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At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Psychological epidemic in Hong Kong. II. Psychological and physiological characteristics of children who were affected.

A double blind retrospective study was carried out on a sample of children who were affected in a mysterious gas poisoning epidemic together with controls drawn from the same school. The dependent measures employed were the Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (JEPQ), a Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale (HSC), Heart Rate (HR) and Skin Potential Response (SPR). A vigilance task was administered during assessment of the latter two variables. The affected children had significantly higher HR together with a marginal increase in SPR. It is proposed that constitutional factors play an important role in determining whether an individual is affected in such an epidemic.

Arousal↗
PubMed1995

Physiological characteristics of two extreme muscle compartments in gastrocnemius medialis of the anaesthetized rat.

Rat medial gastrocnemius (GM) muscle is a compartmentalized muscle. The functional properties and fibre type composition of the most proximal and most distal compartment were studied in in situ preparations. The proximal compartment contained predominantly fast twitch oxidative fibres. The distal compartment was mainly composed of fast twitch glycolytic fibres. With the use of two small electrodes placed around the primary nerve branches, both compartments could be separately stimulated within the same muscle. The length-force relationship was less broad and maximal twitch and tetanic forces were obtained at lower muscle lengths for the proximal compartment. The differences (mm) were 0.9 +/- 0.2 and 1.2 +/- 0.2 for maximal twitch and tetanic force (120 Hz) production, respectively (P < 0.001). The shortening velocity for maximal power production was lower (P < 0.001) for the proximal compartment (proximal: 57.1 +/- 2.7 mm s-1, distal: 73.1 +/- 3.0 mm s-1). During a standard fatigue test the fatiguability was significantly lower for the proximal compared with the distal fibres. Our findings suggest that the proximal compartment is likely to be activated in vivo during activities requiring relatively low power outputs for longer time periods. In contrast the distal compartment is probably recruited only during high power demanding short lasting activities. The presented model makes it possible to study fatigue related changes in power production of the 'red' and 'white' areas of the GM separately in a way that is probably meaningful with respect to in vivo function.

Anesthesia↗
PubMed1998

Molecular, cellular and physiological characteristics of 5-HT-moduline, a novel endogenous modulator of 5-HT1B receptor subtype.

The serotonergic transmission is considered as a neuromodulatory system in the Central Nervous System. 5-HT1B receptors play an important role in this modulatory activity. We have purified from mammalian brain an endogenous peptide, LSAL, we called 5-HT-moduline, interacting specifically with 5-HT1B receptors. This interaction is characterized by a high affinity (Ki = 10(-10) M) and a non-competitive mechanism. Direct [3H]5-HT-moduline binding revealed a single population of sites having an apparent affinity constant close to 10(-10) M. Autoradiographic studies showed a brain distribution of [3H]5-HT-moduline binding sites closely related to the 5-HT1B receptors. In functional studies, the peptide is able to reverse the activity of a 5-HT1B agonist in the nanomolar range. Furthermore, this antagonist effect is also observed in vivo on mice behavior. Immunocytochemistry revealed an heterogeneous distribution of 5-HT-moduline in mouse brain. The labeled structures correspond to cellular profiles with axon-like prolongations. Moreover, in vitro, LSAL is released in a Ca++, K(+)-dependent manner. Therefore, 5-HT-moduline behaves as a neurotransmitter. The fact that 5-HT-moduline induces the desensitization of 5-HT1B receptors reflects the existence of a novel and efficient mechanism able to rapidly modulate the serotonergic activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Physiological characteristics of low threshold mechanoreceptor afferent units innervating frog skin.

A total of ninety-three mechanoreceptor afferent units with fast conducting axons in the sciatic nerve innervating the plantar and lateral surface of the hind foot were isolated for electrophysiological recording in anaesthetized frogs (Rana catesbeiana). Sixty-three rapidly adapting (RA) units and thirty slowly adapting (SA) units were differentiated from each other mainly on the presence of an "off' response and a slope-locked "on' response to ramp stimulation in RA units and on the persistence of discharges of the SA units during steady pressure on the receptive field. RA units were subdivided into two subgroups; RA type I units and RA type II units. The RA type I units had small well-demarcated receptive fields in which the unit was uniformly sensitive, and low indentation amplitude and velocity thresholds. The RA type II units had receptive fields consisting of several sensitive spots, associated with skin warts in the warty skin, high indentation thresholds, and the fastest conduction velocities (mean 19.9+/-4.4 m/sec) among the three groups of the units studied. RA type I units showed U-shaped tuning curves with a best tuning frequency at around 2 Hz, while tuning curves of SA units were flat from 0.1 (the lowest frequency examined) to 1 Hz. RA type II units could only follow the first cycle of continuous sinusoidal stimulation at any frequency. The relation between the indentation velocity and amplitude of the ramp and the spike discharges was analysed quantitatively.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1974

Physiological characteristics of re-innervation of skeletal muscle in the mouse.

