheep, after stimulation by angiotensin II. During the early maturation period immediately following birth (3 weeks) there was a progressive increase in sensitivity to the agent.

The early maturation stages of definitive erythroid cells are observed in the embryonic circulation of the chick yolk sac at 4.5–5 days of incubation. Light and electron microscope observations of the mesoderm of the yolk sac membrane indicate that individual presumptive precursors of the definitive-line are present as early as 2 days of incubation and give rise to sequestered populations of immature erythroblasts within sinusoids during the period of 2.5–6 days incubation. Such isolated populations of definitive-line erythroblasts eventually connect with the established capillary circulation of the yolk sac membrane but a large proportion of the erythroblasts temporarily remain associated with the endothelium prior to free circulation.

Publisher Summary Clupeoid populations have undergone striking increases, followed by precipitous and catastrophic declines, which have caused the collapse of the fishing industry. These fluctuations have been caused by great natural variability in recruitment and by its interaction with fishing policy and economics. A probable combination of overfishing and natural changes also caused declines in other clupeoid stocks during the past few decades. Most clupeoids have a short life span; they recruit at 1-3 years of age and rarely live beyond 5-10 years of age except for some herring stocks, especially the Atlanto-Scandian herring. Early maturation implies that the asymptotic length (L∞) is reached rapidly and growth is not very significant in older fish. As a result most overfishing of clupeoids is classed as “recruitment” rather than “growth” overfishing. Nevertheless some classic cases exist of particular year-classes dominating a fishery for several years. In such cases, the importance of the year-class lies in its numbers rather than in the weight increase as the fish becomes older. The aim of this chapter is to describe the present status of knowledge on the behavior and physiology of clupeoids with particular reference to their ecology. Some of the advances have been made possible by improvements in the ability to rear larval stages and to catch, transport and keep the older stages in captivity, and by greatly improved techniques such as aerial photography, video systems, sampling gear, and apparatus.

The authors review empirical studies of defense mechanisms and suggest that this concept can be operationalized to permit an investigation of the chronology of the development of defense in childhood. Studies on the coping and defense patterns of normal children are compared with studies that attempt to explain defense patterns in disturbed children and adults. It is argued that empirical study of the development of defense in the normal child will help to determine the validity of theoretical psychoanalytic speculations derived from the retrospective reconstruction of defenses that might have existed in the childhood of ill adults. An attempt is made to place our knowledge of the development of defense in childhood into the context of our knowledge of cognitive development. The authors review the research that attempts direct empirical assessment of defenses in childhood, and make suggestions for how such research could be furthered. It is argued that it may be possible to construct a schedule for the early maturation of defense, and to identify how this changes with pathology, gender, and family context. Such a schedule would be fundamental to our understanding of normality, and the role of regression and precocity in pathology.

Onset, temporal sequence, and pattern of ingrowth of retinal fibers into the developing optic tectum of the chicken were investigated with histological procedures including the Golgi technique. Invading fibers could first be detected by stage 34 (eight days of incubation) at a specific locus which is the central area of the optic tectum. Compared to other tectal regions the central area is distinguished at this time by its advanced cytoarchitectural development and by the maturation of dendrites of radial cells located within superficial laminae. Immediately after their arrival at the central area some fibers can be observed invading the outer tectal layers and forming side branches. These observations permit the conclusion that fibers do not wait at their termination site for several days, as has been suggested earlier. Retinal axons start to invade the tectum at the site which is most advanced in its structural development. This early maturation of neurons in a specific tectal region might be a sufficient explanation for the central retinal fibers connecting to neurons of this area, which, propter hoc, is called the central tectal area.

• In a complementary clinical and biochemical study of patients with globoid leukodystrophy (GLD), cases differed from the classic phenotype of Krabbe disease and suggested a broader spectrum of clinical presentations. In terms of pathogenesis, the advanced development achieved before symptom onset suggested normal early maturation and myelination. Enzyme studies were carried out on white blood cells from the patients, their siblings, parents, and normal agematched controls. These studies utilized galactosyl ceramide of brain origin and a new assay technique. We found a specific deficit in cerebrosidase activity in leukocyte preparations from patients with GLD and intermediate levels of activity in their parents. These findings confirm prior reports and indicate an autosomal recessive mode of genetic expression.

