Gap junctions and impulse propagation in embryonic epithelium of Amphibia

Summary Epithelium of amphibian embryos (Cynops orientalis, Xenopus laevis) was found in preceding experiments to generate and conduct impulses during a limited stage (26–37) of development. In order to elucidate the structural basis of impulse propagation, epithelial cells of four stages were examined by the freeze-etching method: (I) before and (II) during acquisition of conductivity; (III) when propagation was fully established, and (IV) when it was no longer present. Only few gap junctions (GJ) of small size were found in groups I and IV. GJ in epithelia of group III were increased in number and size, and appeared morphologically coupled, i.e., with more loosely arranged connexons. The size of gap-junctional particles did not differ significantly between coupled and uncoupled stages. Zonulae occludentes seemed leaky in stage I, and tight in stages II–IV. Thus, the morphological characteristics of specialized junctions between non excitable cells correlated with the opening and closing of low resistance intercellular current pathways during embryonic development.Gap junctions in particular seem to form an essential link in the non-neural stimulus-response system, which may facilitate the mobility of the embryo during early phases of aquatic life before the reflex pathways have been established. Coupling and uncoupling of gap junctions may also play an important role in the regulation of cell differentiation and morphogenetic movement. The experimental model used in this study provides a useful tool for further investigations of structural correlates of gap junctional permeability under physiological conditions.     

脉冲震荡肺功能在稳定期COPD治疗中的应用价值

目的:探讨脉冲震荡肺功能(Impulse oscillometry,IOS)在稳定期COPD患者中应用价值及其和常规肺功能检测指标的相关性。方法:62例重度稳定期COPD患者,同时选择健康对照组人群40例纳入研究。经噻托溴铵联合沙美特罗替卡松治疗,将重度COPD患者缓解至中度。检测治疗前后常规肺功能指标(FEV1/FVC、FEV1)和IOS指标(ZRS、Fres、R5、X5、R20),分析常规肺功能指标和IOS各指标的相关性。结果:COPD患者FEV1和FEV1/FVC和对照组相比明显降低,差异有统计学意义(P0.05),观察组治疗后FEV1和FEV1/FVC明显改善,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。观察组ZRS、Fres、R5、R20各项指标明显高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);治疗后ZRS、Fres、R5明显改善,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。FEV1、FEV1/FVC和ZRS、Fres、R5呈负相关性(P0.05),和X5呈正相关性(P0.05)。结论:脉冲震荡肺功能多项指标和传统肺功能指标有良好的相关性,是一种简便、低配合度、准确的的肺功能新的检测技术手段。     

带脉冲变系数的BAM神经网络的全局指数稳定性

在固定脉冲时刻,利用无需有界、单调和可微的李普希茨激励函数,来研究BAM脉冲神经网络,获得平衡点的存在唯一性和全局指数稳定性的充分条件,然后通过举例来验证所得结论的有效性．     

污染环境中具有生育脉冲的单种群模型的最优捕获问题

研究周期性脉冲毒素输入的污染环境中具有生育脉冲的单种群捕获模型的动力学性质,通过数值模拟给出所研究系统的动力复杂性,并进一步指出脉冲捕获的时间对最大年度持续产量的影响.     

具有时滞的广义BAM脉冲神经网络的全局指数稳定性

本文讨论一类具有时滞的广义双向联想记忆（BAM）脉冲神经网络的指数稳定性．利用Banach空间的不动点定理和Lyapunoy泛函,在不假定激励函数有界、单调和可徽的条件下,得到了平衡点的存在唯一性定理及其为全局指数稳定的充分条件．文末通过实例阐释了所获结论的有效性．     

An autocorrelation model of bat sonar

Their sonar system allows echolocating bats to navigate with high skill through a complex, three- dimensional environment at high speed and low light. The auditory analysis of the echoes of their ultrasonic sounds requires a detailed comparison of the emission and echoes. Here an auditory model of bat sonar is introduced and evaluated against a set of psychophysical phantom-target, echo-acoustic experiments. The model consists of a relatively detailed simulation of auditory peripheral processing in the bat, Phyllostomus discolor, followed by a functional module consisting of a strobed, normalised, autocorrelation in each frequency channel. The model output is accumulated in a sonar image buffer. The model evaluation is based on the comparison of the image-buffer contents generated in individually simulated psychophysical trials. The model provides reasonably good predictions for both temporal and spectral behavioural sonar processing in terms of sonar delay-, roughness, and phase sensitivity and in terms of sensitivity to the temporal separations in two-front targets and the classification of spectrally divergent phantom targets.     

