The relation of changes in the individual levels of heat resistance of muscle tissue to their initial values during heat acclimation of Asellus aquaticus

1. 1.|In hog slater, Asellus aquaticus, five extremities were consecutively isolated in the course of heat acclimation to study the pattern of changes in the level of the heat resistance of muscle tissue of each single specimen.

2. 2.|The initial response of the population, during acclimation, is for the muscle resistance of different individuals to become less varied. Then a simultaneous increase in tissue resistance occurs in all ammals, which is complete by the 6th day of acclimation. Afterwards the heat resistance of muscles in the majority of animals shows little change and then, in spite of maintenance of acclimation, it starts to return to its initial level.

3. 3.|Thermal acclimation causes a temporary decrease in the variability of the heat resistance of the muscle tissue and also a temporary stabilization of this physiological characteristic to a new level. This phenomenon is a phenotypical masking of genotypic differences in a physiological characteristic in the population studied during changes in environmental temperature.

4. 4.|At all the stages of acclimation the relation of individual increases in cellular heat resistance to their initial levels follows a hyperbolic exponential equation. This implies that to a rise in environmental temperature a population responds as an integral functional system.

Immune response of CBA mice in postnatal ontogeny

Changes in the pattern of immune response of the CBA mice during postnatal ontogenesis were studied on the models of cellular and humoral immunity. The functions mediated by the amplifier cells were shown to undergo the most significant changes. This was confirmed by a decrease in the activity of antigen-nonspecific T-suppressors, as estimated in a semisyngeneic system, an increase in the capacity of spleen lymphoid cells to induce the "graft versus host" reaction with the age and preservation of the function of hypersensitivity effectors of delayed type at the same level (after the age of 3-4 months). It is suggested that these changes might cause an age decrease in the suppressor activity of T-cells in a response to insoluble antigens.     

Temporal analysis of gene expression in a field population of the Scleractinian coral Montastraea faveolata

Organisms maintain homeostasis and abate cellular damage by altering gene expression. Coral colonies have been shown to produce unique gene expression patterns in response to different environmental stimuli. In order to understand these induced changes, the natural variation in expression of genetic biomarkers needs to be determined. In this study, an array of genes isolated from Scleractinian coral was used to track changes in gene expression within a population of Montastraea faveolata from April to October 2001 in the Florida Keys. The profiles of genes observed in this study can be divided into two groups based on expression over this time period. In spring and early summer, May through July, most of the genes show little deviation from their average level of expression. In August and September, several genes show large deviations from their average level of expression. The physiological and environmental triggers for the observed changes in gene expression have not yet been identified, but the results show that our coral stress gene array can be used to track temporal changes in gene expression in a natural coral population.     

Influence of age on the immediate heart rate response to the active orthostatic test.

Dynamics of the heart rate changes following standing up from the supine position was investigated in 41 healthy men aged 20 to 59 years, classified according to the age into three groups: (22 to 26 yrs, n = 14), (33 to 49, yrs, n = 13) and (51 to 59 yrs, n = 14). The protocol consisted of twice repeated sequence: lying down-standing up-lying down. The subjects remained in each position for 8 minutes. The average and beat-to-beat heart rate (HR) were continuously calculated using the specialized computer program analysing ECG. The initial response was analysed using both the indices known from literature and newly introduced by the authors. The high reproducibility of the response was observed and the correlations between the indices were analysed. The relationship between the indices characterising the pattern of the response and age were analysed using the linear regression model. Most of these indices showed a tendency towards attenuation of the HR response with age. The closest correlation with age was found for the index characterising the initial increase of HR after standing up (r = -0.610, p < 0.001). There were no correlations between the indices of HR response to standing up and the height or body mass of the healthy subjects.     

Temperature treatments of dark-grown pea seedlings cause an accelerated greening in the light at different levels of gene expression

