Lectins implicate specific carbohydrate domains in electric field stimulated nerve growth and guidance

Both endogenous lectins and DC electric fields may control aspects of early nerve growth and nerve guidance. To test whether such endogenous cues interact, lectins of varying sugar affinity and valency were studied for effects on electric field induced growth and reorientation of cultured Xenopus neurites. Concanavalin A (Con A), succinylated concanavalin A (S-Con A), and wheat germ agglutinin all completely inhibited field-induced cathodal reorientation. Lentil and pea lectins, which share the same sugar affinity as Con A/S-Con A, were only partially effective in inhibiting reorientation. Because S-Con A does not alter lateral mobility of membrane receptors, the previously accepted notion that Con A inhibited field-induced reorientation by preventing receptors from translocating and becoming redistributed asymmetrically in the membrane may be oversimplified. There are likely to be additional steric interactions that Con A and S-Con A share that inactive asymmetrically redistributed receptors and prevent reorientation. Additionally, nerves growing in an applied field branch more commonly toward the cathode. Con A and S-Con A alone prevented this development of asymmetric branching. All the lectins tested prevented the normal field-induced increase in nerve growth rate, while all, except peanut agglutinin, prevented the usual faster growth cathodally than anodally. We suggest that lectin interactions with electric field effects in vitro may involve modulation of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, neurotrophin receptors, or voltage-dependent calcium channels. Similar interactions between endogenous lectins and endogenous electric fields are to be expected. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Supercritical branching processes and the role of fluctuations under exponential population growth

We study some exact properties of supercritical branching processes. A proper rescaling of the relevant variable allows us to determine the distribution of population sizes after a number of generations have elapsed. Both time-continuous and discrete processes are analysed and compared. The obtained results are of relevance for the growth of populations that are not resource limited (a typical situation in some biological processes that can be modelled by laboratory experiments). Large fluctuations inherent to the process play a main role when bottlenecks occur.     

The relationship of intramuscular nerve branching and synaptogenesis to motoneuron survival

The target has been considered for some time to play a major role in allowing neurons to survive the period of naturally occurring cell death. For the motoneurons that innervate the chick limb, evidence is presented that suggests access to target-derived trophic factor via intramuscular nerve branches and synapses may be important in regulating neuronal survival. Alterations in branching and synapse formation produced by activity blockade as well as by alteration of adhesion molecule function are shown to result in changes in motoneuron survival consistent with the proposed hypothesis. The relevance of these observations to the numerical-matching hypothesis of vertebrate neuronal cell death is also considered. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Evolutionarily singular strategies and the adaptive growth and branching of the evolutionary tree

We present a general framework for modelling adaptive trait dynamics in which we integrate various concepts and techniques from modern ESS-theory. The concept of evolutionarily singular strategies is introduced as a generalization of the ESS-concept. We give a full classification of the singular strategies in terms of ESS-stability, convergence stability, the ability of the singular strategy to invade other populations if initially rare itself, and the possibility of protected dimorphisms occurring within the singular strategy's neighbourhood. Of particular interest is a type of singular strategy that is an evolutionary attractor from a great distance, but once in its neighbourhood a population becomes dimorphic and undergoes disruptive selection leading to evolutionary branching. Modelling the adaptive growth and branching of the evolutionary tree can thus be considered as a major application of the framework. A haploid version of Levene's soft selection model is developed as a specific example to demonstrate evolutionary dynamics and branching in monomorphic and polymorphic populations.     

