Heterogeneity of the spatial distribution of the primordial organic substance as an initial stage of biological evolution

An approach to describe the emergence of dynamics of polymerization/depolymerization of some spatially distributed prebiological structures has been analyzed, and two phases of the development of the system have been identified. In the first phase, polymerization of organic monomers occurs under the influence of external factors, and in the second one depolymerization takes place. Both processes are accompanied by “diffusive mixing” of reaction products. The dynamic equations of the system are presented. Numerical examination of the space nonuniform solution of model equations has shown that, in conditions of low stability of uniform space distribution, these solutions resolve into a number of discrete peaks of nonzero density, which are isolated from each other by free space. Such nonuniform distributions are stable when close to the bifurcation point; yet in other conditions, they can lose their stability, which entails a more pronounced nonuniformity of space dynamics. Thus, interaction of polymerization/depolymerization processes results in chaotic self-organization and leads to origination of complex and inhomogeneous (patchy) spatial structures. These structures in physical space can reflect the emergence of the spatial nonuniformity in prebiological associations, while in the distributive space of characters they can correspond to the initial steps of emergence of the first discrete domains fixed in biological evolution.     

The prenatal genotype-dependent modification by glucocorticoids of the morphometric characteristics of the genital system in mice and rats

Morphometric parameters of the reproductive system have been studied in adult males of four inbred mouse strains and two outbred rat strains after injection of corticosteroids into their mothers at 16 and 18 day of pregnancy. Significant interstrain difference in weight of sex glands was observed. Prenatal injection of corticosteroids decreased high values of features and increased low ones. Hence, the level of corticosteroids during prenatal development plays an important part in regulation of morphometric parameters of the reproductive system of adult rodents. The pattern of action depends on the genotype of an animal and may change under the influence of selection.     

Cell composition and ultrastructure of the thymus in offspring during changes in the hormonal background in the mother-fetus functional system

Micro- and ultrastructure has been studied in newborn rats, developed under conditions of an altered hormonal background in the functional system mother--fetus (FSMF), when hydrocortisone acetate is injected on the 17th-18th days of pregnancy, and at bilateral adrenalectomy of pregnant females. A number of similar changes in the offspring thymus are revealed under both procedure: the portion of mitotically dividing and blast forms of cells decreases, there is a certain tendency to increasing destructively altered cells and intensity of the processes in differentiation of cellular elements and subcellular structures, that is, evidently, depended on increasing contents of corticosteroids in the developing organism. When hydrocortisone acetate is injected to the pregnant rats, some amount of the drug can penetrate across the placenta and a superfluous concentration of glucocorticoids is created in the fetus blood. When adrenalectomy is performed in the pregnant rats, the main cause of elevated secretion of corticosteroids in the fetuses is, evidently, stimulation of the adrenals with their own ACTH, that is produced as a response to a decreased concentration of corticosteroids in FSMF. Nevertheless, in the fetal thymus reaction to the effects mentioned there are some differences. In the experiments with adrenalectomy in the pregnant rats, in the offspring thymus signs of degradation of lymphocytes and reticuloepitheliocytes are manifested more distinctly; that can be connected with a high concentration of endogenic corticosteroids in the fetus blood and with a qualitative composition of the hormones.     

Persistent activity in limbic system neurons: neurophysiological and modeling perspectives

Neural activity persisting for one to hundreds of seconds has been postulated to be a substrate of memory. This review article illustrates examples of such activity in limbic system structures including the hippocampus, postsubiculum, and the anterodorsal thalamus. These neuronal responses include better known correlates with the spatial position as well as with head direction of the animal relative to its environment as well as other lesser known examples. Since head direction responses are greater when the animal is actively moving than when passively rotated, it has been proposed that there might be a general mechanism where the behavioral state of the animal can provide modulatory gating of such persistent signals. This would regulate the relative influence of these signals on downstream structures. Neural network attractor models of the head direction cell system are presented to demonstrate how these responses might originate, as well as the dynamics by which they are updated during movements.     

