Inhibition versus facilitation of the reflex responsiveness of identified wrist extensor motor units by antagonist flexor afferent inputs in humans

The question of whether Ia reciprocal inhibition might depend on the motor task and on the type of motor unit activated was investigated in the human extensor carpi radialis muscles. Ia reciprocal inhibition induced by stimulating the median nerve (conditioning stimulation) was estimated by measuring the changes in the firing probability of 37 extensor motor units in response to the radial nerve stimulation (100 test stimuli) delivered 1 ms after the conditioning stimulation. Six subjects were asked to perform a task consisting of either selectively contracting their wrist extensor muscles or co-activating their wrist and finger antagonist muscles by clenching their hand around a manipulandum. In the control recordings (test stimulation alone), the mean response probability of the 37 motor units was found to be greater during hand clenching. The motor units were identified on the basis of their force thresholds, their macro-potentials, and their twitch contraction times. The data obtained in the control recordings were consistent with the size principle. In the recordings where the responses were conditioned by applying median nerve stimulation, the response probability of the motor units with low force thresholds, small macro-potential areas, and long twitch contraction times tended to decrease, in line with the presence of Ia reciprocal inhibition, whereas the response probability of the motor units with higher force thresholds, larger macro-potential areas, and shorter twitch contraction times tended to increase. The median nerve stimulation may therefore have altered the efficiency with which the extensor Ia inputs recruited the homonymous motoneurones in the pool. The flexor group I afferents activated while the median nerve was stimulated had inhibitory effects on the slow contracting motor units, and facilitatory effects mainly on the fast contracting motor units. Both of these effects were stronger during hand clenching, in which the numerous cutaneous receptors of the palm and fingertips are liable to be activated. Besides their own effects on the excitability of the various types of motor units, cutaneous inputs are known to potentiate the Ib interneurones. In addition, the effects of the conditioning stimulation were superimposed on the tonic activity of the Ia and Ib afferents from the flexor wrist and finger muscles. This may explain why both the inhibitory and facilitatory effects of the median nerve stimulation were enhanced during hand clenching.     

The gene DIS2S1 is essential in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and is involved in glycogen phosphorylase activation

Summary S. cerevisiae gene DIS2S1, which codes for a protein very similar to the catalytic subunit of mammalian protein phosphatase 1, was disrupted in vitro. Diploid yeast cells were transformed and sporulated. Tetrad analysis demonstrated that disruption of DIS2S1 is lethal for the cell. Glycogen phosphorylase a and glycogen synthase activity ratio were measured in diploids carrying a disrupted allele of the gene. Phosphorylase was dramatically activated in mutant cells but, under the same conditions, glycogen synthase activity was essentially identical in both mutant and wild-type cells.     

A re-examination of variation associated with environmentally stressed organisms

Variation is an essential feature of biological systems. Populations adapt to dynamic environments, in part, because of this variation. In this review, we re-examine phenotypic variation, especially in organisms living in polluted environments. A recent goal of ecotoxicology is to understand the sublethal effects of exposure to pollutants, e.g. responses to endocrine-disrupting contaminants. While variation is an inherent quality of organisms, variance is a statistical measure of the variation of a trait. Increased variance has been associated with organisms living at the perimeter of a population's range, introduced into novel environments, or exposed to pollution. Some researchers have proposed increased phenotypic variance in exposed populations as an evolutionary mechanism, and others have suggested its use as a biomarker. While we agree that variance often increases in the exposed population, we also recognize that the opposite phenomenon occurs. That is, variance can decrease from exposure to pollution. Altered variance in the exposed population-leading to heteroscedasticity-could result in erroneous conclusions (Type II errors). We suggest that exposure to endocrine-disrupting contaminants could influence the health of populations in ways that are not always represented by measures of central tendency, and that variance and distribution should also be examined in environmentally stressed wildlife.     

