Individual typological characteristics of hormonal responses in dogs during psychoemotional stress

Effects of psycho-emotional stress on contents of steroid hormones in the blood were studied in dogs with different typological properties of the higher nervous activity. Under stress condition, a significant correlation between the cortisol and testosterone levels and the dogs' typological characteristics was found. The more obvious fluctuations in the hormones level occurred in animals with strong and excitable type of the nervous system as compared with dogs belonging to weak and inert type.     

Basic properties of nervous processes in twins]

Characteristics of nervous processes were studied in 50 pairs of twins by the verbal motor method with a preliminary verbal instruction. A chronographic reflexmeter with programmed control was used. Statistical processing of the data and calculation of heredity coefficients by the Holsinger formula has shown that the average intrapair difference in monozygotic twins (MT) was, as a rule, smaller than in dizygotics (DT). Dispersion analysis revealed a considerable dispersion of resultative characters in DT as compared with MT. The heredity coefficients obtained for the strength of the inhibitory process (H=0.88), that of the excitatory process (H=0.50), the mobility of nervous processes (H=0.42) and the rate of conditioning (H=0.34) points to a considerable genotypic determination of the examined properties of nervous processes.     

Electroencephalographic characteristics in animals with different typologic characteristics of their higher nervous activity]

Manifestation of typological characteristics of higher nervous activity in EEG energo-(amplitude-) frequency parameters were studied in chronic experiments on cats in a state of rest. EEG Of the animals of a strong nervous system type were characterized by a comparatively steady prevalence of alpha-activity and a stable relationship between the summary energy parameters of the basic frequencies. The brain electrical activity of cats with a weak type of higher nervous activity was in some cases characterized by instability of the general pattern: the summary parameter of each rhythm often changed, while at different intervals of time any of them could be recorded as predominant; in other cases slow waves were steadily prominent, and the summary energy of alpha-activity was low.     

Feedback and the typological characteristics of higher nervous activity]

Apparatus of the theory of automatic regulation and control systems is applied for explanation of typological characteristics of the higher nervous activity. On the basis of the analysis of activity of four types of automatic control systems a hypothesis is suggested that these characteristics are connected with organization of the feedback in the functional system, and analogies drawn between the types of the higher nervous activity and types of automatic systems.     

Activity of key redox enzymes in rabbits with different typologic features

It has been found that the activity of LDG, PDG, IDG, SDG, NADN-DG, NADFN-DG, CO, G-6-FDG and 6-FGDG in the cerebral cortex, liver and kidneys of rabbits with a strong type of nervous activity, as a rule, is higher than in the animals with a weak type of the nervous system. Between the animals with different types of the nervous system distinctions are also revealed in the character of regulation of a number of metabolic cycles. It is suggested that typological features of the nervous system are determined by the character of metabolic processes.     

肺癌中金属硫蛋白的表达及其与细胞增殖、凋亡的关系

目的　探讨肺癌中金属硫蛋白 (Metallothionein ,MT)的表达及其与临床病理学参数、Ki 6 7、P5 3和凋亡的关系。方法　免疫组织化学SP法对 5 6例石蜡包埋的肺癌组织分别进行MT、Ki 6 7、P5 3蛋白的检测并对 11例石蜡包埋的癌旁正常支气管组织进行MT蛋白的检测。TUNEL法对 19例MT蛋白阴性和弱阳性表达及 2 8例MT蛋白中等阳性和强阳性表达的肺癌标本进行原位细胞凋亡检测。结果　MT蛋白在肺癌中的表达高于其在正常支气管组织中的表达 ,但无显著差异 (P =0 5 6 1) ;肺癌中MT蛋白的表达与患者的性别、肿瘤的组织学类型及分化程度有关 (均为P <0 0 5 ) ,与患者的年龄、肿瘤大小、TNM分期和淋巴结转移与否无关 (均为P >0 0 5 ) ,与Ki 6 7蛋白的表达呈正相关 (r=0 2 78,P <0 0 5 ) ,与凋亡呈负相关 (r=- 0 319,P <0 0 5 ) ,与P5 3蛋白的表达无显著相关 (r=0 16 7,P >0 0 5 )。结论　MT蛋白的表达与肺癌的分化程度、Ki 6 7及凋亡显著相关 ,MT可作为判断肺癌细胞分化程度、增殖活性及凋亡等的指标。     

Metallothionein-3 and neuronal nitric oxide synthase levels in brains from the Tg2576 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Using antiserum against the recombinant isoform 3 of mouse brain metallothionein (MT3), the amount of MT3 protein was determined in whole brain homogenates from the Tg2576 transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's Disease. Twenty-two month old transgenic positive mice showed a 27% decrease of MT3 normalized to the total protein in the extracts compared to same age, control transgenic negative mice. Metallothioneins bind seven molar equivalents of divalent metal ions per mole of protein so metal levels also were measured in these whole brain extracts using inductively coupled plasma atomic absorption (ICP-AA) spectrometry. No significant difference was observed for any metal assayed. Because neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is involved in neurodegenerative disease and nitric oxide specifically interacts with MT3, the concentration and total nNOS activity also were evaluated. The transgenic positive mice showed a decrease of 28% in nNOS protein compared to the same age transgenic negative mice. Normalized to the amount of nNOS protein, total NOS activity was higher in the transgenic positive mice. These data showed that protein levels of both MT3 and nNOS were reduced in transgenic positive mice that show many characteristics of Alzheimer's Disease. In vitro studies suggested that MT3 was not a likely candidate for directly affecting nNOS activity in the brain.     

EEG and success in learning the job of autotransport driver in persons with different typologic characteristics of the nervous system

The properties of nervous processes: mobility and strength (capacity for work), were determined by the Khilchenko method in healthy subjects learning the trade of an automobile driver. People with different individual typological characteristics of higher nervous activity displayed significant differences in EEG energo-frequency parameters of different brain areas. It has been shown that EEG of practically healthy people at rest, in conjunction with other informative psycho-physiological data, offers promise for appraising the individual typological characteristics of a person in predicting the professional suitability for driving automobiles.     

Radiation physiology of higher nervous activity: results and perspectives

Reflex forming and stabilization, the typological peculiarities of the experimental animals' higher nervous activity were discussed. The problems of the central nervous system functional reactions to irradiation in small doses, the chronic irradiation in particular, influence to higher nervous activity of heavy particles irradiation and neurochemical mechanisms of the disturbances in the central nervous system require further experimental investigations.     

Typological characteristics of conditioned reflex learning in monkeys

Three types of conditioned learning dynamics were singled out in males of the rhesus monkeys by the speed of formation of a positive motor instrumental reflex and differentiation. Type I is characterized by the fastest mastering of separate subprograms and of the whole test program of conditioned behaviour, by optimal functional characteristics in the process of learning and by a high adaptivity in new conditions. The most prolonged formation of the conditioned reflexes occurs in monkeys of the III-d type; 50% of them do not master the whole learning program; monkeys with such type of learning dynamics have no adaptation of previously acquired conditioned stereotype to new environmental conditions. Monkeys of the II-nd type of learning dynamics possess intermediate characteristics. A notion is substantiated of interconnection of higher nervous activity properties with typological characteristics of conditioned learning dynamics in monkeys.     

Photoassimilatory and Photorespiratory Behaviour of Certain Drought Tolerant and Susceptible Tea Clones

Net photosynthetic rate (P _N) in the mother leaves was higher in the drought tolerant (DT) clones of tea (Camellia sinensis) while liberation of the fixed ¹⁴C in light from the mother leaves was higher in the drought susceptible (DS) clones. The DT clones translocated more photosynthates to the crop shoots (three leaves and a bud) from the mother leaf than the DS clones. Concentrations of RuBP carboxylase (RuBPC) or oxygenase (RuBPO) had no relationship with the drought tolerant nature of tea clones but their ratio correlated with the same. DT tea clones had higher catalase activity that could scavenge the hydrogen peroxide formed in the photorespiratory pathway and thereby reduced photorespiration rate (P _R). The ratio of RuBPC/RuBPO had a positive correlation with P _N and catalase activity. Negative correlation between RuBPC/RuBPO and P _R and between catalase activity and RuBPO activity was established.     

Effect of six weeks of dura disc and mini-trampoline balance training on postural sway in athletes with functional ankle instability

Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is one of the most common injuries incurred during sporting activities, and effective rehabilitation programs for this condition are challenging to develop. The purpose of this research was to compare the effect of 6 weeks of balance training on either a mini-trampoline or a dura disc on postural sway and to determine if the mini-trampoline or the dura disc is more effective in improving postural sway. Twenty subjects (11 men, 9 women) with a mean age of 25.4 +/- 4.2 years were randomly allocated into a control group, a dura disc training (DT) group, or a mini-trampoline (MT) group. Subjects completed 6 weeks of balance training. Postural sway was measured by subjects performing a single limb stance on a force plate. The disbursement of the center of pressure was obtained from the force plate in the medial-lateral and the anterior-posterior sway path and was subsequently used for pretest and posttest analysis. After the 6-week training intervention, there was a significant (p < 0.05) difference in postural sway between pre- and posttesting for both the MT (pretest = 56.8 +/- 20.5 mm, posttest = 33.3 +/- 8.5 mm) and DT (pretest = 41.3 +/- 2.6 mm, posttest = 27.2 +/- 4.8 mm) groups. There was no significant (p > 0.05) difference detected for improvements between the MT and DT groups. These results indicate that not only is the mini-trampoline an effective tool for improving balance after LAS, but it is equally as effective as the dura disc.     

Polymorphisms in metallothionein-1 and -2 genes associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its complications

Metallothionein (MT) as a potent antioxidant can affect energy metabolism. The present study was undertaken to investigate the association between MT gene polymorphism and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Using the PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism method, seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MT genes (rs8052394 and rs11076161 in MT1A gene, rs8052334, rs964372, and rs7191779 in MT1B gene, rs708274 in MT1E gene, and rs10636 in MT2A gene) were detected in 851 Chinese people of Han descent (397 diabetes and 454 controls). Several serum measurements were also examined randomly for 43 diabetic patients and 41 controls. The frequency distributions of the G allele in SNP rs8052394 of MT1A gene were significantly associated with the incidence of type 2 diabetes. There was no difference between patients and controls for the rest of six SNPs. Serum levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were higher, and serum superoxide dismutase activity was significantly lower in the diabetic group than those in the control group. For diabetic patients, serum superoxide dismutase activity was significantly lower in GG or GA carriers than those of AA carriers of rs8052394 SNP. Increased serum levels in diabetic patients were positively associated with rs964372 SNP, and type 2 diabetes with neuropathy was positively associated with rs10636 and rs11076161. These results suggest that multiple SNPs in MT genes are associated with diabetes and its clinical symptoms. Furthermore, MT1A gene in rs8052394 SNP is most likely the predisposition gene locus for diabetes or changes of serum superoxide dismutase activity.     

Melatonin and human cancer

A number of studies performed in vitro and on experimental animals supported the view that pineal gland inhibits neoplastic growth. Data in humans are scanty and controversial. In the present study we measured serum melatonin (MT), prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) concentrations, at 08.00 and 24.00, in 132 cancer patients and in 58 healthy control subjects. The patients were stratified according to histology and stage of disease as follows: 30 stage I–II and 45 stage III–IV breast cancer (BC); 39 stage III–IV lung cancer; 18 advanced gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. We also measured MT levels, at the same time-points, in 20 women with primary BC before and after radical mastectomy. Finally, we evaluated the circadian rhythm of serum MT in 18 patients with advanced cancer. On the whole, the patients with advanced tumors showed serum MT levels significantly higher than controls, without any correlation with PRL and GH values. When looking at stage III–IV vs stage I–II BC patients, significantly higher MT levels have been found in the former group. The surgical removal of the primary BC was not associated with any changes in MT values at both time points considered. A highly significant rhythm of serum MT was recorded in advanced cancer patients and the rhythmic parameters were substantially superimposable on those of the control subjects.     

Patterns in the transition from normal to neurosis in dogs with different typological traits in food and defensive situations

At comparison of the formation of neurosis in dogs with different typological characteristics in conditions with alimentary and pain reinforcement, a resemblance was revealed of transition from norm to the initial stage of pathology. In strong animals a development was seen of compensatory tachycardia at circular changes of conditioned activity. Weak type dogs are characterized by a lowering or full disappearance of reflexes in combination with bradycardia. The method of differentiation, allowing in situations with alimentary reinforcement to classify the tested animals according to the type of higher nervous activity and differentiate the states of "norm" and "initial stage of neurosis", proved to be effective for the analogous aims also in studies with defensive reinforcement.     

Direct regulation of membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase following myocardial infarction causes changes in survival, cardiac function, and remodeling

The membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is increased in left ventricular (LV) failure. However, the direct effects of altered MT1-MMP levels on survival, LV function, and geometry following myocardial infarction (MI) and the proteolytic substrates involved in this process remain unclear. MI was induced in mice with cardiac-restricted overexpression of MT1-MMP (MT1-MMPexp; full length human), reduced MT1-MMP expression (heterozygous; MT1-MMP(+/-)), and wild type. Post-MI survival was reduced with MT1-MMPexp and increased with MT1-MMP(+/-) compared with WT. LV ejection fraction was lower in the post-MI MT1-MMPexp mice compared with WT post-MI and was higher in the MT1-MMP(+/-) mice. In vivo localization of MT1-MMP using antibody-conjugated microbubbles revealed higher MT1-MMP levels post-MI, which were the highest in the MT1-MMPexp group and the lowest in the MT1-MMP(+/-) group. LV collagen content within the MI region was higher in the MT1-MMPexp vs. WT post-MI and reduced in the MT1-MMP(+/-) group. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that MT1-MMP proteolytically processed the profibrotic molecule, latency-associated transforming growth factor-1-binding protein (LTBP-1), and MT1-MMP-specific LTBP-1 proteolytic activity was increased by over fourfold in the post-MI MT1-MMPexp group and reduced in the MT1-MMP(+/-) group, which was directionally paralleled by phospho-Smad-3 levels, a critical signaling component of the profibrotic transforming growth factor pathway. We conclude that modulating myocardial MT1-MMP levels affected LV function and matrix structure, and a contributory mechanism for these effects is through processing of profibrotic signaling molecules. These findings underscore the diversity of biological effects of certain MMP types on the LV remodeling process.     

Choice between probability and value of alimentary reinforcement as means for revealing individual typological features of dog behavior

Individual typological features of behavior of dogs were investigated by the method of choice between the low-valuable food available constantly and food of high quality presented with low probability. Animals were subjected to instrumental conditioning with the same conditioned stimuli but different types of reinforcement. Depression of a white pedal was always reinforced with meat-bread-crumb mixture, depression of a black pedal was reinforced with two pieces of liver (with probabilities of 100, 40, 33, 20, or 0%). The choice of reinforcement depended on probability of valuable food and individual typological features of the nervous system of a dog. Decreasing the probability of the reinforcement value to 40-20% revealed differences in behavior of dogs. Dogs of the first group, presumably with the weak type of the nervous system, more frequently pressed the white pedal (always reinforced) than the black pedal thus "avoiding a situation of risk" to receive an empty cup. They displayed symptoms of neurosis: whimper, refusals of food or of the choice of reinforcement, and obtrusive movements. Dogs of the second group, presumably with the strong type of the nervous system, more frequently pressed the black pedal (more valuable food) for the low-probability reward until they obtained the valuable food. They did not show neurosis symptoms and were not afraid of "situation of risk". A decrease in probability of the valuable reinforcement increased a percentage of long-latency depressions of pedals. It can be probably suggested that this phenomenon was associated with increasing involvement of cognitive processes, when contributions of the assessments of probability and value of the reinforcement to decision making became approximately equal. Choice between the probability and value of alimentary reinforcement is a good method for revealing individual typological features of dogs.     

Carotid sinus, aortic and subclavian baroreceptor activities during cardiopulmonary bypass in rabbits.

10Carotid sinus (SIN), aortic (AO) and subclavian (SUB) baroreceptor activities were recorded from intact nerves during experiments using cardiopulmonary bypass in 11 rabbits. These activities (number of impulses/second) were expressed as a percentage of basal activity observed before artificial circulation (AC). The preparation remained in a relative, "stable period" for up to 45 minutes. Then, a progressive decrease occurred in maximal arterial pressure (AP max) in the 11 experiments (fig. 2,4). 20 According to the level of arterial pressure the "stable period", our experiments can be divided into two groups: a) Group I (6 rabbits) with AP max greater than or equal 90 mm Hg; in this group, the correlation coefficients between pressure levels and nervous activities calculated during the period 0-70 min after the onset of AC, were positive (fig. 3) and statistically significant, as we could expect (AO, p less than 0.02; SIN, p less than 0.01; SUB, p less than 0.01). b) Group II (5 rabbits) with AP max less than 90 mm Hg; surprisingly, in this group no positive correlation was found between levels and nervous activities, which were generally very high (fig. 5). 30 Experiments were performed in 18 other rabbits in order to check the nature of the higher activities recorded in group II. These high activities were not of chemoreceptor or efferent origin, and, thus, were thought to be indeed really from baroreceptive fibres. 40 Ten experiments under AC were carried out to test the reactivity of baroreceptors in response to induced increase and decrease of pressure. The responses were qualitatively normal (i.e. an increase of pressure produced an increase in the nervous discharge), but in group II, the operative point was set at a higher level (fig. 6). 50 A possible, time-dependent, shift in the baroreceptor response curve under AC can account for these findings by giving, in some cases the illusion of a negative correlation between baroreceptor activity and arterial pressure (fig. 8). 60 The above mentioned shift in the baroreceptor response curve could be related to a change in sympathetic control of baroreceptors,resulting in a higher activity, and initiating and/or maintaining hypotension.     

Studies on biomarkers of copper exposure and toxicity in the marine amphipod Gammarus locusta (Crustacea): I. Induction of metallothionein and lipid peroxidation.

Sublethal exposures of the marine amphipod Gammarus locusta to a concentration range of copper (Cu) in water (4 days' exposure; 3, 5 and 10 micro g Cu l(-1)) or spiked sediments (28 days' exposure; 1, 3 and 6 mg Cu kg(-1) dry weight) were performed, and the resulting bioaccumulation of Cu and effects on putative metallothionein (MT) and lipid peroxidation (LP) were investigated. A time-course exposure study (over 10 days) to a single water-borne concentration of Cu (4 micro g l(-1)) was also carried out. MT and LP were quantified, respectively, by differential pulse polarography and as thiobarbituric acid-reactive malondialdehyde equivalents. The increasing levels of Cu in water and sediment exposures resulted in enhanced uptake of the metal by G. locusta. Synthesis of putative MT occurred in response to exposure to water-borne Cu, the levels being higher (p < 0.05) over the dose range of Cu compared with controls. A positive correlation was observed between putative MT levels and the Cu body-burden concentration (p < 0.001). However, no increase in LP was observed in these animals. In contrast, in the time-course experiment, LP levels increased within 1 day of exposure, subsequently peaking at 4 days (68% greater than control, p < 0.001), before returning to control values by day 6. Higher levels of MT were also observed in this exposure, but at days 6 and 10 (55% and 38%, respectively), paralleling the decrease in LP. No increase in MT levels was recorded with exposure to Cu-contaminated sediments, whereas higher levels of LP were seen in comparison with controls (p < 0.001). Overall, the inverse relationship between putative MT induction and the occurrence of LP indicates that MT may protect against the prooxidant effects of Cu. It is concluded that MT and LP offer potential for application as biomarkers in G. locusta.