Mating effort function of the spermatophore in the bushcricket Poecilimon veluchianus (Orthoptera, Phaneropteridae): Support from a comparison of the mating behaviour of two subspecies

Heller K-G, Reinhold K. Mating effort function of the spermatophore in the bushcricket Poecilimon veluchianus (Orthoptera, Phaneropteridae): Support from a comparison of the mating behaviour of two subspecies. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 1994;53(2):153-163.To analyse spermatophore function, various aspects of the mating behaviour (e.g. spermatophore mass, duration of sperm transfer, mating frequency) were compared in two subspecies of the bushcricket P. veluchianus. Body mass was significantly different in both subspecies and had a strong effect on spermatophore mass, resulting in a large difference in absolute and relative (percentage of male body mass) spermatophore mass in both subspecies. After copulation the small P. v. minor spermatophores were consumed much faster by the female than the larger ones of P. v. veluchianus. The time necessary for sperm transfer from the spermatophore to the female spermatheca was much shorter in the subspecies with small spermatophores than in that with large spermatophores, and in both subspecies similar to the time required to consume the spermatophores. Mating frequency varied also between the subspecies and was murh higher in P. v. minor than in P. v. veluchianus. Differences in body mass between the two subspecies therefore resulted in changes in several aspects of mating behaviour. However, despite large differences in the mass of the spermatophore, its main function seems to be to ensure sperm transfer. This can be concluded from the similarity between the duration of sperm transfer and the time period necessary for spermatophore consumption in each of the subspecies. The spermatophore is thus considered to be male mating effort

Inaccurate mimicry and predator ecology

Reinhold K, Engqvist L. Inaccurate mimicry and predator ecology. Journal of Theoretical Biology. 2004;229(4):433-434

The attractiveness fragment—AFLP analysis of local adaptation and sexual selection in a caeliferan grasshopper, Chorthippus biguttulus

Genetic variability among males is a necessary precondition for the evolution of female choice based on indirect genetic benefits. In addition to mutations and host-parasite cycles, migration of locally adapted individuals offers an explanation for the maintenance of genetic variability. In a previous study, conducting a reciprocal transplant experiment on a grasshopper, Chorthippus biguttulus, we found that environmental conditions significantly influenced not only body condition but also an important trait of male calling song, the amplitude of song. Although not significant, all other analysed physical and courtship song traits and attractiveness were superior in native than in transferred males. Thus, we concluded that local adaptation has a slight but consistent influence on a range of traits in our study populations, including male acoustic attractiveness. In our present study, we scanned male grasshoppers from the same two populations for amplification fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) loci connected with acoustic attractiveness to conspecific females. We found greater differences in allele frequencies between the two populations, for some loci, than are expected from a balance between drift and gene flow. These loci are potentially connected with locally adapted traits. We examined whether these alleles show the proposed genotype environment interaction by having different associations with attractiveness in the two populations. One locus was significantly related to sexual attractiveness; however, this was independent of the males' population affiliation. Future research on the evolution of female choice will benefit from knowledge of the underlying genetic architecture of male traits under intraspecific sexual selection, and the ‘population genomics' approach can be a powerful tool for revealing this structur

Cryptic male choice: sperm allocation strategies when female quality varies

Reinhold K, Kurtz J, Engqvist L. Cryptic male choice: sperm allocation strategies when female quality varies. Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 2002;15(2):201-209.We examined evolutionary stable sperm allocation and included stochastic variation in male mating frequency, not included in previous models examining sperm allocation strategies. We assumed sperm mixing and variation in female quality and used a genetic algorithm to analyse the evolution of male sperm allocation, Our results show that males should invest more sperm in initial copulations than in subsequent copulations as a male might fail to mate again. The inclusion of variation in female fecundity had no influence on the evolutionary stable sperm allocation strategy if males were unable to recognize female quality. if males were assumed to allocate sperm in response to female quality, the proportion of sperm allocated was positively correlated with female quality. Moreover, with increasing variance in female quality, males conserved more sperm for later copulations. Literature data on sperm allocation from diverse taxa show a good fit with the predictions given by our model

A Paradox of Genetic Variance in Epigamic Traits: Beyond "Good Genes" View of Sexual Selection

Radwan J, Engqvist L, Reinhold K. A Paradox of Genetic Variance in Epigamic Traits: Beyond "Good Genes" View of Sexual Selection. EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY. 2016;43(2):267-275.Maintenance of genetic variance in secondary sexual traits, including bizarre ornaments and elaborated courtship displays, is a central problem of sexual selection theory. Despite theoretical arguments predicting that strong sexual selection leads to a depletion of additive genetic variance, traits associated with mating success show relatively high heritability. Here we argue that because of trade-offs associated with the production of costly epigamic traits, sexual selection is likely to lead to an increase, rather than a depletion, of genetic variance in those traits. Such trade-offs can also be expected to contribute to the maintenance of genetic variation in ecologically relevant traits with important implications for evolutionary processes, e.g. adaptation to novel environments or ecological speciation. However, if trade-offs are an important source of genetic variation in sexual traits, the magnitude of genetic variation may have little relevance for the possible genetic benefits of mate choice

The impact of sensor-enhanced regional health information systems

The expected economic impact of new health enabling technologies is often used as motivation for their development. Another motivation is the predicted positive impact on health care in general. The objective of this paper is to give a simple example for an economic calculation based on statistical data. A positive effect on health care in general can only be gained if the new technologies are sustainably integrated in health care processes

