The problem of adaptation and oscillatory processes in the microvascular bed

Healthy people (n = 16), patients with autonomic dystonia syndrome (n = 38), and patients with traumatic rupture of the median nerve before and after nerve suture (n = 28) were examined by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) with a computer wavelet analysis of blood flow oscillations. Functional states (FSs) of the microcirculatory bed wеre assessed using energetic and information indices of microvascular blood flow oscillations. The variation coefficient and the information regime (multistable or resonance) were used as key characteristics. Oscillatory processes are an integral part of adaptation and the FS formation in the microvascular bed. FSs were classified as adaptive, hyperadaptive, hypoadaptive, and failure of adaptation. Because supporting the optimal function of nutritive microvessels is a leading component of the adaptation process, FSs of nutritive and nonnutritive microvessels may differ. A selective contribution of the autonomic sympathetic regulatory channel was related to maintaining considerable hyperadaptation in the microvascular bed with overstrain or marked overstrain of regulatory systems, as in emotional stress. Hypoadaptive FSs formed when skin blood flow increased, an excess decrease in flow resistance was unnecessary, and especially when regulatory factors were in deficiency, e.g., in neurodystrophic syndrome.     

Restoration of evoked responses in the rat dorsomedial thalamic nucleus after amygdaloid lesion

The changing pattern of focal potentials in the thalamic dorsomedial nucleus, produced by stimulating the periamygdaloid cortex between 2 and 90 days after unilateral destruction of the basolateral amygdaloid nuclei, was investigated during semichronic experiments on anesthetized rats. A comparison was made between the parameters and spatio-temporal characteristics of potentials, as revealed at different stages of functional reorganization of thalamo-limbic interaction. The biggest increase in latency to peak of the principal positive-negative component is seen during the first two months after amygdaloid lesion. The original pattern and numerical features of focal potentials are restored in 2.5 months. The potentials formed during the course of the compensatory process differed from those of animals with an intact CNS, however, the amplitude of their test response to paired stimuli being incompletely restored, especially at interstimulus intervals of 40–150 msec. Findings indicate the high functional plasticity of the neural fibers mediating afferents at the level of the above thalamic association nucleus.Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 18, No. 2, pp. 153–161, March–April, 1986.     

Chloroplast transfer in Nicotiana based on metabolic complementation between irradiated and iodoacetate treated protoplasts

Protoplasts of a light sensitive plastome mutant of Nicotiana tabacum (2 n=48) were irradiated and fused with iodoacetate-treated Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (2 n=20) protoplasts. Treated parental protoplasts were unable to divide. Metabolic complementation, however, helped the recovery of interspecific fusion products which survived and formed calli. Altogether 40 clones were investigated. N. plumbaginifolia plants were obtained in 15 clones (38%), somatic hybrids in 23 clones, and both types of regenerates were found in 2 clones. Irradiation therefore significantly increased the frequency of segregant formation with the non-irradiated N. plumbaginifolia nuclei (the frequency was 1.4% in the absence of irradiation). Regenerated plants in most cases (31 out of 34) contained chloroplasts from the irradiated parent. In 6 clones plants were obtained with both types of chloroplast. Thus, irradiated N. tabacum chloroplasts had an improved chance of dominating the heterokaryonderived cells, many of which contained N. plumbaginifolia nucleus. The system described should be generally applicable for the transfer of chloroplasts without the use of selectable genetic markers.     

Steatorrhea in patients with liver disease

Intestinal function was studied in 26 patients with seven types of acute and chronic liver disease, documented by liver biopsy. Steatorrhea, defined by a stool fat higher than 6 g. per day, was present in 18 of 23 consecutive patients studied, an incidence of 78.3%. Two patients with infectious hepatitis associated with steatorrhea studied previously were added and the 20 cases were analyzed. The malabsorption found was confined to fat and fat-soluble vitamins; stool excretion varied from 6.1 to 22 g. per day in the seven groups studied. No histological abnormality was seen on jejunal biopsy, serum vitamin B₁₂, D-xylose and Schilling tests were normal, and no radiological findings associated with malabsorption were detected in the small bowel. It is concluded that steatorrhea is a common finding in a wide variety of acute and chronic liver diseases and cannot be attributed to a primary defect of the small bowel.     

Adaptive Changes in Fatty Acid Compositions of Whitefish Coregonus lavaretusL. Tissue Lipids Caused by Anthropogenic Factors

Adaptive processes in the body of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretusL.) caused by anthropogenic effects on aquatic systems were studied. It was demonstrated that the content of fatty acid acyls correlated with the water pollution level. The role of a decrease in the content of arachidonic acid in fish reproduction under adverse conditions is discussed. It is underlined that the quantitative alterations in the gonad and liver fatty acid patterns are unidirectional. The compensatory character of the changes discovered is hypothesized.     

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, beta-adrenoblockers and their combinations on survival and blood plasma catecholamine levels in rats with chronic heart failure with induced exacerbations

It has been shown, using the model of the chronic heart failure proceeded with induced decompensations, that the ACE inhibitors and β-adrenoblockers promoted at different degree the correction of hypercatecholaminemia and an increase of the rat survival. The β-adrenoblockers Atenolol, Propranolol and Carvedilol had the most effect. The remaining β-adrenoblockers, not possessing the inner sympathetic-mimetic activity, as well as Captopril, demonstrated the less activity. However the positive effect of these preparations occurred on the rat survival independent on the expression of their modulating effect on the sympathetic -adrenal system. The ACE inhibitors, especially the hydrophilic Lisinopril, prevent at less degree, than the β-adrenoblockers, the death of animals at the period of CHF exacerbation. A combine using of β-adrenoblockers with the ACE inhibitors, especially with the Carvedilol, promotes a maximally expressed decrease of the sympathetic-adrenal activity and an increase of the rat survival, especially at the period of CHF exacerbation.     

Differential rotation of plasma in the GOL-3 multiple-mirror trap during injection of a relativistic electron beam

Results of spectral and magnetic diagnostics of plasma differential rotation in the GOL-3 multiplemirror trap are presented. It is shown that the maximum frequency of plasma rotation about the longitudinal axis reaches 0.5 MHz during the injection of a relativistic electron beam into the plasma. The data of two diagnostics agree if there is a region with a higher rotation frequency near the boundary of the electron beam. Plasma differential rotation can be an additional factor stabilizing interchange modes in the GOL-3 facility.