Effect of stress of "struggle" and the stress of "capitulation" on the resistance of the myocardium to excessive level of calcium

The resistance of isolated, perfused by Langendorf the heart was compared in the experiments on Wistar rats with elevated by 7.3 times the concentration of the calcium in perfused solution. It was shown that one-hour stress of the "struggle" raised but six-hour one decreased the resistance of the heart to arrhythmogenic and contraction action of the surplus Ca2+.     

Masticatory stress and the mechanics of "wishboning" in colobine jaws

Cercopithecoid monkeys experience relatively high strains along the lingual aspect of the mandibular symphysis because of lateral transverse bending of the mandibular corpora ("wishboning") during mastication. Hylander (Am J Phys Anthropol 64 (1984) 1-46; Am Zool 25 (1985) 315-330) demonstrated that the distribution of strains arising from wishboning loads is comprehensible with reference to the mechanics of curved beams. Theory of curved beams suggests that lingual tensile strains are some multiple of labial compressive strains, yet limitations of experimental methods and uncertainty in estimating parameters needed for theoretical calculations have confounded attempts to characterize the magnitude of this disparity of normal strains. We evaluate the theoretical disparity of normal strains in wishboning in comparison to in vitro strains collected under controlled loads for a sample of mandibles representing two colobine species (N = 6). These data suggest that in colobine monkeys, maximum normal lingual strains should be at least twice maximum labial strains. In addition, we reexamine the distribution of symphyseal stress under an assumption of asymmetric bending, a general approach for calculation of stress appropriate for members that lack a plane of symmetry and are bent along an axis that is not coincident with the member's principal axes. Under asymmetric bending in colobine mandibles, the effect of symphyseal inclination on lingual strain is mitigating at the superior transverse torus and exacerbating at the inferior transverse torus. Relative compliance of colobine mandibular bone further supports the hypothesis that the structural and material properties of the colobine mandibular symphysis do not represent a morphological strategy for minimizing masticatory strain.     

A chlorophyll-less barley mutant "NYB" is insensitive to water stress

"NYB" is a chlorophyll-less barley mutant, which grows relatively slow and unhealthily. The effects of water stress on photosystem II (PSII) of NYB and its wild type (WT) were investigated. Unexpected results indicated that the mutant was more resistant to water stress, because: PSII core proteins D1, D2 and LHCII declined more in WT than in NYB under water stress, and the corresponding psbA, psbD and cab mRNAs also decreased more dramatically in WT; CO2 assimilation, stomatal conductance, maximum efficiency of PSII photochemistry (Fv/Fm), efficiency of excitation energy capture by open PSII reaction centres (Fv'/Fm'), quantum yield of PSII electron transport (Phi(PSII)) and DCIP photoreduction in NYB were less sensitive to water stress than in WT, although the non-photochemical quenching coefficient (q(N)) and the photochemical quenching coefficient (q(P)) were almost the same in NYB and WT. Effective chlorophyll utilization and improved PSII protein formation in the mutant may be the reason for the enhanced stress resistance. Other possible mechanisms are also discussed.     

Taking EPR "snapshots" of the oxidative stress status in human blood

Assessment of oxidative stress status (OSS) in human tissues is still troublesome. Using an innovative EPR-radical-probe we successfully measured the instantaneous concentration of ROS directly in peripheral blood of athletes and normally active workers during 60 min controlled exercise. The probe employed was bis(1-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinyl)decandioate, which quantitatively and instantaneously reacts with oxygen-centered radicals (including superoxide) to yield the parent nitroxide, which is sufficiently persistent to be measured by EPR. Our measurements suggest that while at rest normally active individuals may benefit more from antioxidant supplementation than athletes; conversely, during exercise athletes may benefit more from supplementation. Our method allows reliable, quick, and non-invasive quantitative determination of OSS in human peripheral blood.     

锌胁迫对“不知火”和“椪柑”的生理指标及锌分布的影响

采用砂基培养法,研究了0、0.05和0.5 mg·L^-1Zn²⁺（0.05 mg·L^-1为对照,0.5 mg·L^-1为锌过量,0 mg·L^-1为锌缺乏）处理下“不知火”和“椪柑”叶片的一些生理指标及不同部位锌含量的变化。结果表明：1）缺锌处理的“不知火”叶绿体色素含量和叶面积均显著低于其对照和锌过量处理;锌过量处理的“椪柑”叶绿体色素含量和叶面积均显著低于对照。2) 3个锌浓度处理间,“不知火”叶片POD、“椪柑”叶片CAT活性无显著性差异,“不知火”叶片CAT、SOD活性随着锌浓度的升高而升高,锌缺乏处理下“椪柑”叶片POD、CAT、SOD活性均显著地高于“不知火”,而锌过量时“不知火”叶片SOD活性显著高于“椪柑”;锌胁迫下“不知火”和“椪柑”叶片MDA含量均显著高于对照,锌过量时“椪柑”叶片MDA含量显著高于“不知火”。3）2品种柑橘不同部位的锌含量随着锌处理浓度的升高而升高,在相同浓度的锌处理下“椪柑”叶锌含量显著高于其他部位及“不知火”叶锌含量,“不知火”上部叶锌含量显著高于其下部叶。     

