Effect of psychotropic substances on the development of alcoholic motivation in noninbred white rats

The experiments have shown the capacity of antidepressant amitriptylin (0.5 mg/kg, i. p.) and tranquilizer phenazepam (0.1 mg/kg i. p.) to normalize the adaptive behaviour and almost completely prevent the development of alcohol motivation in animals with insufficient adaptive behaviour. It was established that in animals initially rejecting alcohol, chronic treatment with these drugs as well as d-amphetamine promoted alcohol motivation. The results obtained have proved our earlier hypothesis that preclinical search for drugs for the prevention and treatment of early stages of alcoholism is possible only in animals pre-selected according to their inclination to experimental alcoholism.     

Effect of vitamin D3 on free-radical oxidation of lipids in low density lipoproteins in vitamin D deficiency

The lipid free radical oxidation in low density lipoproteins was investigated on D-deficiency model in vivo. The processes of lipid free radical oxidative activation in low density lipoproteins at D-deficiency occurred. The chemiluminescence kinetic parameters: the maximum intensity of the first flash and inclination angle tangent of an ascending branch of the second flash grew at D-deficiency in comparison with control group (p < 0.02 and p < 0.05, respectively). At the same time, the vitamin D3 introduction to the experimental animals diet failed result statistically reliable inclination angle tangent of an ascending branch of the second flash was reduced (p < 0.02). Increase of the products reacting with thiobarbituric acid content in low density lipoproteins in D-deficiency conditions (p < 0.001) was found. Vitamin D3 introduction to the diet reduced quantity of products reacting with thiobarbituric acid in low density lipoproteins (p < 0.01). However, their level remained higher than for the control animals (p < 0.01) as established.     

Squirrel monkey locomotion on an inclined treadmill: Implications for the evolution of gaits

Three adult squirrel monkeys were trained to run on a motor-driven treadmill that was inclined downwardly and upwardly at 8°, 16° and 28°, and horizontally (0°). Films were used to compare the gait and kinematics of the animals across the inclines. All three animals used both lateral and diagonal sequence gaits, although the former was preferred at all but the upward 16° and 28° inclines. Cycle duration and hind limb stance and swing durations tended to increase as downward inclination decreased. Trunk inclination, except at 28° downward, tended to parallel the changes in treadmill inclination. The most dramatic and consistent change for the hind limb joint displacement patterns was that maximum extension during stance increased as the treadmill inclination increased from 28° downward to 28° upward. In contrast to an earlier study by Prost & Sussman (1969), we could find no evidence that squirrel monkeys are best adapted to run on upward inclines of about 16°. The utilization of diagonal sequence gaits on the upward inclines supports previous suggestions that the preference for these gaits in primates is associated with an evolutionary increase in climbing behaviors.     

The effects of substratum inclination on locomotor patterns in primates

To explore the change from the horizontal quadrupedal walking to the vertical climbing in primates, I designed an experiment on an inclined substratum. The subjects were an adult male Japanese macaque and a 2-year-old female white-handed gibbon. The animals moved on a substratum made of bamboo pipe (8 cm diameter). The inclination of the substratum was changed from 15 degrees to 65 degrees in 5-degree increments for the Japanese macaque and from 20 degrees to 70 degrees with 10-degree increments for the white-handed gibbon. I placed surface electrodes and telemetry transmitters on the subjects to record the activity of the long head of the triceps brachii and the long head of the biceps brachii muscles. The Japanese macaque utilized horizontal quadrupedal walking until the incline was 15 degrees. Vertical climbing began at an inclination of 55 degrees. The intermediate locomotor mode was observed between 20 degrees and 50 degrees. The white-handed gibbon changed the locomotor mode from horizontal quadrupedal walking to vertical climbing at 40 degrees. I believe that the difference observed in locomotor mode between these two species was mainly due to differences in the intermembral index. The white-handed gibbon had a large intermembral index, which meant she had longer forelimbs and could therefore change locomotor mode at a lower inclination of the substratum.     

