The Nature and Rates of Excretion of Radioactive Breakdown Products of I131-Albumin in the Rabbit

When I¹³¹-albumin is given intravenously to rabbits, the radioactive breakdown products that are released into the plasma and urine can be extracted into acetone. Paper chromatography and paper electrophoresis show that about 80 per cent of these are I¹³¹-iodide and the remainder are organic I¹³¹-iodine compounds. When I¹³¹-iodide is given to rabbits taking iodide in their drinking water, the radioactivity is quantitatively excreted, without being accumulated in the tissues and without becoming attached to the plasma proteins. The rate of excretion can be defined by a first order rate process with a rate constant, a, ranging between 1 and 3day^-1. The organic I¹³¹-iodine compounds liberated during the metabolism of I¹³¹-albumin can be closely matched by a mixture of the organic I¹³¹-iodine compounds liberated during the metabolism of I¹³¹-monoiodotyrosine, I¹³¹-diiodotyrosine, and the amino acids released by digestion from I¹³¹-albumin. These organic I¹³¹-iodine compounds are not accumulated in the body and their radioactivity does not become attached to the plasma proteins. Their radioactivity is excreted as fast or faster than that of I¹³¹-iodide, and, to a satisfactory approximation, the same equations describing the excretion of I¹³¹-iodide with the same constants may be used for describing the excretion of the organic I¹³¹-iodine. These results permit improved estimates of the distribution and catabolism of I¹³¹-albumin.     

A New Noninvasive Method for Detecting Mammals From Birds' Nests

Abstract: Certain birds use mammal hair for the lining or structural strengthening of their nest. As a result, many bird nests can be regarded as natural hair snares. Preliminary studies indicate that analyses of hairs found in birds' nests are an effective method for detecting and identifying mammals that live in or migrate through an area and could be a useful tool to gain information about rare or hard to detect mammals. I documented 27 mammal taxa that were identified from hair collected from >3,000 nests. This study summarizes the results of 4 projects that represent application of this technique. This noninvasive method appears to be a useful tool for easily accessing basic faunistical data about mammal fauna of the given area.     

A cage for the collection of excreta from individual mice in radioactive tracer studies.

A simple and inexpensive unit for the collection of excreta from individual mice was designed. The results of experiments in which counts of collected radioactive excreta were made closely approximated those previously obtained using a whole-body gamma counter.     

Abnormalities of mutual influences of the upper and lower limbs after a stroke

The common pattern of muscle activation and specifics of interlimb neuronal connections during the performance of rhythmic separate and simultaneous arm and leg movements in the lying position in healthy subjects, which reflected functionally significant interlimb neuronal interactions, were shown. The study was designed to investigate these mutual influences of the upper and lower limbs during the performance of similar motor tasks by stroke patients. Sixteen poststroke patients with different degrees of hemiparesis performed active and passive arm movements simultaneously with stepping leg movements or without them while lying supine. It was demonstrated that the patients had a disordered common pattern of distribution of muscle activity when they performed voluntary cyclic movements with both arms. Passive movements of both paretic and nonparetic arms led to different degrees of activation of their muscles, depending on the degree of paresis: in patients with mild paresis, muscle activation was similar to that in healthy subjects; in patients with severe paresis, it was insignificant. The loading of the nonparetic arm resulted in an increase in the activity in the paretic arm shoulder flexor muscles in patients with mild paresis (which was typical of healthy subjects), while loading did not influence significantly patients with severe paresis. The combination of cyclic arm movements and stepping leg movements in diagonal synergy decreased the activity in the proximal muscles of both arms, irrespective of the degree of paresis, as it was observed in healthy subjects. Simultaneous arm and leg movements did not change the muscle activity in nonparetic legs in either groups of patients, but the activity in the paretic leg muscles even decreased. The results obtained revealed important features of poststroke motor disturbances, which caused changes in interlimb interactions and largely depended on the degree of paresis. The data could be useful for developing new methods for the performance of rehabilitative procedures in poststroke patients.     

