Differential expression of the L- and S-isoforms of myelin associated glycoprotein (MAG) in oligodendrocyte unit phenotypes in the adult rat anterior medullary velum

Brain Cell Biology - We have previously demonstrated differences in the expression of carbonic anhydrase II (CAII) in oligodendrocyte units myelinating small and large diameter fibres in the...     

The quantitative relationship between olfactory axons and mitral/tufted cells in developing Xenopus with partially deafferented olfactory bulbs

Partial deafferentation of the olfactory bulb in Xenopus embryos was performed to analyze the effects of afferent innervation on the development of the central olfactory structure. In an attempt to analyze a possible early inductive role of the olfactory axons, one olfactory placode was removed before differentiation of the neural tube began (stages 26–31). A morphological and quantitative analysis was performed on larvae at the onset of metamorphic climax (stage 58). When the single olfactory nerve innervated one side of the rostral telencephalon, a single olfactory bulb developed on that side and no olfactory bulb formed on the contralateral side. When the nerve innervated the midline of the rostral telencephalon, a smaller-than-normal, fused olfactory bulb developed. Partial deafferentation at these early stages resulted in a significant reduction in the number of olfactory axons (to approximately one-half of control values) and a corresponding decrease in the number of mitral/tufted cells (output neurons of the olfactory bulb). To control for possible damage to the neural tube during olfactory-placode removal, a portion of the neural tube directly beneath one of the olfactory placodes was removed in embryos. In these animals, the neural tube regenerated within 24 h and formed a normal olfactory bulb; olfactory axon and mitral/tufted-cell numbers were not significantly different from controls. In conclusion, olfactory-afferent innervation was critical for differentiation of the olfactory bulb, and decreasing the number of olfactory axons resulted in a reduction in the number of output neurons of the olfactory bulb. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

MicroRNAs and LPS: developing a relationship in the neonatal gut

Upon birth, the intestine converts from a sterile environment to a home for commensal microorganisms. How immune homeostasis is maintained during this transition is not well understood. Here, Chassin et?al. (2010) demonstrate that microRNA-146a regulates the responsiveness of intestinal epithelial cells during microbial colonization of the neonatal intestine.     

Somatotrophs and lactotrophs in the anterior pituitary of fetal and neonatal rats

Summary The ultrastructure of immunoreactive somatotrophs and lactotrophs in pituitaries of fetal rats at 19, 20 and 21 days of gestation and on the day of birth was studied. Somatotrophs, first detectable at 19 days of gestation, undergo only minor modifications before reaching the structure described for adults. In particular there is an increase in the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. Lactotrophs, first identifiable in newborn rats, are very different in ultrastructure from adult cells, because the secretory granules are generally small, but variable in shape and size, and the Golgi complex is prominent.     

The relationship between microsatellite slippage mutation rate and the number of repeat units

Microsatellite markers are widely used for genetic studies, but the relationship between microsatellite slippage mutation rate and the number of repeat units remains unclear. In this study, microsatellite distributions in the human genome are collected from public sequence databases. We observe that there is a threshold size for slippage mutations. We consider a model of microsatellite mutation consisting of point mutations and single stepwise slippage mutations. From two sets of equations based on two stochastic processes and equilibrium assumptions, we estimate microsatellite slippage mutation rates without assuming any relationship between microsatellite slippage mutation rate and the number of repeat units. We use the least squares method with constraints to estimate expansion and contraction mutation rates. The estimated slippage mutation rate increases exponentially as the number of repeat units increases. When slippage mutations happen, expansion occurs more frequently for short microsatellites and contraction occurs more frequently for long microsatellites. Our results agree with the length-dependent mutation pattern observed from experimental data, and they explain the scarcity of long microsatellites.     