电刺激大鼠脊神经皮支对远距离机械感受单位电活动的影响

实验采用分离神经细束的方法,观察逆行电刺激大鼠脊神经背侧皮支后,在相距较远的神经细束上记录到的Aδ和C类机械感受单位电活动的变化。刺激T9脊神经背侧皮支,在T12神经细束上记录到59.3%（16/27）的Aδ和71.2%(37/52）的C类单位在刺激后90～120s放电显著增加。刺激T8脊神经背侧皮支,在T12神经细束上记录到47.8%(11/23）的Aδ单位和36.6%(15/41）的C类单位在刺激后120～150s放电显著增加。大多数单位（18/23）的机械感受阈值在电刺激远距离脊神经背侧皮支后降低。结果表明,逆行电刺激外周感觉神经,可以使相距较远的Aδ和C类机械感受单位致敏,其传入放电增加。     

不同栽培密度对辣木人工林分枝格局及生物量的影响

为了探讨干热河谷盆地辣木种植密度与分枝格局和生物量的关系及较为合理的种植密度,通过野外实地调查和数据分析对该地区不同栽培密度辣木人工林分枝格局及生物量进行研究,结果表明:辣木林分在株高、地径、冠幅以及分枝数量方面与栽培密度呈现显著负相关;不同密度下,根、茎、叶生物量及果荚数和果荚均长、直径和果荚均仔粒数之间都存在显著的差异性;栽培密度对辣木的分枝格局有较显著影响,主要表现在一级/二级分枝率、二级/三级分枝率以及三级分枝长度上有显著差异;辣木在不同方位上分枝格局有明显差异,主要体现在主、侧枝分枝长度和一级分枝角度上的差异显著;在本试验范围内,以叶用辣木为培育目标的较适宜的栽培密度为株行距0.9m×0.9m,以果用为栽培目标的较适宜的栽培密度为株行距1.5m×1.5m。在不同的栽培密度下,辣木人工林之间分枝格局及生物量的显著性差异,反映了辣木随环境的变化具有较高的形态可塑性和生态适应性。     

Field performance and starch characteristics of high-amylose potatoes obtained by antisense gene targeting of two branching enzymes

Potato is an important crop for starch production, but there are limitations regarding the genetic variation of starch quality. In maize, starches with various properties have been available for a long time by mutational breeding. Amylose starch from potatoes differs from cereal amyloses in several functionally important aspects, such as a higher degree of polymerization. Areas of application in which the degree of polymerization is of importance include film forming and the polymeric properties of bioplastics. High-amylose potato lines have been achieved by inhibiting the two known branching enzyme forms of potato. A single inserted gene construct for the inhibition of both forms resulted in structural changes of the starch to levels of branching that were below the commercially available amylose standards of potato. The high-amylose potato lines were tested in multiple year field trials of agronomic performance and were used for the pilot plant production of starch. The introduced trait was confirmed to be stable over multiple years. The consequences of the modification were found to be an increased tuber yield, reduced starch content, smaller granule size and an increase in reducing sugars.     

放牧及土壤斑块质量对白三叶密度及分枝格局的影响

对白三叶长期禁牧草地及土壤斑块质量不同的春季休牧草地的研究结果显示,４月份,在中等放牧强度草地上,约有７６．５％￣８０．４％的白三叶植株为茎部出现断折的残株,放牧草地植株密度明显高于对照草地。放牧草地较好的土壤营养条件使白三叶单株构件数量明显上升,但使分枝强度略有下降。白三叶各构件密度之间存在显著正相关。不同样地上白三叶的分枝均以２、３级分枝为主。放牧草地的分枝角度大小顺序为：１级分枝角＞２级分枝     

The risk of competitive exclusion during evolutionary branching: Effects of resource variability, correlation and autocorrelation

Evolutionary branching has been suggested as a mechanism to explain ecological speciation processes. Recent studies indicate however that demographic stochasticity and environmental fluctuations may prevent branching through stochastic competitive exclusion. Here we extend previous theory in several ways; we use a more mechanistic ecological model, we incorporate environmental fluctuations in a more realistic way and we include environmental autocorrelation in the analysis. We present a single, comprehensible analytical result which summarizes most effects of environmental fluctuations on evolutionary branching driven by resource competition. Corroborating earlier findings, we show that branching may be delayed or impeded if the underlying resources have uncorrelated or negatively correlated responses to environmental fluctuations. There is also a strong impeding effect of positive environmental autocorrelation, which can be related to results from recent experiments on adaptive radiation in bacterial microcosms. In addition, we find that environmental fluctuations can lead to cycles of repeated branching and extinction.     