Stem-righting mechanism in gymnosperm trees deduced from limitations in compression wood development

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In response to inclination stimuli, gymnosperm trees undergo corrective growth during which compression wood develops on the lower side of the inclined stem. High compressive growth stress is generated in the compression wood region and is an important factor in righting the stem. The aims of the study were to elucidate how the generation of compressive growth stress in the compression wood region is involved in the righting response and thus to determine a righting mechanism for tree saplings. METHODS: Cryptomeria japonica saplings were grown at inclinations of 0 degrees (vertical) to 50 degrees. At each inclination angle, the growth stress on the lower side of the inclined stem was investigated, together with the degree of compression-wood development such as the width of the current growth layer and lignin content, and the upward bending moment. KEY RESULTS: Growth stress, the degree of compression wood development, and the upward moment grew as the stem inclination angle increased from 0 to 30 degrees, but did not rise further at inclinations > 30 degrees. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest the following righting mechanism for gymnosperm saplings. As the stem inclination is elevated from 0 to 30 degrees, the degree of compression wood development increases to force the sapling back to its original orientation; at inclinations > 30 degrees, the maximum degree of compression wood is formed and additional time is needed for the stem to reorient itself.     

Characterization of in vivo Achilles tendon forces in rabbits during treadmill locomotion at varying speeds and inclinations

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that increasing the speed and inclination of the treadmill increases the peak Achilles tendon forces and their rates of rise and fall in force. Implantable force transducers (IFT) were inserted in the confluence of the medial and lateral heads of the left gastrocnemius tendon in 11 rabbits. IFT voltages were successfully recorded in 8 animals as the animals hopped on a treadmill at each of two speeds (0.1 and 0.3 mph) and inclinations (0 degrees and 12 degrees). Instrumented tendons were isolated shortly after sacrifice and calibrated. Contralateral unoperated tendons were failed in uniaxial tension to determine maximum or failure force, from which safety factor (ratio of maximum force to peak in vivo force) was calculated for each activity. Peak force and the rates of rise and fall in force significantly increased with increasing treadmill inclination (p<0.001). Safety factors averaged 30.8+/-7.5 for quiet standing, 7.0+/-2.9 for level hopping, and 5.2+/-0.7 for inclined hopping (mean+/-SEM). These in vivo force parameters will help tissue engineers better design functional tissue engineered constructs for rabbit Achilles tendon and other tendon repairs. Force patterns can also serve as input data for mechanical stimulation of tissue-engineered constructs in culture. Such approaches are expected to help accelerate tendon repair after injury.     

Imbalance in SOD/CAT activities in rat skeletal muscles submitted to treadmill training exercise

The association between physical exercise and oxidative damage in the skeletal musculature has been the focus of many studies in literature, but the balance between superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and its relation to oxidative damage is not well established. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the association between regular treadmill physical exercise, oxidative damage and antioxidant defenses in skeletal muscle of rats. Fifteen male Wistar rats (8-12 months) were randomly separated into two groups (trained n=9 and untrained n=6). Trained rats were treadmill-trained for 12 weeks in progressive exercise (velocity, time, and inclination). Training program consisted in a progressive exercise (10 m/min without inclination for 10 min/day). After 1 week the speed, time and inclination were gradually increased until 17 m/min at 10% for 50 min/day. After the training period animals were killed, and gastrocnemius and quadriceps were surgically removed to the determination of biochemical parameters. Lipid peroxidation, protein oxidative damage, catalase, superoxide dismutase and citrate synthase activities, and muscular glycogen content were measured in the isolated muscles. We demonstrated that there is a different modulation of CAT and SOD in skeletal muscle in trained rats when compared to untrained rats (increased SOD/CAT ratio). TBARS levels were significantly decreased and, in contrast, a significant increase in protein carbonylation was observed. These results suggest a non-described adaptation of skeletal muscle against exercise-induced oxidative stress.     

