Evoked activity of spinal neurons in the early period after sciatic nerve division

The character of dorsal horn motoneurons and interneurons evoked by stimulation of the dorsal root, and activity of Renshaw cells in response to stimulation of the ventral root were studied in albino rats in the lower lumbar segments of the spinal cord 5 days after sciatic nerve division. A significant increase in the mean amplitude of excitatory postsynaptic potentials of motoneurons was observed on the side of division of the nerve. No significant change in membrane potential and in the threshold of appearance of the action potential of these motoneurons took place. The mean number of action potentials and the duration of discharge of the Renshaw cells and dorsal horn interneurons likewise were not significantly changed.Dnepropetrovsk Medical Institute, Ukrainian Ministry of Health. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 24, No. 3, pp. 306–314, May–June, 1992.     

Biological activities of human interferon and 2′–5′ oligoadenylates in plants

Exogenous human interferon 2 (IFN) and 2–5 oligoadenylates (2–5A) have been shown to cause at least a dual physiological effect in tobacco and wheat: (i) increased cytokinin activity and (ii) induced synthesis of numerous proteins, among which members of two groups of stress proteins have been identified, namely pathogenesis-related (PR) and heat shock (HS) proteins. These effects were observed only by low concentrations of these substances: IFN at 0.1–1 u/ml and 2–5A at 1–10 nM.     

伍氏游仆虫接合过程中老大核后碎块的去向

在伍氏游仆虫(Euplotes woodruffi)接合后体发育过程中,已呈退化状态的老大核后碎块,在细胞第二次形态发生时,逐渐恢复其正常形态结构。T形新大核原基向后延伸而与恢复正常形态的老大核后碎块紧密靠拢。此时在光镜下观察,很容易误认为二者已融合为一。但在接合后体分裂之前,老大核后碎块再次瓦解,T形大核原基缩短成棒状而与老大核后碎块分开,此时二者界限分明。细胞分裂后,残存的老大核后碎块停留于后子虫中,最后被吸收。几个关键时期大核原基和老大核后碎块DNA含量的测定,也证明新老大核不融合。本文还讨论了老大核后碎块在有性过程中的功能。     

中华绒螯蟹血淋巴20-羟蜕皮酮诱发蜕皮和卵巢发育的作用

通过放射免疫法测定了中华绒螯蟹蜕皮周期血淋巴20-羟蜕皮酮(20-HE)含量的变化。血淋巴20-HE同卵母细胞发育各个阶段有密切的时相关系:在卵母细胞小生长期血淋巴20-HE持续上升,经青春蜕皮进入卵母细胞大生长期后又迅速降低。不能及时青春蜕皮的青春期前雌蟹,稍后仍出现20-HE下降的趋势。对不同实验条件和生理状态下雌蟹的比较表明,20-HE具有诱发蜕皮的特性。卵母细胞早期生长必需高浓度的血淋巴20-HE。外源注射的20-HE有刺激卵巢增重的作用。     

On the fine structure of rat liver ribosome small subunits

An optical averaging of rat liver ribosome small subunit images revealed seven strands with a mean diameter of about 50 Å. A tentative model of the 3D arrangement of the strands is suggested. An assumption is made that these strands are clusters of protein molecules arranged on the double-helical regions of RNA.     

Properties of the slow excitatory postsynaptic potential in mammalian sympathetic ganglion cells

Two types of slow excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) with different properties were found in neurons of the rabbit superior cervical sympathetic ganglion. In our group of neurons slow EPSPs increased during artificial hyperpolarization and decreased during depolarization of the membrane. The input resistance of the cells fell or remained unchanged during the development of slow EPSPs. In the second group of cells slow EPSPs increased during depolarization and decreased during hyperpolarization. The reversal potential of these responses, determined by extrapolation, was –78.9±3.6 mV. Depolarization responses to activation of muscarinic cholinergic receptors by acetylcholine or carbachol developed in 53% of neurons with an increase in input resistance and had a reversal potential of –83.2±6.7 mV. It is suggested that in cells of the first group the ionic mechanism of the slow EPSPs is similar to that of the fast EPSPs, whereas in cells of the second group its main component is a decrease in the potassium conductance of the membrane.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 371–379, July–August, 1981.     

Use of polysaccharides to remove lipids from the protein globulin fraction of baker's yeast

The precipitation of lipid-protein complexes from the baker's yeast protein globulin fraction by polysaccharides (gum arabic and arabinogalactan) was investigated. Lipid-protein complexes were precipitated more readily with the polysaccharides under study than with other globulin fractions components. A method for the removal of lipids from the globulin fraction of baker's yeast by precipitation of the lipid-protein complexes with polysaccharides is suggested.     

A 13c-n.m.r. study of 1,6:2,3- and 1,6:3,4-dianhydro-β-D-hexo-pyranoses and their O-acetyl and deoxy derivatives

¹³C-N.m.r. spectra of all possible 1,6:2,3- and 1,6:3,4-dianhydro-β-D-hexo-pyranoses and their O-acetyl and deoxy derivatives are presented. Relations between chemical shifts of certain carbon atoms and the structure of the dianhydrides are outlined, and their application in structural analysis is discussed. Inversion of configuration of the oxirane ring from the endo to the exo position is associated with typical upfield-shifts for oxirane-ring carbon atoms C-2 or C-4, respectively. Possible inter-relationships between ¹³C-chemical shifts and steric and polar interactions in the dianhydro derivatives are discussed.