Gene dosage at the amylose-extender locus of maize: Effects on the levels of starch branching enzymes

Soluble starch branching enzymes and starch synthases from maize kernels of differing dosage of the ae locus were purified by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. A near-linear relationship between increasing dosage of the dominate amylose-extender allele (Ae) and branching enzyme IIb activity was found. In contrast, levels and properties of branching enzymes I and IIa, as well as the citrate-stimulated and primer-requiring starch synthases, remained unchanged. The near-linear increase in branching enzyme IIb activity with increasing doses of the Ae allele is consistent with the hypothesis that ae is the structural gene coding for branching enzyme IIb.Paper of the Journal Series, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Cook College, Rutgers University, New Brunswick. This work was performed as part of NJAES Projects 12442 and 12201 (NE-124), supported by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Regional Research Funds, NSF Grant PCM 78-16127, and funds from Corn Refiners Association, Inc.     

Inhibitory effects of opioids on compound action potentials in frog sciatic nerves and their chemical structures

An opioid tramadol more effectively inhibits compound action potentials (CAPs) than its metabolite mono-O-demethyl-tramadol (M1). To address further this issue, we examined the effects of opioids (morphine, codeine, ethylmorphine and dihydrocodeine) and cocaine on CAPs by applying the air-gap method to the frog sciatic nerve. All of the opioids at concentrations less than 10 mM reduced the peak amplitude of the CAP in a reversible and dose-dependent manner. The sequence of the CAP peak amplitude reductions was ethylmorphine>codeine>dihydrocodeine> or = morphine; the effective concentration for half-maximal inhibition (IC(50)) of ethylmorphine was 4.6 mM. All of the CAP inhibitions by opioids were resistant to a non-specific opioid-receptor antagonist naloxone. The CAP peak amplitude reductions produced by morphine, codeine and ethylmorphine were related to their chemical structures in such that this extent enhanced with an increase in the number of -CH(2) in a benzene ring, as seen in the inhibitory actions of tramadol and M1. Cocaine reduced CAP peak amplitudes with an IC(50) value of 0.80 mM. It is concluded that opioids reduce CAP peak amplitudes in a manner being independent of opioid-receptor activation and with an efficacy being much less than that of cocaine. It is suggested that the substituted groups of -OH bound to the benzene ring of morphine, codeine and ethylmorphine as well as of tramadol and M1, the structures of which are quite different from those of the opioids, may play an important role in producing nerve conduction block.     

Influence of electrolytes on growth, phototropism, nutation and surface potential in etiolated cucumber seedlings

A variety of electrolytes (10-30 mol m-3) increased the relative growth rate of etiolated cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Burpee's Pickler) hypocotyls by 20-50% relative to water-only controls. The nonelectrolyte mannitol inhibited growth by 10%. All salts tested were effective, regardless of chemical composition or valence. Measurements of cell-sap osmolality ruled out an osmotic mechanism for the growth stimulation by electrolytes. This, and the nonspecificity of the response, indicate that an electrical property of the solutions was responsible for their growth-stimulating activity. Measurements of surface electrical potential supported this reasoning. Treatment with electrolytes also enhanced nutation and altered the pattern of phototropic curvature development. A novel analytical method for quantitating these effects on growth was developed. The evidence indicates that electrolytes influence an electrophysiological parameter that is involved in the control of cell expansion and the coordination of growth underlying tropisms and nutations.     

