HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: fulk@cs.rochester.edu (Mark Fulk)
Subject: Re: The Evolution of Death
Organization: Computer Science Department University of Rochester
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 14:28:42 GMT

In article <wadley.702891980@mullauna.cs.mu.OZ.AU> wadley@mullauna.cs.mu.OZ.AU (Gregory Robert Wadley) writes:
>jdoenias@next.com (Josh Doenias) writes:
>
>>In Dr. Lewis Thomas's book "A Long Line of Cells", he claims that at the  
>>time of death, the human body may release various hormones to produce a  
>>state of euphoria which many people who have had "near-death" experiences  
>>claim to have experienced.
....
>
>Mind you, it's hard to imagine how "dying happily" can affect offspring:
>the only thing I can think of is that it could inspire confidence, happiness,
>willingness to strive or something, in the offspring, like they feel better
>or braver about what's in store, and don't get depressed and give up. Hopefully
>someone can think of a better reason than that?
....
Especially for non-human animals.

Suppose that the shutdown of a partially anoxic brain includes violent
hallucinations or convulsions.  A dying male elk, for example, might expend
its last few active minutes charging wildly at the females and young
around it; a dying rat might thrash, claw, and bite at other rats.
Note that this sort of behavior is known (in humans) to arise from some
sorts of brain injury.

A hormonal tranquilization of the dying brain could have evolved to prevent
such events, which would tend to harm kin more than other animals.  The
euphoria could be a side effect.

An alternative explanation, better fit to Thomas's example of the two
soldiers in a jeep wreck, is that the hormones evolved as a natural
anesthesia in cases of severe injury.  Pain is useful as a prompt
warning of injury; chronic pain from a known injury serves very little
useful purpose.  And it may be that an injured animal's best chance at
survival is to hide, reduce its metabolic needs to a minimum, and wait
for healing.  Tranquilization would be an aid to this process.  In modern
hospitals artificial tranquilizers are sometimes used to the same end.

Yet another explanation derives directly from the effects of anoxia
on the brain.  In anoxic accidents, such as the near-drowning suffered
by a young friend of mine ten years ago, much if not most of the harm
to the brain results from swelling.  The swelling presses parts of the
brain into the skull, where neurons are killed.  Phenobarbitol is used
to control this swelling.  The ``hormones of death'' may in fact be
``hormones of anoxia,'' which act to preserve the brain.  This might
preserve the organism in cases of severe injury, near drowning, or
serious infection.

So there you have three explanations.  Given that evolution is not really
directed teleologically, I'd bet that all three effects have contributed
to the development of ``death hormones.''  The euphoria, I'd guess, is just
a side effect.
-- 
Mark A. Fulk				Computer Science Department
fulk@cs.rochester.edu			University of Rochester
Omit needless words -- Strunk		Rochester, NY  14627
Newsgroups: bionet.followup,sci.bio,sci.chem,sci.physics
From: kramer@news.miami.edu (Jack Kramer)
Subject: Re: CALL FOR DISCUSSION: bionet.biology.used-equipment
Organization: University of Miami, RSMAS
Distribution: bionet
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 92 12:26:34 GMT

In article <1992Apr10.215720.29181@cco.caltech.edu> laurence@cco.caltech.edu (Dustin Lee Laurence) writes:
>kristoff@GENBANK.BIO.NET (Dave Kristofferson) writes:
>
>
>>> Why not call the group   --  bionet.equipment.recycle  -- ? 
>
>>I used bionet.biology.used-equipment to make it clear that this was
>>for biologists.  People browsing through USENET do not always put two
>

Whatever the groups(s) is called I think the scope of this excellent
idea should be broadened.  Perhaps:

sci.bio.used-equipment
sci.chem.used-equipment
sci.physics.used-equipment

The comp.sci groups are specifically excluded since the volume of
this type of traffic is very high there and could swamp the other
sci groups, at least initially.


Newsgroups: sci.bio
From: mlevin@forte.cs.tufts.edu
Subject: anyone know of such a phenomenon?
Organization: Tufts University
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 02:55:10 GMT



   I'm going to describe something, and if this sounds like any
biological phenomenon that anyone knows of, please let me know what it
is. Here goes:
     Picture a roundish membrane, with spikes growing out of its
periphery. There is one spot on this membrane, where a new spike
appears every so often. The new spike always appears from the same
place, and the other spikes move away from this spot around the
periphery to accomodate the new one.
    Does this sound like the development of anything you've heard of?
If so, please send email to mlevin@presto.cs.tufts.edu.