参与植物膜泡运输的蛋白质家族及功能研究进展

真核细胞的内吞和分泌途径中蛋白质和脂类的运输主要由膜泡运输介导。参与膜泡运输的蛋白质家族包括SNARE蛋白家族、RAB蛋白家族、被膜蛋白复合体、Sec1蛋白家族、Arf蛋白家族。这些蛋白质家族在进化中高度保守,并且在植物中已经鉴定了许多哺乳动物和酵母蛋白的同源物。近年来一些研究发现这些蛋白质不仅仅调节植物细胞的膜泡运输,还影响植物的许多生理活动和功能,例如向重性生长、胞质分裂、激素极性运输、气孔运动以及抗病性等。现主要阐述迄今在植物中研究这五类蛋白质家族功能的最新进展。     

Comparative Study of Initial Post-Therapeutic 131I Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography and Reoperation for the Detection of Residual Lymph Node Metastasis in Patients With Papillary Thyroid Cancer

ObjectiveTo assess the diagnostic performance of initial post-therapeutic ¹³¹I single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) compared with that of reoperation in detecting residual lymph node metastasis (LNM).MethodsPatients with iodine-avid LNM detected on the initial post-therapeutic ¹³¹I SPECT/CT and who underwent reoperative dissection within 6 months were included. LNMs (numbers and locations) detected via both methods were compared. The American Thyroid Association dynamic risk stratification was performed for patients receiving second radioactive iodine therapy after reoperation.ResultsFifty-three patients with 95 iodine-avid LNMs detected by ¹³¹I SPECT/CT were enrolled. Fifty-one (96.2%) patients had 212 LNMs confirmed by reoperation (P = .004). The sensitivity and specificity of ¹³¹I SPECT/CT in detecting LNM were 44.8% (95/212) and 91.6% (87/95), respectively. The location frequency of residual LNMs found by ¹³¹I SPECT/CT was similar to that of reoperation (P = .057). Thirty-two patients received a second radioactive iodine treatment, and 6 (18.8%) patients still had residual iodine-avid LNM on SPECT/CT. Therapeutic response was evaluated by American Thyroid Association dynamic risk stratification in 16 patients. The number of patients with structural incomplete response, biochemical incomplete response, indeterminate response, and excellent response was 4 (23.5%), 4 (23.5%), 5 (29.4%), and 3 (17.6%), respectively.Conclusion¹³¹I SPECT/CT has high specificity but relatively low sensitivity in detecting all residual LNMs. Approximately 80% of patients were rendered structurally disease free after reoperation.     

Use of Methotrexate to Treat Isolated Graves Ophthalmopathy Developing Years After Thyroidectomy and Iodine 131 Treatment of Papillary Thyroid Cancer

ObjectiveTo describe a case of Graves ophthalmopathy developing years after subtotal thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine treatment of papillary thyroid cancer.MethodsWe present a case report including clinical and laboratory data. Current relevant literature is reviewed and summarized with regard to Graves ophthalmopathy.ResultsIn 2001, a 51-year-old woman presented with an asymptomatic thyroid nodule. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy results showed Hürthle cells, and the patient had a subtotal thyroidectomy in 2002. Stage 2 follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma was diagnosed. She received radioactive iodine (I 131) therapy (94.8 mCi and 147.2 mCi) in 2003. Thyrotropin was suppressed with levothyroxine. The patient remained asymptomatic and had undetectable thyroglobulin antibodies. In 2007, her eyes became irritated (ie, erythematous, pruritic, watery). Thyroperoxidase and thyroglobulin antibodies were undetectable, but thyrotropin receptor antibody was elevated to 44% (reference range, < 16%). On physical examination, moderate periorbital edema and conjunctival injection were present; orbital magnetic resonance imaging was normal. Computed tomography of her orbits showed symmetric bilateral exophthalmos and prominence of orbital fat. Other ophthalmologic etiologies were ruled out by 2 independent ophthalmologists. She had minimal improvement with oral and intravenous steroids. Subsequent treatment with methotrexate resulted in marked symptomatic improvement and lowered the thyrotropin receptor antibody level to 24%.ConclusionsIsolated Graves ophthalmopathy in a patient after treatment of thyroid cancer and radioactive iodine ablation has not been previously reported. Methotrexate therapy may be a useful therapeutic approach in this setting. (Endocr Pract. 2008;14:422-425)     