桡侧腕屈与腕长伸肌腱部分转位修复手部关节脱位应用解剖

目的 :为桡侧腕屈与腕长伸肌腱部分转位修复桡尺远侧及第 1腕掌关节脱位提供解剖学基础。方法 :3 0侧成人上肢标本 ,分别对桡侧腕屈肌腱、桡侧腕长伸肌腱进行形态学测量。结果 :桡侧腕长伸肌腱性部长 ( 17.8± 2 .6)cm ,肌腱的上、中、下段宽分别为 ( 13 .7± 3 .1)、( 5 .6± 1.1)和 ( 4 .6± 0 .5 7)mm肌腱的上、中、下段厚分别为 ( 1.5± 0 .5 )、( 2 .0± 0 .3 )和 ( 2 .4± 0 .3 )mm。桡侧腕屈肌腱性部长 ( 14 .3± 1.1)cm ,肌腱的上、中、下段宽分别为 ( 9.11.4)、( 5 .5± 0 .9)和 ( 4 .0± 0 .4) ,肌腱的上、中、下段厚分别为 ( 2 .4± 0 .6)、( 2 .2± 0 .4)和 ( 2 .6± 0 .5 )mm。结论 :采用桡侧腕屈肌腱和桡侧腕长伸肌腱部分转位 ,有足够的长度和强度 ,适用于桡尺远侧关节或第 1腕掌关节脱位的修复 ,临床应用获得良好效果     

幽门螺杆菌疫苗免疫机制的研究进展

幽门螺杆菌(H.pylori)是定植于人体胃粘膜的重要致病菌,而粘膜疫苗以其有效的保护性免疫成为防治H.pyiori的热点,但对相应的免疫机制的认识目前尚不明确.故本文对H.pyiori疫苗的保护性免疫机制中的抗原递呈机制,抗体的作用以及TH细胞反应的作用等研究进展做一概要介绍.     

The early phase of experimental acute renal failure

Experiments were conducted to establish whether diminished solute reabsorption in the loop of Henle during acute renal failure could explain the loss of urinary concentration and participate in generating a tubuloglomerular feedback-mediated reduction in filtration rate. The electrolyte content of the fluid in the ascending limb of the loop of Henle was determined in situ by monitoring its electrical conductivity after propulsion into the distal tubule with a sudden burst perfusion. The value of the minimum electrolyte concentration decreased exponentially with increasing equilibration time, reaching a steady-state value equivalent to 27±9 mM NaCl in normal kidneys, 34±15 mM in mercuric chloride kidneys and 53±22 mM following ischaemia. A mathematical model was derived to describe the process of sodium chloride dilution from which it was possible to calculate both the permeability and transport velocity of the cortical thick ascending limb. In the normal kidney, the transport velocity was calculated to be 4.65±0.92 ·10^–5 cm/s, a value not significantly different from that of the mercuric chloride or ischaemic kidneys, and the estimated permeability was 1.13±0.52·10^–5 cm/s, not different from that of the mercuric chloride kidneys but significantly lower than that calculated for the ischaemic kidneys. It is concluded that for the more severely damaged ischaemic model, the loss of urinary concentrating ability was accompanied by a reduction in diluting ability of the ascending limb of the short loop of Henle, which appears to be due, at least in part, to an elevation of the passive permeability to sodium chloride in this segment.     

人格特征与防御方式的相关研究

目的 :尝试用防御机制解释EPQ各维度的特征。方法 :采用EPQ人格问卷、DSQ防御方式问卷、16PF中的G量表对 2 2 0例成人进行测试。结果 :本样本中EPQ各维度与成熟防御方式均无显著相关 (P >0 .0 5 ) ,N维度和P维度均与不成熟防御方式、中间型防御方式有显著正相关 (P <0 .0 0 1)。结论 :本研究显示 ,可以用防御机制解释EPQ各维度的某些特征。     

齿龈内阿米巴的致病作用与致病机制的研究

在注射免疫抑制剂 1周后的大白鼠龈缘涂抹齿龈内阿米巴 (Emtamoebagingivalis ,E .g .) ,5天后 ,牙龈组织出现溃疡、牙周脓肿形成、脓液查见活E .g .、牙槽骨吸收等牙周炎病症。电镜术与生化分析发现 :E .g .伪足活跃、有丰富的溶酶体 ,所含水解酶与ACP显著较健康组高 (P <0 0 1) ,可使牙周组织溶解与受损。SOD较健康组显著性低 (P <0 0 1) ,MDA显著性增高 (P <0 0 1) ,说明E .g .感染产生较多氧自由基可使细胞膜受损 ,加上口腔共生菌的协同作用使免疫力低下的宿主发生牙周炎。