Mike Levin
From: colby@bu-bio.bu.edu (Chris Colby)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Large Fungi and large plants
Date: 7 Apr 92 21:36:41 GMT
Reply-To: colby@bu-bio.UUCP (Chris Colby)
Organization: Biology Dept., Bost

In article <1992Apr3.161609.24343@u.washington.edu> toby@milton.u.washington.edu (Toby Bradshaw) writes:

>Your botanist buddy was right on target.  I heard some hype about 
>this giant mushroom as the "largest living thing" or some such

	The fungus in question wasn't a mushroom. It is a tree
root colonizer. A 15 hectare mushroom, that would be something 8-)

>nonsense.  The oldest aspen clones date back to the last
>glaciation, and the biggest one I know about covers 80ha

	Yikes!

>[200 acres] (Kemperman and Barnes 1976 Clone size in American
>aspens.  Can. J. Bot. 54:2603-260).  Of course, the biomass of
>said Populus clone far exceeds that of the mushroom, though it
>probably doesn't taste as good in spaghetti sauce.

	How did the authors determine that the trees were one clone?
The authors of the fungi paper used RFLP and RAPD. One of the most
startling aspects of the paper is that the clone (#1) appears not to 
have changed much genetically over it's life span. I.e. new hyphae
have not undergone much detectable mutation or recombination.

 	Does anyone know if sequoias are clonal? I think the biomass 
of a single tree roughly equals the Michigan fungus. Also, what about
vegetatively reproducing grasses? Could there be giant grass clones
out there somewhere? Of course, if you believe in the Gaia hypothesis,
the whole earth is one big happy organism (yeah, right).

>Toby Bradshaw
>Biochem SJ-70
>University of Washington

	You don't run into these kinds of questions working with
_Drosophila_ 8-)

Chris Colby 	---	 email: colby@bu-bio.bu.edu	---
"'My boy,' he said, 'you are descended from a long line of determined,
resourceful, microscopic tadpoles--champions every one.'"
 	--Kurt Vonnegut from "Galapagos"
From: 00jwsipes@bsu-ucs.uucp (Frodo)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Please help, important for class
Date: 15 Apr 92 18:45:29 GMT
Article-I.D.: bsu-ucs.1992Apr15.134530.6476


I think that I have seen this request posted here before but I didn't ever see a
reply.  

If there is any information floating around there somewhere in the net that 
deals with Stanley Miller, his experiment, Harold Urey, and/or Alexandre Oparin
could it please be e-mailed to me?

I need this for a class.

Thanking you in advance,

Josh

-- 
/------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
|   Josh Sipes                                                                 |
|   Indiana Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Humanities                   |
|   Ball State University   Muncie, IN 47306                                   |
|                        00jwsipes@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu                           |
|       "Fasten your condoms" -- Steve Martin -- "Father of the Bride"         |
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------/
From: pepera@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: mushrooms
Date: 15 Apr 92 12:44:50 EST

In article <1992Apr10.015908.12171@massey.ac.nz>, P.J.Lockhart@massey.ac.nz (P.J. Lockhart) writes:
> 
> Re fungi
> 
> Someone recently asked me about growing mushrooms which I know nothing
> (particularly exotic species..whatever they are). Does anyone have any
> information on this ..I guess my friend is interested in small scale
> commercial production. Help!

Theres a guy out in the Washington, Oregon area named Paul Stamets who
specializes in mushroom cultivation and is well known in Mycological circles.
He has a company named "Fungi Perfecti" which sells spawn, text books,
cultivation supplies and do-it-yourself kits. He is a pioneer in the field
and offers week long seminars and has done contract research for companies.
I have more information at home about him and I will post it when I get a
chance.

Regards,
Jerry Pepera

Allen-Bradley Co.
Highland Hghts, OH 44143
216 646-4277
pepera@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com
From: Eric_S_Klien@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Alcor Nevada
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 92 18:47:55 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: world

Alcor Nevada will be meeting Sunday April 12th at 5 PM at the 
Riverside Casino owned by Don Laughlin in Laughlin, Nevada.  Don 
Laughlin will be attending our meeting.  The use of Hydergine to slow 
down cerebral arteriosclerosis, and therefore to delay the day that 
you will need to be cryonically suspended will be discussed.  For more 
info call Eric Klien at (702) 255-1355.
 