关于健康成人左右运动神经传导参数的比较

目的：研究正常人左、右侧的末梢神经传导特点及易损伤性,探讨生活习惯与末梢神经潜在性损伤的内在关联,提高电生理诊断准确率。方法：100名志愿者为对象,检测正中、尺、胫和腓神经的复合肌肉动作电位（CMAP）、F波,观察左、右侧的神经传导参数及左右差值与生活习惯之间的联系。结果：左侧尺、胫运动神经传导速度（MCV）慢于右侧（P值各为0.013、0.011）。MCV≤X-1S尺神经组的远端潜伏期（D Lat）、F波最短潜伏期（F-Lat）延长于MCV〉X-1S组（P值均为0.000）。MCV≤X-1S胫神经组的近端波幅（P Amp）低于MCV〉X-1S组（P=0.000）。右侧腓神经D Lat延长于左侧（P=0.007）,D Lat≥X＋1S腓神经组的MCV、F-Lat平均值慢或延长于D Lat〈X＋1S组（P值各为0.041、0.000）。结论：左侧尺、胫神经MCV慢于右侧,右侧腓神经D Lat延长于左侧。推测神经传导左右差异是由日常生活中的频繁而反复的轻微外伤导致。     

牛蛙神经冲动产生和传导的低温效应

在5℃和15℃温度条件下,用牛蛙(Rana catesbeiana)离体坐骨神经标本测定0、24、48、96、120、144、168、192、216 h 9个时段的动作电位波幅和传导速度.结果表明:两个温度下离体坐骨神经的动作电位幅度在0 h和24 h差异均不显著,0 h时相对高温(15℃)下动作电位传导速度大于相对低温(5℃),24 h时两个温度下动作电位的传导速度差异不显著,相对高温下48 h时坐骨神经的兴奋性为零.相对低温条件下,坐骨神经兴奋性能维持7 d时间.     

关于健康成人左右运动神经传导参数的比较

目的:研究正常人左、右侧的末梢神经传导特点及易损伤性,探讨生活习惯与末梢神经潜在性损伤的内在关联,提高电生理诊断准确率。方法:100名志愿者为对象,检测正中、尺、胫和腓神经的复合肌肉动作电位(CMAP)、F波,观察左、右侧的神经传导参数及左右差值与生活习惯之间的联系。结果:左侧尺、胫运动神经传导速度(MCV)慢于右侧(P值各为0.013、0.011)。MCV≤X-1S尺神经组的远端潜伏期(D Lat)、F波最短潜伏期(F-Lat)延长于MCV>X-1S组(P值均为0.000)。MCV≤X-1S胫神经组的近端波幅(P Amp)低于MCV>X-1S组(P=0.000)。右侧腓神经D Lat延长于左侧(P=0.007),D Lat≥X+1S腓神经组的MCV、F-Lat平均值慢或延长于D Lat相似文献   

GAP43 phosphorylation is critical for growth and branching of retinotectal arbors in zebrafish