1. Re-innervation of soleus was studied in the mouse after either crushing the sciatic nerve or re-implanting the nerve to soleus outside the original end-plate region.2. During the early stages of re-innervation subthreshold end-plate potentials (e.p.p.s) were recorded in muscle fibres in response to nerve stimulation. Later the e.p.p.s became large enough to evoke action potentials in muscle fibres.3. The rate of recovery of the release of acetylcholine (ACh) as estimated from the quantal content of e.p.p.s was faster when nerves re-innervated the old end-plate region after nerve crush than after re-implantation so that new neuromuscular junctions were formed.4. During re-innervation soleus fatigued more rapidly than normal during repetitive nerve stimulation. The fatigue was due to failure of neuromuscular transmission associated with an impaired release of ACh.5. During re-innervation soleus was supersensitive to ACh until nerve stimulation was capable of evoking action potentials in muscle fibres.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1983

Physiological characteristics of single green rod photoreceptors from toad retina.

The outer segment membrane current of single isolated green and red rods from toad retina was recorded with a suction electrode, and characteristics of the response to light were examined. The maximum response amplitude of green rods was smaller than that of red rods, but the density of dark current along the green rod outer segment was similar to previously reported values for red rods. Thus, the smaller maximum response is explained by the shorter outer segment of green rods (45 vs. 60 microns). The intensity-response relation was fitted by a Michaelis equation with half-saturating photon density corresponding to about 55 isomerizations per flash. The form of the green rod light response was similar to that of red rods: in both cases the kinetics were consistent with four first-order delay stages shaping the light response. The time-to-peak of the dim-flash response was usually about 1 sec for both green and red rods in the present experiments. The spectral sensitivity curve of green rods was fitted by the nomogram for a vitamin A1-based pigment with lambda max = 433 nm. The relation between steady light intensity and flash sensitivity of green rods obeyed the Weber-Fechner relation, and the average background intensity necessary to reduce sensitivity to half of its dark level corresponded to about 4 isomerizations sec-1. This is slightly lower than the value of about 8 isomerizations sec-1 reported for toad red rods by Baylor, Matthews & Yau (1980). Green rods were similar to red rods in all respects except spectral sensitivity. Thus, no evidence was found to support the assertion that green rods are 'cone-like'.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Acoustic and physiologic characteristics of inspiratory phonation.

Voice produced on inhaled air is a form of phonation that has received relatively little attention despite its apparent usefulness in the assessment of vocal function. This preliminary investigation was designed to describe the general characteristics of vocalization driven by an ingressive phonatory airflow. Vocal fundamental frequency (F0), electroglottographic (EGG), and airflow measures were examined in 16 normal men and women, who alternated between inspiratory and expiratory voice. Mean F0 routinely increased during inspiratory voice segments, shifting on average 5.1 semitones above the subjects' comfortable expiratory voice frequency. EGG data showed inspiratory voice to be associated with a more symmetrical pattern of vocal fold contact characterized by a prolonged interval of increasing contact. Both short-term F0 variability (jitter) and EGG amplitude perturbation were significantly higher during inspiratory voice. Stroboscopic examination of four of the subjects showed caudal displacement of the larynx and lengthened vocal folds associated with inspiratory phonation. The absolute airflow rate was significantly greater for inspiratory phonation, on average 48.5% higher than during normal expiratory voice. It was also found that both inspiratory pulse and falsetto vibratory patterns could be produced by at least some of the subjects, indicating some control over the mode and frequency of vocal fold vibration when driven by an ingressive airflow.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Cultural and physiological characteristics of Clostridium botulinum type G and the susceptibility of certain animals to its toxin.

Strain 89 of Clostridium botulinum type G, isolated by Gimenez and Ciccarelli in 1969, was characterized culturally, biochemically, and toxigenically. It was motile, hemolytic asaccharolytic, weakly proteolytic, lipase and lecithinase negative, and it produced acetic, isobutyric, butyric, and isovaleric acids in peptone-yeast extract-glucose broth. No spores were seen in smears from solid or liquid media. Very low levels of toxin were produced in regular broth cultures, but dialysis cultures yielded 30,000 mouse 50% mean lethal doses (LD50 per kg, orally and subcutaneously, respectively; and for guinea pigs, 10,000 to 20,000 and 100 mouse LD50 per kig, intragastrically and intraperitoneally, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Physiological Characteristics of Cowpea Rhizobia: Evaluation of Symbiotic Efficiency in Vigna unguiculata.