随机扩增杂交微卫星方法在大仓鼠种群遗传多态性研究中的应用

随机扩增杂交微卫星(Random amplified hybridization microsatellites,RAHM)是一种复合RAPD扩增和寡核苷酸扫描的方法。该方法能够从RAPD产物凝胶上获得更多的信息,具有分析方法快速,高敏感性,能检测到高水平的多态性等优点。RAHM方法通过对RAPD扩增的DNA片段进行微卫星杂交来替代限制性内切酶对基因组DNA的消化,有助于揭示微卫星基因组克隆,进行微卫星引物的筛选。本文采用随机扩增杂交微卫星方法来检测小型哺乳动物大仓鼠(Techerskia triton)种群的遗传多态性,结果表明RAHM方法能够检测到大仓鼠种群中较高的多态性以及种群间的差异,这些条带模式可能代表真核基因组中另一种多态性标记的来源,可用于检测小型哺乳动物种群的遗传多态性。     

Torsion movements of the human eye. IV. Passive body movements, effect of skeletal muscle reflexes, opticokinetic torsion tracking

A comparative study of torsional movement of the eye in passive and active tilting of the head and body of the object was carried out. Similarity of torsional movement of the eyes in passive and active movements was shown. It was found by the method of exclusion and selective stimulation of vestibular, cervikal, lumbar optokinetic reflexes, that neither the cervikal, nor lumbar reflexes elicited spontaneous torsional movements of the eyes and had no influence on them. A direct study (coinciding with rotation direction of the stimulus of head rotation) and the reverse (noncoinciding) torsional tracing of a rotating disc and tracing without head movements was investigated. During direct tracing depression of saccades and extention of the slow phase of torsion was found; during the reverse one--a decrease of the eye drist and increase of the amplitude and number of saccades. Phenomena of a seeming acceleration and deceleration of disc rotation etc. have been observed. It was found that with torsional saccades vision was retained. The presence of optokinetic control of phases of torsional eye movements formation has been recorded. Tracing without rotation of the head was accompanied by torsional nistagmus. Possible causes of incomplete stabilisation and optokinetic torsional tracing are discussed.     

Daytime birth of a baby crested black macaque (Macaca nigra) in the wild

In mammals, which give birth to more or less dependent offspring, parturition usually takes place during the animals' resting period and in a secure environment. We report here the first direct and documented observation of a daytime birth of a wild baby crested black macaque, Macaca nigra, in the Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. We further consider the parturition time as a female reproductive strategy in a broader evolutionary framework.     

Activation of interlimb interactions increases the motor output in legs of healthy subjects: Study under the conditions of arm and leg unloading

The effect of arm movements and movements of individual arm joints on the electrophysiological and kinematic characteristics of voluntary and vibration-triggered stepping-like leg movements was studied under the conditions of horizontal support of the upper and lower limbs. The horizontal support of arms provided a significant increase in the rate of activation of locomotor automatism by noninvasive impact on tonic sensory inputs. The addition of active arm movements during involuntary stepping-like leg movements led to an increase in the EMG activity of hip muscles and was accompanied by an increase in the amplitude of hip and shin movements. The movement of the shoulder joints led to an increase in the activity of hip muscles and was accompanied by an increase in the amplitude of hip and shin movements. Passive arm movements had the same effect on induced leg movements. The movement of the shoulder joints led to an increase in the activity of hip muscles and an increase in the amplitude of movements of knee and hip joints. At the same time, the movement of forearms and wrists had a similar facilitating effect on the physiological and kinematic characteristics of rhythmic stepping-like movements, but influenced the distal segments of legs to a greater extent. Under the conditions of subthreshold vibration of leg muscles, voluntary arm movements led to activation of involuntary rhythmic stepping movements. During voluntary leg movements, the addition of arm movements had a significantly smaller impact on the parameters of rhythmic stepping than during involuntary leg movements. Thus, the simultaneous movements of the upper and lower limbs are an effective method of activation of neural networks connecting the rhythm generators of arms and legs. Under the conditions of arm and leg unloading, the interactions between the cervical and lumbosacral segments of the spinal cord seem to play the major role in the impact of arm movements on the patterns of leg movements. The described methods of activation of interlimb interactions can be used in the rehabilitation of post-stroke patients and patients with spinal cord injuries, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurological diseases.     