Changes in the lymphoid tissue and in the level of corticosteroids in staphylococcal intoxication and infection]

A complex quantitative study of changes of proliferative processes in lymphatic vessels on the one hand and changes of the level of corticosteroids in the peripheral blood in staphylococcal intoxication and infection in the same rats on the other hand has been carried out. In the work H3-thymidine has been used. The comparison of the obtained morphological data with the dynamics of the change in the corticosteroid level shows that the decay of lymphocytes, the devastating of light centers and the cortical substance of lymph nodes, an abrupt lowering of the amount of DNA-synthesizing and mitotically dividing cells take place in the period associated with a release of a great amount of corticosteroids into the blood. The drop of their level to control values goes in parallel with increasing the amount of DNA-synthesizing and mitotically dividing cells. The obtained data suggest that the leading role in those changes of the lympoid tissue which had been described by a number of authors in infectional processes is played by corticosteroids.     

平衡与非平衡生态学在锡林河流域典型草原放牧系统中的应用

为认识放牧系统的复杂性和稳定性 ,产生了放牧系统的平衡生态学和非平衡生态学原理。放牧系统的平衡生态学原理假定 :一旦干扰在系统中发生 ,系统将偏离平衡态 ;而当干扰解除后 ,系统将自动返回原来的状态或在新的领域实现平衡。在对内蒙古锡林河流域典型草原放牧系统动态的研究中 ,来自平衡生态学的 Clem ents- Duksterhuis演替理论提供了一个基本的研究框架。尽管已经证实对退化不太严重的典型草原放牧系统 ,平衡生态学原理是适用的 ,但是对于这一地区严重退化的放牧系统的动态 ,它显然并不能给予合理的解释。事实上许多放牧系统动态遵循非平衡生态学原理。在非平衡放牧系统中 ,稳定的状态是不会实现的 ,因为在这样的系统中 ,非生物变量对于植被的动态似乎起着决定性的影响 ,从而也决定着草食动物的种群动态。状态与过渡模型基于非平衡生态学原理 ,它能够解释过度放牧下典型草原生态系统的崩溃或灌丛化 ,因此它适于该地区严重退化的典型草原放牧系统的动态。鉴于内蒙古锡林河流域典型草原放牧系统普遍严重退化的现实 ,未来该地退化放牧系统的研究应更多地应用非平衡生态学原理 ,并且严重退化的草原生态系统的恢复试验 ,特别是灌丛化草原的重建也应置于它的指导之下     

The role of transmissible diseases in the Holling-Tanner predator-prey model

Transmissible diseases are known to induce remarkable major behavioral changes in predator-prey systems. However, little attention has been paid to model such situations. The latter would allow to predict useful applications in both dynamics and control. Here the Holling-Tanner model is revisited to account for the influence of a transmissible disease, under the assumption that it spreads among the prey species only. We have found the equilibria and analyzed the behavior of the system around each one of them. A threshold result determining when the disease dies out has been identified. We also investigated the parametric space under which the system enters into Hopf and transcritical bifurcations, around the disease free equilibrium. The system is shown to experience neither saddle-node nor pitch-fork bifurcation. Global stability results are obtained by constructing suitable Lyapunov functions.     

Dynamics of the noisy neural network

The dynamic features of interspike interval sequences and structures of spatiotemporal patterns of firing in a coupled noisy neural network are investigated. The system displays complex dynamics under periodic external stimuli. The dynamics is modulated by a periodic impulse-like synaptic current which relates to a global coupling interaction between neurons. The firings of the stimulated neurons are phase-locked to this current. In addition, the interspike interval histograms are studied for the case of frozen noise which does not change its value within a time interval once it has been distributed onto the network. It is found that the peaks in these histograms are located at integer multiples of the period of the external stimulus, and the heights of these peaks decay exponentially, which corresponds to the experimental results. Received: 12 April 1997 / Accepted in revised form: 7 May 1997     