Stem phototropism of trees: a possible significant factor in determining stem inclination on forest slopes

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The main stems of trees on forest slopes incline down the slope to various extents that are characteristic of the species. The inclination has been explained as an active response to a horizontally asymmetrical light environment, but the contributing physiological mechanisms are unknown. The present study tested the hypothesis that stem phototropism, gravitropism, or a combination of the two determines the inclination of tree stems on forest slopes. METHODS: Cryptomeria japonica, Pinus densiflora, Quercus myrsinaefolia and Q. serrata were studied. Measurements were made of stem inclination of mature trees on forest slopes in uniform plantations of each species, and changes in stem inclination of potted seedlings in response to illumination treatments (unilateral or overhead) and inclination treatments (artificially inclined or erect). Indices of phototropic and gravitropic responsiveness were evaluated for each species, calculated from the change in stem inclination in response to artificial inclination with unilateral or overhead illumination. KEY RESULTS: Stem inclination on forest slopes varied significantly among species: Q. serrata inclined most in the down-slope direction, C. japonica inclined the least, and P. densiflora and Q. myrsinaefolia were intermediate. The change in stem inclination of seedlings in each treatment varied significantly among species. One-year-old stems of Q. serrata and 2-year-old stems of Q. myrsinaefolia bent toward the light source. Interspecific variation in the change in stem inclination in response to the unilateral illumination or that in the index of phototropic responsiveness was strongly correlated with the variation in stem inclination on forest slopes. CONCLUSIONS: The orientation of woody stems that have finished elongation can be actively controlled by phototropism. Interspecific variation in phototropic responsiveness of trees is a possible significant determinant of interspecific variation in stem inclination on forest slopes.     

The wakefulness-sleep cycle in rats with a genetic predisposition to catalepsy

Neurophysiological studies on wakefulness-sleep cycle have been made in rats selected for hereditary inclination to catalepsy. It was shown that in these animals, the stage of delta-sleep is significantly reduced, whereas the duration of a superficial slow-wave sleep is increased. In a sleeping phase of the cycle, large amount of spindles in the range of alpha- and beta 1-oscillations was observed, especially significant in electrograms of n. caudatum and sensorimotor cortex. This activity is considered as a pathological manifestation of a transient hypnotic phase which includes the increase in immobilization of a cataleptic type.     

Support force measures of midsized men in seated positions

Two areas not well researched in the field of seating mechanics are the distribution of normal and shear forces, and how those forces change with seat position. The availability of these data would be beneficial for the design and development of office, automotive and medical seats. To increase our knowledge in the area of seating mechanics, this study sought to measure the normal and shear loads applied to segmental supports in 12 seated positions, utilizing three inclination angles and four levels of seat back articulation that were associated with automotive driving positions. Force data from six regions, including the thorax, sacral region, buttocks, thighs, feet, and hand support were gathered using multi-axis load cells. The sample contained 23 midsized subjects with an average weight of 76.7 kg and a standard deviation of 4.2 kg, and an average height of 1745 mm with a standard deviation of 19 mm. Results were examined in terms of seat back inclination and in terms of torso articulation for relationships between seat positions and support forces. Using a repeated measures analysis, significant differences (p<0.05) were identified for normal forces relative to all inclination angles except for forces occurring at the hand support. Other significant differences were observed between normal forces behind the buttocks, pelvis, and feet for torso articulations. Significant differences in the shear forces occurred under the buttocks and posterior pelvis during changes in seat back inclination. Significant differences in shear forces were also identified for torso articulations. These data suggest that as seat back inclination or torso articulation change, significant shifts in force distribution occur.     

Shade avoidance and the regulation of leaf inclination in Arabidopsis

As a rosette plant, Arabidopsis thaliana forms leaves near to the ground, which causes the plant to be vulnerable to shading by neighbours. One mechanism to avoid such shading is the regulation of leaf inclination, such that leaves can be raised to more vertical orientations to prevent neighbouring leaves from overtopping them. Throughout Arabidopsis rosette development, rosette leaves move to more vertical orientations when shaded by neighbouring leaves, exposed to low light levels or placed in the dark. After dark-induced reorientation of leaves, returning them to white light causes the leaves to reorient to more horizontal inclinations. These light-dependent leaf movements are more robust than, and distinct from, the diurnal movements of rosette leaves. However, the movements are gated by the circadian clock. The light-dependent leaf orientation response is mediated primarily through phytochromes A, B and E, with the orientation varying with the ratio of red light to far-red light, consistent with other shade-avoidance responses. However, even plants lacking these phytochromes were able to alter leaf inclination in response to white light, suggesting a role for other photoreceptors. In particular, we found significant changes in leaf inclination for plants exposed to green light. This green light response may be caused, in part, by light-dependent regulation of abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis.     

