The origin of circadian and amphetamine-induced changes in the extracellular concentration of brain ascorbate

Circadian and amphetamine-induced changes in the extracellular concentration of ascorbate in the striatum and hippocampus of unrestrained rats were measured voltammetrically; the amphetamine-induced changes in striatal ascorbate were confirmed using a push-pull perfusion technique. Circadian changes in the level of blood plasma ascorbate, and the distribution of [¹⁴C]ascorbate after the intraperitoneal administration of amphetamine were also measured. Circadian changes in brain and plasma ascorbate levels were 6 h out of phase. Amphetamine caused little change in the distribution of blood-borne ascorbate in the striatum or hippocampus.

These results suggest that changes in extracellular ascorbate levels in the brain are not secondary to changes in the supply of ascorbate from the blood; they arise from the modulation in ascorbate release from, and/or the uptake into, neuropil.     

Behavioral responses of Rhodobacter sphaeroides to linear gradients of the nutrients succinate and acetate

Rhodobacter sphaeroides cells were tethered by their flagella and subjected to increasing and decreasing nutrient gradients. Using motion analysis, changes in flagellar motor rotation were measured and the responses of the cells to the chemotactic gradients were determined. The steepness and concentration ranges of increasing and decreasing gradients were varied, and the bacterial responses were measured. This allowed the limits of gradients that would invoke changes in flagellar behavior to be determined and thus predicts the nature of gradients that would evoke chemotaxis in the environment. The sensory threshold was measured at 30 nM, and the response showed saturation at 150 microM. The study determined that cells detected and responded to changing concentration rates as low as 1 nM/s for acetate and 5 nM/s for succinate. The complex sensory system of R. sphaeroides responded to both increasing and decreasing concentration gradients of attractant with different sensitivities. In addition, transition phases involving changes in the motor speed and the smoothness of motor rotation were found.     

Behavioral Responses of Rhodobacter sphaeroides to Linear Gradients of the Nutrients Succinate and Acetate

Rhodobacter sphaeroides cells were tethered by their flagella and subjected to increasing and decreasing nutrient gradients. Using motion analysis, changes in flagellar motor rotation were measured and the responses of the cells to the chemotactic gradients were determined. The steepness and concentration ranges of increasing and decreasing gradients were varied, and the bacterial responses were measured. This allowed the limits of gradients that would invoke changes in flagellar behavior to be determined and thus predicts the nature of gradients that would evoke chemotaxis in the environment. The sensory threshold was measured at 30 nM, and the response showed saturation at 150 μM. The study determined that cells detected and responded to changing concentration rates as low as 1 nM/s for acetate and 5 nM/s for succinate. The complex sensory system of R. sphaeroides responded to both increasing and decreasing concentration gradients of attractant with different sensitivities. In addition, transition phases involving changes in the motor speed and the smoothness of motor rotation were found.     

Muscle and sarcomere lengths in the hind limb of the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) during a galloping stride

Rabbits were filmed galloping, and the length changes of the principal hind limb muscles were determined. Sarcomere lengths were measured in carcasses set by rigor mortis in four of the positions adopted during a stride. These sarcomere lengths were measured by means of a diffraction technique, devised for the purpose, using an ordinary microscope. Expected sarcomere lengths for three of the positions were predicted from that observed in the fourth, together with muscle length changes. A theoretical length-tension curve for rabbit muscle was constructed, using A and I filament lengths, it was shown that when the muscles were active, their sarcomere lengths corresponded to the plateau of the length-tension curve.     

Effect of inflation on the interaction between the left and right hemidiaphragms.

