Infradian Rhythmicity in Sleep/Wake Ratio in Developing Infants

Although there are several reports on ultradian and circadian rhythms in newborns, we found only one report in which infradian periodicities are described for heart-rate measurements in the early stages of human development. Here, we report infradian rhythms in the monthly range in the sleep/wake cycle of four infants studied along 24 consecutive weeks. Our procedure was applied to sleep diary records from four healthy newborns. The data were arranged in binary time series representing sleep (?1) or wake (1) states. These time series were integrated in order to obtain the cumulative sleep/wake time. A measure of the sleep/wake ratio (SWR) was obtained by computing the average slope of the cumulative sleep/wake time. To extract periodicities we applied the Fourier periodogram to the temporal course of the SWR. We found a notorious difference in the SWR pattern among infants. In two infants the SWR showed a marked linear decay, spending more time asleep than awake, while in the two other infants oscillated near zero. We found robust oscillations in all children. In all cases the Fourier periodogram results present significant power in the infradian range. From these results, we suggest that sleep and wake durations are probably modulated by some internal stimuli.     

CONSEQUENCES OF SHIFTWORKING ON SLEEP DURATION,SLEEPINESS, AND SLEEP ATTACKS

Rotating shift and permanent night work arrangements are known to compromise sleep. This study examined the effects of work schedule on sleep duration, excessive sleepiness, sleep attacks, driving, and domestic/professional accidents. A representative sample of the general population of the state of New York—3,345 individuals ≥18 yrs of age—was interviewed by telephone regarding their sleep and psychiatric and organic disorders. Multivariate models were applied to derive odds ratios (OR) after adjustment for age, sex, physical illness, mental disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, and sleep duration. On average (±SE), workers slept 6.7?±?1.5?h, but 40% slept <6.5?h/main sleep episode. Short-sleep duration (<6?h) was strongly associated with fixed night (OR: 1.7) and day-evening-night shiftwork arrangement (OR: 1.9). Some 20% of the workers manifested excessive sleepiness in situations requiring high attention, and it was associated with the fixed night (OR: 3.3) and day-evening-night work arrangements (OR: 1.5). Overall, 5% of the workers reported sleep attacks; however, they occurred three-times more frequently in the fixed night (15.3%) than other work arrangements (OR: 3.2). Driving accidents during the previous 12 months were reported by 3.6% of the workers and were associated with fixed night (OR: 3.9) and day-evening-night (OR: 2.1) work schedules. The findings of this study indicate that working outside the regular daytime hours was strongly associated with shorter sleep duration, sleepiness, and driving accident risk. Night work is the most disrupting, as it is associated with insufficient sleep during the designated rest span and excessive sleepiness and sleep attacks during the span of activity, with an associated consequence being increased driving accident risk. (Author correspondence: mohayon@stanford.edu)     

Local grassland restoration affects insect communities

1. It is hypothesised that ecological restoration in grasslands can induce an alternative stable state shift in vegetation. The change in vegetation influences insect community assemblages and allows for greater functional redundancy in pollination and refuge for native insect species. 2. Insect community assemblages at eight coastal California grassland sites were evaluated. Half of these sites had undergone restoration through active revegetation of native grassland flora and half were non‐restored. Insects were collected from Lupinus bicolor (Fabaceae) within 2 × 2‐m² plots in spring 2017. Lupinus bicolor is a common native species that is used in California restoration projects, and home and state landscaping projects. 3. Ordination demonstrated that insect community assemblages were different between restored and non‐restored sites. These differences were seen in insect functional groups as well as taxa‐specific differences and were found to be driven by environmental characteristics such as non‐native forb cover. 4. Functional redundancy of herbivores decreased at restored sites, while pollinators became more redundant compared with non‐restored sites. The assemblages of the common species found at restoration sites contained more native insects than those found at non‐restored sites, including species such as Bombus vosnesenskii. 5. Local grassland restoration has the potential to induce an alternative stable state change and affect insect community assemblages. Additionally, it was found that grassland restoration can be a potential conservation tool to provide refugia for bumblebees (Bombus), but additional studies are required to fully understand its broader applicability.     

Rates of heat-induced pyrimidine alterations in synthetic polydeoxyribonucleotides

Hydrolytic damages to DNA can occur at physiological conditions. The possible role of DNA conformation on the distribution of such alterations of pyrimidines was investigated. Model compounds used were the synthetic alternating copolymer poly(dG-dC):poly(dG-dC) and the homopolymer poly(dG):poly(dC). Base damages were assayed by paper chromatography using polymers radioactively labeled in cytosine. Conformational changes were assayed by circular dichroic spectral changes. Incubation and heating of the polymers in 1 mM MnCl₂ caused the spectral shift reported for the left-handed Z-DNA conformation in the alternating copolymer and the change reported for the triple helix in the homopolymer. After incubation in 85°C, incidences of base damages were compared between the polymers. The presence of manganese reduced depyrimidination in both polymers. Rates of cytosine deamination to uracil were substantial and did not vary among the various conformational states.     