The organization of the cortical layer of amphibian ova. 1. The ultrastructure of the cortex of the oocytes and ova of the clawed toad: the effect of divalent cations

Ultrastructure of oocyte and egg cortical layer isolated in media containing various ions has been studied. The following results were obtained: 1) in cortical layer a two-component cytoskeletal system is present; morphology of this system changes during development; 2) cytoskeleton of the egg cortex acts as a two-component system in response to the influence of Ca2+: the cortex per se is destroyed while subcortex is contracted; 3) cytoskeleton of the oocyte cortex is destroyed under the influence of Ca2+; 4) nature and sensitivity to the absence of Mg2+ in the medium varies for cytoskeletal structures of oocyte and egg cortex.     

Modelling Southern Ocean ecosystems: krill, the food-web, and the impacts of harvesting

The ecosystem approach to fisheries recognises the interdependence between harvested species and other ecosystem components. It aims to account for the propagation of the effects of harvesting through the food-web. The formulation and evaluation of ecosystem-based management strategies requires reliable models of ecosystem dynamics to predict these effects. The krill-based system in the Southern Ocean was the focus of some of the earliest models exploring such effects. It is also a suitable example for the development of models to support the ecosystem approach to fisheries because it has a relatively simple food-web structure and progress has been made in developing models of the key species and interactions, some of which has been motivated by the need to develop ecosystem-based management. Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, is the main target species for the fishery and the main prey of many top predators. It is therefore critical to capture the processes affecting the dynamics and distribution of krill in ecosystem dynamics models. These processes include environmental influences on recruitment and the spatially variable influence of advection. Models must also capture the interactions between krill and its consumers, which are mediated by the spatial structure of the environment. Various models have explored predator-prey population dynamics with simplistic representations of these interactions, while others have focused on specific details of the interactions. There is now a pressing need to develop plausible and practical models of ecosystem dynamics that link processes occurring at these different scales. Many studies have highlighted uncertainties in our understanding of the system, which indicates future priorities in terms of both data collection and developing methods to evaluate the effects of these uncertainties on model predictions. We propose a modelling approach that focuses on harvested species and their monitored consumers and that evaluates model uncertainty by using alternative structures and functional forms in a Monte Carlo framework.     

Various neurochemical aspects of the action of the tetrapeptide tuftsin on limbic system structures (histochemical and biochemical study)

Tetrapeptide tuftsin action on the activity of succinate dehydrogenase (SDG), malate dehydrogenase (MDG) and monoamine-oxidase (MAO) in microstructures of the neocortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus (supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei, retrochiasmic zone) has been investigated by means of histochemical methods. Simultaneously, pyruvate-, malate-, glutamate-, alfaketoglutamate-, succinate- and lactate-dehydrogenase activity in the neocortex and in the structures of the limbic system has been studied biochemically. SDG and MDG activity increases in neurons and glycocytes of all the hypothalamic formations mentioned. Changes in the activity of dehydrogenases in the hippocampus and neocortex under the same stimulation are less pronounced. MAO activity also increases in the nerve terminals converging on the bodies and dendrites of hypothalamic neurons and in the preterminal fibers of the neocortex, Tuftsin increases oxidative-reducing processes in various structures of the brain, but at the same time it possesses a predominant influence on the limbic system structures.     

Molecular modeling and its experimental verification for the catalytic mechanism of Candida antarctica lipase B

Quantum mechanical and molecular dynamics simulation analysis has been performed on the model system for CALB (Candida antarctica lipase B) with esters to study the reaction mechanism and conformational preference of catalytic hydrolysis and the esterification reaction. Using quantum mechanical analysis, the ping-pong bi-bi mechanism was applied and energies and 3-dimensional binding configurations of the whole reaction pathways were calculated. Further molecular dynamics simulation analysis was performed on the basis of the transition state obtained from quantum mechanical study to observe the effect of structures of,the substrates. Calculation results using substrates of different chain length and chiral configurations were compared for conformational preference. The calculated results showed very small influence on chain length, whereas chiral conformation showed big differences. Calculated results from molecular modeling studies have been compared qualitatively with the experimental data using racemic mixtures of (+/-)-cis-4-acetamido-cyclopent-2-ene-1-ethyl acetate as substrates.     