The enamel organ isolated from the maturation zone was treated with hydrochloric acid to remove such extracellular materials as collagen fibrils and basal lamina covering the papillary layer. Two types of the ridges were classified on the basis of their morphology and distribution: (1) globular and irregularly arranged ridges at the periphery of the early maturation zone. (2) elliptical and parallel ridges in the central part of this zone and over the whole of the late maturation zone. The fine surface structures of the ridges were characterized by numerous interdigitating cell processes.

The aim was to determine at what ages the different types of human permanent teeth are susceptible to development of fluorosis. The prevalence of disturbances of enamel mineralization was recorded blindly in 70 children who had previously participated in a fluoride tablet program (0.5 mg F–– per day) and 40 other children who had never received fluoride tablets. Comparison of the prevalence of enamel lesions between these two groups and between the ages at which children began to take the tablets revealed the ages at which there was an increased risk of fluorosis. The data showed that fluoride can affect teeth late in their development when enamel is in a stage of late secretion or early maturation. It was concluded that this finding, which is in accordance with experimental animal studies, calls for a fundamental change in thinking not only with respect to the mechanisms involved in human enamel fluorosis, but also in relation to timing of fluoride programs.

The pattern of growth and somatic development of children in a particular population proves not to be static, but changing with time. Some investigators discussed the possibility of such changes, called secular growth changes, as early as the beginning of the 19th century, before the phenomenon had actually been observed (Virey, 1816; Villerme, 1829). Secular growth shift comprises a combination of the following phenomena: (1) decrease or increase in age at which a particular height or weight is attained, particular characteristics of maturation are developed, and linear growth is stopped; (2) increase or decrease in adult height. Increased growth velocity, earlier maturation (probably at an increased height), earlier cessation of linear growth, and a greater adult stature are changes that usually are associated. When these changes prevail, the adjective used is “positive,” whereas the adjective for the reverse situation is “negative.”

Presynaptic boutons of the gigantocellular tegmental field (FTG) of the brain stem reticular formation were analyzed by stereological techniques for changes in numerical and volumetric density during early postnatal development. Electron microscopic analysis revealed that presynaptic boutons increased in numerical density and volumetric fraction during the first 15 postnatal days. By day 15, the presynaptic boutons had reached the numerical density and volumetric fraction seen in the adult tissue. Myelination was not evident until day 10 and by day 30 contributed over 45% to the total volume of the FTG tissue. Presynaptic boutons were differentiated into those with spherical vesicles and those with predominantly polymorphic (i.e. oblong) vesicles. Both types of presynaptic boutons were present at day 1, but over the next 30 days the percentage of boutons with polymorphic vesicles increased to over 40%. These results revealed that the FTG region of the rat demonstrates its synaptogenic period during the earliest postnatal days. The differentiation of the synapse into two types within the FTG region suggests a morphological basis for alterations in function during early maturation.

Studies by Hagler et al. (1987) from 1981-1985 revealed that much of the grain sorghum grown in North Carolina was, except in 1983, contaminated at - harvest with zearalenone (ZE), deoxynivalenol (DON), and toalesser degree, aflatoxins (AF) B1 and B2. These studies defined some factors controlling occurrence of these mycotoxins in grain sorghum. Rainfall during flowering and early maturation was associated with the Increased incidence and concentration of ZE and DON. In 1983, there was a drought during this critical period which apparently prevented ZE and DON contamination (Bowman et al. , 1986; Hagler et al. , 1987). Zearalenone had been reported in grain sorghum previously (Schroeder and Hein, 1975; Bennett and Shot well, 1979; Shotwell et al. , 1980; M c Millian et al. , 1983). Deoxynivalenol, which frequently occurs with ZE in corn ( Thiel et al. , 1982), had not been previously reported as a contaminant of sorghum until 1981 (Hagler et al. , 1987).

• As shown In 11,464 black and white pregnant teenagers and 28,477 older pregnant women, teenage mothers tend to be of small stature and weight, consistent with age and early maturation. The small size of their infants is in proportion to their smaller size and not to their early age at conception. Although the progeny of teenage mothers show a higher incidence of prematurity and diminished birth size, in the extent of fetal loss, low Apgar and Bayley scores, and In the frequency of medical abnormalities, they are not at a disadvantage compared with infants of third-decade mothers of comparable size. ( Am J Dis Child 1983;137:365-368)