Effects of "stress" on pulsatile luteinizing hormone release in ovariectomized rats.

The effects ov various "stresses" on pulsatile LH release in ovariectomized rats were investigated. Blood was withdrawn through atrial cannulas and replaced with saline at 10 min intervals for 190 min. Plasma LH concentration was suppressed in rats subjected to 30 or 60 min of immobilization during the collection period. On the contrary, sham ovariectomy 4 hr prior to blood collection, leg break or iv injection of ACTH or corticosterone during the collection period did not alter pulsatile patterns in LH release. The results indicate that LH release mechanisms are highly resistant to "stresses" but that immobilization can suppress LH release by an unknown mechanism.     

Solvent stress response of the denitrifying bacterium "Aromatoleum aromaticum" strain EbN1

The denitrifying betaproteobacterium "Aromatoleum aromaticum" strain EbN1 degrades several aromatic compounds, including ethylbenzene, toluene, p-cresol, and phenol, under anoxic conditions. The hydrophobicity of these aromatic solvents determines their toxic properties. Here, we investigated the response of strain EbN1 to aromatic substrates at semi-inhibitory (about 50% growth inhibition) concentrations under two different conditions: first, during anaerobic growth with ethylbenzene (0.32 mM) or toluene (0.74 mM); and second, when anaerobic succinate-utilizing cultures were shocked with ethylbenzene (0.5 mM), toluene (1.2 mM), p-cresol (3.0 mM), and phenol (6.5 mM) as single stressors or as a mixture (total solvent concentration, 2.7 mM). Under all tested conditions impaired growth was paralleled by decelerated nitrate-nitrite consumption. Additionally, alkylbenzene-utilizing cultures accumulated poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) up to 10% of the cell dry weight. These physiological responses were also reflected on the proteomic level (as determined by two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis), e.g., up-regulation of PHB granule-associated phasins, cytochrome cd(1) nitrite reductase of denitrification, and several proteins involved in oxidative (e.g., SodB) and general (e.g., ClpB) stress responses.     

Differences between EcoRI nonspecific and "star" sequence complexes revealed by osmotic stress

The binding of the restriction endonuclease EcoRI to DNA is exceptionally specific. Even a single basepair change ("star" sequence) from the recognition sequence, GAATTC, decreases the binding free energy of EcoRI to values nearly indistinguishable from nonspecific binding. The difference in the number of waters sequestered by the protein-DNA complexes of the "star" sequences TAATTC and CAATTC and by the specific sequence complex determined from the dependence of binding free energy on water activity is also practically indistinguishable at low osmotic pressures from the 110 water molecules sequestered by nonspecific sequence complexes. Novel measurements of the dissociation rates of noncognate sequence complexes and competition equilibrium show that sequestered water can be removed from "star" sequence complexes by high osmotic pressure, but not from a nonspecific complex. By 5 Osm, the TAATTC "star" sequence complex has lost almost 90 of the approximately 110 waters initially present. It is more difficult to remove water from the CAATTC "star" sequence complex. The sequence dependence of water loss correlates with the known sequence dependence of "star" cleavage activity.     

Effect of chronic stress on the ultrastructure of the myocardium and hypothalamus of "emotional" and "nonemotional" rats

The influence of chronic stress on the ultrastructure of the myocardium and hypothalamus was studied in experiments on male rats with different levels of emotional-behavioral reactivity. "Emotional" rats manifested a pronounced increase in glycogen granules in myocytes and intercellular space, appearance of the areas of overcontraction of myofibrils, conglomerates of aggregated platelets in myocardial capillaries, and red cell egress from myocardial and hypothalamic capillaries. Alterations in the ultrastructure of the myocardium and hypothalamus in "nonemotional" rats were less marked and consisted in the appearance of the areas of overcontraction of myofibrils, enlargement of sarcoplasmic reticulum caverns, and in an increase in the lipid content in cardiomyocytes. The ultrastructural changes in the myocardium and hypothalamus of "emotional" and "nonemotional" rats indicate different reactivity of the animals and are likely to be accounted for by different levels of activation of their adrenergic systems.     