We have previously shown that heat-shock in the dark evokes photomorphogenesis-like effects and circadian rhythmicity at the level of mRNAs when applied to emerging pea plantlets during several consecutive days [15]. Here we extend these findings by showing that a temperature shift to 10 °C above average and a single heat-shock are sufficient for induction of circadian rhythmicity and changes in morphogenesis. The maximum response to a single heat-shock occurs at days 2 to 3 after sowintreatments intensifies the morphogenetic effect. The heat-shocked plantlets have an elevated level of the xanthophyll lutein in the dark. Upon illumination of heat-shocked plantlets accumulation of chloroplast pigments as well as that of individual thylakoid membrane proteins and their corresponding mRNAs occur much faster than in the etiolated controls. This is reflected in an accelerated formation of grana stacks. Therefore, heat-shock seems to evoke a responsiveness of plantlets similar to that obtained earlier by other authors using pre-illumination. The working hypothesis is put forward that induction or synchronization of circadian rhythmicity by either light or heat-shock might be sufficient to explain the observed morphogenetic changes.Abbreviations CCI reaction center I core - CHS cyclic heat-shock - D1 protein 32 kDa psbA gene product - ELIP early light-inducible protein - LHCP light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein - PCOR protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase - SSU small subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase - WSP proteins of the oxygen-evolving (water-splitting) complex     

Cytological structure of the lymph nodes after administration of foreign protein]

Changes in the cellular compositon of popliteal lymphatic nodes of albino rats were studied in normality and after injection of a foreign protein. Allergic inflammation was caused by injection of 0,25 ml of the horse serum. Observations were made on the 1, 3, 8, 19 and 30 days after the beginning of experiment. The cellular composition was counted in 30 visual fileds in the cortical plateu, follicles and myelinated cords. The average percentage of cellular elements has been determined. It has been shown that the reticular cells have less changes as compared with other cells in response to antigen stimulation. An inverse correlative relationship was noted between small and medium-sized lymphocytes. The greatest percentage of plasmic cells was noted in myelinated cords; in the follicles they are found as solitary units. In the primary immunization the cellular composition of follicles was little changed as compared with the cellular composition of the cortical and medullary substance. The cellular reaction was most pronounced in myelinated cords. Thus, the investigation of the cellular composition of different structure components of the rat's lymphatic nodes after injection of the foreign protein has revealed a different degree of their reaction.     

Incorporating parasite systematics in comparative analyses of variation in spleen mass and testes sizes of rodents

Parasite diversity is hypothesized to act on host life-history traits through investment in immunity. In order to incorporate the diversity of the parasite community that an individual host or a host species may face, two indices can be used: Taxonomic Species Richness and Taxonomic Entropy, where the taxonomic information is incorporated with the taxonomic weight. We tested whether these indices correlate with several morphological traits potentially implicated in immune defence and in reproduction, using data on gastrointestinal helminths and their rodent hosts sampled in Southeast Asia. We found no relationship between parasite diversity indices and either spleen mass or testes size at the intraspecific level, i.e. at the level of individuals. At the interspecific level, we found no relationship between the parasite diversity indices and testes size. However, we found that female spleen mass is significantly influenced by the specific species richness of parasites, whereas male spleen mass is influenced by individual mean parasite diversity indices. We concluded that female spleen mass may have evolved in response to gastrointestinal helminth pressure acting at species levels, while in males, the individual spleen mass could be constrained by other factors, such as the blood storage function of the spleen.     

The evolutionary consequences of plasticity in host-pathogen interactions

Interactions between individuals such as hosts and pathogens are often characterized by substantial phenotypic plasticity. Pathogens sometimes alter their exploitation strategies in response to defensive strategies adopted by their host and vice versa. Nevertheless, most game-theoretic models developed to explain the evolution of pathogen and host characteristics assume that no such plasticity occurs. Allowing for phenotypic plasticity in these models is difficult because one must focus on the evolution of pathogen and host reaction norms, and then allow for the potentially indefinite reciprocal changes in pathogen and host behaviour that occur during an infection as a result of their interacting reaction norms. Here, we begin to address these issues for a simple host-pathogen system in which the pathogen exhibits a level of virulence and the host exhibits a level of immune clearance. We find, quite generally, that plasticity promotes the evolution of higher levels of cooperation, in this case leading to reduced levels of both virulence and clearance.     

