Spatial characteristics of movement detection mechanisms in human vision

Visual detection of targets moving against structured background fields has been studied with near-monochromatic stimuli, selected so as to isolate the different increment threshold spectral response mechanisms. It is shown that for foveal vision, the red-and green-sensitive mechanisms (₅ and ₄ respectively) yield IMG functions (Barbur and Ruddock, 1980), similar to those found with white light. In contrast, the blue-sensitive (₁) mechanism yields a low-frequency IMG response quite unlike that found for the other mechanisms. There is also considerable variation between subjects in this case. Measurements taken 30° off-axis with low (1.4 log trolands) background illumination level, yield a low frequency response IMG function for both rod and cone spectral mechanisms, similar to those found with white light stimuli. At high illumination levels (>2.2 log trolands), the IMG function for the ₅-mechanism is shifted to higher spatial frequencies, as is also observed with white light stimuli. A wavelength-selective binocular interaction effect, manifested in the detection of moving targets, is also described, and it is suggested that this may be of value in the study of defective colour vision.     

Identification of a glutathione-S-transferase effector domain for inhibition of jun kinase, by molecular dynamics

We have recently found that the glutathione-S-transferase -isozyme (GST-), a cellular detoxification enzyme, potently and selectively inhibits activation of jun protein by its upstream kinase, jun kinase (JNK). This newly identified regulatory activity of GST- is strongly inhibited by a group of agents that inhibit its enzymatic activity. Since loss of enzymatic activity in general does not correlate with loss of regulatory activity, it is likely that inhibitor binding induces changes in the structure of one or more domains of GST that block its interaction with JNK. To identify regions of GST that change conformation on the binding of inhibitors, we have performed molecular dynamics calculations on GST- to compute its average structure in the presence and absence of the inhibitor, glutathione sulfonate. Superposition of the two average structures reveals that several regions change local structure depending upon whether the inhibitor is bound or not bound. Two of these regions, residues 36–50 and 194–201, are highly exposed. We have synthesized peptides corresponding to these two segments and find that the 194–201 sequence strongly inhibits the ability of GST- to block the in vitro phosphorylation of jun by JNK. These results suggest that this region of GST- is critical to its functioning as a newly discovered regulator of signal transduction.     

Triads Synthesized from Deuteroporphyrin IX,Naphthoquinone, and Aromatic Amino Acids

Two triad systems were synthesized from deuteroporphyrin IX by tethering 1,4-naphthoquinone derivative and aromatic amino acids to its propionic groups using the method of mixed anhydrides. Physicochemical characteristics of the triads were studied, and the -electron systems of their chromophores were shown to interact.     

Chloroplast acclimation to low osmotic potential

Photosynthetic potential of isolated chloroplasts was investigated during in situ water deficits. An eight day stress cycle imposed on spinach plants reduced leaf _w by 0.57MPa, and leaf by 0.50MPa, resulting in partial turgor maintenance during the stress cycle. Pressure/volume curves confirmed the occurrence of osmotic adjustment. Leaf depression was associated with an altered response of chloroplasts to low in vitro. Optimum reaction medium for photosynthesis shifted from –1.04 to –1.57MPa, and low was not as inhibitory to photosynthesis of plastids pre-exposed to stress in situ. These data indicate that chloroplasts acclimate to low external in response to leaf water deficits. This response was still evident four days after a stress cycle ended, but was nearly reversed eight days after stress. Repeated stress cycles in situ did not increase the degree of chloroplast acclimation to low in vitro. Fast dehydration of leaves did not induce this apparent chloroplast acclimation.Abbreviations osmotic potential - _w water potential - PEG polyethylene glycol 8000 - MPa megapascals     

The nature of electronic transitions in absorption spectra of phenyl-substituted 1,3,4-oxadiazoles and 1,3,4-sym-triazoles

The electronic absorption spectra of 1,3,4-oxadiazole, 1,3,4-sym-triazole and their phenyl derivatives were calculated within the -electron approximation, by the PPP-Cl procedure. The nature of the electronic transitions was analysed in terms of special quantum-mechanical excitation indices: excitation-localization indices and charge-transfer indices. An orbital analysis was performed within the framework of the structure-orbital approach. The transitions calculated for unsubstituted azoles should be treated as perturbed ones of the models-cys-azabutadiene molecule. In the case of phenyl derivatives one can classify the transitions as being either local or molecular in character. The dependence of their characteristics on the -system structure has been studied for the latter transitions. The results of the theoretical treatment are in good agreement with experimental data.     