Phylogeny and evolution of sexually selected tail ornamentation in widowbirds and bishops (Euplectes spp.)

Despite similar ecology, mating systems and female preferences for supernormal tails, the 17 species of African widowbirds and bishops (Euplectes spp.) show astonishing variation in male tail ornamentation. Whereas bishops retain their brown nonbreeding tails in nuptial plumage, widowbirds grow black nuptial tails, varying in length from a few centimetres in E. axillaris to the extreme half metre train of E. progne. Here, we phylogenetically reconstruct the evolution of the discrete trait, nuptial tail and the continuous trait, tail length, using a molecular phylogeny of 33 Euplectes subspecies. Unlike many recent findings of labile evolution of plumage ornaments, our results suggest that the nuptial tail of Euplectes is a derived and phylogenetically conserved ornamental trait that, once gained, shows directional evolution in its expression. Directionality is demonstrated in the trivial sense of a short‐tailed ancestor, and by contingency and randomization tests suggesting that branches with increasing tail length are overrepresented. This supports an early origin and strong retention of directional female mate choice in widowbirds and bishops, as previously indicated by empirical and experimental results, and provides a less labile, yet rapid scenario of sexually selected diversification.     

The lifetime of molecular (Davydov) solitons

The lifetime of Davydov solitons in a one-dimensional system is studied theoretically. The process of thermalization and the properties of solitons at finite temperature are investigated and the processes of soliton creation and disintegration are discussed.     

Survey of chemical speciation of trace elements using synchrotron radiation

Information concerning the chemical state of trace elements in biological systems generally has not been available. Such information for toxic elements and metals in metalloproteins could prove extremely valuable in the elucidation of their metabolism and other biological processes. The shielding of core electrons by binding electrons affect the energy required for creating inner-shell holes. Furthermore, the molecular binding and symmetry of the local environment of an atom affect the absorption spectrum in the neighborhood of the absorption edge. X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) using synchrotron radiation excitation can be used to provide chemical speciation information for trace elements at concentrations as low as 10 ppm. The structure and position of the absorption curve in the region of an edge can yield vital data about the local structure and oxidation state of the trace element in question. Data are most easily interpreted by comparing the observed edge structure and position with those of model compounds of the element covering the entire range of possible oxidation states. Examples of such analyses will be reviewed.     

Subconductance states of single sodium channels modified by chloramine-T and sea anemone toxin in neuroblastoma cells

Single channel currents of chloramine-T (Chl-T) and sea anemone toxin (ATX-II) modified sodium channels were studied in neuroblastoma cells. With both substances similar subconductance states have been observed. The conductances of the sublevels were multiples of the unit step which was about onefourth of the most frequently occurring main conductance. Thus, the current levels observed were one fourth, half and five-fourths of the main current size. Both substances caused a slower decay of the averaged current compared to the current of the native channels. The main single-channel conductance was 15.2 pS (T=16°C) for the Chl-T and 10.8 pS (T=12°C) for the ATX-II modified channels. The channel open time was doubled by ATX-II, but was not increased significantly by Chl-T. The existence of the subconductance states suggests that the native channels may also have multiple open conformations.     

Effect of abscisic acid on the photosynthetic oxygen evolution in barley chloroplasts

In vivo effect of abscisic acid (ABA) on photosynthetic oxygen evolution was investigated in barley chloroplasts. The most important kinetic parameters of O₂-producing reactions were changed. The results show inhibition of the O₂-flash yields at ABA concentrations of 10 mol/l and 100 mol/l and an increase in the degree of damping of the oscillations. ABA has a marked effect on the distribution of the oxygenevolving centers in S₀ and S₁ states and on sum of the centers (S₀+S₁) estimated according to the Kok model. In addition, the amplitude and the shape of the initial oxygen burst under continuous illumination are also significantly altered. At a concentration of 100 mol/l, ABA strongly inhibits Hill reaction activity measured by DCPIP reduction. The results cannot be explained by the hypothesis of socalled stomata effect. On the other hand, no effects were observed on the investigated parameters in experiments involving ABA applied in vitro to isolated chloroplasts. It is hypothesized that ABA disrupts the granal chloroplasts structure and raises the degree of participation of the cooperative mechanism of O₂-evolution connected with the functioning of PS II centers in the stroma situated thylakoids.Abbreviations DCPIP 2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol - DCMU 3-(3,4-dichlorophenil)-1,1-dimethylurea - HEPES N-2-Hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethane sulfonic acid - PSII photosystem II - RubisCO Ribulose-1,5-bis-phosphate carboxylase-oxygenase