Visual activity acts via NMDA Receptors to refine developing retinotectal maps by shaping retinal arbors. Retinal axons add and delete transient branches, and the dynamic rates increase when MK801 blocks NMDARs, as if this prevents release of a stabilizing signal. Ca⁺⁺ entry through NMDARs activates phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) to release arachidonic acid (AA), which taps into a presynaptic growth control mechanism. NCAM, L1, N‐cadherin, and FGF all stimulate axon growth via AA activation of protein kinase C to phosphorylate GAP43 and polymerize/stabilize F‐actin. Our previous results show that blocking cPLA2 mimics NMDAR blockers, whereas exogenous AA reverses the increased dynamics, and PKC inhibitors also arrest growth. To test whether this activity‐driven F‐actin control mechanism shapes retinotectal arbors in zebrafish, we used the alpha‐1‐tubulin promoter to express GAP43‐GFP fusion proteins in retinal ganglion cells, and imaged arbors in time‐lapse to test for effects of GAP43 levels and its phosphorylation. Overexpressing wildtype GAP43 gave faster growth and larger arbors (#branches, spatial extent, total length of branches) at three days and especially four days. Surprisingly, the N‐terminal 20 amino acid segment alone caused the same increase in branching, but no increase in growth. Earlier studies implicate this region in activating G_o resulting in collapse of growth cones, which is now known to precede branch initiation. In contrast, GAP43 with ser41 mutated to ala (S41A) to prevent phosphorylation did not increase either branching or growth but resulted in immature, elongated arbors even at four to five days. In support of this atrophic effect, only half of brain/spinal neurons expressing S41A successfully initiated axonal outgrowth (vs. nearly 100% for wtGAP43). These results suggest that the region around the ser41 phosphorylation site, which binds CaM and PIP2, promotes growth only when phosphorylated, and also activates the branching control region in the first 10–20 amino acids. Whereas phosphorylation introduces a bulky negative charge group, mutation of serine to arginine introduces a bulky positive charge. But this also produced the same growth and branching as phosphorylation, suggesting that the effect of phosphorylation is through hydrophilic bulk rather than negative charge, in agreement with other IQ motifs. The results implicate the cPLA2‐AA‐PKC‐GAP43 pathway as part of an F‐actin based mechanism that both stabilizes new synapses and initiates new branches near effective synapses. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 70: 897–911, 2010     

旋转磁场对小麦种子萌发及幼苗生长的影响

以“淮麦19”小麦种子为研究对象,采用磁场强度为11 mT的旋转磁场进行处理,设定不同的时间梯度(10、20、30、60 min),以未经磁场处理的为对照,研究了不同处理时间下旋转磁场对小麦种子发芽指标及幼苗生理特性的影响。结果表明：旋转磁场处理对小麦种子萌发具有促进作用,不同处理时间下,种子的发芽势、发芽率、发芽指数均有显著提高,随着时间的增加呈现先上升后下降的趋势,以处理30 min为最高,分别比对照提高了8.24％、7.37％、11.24％。经旋转磁场处理后,小麦根系发达,根长、根数均显著高于对照;幼苗生长加快,株高除处理60 min外,其他处理均显著高于对照,以处理30 min为最大,高出对照11.13％;叶片数除处理10 min外,其他处理均高于对照,以处理30 min为最大,比对照高出38.89％,且差异显著。旋转磁场处理显著增加了小麦幼苗的物质积累,不同处理时间表现出不同的效果,对幼苗生物积累量影响最佳的是处理20 min。这说明旋转磁场处理提高了小麦种子的萌发能力,加快了小麦幼苗的生长速度。     

土壤表面电场对黑土团聚体破碎和侵蚀的影响

通过定量调控土粒表面电场强度,采用湿筛法和模拟降雨试验,研究了土壤表面电场对东北黑土团聚体稳定性和土壤侵蚀的影响。结果表明: 1)随着土壤本体溶液电解质浓度的降低,土壤颗粒表面电位绝对值和电场强度均不断增加,宾县黑土和克山黑土表面电场强度均可达10⁸ V·m^-1数量级;2)随着土粒表面电场增强,土壤团聚体的破碎程度增大,平均重量直径表现为先急剧减小而后保持不变;3)通过人工模拟降雨试验可知,随本体溶液电解质浓度降低,颗粒表面电场增强,土壤流失强度增大。当电解质浓度＜0.01 mol·L^-1,对应宾县黑土和克山黑土的表面电位绝对值分别大于210和209 mV时,土壤累积流失量随时间的分布曲线较为接近,表明0.01 mol·L^-1是影响土壤侵蚀强度的电解质临界浓度值;4)土壤累积流失量与团聚体平均重量直径之间表现出良好的线性关系。综上,当雨水进入土壤,土粒表面电场增强,引发土壤团聚体破碎并释放大量细颗粒,最后在雨水冲刷作用下发生侵蚀。该研究结果可为深入理解东北黑土区土壤水蚀机理提供新的思路。