At resting end expiration [functional residual capacity (FRC)], the actions of the left and right hemidiaphragms on the lung are synergistic. However, the synergism decreases in magnitude as muscle tension decreases. Therefore, the hypothesis was tested in anesthetized dogs that the degree of synergism between the two hemidiaphragms also decreases with increasing lung volume. In a first experiment, the changes in airway opening pressure (DeltaPao) and abdominal pressure (DeltaPab) obtained during simultaneous stimulation of the left and right phrenic nerves (measured changes in pressure) at different lung volumes were compared with the sum of the pressure changes produced by their separate stimulation (predicted changes in pressure). Although the pressure changes decreased markedly with increasing lung volume, the measured DeltaPao and DeltaPab were substantially greater than the predicted values at all lung volumes. The ratio of the measured to the predicted DeltaPao, in fact, remained constant. In a second experiment, radiographic measurements showed that the fractional shortening of the muscle during bilateral contraction at high lung volumes was similar to that during unilateral contraction. During unilateral contraction at high lung volumes, however, the passive hemidiaphragm moved in the cranial direction, whereas, during unilateral contraction at FRC, it moved in the caudal direction. These observations indicate that 1) for a given muscle tension, the synergism between the two halves of the diaphragm is greater at high lung volumes than at FRC; and 2) this difference is primarily related to the greater distortion of the muscle configuration.     

Myocardial capillaries in the fetal and the neonatal rat: a morphometric analysis of the maturing myocardial capillary bed

Developing myocardial capillaries from 16-day-gestation fetus to adult undergo several morphological changes including a thinning of the lateral extensions of the capillary endothelial cells, the formation of a basal lamina, and an increase in the number of plasmalemmal vesicles. A decrease in the extracellular space, an increase in the number of capillaries, and a decrease in the capillary diameter were also observed during the developmental period. In view of these ultrastructural changes, a morphometric analysis was made on the developing myocardial wall to demonstrate specific quantitative changes. The volumes which were occupied by capillary endothelial cells, capillary lumina, extracellular space, and myocardial myocytes within a reference volume of myocardium were measured; and we found that 8% of the reference myocardial volume was occupied by capillary endothelial cells, 85% was occupied by myocardial myocytes, 4% was occupied by capillary lumina, and, except for a significant change in extracellular space at 16 days gestation, 3% was occupied by extracellular space. Each volume ratio was found to be nearly constant throughout the studied period. In contrast to this constancy in the volume ratios, other parameters which were measured demonstrated significant changes during the developmental period studied. These overall changes include a 135% increase in capillary density, a 63% increase in luminal surface area of capillary endothelial cells, a 24% decrease in capillary diameter, a 12% decrease in diffusion distance, and a 35% decrease in the diameter of the erythrocyte population.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The influence of kainic acid on core temperature and cytokine levels in the brain

Excitotoxic brain injury is associated with hyperthermia, and there are data showing beneficial effects of hypothermia on neurodegeneration and that hyperthermia facilitates the neurodegeneration. Cytokines are inflammatory proteins that seem to be involved in the neuroinflammation associated with epilepsy. Core temperature changes caused by the epileptogenic glutamate analogue kainic acid (KA) were investigated in relation to changes in levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and the endogenous interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra). The temperature was measured every 10 min during the first hour, and at 90 and 120 min, and hourly until 8 h after KA-injection (10 mg/kg). The cytokines were measured in the hypothalamus, a site of temperature regulation, and in hippocampus, cerebellum, and frontal cortex. KA induced a brief hypothermia followed by hyperthermia. IL-1beta levels were increased after KA-administration in all brain regions examined and, excepting hippocampus, returned to baseline levels at 24 h. The hippocampal IL-1ra levels were significantly increased at 24 h, whereas no changes in IL-6 levels were observed. The changes in IL-1beta levels and in ratios between the levels of the three cytokines, may account for some of the temperature changes and the behavioural manifestations induced by KA.     

Measuring and estimating GFR and treatment effect in ADPKD patients: results and implications of a longitudinal cohort study

Trials failed to demonstrate protective effects of investigational treatments on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) reduction in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). To assess whether above findings were explained by unreliable GFR estimates, in this academic study we compared GFR values centrally measured by iohexol plasma clearance with corresponding values estimated by Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-Epi) and abbreviated Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (aMDRD) formulas in ADPKD patients retrieved from four clinical trials run by a Clinical Research Center and five Nephrology Units in Italy. Measured baseline GFRs and one-year GFR changes averaged 78.6±26.7 and 8.4±10.3 mL/min/1.73 m(2) in 111 and 71 ADPKD patients, respectively. CKD-Epi significantly overestimated and aMDRD underestimated baseline GFRs. Less than half estimates deviated by <10% from measured values. One-year estimated GFR changes did not detect measured changes. Both formulas underestimated GFR changes by 50%. Less than 9% of estimates deviated <10% from measured changes. Extent of deviations even exceeded that of measured one-year GFR changes. In ADPKD, prediction formulas unreliably estimate actual GFR values and fail to detect their changes over time. Direct kidney function measurements by appropriate techniques are needed to adequately evaluate treatment effects in clinics and research.     