Determination of a "critical shear stress level" applied to adherent mammalian cells.

An apparatus for the detailed investigation of the influence of shear stress on adherent BHK cells was developed. Shear forces between 0.0 and 2.5 N m-2 were studied. The influence on cell viability, cell morphology, cell lysis, and cell size was determined. Increasing shear forces as well as increasing exposure duration caused increasing changes in cell morphology and cell death. A "critical shear stress level" was determined.     

The "instantaneous" deformation of cartilage: effects of collagen fiber orientation and osmotic stress

The present study was undertaken with two objectives in view. The first was to distinguish between the "instantaneous" deformation and creep of articular cartilage when subjected to a step loading in unconfined compression. This was done by observing changes in the specimen's diameter rather than its thickness. The second objective was to investigate experimentally the anisotropic behaviour of cartilage in a compressive loading mode, corresponding to the physiological situation. An apparatus was thus developed and constructed which enabled us to follow the "instantaneous" changes of the surface area of the sample as the latter was being loaded in unconfined compression. Specimens of human articular cartilage from normal femoral heads and condyles were tested. Full thickness specimens were tested with and without the underlying bone, as well as partial thickness specimens, characterizing the different zones of cartilage. Solutions of different ionic strength were used to vary the osmotic stress and specimens covering a considerable range of proteoglycan concentrations were selected. The effects of hydration and proteoglycan removal on the "instantaneous" deformation were also studied. The "instantaneous" deformation was found to be of a strongly anisotropic nature in all zones. The deformation was always smaller along the Indian-ink prick pattern than at 90 degrees to it, and this effect was most pronounced in the superficial zone of cartilage. The results reveal an analogy with the tensile properties of cartilage and indicate that the collagen network is mainly responsible for controlling the "instantaneous" deformation. The proteoglycans play an indirect role by modulating the stiffness of the collagen network through their osmotic pressure.     

低温胁迫对“繁景”杜鹃生理特性及叶片超微结构的影响

"繁景"杜鹃为杂交后代优良新种,研究其对低温的耐受能力,为宁波及周边城市将其作为绿化植物提供参考。该研究以一年生杂交后代优良株系"繁景"为材料,采用盆栽试验,利用人工降温的方法,研究不同低温(0℃,-3℃,-6℃,-9℃)对其生长状态、生理生化及叶片超微结构的影响。结果表明:在-3℃和0℃的低温胁迫下,叶绿素含量降低缓慢且与处理前变化不显著,在-9℃和-6℃的低温胁迫下,其叶绿素含量要显著低于处理前和对照组,不同低温处理下,叶片光合速率均呈下降趋势,至试验结束时,光合速率与温度成正比。在-9℃和-6℃低温胁迫下,其叶片相对电导率和丙二醛(Malondialdehyde,MDA)的含量增长最快,且过氧化氢酶(Cata-lase,CAT)、以及超氧化物歧化酶(Superoxide Dismutase,SOD)、过氧化物酶(Peroxidase,POD)活性下降幅度最大,在-3℃和0℃低温胁迫下,MDA的含量增长较明显,但可溶性蛋白,CAT,POD及SOD活性变化不明显。温度降低对其叶片超微结构的影响较大,在0℃和-3℃低温胁迫下,其细胞结构正常;在-6℃低温胁迫下,类囊体结构开始模糊,淀粉粒和嗜锇颗粒变大且增多;在-9℃低温胁迫下,细胞膜开始解体,叶绿体被膜破损缺失严重,空洞化程度严重,部分细胞甚至成为空细胞。综合各指标变化情况,杜鹃优良株系能耐受的较低温度为-6℃。因此,杜鹃该优良株系为较耐寒品种,可作为宁波及周边城市良好的杜鹃花绿化候选材料。     

Adaptation to stress exposure prevents the arrhythmogenic and contractile effects of the "calcium paradox"

It was established in experiment on rat papillary muscle that adaptation to stress exposure increased the myocardial resistance to contractile actions and limited the depression of electrophysiologic parameters induced by the excess of intracellular calcium. This adaptation decreased the contracture in 6.5 times and significantly limited the depression of resting potential (RP) induced by low-sodium (9 mM) perfusing solution. It was shown at the next stage that adaptation limited the depression of electrophysiologic parameters of cardiac cells at high calcium concentrations and high pacing rate. Under these factors the resting potential appeared to be significantly more in adaptation than in control (82 mV vs 69 mV respectively) while the action potential (AP) duration was twofold more. Possible mechanism is discussed of the cardioprotective effect of adaptation to stress exposure associated with the limitation of RP and AP in calcium overload.     