One fast-growing and three slow-growing strains of Rhizobium (isolated from cowpeas) were evaluated for symbiotic performance on Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. cultivar California no. 5 blackeyes. Plants inoculated with slow-growing strains 176A22, 176A30, and 176A32 developed a maximum acetylene reduction activity of 24.6, 27.0, and 32 mumol of ethylene formed per plant per h, respectively, versus 6.4 mumol per plant per h in plants inoculated with the fast-growing strain 176A28. When inoculated with approximately equal proportions of rhizobia, the fast-growing strain 176A28 produced 95% of the nodules when challenged with the slow-growing strain 176A22, but formed only 6% of the nodules when challenged with the slow-growing strain 176A30. Consequently, there was no relation between the growth rate in vitro and the capability of rhizobia to compete for nodule-forming sites. Plants inoculated with strain 176A28 and subjected to drought during the vegetative growth period recovered to the same level of nitrogen fixation and nodulation as those that received adequate irrigation. On the other hand, plants inoculated with strains 176A22, 176A30, and 176A32 failed to achieve the same levels of nodulation and nitrogen fixation under drought as compared with irrigated conditions.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Distribution and physiological characteristics of hyperthermophiles in the Kubiki oil reservoir in Niigata, Japan.

The distribution of culturable hyperthermophiles was studied in relation to environmental conditions in the Kubiki oil reservoir in Japan, where the temperature was between 50 and 58 degrees C. Dominant hyperthermophilic cocci and rods were isolated and shown to belong to the genera Thermococcus and Thermotoga, respectively, by 16S rDNA analyses. Using the most-probable-number method, we found that hyperthermophilic cocci were widely distributed in several unconnected fault blocks in the Kubiki oil reservoir. In 1996 to 1997, their populations in the production waters from oil wells were 9.2 x 10(3) to 4.6 x 10(4) cells/ml, or 10 to 42% of total cocci. On the other hand, hyperthermophilic rods were found in only one fault block of the reservoir with populations less than 10 cells/ml. Dominant Thermococcus and Thermotoga spp. grew at reservoir temperatures and utilized amino acids and sugars, respectively, as sole carbon sources. While organic carbon was plentiful in the environment, these hyperthermophiles were unable to grow in the formation water due to lack of essential nutrients. Concentrations of some organic and inorganic substances differed among fault blocks, indicating that the movement of formation water between fault blocks was restricted. This finding suggests that the supply of nutrients via fluid current is limited in this subterranean environment and that the organisms are starved in the oil reservoir. Under starved conditions at 50 degrees C, culturable cells of Thermococcus sp. remained around the initial cell density for about 200 days, while those of Thermotoga sp. decreased exponentially to 0. 01% of the initial cell density after incubation for the same period. The difference in survivability between these two hyperthermophiles seems to reflect their populations in the fault blocks. These results indicate that hyperthermophilic cocci and rods adapt to the subterranean environment of the Kubiki oil reservoir by developing an ability to survive under starved conditions.

Colony Count, Microbial↗
PubMed1965

New technique for mass assays of physiological characteristics of unicellular algae.

An apparatus is described and illustrated which enables an investigator to inoculate simultaneously a large number of unicellular algal suspensions onto an agar surface. These inoculations may be repeated an indefinite number of times with a very small amount of inoculum. Good results have been obtained from tests in which large numbers of algae were placed onto selective media containing various amounts of many antibiotics, growth factors, sugars, etc.

Eukaryota↗
PubMed1971

Staphylococcus epidermidis BV: antibiotic resistance patterns, physiological characteristics, and bacteriophage susceptibility.

Staphylococcus epidermidis BV is a group of mannitol-fermenting coagulase-negative staphylococci characterized by multiple antibiotic resistance, very similar biochemical characteristics, and phage susceptibility. Clinical isolates belonging to this group are resistant to most antibiotics tested, including oxacillin, lincomycin, and novobiocin. The only antibiotic to which all tested strains are sensitive is vancomycin. Common biochemical traits of the tested S. epidermidis BV strains include fermentation of trehalose and ribose, phospho-beta-glucosidase activity, growth on synthetic medium with amino acids as carbon source, and lack of deoxyribonuclease, phosphatase, lipase, and gelatinase activity. Some of these characteristics appear more frequently in mannitol-positive control strains than in mannitol-negative strains. S. epidermidis BV strains carry lysogenic phages with a host range restricted to this group. These phages allow the differentiation of individual strains.

Agglutination Tests↗