Note that opinions of this discussion group do not necessarily 
reflect the views of the non profit organization Alcor.
Newsgroups: sci.bio
From: wadley@mullauna.cs.mu.OZ.AU (Gregory Robert Wadley)
Subject: Re: "reproductive success" again
Organization: Computer Science, University of Melbourne, Australia
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 09:18:05 GMT

colby@bu-bio.bu.edu (Chris Colby) writes:

>In article <wadley.702112169@mullauna.cs.mu.OZ.AU> wadley@mullauna.cs.mu.OZ.AU (Gregory Robert Wadley) writes:

>>Another confusion: because biologists use the word "success" in describing
>>the differential survival of genes or organisms, a kind of "reverse 
>>metaphor" is made, and it is said that we (humans) should consciously strive
>>for maximum inclusive fitness (eg a lot of E.O.Wilson's ecological
>>writing).

>	I really doubt E.O. said this. The behaviors organisms perform
>that increase their fitness have been shaped by natural selection. There
>is no need for a conscious understanding on the animal's part (and no
>evidence that animals (humans included) have any understanding of how
>their behavior relates to their fitness).

Sorry. I sort of wish I hadn't mentioned EOW personally. I probably should
have said something like "eg a lot of things I've read but can't remember the
titles properly".

I think this kind of thing is implied in the last part of "Sociobiology"
though. Something like, now we understand what our genes are trying to do,
let's consciously do it, ie strive for inclusive fitness.

But I don't have the book in front of me, so if I've misquoted, I
apologize profusely. Also I'm not trying to knock EOW,
his books, or sociobiology, all of which I think are great.

All I'm trying to work out is, is it possible to take the "vehicles
and replicators" dichotomy so far as to say that the interests of
the genes aren't identical with the interests of the organism
carring them? To the point where you could say "the genes are
manipulating or deceiving their carrier" or vice-versa.

Hence the example of the parent who works hard to bring up offspring,
at the cost of its own comfort or longevity. The "vice-versa" example
would be someone who say uses opiates, to short-circuit their normal
reward system, ie get a reward without having done something useful
for making copies of genes.

Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.physics,comp.ai
From: cgl@beta.lanl.gov (C G Langton)
Subject: Artificial 4H Show (at AlifeIII workshop)
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 20:35:39 GMT



			Artificial Life III
		        Artificial 4-H Show
		          June 19, 1992
		          
		          
  The final day of the upcoming Artificial Life III workshop will
be devoted to an "artificial 4H show". This will involve contests, 
challenges and talent shows for wetware, software, and hardware
artificial  organisms. 

  Bring your artificial creature and show it off! (Please bring 
appropriate scooper!) 

  Organized activities include:

  -  Lego-Logo Robot Design Seminar & Competition 
  -  Robot Games (a mini-version of the annual Robot Olympics) 
  -  Robot Talent Show (show off your robot/creature!)
  -  Obstacle Courses for Mobile Robots
  -  Tierra Digital Organism Seminar & Challenge
  -  Genetic Programming Seminar & Challenge
  
 Some of the design seminars will be held during the entire week
of the workshop, but the challenges and competitions will all be
held during the artificial 4H show, on the last day of the workshop.

  For further information on participation in these events, please contact 
the AlifeIII Organizing Committee (address, email and phones below).  
We'd also like to solicit ideas for other events, and we'd like to hear 
from you if you would like to run a seminar on designing creatures within 
your system during the week of the workshop, aimed at holding a contest 
or talent show during the Artificial 4-H Show. 

  Information on the artificial 4H show (and on the AlifeIII workshop
itself) can also be obtained via ftp from host "santafe.edu". Login as 
"anonymous" and send your home login_id@host as password. Then 
"cd pub/Artificial-Life-III" and "get README", which describes
the various information files available. In particular, the file
"alifeiii.4H_show" contains information about the artificial 4H show
itself, as well as pointers to other files detailing the various
events.



**************************************************************************

AlifeIII Organizing Committee		EMAIL: alife@santafe.edu
Santa Fe Institute			Phone: (505) 984-8800
1660 Old Pecos Trail			FAX:   (505) 982-0565
Santa Fe, New Mexico
87501
From: gwilliam@crc.ac.uk (Gary Williams x3294)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: CO2 strategy for chalk-land plants
Date: 13 Apr 92 09:04:03 GMT
Organization: MRC Human Genome Resource Centre


Just a thought that came to me last night:

Nitrates can be a scarce resource for plants and various strategies have
been evolved for overcoming this (legume root nodules, insect-trapping
etc.)


