Evolutionary divergence in behavioural traits related to mating may represent the initial stage of speciation. Direct selective forces are usually invoked to explain divergence in mate-recognition traits, often neglecting a role for neutral processes or concomitant differentiation in ecological traits. We adopted a multi-trait approach to obtain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind allopatric divergence in the Amazonian frog, Allobates femoralis. We tested the null hypothesis that geographic distance between populations correlates with genetic and phenotypic divergence, and compared divergence between mate-recognition (acoustic) and ecological (coloration, body-shape) traits. We quantified geographic variation in 39 phenotypic traits and a mitochondrial DNA marker among 125 individuals representing eight populations. Geographic variation in acoustic traits was pronounced and tracked the spatial genetic variation, which appeared to be neutral. Thus, the evolution of acoustic traits tracked the shared history of the populations, which is unexpected for pan-Amazonian taxa or for mate-recognition traits. Divergence in coloration appeared uncorrelated with genetic distance, and might be partly attributed to local selective pressures, and perhaps to Batesian mimicry. Divergence in body-shape traits was low. The results obtained depict a complex evolutionary scenario and emphasize the importance of considering multiple traits when disentangling the forces behind allopatric divergence.

In species-rich assemblages of acoustically communicating animals, heterospecific sounds may constrain not only the evolution of signal traits but also the much less-studied signal-processing mechanisms that define the recognition space of a signal. To test the hypothesis that the recognition space is optimally designed, i.e., that it is narrower toward the species that represent the higher potential for acoustic interference, we studied an acoustic assemblage of 10 diurnally active frog species. We characterized their calls, estimated pairwise correlations in calling activity, and, to model the recognition spaces of five species, conducted playback experiments with 577 synthetic signals on 531 males. Acoustic cooccurrence was not related to multivariate distance in call parameters, suggesting a minor role for spectral or temporal segregation among species uttering similar calls. In most cases, the recognition space overlapped but was greater than the signal space, indicating that signal-processing traits do not act as strictly matched filters against sounds other than homospecific calls. Indeed, the range of the recognition space was strongly predicted by the acoustic distance to neighboring species in the signal space. Thus, our data provide compelling evidence of a role of heterospecific calls in evolutionarily shaping the frogs' recognition space within a complex acoustic assemblage without obvious concomitant effects on the signal.

Background-Peroxynitrite generated from nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide (O 2 Ϫ ) contributes to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Feedback inhibition of endothelial NO synthase by NO may inhibit O 2 Ϫ production generated also by endothelial NO synthase at diminished local L-arginine concentrations accompanying I/R. Methods and Results-During hindlimb I/R (2.5 hours/2 hours), in vivo NO was monitored continuously (porphyrinic sensor), and high-energy phosphates, reduced and oxidized glutathione (chromatography), and I/R injury were measured intermittently. Rabbits receiving human serum albumin (HSA) (controls) were compared with those receiving S-nitroso human serum albumin (S-NO-HSA) beginning 30 minutes before reperfusion for 1 hour or 30 minutes before ischemia for 3.5 hours (0.1 mol · kg Ϫ1 · h Ϫ1 ). The onset of ischemia led to a rapid increase of NO from its basal level (50Ϯ12 nmol/L) to 120Ϯ20 and 220Ϯ15 nmol/L in the control and S-NO-HSA-treated groups, respectively. In control animals, NO dropped below basal levels at the end of ischemia and to undetectable levels (Ͻ1 nmol/L) during reperfusion. In S-NO-HSA-treated animals, maximal NO levels never decreased below basal concentration and on reperfusion were 100Ϯ15 nmol/L (S-NO-HSA preischemia group, 175Ϯ15 nmol/L). NO supplementation by S-NO-HSA led to partial and in the preischemia group to total preservation of high-energy phosphates and glutathione status in reperfused muscle (eg, preischemia groups: ATP, 30.23Ϯ5.02 mol/g versus control, 15.75Ϯ4.33 mol/g, PϽ0.0005; % oxidized glutathione, 4.49Ϯ1.87% versus control, 22.84Ϯ6.39%, PϽ0.0001). S-NO-HSA treatment in all groups led to protection from vasoconstriction and reduced edema formation after reperfusion (eg, preischemia groups: interfiber area, 12.94Ϯ1.36% versus control, 27.83Ϯ1.95%, PϽ0.00001). Conclusions-Long