Landscape Management of Fire and Grazing Regimes Alters the Fine-Scale Habitat Utilisation by Feral Cats

Intensification of fires and grazing by large herbivores has caused population declines in small vertebrates in many ecosystems worldwide. Impacts are rarely direct, and usually appear driven via indirect pathways, such as changes to predator-prey dynamics. Fire events and grazing may improve habitat and/or hunting success for the predators of small mammals, however, such impacts have not been documented. To test for such an interaction, we investigated fine-scale habitat selection by feral cats in relation to fire, grazing and small-mammal abundance. Our study was conducted in north-western Australia, where small mammal populations are sensitive to changes in fire and grazing management. We deployed GPS collars on 32 cats in landscapes with contrasting fire and grazing treatments. Fine-scale habitat selection was determined using discrete choice modelling of cat movements. We found that cats selected areas with open grass cover, including heavily-grazed areas. They strongly selected for areas recently burnt by intense fires, but only in habitats that typically support high abundance of small mammals. Intense fires and grazing by introduced herbivores created conditions that are favoured by cats, probably because their hunting success is improved. This mechanism could explain why, in northern Australia, impacts of feral cats on small mammals might have increased. Our results suggest the impact of feral cats could be reduced in most ecosystems by maximising grass cover, minimising the incidence of intense fires, and reducing grazing by large herbivores.     

The intragastric host-mediated assay for the assessment of the formation of direct mutagens in vivo

The intragastric host-mediated assay (h.m.a.) was devised and carried out with a view to assessing the formation of direct mutagens in the gastrointestinal tract of mammals. The h.m.a. consists in the injection of nitrosable compounds, NaNO2 and cells of the yeast S. pombe, by gavage into the animals' stomachs and in the recovery of the target cells from the faeces for mutation-induction analysis. Methylurea was chosen as a model nitrosable compound, and the effects of nitrosation modulators such as ascorbic acid and thiocyanate were studied. Cimetidine, a drug nitrosable in vitro, was tested with the system. Positive results were obtained only at very large doses and in artificially produced low pH. The new host-mediated assay seems to be efficient in revealing the formation, in vivo, of direct, short-living mutagens.     

Agonistic signals received by an arthropod filiform hair allude to the prevalence of near-field sound communication

Arthropod filiform hairs respond to air particle movements and are among the most sensitive animal sensory organs. In many species, they are tuned to detect predators or prey and trigger escape or prey capture behaviours. Here we show for the first time that these hairs also receive intraspecific near-field sound signals in an arachnid. During agonistic encounters, whip spiders (Arachnida, Amblypygi) perform antenniform leg vibration (ALV) displays that have significantly longer duration in contest winners than losers. During an ALV display: (i) the vibrating antenniform leg of the displaying whip spider is positioned close to the trichobothria (filiform hairs) on its opponent's walking legs, (ii) the vibrating antenniform leg can excite these trichobothria via air movements and without direct contact, (iii) the antenniform leg of the displaying whip spider vibrates at a frequency that causes particularly strong, sustained excitation and little adaptation in the trichobothria, and (iv) the duration of an ALV display can be extracted from the response of a trichobothrium. Since filiform hairs are widespread among arthropods, communication via such hairs could be extremely prevalent.     

Head-bobbing of walking birds

Many birds show a rhythmic forward and backward movement of their heads when they walk on the ground. This so-called “head-bobbing” is characterized by a rapid forward movement (thrust phase) which is followed by a phase where the head keeps its position with regard to the environment but moves backward with regard to the body (hold phase). These head movements are synchronized with the leg movements. The functional interpretations of head-bobbing are reviewed. Furthermore, it is discussed why some birds do bob their head and others do not.     

The stimulating action of low doses of ionizing radiation on glucokinase synthesis in the liver of developing rats

Taking spontaneous glucokinase synthesis as an example the authors showed an increase in the rate of enzymatic differentiation against the insignificantly increased natural radiation background, which might serve as a supporting evidence of the previously obtained data confirming the necessity of the natural radioactive background for the development of mammals.     