To Coil,or Not to – Activity Associated Ambiguity in Defense Responses of Millipedes

Arthropods, like most other animals, generally exhibit strong defense responses to predatory threats. This communication aims to demonstrate that the intensity of expression of a particular defense response may be affected by the kind of activity an arthropod is currently performing. Millipedes coil when threatened, and we analyzed coiling responses in the millipede Phyllogonostreptus nigrolabiatus during feeding, resting and walking. Further, variation in response was also quantified with respect to the inclination of the body – horizontal on ground and perpendicular on stems of trees. The millipedes (n = 199) were tapped on their bodies with a short stick to elicit the response. Three levels of responses were obtained – complete, partial and nil. On ground, although most millipedes tended to show complete coiling, the responses alternated between the two extremes among the feeding ones; resting and walking millipedes predominantly displayed complete response. On trees however, most millipedes were non-responsive, although walking millipedes tended to show relatively greater proportion of complete response. These results prove that different activities can elicit variation in a defense response, and so does body inclination in millipedes.     

Enkephalin and cyclic nucleotide content in the brain structures of rats at different stages of the formation and development of alcoholic dependence

Rats with increased alcohol motivation have been found to have a rise in enkephalin levels in limbic cortex and a decrease in met-enkephalin levels in the brain basal ganglia. Reduction of met-enkephalin to leu-enkephalin ratio in basal ganglia, limbic cortex and hypothalamus may serve as an index of increased inclination to ethanol in these animals. Alcohol dependence is characterized by reduced cAMP content in the majority of brain structures studied, sharply decreased met-enkephalin levels in limbic cortex and hypothalamus, and diminished cAMP and cGMP content in hypothalamus. In the third stage of experimental alcoholism the partial normalization of met-enkephalin and cAMP levels is observed in brain structures, with cGMP content increased in hypothalamus and considerably reduced in basal ganglia.     

The Hormonal Control of Ultrasonic Communication in Rodents

SYNOPSIS. The production of high-frequency vocalizations duringsexual and agonistic interactions is widespread among rodents.The ubiquity of these signals suggests that they play importantroles as social communications in rodent reproduction and populationregulation. Furthermore, the consistent association of "ultrasound"production with hormone-dependent sexual andagonistic behaviorssuggests that hormones help to coordinate this form of communicationwith other behavioral and physiological preparations for reproduction.Experiments testing this hypothesis have shown clearly thatultrasound rates depend on gonadal hormones. In addition, theability of animals to elicit ultrasounds from conspecifics,and their inclination to respond to conspecific ultrasounds,both seem to depend on pituitary or gonadal hormones. This varietyof types of hormonal effects on ultrasonic communication increasesthe extent to which these signals can be integrated with stimuliof other modalities in hormone-dependent chains of communicationscontrolling reproductive success.     

Development and evolution of the helicoidal plane of dental occlusion

The helicoidal plane of dental occlusion is a composite feature involving axial inclination of teeth and effects of dental attrition. Recent studies disagree on its distribution and significance in hominoid primates. The distribution, development, and functional basis of the helicoidal plane are investigated here, based on quantitative analysis of dental morphology and attrition in 667 human and 60 chimpanzee dentitions. Helicoidal planes are nearly universal in the human and chimpanzee dentitions studied. Increasing axial inclination of molars from M1 to M3 is primarily responsible for the helicoidal plane, although attrition acts to increase its expression. In hominoids, increased molar axial tilt appears to be associated with facial shortening and dental reduction. Population and species comparisons suggest a functional relationship with cranial structure. Progressive axial tilt of molars producing a helicoidal plane is found consistently in mammals with cheek teeth positioned partly under the cranium, as in hominids, pongids, some cebids, macropodids, ursids, and sciurids. Facial shortening is an important trend in hominid evolution and axial inclination of molars might be expected to show progressive change from Australopithecus afarensis to recent Homo sapiens.     

