Wind-sensitive interneurones in the spider CNS (Cupiennius salei ): directional information processing of sensory inputs from trichobothria on the walking legs

Spiders can use air particle movements to localize moving prey. We studied the responses of 32 wind-sensitive interneurones in the hunting spider Cupiennius salei to prey stimuli. Stimulation with a tethered flying fly or with artificial air pulses activated plurisegmental interneurones that responded to changes in air movement velocity and were thus well suited to represent the highly fluctuating air stream typical of prey stimuli. In most interneurones (n = 18) the responses to the stimulation of different legs were not significantly different from each other. Different interneurones had different response characteristics and their latencies largely overlapped suggesting that there is parallel processing of the signals by populations of interneurones with different response characteristics. In two interneurones the number of spikes and the spiking pattern elicited by stimulation of each of the eight legs markedly differed depending on the leg stimulated. These neurones may play an important role in directional information processing. Stimulation of the adjacent legs from front to back or from back to front revealed two interneurones sensitive to the direction of successive stimulation of the legs. These neurones may be able to detect the motion of an air movement source in a preferred direction and thus act as nearfield motion detectors to localize a moving prey item. Accepted: 28 September 1996     

Field test of an automated radio‐telemetry system: tracking local space use of aerial insectivores

Documenting local space use of birds that move rapidly, but are too small to carry GPS tags, such as swallows and swifts, can be challenging. For these species, tracking methods such as manual radio‐telemetry and visual observation are either inadequate or labor‐ and time‐intensive. Another option is use of an automated telemetry system, but equipment for such systems can be costly when many receivers are used. Our objective, therefore, was to determine if an automated radio‐telemetry system, consisting of just two receivers, could provide an alternative to manual tracking for gathering data on local space use of six individuals of three species of aerial insectivores, including one Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), one Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe), and four Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica). We established automated radio‐telemetry systems at three sites near the city of Peterborough in eastern Ontario, Canada, from May to August 2015. We evaluated the location error of our two‐receiver system using data from moving and stationary test transmitters at known locations, and used telemetry data from the aerial insectivores as a test of the system's ability to track rapidly moving birds under field conditions. Median location error was ~250 m for automated telemetry test locations after filtering. More than 90% of estimated locations had large location errors and were removed from analysis, including all locations > 1 km from receiver stations. Our automated telemetry receivers recorded 17,634 detections of the six radio‐tagged birds. However, filtering removed an average of 89% of bird location estimates, leaving only the Cliff Swallow with enough locations for analysis of space use. Our results demonstrate that a minimal automated radio‐telemetry system can be used to assess local space use by small, highly mobile birds, but the resolution of the data collected using only two receiver stations was coarse and had a limited range. To improve both location accuracy and increase the percentage of usable location estimates collected, we suggest that, in future studies, investigators use receivers that simultaneously record signals detected by all antennas, and use of a minimum of three receiver stations with more antennas at each station.     

Design and synthesis of sulfonamidophenylethylamides as novel cardiac myosin activator

The sulfonamidophenylethylamide analogues were explored for finding novel and potent cardiac myosin activators. Among them, N-(4-(N,N-dimethylsulfamoyl)phenethyl-N-methyl-5-phenylpentanamide (13, CMA at 10 µM = 48.5%; FS = 26.21%; EF = 15.28%) and its isomer, 4-(4-(N,N-dimethylsulfamoyl)phenyl-N-methyl-N-(3-phenylpropyl)butanamide (27, CMA at 10 µM = 55.0%; FS = 24.69%; EF = 14.08%) proved to be efficient cardiac myosin activators both in in vitro and in vivo studies. Compounds 13 (88.2 + 3.1% at 5 µM) and 27 (46.5 + 2.8% at 5 µM) showed positive inotropic effect in isolated rat ventricular myocytes. The potent compounds 13 and 27 were highly selective for cardiac myosin over skeletal and smooth muscle myosin, and therefore these potent and selective amide derivatives could be considered a new class of cardiac myosin activators for the treatment of systolic heart failure.     