Vibronic attraction energy for superconductivity in the model of Si-containing organic polymers

Superconducting vibronic interaction has been examined for a model of Si-substituted polyacetylene. Large attractive vibronic interaction for the formation of superconducting electron pair has been found for the electron scattering process in between the and in-plane orbitals in silene unit. Doping of holes in these orbitals would be done by extracting electrons from the out-of-plane orbitals as well as from the in-plane orbitals. If stacking of the model polymers is performed in a parallel manner, the interplane electron pairing has also been found to be favorable on account of small Coulombic repulsion.     

A novel pollen-specific α-tubulin in sunflower: structure and characterization

We describe here a new -tubulin isoform from sunflower we named -tubulin. -tubulin is the most divergent higher-plant -tubulin described so far, having an unusual deletion in the H1/B2 loop and a glutamine-rich C-terminus. We constructed a three-dimensional model and discuss its implications. Using specific antibodies, we show that -tubulin expression is restricted to the male gametophyte. -tubulin mRNA represents 90% of -tubulin mRNA and a small percentage of total pollen mRNA. Among the plants tested, -tubulin was only detected in sunflower and in Cosmos. Since both plants are Asteraceae, we propose that -tubulin is specific to this family. Our results suggest that -tubulin can inhibit tubulin assembly in pollen. This hypothesis is reinforced by the fact that -tubulin is found in a complex with -tubulin in mature sunflower pollen.     

Hatching time in spherical,pelagic, marine fish eggs in response to temperature and egg size

Synopsis The relationship between egg diameter ((, mm), temperature (T, °C) and egg development time to hatching (D, in days) was established for approximately spherical, pelagic marine fish eggs as log₁₀D = 7.10 + 0.608 log₁₀ – 4.09 log₁₀ (T + 26), which explains 82% of the variance of a data set of 140 cases, covering 84 species of teleost fishes, for temperatures from 2.8 to 29.5° C and eggs of 0.6 to 3.4 mm diameter.From this relationship it appears that temperature has 4.7 times as much effect on development time as egg diameter when all variables are expressed in standard deviation units. A discussion of these and related factors is given.ICLARM Contribution No. 308.     

The stabilisation of nucleic acid structures

Summary The difference in stabilisation between DNA and RNA is explained by assuming that the 2 hydrogen of the ribose penetrates into the-electron cloud of the base of the 5 linked nucleotide.     

A Comparative Semiempirical, Ab initio and DFT Study of Decarbonylation of Cyclic Ketones Part 1: Thermal Fragmentation of Cyclopropanone

Calculations using different quantum mechanical methods including semiempirical (MNDO,AM1 and PM3), ab initio (RHF and MP2 calculations using the 6-311G and 6-311++G^** basis sets), and density functional theory (LSDA, BP, MIXBP and B3LYP, i.e., B3LYP/6-311+G**//B3LYP/6-31G*) have been performed on the thermal fragmentation of cyclopropanone to ethylene and carbon monoxide. All RHF calculations predict a concerted single step mechanism for this conversion. The estimated activation energies vary from 34.4 to 54.6 kcal·mol^-1, mainly localized around 37±2 kcal·mol^-1, depending on the method. Whereas the calculated RHF reaction energies also varied from 14.5 to -33.3 kcal·mol^-1, the B3LYP/6-311+G**//B3LYP/6-31G* method predicts the experimental value (-17.7 kcal·mol^-1) within experimental uncertainties. Remarkably, semiempirical AM1 and PM3 methods and simple DFT calculations, LSDA, predict comparable results to the more advanced methods. UHF ab initio calculations predict the same single step mechanism, whereas a multistep biradical mechanism with an unrealistically low activation energy is favored by the semiempirical methods. Structures of the activated complex of the single step mechanism, estimated by different methods, are very similar and consistent with a nonlinear cheletropic [_2s + _2a] reaction, as predicted by the orbital symmetry rules and earlier EHT calculations.Electronic Supplementary Material available.     

