Stimulus anticipation in following rhythmic acoustical patterns by tapping

Subjects followed rhythmic acoustical sequences by finger-tapping. Tapping onset preceded stimulus onset by a value close to 30 ms. It is suggested that this temporal difference might correspond to one cycle of a hypothetical timing mechanism in the brain which has been observed with other experimental paradigms.     

Reaching-related potentials in caudate nucleus and cerebellum of rats

Summary Electrical correlates of the lateralized reaching reaction were studied in rats with implanted electrodes. Averaged event-related potentials (ERPs) in the cerebellar dentate nucleus consisted of a negative wave coinciding with reach onset and followed 70 msec later by a positive deflection. The most prominent component of the more variable caudate ERPs was a negative wave culminating 60–120 msec after reach onset. The positive and negative ERP deflections corresponded to inhibitory and excitatory reactions respectively, at the single neuron level.     

Cerebral ischemia is the main cause for the onset of heat stroke syndrome in rabbits.

During the onset of heat stroke, rabbits displayed hyperthermia (42.8 degrees C), and decreased cerebral perfusion pressure and decreased cerebral blood flow (as reflected by a prolonged cerebral circulation time) compared to those of normothermic rabbits. On the other hand febrile rabbits, during the fever plateau did not show the above responses, although they had a similar level of hyperthermia (42.4 degrees C). The data support the concept that cerebral ischemia is the main cause for the onset of the heat stroke syndrome.     

Evidence of a circadian sequence of photogonadsensitivity in the ferret]

Using "skeleton" photoperiods with a primary photofraction of 3 hrs. 30 min. and secondary photofraction of 30 min. located at various intervals after the onset of darkness, the occurrence of a photoinducible phase in the androgenic function has been evidenced in the Ferret. This photo-inducible phase seems to be located around 12 hrs. after the onset of the primary photofraction, since the ferrets who received the 30 min. photofraction 8 hrs. after the onset of darkness responded with a maximal increase in plasma testosterone.     

Cerebral ischemia is the main cause for the onset of heat stroke syndrome in rabbits

During the onset of heat stroke, rabbits displayed hyperthermia (42.8°C), and decreased cerebral perfusion pressure and decreased cerebral blood flow (as reflected by a prolonged cerebral circulation time) compared to those of normothermic rabbits. On the other hand febrile rabbits, during the fever plateau did not show the above responses, although they had a similar level of hyperthermia (42.4°C). The data support the concept that cerebral ischemia is the main cause for the onset of the heat stroke syndrome.The work reported here was supported by grants from the National Science Council (Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China).     

A negative association of HLA-BW52 with Graves' disease and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with juvenile onset among Japanese population

The present study demonstrated that a decreased frequency of HLA-BW52 was a common characteristic shared by the patients with Graves' disease and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with juvenile onset among Japanese.     

Reduction in dietary vitamin E prevents onset of hypertension in developing spontaneously hypertensive rats

Summary Reduction in dietary vitamin E intake in developing spontaneously hypertensive rats abolished the onset of hypertension which is normally evident by 3 months of age.Supported by a grant No. 4-6 to C.P.-A. from the Canadian Ontario Heart Foundation.     

A negative association of HLA-BW52 with Graves' disease and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with juvenile onset among Japanese population

Summary The present study demonstrated that a decreased frequency of HLA-BW52 was a common characteristic shared by the patients with Graves' disease and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with juvenile onset among Japanese.     

Protein synthesis during germination of heterothallic yeast ascospores

Protein synthesis during ascospore germination of the heterothallicSaccharomyces cerevisiae strain AP-3 was investigated. Protein synthesis in the germinating ascospores appeared to begin approximately 20 min following glucose initiation. Since RNA synthesis did not start until approximately 70 min after the onset of germination, strain AP-3 ascospores must contain RNA which is ready for immediate translation. Both trehalase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activities were found to be affected by the onset of germination. Trehalase activity was found to increase severalfold following 60 min of spore germination but remained relatively constant over the subsequent 120 min examined. Dehydrogenase activity was not detectable in AP-3 ascospores but was measurable in germinating ascospores.     

Luteolytic action of LHRH in women]

Several subcutaneous administrations of 250 microgram of LHRH (4 or 5 adminstrations at 4-hourly intervals per day) between the 2nd and 7th day post-ovulation in 4 normal women led to early luteolysis as demonstrated by a fall in serum progesterone concentration and early onset (2 to 3 days earlier) of menstruation.     

The pathogenic role of interleukin-27 in autoimmune diabetes

Interleukin (IL)-27 is an IL-12-related cytokine that can promote both anti- and pro-inflammatory immune responses. This study investigated the potential role of IL-27 in autoimmune diabetes. We detected a high level of IL-27 in diabetic NOD mice. In addition, blockade of IL-27 significantly delayed the onset of diabetic splenocyte-transferred diabetes, while IL-27-treated diabetic splenocytes promoted the onset of the disease, compared with untreated controls. Furthermore, IL-27 up-regulated pro-inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ and IL-17 and down-regulated anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4, TGF-β, and IL-10 secreted by diabetic splenocytes. These results demonstrate a pathogenic role of IL-27 in T cell-mediated autoimmune diabetes. Received 02 September 2008; received after revision 27 September 2008; accepted 01 October 2008 R. Wang, G. Han: These authors contributed equally to this work.     