Eight-week-old Harco Sex-Link pullets were assigned to four growing regimens. Feed was restricted to Group 1. The birds reached an average weight of 1.52 kg at 20 weeks of age and were then light stimulated. Group 2 received the same ration ad lib and reached an average weight of 1.64 kg at 16 weeks. At this age they were light stimulated. Birds in Groups 3 and 4 were separated into two weight classes at 8 weeks of age. Those below the median weight received an 18% protein grower ration and those above the median weight a 16% ration. Group 3 birds were grown similarly to Group 1; Group 4 birds were grown similarly to Group 2. At housing, each group was equally divided and given either a 17 or 19% protein layer ration. Two cage designs (standard and reverse) were used and each treatment combination was equally represented. Ad lib-fed, early-housed pullets reached 1.64 kg at 16 weeks of age, but they did not come into production until 19.4 weeks of age. Hen-day percent production (HDP) was significantly less than for the late-housed pullets. Feed per dozen eggs was not affected by the early housing, but early-housed pullets laid significantly smaller eggs and feed per gram egg was significantly increased. Hens in reverse cages on a 19% protein layer ration laid the largest eggs in weight and size. Although early housing had a detrimental effect on average egg weight, it appeared possible to manipulate egg weight and size distribution through a combination of cage design and layer protein. Birds grouped by body weight at 8 weeks had higher uniformity, but this trait was not correlated with egg numbers or size. Moreover, housing body weights were not significantly correlated with egg size, suggesting factors other than body weight were responsible for the smaller eggs from early-housed pullets.

Embryo organs from the maturing seeds of a dwarf French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were used [1]. Detailed study of growth of the hypocotyl-embryo root axis using anatomical preparations has shown that the final size of the root cap (about 250 μ) is achieved and its growth is completed by the 20th day, that of the root by the 34th and of the hypocotyl by the 40th day after anthesis. It should be noted that while the size of the embryo root increases (3-fold) during early maturation and stabilizes by the 30th day (1.75 mm), the size of the hypocotyl gradually increases during the whole maturation period.

Three hundred and sixty 17-week-old Harco Sex Link pullets were transferred to laying cages and received 13 hr of light daily for the first week followed by 15 hr the second and subsequent weeks. A second group of 360 pullets remained in the growing facility on 8 hr of light until 19 weeks of age when the light was increased to 13 hr. At 20 weeks these birds were transferred to the laying facility where they received 15 hr of light daily for the duration of the experiment. A 15% protein grower ration was fed until daily production of each group reached 2%, at which time the diets were changed to either a 17 or 19% protein layer ration, each supplemented with DL-methionine so as to contain .3 or .4% total methionine. Early housed pullets averaged 140.4 days at first egg whereas late housed reached sexual maturity at 149 days. The initial increase in egg production by the early housed pullets was followed by a more rapid decline and overall, from housing to 66 weeks, equivalent egg numbers were produced. The early housed pullets were less efficient than the late housed birds due in part to their larger body mass. The greater percentage of small and medium-sized eggs produced by the early housed birds was not influenced by increasing the concentration of protein or methionine in the layer ration.

The electrochemical changes in the cochlear endolymph were investigated in rats aged 8 to 18 days. The endocochlear potential was very small until the 12th day, when a 50 mV increase occurred in 48 hours, but the ionic concentrations were already mature on the earliest day studied. The extremely rapid potential increase appears to be associated with fundamental membrane changes and the cochlea thus seems to pass through a critical and potentially hazardous developmental phase at this time. Such a phase seems important in the pathogenesis of genetically-determined deafness in animals but may be less so in man. However, due to its early maturation, the human cochlea is uniquely vulnerable to peri-natal anoxia and this may initiate degeneration in the presence of other deleterious factors.

While among-individual variation in behaviour, or personality, is common across taxa, its mechanistic underpinnings are poorly understood. The Pace of Life syndrome (POLS) provides one possible explanation for maintenance of personality differences. POLS predicts that metabolic differences will covary with behavioural variation, with high metabolism associated with risk prone behaviour and ‘faster’ life histories (e.g., high growth, early maturation). We used a repeated measures approach, assaying metabolic traits (rate and scope), behaviour and growth to test these predictions in the Trinidadian guppy, Poecilia reticulata. We found that while individuals varied significantly in their behaviour and growth rate, more risk prone individuals did not grow significantly faster. Furthermore, after accounting for body size there was no support for among-individual variation in metabolic traits. Thus, while personality differences are clearly present in this population, they do not covary with metabolism and the POLS framework is not supported.