Rectification characteristics ofNitella membranes in respect to water permeability

Summary One of the membrane characteristics of plant cells, rectification, or the direction dependence of water permeability, was investigated inCharaceae internodes using the procedures we developed (Tazawa andKiyosawa 1973) for determining the endosmotic (k _pen) and exosmotic (k _pex) water permeabilities of the membranes (plasmalemma and tonoplast) in the transcellular osmosis system. Bothk _pen andk _pex were dependent on the osmotic pressure ( _o ) of the mannitol solution, which is the driving force for the transcellular osmosis. Thus, k_pen increased andk _pex decreased with _o . The rectification parameter, or the polarity (_p), defined ask _pen/k _pex tended to unity when _o approached zero.InNitella flexilis the specific resistances of the membranes to endosmosis and exosmosis,k _pen ^–1 andk _pex ^–1 , were linearly dependent on ₀. When the cell was partitioned into two equal halves,k _pen ^–1 =4.2×10⁴–1.1×10³₀,k _pex ^–1 =4.2×10⁴+2.9×10³₀, where the specific resistances are represented in cm^–1 sec atm. When _o is 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 M mannitol eq., the rectification parameter is calculated as 1.3, 1.6, 1.9, 2.4, and 2.9, respectively. Essentially the same results were also obtained withChara australis.Results were discussed on the basis of changes in the hydration of the cytoplasm. Assuming that the driving force across the protoplasmic layer can be divided into two forces; one driving water across the plasmalemma and the other driving water across the tonoplast, we deduced that the cytoplasm on the endosmosis side is hydrated, while the cytoplasm on the exosmosis side is dehydrated. Analysis showed that changes in hydration depend on the rate of flow.This work was supported partly by a Research Grant from the Ministry of Education of Japan.     

UV-Spektren und Elektronenstrukturen von Monoamino-Acridinium-Kationen

Zusammenfassung Es wurden die UV-Spektren und die Fluoreszenzanisotropie der 1-, 2-, 3- und 4-Amino-Acridinium-Kationen gemessen und mit Hilfe nach PPP berechneter Anregungsenergien, Übergangsmomente und Polarisationen gedeutet. Die Rechnungen liefern die Elektronenstrukturen der Grund- und Anregungszustände (-Bindungsordnungen und -Elektronendichten). Die Elektronenanregungen der Kationen sind über diejenigen der nicht ionisierten Basen mit denen des Kohlenwasserstoffs Anthracen als Grundkörper zu korrelieren. Der Einfluß von Wasserstoffbrückenbindungen auf die Spektren wird diskutiert. Wir danken der D. F. G. und den Rechenzentren in Darmstadt und Freiburg.

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UV-spectra and -electronic structures of monoamino-acridinium cations

Summary The electronic-excitation and polarisation-spectra of 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-amino-acridinium cations were measured. Transition energies, -electronic densities and -bond orders have been calculated by a -variable SCF-method within the general PPP-framework; the effect of H-bond formation upon their electronic spectra is examined and attempts are being made to correlate the computed transitions of the monoamino-acridinium cations with those of the corresponding non-ionized bases and with anthracene.

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Wir danken der D. F. G. und den Rechenzentren in Darmstadt und Freiburg.     

Fluorescence of 3-keto-steroids in aqueous solution

The physiologically important 3-keto-steroids are non-fluorescent or only weakly fluorescent in protic as well as in aprotic solvents. In contrast, the 4,6,8(14)-triene-3-one steroids are highly fluorescent in aqueous solution but they do not appreciably fluoresce in other solvents. Evidence is presented that the introduction of double bonds into the skeleton of the 3-keto-steroids leads to a decrease of the energy of the lowest – ^* state, bringing this level into the neighbourhood of the non-fluorescent n – ^* state. As a consequence, for two states of approximately the same energy, relatively small perturbations such as those due to solvent interactions, protein binding and micelle formation, will then determine whether a system will fluoresce ( – ^* state lowest) or not (n – ^* state lowest). When the fluorescent 3-keto-steroids, having three conjugated double bonds, bind to proteins, the fluorescence intensity becomes almost zero, making these compounds useful as probes for steroid-protein interactions. This quenching of the fluorescence is explained by a decrease in energy of the n – ^* state relative to the – ^* state of the steroids due to hydrophobic interactions with the proteins.Abbreviations 6,8-BDT 6,8-bisdehydrotestosterone; DMSO, dimethylsulfoxide - HPLC high pressure liquid chromatography This work was presented in part at the Annual Meeting of the Gesellschaft für Biologische Chemie, September 26–29, 1983, in Göttingen. For an abstract see: Hoppe-Seyler's Z. Physiol. Chem. (1983) 364: 1151–1152Dedicated to Prof. Dr. F.-W. Zilliken on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

Histochemische Untersuchungen über die π-Granula (Reich) der peripheren markhaltigen Nervenfasern

Zusammenfassung Nach dem 4. Lebensjahr sind die nach Reich benannten Protagon () Granula regelmäßig in den Schwannschen Zellen normaler segmentierter Nervenfasern des Menschen vorhanden. Im Senium und bei kachektischen Zuständen der verschiedenen Genese treten sie vermehrt auf. Die -Granula sind an den Nervenfasern vom Hund, Schaf, Kaninchen und Tiger nachweisbar, fehlen aber bei folgenden Wirbeltieren: Rind, Ziege, Schwein, Katze, Ratte, Meerschweinchen, Maus und Frosch. Nach tmserer histochemischen Analyse stellen die -Granula stark chromotrope, saure [relativer isoelektrischer Punkt bei p_H (0,9) 1,5-1,8] Bial-negative Glykolipide dar, die am meisten den Cerebrosiden und Cerebrosidschwefelsäureestern (Sulfatiden) entsprechen; für die Beteiligung von Phospholipiden, Polysacchariden und Proteinen an ihrem Aufbau ergab sich kein sicherer Anhalt. Die Färbung mit essigsaurem Kresylviolett zeigt eine bräunliche Metachromasie der -Granula. Die Bedingungen für eine braune Metachromasie sind bis jetzt noch nicht völlig geklärt. Auch formalininfixierte Markscheiden können sich nach kräftiger Wässerung (Lösung reversibler Formalinbindungen) mit der Feyrterschen Thionin-Einschlußmethode braun färben. Wir führten systematische vergleichende Untersuchungen über die Wirkung verschiedener Extraktionsmittel auf die -Granula von formalinfixierten und unbehandelten Nerven durch; die Einzelheiten sind im Original nachzulesen. Nicht nur an Nervenfasern von Erwachsenen, sondern auch von menschlichen Feten, und einigen Tierarten, die keine -Granula enthalten, ist die savre Phosphatase im perinukleären Zytoplasma der Schwannschen Zellen nachzirweisen.Zum ehrenden Gedenken an meinen Lehrer in Anatomie, Herrn Prof. Dr. med. habil. Kurt Alverdes (Leipzig).     

Structure and properties of nonclassical polymers X. Heteroatomic polymers with degenerate half-filled band

It is shown that the group of -conjugated, nonclassical (non-Kekulé) homonuclear, alternative organic polyradicals and polymers with degenerate NBMOs can be essentially extended to a large class of heterocyclic analogues having a set of degenerate MOs. The presence of a set of degenerate MOs (DMOs) results from the molecular topology of the system. The conditions of occurrence of DMOs are determined by the generalized Coulson-Rushbrooke-Longuet-Higgins theorem. The character of spin-exchange interaction of -electrons in the half-filled band (HFB) of a large group of model polymers, analogues of poly(meta-anilines), has been investigated. It is shown that the main component of the ferromagnetic exchange interaction is the potential (Coulomb) exchange and a smaller contribution of the indirect exchange among the HFB electrons via the delocalized -electrons in the occupied bands. The theoretical method used, which predicts the existence of a set of DMOs, may serve as a guiding principle in the design of narrow-band, high-spin organic polymers in which cooperative magnetic phenomena can arise.Part IX:Theoret. Chim. Acta 86, 353–367 (1993).     