珊瑚树叶片叶绿素荧光非光化学猝灭的日变化和季节变化

用脉冲调制荧光仪观测了珊瑚树叶片叶绿素荧光非光化学猝灭（qE）的日变化和季节变化后发现：在晴天,qE及其慢弛豫组分（qE-slow）随着光强的增加而升高,中午达最高值,之后随光强的减弱而下降;阴天时,这两个指标的日变化不明显。在不同季节,相同日时间和同一光照强度下测定珊瑚树叶片的qE和qE-slow,两个指标在冬季明显高于春、秋两季;在短时间（1d）内改变强光下的叶片周围的温度,叶片的qE和qE-slow在高温和低温下均高于过温下测定的结果。     

Constitutive activation of angiotensin II type 1 receptor alters the orientation of transmembrane Helix-2

A key step in transmembrane (TM) signal transduction by G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is the ligand-induced conformational change of the receptor, which triggers the activation of a guanine nucleotide-binding protein. GPCRs contain a seven-TM helical structure essential for signal transduction in response to a large variety of sensory and hormonal signals. Primary structure comparison of GPCRs has shown that the second TM helix contains a highly conserved Asp residue, which is critical for agonist activation in these receptors. How conformational changes in TM2 relate to signal transduction by a GPCR is not known, because activation-induced conformational changes in TM2 helix have not been measured. Here we use modification of reporter cysteines to measure water accessibility at specific residues in TM2 of the type 1 receptor for the octapeptide hormone angiotensin II. Activation-dependent changes in the accessibility of Cys76 on TM2 were measured in constitutively activated mutants. These changes were directly correlated with measurement of function, establishing the link between physical changes in TM2 and function. Accessibility changes were measured at several consecutive residues on TM2, which suggest that TM2 undergoes a transmembrane movement in response to activation. This is the first report of in situ measurement of TM2 movement in a GPCR.     

Influence of seasons on circadian rhythm of acid phosphatase and beta-acetyl-glucosaminidase activity in the mouse salivary gland and liver

Influence of seasons on circadian changes in acid phosphatase and beta-acetylglucosaminidase activity was studied in the liver and submandibular gland of sexually mature mice. Seasonal differences in circadian rhythm was found in both examined enzymes in both organs. These changes were independent from each other and each rhythm was differently subjected to seasonal changes. The lowest seasonal influence was observed in acid phosphatase in the salivary gland. Activity of the other enzymes changed in different degrees, having their acrophases at different times of the day and different rhythm intensity. The highest circadian activity changes measured by amplitude and mesor were observed in spring and summer whereas in the autumn and winter their activity had much weaker rhythms or even they disappeared completely. An attempt was made to explain the observed changes by changes in hormonal background and a certain kind of genetic memory pertaining to laboratory animals.     

Thickness of mammalian cells in culture, the absorption of UV radiation in the cells and the related shift in action spectra

The thickness of SPEV cells in monolayer with different cell densities was measured by means of 3-dimensional reconstruction from serial vertical sections. No significant changes in the mean cell thickness were detected despite the wide range of volume and cell density variations. UV absorption at different wave-lengths was measured in various sites of single cells. It is shown that the well known shift between peaks of the UV action spectrum for mammalian and bacteria cells may result from the cell self-shielding at short wavelengths.     