As integrated care is recognized as crucial to meet the challenges of chronic conditions such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), integrated care networks have emerged internationally and throughout Germany. One of these networks is the Parkinson Network Eastern Saxony (PANOS). PANOS aims to deliver timely and equal care to PD patients with a collaborative intersectoral structured care pathway. Additional components encompass personalized case management, an electronic health record, and communicative and educative measures. To reach an intersectoral consensus of the future collaboration in PANOS, a structured consensus process was conducted in three sequential workshops. Community-based physicians, PD specialists, therapists, scientists and representatives of regulatory authorities and statutory health insurances were asked to rate core pathway-elements and supporting technological, personal and communicative measures. For the majority of core elements/planned measures, a consensus was reached, defined as an agreement by >75% of participants. Additionally, six representatives from all partners involved in the network-design independently assessed PANOS based on the Development Model for Integrated Care (DMIC), a validated model addressing the comprehensiveness and maturity of integrated care concepts. The results show that PANOS is currently in an early maturation state but has the potential to comprehensively represent the DMIC if all planned activities are implemented successfully. Despite the favorable high level of consensus regarding the PANOS concept and despite its potential to become a balanced integrated care concept according to the DMIC, its full implementation remains a considerable challenge.

About 2 years ago experiments were reported from this laboratory showing important interrelationships between the adrenal cortex and the gonads. It was definitely shown that very early maturation of the sex glands could be induced by treatment of animals with cortico-adrenal extract.1 The present brief report mainly indicates the effects of cortico-adrenal extract on the estrous cycle in normal and adrenalectomized rats. The influence of other sex hormones is also touched upon.We have carried out observations on about 50 animals under various experimental conditions. Vaginal smears have been made daily over periods of several weeks according to the method of Long and Evans.2 The extract of the adrenal cortex employed was similar to that previously described.3, 4 The potency of the preparations was proved by its restorative effect when injected into adrenalectomized cats showing insufficiency symptoms. A modified Swingle-Pfififner method of extraction was used.5 The chief results may be summarized as follo...

Bulked F3 seed of four soybean populations was visually separated into high-, random-, and low-quality groups. The quality-bulk F3, F4, and F5 populations were evaluated for effects of the original seed-quality selection at two locations in three years. In addition, F5 lines, 6 lines selected from each of the quality-bulk populations at both locations, were evaluated in both environments in 1976. For the quality-bulk populations, seed quality was the only character affected by the initial seed quality separation. Early-maturing bulks had poor quality seed. Early-generation selection for seed quality had no effect on any character observed for the F5 lines. Variation for seed quality originally noted was due to variation in individual plant maturity. Early maturation of seed took place during hot, dry conditions, which was conducive to poor seed quality. Several researchers (Feaster, 1949; Green et al., 1965; Leffel, 1961), in studying the influence of planting data on seed quality (overall visual rating) of soybeans, found that the poorest quality seed was from the earliest-maturing soybean cultivars; that quality of seed of early maturing cultivars improved with delayed plantings, whereas that of later maturing cultivars deteriorated; and that the development of seed under hot, dry conditions

At birth, the auditory system of the kitten is grossly immature; however, during the first ten postnatal days the external ear becomes patent, the middle‐ear cavity clears, ossicular calcification progresses, and the cochlea differentiates. The effect of the closed external ear as an attenuator during early maturation was measured using auditory brainstem evoked response (ABR) comparisons between operated and intact animals. Kittens were anesthetized and the external ear was resected to the level of the tympanic annulus exposing the tympanum. Using equal intensity stimuli, ABRs recorded from operated animals were observed as early as the second postnatal day, about six days earlier than from intact animals. The frequency range over which responses occurred was smaller than the range exhibited in older animals. Attenuation effects of 10 to 20 dB were observed in the mid‐to‐low frequency range; however, above 2.0 kHz high thresholds (120 dB SPL) precluded our ability to elicit responses in the intact animal. Thus, although external ear attenuation effects were observed, the immaturity of the system during the first postnatal week minimized its effect, particularly for frequencies above 2.0 kHz. [Work supported by NINCDS.]

Results 1. Upon the weight-for-height percentiles, their obesity rate was 9.2% and overweight rate 15.8%. However, upon BMI the result was a little different, that is, their obesity rate is 13.2% and overweight rate is 24.3%. 2. About 40% of the girls had a family history of early maturation. Among them, 25.7% had a maternal history, 4.6% paternal and 7.2% both. However, 60% of them had no family history. 3. We then classified these girls into the families with one daughter and one son and those with two daughters. In one-daughter/one-son families, 65.3% were the first children and 30.8% were seconds. In two-daughters families, 65.3% were the firsts and 34.7% were seconds. 4. We found that 67.5% had a history of taking herbal medicine materials.