Synaptic vesicles in electron micrographs of freeze-etched nerve terminals

Freeze-etched neuropil of the cat subfornical organ was examined with the electron microscope for synaptic vesicles. Round vesicles were found exclusively in both unfixed and aldehyde-fixed specimens. Range of diameters and histograms failed to differ significantly between freeze-etched and conventionally prepared material. The mnode of distribution of diameters was approximately 500 angstroms. Round stomata (approximately 350 angstromns in diameter) were found at the outer surface of the plasmalemma of nerve terminials; they are interpreted as pinocytotic vesicles.     

Fast transport system of materials in mammalian nerve fibers

A fast transport system of materials is shown in cat sensory fibers of sciatic nerve. After injection of tritiated leucine into the lumbar seventh ganglia, the distribution of activity was measured in the sciatic nerves from 2 to 8 hours afterward. The distribution showed a crest of activity advancing down the fibers at a rate of approximately 410 millimeters per day. An intraaxonic locus of the activity was indicated by a block of the downflow induced by local freezing which causes the fibers to close off. Some of the activity in the nerve was due to free tritiated leucine, with most of it incorporated into polypeptide, soluble protein, and subcellular particulates.     

Destruction of Trypanosoma cruzi by Natural killer cells

Mice infected with trypanosoma cruzi or stimulated with poly(inosinic.cytodylic acid) were found to possess splenic and peritoneal exudate cells with enhanced cytotoxic activity against epimastigote and trypomastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi. By use of specific alloantiserums it was determined that the effector cells responsible for this cytotoxic activity were typical natural killer cells.     

Dopamine nerve terminals in the rat limbic cortex: aspects of the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia

The existence of cortical dopamine nerve terminals is demonstrated with a highly sensitive modification of the Falck-Hillarp fluorescence technique. This confirms previous biochemical reports of high dopamine levels in the cortex. The histochemistry reveals that the distribution is regional and confined to the limbic cortex.     

Postsynaptic transmission block can cause terminal sprouting of a motor nerve

Sprouting of mouse soleus motor nerve terminals can be evoked by daily intramuscular injections of purified alpha-bungarotoxin. This finding supports the hypothesis that an important stimulus to terminal sprouting in partial denervation and presynaptic nerve blockade is a product of inactive muscle fibers.     

Neuronal calcium sensor 1 and activity-dependent facilitation of P/Q-type calcium currents at presynaptic nerve terminals

P/Q-type presynaptic calcium currents (IpCa) undergo activity-dependent facilitation during repetitive activation at the calyx of the Held synapse. We investigated whether neuronal calcium sensor 1 (NCS-1) may underlie this phenomenon. Direct loading of NCS-1 into the nerve terminal mimicked activity-dependent IpCa facilitation by accelerating the activation time of IpCa in a Ca2+-dependent manner. A presynaptically loaded carboxyl-terminal peptide of NCS-1 abolished IpCa facilitation. These results suggest that residual Ca2+ activates endogenous NCS-1, thereby facilitating IpCa. Because both P/Q-type Ca2+ channels and NCS-1 are widely expressed in mammalian nerve terminals, NCS-1 may contribute to the activity-dependent synaptic facilitation at many synapses.     

Destruction of Pacific Corals by the Sea Star Acanthaster planci

Acanthaster planci, a coral predator, is undergoing a population explosion in many areas of the Pacific Ocean. Data on feeding rates, population movements, and stages of infestation were collected along coral reefs of Guam and Palau. Direct observations on destruction of Guam's coral reefs indicate that narrow, fringing reefs may be killed as rapidly as 1 kilometer per month. In a 2(1/2)-year period, 90 percent of the coral was killed along 38 kilometers of Guam's shoreline.     

用树轮年代学方法评估吐蕃时期人类对森林的破坏

利用树轮年代学研究方法定量分析都兰香加乡莫克里一号墓用材量,并结合现代树木直径与树冠面积的关系以及森林蓄积量评估古代人类对森林的破坏。结果表明:在吐蕃时期,仅柴达木盆地都兰县建造古墓就消耗22 500 m~3木材,造成森林环境的巨大破坏。     