Is CO2 a limiting factor to plant growth and it so what strategies have
plants evolved to overcome it? The only thing I could think of is for
chalk and limestone-loving plants to secrete weak acids from their root
systems.  Has anything like this been observed? is it likely?


-- 
GARY WILLIAMS,  Computing Services Section,  Janet:       G.Williams@UK.AC.CRC
MRC-CRC & Human Genome Mapping Centre,       Internet:    G.Williams@CRC.AC.UK
Watford Rd, HARROW, Middx, HA1 3UJ, UK
Tel 081-869 3294   Fax 081-423 1275   
Newsgroups: sci.bio
From: wcalvin@hardy.u.washington.edu (William Calvin)
Subject: Re: The Evolution of Death
Organization: University of Washington
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 03:19:13 GMT

Lewis Thomas may not appreciate evolutionary theory as well as thee and
me, but you have to allow for any neurologist treating cancer patients
trying to find something hopeful.  Keeping up patients' hope is very
important therapeutically.
    William H. Calvin   WCalvin@U.Washington.edu
    University of Washington  NJ-15
    Seattle, Washington 98195 FAX:1-206-720-1989

Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.chem
From: rwmurphr@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu (Robert W Murphree)
Subject: Re: nitrogen bacteria
Keywords: nitromonas, nitrobacter, enzyme, nitrite, nitrate
Organization: Engineering Computer Network, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 18:08:41 GMT

xenon@drycas.club.cc.cmu.edu writes:

> 
>I am in need of some information.  There are two classes of bacteria in
>the soil that oxidize ammonia into nitrite and nitrate;  i believe the
>genus of these bacteria are nitrobacter and nitromonas.  Could anyone
>tell me the name of the enzyme by which these bacteria perform the
>oxidation?  please replay to me directly as i am not a regular reade
Isn't just called nitrogenase?  By the way, is it true that only 
the blue green algae (cyanobacteria) are capable of fixing organic 
nitrogen?  r
Newsgroups: sci.bio
From: wadley@mullauna.cs.mu.OZ.AU (Gregory Robert Wadley)
Subject: Re: The Evolution of Death
Organization: Computer Science, University of Melbourne, Australia
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 07:46:20 GMT

jdoenias@next.com (Josh Doenias) writes:

>In Dr. Lewis Thomas's book "A Long Line of Cells", he claims that at the  
>time of death, the human body may release various hormones to produce a  
>state of euphoria which many people who have had "near-death" experiences  
>claim to have experienced.

[paragraph deleted]

>My question is this.
>It seems to me that this is completely counter-intuitive.  A gene (or an  
>allele) will be propagated via natural selection if it confers some sort  
>of evolutionary advantage for that gene.  These advantages boil down, at  
>some point, to the ability to leave more offspring, and thereby more  
>copies of that gene.
>Using this line of resoning, what possible advantage could there be to  
>evolving some sort of mechansim for coping with the death of an organism?
>The gene for making an organism "good at" dieing is obviously only going  
>to expressed at the time of death.  By that time, it is obviously too late  
>for the organism to do any reproducing.

>Does this make sense?  Does anybody have any supporting arguments for Dr.  
>Thomas's claims?  If not, and the mechanism that Dr. Thomas describes does  
>exist, how would it have evolved?

Just because "being good at dying" is only expressed at death,
doesn't mean it couldn't affect the success of the offspring.
"Leaving an inheritance" is only done at death, but if done well
can make a difference to the die-er's inclusive fitness. (Not a great
example, but I think you get my drift.)

Many things are done for the offspring, but after the age of reproduction.
(see Hamilton, reference below).

Mind you, it's hard to imagine how "dying happily" can affect offspring:
the only thing I can think of is that it could inspire confidence, happiness,
willingness to strive or something, in the offspring, like they feel better
or braver about what's in store, and don't get depressed and give up. Hopefully
someone can think of a better reason than that?

See Hamilton "The Moulding of Senescence by Natural Selection"
in Journal of Theoretical Biology, 1966, for discussion on how genes
for dying at various ages could be selected.


Newsgroups: sci.bio
From: bd670@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Russell I. Dyreng)
Subject: Science Teachers' Organizations Outside the U.S.
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, (USA)
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 92 21:48:28 GMT


I am trying to locate groups similar to the National Science 
Teachers' Association (NSTA) in countries outside of the United
States.  I am particularly interested in finding NSTA-type 
organizations in Canada, Western Europe and the Pacific Rim.