基于Campbell椭球分布函数的大兴安岭地区主要树种叶倾角分布模拟

叶倾角分布(LAD)直接决定着植被冠层对辐射的截获量,同时对入射太阳辐射的大小与走向也起着决定性作用,是定量遥感中的关键参数.本研究基于Campbell椭球分布函数和迭代方法拟合大兴安岭林区主要树种的LAD,定量分析冠层叶片分层与不分层时模型的拟合情况及不同龄组对LAD的影响.结果表明： 大兴安岭地区6种主要树种的LAD均属于横椭球分布,针叶树的平均叶倾角小于阔叶树;无论对叶片分层处理与否,模型拟合叶倾角的结果与实测结果基本一致;白桦和落叶松的拟合结果与实测结果线性回归的相关系数分别是0.8268、0.8192,均方根误差分别是3.7%、4.3%,说明Campbell模型应用于森林冠层是可靠的;考虑龄组的影响时,虽然分层处理时叶倾角的分布趋势与龄组无关,但幼龄落叶松的平均叶倾角小于成熟落叶松,表明龄组对叶倾角分布取值有正向影响,而对消光系数取值有负向
影响.     

Harnessing Genetic Variation in Leaf Angle to Increase Productivity of Sorghum bicolor

The efficiency with which a plant intercepts solar radiation is determined primarily by its architecture. Understanding the genetic regulation of plant architecture and how changes in architecture affect performance can be used to improve plant productivity. Leaf inclination angle, the angle at which a leaf emerges with respect to the stem, is a feature of plant architecture that influences how a plant canopy intercepts solar radiation. Here we identify extensive genetic variation for leaf inclination angle in the crop plant Sorghum bicolor, a C4 grass species used for the production of grain, forage, and bioenergy. Multiple genetic loci that regulate leaf inclination angle were identified in recombinant inbred line populations of grain and bioenergy sorghum. Alleles of sorghum dwarf-3, a gene encoding a P-glycoprotein involved in polar auxin transport, are shown to change leaf inclination angle by up to 34° (0.59 rad). The impact of heritable variation in leaf inclination angle on light interception in sorghum canopies was assessed using functional-structural plant models and field experiments. Smaller leaf inclination angles caused solar radiation to penetrate deeper into the canopy, and the resulting redistribution of light is predicted to increase the biomass yield potential of bioenergy sorghum by at least 3%. These results show that sorghum leaf angle is a heritable trait regulated by multiple loci and that genetic variation in leaf angle can be used to modify plant architecture to improve sorghum crop performance.     

The dynamics of sleep-like behaviour in honey bees

At night, honey bees pass through a physiological state that is similar to mammalian sleep. Like sleep in mammals, sleep-like behaviour in honey bees is an active process. This is expressed most clearly in these insects by spontaneous antennal movements which appear at irregular intervals throughout the night and interrupt episodes of antennal immobility. Here we present a newly developed video technique for the continuous recording of the position and movements of the bee's antennae. The same technique was used to record head inclination and ventilatory movements. Despite the constancy of the ambient temperature, the magnitudes of antennae-related parameters, as well as head inclination and ventilatory cycle duration, displayed dynamic unimodal time-courses which exhibited a high degree of temporal covariance. The similarity between these time-courses and the nightly time-course of the reaction threshold for a sensory stimulus, investigated previously, indicates that, in honey bees, deepest "sleep" and least ventilatory activity occur at the same time (in the 7th hour of the rest phase).Abbreviations DD continuous darkness - EMG electromyogram - LD periodic alternation between light (L) and darkness (D) - MEST Middle European Summer Time (UTC+2 h); - UV ultraviolet This paper is dedicated to Professor Martin Lindauer, who—to our knowledge—was the first to meticulously record the nightly behaviour of honey bees (Lindauer 1952) and who also inspired one of us (W.K.) to investigate antennal motility during nightly rest in these animals.