Preoperative Imaging of Charcot Neuroarthropathy in Diabetic Patients: Comparison of Ring PET, Hybrid PET, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Introduction: The treatment of Charcot neuroarthropathy in the feet of diabetic patients has undergone fundamental changes in the last few years. Formerly, treatment was almost exclusively limited to nonoperative measures; since the late 1990s, however, current practice has shifted to early, stage-appropriate surgical therapy. The objective of this prospective study was to investigate the value of two types of positron emission tomography (PET) in the preoperative evaluation of diabetic patients with Charcot foot deformities. Materials and Methods: Ring 18FFDG (2-fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose) and hybrid PET were compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI, ring PET, and hybrid PET imaging were used as part of the preoperative evaluation of 16 patients with type II diabetes mellitus. The diagnosis of Charcot neuropathy of the foot requiring operative treatment had been made on the basis of clinical and radiographic criteria. Results: Of 39 Charcot lesions confirmed at surgery, 37 were detected by ring PET, 30 by hybrid PET, and 31 by MRI. Conclusions: PET (ring or hybrid) can be used in the evaluation of patients with metal implants that would compromise the accuracy of MRI. Another advantage of PET is its ability to distinguish between inflammatory and infectious soft-tissue lesions, and between osteomyelitis and Charcot neuroarthropathy. The differentiation between Charcot neuroarthropathy and florid osteomyelitis provides the surgeon with important additional information that often is unavailable from MRI. Because it provides important additional data, ring PET may be preferable to radiography and MRI in the preoperative evaluation of patients with Charcot neuroarthropathy of the foot. Hybrid PET, because of its poorer resolution compared to ring PET, appears less suitable for routine clinical application

Die "bio-logische” Stabilisierung der subtrochantären Femurfraktur mit einer Kondylenplatte

Zusammenfassung: Operationsziel: Indirekte Reposition von subtrochantären Frakturen über die Ligamentotaxis ohne chirurgische Traumatisierung der Frakturzone (keine devaskularisierten Fragmente!) und übungsstabile Osteosynthese mit einer Kondylenplatte. Indikationen: Geschlossene und offene subtrochantäre Trümmerfrakturen des Femurs, insbesondere bei Beteiligung der Schenkelhalsbasis. Kontraindikationen: Keine, außer bei polytraumatisierten Patienten mit lebensbedrohlichen Verletzungen. Operationstechnik: Osteosynthese mit einer Kondylenplatte. Kapsulotomie, um die korrekte Position der Klinge zu prüfen. Reposition der Fraktur an den Schaft der Kondylenplatte unter Kontrolle von Länge, Rotation und Achse, aber ohne anatomische Reposition der einzelnen Fragmente. Kompression der Fraktur, falls möglich, mit dem Spanngerät. Weiterbehandlung: Frühe funktionelle Nachbehandlung mit 15 kg Teilbelastung ab zweitem postoperativen Tag. Ergebnisse: Von 1992 bis 1995 wurden 25 Patienten mit subtrochantärer Femurfraktur (Typ A: n=10; Typ B: n=8; Typ C: n=7 [nach AO-Klassifikation]; vier offene Frakturen) mit Kondylenplatte behandelt. Operationszeit: im Mittel 1,9 Stunden; intraoperativer Blutverlust: durchschnittlich 1300 ml. Normale Frakturheilung: 24/25 Patienten. Komplikationen: Infektpseudarthrose: n=1. Konsolidation der Fraktur nach mehrfachen Débridements und Reosteosynthese mit Wellenplatte. Achsenfehlstellungen: n=3 (Varus: n=2; Verkürzung: n=1; intertrochantäre Korrekturosteotomie: n=1). Entfernung der Platte wegen chronischer Trochanterirritation: n=

Mean 20-year Followup of Bernese Periacetabular Osteotomy

The goal of the Bernese periacetabular osteotomy is to correct the deficient acetabular coverage in hips with developmental dysplasia to prevent secondary osteoarthrosis. We determined the 20-year survivorship of symptomatic patients treated with this procedure, determined the clinical and radiographic outcomes of the surviving hips, and identified factors predicting poor outcome. We retrospectively evaluated the first 63 patients (75 hips) who underwent periacetabular osteotomy at the institution where this technique was developed. The mean age of the patients at surgery was 29years (range, 13-56years), and preoperatively 24% presented with advanced grades of osteoarthritis. Four patients (five hips) were lost to followup and one patient (two hips) died. The remaining 58 patients (68 hips) were followed for a minimum of 19years (mean, 20.4years; range, 19-23years) and 41 hips (60%) were preserved at last followup. The overall mean Merle d'Aubigné and Postel score decreased in comparison to the 10-year value and was similar to the preoperative score. We observed no major changes in any of the radiographic parameters during the 20-year postoperative period except the osteoarthritis score. We identified six factors predicting poor outcome: age at surgery, preoperative Merle d'Aubigné and Postel score, positive anterior impingement test, limp, osteoarthrosis grade, and the postoperative extrusion index. Periacetabular osteotomy is an effective technique for treating symptomatic developmental dysplasia of the hip and can maintain the natural hip at least 19years in selected patients. Level of Evidence: Level III, prognostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidenc