356 research outputs found
Differential investment in visual and olfactory brain regions is linked to the sensory needs of a wasp social parasite and its host
No full textObligate insect social parasites evolve traits to effectively locate and then exploit their hosts, whereas hosts have complex social behavioral repertoires, which include sensory recognition to reject potential conspecific intruders and heterospecific parasites. While social parasites and host behaviors have been studied extensively, less is known about how their sensory systems function to meet their specific selective pressures. Here, we compare investment in visual and olfactory brain regions in the paper wasp Polistes dominula, and its obligate social parasite P. sulcifer, to explore the links among sensory systems,brain and behavior. Our results show significant relative volumetric differences between these two closely related species, consistent with their very different life histories. Social parasites show proportionally larger optic lobes and central complex to likely navigate long-distance migrations and unfamiliar landscapes to locate the specific species of hosts they usurp. Contrastingly, hosts have larger antennal lobes and calyces of the mushroom bodies compared with social parasites, as predicted by their sensory means to maintain social cohesion via olfactory signals, allocate colony tasks, forage, and recognize conspecific and heterospecific intruders. Our work suggests how this tradeoff between visual and olfactory brain regions may facilitate different sensory adaptations needed to perform social and foraging tasks by the host, including recognition of parasites, or to fly long distances and successful host localizing by the social parasite
K<sup>+</sup> current inhibition by amphiphilic fatty acid metabolites in rat ventricular myocytes
No full text Fatty acid metabolites accumulate in the heart under pathophysiological conditions that affect β-oxidation and can elicit marked electrophysiological changes that are arrhythmogenic. The purpose of the present study was to determine the impact of amphiphilic fatty acid metabolites on K+currents that control cardiac refractoriness and excitability. Transient outward ( I to) and inward rectifier ( I K1) K+ currents were recorded by the whole cell voltage-clamp technique in rat ventricular myocytes, and the effects of two major fatty acid metabolites were examined: palmitoylcarnitine and palmitoyl-coenzyme A (palmitoyl-CoA). Palmitoylcarnitine (0.5–10 μM) caused a concentration-dependent decrease in I todensity in myocytes internally dialyzed with the amphiphile; 10 μM reduced mean I todensity at +60 mV by 62% compared with control ( P < 0.05). In contrast, external palmitoylcarnitine at the same concentrations had no effect, nor did internal dialysis significantly alter I K1. Dialysis with palmitoyl-CoA (1–10 μM) produced a smaller decrease in I to density compared with that produced by palmitoylcarnitine; 10 μM reduced mean I to density at +60 mV by 37% compared with control ( P < 0.05). Both metabolites delayed recovery of I tofrom inactivation but did not affect voltage-dependent properties. Moreover, the effects of palmitoylcarnitine were relatively specific, as neither palmitate (10 μM) nor carnitine (10 μM) alone significantly influenced I to when added to the pipette solution. These data therefore suggest that amphiphilic fatty acid metabolites downregulate I to channels by a mechanism confined to the cytoplasmic side of the membrane. This decrease in cardiac K+ channel activity may delay repolarization under pathophysiological conditions in which amphiphile accumulation is postulated to occur, such as diabetes mellitus or myocardial infarction. </jats:p
Intracellular protons inhibit transient outward K+ current in ventricular myocytes from diabetic rats
No full text This study examined the effects of protons on cardiac ion channel function in early stages of diabetes mellitus. Transient outward (I(to)) and inward rectifier K+ (IK1) currents were recorded by the whole cell, voltage-clamp technique in ventricular myocytes isolated from hearts of streptozotocin-induced diabetic and control rats. Proton concentration was controlled by independently varying the pH of buffered external or pipette (pHp) solutions. External acidification did not alter I(to) in diabetic rat myocytes when initiated after intracellular dialysis with standard pHp 7.2, but when these cells were dialyzed with acidic pHp (6.6 or 6.0), I(to) density was significantly reduced. Low pHp also reduced I(to) density more in cells from diabetic rats than in controls, whereas alkaline pHp had no effect on either group of cells compared with standard pHp 7.2. In control myocytes dialyzed with pHp 6.0, block of Na+/H+ exchange with 5-(N,N-dimethyl)-amiloride (DMA) or Na(+)-free external solution further reduced I(to) density compared with pHp 6.0 alone, whereas these treatments had less effect on acid-dialyzed cells from diabetic rats. Dialysis with pHp to 6.0 did not alter IK1 in either group of cells compared with standard pHp 7.2, but when done in the presence of DMA or Na(+)-free conditions, IK1 density in both groups was significantly reduced by nearly the same amount. We conclude that intracellular protons inhibit I(to) channels in ventricular myocytes from diabetic and control rats, but that for a given acid load, inhibition is markedly greater in diabetics. This difference may be explained by a diabetes-induced decrease in Na+/H+ exchange that limits proton extrusion during intracellular acidosis. Moreover, acidosis may differentially suppress I(to) and IK1, suggesting that these K+ channels exhibit dissimilar sensitivities to intracellular protons. </jats:p
Metabolic basis of decreased transient outward K+ current in ventricular myocytes from diabetic rats
No full text The purpose of this study was to examine the mechanisms of alterations in cardiac K+ channel function in early stages of experimental diabetes mellitus induced by streptozotocin. Transient outward (Ito) and inward rectifier (IK1) K+ currents were recorded by the whole cell voltage-clamp technique in ventricular myocytes isolated from hearts of 2- to 4-wk diabetic and age-matched control rats. Ito density in myocytes from diabetic rats was approximately 30% less than control (at +60 mV; P < 0.01) under basal recording conditions in the presence of 18 mM external glucose, whereas IK1 density was not different between groups. When external glucose concentration was decreased to 5 mM for 4-6 h, basal Ito density was not changed in either group of myocytes. To further examine the possible metabolic basis of reduced Ito density in myocytes from diabetic rats, we separately tested three structurally different compounds that affect substrate utilization in cardiac myocytes: insulin (0.1 microM), dichloroacetate (1.5 mM), and L-carnitine (10 mM). Each compound completely normalized Ito density in myocytes from diabetic rats treated in vitro for 4-6 h. The same agents had no effect on Ito density in control myocytes, nor was IK1 altered in either group of cells. These data provide the first evidence to support the hypothesis that there is a metabolic basis for decreased Ito density in diabetic rat ventricular myocytes in early stages of this model. Furthermore, our data suggest that depressed glucose metabolism in the diabetic heart may be a key factor underlying changes in Ito channel function, because agents that increase glucose utilization normalize Ito density within a short time period. </jats:p
Diabetes mellitus attenuates the repolarization reserve in mammalian heart
No full textObjective: In diabetes mellitus several cardiac electrophysiological parameters are known to be affected. In rodent experimental diabetes models changes in these parameters were reported, but no such data are available in other mammalian species including the dog. The present study was designed to analyse the effects of experimental type I diabetes on ventricular repolarization and its underlying transmembrane ionic currents and channel proteins in canine hearts.
Methods and results: Diabetes was induced by a single injection of alloxan, a subgroup of dogs received insulin substitution. After the development of diabetes (8 weeks) electrophysiological studies were performed using conventional microelectrodes, whole cell voltage clamp, and ECG. Expression of ion channel proteins was evaluated by Western blotting. The QT(c) interval and the ventricular action potential duration in diabetic dogs Were moderately prolonged. This was accompanied by significant reduction in the density of the transient outward K+ current (I-to) and the slow delayed rectifier K+ current (I-Ks), to 54.6% and 69.3% of control, respectively. No differences were observed in the density of the inward rectifier K+ current (I-K1), rapid delayed rectifier K+ current (I-Kr), and L-type Ca2+ current (I-Ca). Western blot analysis revealed a reduced expression of Kv4.3 and MinK (to 25 +/- 21% and 48 +/- 15% of control, respectively) in diabetic dogs, while other channel proteins were unchanged (HERG, MiRP1, alpha(1c)) or increased (Kv1.4, KChIP2, KvLQT1). Insulin substitution fully prevented the diabetes-induced changes in I-Ks, KvLQT1 and MinK, however, the changes in I-to, Kv4.3, and Kv1.4 were only partially diminished by insulin.
Conclusion: It is concluded that type I diabetes mellitus, although only moderately, lengthens ventricular repolarization, attenuates the repolarization reserve by decreasing I-to and I-Ks currents, and thereby may markedly enhance the risk of sudden cardiac death
Toward operational methods for the assessment of intrinsic groundwater vulnerability: A review.
No full textAssessing the vulnerability of groundwater to adverse effects of human impacts is one of the most important problems in applied hydrogeology. At the same time, many of the widespread vulnerability assessment methods do not provide physically meaningful and operational indicators of vulnerability. Therefore, this review summarizes (i) different methods used for intrinsic vulnerability assessment and (ii) methods for different groundwater systems. It particularly focuses on (iii) timescale methods of water flow as an appropriate tool and (iv) provides a discussion on the challenges in applying these methods. The use of such physically meaningful indices based on timescales is indispensable for groundwater resources management
Der Einfluss von Transport-, Mischungs- und Depositionsvorgängen auf die Aktivitätskonzentration gas- und aerosolförmiger Radionuklide der bodennahen Luft in Europa
No full textOptimal technologies of energy wood obtainment from final cuttings. Part II. Bundles from logging residues
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