Theoretical mechanism of the formation of cholesteryl chloride from cholesterol and thionyl chloride

This work describes a theoretical approach to the substitution reaction mechanism involving the conversion of cholesterol to cholesteryl chloride. Two chlorosulfite ester molecules were formed as intermediates. An iso-steroid was found as the transition state. The final product was cholesteryl chloride and the side products were HCl and SO₂. Calculations were carried out at high level Hartree–Fock theory, using the 6–31G* basis set. From the electronic structure of the reactants, the most important physicochemical properties involved in the reaction pathway were used. Thus, to determine the participation of each molecule and to explain the mechanism of reaction; the total energy, HOMO and LUMO, atomic orbital contribution to frontier orbitals formation, electrostatic potentials, atomic charges, hardness and dipole moment were used. Characterization of intermediates and transition state was supported by their respective energy minima, fundamental frequencies and equilibrium geometry.Figure Synopsis of the reaction pathway. The reaction starts when the lone pair of the Ch oxygen interacts with the sulfur atom, releasing a chloride ion. As a result, the first intermediate is formed. Next, in the first intermediate the nucleophilic chloride ion bonds the electrophilic hydrogen atom, releasing HCl and yielding the second intermediate. In the second intermediate, the electrophilic H-atom from HCl bonds with the lone pair of the Cl atom adjacent to the sulfur atom, restoring HCl. Concurrently, SO₂ is liberated and causes the formation of the C3-C5 partial bond and breaking of the C5-C6 -bond leading to the transition state. In the transition state, the electrophilic H from HCl bonds with the Cl lone pair at C6-Cl, forming HCl again and leaving the C6 atom electron-deficient, which restores the C5-C6 -bond and breaks the C3-C5 partial bond. Finally, the electrophilic C3 atom and the nucleophilic Cl atom form a bond, yielding cholesteryl chloride. HCl and SO₂ are also formed as side products. The arrows show the rearrangement of electrons.     

Correlation between changes in photosynthetic activity and changes in total protoplast volume in leaf tissue from hygro-, meso- and xerophytes under osmotic stress

Rates of photosynthesis of leaf slices from various hygro-, meso- and xerophytes were measured in the absence of stomatal control in various stages of osmotic dehydration. The external osmotic potential _° for a 50% inhibition of photosynthesis varied between 20 bar in some hygrophytes up to 50 bar in xerophytes. The response of photosynthetic enzymes to increased salt concentrations in the reaction medium was similar in leaf extracts from hygro-, meso- and xerophytes. The total protoplast volume in vacuum-infiltrated leaf discs from various plants was measured as the difference between ³H₂O-labeled space and [¹⁴C]sorbitol-labeled space. In all plants, the protoplast volume could be reduced to about 55% of the maximum volume of tissue in equilibrium with water, without decreasing photosynthesis. Reduction of the maximal protoplast volume below 55% decreased photosynthesis in all tissues to the same decreased photosynthesis in all tissues to the same degree. At 20% maximal volume, photosynthesis of all plants was completely inhibited. The differential decrease of protoplast volumes of various leaf tissues in response to changes in _° was mainly due to the different osmotic potential of the cell sap (_cs). The relative contribution of sugars to the overall osmolarity of the cell sap was up to nineteen times higher in xerophytes than in hygrophytes. Short-term recovery of photosynthesis after hypertonic stress was good in xerophytes, incomplete in mesophytes and absent in hygrophytes. There was also a large discrepancy between the partial recovery of protoplast volumes and the complete absence of a recovery of photosynthesis in hygrophytes.     

Can Stress-Induced CAM Provide for Performing the Developmental Program in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum Plants under Long-Term Salinity?