Effect of helium-neon laser rays on the vascular and nerve tissue structures of the small intestine in the cat

The influence of laser radiation (Laser LH-75) on the status of tissue elements and microvascular nervous structures of the small intestine in dynamics has been studied on 15 adult cats. It has been established that a daily 6-minute action of laser rays during 15 days causes the hypertrophy of muscular and mucous membranes of the small intestine, persistent dilation of microcirculatory flow of the muscular-intestinal plexus, and also hypertrophy of neurocytes of vegetative ganglia.     

Quantifying the impact of ecological memory on the dynamics of interacting communities

Ecological memory refers to the influence of past events on the response of an ecosystem to exogenous or endogenous changes. Memory has been widely recognized as a key contributor to the dynamics of ecosystems and other complex systems, yet quantitative community models often ignore memory and its implications.Recent modeling studies have shown how interactions between community members can lead to the emergence of resilience and multistability under environmental perturbations. We demonstrate how memory can be introduced in such models using the framework of fractional calculus. We study how the dynamics of a well-characterized interaction model is affected by gradual increases in ecological memory under varying initial conditions, perturbations, and stochasticity.Our results highlight the implications of memory on several key aspects of community dynamics. In general, memory introduces inertia into the dynamics. This favors species coexistence under perturbation, enhances system resistance to state shifts, mitigates hysteresis, and can affect system resilience both ways depending on the time scale considered. Memory also promotes long transient dynamics, such as long-standing oscillations and delayed regime shifts, and contributes to the emergence and persistence of alternative stable states. Our study highlights the fundamental role of memory in communities, and provides quantitative tools to introduce it in ecological models and analyse its impact under varying conditions.     

Dynamic modelling of the simazine content of soil

A mathematical model of dynamics of simazine level in soil based on the hypothesis of several forms of simazine in soil and integral influence of environmental factors on inactivation has been worked out. The results of modelling are under discussion.     

Nonlinear analysis of the dynamics of the human balance control system during fixation and smooth pursuit of visual target

The similarity between the dynamics of the human balance control system in the frontal and sagittal planes during the fixation of visual stimulus and smooth pursuit of its sinusoidal movements in the horizontal plane with a frequency of 0.1 or 0.01 Hz (so-named fast and slow pursuit) has been investigated by the nonlinear method of analysis. The experiments were carried out according to the notion that it is possible to describe the process of orthograde standing by a two-segment model--upper and lower segments which are connected by a hip joint (other joints were fixed). It was shown that during fixation the similarity between the dynamics of orthostatic control system in the frontal plane is higher than in the sagittal plane. A slow pursuit does not influence the similarity, but a fast one decreases the similarity in the frontal plane. The indices of similarity between the dynamics of the system in the sagittal plane for all the conditions are close and do not differ significantly. The changes in similarity during fast pursuit are supposed to be connected with the different inertia of eyes and body movements. The differences between dynamic similarity in the frontal and sagittal planes are probably connected with the peculiarities of both balance control during joint fixation and AP-ML control (Winter et al., 1993) under conditions investigated.     

Stochastic computer model of cellular microtubule dynamics

A computer model of the system of microtubules has been developed to study the mechanisms of action of various factors on this system. The model describes the process of polymerization/depolymerization of microtubules as a set of chemical reactions with certain rate constants using a stochastic approach. Microtubules are visualized in the program field, which makes the model visual. The program imitates the dynamics and structure of the system of cellular microtubules with great, reliability. The parameters generated by the model correlate with the corresponding parameters of microtubules in living cells. We are going to develop this approach to modeling microtubules and similar structures to bring them into a better accord with living systems and to study the influence of various factors on these systems.     

