Ventilatory responses to specific CNS hypoxia in sleeping dogs.

Our study was concerned with the effect of brain hypoxia on cardiorespiratory control in the sleeping dog. Eleven unanesthetized dogs were studied; seven were prepared for vascular isolation and extracorporeal perfusion of the carotid body to assess the effects of systemic [and, therefore, central nervous system (CNS)] hypoxia (arterial PO(2) = 52, 45, and 38 Torr) in the presence of a normocapnic, normoxic, and normohydric carotid body during non-rapid eye movement sleep. A lack of ventilatory response to systemic boluses of sodium cyanide during carotid body perfusion demonstrated isolation of the perfused carotid body and lack of other significant peripheral chemosensitivity. Four additional dogs were carotid body denervated and exposed to whole body hypoxia for comparison. In the sleeping dog with an intact and perfused carotid body exposed to specific CNS hypoxia, we found the following. 1) CNS hypoxia for 5-25 min resulted in modest but significant hyperventilation and hypocapnia (minute ventilation increased 29 +/- 7% at arterial PO(2) = 38 Torr); carotid body-denervated dogs showed no ventilatory response to hypoxia. 2) The hyperventilation was caused by increased breathing frequency. 3) The hyperventilatory response developed rapidly (<30 s). 4) Most dogs maintained hyperventilation for up to 25 min of hypoxic exposure. 5) There were no significant changes in blood pressure or heart rate. We conclude that specific CNS hypoxia, in the presence of an intact carotid body maintained normoxic and normocapnic, does not depress and usually stimulates breathing during non-rapid eye movement sleep. The rapidity of the response suggests a chemoreflex meditated by hypoxia-sensitive respiratory-related neurons in the CNS.     

Comparative effects of trichothecene mycotoxins on bovine platelet function: Acetyl T-2 toxin,a more potent inhibitor than T-2 toxin

The effects of the trichothecene mycotoxins (acetyl T-2 toxin, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, palmityl T-2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), deoxynivalenol (DON), and T-2 tetraol) on bovine platelet function were examined in homologous plasma stimulated with platelet activating factor (PAF). The mycotoxins inhibited platelet function with the following order of potency: acetyl T-2 toxin > palmityl T-2 toxin = DAS > HT-2 toxin = T-2 toxin. While T-2 tetraol was completely ineffective as an inhibitor, DON exhibited minimal inhibitory activity at concentrations above 10×10^?4M. The stability of the platelet aggregates formed was significantly reduced in all mycotoxin treated platelets compared to that of the untreated PAF controls. It is suggested that the increased sensitivity of PAF stimulated bovine platelets to the more lipophilic mycotoxins may be related to their more efficient partitioning into the platelet membrane compared to the more hydrophilic compounds.     

Behavioral responses of three species of ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) to olfactory cues associated with prey and habitat

The responses ofPterostichus melanarius Illiger,Harpalus rufipes DeGeer, andNebria brevicollis Fabricius (Coleoptera: Carabidae) to olfactory cues of prey and habitat were studied in a four-arm continuous-airflow olfactometer. The process was semiautomated using time-lapse image analysis by microcomputer. The primary constituent of the aphid alarm pheromone, (E)--farnesene (EBF), was synthesized and tested for a kairomonal role in prey detection by carabids. In addition, individual beetles were exposed to odors from live aphids, live collembolans, and a crude extract of wheat. All three beetle species showed evidence of olfaction.P. melanarius responded to all the odors except collembolans,H. rufipes responded to EBF and wheat, andN. brevicollis to collembolans. The use of a defence allomone as a prey-finding kairomone by certain carabid species has implications for pest management. Manipulation of predator chemical ecology by the inclusion of behavior-modifying compounds in a crop spray mix with reduced amounts of insecticide may allow for efficient aphid control with less environmental contamination.     