Protein synthesis during germination of heterothallic yeast ascospores.

Protein synthesis during ascospore germination of the heterothallic Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain AP-3 was investigated. Protein synthesis in the germinating ascospores appeared to begin approximately 20 min following glucose initiation. Since RNA synthesis did not start until approximately 70 min after the onset of germination, strain AP-3 ascospores must contain RNA which is ready for immediate translation. Both trehalase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activities were found to be affected by the onset of germination. Trehalase activity was found to increase severalfold following 60 min of spore germination but remained relatively constant over the subsequent 120 min examined. Dehydrogenase activity was not detectable in AP-3 ascospores but was measurable in germinating ascospores.     

Long-term 24-hour rest-activity pattern of sheep in stalls and in the field

Summary Motor activity of sheep was continuously recorded for 2–3 weeks with an ambulatory monitoring device. Recordings were obtained from free-ranging animals in the field and from animals maintained under various controlled conditions in stalls. The sheep were diurnal under all conditions. While the daily amount of activity and the frequency of rest episodes showed only small differences between the conditions, the rest-activity pattern showed prominent differences. The pattern differed particularly between the field and the stalls. In the field, activity started to increase one hour after dawn, reaching a first maximum towards noon; a second, higher peak in the evening was followed by a rapid decline after dusk. In the stalls the onset and offset of activity was more abrupt; activity peaks coincided with feeding and human activity; the onset of rest with lights off. Activity was lowest and rest most prominent in those stalls where the animals were most isolated from human influence.     

Modes of influence of vision on postural reactions associated with voluntary arm movements]

Postural changes associated with voluntary movements of the arm as observed during a positioning task, were studied on subjects standing upright on a force platform. Subjects performed the movements with either a normal visual field or without peripheral vision (tubular vision). Data analysis comprised the EMG activity of soleus and tibialis anterior and the displacement of the vertical component of the force applied to the platform. Average data of EMG indicate that the masking of the extrofoveal receptors increases the desactivation of soleus before the onset of the movement and provokes a burst of activity in the soleus 80 to 100 ms after the onset of the movement.     

Long-term 24-hour rest-activity pattern of sheep in stalls and in the field

Motor activity of sheep was continuously recorded for 2-3 weeks with an ambulatory monitoring device. Recordings were obtained from free-ranging animals in the field and from animals maintained under various controlled conditions in stalls. The sheep were diurnal under all conditions. While the daily amount of activity and the frequency of rest episodes showed only small differences between the conditions, the rest-activity pattern showed prominent differences. The pattern differed particularly between the field and the stalls. In the field, activity started to increase one hour after dawn, reaching a first maximum towards noon; a second, higher peak in the evening was followed by a rapid decline after dusk. In the stalls the onset and offset of activity was more abrupt; activity peaks coincided with feeding and human activity; the onset of rest with lights off. Activity was lowest and rest most prominent in those stalls where the animals were most isolated from human influence.     

Duration of bone protection by a single osteoprotegerin injection in rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis

Daily osteoprotegerin (OPG) injection for 7 or more days prevents bone loss for 3 weeks in rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis (AdA). The present experiments defined the duration of bone protection in AdA provided by a single OPG bolus. Male Lewis rats received OPG at the onset or peak of clinical disease, after which bone mineral density (BMD), erosions, and osteoclasts were evaluated. An OPG bolus (4 mg/kg subcutaneously) at onset eliminated osteoclasts, preserved BMD for 7 days, and prevented bone erosions for 4 days. In contrast, an OPG bolus (1, 3, 10, or 30 mg/kg intravenously) given at the peak of disease eradicated osteoclasts in a dose-dependent manner but had no impact on bone integrity due to extensive pre-existing bone loss. These data indicate that one OPG injection will inhibit joint erosions for several days, and confirm that bone-sparing therapy must be initiated early in disease to protect joint integrity.     

Pubertal changes in the medio-basal hypothalamic area after neonatal suprachiasmatic nucleus lesions in the rat

Summary In order to get more insight into the mechanism by which the onset of puberty is controlled, a developmental study on the displacement of catalase- and dopamine-containing cells in the hypothalamic region was done in rats which received a neonatal lesion of the suprachiasmatic nucleus. The displacement of cells is delayed after these lesions. However, the time lost at the beginning of the displacement is made up at the end of the migration.     

Epithelial cell processes in the development of the secondary palate in the mouse.

Ultrastructural studies of palatal shelves of Tuck A mice embryos aged 12.25-14.25 days show discontinuities of the epithelial basement membrane traversed by epithelial cell processes before the onset of midline degenerative changes.