The Effect of 17 β-Estradiol and Estrone on Intermediary Metabolism of the Pyloric Caeca of the Asteroid Luidia clathrata (Say) Maintained under Different Nutritional Regimes

Luidia clathrata were fed either a high or low level of food and injected with estradiol, estrone, or seawater for 16 days. In individuals maintained at a low level of food, the weight of the pyloric caeca decreased in all individuals, regardless of hormone injections. Activities of all enzymes in these individuals were lower than in individuals maintained at a high level of food. In the individuals maintained at a low level of food, the activity of GPDH was higher in the pyloric caeca of individuals injected with estradiol and estrone than in those receiving seawater injections; the activity of 6-PGDH decreased in those injected with estrone. In individuals maintained at a high level of food, the activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G–6–PDH) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6–PGDH) were higher in individuals injected with estradiol than in those receiving seawater injections. Activities of glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) and pyruvate kinase (PK) were not affected. A slight decrease (P<0.1) in the activity of 6–PGDH was seen with injection of estrone. These results suggest that steroids have a role in regulating cellular metabolism in the pyloric caeca, and that nutritional condition influences the response of the pyloric caeca to steroids. In addition, these results indicate that the nutritional condition of the individual directly influences enzyme activities.     

The cellular response of T and B dependent areas of the spleen after focal thermocoagulation of liver and kidney

Using 3H-thymidine autoradiography, the cellular response of the white splenic pulp after single or repeated thermolesions on liver and kidney was studied. Sham operations served as controls, and did not induce any significant changes in the splenic white pulp. After single or repeated thermolesions, the labeling index increased distinctly in the B and T cell areas. The central T-dependent periarteriolar lymphatic sheath (PALS) showed an earlier rise of radioactively labeled lymphocytes after repeated thermolesions than after a single lesion. After a single heat coagulation of liver and kidney a dissociation of the germinal centers occurred with consecutive hyperplasia. However, compared with the splenic reaction after other surgical injuries, especially after cryosurgical operations, the response of the B-dependent splenic areas was weaker. The distinct reaction of the central T-dependent PALS supports the conception of a more prominent cell mediated immune response of the peripheral lymphatic system with temporary T cell dysfunctions. Possibly the inflammatory complications of burned patients and the delayed wound healing of thermosurgical tissue lesions may be caused by the alteration of the lymphatic system with a disturbed cooperation of T and B lymphocytes with macrophages.     

Quantification of mRNA and protein and integration with protein turnover in a bacterium

Biological function and cellular responses to environmental perturbations are regulated by a complex interplay of DNA, RNA, proteins and metabolites inside cells. To understand these central processes in living systems at the molecular level, we integrated experimentally determined abundance data for mRNA, proteins, as well as individual protein half‐lives from the genome‐reduced bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae. We provide a fine‐grained, quantitative analysis of basic intracellular processes under various external conditions. Proteome composition changes in response to cellular perturbations reveal specific stress response strategies. The regulation of gene expression is largely decoupled from protein dynamics and translation efficiency has a higher regulatory impact on protein abundance than protein turnover. Stochastic simulations using in vivo data show how low translation efficiency and long protein half‐lives effectively reduce biological noise in gene expression. Protein abundances are regulated in functional units, such as complexes or pathways, and reflect cellular lifestyles. Our study provides a detailed integrative analysis of average cellular protein abundances and the dynamic interplay of mRNA and proteins, the central biomolecules of a cell.     

The relative sensitivity of Renshaw cells to orthodromic group Ia volleys caused by static stretch and vibrations of extensor muscles.

1. Activity of Renshaw cells monosynaptically excited by ventral root stimulation and disynaptically excited by electric stimulation of the group Ia afferents in the gastrocnemius-soleus (GS) nerve, was recorded in precollicular decerebrate cats. The response of these units to prolonged vibration applied longitudinally to the deefferented GS muscle was then compared with that elicited by static stretch of the homonymous muscle, for comparable frequencies of discharge of the group Ia afferents. 2. Small-amplitude vibration of the GS muscle at 200/sec for one second produced a sudden increase in the discharge rate of Renshaw cells, which gradually decreased within the first 100 msec of vibration to reach steady albeit lower level than that obtained during the first part of vibration. The response of the Renshaw cells during the first 100 msec of vibration (phasic response) and that elicited during the last 500 msec of vibration (tonic response) were evaluated for different frequencies of sinusoidal stretch. The mean increase in the firing frequency per imp./sec in the Ia afferents was also calculated using the total one-second period. 3. The response of Renshaw cells to muscle vibration increased with the frequency of vibration and, over the value of 10/sec, appeared to be linearly related to the frequency of the input, at least up to the frequency of 150/sec. Since vibration was of sufficient amplitude to produce driving of all the primary endings of muscle spindles, the responses were expressed as mean increases in the discharge rate of Renshaw cells per average impulse/sec in the Ia afferents. The discharge of the Renshaw cell increased on the average by 2.90 and 1.08 imp./sec per each imp./sec in the Ia afferents during the phasic and the tonic component of the response respectively, while the response calculated during the whole period of vibration corresponded on the average to 1.45 imp./sec per each imp./sec in the Ia afferents. 4. The Renshaw cells tested above responded also with increasing frequencies of discharge to increasing levels of static extension of the GS muscle. In particular the discharge frequency of Renshaw cells was on the average linearly related to muscle extension, at least for values ranging from 0 to 8 mm. The mean increase in discharge rate as a function of the static extension corresponded on the average to 0.89 imp./sec/mm. Since the discharge rate of the primary endings of muscle spindles recorded from the deefferented GS muscle increased by 2.62 imp./sec/mm, it appears that the mean increase in the discharge rate of Renshaw cells as a function of static extension corresponded to 0.34 imp./sec per each imp./sec in the Ia afferents.     