Many territorial species respond less aggressively to familiar neighbours than to unfamiliar floating strangers based on individual differences in acoustic signals. This form of social recognition, termed neighbour–stranger discrimination (NSD) or dear‐enemy phenomenon has been reported so far from three anuran species. To investigate the potential of auditory signal features to convey information on sender’s identity, we determined patterns of within‐male and between‐male variability in the advertisement call of the aromobatid frog Allobates femoralis. We examined 285 calls from 19 males to assess those call properties showing sufficient and reliable inter‐individual differences to function as possible recognition cues. Beside calls per call bout and call rate, all other examined call properties were more variable among males than within males. Generally, temporal call features showed higher between‐ and within‐male variability ratios than spectral properties and contributed mostly to distinguish individual males in the discriminant‐function analysis. Mean classification success of 64.9% correctly assigned calls to individual males is mainly attributable to three temporal call properties (duration of note 1 and 4, note repetition rate). Altogether, our results suggest that there is sufficient variation in the advertisement call to discriminate statistically among individual males. However, assessed call differences between A. femoralis males were rather small, suggesting that potential NSD might be based either on a combination of call features or even on the whole pattern of individual call variation instead on single call properties. Habituation–discrimination experiments in the field using modified playback signals to test for differential behavioural responses are required to confirm this hypothesis.

No abstract

We have tested the hypothesis that oxidation of lung surfactant results in loss ofsurface tension lowering function. Porcine lung surfactant was exposed to conditions known to cause lipid peroxidation (0.2 mM FeCl2 + 0.1 mM H202 or 5 ,uM CuC12). Lipid peroxidation was verified by detection of conjugated dienes, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, fluorescent products, hydroxy alkenals, and loss of unsaturated fatty acids. Exposed samples had significantly diminished surface tension lowering ability in vitro as measured in a bubble surfactometer. Samples exposed to FeCl2 + H202 had significantly diminished surface tension lowering ability in vivo as indicated by their reduced ability to improve lung compliance of surfactant-deficient fetal rabbits. Oxidation of phospholipid mixtures with surface tension lowering activity and containing unsaturated acyl groups resulted in partial loss of activity as determined in vitro. These results suggest that the effect of oxidants on lung surfactant function is due, in part, to effects on the phospholipid components and that acute pulmonary inflammation accompanied by oxygen radical production may result in surfactant lipid peroxidation and loss of surface tension lowering function. (J. Clin. Invest. 1994. 93:2608-2615

Shock-related organ failure evolves from a variety of starting points--ischemia, reperfusion, non-bacterial or bacterial inflammation--several mechanisms are involved. In addition to the effects of xanthine oxidase after ischemia/reperfusion, toxic oxygen species from phagocytes that accumulate in both intra- and extravascular tissue spaces are of central importance. A critical event is the contact (adhesion) of leukocytes to endothelial cells, which consequently are the targets for leukocyte products. Damage of membranes by lipid peroxidation and by exposure to mediators such as platelet activating factor (PAF), leukotrienes and proteases, leads to increased permeability, tissue oedema and organ dysfunction. Thus antioxidants and other agents that control phagocyte function are likely to contribute to the protection of the permeability barrier in shock states.

These results suggest that nonspecific blood purification with high-volume CWH improves arterial oxygenation and lung function in endotoxin-induced acute lung injury in pigs, independent of improved hemodynamics, fluid removal, or body temperature.