A new role for PGRP-S (Tag7) in immune defense: lymphocyte migration is induced by a chemoattractant complex of Tag7 with Mts1

PGRP-S (Tag7) is an innate immunity protein involved in the antimicrobial defense systems, both in insects and in mammals. We have previously shown that Tag7 specifically interacts with several proteins, including Hsp70 and the calcium binding protein S100A4 (Mts1), providing a number of novel cellular functions. Here we show that Tag7–Mts1 complex causes chemotactic migration of lymphocytes, with NK cells being a preferred target. Cells of either innate immunity (neutrophils and monocytes) or acquired immunity (CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ lymphocytes) can produce this complex, which confirms the close connection between components of the 2 branches of immune response.     

Chronic experimental study of natural activity of the dog splanchnic nerve by the pulsed coherent component separation method

Natural electrical activity in the left greater splanchnic nerve during feeding was studied in chronic experiments on dogs. The method of separation of coherent components in pulsed form was used to analyze the discharges: Recording from the nerve was carried out at two points; activity was delayed by the time for its conduction along the nerve between the channels, in the channel which received it first, and it was then led from both channels to the coincidence unit. Spontaneous afferent impulsation was shown to spread among a group of nerve fibers with conduction velocities of between 3.7 and 20 m/sec, and with a mean velocity for the maximum of activity of 9.2±1.0 m/sec. Efferent spontaneous activity was not detected. During feeding with meat, besides spontaneous activity, activity of a group of afferent fibers with conduction velocities within the range 3.7–9.2 m/sec also was found (the mean velocity for the maximum of activity was 5.8±0.7 m/sec), and also activity of a group of efferent fibers with conduction velocities within the range 2.5–9.8 m/sec (mean value for maximum 3.5±0.5 m/sec).A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 13, No. 6, pp. 636–642, November–December, 1981.     

Conducting pathways of the dog solar plexus

Conducting pathways of the dog solar plexus were studied by recording action potentials from its nerves. The splanchnic nerves are composed of two groups of fast-conducting afferent A fibers (with conduction velocities of 12–15 and 25–56 m/sec), slowly conducting afferent C fibers (0.4–2.0 m/sec), and preganglionic B and C fibers (1.0–12.0 m/sec). Afferent A and C fibers from peripheral nerves run without interruption through the ganglia of the solar plexus, splanchnic nerves, and sympathetic chain and they enter the spinal cord in the composition of the dorsal roots. Cell bodies of A fibers are located in the spinal ganglia, those of the C fibers below the ganglia of the solar plexus, evidently in the walls of the internal organs. Peripheral nerves contain A fibers only with very low conduction velocities (13–20 m/sec) and no fast-conducting A fibers (25–56 m/sec) were found. Preganglionic fibers terminate synaptically on neurons of the ganglia of the solar plexus whose axons run in the peripheral nerves to the internal organs. Synaptic pathways run from some peripheral nerves of the solar plexus into others through its ganglia; in all probability these pathways participate in peripheral reflex arcs.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 76–83, January–February, 1976.     

Study of the Compression Dynamics of a Fiber Liner with a Deuterated Target Mounted on the Axis

Plasma Physics Reports - Compression of a fiber array with a deuterated target mounted on its axis is studied at the Angara-5-1 facility (3.5 MA, 100 ns). Cylindrical arrays with an initial...     

Specific features of the structure of the Z-pinch emitting region formed during the implosion of a foam-wire load at the ANGARA-5-1 facility

Results are presented from experimental studies of the structure of the compressed plasma of a Z-pinch produced during the implosion of a foam-wire load at the current of up to 3 MA. The foam-wire load consisted of two nested cylindrical cascades, one of which was a solid or hollow cylinder made of low-density agar-agar foam, while the other was a wire array. The wall thickness of a hollow foam cylinder was 100–200 μm. The images of the pinch and its spectrum obtained with the help of multiframe X-ray cameras and a grazing incidence spectrograph with a spatial resolution were analyzed. Data on the spatial structure of the emitting regions and the soft X-ray (SXR) spectrum of the Z-pinch in the final stage of compression of a foam-wire load were obtained. The implosion modes characterized by the formation of hot regions during implosion of such loads were revealed. The characteristic scale lengths of the hot regions were determined. It is shown that the energy distribution of SXR photons in the energy range from 80 eV to 1 keV forms the spatial structure of Z-pinch images recorded during the implosion of foam-wire loads. It is revealed that the spectral density of SXR emission in the photon energy range of 300–600 eV from hot Z-pinch regions exceeds the spectral density of radiation from the neighboring Z-pinch regions by more than one order of magnitude. Groups of lines related to the absorption and emission of radiation by atoms and multicharged ions of carbon and oxygen in the outer foam cascade of a foam-wire load were recorded for the first time by analyzing the spatial distribution of the SXR spectra of multicharged ions of the Z-pinch. The groups of absorption lines of ions (C III, O III, O IV, and O VI) corresponding to absorption of SXR photons in the Z-pinch of a tungsten wire array, which served as the inner cascade of a foam-wire load, were identified. The plasma electron temperature measured from the charge composition of carbon and oxygen ions in the outer agar-agar foam cascade was 10–40 eV. During the implosion of foam-wire loads at currents of up to 3 MA, SXR pulses (hν > 100 eV) with a duration of 10 ns and peak power of 3 TW were detected. It is shown that the temporal profile of single-peak and double-peak SXR pulses can be controlled by varying the parameters of the outer and inner cascades of the foam-wire load.     