黏菌素对小鼠神经传导速率及运动单元动作电位的影响

为探讨黏菌素对小鼠感觉神经传导速率(SNCV)、运动神经传导速率(MNCV)及运动单元动作电位(MUAP)的影响,对50只昆明系小鼠单次尾静脉注射硫酸黏菌素7.5 mg.kg-1,每12 h 1次,连续给药7 d。分别于第1、3、7、14天(以初次给药当天为第1天计)测定小鼠坐骨神经SNCV、MNCV及MUAP,并对腓肠肌进行病理学检查。结果表明,与对照组相比,黏菌素给药3 d后,SNCV降低至(30.67±1.15)m.s-(1P0.05)。给药7 d后,神经传导速率(NCV)显著降低,MNCV降低至(24.47±0.41)m.s-(1P0.05),SNCV降低至(29.67±2.89)m.s-(1P0.05);此外,腓肠肌MUAP降低至(0.26±0.0153)mV(P0.05),运动单元动作电位持续时间(MUAPD)降低至(0.3±0.046)s(P0.01)。表明黏菌素可影响小鼠的神经感觉及运动功能,并可导致小鼠肌肉无力。SNCV变化较为敏感,可作为黏菌素诱发神经毒性的早期诊断指标。     

Junctional physiology and motor nerve distribution in the fast adductor muscle of the scallop

Electrical recordings from single muscle cells in the fast portion of the scallop adductor have revealed a multiterminal distribution of motor nerves. All motor junctions appear to be of the fast designation, and several nerve fibers supply each muscle cell. The muscle fibers, by virtue of common innervation, are grouped into functional motor units. The pattern of innervation in scallops thus shares functional similarities with the motor distribution to skeletal muscle fibers of both vertebrates and arthopods.     

Uptake of isolated chloroplasts by mammalian cells

Mouse fibroblasts (L cells) in suspension culture incorporated isolated chloroplasts of spinach and African violets and isolated mitochondria of chicken liver. The organelles resided in the cell cytoplasm and were not contained in vacuoles or digestion vesicles. Green cells divided like normal cells. Green chloroplasts were followed for five cell generations or 5 days, at which time hybrid cells were greatly outnumbered by nongreen progeny cells. The ingested chloroplasts retained their structural integrity as determined by electron microscopy of organelles and hybrid cells and by analysis of photochemical activity and DNA in chloroplasts reisolated from cells after 1 or 2 days in culture.     

Penetration of somatic mammalian cells by sperm

Penetration of somatic mammalian cells by spermatozoa occurred after simple admixture in culture. With sperm labeled in vivo, autoradiography revealed incorporation of DNA into nuclei of recipient cells, indicating release of DNA after entrance by sperm. This system provides a new approach to study the molecular biology of information transfer and of haploid gene expression.     

新农药防治山楂叶螨的试验研究

室内和田间试验结果表明,近年推出的新型杀螨剂：螨即死、果螨红、敌虱螨对山楂叶螨均有优异的防治效果。其中,螨即死、果螨红对各个螨态均有优异的效果．使用浓度分别以4000～4500倍及2500～3000倍为宜,且对天敌安全;敌虱螨对螨卵效果差,而对各活动螨态效果好,适宜在苹果中后期使用,并能兼治二斑叶螨等害虫。这些药剂可与目前生产中广泛应用的螨死净等交替使用。     

Destruction of cytochrome P 450 by secobarbital and other barbiturates containing allyl groups

Administration of certain commonly used barbiturates containing allyl groups, such as secobarbital, allobarbital, or aprobarbital to rats treated chronically with a microsomal enzyme inducer causes a rapid destruction of the liver microsomal hemoprotein that serves as the terminal oxidase for drug metabolism. In contrast, barbiturates without an allyl group do not have this effect. The decrease in this hemoprotein, cytochrome P(450), by the barbiturates containing an allyl group could also be demonstrated in an in vitro liver microsomal system requiring reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate. These results suggest that the barbiturates containing an allyl group are converted to a metabolite that leads to the destruction of cytochrome P(450).     

Regulation of mammalian tooth cusp patterning by ectodin

Mammalian tooth crowns have precise functional requirements but cannot be substantially remodeled after eruption. In developing teeth, epithelial signaling centers, the enamel knots, form at future cusp positions and are the first signs of cusp patterns that distinguish species. We report that ectodin, a secreted bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) inhibitor, is expressed as a "negative" image of mouse enamel knots. Furthermore, we show that ectodin-deficient mice have enlarged enamel knots, highly altered cusp patterns, and extra teeth. Unlike in normal teeth, excess BMP accelerates patterning in ectodin-deficient teeth. We propose that ectodin is critical for robust spatial delineation of enamel knots and cusps.     

Simulations of jets driven by black hole rotation

The origin of jets emitted from black holes is not well understood; however, there are two possible energy sources: the accretion disk or the rotating black hole. Magnetohydrodynamic simulations show a well-defined jet that extracts energy from a black hole. If plasma near the black hole is threaded by large-scale magnetic flux, it will rotate with respect to asymptotic infinity, creating large magnetic stresses. These stresses are released as a relativistic jet at the expense of black hole rotational energy. The physics of the jet initiation in the simulations is described by the theory of black hole gravitohydromagnetics.