NADPH-Diaphorase-containing neurons in the medullary structures involved in generation of the respiratory activity in neonatal rats

Using a histochemical technique, we examined distribution of the neurons containing a marker of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d), on frontal slices of the medulla and upper cervical spinal segments of 4-day-old rats. It was demonstrated that NADPH-d-positive cells are present within the dorsal and ventral medullary respiratory groups. The highest density of the labeled middle-size multipolar neurons (27.9±2.6 cells per 0.1 mm² of the slice) was observed in the rostral part of the ventral respiratory group, within the reticular lateral paragigantocellular nucleus. Similar NADPH-d-positive neurons were also observed in other reticular formation structures: rostroventrolateral reticular, gigantocellular, and ventral medullary nuclei, and in the ventral part of the paramedial nucleus. There were no labeled neurons in the lateral reticular nucleus. Single small and medium-size labeled neurons were found at all rostro-caudal levels of thenucl. ambiguous (nuclei retrofacialis, ambiguous, andretroam-biguous). Groups of NADPH-d-positive neurons were also revealed within the dorsal respiratory group, along the whole length of thenucl. tractus solitarii (mostly in its ventrolateral parts). Single labeled neurons were also observed in thenucl. n. hypoglossi, and their groups were observed in the dorsal motor part of thenucl. n. vagus. Involvement of the structures containing NADPH-d-positive neurons in the processes related to generation of the respiratory activity is discussed. Our neuroanatomical experiments prove that in early postnatal mammals NO is actively involved in generation and regulation of the medullary respiratory rhythm. Neirofiziologiya/Neurophysiology, Vol. 32, No. 2, pp. 128–136, March–April, 2000.     

Spatial relationship between cardiac mast cells and coronary capillaries in neonatal rats with cardiomegaly.

Density of cardiac mast cells and their localization with respect to coronary capillaries was studied in two experimental situations. First, cardiac hypertrophy produced by aortic constriction in 5-day-old rats was studied. Left ventricular weight increased more than twofold in this experimental situation, while the increases in total capillary length and total number of cardiac mast cells were much smaller, resulting in decreased densities of both tissue components. In the second series of experiments, localization of cardiac mast cells at two distinct portions of coronary capillaries was studied in normal hearts of adult rats. Differential histochemical staining enabled us to distinguish between the portions of capillaries close to arterioles and portions on the venular side. The number of mast cells close to arteriolar portions of coronary capillaries was significantly higher than one would expect in the case of their even distribution along the capillary wall. The relationship between the mast cells and formation of new capillaries is discussed.     

The relationship between the number of expanded and developing leaves in shoot apices of palms

The number of developing leaves was compared to the number of mature expanded leaves in the crowns of 42 species of palms representing 28 genera. One species had fewer developing vs. mature leaves. Ten species had approximately the same number of developing and mature leaves. Eighteen species had approximately 1.5 times the number of developing leaves vs. mature leaves. Eleven species had approximately twice as many developing leaves vs. mature leaves. Two species (Copernicia gigas and Gastrococos crispa) had approximately three times the number of developing vs. mature leaves. Additional data from the literature and previously unpublished observations for 19 species are also presented. The 1:1 ratio between the number of developing leaves vs. mature leaves, as hypothesized by earlier authors, was not found in most species of palms.     

新生儿肠道双歧杆菌数量与其相关影响因素的探讨

目的　探讨影响新生儿肠道双歧杆菌数量的相关因素。方法　以重庆医科大学附属二院和重庆市妇幼保健院的12 0例新生儿为研究对象,每例生后5～7d,均采集新鲜大便做双歧杆菌定量培养,并做10个相关因素的准确登记。结果　母亲分娩方式、临产期及产后是否使用抗生素、母亲妊娠期饮食习惯以及新生儿黄疸期长短与新生儿肠道双歧杆菌数量有相关性( P均<0 .0 1)。结论　提倡阴道分娩、临产期及产后不用抗生素、妊娠期多食发酵制品和素食,并尽量设法缩短新生儿黄疸时间,均有益于新生儿肠道双歧杆菌数量相对充足     