具有脉冲和时滞的Lotka-Volterra系统的正周期解的存在性和全局渐近稳定性

主要研究具有脉冲和时滞的Lotka-Volterra系统的正周期解的存在性和全局渐近稳定性．     

The response of the pediatric head to impacts onto a rigid surface

The study of pediatric head injury relies heavily on the use of finite element models and child anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs). However, these tools, in the context of pediatric head injury, have yet to be validated due to a paucity of pediatric head response data. The goal of this study is to investigate the response and injury tolerance of the pediatric head to impact.Twelve pediatric heads were impacted in a series of drop tests. The heads were dropped onto five impact locations (forehead, occiput, vertex and right and left parietal) from drop heights of 15 and 30 cm. The head could freely fall without rotation onto a flat 19 mm thick platen. The impact force was measured using a 3-axis piezoelectric load cell attached to the platen.Age and drop height were found to be significant factors in the impact response of the pediatric head. The head acceleration (14%–15 cm; 103–30 cm), Head Injury Criterion (HIC) (253%–15 cm; 154%–30 cm) and impact stiffness (5800%–15 cm; 3755%–30 cm) when averaged across all impact locations increased with age from 33 weeks gestation to 16 years, while the pulse duration (66%–15 cm; 53%–30 cm) decreased with age. Increases in head acceleration, HIC and impact stiffness were also observed with increased drop height, while pulse duration decreased with increased drop height.One important observation was that three of the four cadaveric heads between the ages of 5-months and 22-months sustained fractures from the 15 cm and 30 cm drop heights. The 5-month-old sustained a right parietal linear fracture while the 11- and 22-month-old sustained diastatic linear fractures.     

Effect of chronic idiopathic low back pain on the kinetic gait characteristics in different foot masks

Identification of kinetic variables in different masks of foot is important for the evaluation and treatment of chronic low back pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic idiopathic low back pain on kinetic variables of gait in different foot masks. 11 idiopathic chronic low back pain patients and 13 healthy matched controls participated in this study. Using Emed foot-scanner system, the ground reaction force and impulse were measured during barefoot normal walking. Then, the average footprints were divided into 10 masks using the Automask program and the data were extracted using Multimask Evaluation programs. The low back pain disability was measured by Quebec questionnaire. Our results revealed that the ground reaction force and impulse in medial and lateral midfoot and hallux masks of patients were significantly lower than controls. Furthermore, these patients demonstrated greater ground reaction force and impulse in 3–5th metatarsals mask than control group. There was a significant interaction between the low back pain and the foot masks factors. In conclusion, the ground reaction forces and impulses in different areas of foot are affected by low back pain. Therefore, the kinetic gait analysis should be considered as an appropriate tool in evaluation and prescribing proper treatment program in low back pain patients.     

Physiological characterization of antennular flicking reflexes in the crayfish

The cellular substrates of antennular flicking behavior in the crayfish Procambarus clarkii were investigated. Flicking involves fast downward movements of the external filament of each biramous antennule (1st antenna), and is mediated by phasic contractions of a short muscle, the external filament depressor. Phasic contractions of the external filament depressor depend upon stereotyped impulse bursts in a single motorneuron (P1). These bursts have a characteristic impulse frequency profile that is consistent upon successive occurrences. The temporal characteristics of the impulse burst suggest that the central depolarizations generating each burst may be similar to driver potentials described for motor neurons in crustacean cardiac ganglia. Responses of the external filament to odorants have a long latency and are characterized by repetitive bursts and tonic activity in some external filament depressor fibers. Tonic activity in a slowly contracting muscle, the antennular depressor muscle, is also evoked by chemical stimulation. Flicking is consistently evoked only by mechanical or hydrodynamic stimulation of the cephalothorax, antennae and antennules. The sensitivity and short latency of the hydrodynamic antennule-generated flick reflex is consistent with the sensitivity of rapidly conducting, hydrodynamically activated mechanoreceptor neurons in both antennular filaments. I propose that antennular flicking, which has been shown to enhance the dynamic response characteristics of olfactory receptor neurons on the external antennular filament, has evolved as a response to the turbulence associated with fluid movement, within which chaotic odorant concentration fronts may be imbedded. Accepted: 23 October 1996