Study of the formation,stability, and X-ray emission of the Z-pinch formed during implosion of fiber arrays at the Angara-5-1 facility

Results from experimental studies on the implosion of arrays made of kapron fibers coated with different metals (Al, In, Sn, and Bi) are presented. It is shown that the power, total energy, and spectrum of radiation emitted by the imploding array depend on the number of metallized fibers and the mass of the metal layer deposited on them but are independent of the metal characteristics (density, atomic number, etc.). Analysis of frame X-ray images shows that the Z-pinches formed in the implosion of metallized kapron fiber arrays are more stable than those formed in wire arrays and that MHD perturbations in them develop at a slower growth rate. Due to the lower rate of plasma production from kapron fibers, the plasma formed at the periphery of the array forms a layer that plays the role of a hohlraum wall partially trapping soft X-ray emission of the Z-pinch formed in the implosion of the material of the deposited metal layer. The closure of the anode aperture doubles the energy of radiation emitted in the radial direction.     

Phylogeography of southern Asian Dolly Varden char <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salvelinus malma krascheninnikovi</Emphasis>: Genealogical analysis of mitochondrial DNA

Phylogeography of southern Asian Dolly Varden char was studied using the data on mtDNA variation (regions ND1/ND2, ND5/ND6, and Cytb/D loop) obtained using PCR-RFLP analysis. Analysis of contemporary population genetic structure showed that Salvelinus malma krascheninnikovi throughout the whole species range was characterized by high population differentiation in combination with rather small differences between the populations from remote regions. The genealogy of mtDNA haplotypes was reconstructed and nested clade analysis of geographical distances was performed. Geographical distribution of mtDNA haplotypes of S. m. krascheninnikovi was explained by population genetic processes (restricted gene flow), as well as by historical demographic events (range expansion and fragmentation). It was demonstrated that the main demographic events were associated with cyclic processes of the geological formation of the Sea of Japan and adjacent territories. Furthermore, genealogical tree of S. m. krascheninnikovi contained the traces of secondary contact between isolated phylogeographical lineages.     

Phylogenetic analysis of smelts (Osmeridae) based on the variation of cytochrome <Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis> gene

Putative phylogenetic relationships between all smelt species inhabiting Russian waters were studied using RFLP and the data on divergence between nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial gene encoding cytochrome b. All types of phylogenetic trees (NJ, MP, and Bayesian) displayed stable clustering into isolated groups corresponding to the division of the subfamily Osmerinae into three genera, Mallotus, Osmerus, and Hypomesus. It was demonstrated that the Mallotus phylum was the first to diverge from a hypothetical common ancestor of the smelts. Later, it divided into two clusters corresponding to the modern subspecies Mallotus villosus villosus and M. v. catervarius. The phylum of the genus Osmerus diverged later than the genus Mallotus and also divided into two clusters, one including O. mordax of the Pacific (Sea of Japan) and Arctic (Kara and Barents Seas) basins and the other, anadromous and resident ecotypes of the O. eperlanus from the Baltic Sea basin. The smelts of the genus Hypomesus is the youngest phylogenetic group among the taxa studied; it forms three individual clusters matching the species H. olidus, H. nipponensis, and H. japonicus. The proposed phylogenetic hypothesis is discussed from the standpoint of its compliance with the phylogenetic constructions based on the external morphological and osteological traits.     

Studies of the implosion of cylindrical fiber arrays on the Angara-5-1 facility

Results are presented from experimental studies of the implosion of cylindrical kapron fiber arrays with addition of high- and medium-Z metal wires (tungsten, aluminum). The experiments were carried out on the Angara-5-1 facility at currents of 3–4 MA. The ablation rate in kapron fiber arrays is estimated and compared with that in tungsten wire arrays.     

Study of the radial distribution of the magnetic field in the wire array plasma at the Angara-5-1 facility

Results are presented from experimental studies of the implosion of wire (tungsten, aluminum, and molybdenum) and fiber (kapron) arrays at the Angara 5-1 facility at currents of up to 4 MA. The radial distributions of the azimuthal magnetic field in the stage of plasma production in such arrays are measured in detail for the first time, and the radial profiles of the current density are evaluated. The data obtained using an optical streak camera are compared with the results of measurements of the current and voltage. Using the obtained experimental results, the rate of plasma production in the arrays made of different materials is estimated.