急性冷暴露对大鼠肺组织中水通道蛋白AQP-1和AQP-5表达的影响

目的：探讨急性冷暴露后肺组织超微结构变化以及对水通道蛋白-1（AQP-1）和AQP-5表达的影响。方法：12只健康雄性Wistar大鼠随机分为室温（23℃±2℃）对照组和-25℃ 2 h冷暴露组（n=6）;记录冷暴露后大鼠直肠温度;透射电镜观察肺组织超微结构改变;RT-PCR法和Western blot法测定大鼠肺组织AQP-1和AQP-5基因和蛋白的表达水平。结果：急性冷暴露后大鼠的体心温度与对照组相比,明显降低（P<0.05）;肺组织超微结构亦发生改变,基底膜明显增厚,肺泡I上皮细胞（AT-I）核固缩,肺泡Ⅱ上皮细胞（AT-Ⅱ）胞浆空泡化增多;冷暴露后大鼠肺组织AQP-1的基因和蛋白表达未见明显变化,AQP-5的基因和蛋白表达均显著降低（P<0.05）。结论：急性冷暴露肺组织AQP-5基因和蛋白表达降低与寒冷暴露引发肺组织结构损伤可能存在一定因果关系。     

Effects of a high-pressure treatment on the activity and structure of rabbit muscle proteasome

The effects were assessed of high hydrostatic pressure on the activity and structure of rabbit skeletal muscle proteasome. The pressure effects on the activity were measured by the amount of fluorometric products released from synthetic substrates under pressure and from fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled casein after releasing the pressure. The effects on the structure were measured by fluorescene spectroscopy under pressure, and by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and surface hydrophobicity after releasing the pressure. The optimal pressure for the hydrolyzing activity of synthetic peptides was 50 MPa. The degradation of FITC-labeled casein increased linearly with increasing pressure applied up to 200 MPa, and then markedly decreased up to at 400 MPa.The changes in the tertiary structure detected by fluorometric measurement were irreversible, whereas the changes in the secondary structure were small compared with those by heat treatment. The pressure-induced activation of proteasome therefore seems to have been due to a little unfolding of the active sites of proteasome.     

Depth distribution during the life history of Neocalanus plumchrus in the Strait of Georgia

Neocalanus plumchrus is the most common large copepod in theNortheast Pacific, and plays an important role in the ecosystemsof that area; it is particularly common in the Strait of Georgia.In this study, seasonal changes in the vertical distributionof late-stage N. plumchrus at a single site in the Strait ofGeorgia were measured with an optical plankton counter (OPC)and depth-stratified net samples. Particles measured in situby the OPC were compared to an empirically measured size distributionfor live N. plumchrus. Below 200 m (primarily overwinteringindividuals), OPC estimated abundance usually corresponded toabundance estimates from net samples. Abundance in the top 100m was consistently overestimated by the OPC, relative to resultsfrom net samples. During overwintering, the vertical distributionshifted downward over time, coinciding with deepwater renewalevents in the Strait, and was followed by a partial upward spawningmigration by newly moulted adults. Spatial structure at severalscales was inconsistent, but significantly different from random.A simple simulation model of depth as a function of time showedthat both hydrographic changes and endogenous changes withinthe animals may influence depth distributions, and suggeststhat maintenance of position in the water column during diapauseis not a passive process.     

Temperature and detection-wavelength dependence of the picosecond electron-transfer kinetics measured in Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides reaction centers. Resolution of new spectral and kinetic components in the primary charge-separation process

We have examined the temperature dependence of the rate of electron transfer to ubiquinone from the bacteriopheophytin (BPh) that serves as an initial electron acceptor (I) in reaction centers of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. The kinetics were measured from the decay of the 665-nm absorption band of the reduced BPh (BPh⁻ or I⁻) and from the recovery of the BPh band at 545 nm, following excitation of reaction centers in polyvinyl alcohol films with 30-ps flashes. The measured time constant decreases from 229 ± 25 ps at 295 K to 97 ± 8 ps near 100 K and then remains constant down to 5 K. The temperature dependence of the kinetics can be rationalized on the assumption that the reaction results in changes in the frequencies of numerous low-energy nuclear (vibrational) modes of the electron carriers and/or the protein. The kinetics measured in the absorption bands near 765 and 795 nm show essentially the same temperature dependence as those measured at 545 or 665 nm, but the time constants vary with detection wavelength. The time constant measured in the 795-nm region (70 ± 10 ps at 5 and 76 K) is shorter than that seen in the absorption bands of the BPh; the time constant measured at 758 nm is longer. Time constants measured with reaction centers in solution at 288 K also vary with the detection wavelength. These results can be explained on the assumption that the absorption changes measured at some wavelengths reflect nuclear relaxations rather than electron transfer. The absorption changes at 795 nm probably reflect a relaxation of the bacteriochlorophyll molecules that are near neighbors of the BPh and the primary electron donor (P). Those near 530 and 755 nm probably are due to the second BPh molecule, which does not appear to undergo oxidation or reduction.     