Active and passive cation transport and L antigen hertogeneity in low potassium sheep red cells

Several lines of experimental evidence are presented suggesting that the L antigens in low potassium (LK) sheep red cells are associated with separate Na(+)K(+) pump flux is distinct from the action of anti-L(l) on K(+) leak flux, implying that K(+) leak transport sites may not be converted into active pumps by the L antiserum. Treatment of LK red cells with trypsin completely abolished both the stimulation of K(+) pump flux and the enhancement of the rate of ouabain binding brought about by anti- L. That this effect is due to a total destruction of the L(p) determinant associated with the LK pump was evident from the complete failure of anti-L(p) to bind to trypsinized LK red cells. The L(p) antigen can be effectively protected against the trypsin attack by prior incubation with anti-L, indicating that the sites for antibody binding and trypsin action may be closely adjacent at the structural level. Trypsin treatment, however, did not interfere with anti-L(l) reducing ouabain insensitive K(+) leak influx, nor did it prevent binding of anti-L(ly), the hemolytically active L antibody which is probably identical with anti-L(l). The functional independence of the L(p) and L(l) sites was documented by the observation that anti-L(l) still reduced K(+) leak influx in LK cells with experimentally induced high potassium concentrations, at which K(+) pump flux is fully suppressed, whether or not anti-L(p) was binding to the L(p) antigen associated with the LK pump.     

Unusual thick and thin filament packing in a crustacean muscle

The proximal accessory flexor (PAF) of the myochordotonal organ (MCO) in the meropodite of crayfish walking legs contains two populations of muscle fibers which are distinguishable by their diameters. The large accessory (LA) fibers are 40-80 micrometer in diam and are similar in ultrastructure to other slow crustacean fibers. The small accessory (SA) fibers are 1-12 micrometer in diam and have a unique myofilament distribution at normal body lengths. There is extensive double overlap of thin filaments at these lengths, and some of them form bundles that may extend the length of the sarcomere. In the middle of the sarcomeres, thick and thin filaments are totally segregated from each other. When the fibers are stretched to lengths beyond double overlap length, the myofilament patterns are conventional. The segregated pattern is reestablished when stretched fibers are allowed to shorten passively. The length-tension relationship of the SA fibers is described by a linear ascending branch, a plateau, and a linear descending branch. The ascending branch encompasses normal body lengths from slack length (Ls) with maximum double overlap to the length at which double overlap ceases (1.8 X Ls). The descending phase is comparable to that of other skeletal muscles. That is, tension decreases in proportion with the reduction in thick-thin filament interdigitation (2 X Ls to 3 X Ls).     

Hospitalization for mental illness: evaluation of admission trends from 1941 to 1971.

A study of the diagnostic composition of the inpatient population of Ontario and Canadian psychiatric facilities has shown an important change in hospital-treated illness over the period 1941-71. Patients with nonpsychotic disorders accounted for 54% of all admissions to Ontario public mental hospitals in 1971, compared with only 8% in 1941. The trend was similar for both first admissions and proportion of readmissions, and was similar for psychiatric units of general hospitals. In contrast, the overall rate of first admission for psychotic disorders to inpatient facilities remained remarkably constant over time, as did the proportion of readmissions among all admissions. The findings dispel the notion that the increasing proportion of readmissions is due largely to a rapid turnover of former long-stay psychotic patients (the "revolving-door phenomenon"). The findings could not be attributed to a changing prevalence of types of psychiatric illness, increased availability of psychiatric inpatient facilities or comprehensive medical insurance.     

Sites of action of D2O in intact and skinned crayfish muscle fibers

Summary The effect on tension development of replacing 90% of the H₂O of the bathing saline with D₂O was studied on intact single fibers, and on skinned fibers before and after the latter were treated so as to eliminate Ca-accumulation by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) of intact fibers is not abolished, but is depressed by D₂O so that higher depolarizations are required to elicit a given tension. The reduction in tension at a given level of depolarization is not due to inhibition of the contractile system. The latter showed an enhanced Ca sensitivity; that is, skinned fibers respond to Ca concentrations that are 1–2 orders of magnitude smaller in D₂O than in H₂O saline. When bathed in D₂O saline, intact fibers or skinned fibers with functional SR can still accumulate and release Ca in sufficient quantities to allow repeated induction of maximum tensions. Relaxation is slowed in all three types of preparation, perhaps because of an increased affinity of troponin to Ca in D₂O salines.