The relationship between iron status and lead absorption in rats

The absorption of lead from loops of small intestinein situ was investigated in rats in which iron absorption was increased by stimuli varying in type, intensity, or duration. Lead absorption was increased by a short period of severe iron restriction before any change in hematological indices became apparent. A period of hypoxia, which markedly increased iron absorption, did not influence absorption of lead. An extended period of moderate iron restriction resulted in a marked reduction in liver iron stores and increased iron absorption throughout the 17-wk experiment. Under these conditions lead absorption was initially also increased, but after 12 wk, when iron intake had become adequate to meet essential requirements, lead absorption was similar to that in iron-supplemented rats. These results are discussed in the light of evidence for a receptor-mediated absorption process for iron.     

The relationship between crimp pattern and mechanical response of human patellar tendon-bone units

The objectives of this study are twofold. First, to further develop the understanding of the relationship between the observed mechanical response and changes in the crimp pattern in human patellar tendon bone units. This is accomplished through the use of a specially constructed test frame and microscope system that permits observation and measurement of the crimp patterns as a function of load. Second, the results of the experimental study are used to develop a constitutive equation that includes spatial variation in the crimp pattern. The results of both the experimental and analytical study imply that local strain in the proximity of the attachment site is significantly larger than the strain in the central region of the tendon. The experimental and histological results are for specimens taken from four human bone-patellar tendon-bone units.     

The relationship between smoothness and economy during walking

The purpose of this study was to test a theoretical model (Stein et al. 1986) which suggested that minimizing the rate of metabolic energy consumption ( O₂) is related to minimizing jerk (third derivative of position) during human movement. At a given speed of walking, O₂ has been shown to increase curvilinearly as stride length (SL) is varied from freely chosen stride length (FCSL). It was hypothesized that the jerk-cost, or JC (area under squared jerk curve), would exhibit similar behavior. Subjects (n=24) walked (1.75 m ·. s^–1) on a treadmill at FCSL, and at SL derivations at ± 10 and ±20% of leg length from FCSL until steady-state O₂ was attained. Videotaping (60 Hz) in the sagittal plane and subsequent digitizing of relevant markers produced position coordinates which were smoothed and normalized in both distance and time before calculating the third time derivative to obtain two-dimensional JC values. The expected response of O₂ to deviations in SL was found (minimum at FCSL), but JC increased with SL except at the two longest SL conditions. A weak but statistically significant negative correlation was found between O₂ and JC, suggesting that smoothness and economy are not complementary performance criteria during walking.     

The relationship between post-tetanic potentiation of motor units and myosin isoforms in mouse soleus muscle

Post-tetanic potentiation was measured in motor units, isolated functionally by ventral root splitting, of soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles of mouse. All motor units from the extensor digitorum longus had times to peak twitch tension less than 13 ms; there was a linear relationship between time to peak tension and post-tetanic potentiation, with the faster units exhibiting greater potentiation. When soleus motor units were similarly analyzed, it appeared that there may be two distinct populations of units. Those units with times to peak tension less than 13 ms were virtually indistinguishable from those of extensor digitorum longus. On the other hand, the slope of the relationship between post-tetanic potentiation and time to peak tension was significantly lower for soleus units with times to peak tension of 13 ms or more. Approximately three-quarters of the soleus units were of the latter slow type, whereas only one-half of the muscle fibres could be classified as type I by means of immunohistochemistry, suggesting that the myosin heavy chain may not be the major determinant of post-tetanic potentiation. Single, chemically skinned fibres of soleus were analyzed for myosin heavy and light chain components by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. All fibres with type I heavy chain contained only the two slow light chains. On the other hand, almost all of the fibres with type IIA myosin heavy chain contained both fast and slow light chains. It is suggested that the discrepancy between the proportions of physiologically "fast" motor units and histochemical type IIA fibres may be the consequence of variable amounts of slow light chain associated with the fast IIA myosin heavy chain.