Human kinesiology

This paper discusses kinesiological aspects of human locomotion in terms of the incomplete morphological adaptation of the body to current lifestyles. Modern instrumentation used for biomechanical analyses is outlined for the most part in the context of human running. Investigations of spatiotemporal and segmental measures by electronic walkways, photography, optoelectronics and angle-angle diagrams are referred to, as is electromyography and direct force measurement. Three commonly identifiable areas of applied kinesiological research, namely sport, industry and medicine, are considered with reference to the prevention, treatment and after-care of injuries whether received on the sporting field, in the work place, or in an automobile accident.     

Linking behavioral states to landscape features for improved conservation management

1. A central theme for conservation is understanding how animals differentially use, and are affected by change in, the landscapes they inhabit. However, it has been challenging to develop conservation schemes for habitat‐specific behaviors.
2. Here we use behavioral change point analysis to identify behavioral states of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts of the southwestern United States, and we identify, for each behavioral state, conservation‐relevant habitat associations.
3. We modeled behavior using 186,859 GPS points from 48 eagles and identified 2,851 distinct segments comprising four behavioral states. Altitude above ground level (AGL) best differentiated behavioral states, with two clusters of short‐distance movement behaviors characterized by low AGL (state 1 AGL = 14 m (median); state 2 AGL = 11 m) and two associated with longer‐distance movement behaviors and characterized by higher AGL (state 3 AGL = 108 m; state 4 AGL = 450 m).
4. Behaviors such as perching and low‐altitude hunting were associated with short‐distance movements in updraft‐poor environments, at higher elevations, and over steeper and more north‐facing terrain. In contrast, medium‐distance movements such as hunting and transiting were over gentle and south‐facing slopes. Long‐distance transiting occurred over the desert habitats that generate the best updraft.
5. This information can guide management of this species, and our approach provides a template for behavior‐specific habitat associations for other species of management concern.

     

Synaptic Connectivity between the Cortex and Claustrum Is Organized into Functional Modules

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心肌带收缩率与急性心肌梗死患者左心室收缩功能关系

目的:急性前壁心肌梗死明显影响室间隔收缩率和左心室射血分数(left ventricular ejection fraction LVEF)。本文旨在探讨心肌带降段及升段收缩率与急性前壁心肌梗死患者LVEF的相关性。方法:收集2015年4月-2017年2月在心内科住院的急性前壁心肌梗死患者36例,正常对照组患者39例。所有患者取左心室长轴M型超声心动图,测量室间隔收缩率、升段收缩率及降段收缩率。心肌梗死左心室射血分数采用双平面Simpson's法计算。结果:与正常对照组相比,心肌梗死组患者舒张末期心肌带升段厚度没有统计学差异(P=0.69),收缩末期升段厚度(P=0.014)更薄、升段收缩率(P0.01)明显降低;心肌梗死组舒张末期降段厚度(P0.01)更薄、收缩末期降段厚度(P0.01)更薄、降段收缩率(P0.01)明显降低;心肌梗死组左心室射血分数与降段收缩率(r~2=0.13,P=0.026)、室间隔增厚率(r~2=0.19,P0.01)呈正相关,与升段收缩率没有相关性(P0.05)。正常对照组左心室射血分数与室间隔增厚率、降段增厚率及升段增厚率无相关性。经过相关分析,筛选出与心肌梗死LVEF的相关因素,进一步经逐步回归分析,得多元线性回归方程为LVEF=48.206+18.914*LVDD(cm)-25.414*LVSD(cm)。结论:急性前壁心肌梗死室间隔降段收缩率明显受损,与左心室射血分数降低有关。多元线性回归方程可估算前壁心肌梗死LVEF。     