If you are aware of the existence of such a group, I would
appreciate you sending me the name and address of the 
organization via e-mail.

Thank you.

Russell I. Dyreng
bd670@cleveland.freenet.edu
From: happy@garfield.catt.ncsu.edu (Rusty Soots)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Mechanism of Isoniazid?
Date: 15 Apr 92 18:22:49 GMT
Organization: NCSU CATT Prog


   In my medical microbiology class, we recently discussed anti-microbial
agents including the category of antimetabolites.  As I understand it, 
antimetabolites closely resemble common bacterial, biochemical pathway
intermdiates, but when taken up by bacteria, inhibit the metabolic pathways.
One of the antimetabolites mentioned, isoniazid (isonicotinic hydrazide), 
has been used against such bacteria as M. tuberculosis and M. leprae.
Unfortunately, our instructor did not know the exact mechanism by which
isonazid inhibits normal, metabolic function within bacteria.  Could
someone please shed some light on this?  Thanks in advance!

                                                         Russ
*******************************************************************************
RUSSELL J. SOOTS - North Carolina State University - SED+SMB, minor GN
happy@garfield.catt.ncsu.edu_____________________North Carolina Teaching Fellow
*******************************************************************************
Newsgroups: sci.bio
From: david.lloyd-jones@rose.uucp (david lloyd-jones)
Subject: Large Fungi
Organization: Rose Media Inc, Toronto, Ontario.
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 10:10:40 GMT
X-Gated-By: Usenet <==> RoseMail Gateway (v1.2)


Date Entered: 04-07-92 09:26
XR>>>1st, but sounded too serious to not be serious. My memory is that it's
XR>>>a fungus that is growing underground, associated with tree roots. DNA
XR>>>"fingerprinting" showed that it was the same individual fungus,
XR>>>covering an area of about 37 acres. We should probably see something
XR>>>about it in an upcoming issue of _Science News_.
XR>>
XR>>It also appeared in the Washington Post.  I *loved* the graphic that
XR>>accompanied the story.  There was a picture of a mushroom, and next to
XR>>that a puny blue whale and giant sequoia.  I imagine some editor
XR>>actually thought there's a 200,000 pound mushroom cap growing out of
XR>>the ground.  What is it about newspapers and science ...

XR>Now, Paul, at least they put the story on the front page.

XR>The discovery was to have been published in _Nature_ for April 2.  The
XR>authors are James B. Anderson, Myron L. Smith, and Johann N. Bruhn.
XR>Alas, my local library had not yet received their copy as of Saturday.

Obviously what we're all waiting for are the straight-line and
exponential extrapolations which will show us just exactly when this
creature will devour the entire planet.  I expect to see this at the
supermarket on Saturday...

                        :-)

                                   -dlj.
---
   SLMR 2.0   The wealth of a people is the people.
   RM 1.60: Usenet: Rose Media - Hamilton (416) 575-5363
Newsgroups: sci.bio
From: purves@jarthur.claremont.edu (Bill Purves)
Subject: Re: Request for info about Biology Graduate School
Organization: Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 19:20:19 GMT

In article <1992Apr8.182457.706@dartvax.dartmouth.edu> Isabelle.Marie-Anne.Rosso@dartmouth.edu (Isabelle Marie-Anne  Rosso) writes:
>Hello, 
>        I am a third year Biology major. At the end of next year I will
>receive a B.A in Biology, having taken eight Biology courses, some
>Psychology and General Chemistry.
>...not to fond of chemistry and physics which is why I've been
>concentrating on Biology courses, but I don't want to be barred from
>graduate schools later... 
>
>Isabelle.Rosso@Dartmouth.edu

TAKE physics and organic!  Do it next year (your senior year).  While
you may not bar yourself from grad school by not taking them, you
will certainly reduce your options.

Physics and organic ARE relevant to the subfields you mentioned
as being of interest to you.  It is quite possible that nothing
you learn (or at least study) in physics or organic will ever be
used directly in your later career.  However, it is also likely
that what you learn WILL shape your approach to what you do--it
will give you a richer store of experiences on which to draw in
solving problems, whether as a researcher, teacher, or physician.

Having chaired biology departments/programs at U.C. Santa Barbara,
U. Conn., and Harvey Mudd, I have some experience as to what
graduate programs look for--and to what might pay off for you
some day.  Take the courses...

(bill, the only somewhat dogmatic)