Annulus cells release ATP in response to vibratory loading in vitro

Mechanical forces regulate the developmental path and phenotype of a variety of tissues and cultured cells. Vibratory loading as a mechanical stimulus occurs in connective tissues due to energy returned from ground reaction forces, as well as a mechanical input from use of motorized tools and vehicles. Structures in the spine may be particularly at risk when exposed to destructive vibratory stimuli. Cells from many tissues respond to mechanical stimuli, such as fluid flow, by increasing intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](ic)) and releasing adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), extracellularly, as a mediator to activate signaling pathways. Therefore, we examined whether ATP is released from rabbit (rAN) and human (hAN) intervertebral disc annulus cells in response to vibratory loading. ATP release from annulus cells by vibratory stimulation as well as in control cells was quantitated using a firefly luciferin-luciferase assay. Cultured hAN and rAN cells had a basal level of extracellular ATP ([ATP](ec)) in the range of 1-1.5 nM. Vibratory loading of hAN cells stimulated ATP release, reaching a net maximum [ATP] within 10 min of continuous vibration, and shortly thereafter, [ATP] declined and returned to below baseline level. [ATP] in the supernatant fluid of hAN cells was significantly reduced compared to the control level when the cells received vibration for longer than 15 min. In rAN cells, [ATP] was increased in response to vibratory loading, attaining a level significantly greater than that of the control after 30 min of continuous vibration. Results of the current study show that resting annulus cells secrete ATP and maintain a basal [ATP](ec). Annulus cells may use this nucleotide as a signaling messenger in an autocrine/paracrine fashion in response to vibratory loading. Rapid degradation of ATP to ADP may alternatively modulate cellular responses. It is hypothesized that exposure to repetitive, complex vibration regimens may activate signaling pathways that regulate matrix destruction in the disc. As in tendon cells, ATP may block subsequent responses to load and modulate the vibration response. Rabbit annulus cells were used as a readily obtainable source of cells in development of an animal model for testing effects of vibration on the disc. Human cells obtained from discarded surgical specimens were used to correlate responses of animal to human cells.     

Genetic Control of Biogenic-Amine Systems in Drosophila Under Normal and Stress Conditions

The contents of octopamine and its precursors (tyrosine and tyramine) were studied in adults of two lines of Drosophila virilis with contrasting stress responses. It was demonstrated that in individuals responding to stress by a hormonal stress reaction (line 101), the contents of octopamine and tyrosine are lower than in nonresponding flies (line 147). It was found that there is no difference between the lines in the level of tyramine under normal conditions. The dopamine response to stressor was also studied. Genetic analysis of these differences revealed that they are controlled by a single gene and that the gene is not sex-linked. The gene controlling the response was found to be linked to chromosome 6 of D. virilis.     

Mechanisms leading to the formation of micronuclei containing sex chromosomes differ with age