尺神经原位松解术与尺神经皮下前置术治疗肘管综合征近期疗效比较的回顾性研究

目的:比较尺神经原位松解术与尺神经皮下前置术治疗肘管综合征(CuTS)近期疗效。方法:本研究为回顾性研究,选取2016年7月～2017年7月期间我院二部收治的60例CuTS患者,根据手术方式的不同分为A组(n=32,尺神经原位松解术)和B组(n=28,尺神经皮下前置术),比较两组患者优良率、并发症、围术期指标、感觉运动功能(肌力、小指指端两点辨别觉、神经传导速度)以及DASH上肢功能障碍(DASH)评分。结果:B组术后12个月的优良率为92.86%(26/28),高于A组的68.75%(22/32)(P0.05)。两组术后并发症总发生率比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。两组术后12个月肌力、神经传导速度升高,且B组高于A组(P0.05),两组术后12个月小指指端两点辨别觉降低,且B组低于A组(P0.05)。两组术后3个月、术后6个月、术后12个月DASH评分呈下降趋势,且B组低于A组(P0.05)。B组手术切口长度、手术时间长于A组(P0.05),两组术后住院时间比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:与尺神经原位松解术相比,尺神经皮下前置术治疗CuTS患者,虽然手术切口长度、手术时间相对较长,但其优良率更高,同时可有效恢复患者感觉运动功能及减轻其上肢功能障碍,且不增加并发症发生率,具有一定的临床应用价值。     

经会阴二维超声对自然分娩女性产后盆底三腔室运动和早期盆底功能的评估价值

目的:探讨经会阴二维超声对自然分娩女性产后盆底三腔室运动和早期盆底功能的评估价值。方法:选取2019年2月～2019年7月于我院进行自然分娩的产妇284例作为研究组,另选取同期于我院接受诊治的未育女性200例作为对照组。两组均进行经会阴二维超声检查,比较两组静息期、张力期、缩肛期的肛管直肠连接部(ARJ)、宫颈外口(CV)、尿道膀胱连接部(UVJ)的位置及运动变化情况,对比两组静息状态下以及最大Valsaval动作下盆底超声参数。结果:研究组静息期、张力期、缩肛期的CV距离水平参照线的垂直长度(CV-VD)、UVJ距离水平参照线的垂直长度(UVJ-VD)均低于对照组(均P0.05)。研究组张力期对应静息期垂直长度△r-s CV-VD、△r-s UVJ-VD均高于对照组,而缩肛期对应静息期垂直长度△r-s CV-VD、△r-s UVJ-VD均低于对照组(均P0.05)。研究组静息状态下膀胱颈位置(BNP)低于对照组,而膀胱尿道后角(PUA)高于对照组(均P0.05);研究组最大Valsaval动作下膀胱颈移动度(BND)、PUA、尿道旋转角(URA)均高于对照组(均P0.05)。结论:经会阴二维超声可对自然分娩女性产后盆底三腔室运动和早期盆底功能进行有效观察,有助于评估女性盆底结构、功能变化,具有一定的临床推广应用价值。     

经会阴实时三维盆底超声评估不同分娩方式对产后女性前腔室结构和盆膈裂孔的影响

摘要 目的：探讨经会阴实时三维盆底超声评估不同分娩方式对产后女性前腔室结构和盆膈裂孔的影响。方法：回顾性分析2015年1月至2019年10月在我院接受检查的100例产妇的诊治资料。根据分娩方式的不同,将患者分为经阴道分娩组（n=55）和剖宫产分娩组（n=45）。比较两组产妇在静息状态和Valsalva状态下的前腔室和盆膈裂孔超声参数。结果：在静息状态下,两组的膀胱颈位置、逼尿肌厚度、膀胱后角和尿道倾斜角相比无差异（P>0.05）。经阴道分娩组在Valsalva状态下的膀胱颈移动度和尿道旋转角均大于剖宫产分娩组,尿道内口漏斗形成率和膀胱膨出率均高于剖宫产分娩组（P<0.05）。在Valsalva状态下,经阴道分娩组的盆膈裂孔前后径、左右径、面积和周长均大于剖宫产分娩组（P<0.05）;在静息状态下,两组的上述指标相比,差异均无统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论：应用经会阴实时三维盆底超声技术观察产妇前腔室结构和盆膈裂孔的参数变化,可评估产妇盆底功能受损的程度,经阴道分娩对其影响较大。