Delivery as "physiological stress" and its influence on liver enzymatic systems in asphyxial newborns

A new aspect on delivery as "physiological stress" provides the possibility for assessing its influence in asphyxial newborns. Asphyxia is characterized by hypoxic ischemic damage of organs with subsequent damage due to reoxygenation and reperfusion. The aim of the study was to compare the activity of liver enzymatic systems of healthy newborns with asphyxial newborns. Reference values of the AST on the 1st day of life 0.80 +/- 0.12 microkat/l and on the 5th day of life 0.78 +/- 0.11 microkat/l, of the ALT on the 1st day of life 0.29 +/- 0.04 microkat/l and on the 5th day of life 0.54 +/- 0.21 microkat/l and of the quotient of DeRitis on the 1(st) day of life 3.35 +/- 0.6 and on the 5th day of life 2.14 +/- 0.22 were established. The quotient of DeRitis expresses better the influence of stress on healthy term newborns since isolated evaluation of liver enzymes and their dynamics, which is decreased on the 5th day of life shows stabilization of the baby and improvement of liver cell function in comparison with the 1st day of life. The authors found that delivery is considered to be a certain form of physiological stress.     

Male and female rats express similar blood pressure responses to "push-pull" gravitational stress.

Brief exposure to -G(z) ("push") reduces eye-level blood pressure (elbp) during subsequent exposure to +G(z) ("pull"). This is called the "push-pull effect." To evaluate the influence of gender and the axis of rotation (pitch vs. roll) on the push-pull effect, 10 isoflurane-anesthetized male and 10 female Sprague-Dawley rats were restrained supine on a heated tilt board. Rats were subjected to two G profiles: a control profile consisting of rotation from 0 G(z) to 90 degrees head-up tilt (+1 G(z)) for 10 s and a push-pull profile consisting of rotation from 0 G(z) to 90 degrees head-down tilt (-1 G(z)) for 2 s immediately preceding 10 s of +1 G(z) stress. A total of 16 tilts consisting of equal numbers of control and push-pull trials and equal numbers of pitch and roll rotations were imposed by using a counterbalanced design. Gender exerted a significant effect on baseline (0 G(z)) ELBP (pressure was approximately 4 mmHg higher in females). In males and females, ELBP rose to a similar extent ( approximately 8 mmHg) during push, fell to a similar extent (approximately 18 mmHg) during control +G(z) stress, and fell to a similar extent (approximately 22 mmHg) during push-pull +G(z) stress. Altering the axis of rotation between the x-axis (roll) and the y-axis (pitch) did not influence the results. Thus males and females exhibit a push-pull effect; however, gender and axis of rotation do not appear to influence the push-pull effect in anesthetized rats subjected to tilting.     

NaCl stress effects on enzymes involved in nitrogen assimilation pathway in tomato "Lycopersicon esculentum" seedlings

Tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill, cv. Chibli F1) grown for 10 days on control medium were exposed to differing concentrations of NaCl (0, 25, 50, and 100mM). Increasing salinity led to a decrease of dry weight (DW) production and protein contents in the leaves and roots. Conversely, the root to shoot (R/S) DW ratio was increased by salinity. Na(+) and Cl(-) accumulation were correlated with a decline of K(+) and NO(3)(-) in the leaves and roots. Under salinity, the activities of nitrate reductase (NR, EC 1.6.6.1) and glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2) were repressed in the leaves, while they were enhanced in the roots. Nitrite reductase (NiR, EC 1.7.7.1) activity was decreased in both the leaves and roots. Deaminating activity of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH, EC 1.4.1.2) was inhibited, whereas the aminating function was significantly stimulated by salinity in the leaves and roots. At a high salt concentration, the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide reduced (NADH)-GDH activity was stimulated concomitantly with the increasing NH(4)(+) contents and proteolysis activity in the leaves and roots. With respect to salt stress, the distinct sensitivity of the enzymes involved in nitrogen assimilation is discussed.     

Damage to cultivated Japanese pearl oysters by oxidative stress that was related to "mass mortality"

Increased blood-DNA breakage was observed in diseased pearl oysters. They showed significant formation of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and malondialdehyde (MDA), whereas the oysters that had a low mortality rate from the disease had high activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and low amounts of 8-OHdG and MDA. These results suggest that radical damage had occurred only in the diseased pearl oysters with the cytolysis of their haemocytes, which was related to the mass mortality of the Japanese pearl oysters.