The behavioural and structural aspects of grooming and related activities in euglossine bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

The movements and structures involved in grooming, resin and pollen manipulation, and collection of aromatic material are described for members of the tribe Euglossini. These bees typically groom with each leg while hanging by their mandibles, working from the head backwards. Collection and transfer of aromatic material is described after re-evaluation using fluorescent powder. Resin collection involves asynchronous ipsilateral transfer of the resin to the hindtibia. Pollen collection, in contrast, involves synchronous ipsilateral transfer. Areas of the body that are not groomed are illustrated, and the various plants and animals that exploit these regions discussed. The similarities between the behaviours of euglossines and bumblebees supports the idea that they are closely related.     

Control of obstacle climbing in the cockroach, Blaberus discoidalis. I. Kinematics

An advantage of legged locomotion is the ability to climb over obstacles. We studied deathhead cockroaches as they climbed over plastic blocks in order to characterize the leg movements associated with climbing. Movements were recorded as animals surmounted 5.5-mm or 11-mm obstacles. The smaller obstacles were scaled with little change in running movements. The higher obstacles required altered gaits, leg positions and body posture. The most frequent sequence used was to first tilt the front of the body upward in a rearing stage, and then elevate the center of mass to the level of the top of the block. A horizontal running posture was re-assumed in a leveling-off stage. The action of the middle legs was redirected by rotations of the leg at the thoracal-coxal and the trochanteral-femoral joints. The subsequent extension movements of the coxal-trochanteral and femoral-tibial joints were within the range seen during horizontal running. The structure of proximal leg joints allows for flexibility in leg use by generating subtle, but effective changes in the direction of leg movement. This architecture, along with the resulting re-direction of movements, provides a range of strategies for both animals and walking machines.     

Species specificity of radioreceptor assay and radioimmunoassay for rat FSH

Species specificity of the radioreceptor assay (RRA) for rat FSH, in which pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG)-treated immature rat ovary was employed as the receptor, was compared with that of NIAMDD rat FSH radioimmunoassay (RIA). In the RIA system, pituitary preparations from mammals only showed significant crossreaction. Their inhibition curves, however, were not always parallel to the standard curve. On the other hand, in the RRA system, the pituitary preparations from mammals, avians, lizard and amphibians competitively inhibited the binding of radioactive rat FSH to the ovarian receptor. Only the pituitary preparation from dog salmon failed to show any crossreaction in the RRA system. These results indicated that this RRA system would be useful for the measurement of FSH or gonadotropins of the pituitaries from mammals to amphibians.     

Hair cortisol: a parameter of chronic stress? Insights from a radiometabolism study in guinea pigs

Measurement of hair cortisol has become popular in the evaluation of chronic stress in various species. However, a sound validation is still missing. Therefore, deposition of radioactivity in hair and excretion into feces and urine after repeated injection of (3)H-cortisol was studied in guinea pigs (n?=?8). Each animal was given intraperitoneally 243.6?kBq (3)H-cortisol/day on 3 successive days. After the first injection, all voided excreta were collected for 3?days. After the second injection, hair was shaved off the animals' back and newly grown hair was obtained on day 7. Following methanol extraction, radiolabeled and unlabeled glucocorticoid metabolites (GCM) in fecal and hair samples were characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and enzyme immunoassays (EIA). In feces, maximum radioactivity was reached 8?h (median) post each injection, whereas maxima in urine were detected in the first samples (median 2.5?h). Metabolites excreted into feces (13.3?%?±?3.7) or urine (86.7?%) returned nearly to background levels. HPLC of fecal extracts showed minor variation between individuals and sexes. In hair, small amounts of radioactivity were present. However, two EIAs detected large amounts of unlabeled GCM, including high levels at the position of the cortisol standard; radioactivity was absent in this fraction, demonstrating that (3)H-cortisol was metabolized. Furthermore, large amounts of immunoreactivity coinciding with a radioactive peak at the elution position of cortisone were found. These results show for the first time that only small amounts of systemically administered radioactive glucocorticoids are deposited in hair of guinea pigs, while measurement of large amounts of unlabeled GCM strongly suggests local production of glucocorticoids in hair follicles.