Modeling of the Dynamics of Paroxysmal Activity and Pharmacokinetics of GABAA Receptor Ligands

We developed mathematical models allowing us to calculate the parameters of pharmacokinetics of exogenous ligands based on the analysis of their pharmacodynamics under the direct influence of a pharmacological agent (agents), PhA, on tissues possessing the receptor–effector system for this PhA, i.e., on the biophase of action of this PhA. The dynamics of the paroxysmal activity induced by application to the rat brain cortex of convulsant drugs (modulators of the GABA_A transmitter system) in different doses were studied. It has been demonstrated that the pharmacokinetic scheme of physiologically active substances, in the case of their direct application, can be interpreted using a chain-chamber model, whose parameters are determined by two irreversible processes of the first order: entry and elimination. The hypothesis supposing the irreversibility of the kinetic scheme of PhA mass transfer under conditions of direct application of these agents was experimentally verified.     

Transmission intensity and drug resistance in malaria population dynamics: implications for climate change

Although the spread of drug resistance and the influence of climate change on malaria are most often considered separately, these factors have the potential to interact through altered levels of transmission intensity. The influence of transmission intensity on the evolution of drug resistance has been addressed in theoretical studies from a population genetics' perspective; less is known however on how epidemiological dynamics at the population level modulates this influence. We ask from a theoretical perspective, whether population dynamics can explain non-trivial, non-monotonic, patterns of treatment failure with transmission intensity, and, if so, under what conditions. We then address the implications of warmer temperatures in an East African highland, where, as in other similar regions at the altitudinal edge of malaria's distribution, there has been a pronounced increase of cases from the 1970s to the 1990s. Our theoretical analyses, with a transmission model that includes different levels of immunity, demonstrate that an increase in transmission beyond a threshold can lead to a decrease in drug resistance, as previously shown, but that a second threshold may occur and lead to the re-establishment of drug resistance. Estimates of the increase in transmission intensity from the 1970s to the 1990s for the Kenyan time series, obtained by fitting the two-stage version of the model with an explicit representation of vector dynamics, suggest that warmer temperatures are likely to have moved the system towards the first threshold, and in so doing, to have promoted the faster spread of drug resistance. Climate change and drug resistance can interact and need not be considered as alternative explanations for trends in disease incidence in this region. Non-monotonic patterns of treatment failure with transmission intensity similar to those described as the 'valley phenomenon' for Uganda can result from epidemiological dynamics but under poorly understood assumptions.     

The investigation of the effects of counterions in protein dynamics simulations.

Molecular simulations able to exactly represent solvated charged proteins are helpful in understanding protein dynamics, structure and function. In the present study we have used two different starting structures of papain (a typical, stable, globular protein of intermediate net charge) and different modeling procedures to evaluate some effects of counterions in simulations. A number of configurations have been generated and relaxed for each system by various combinations of constrained simulated annealing and molecular dynamics procedures, using the AMBER force field. The analysis of trajectories shows that the simulations of solvated proteins are moderately sensitive to the presence of counterions. However, this sensitivity is highly dependent on the starting model and different procedures of equilibration used. The neutralized systems tend to evince smaller root mean square deviations regardless of the system investigated and the simulation procedure used. The results of parameterized fitting of the simulated structures to the crystallographic data, giving quantitative measure of the total charge influence on the stability of various elements of the secondary structure, revealed a clear scatter of different reactions of various systems' secondary structures to counterions addition: some systems apparently were stabilized when neutralized, while the others were not. Thus, one cannot unequivocally state, despite consideration of specific simulation conditions, whether protein secondary structures are more stable when they have neutralized charges. This suggests that caution should be taken when claiming the stabilizing effect of counterions in simulations other than those involving small, unstable polypeptides or highly charged proteins.