Chaotropic anions and the surface potential of bilayer membranes.

The chaotropic anions perchlorate and thiocyanate adsorb to artificial phospholipid membranes. The negative electrostatic potential they produce at the surface of the membranes was measured by two independent techniques. The conductance produced by neutral carriers of cations and anions was measured to estimate changes in the surface potentials of planar black lipid films and the electrophoretic mobility of phospholipid vesicles was used to monitor changes in the zeta potentials of spherical bilayer membranes. Qualitatively similar results were obtained with the two techniques. The results, moreover, agreed with the change in surface potential produced by these anions at an air water interface, as measured directly with an ionizing electrode (Randles, J. E. B. (1957) Discuss. Faraday Soc. 24, 194-199). The results obtained with artificial bilayers may explain the observation (Wieth, J. O. (1970) J. Physiol. 207, 581-609) that thiocyanate increases the sodium or potassium and decreases the sulfate permeability of erythrocyte membranes.     

Ion-mediated increase in the hydraulic conductivity of Laurel stems: role of pits and consequences for the impact of cavitation on water transport

Changes in hydraulic conductivity (K(h)) were measured in stems of Laurus nobilis L. during perfusion with KCl, NaCl or sucrose solutions. Ionic solutes induced marked increase of K(h) with respect to deionized water but sucrose had no effect. The kinetics of KCl-induced K(h) increase was measured together with changes in [K(+)] of the perfused solution. K(h) increases were paralleled by increases in the [K(+)](out)/[K(+)](in) ratio. Samples of different lengths or with increasing percentage loss of conductivity (PLC) due to xylem cavitation were tested, with the aim of increasing radial flow through intervessel pits. KCl solutions enhanced the K(h) of 12-cm-long samples with a concentration-dependent effect up to 100 mm KCl. DeltaK(h) increased from 3 to 30% in 1.5- and 12-cm-long samples, respectively and remained constant for longer samples. Increasing PLC induced an exponential increase in DeltaK(h). PLC measured with KCl solutions was significantly less than that measured with deionized water, suggesting that measurements of PLC can be affected by the composition of the perfused solution. Experiments support the hypothesis that the 'ionic effect' is mediated by physico-chemical changes of pectins of the pit membranes and raise the possibility that plants might alter the ionic composition of the xylem sap to alleviate the hydraulic impact of cavitation.     

用露点法和湿度法测定叶片水势及其组分

本文讨论了样品水势差异对叶室平衡时间和热电偶冷却时间的影响;比较了湿度法和露点法的测定结果,活体测定与离体测定的结果以及两种渗透势测定方法的结果;并用离体法测定了大麦在NaCl胁迫下叶片Yw,Ys和Yp 的动态变化;用活体法测定了小麦和蚕豆在大田条件下叶片Yw、Ys和YP 的昼夜变化。     

The regulation of the biologically available fractions of oestradiol and testosterone in plasma

The albumin bound fractions of oestradiol and testosterone have been measured in samples of plasma obtained over a 24 h period from women with breast cancer or polycystic ovarian disease and from pre- and postmenopausal control subjects and related to plasma levels of free fatty acids. For most subjects changes in the fraction of oestradiol bound to albumin were related to changes in plasma levels of free fatty acids. A significant decrease in the albumin bound testosterone fraction during the night was associated with increased plasma levels of cortisol.