The development of CAM-type photosynthesis is one of the adaptation mechanisms to severe water deficit. It provides plants with carbon dioxide and permits efficient water spending under extreme environments. In common ice plants, a complete switch from C₃ to CAM photosynthesis was observed on the seventh day of salinity (0.5 M NaCl). The indices characterizing this switch were: (1) induction of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase; (2) diurnal changes in the organic acid content, which are characteristic of CAM plants, and (3) suppression of transpiration during the daytime. A decrease in the osmotic potential () of the leaf sap, which occurred on the second day of salinity, preceded these changes. After long-term salinity stress (four–five weeks), attained extremely low values (–4.67 MPa), which made possible the water uptake by the root system. The restoration of the balance between cell compartments resulted from the accumulation of compatible solutes in the cytoplasm, proline primarily, which possesses osmoregulatory and stress-protective properties. This means that a complex of adaptive mechanisms is required for the realization of the common ice developmental program under salinity. These mechanisms maintained plant capacity to uptake water and permitted its efficient utilization. They triggered the development of stress-induced CAM-type photosynthesis, maintained the low osmotic potential in the cell sap, regulated the composition of macromolecules in the cell microenvironment, provided for water storage in tissues, and reduced the time of plant development. A comparison between the time-courses of CAM development and a decrease in the transpiration rate permitted us to suggest that a combination of low and CO₂ in the leaf cells could serve as a signal for the induction of CAM-dependent gene expression in terrestrial plants.     

Influence of intracellular and extracellular tonicities on water permeability in Characean cells

Summary The effect of the concentration of the central vacuolar sap on water permeability previously demonstrated onNitella internode (Tazawa and Kamiya 1966), has been further studied. By using a technique of vacuole perfusion the ionic concentration of the cell sap has been modified independently of its tonicity. Transcellular water permeability has been measured by means of a double-chamber osmometer.When the tonicities of artificial saps were adjusted to that of the natural cell sap, wide variations in the concentration of K⁺, Na⁺, or Ca⁺⁺ in the vacuole did not bring about any change in the magnitude of water permeability. On the other hand, water permeability was strongly influenced by varying the tonicity of the vacuolar medium by addition of mannitol. It increased when the tonicity was lowered from the normal level, while it decreased when tonicity was heightened. Water permeability was also decreased by increase in the tonicity of the external medium.Analysis of the results showed that the specific resistance to water flow across the plasmalemma and the tonoplast in series (the reciprocal of the water permeability k_p) was related to the osmotic pressures of the intracellular ( _i) and the extracellular ( ₀) medium by the empirical formula, l/k_p=0.088 + 0.015 . + 0.0074 ₀. Thus, intra- and extracellular tonicities influence the water permeability of theNitella internode independently of each other. The decrease in water permeability by increase in tonicity of the intra- or extracellular medium may be explained in terms of the effect of these tonicities on hydration of the cell membranes.The water permeability ofLamprothamnium, a brackish water Characeae was only one fourth that ofNitella, a fresh water Characeae. The lower permeability inLamprothamnium may be accounted for in terms of the high tonicities of its cell sap and external medium.     

Diagnosing lactic acid fermentation based on specific rates of growth,substrate consumption and product formation

The on-line calculated specific rates of growth, substrate consumption and product formation were used to diagnose microbial activities during a lactic acid fermentation. The specific rates were calculated from on-line measured cell mass, and substrate and product concentrations. The specific rates were more sensitive indicators of slight changes in fermentation conditions than such monitored data as cell mass or product concentrations.List of Symbols 1/h specific rate of cell growth - 1/h specific rate of substrate consumption - 1/h specific rate of product formation - ^* dimensionless specific rate of cell growth - ^* dimensionless specific rate of substrate consumption - ^* dimensionless specific rate of product formation - _max 1/h maximum specific rate of cell growth - _max 1/h maximum specific rate of substrate consumption - _max 1/h maximum specific rate of product formation - X g/l cell mass concentration - S g/l substrate concentration - S ^* dimensionless substrate concentration - S ₀ g/l initial substrate concentration - P g/l product concentration