The frequency of spontaneously occurring micronuclei (MN) increases with age, with many of these MN containing sex chromatin. However, it is not known if this MN frequency increase is attributable to a higher number of the same cellular events that occur in younger people, or if a different sex chromosomal instability mechanism(s) arises with age. To gain insight regarding this question, the total number of signals present in MN and their corresponding binucleates, was scored in older (ages 40-80+ y.o.; n=40) compared to younger (7-39 y.o.; n=19) individuals using probes specific for the X and Y chromosomes. In 19.9% of the cells scored at least one sex chromatin positive micronucleus was present. A significant decrease in cells having a "corrective" loss pattern (i.e. trisomy rescue, leading to euploid binucleates following sex chromatin exclusion into the MN) was observed with increasing age for the Y chromosome in males (p=0.022) and the X chromosome in females (p=0.004). In addition, a significant increase (p<0.001) in cells having multiple signals beyond those expected from a single cellular error was observed in the older compared to younger study participants, with these imbalances resulting from cells having either a single micronucleus with multiple signals, or cells having multiple MN. Collectively, these findings suggest that age-related increases in MN frequencies reflect both gains in the occurrence of similar cellular errors, as well as changes in the types of chromosomal findings that occur. Importantly, these results also illustrate that while MN frequencies reflect acquired abnormalities, they may also reflect cellular responses to "correct" an error, particularly when evaluated in young individuals. Therefore, when analyzing MN frequencies, one may also wish to evaluate the imbalances present in both the binucleates and MN to facilitate the recognition of varying cellular responses to environmental or genotoxic exposures.     

A theoretical comparison of the consumer surplus and the elasticities of demand as measures of motivational strength

The price and income elasticities of demand have been used by ethologists to estimate motivational strength. The consumer surplus is an alternative measure of motivation, deriving from microeconomic theory. We made a theoretical assessment of the validity and versatility of these indices. Two factors are expected to compromise the internal validity (veracity) of the elasticity of demand indices: failure to take into account the amount that an animal is required to pay to maintain some level of consumption; and a tendency to confuse its readiness to defend a preferred consumption level with a propensity to become satiated. A third factor, expected to compromise the external validity (usefulness) of these indices, is the unrealistic assumption that a single value can be assigned to each resource. None of these problems applies to the consumer surplus index. One further factor, expected to compromise the internal validity of both the consumer surplus and price elasticity indices, is their failure to account for the effects that income has upon consumption. Overall, we conclude that the consumer surplus should be more valid, both internally and externally, than the price elasticity index. The consumer surplus should also be more externally valid than the income elasticity index, but it is unclear, on balance, which of these indices is the more internally valid. Finally, we show that both elasticity indices are considerably less versatile than the consumer surplus, owing to the assumption that a single value can be assigned to each resource. Copyright 2003 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.      

Molecular level investigations of the inter- and intramolecular interactions of pH-responsive artificial triblock proteins

Intelligent materials that can undergo physical gelation in response to environmental stimuli have potential impacts in the bioengineering and biomedical fields where the entrapment of cellular or molecular species is desired. Here, we utilize atomic force microscopy (AFM) to perform molecular level investigations of designer artificial proteins that undergo physical gelation. These are engineered as triblock copolymers with independent interchain binding and solvent retention functions, namely, two terminal leucine zipper-like peptide sequences and a central alanylglycine rich sequence, respectively. AFM force measurements between probes and surfaces functionalized with molecules of this triblock protein revealed adhesive interactions that increased in average force and frequency as the pH was lowered from pH 11.2 to 7.4 to 4.5, reflecting an increase in the numbers of interacting molecular strands. In bulk solution, lowering the pH results in a viscous liquid to gel transition. The modular design of the triblock protein was also exploited for single molecule force spectroscopy investigations, which revealed altered intramolecular interactions in response to changes in pH. An increased understanding of the inter- and intramolecular forces involved in biomolecule driven gelation processes is not only of great fundamental interest in the study of the biomolecular systems involved but may also prove key in enabling the rational design of new generations of intelligent hydrogel systems.     

Seed storage conditions change the germination pattern of clonal growth plants in Mediterranean salt marshes

The effect of salinity level and extended exposure to different salinity and flooding conditions on germination patterns of three salt-marsh clonal growth plants (Juncus subulatus, Scirpus litoralis, and S. maritimus) was studied. Seed exposure to extended flooding and saline conditions significantly affected the outcome of the germination process in a different, though predictable, way for each species, after favorable conditions for germination were restored. Tolerance of the germination process was related to the average salinity level measured during the growth/germination season at sites where established individuals of each species dominated the species cover. No relationship was found between salinity tolerance of the germination process and seed response to extended exposure to flooding and salinity conditions. The salinity response was significantly related to the conditions prevailing in the habitats of the respective species during the unfavorable (nongrowth/nongermination) season. Our results indicate that changes in salinity and hydrology while seeds are dormant affect the outcome of the seed-bank response, even when conditions at germination are identical. Because these environmental-history-dependent responses differentially affect seed germination, seedling density, and probably sexual recruitment in the studied and related species, these influences should be considered for wetland restoration and management.