Slow Opening Research Articles

Effects of hypoxia on the intercellular channel activity of cultured glomus cells.

Dual voltage clamp experiments have shown that hypoxia induced by Na-dithionite or N2 reduced junctional macroconductance (Gj) in about 70% of cultured and coupled glomus cell pairs while increasing it in the rest. To explore possible mechanisms for these effects, we studied the activity of gap junction channels under similar conditions. The calculated single channel conductances (gj) fell into two categories. A low-conductance group, which was most frequently observed, had a mean gj of 27.8 +/- 0.29 pS (mean +/- SEM; n = 968 events). The other group had higher conductances (47.6 +/- 0.35 pS; n = 528). When PO2 was reduced (hypoxia), the low conductances did not change significantly in any of the junctions. The high-conductance units appeared less frequently in some junctions whereas in others they remained unaltered. Thus, rapid channel flickering during hypoxia may not be the only mechanism determining Gj during coupling or uncoupling. It is possible that slow (seconds) opening and closing of the channels could play an important role in this phenomenon.

An electromechanical model for the electrochemical oxidation of conducting polymers

Chronoamperometric responses associated with doping processes in conducting polymers have been simulated from the combination of mechanical relaxation models and electric circuits. Slow opening of the polymeric entanglement due to the entrance of solvated counterions and repulsion between charged chains has been correlated to the mechanical strain during stress relaxation in a Voight-Kelvin element. Overall charge involved in polymer oxidation can be decomposed into two components: a capacitive contribution ( Q cap) related to the charging process of the electrical double layers after the potential step and a faradaic charge ( Q far) responsible for the appearance of positive charges along polymeric chains. The electrical resistance for this last process is caused by both diffusional and time-dependent relaxational impediments.

Patterns of tongue and jaw movement in a cinefluorographic study of feeding in the macaque

Tongue movements in three female Macaca fascicularis, with radio-opaque markers in the tongue, teeth and hyoid, feeding on apple, banana and monkey chow, were recorded using lateral projection cineradiography (± 100 f.p.s.) with synchronized frontal view cinephotography (50 f.p.s.). Marker positions were digitized and the resultant Cartesian coordinates manipulated: (a) to establish the gape time profile; (b) anteroposterior and dorsoventral movements of tongue and hyoid markers relative to an upper occlusal/palatal reference plane; and (c) expansion and contraction of tongue segments in selected sections of complete sequences. The relative timing of tongue and jaw movement events was established using interval analysis. In simple transport cycles (semisolid food), all parts of the tongue moved in synchrony, travelling forwards and expanding during early opening, and backwards and contracting during late opening and closing. In contrast, in simple chewing cycles with a power stroke (SC phase): (a) the tongue markers reached their most backward position before or at the beginning of the SC phase, travelling forwards until the teeth approached intercuspation, then paused until after the teeth had reached centric occlusion; (b) the markers moved asynchronously, so that the relation between each marker and jaw movement changed; (c) expansion and contraction was largely confined to the middle tongue segment. In complex chewing cycles, jaw movement in opening was linked to the behaviour of the anterior tongue segment: reversal from forward to backward movement of the anterior tongue marker occurred within 30 ms of the rate change at the SO (slow open)-FO (fast open) transition: the greater the amplitude of forward movement, the longer the SO phase. Hyoid (tongue base) movement occurred throughout masticatory sequences. A backward drift of the hyoid and posterior part of the tongue occurred in cycles preceding swallows. Linkages between tongue and jaw movements in feeding in macaques are more complex than those reported for non-primate mammals, as they change between successive jaw cycles. The changes observed during sequences, and between different foods, suggest that the effector systems involved are continuously modulated, and the jaw-movement profile during opening may be dependent on the pattern of tongue movement.

Rice phytochrome A controls apical hook opening after a single light pulse in transgenic tobacco seedlings

SummaryApical hook opening in tobacco seedlings can be induced by a single red light pulse and this induction can be reverted by a subsequent far‐red light pulse. The slow hook opening kinetics and the reversibility of an inductive light pulse even after 8 h of darkness indicate the involvement of stable phytochrome. Compared with wild‐type, transgenic BN1 seedlings which overexpress rice phytochrome A exhibit a higher sensitivity to low irradiance red light pulses. Moreover, in BN1 seedlings an inductive red light pulse is only partially reversible even after 30 min, whereas wild‐type tobacco seedlings show complete reversibility during the entire hook opening process. The data found show that rice phytochrome A is active in transgenic tobacco seedlings in controlling hook opening and that the introduced rice phytochrome A and the endogenous stable phytochrome behave differently in this response.

Lithospheric stresses associated with nontransform offsets of the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge: Implications from a finite element analysis

Nontransform offsets are a fundamental aspect of the offset geometry exhibited along the mid‐oceanic ridge system, independent of spreading rate. Along the slow/intermediate opening (<40 mm/y full rate) Mid‐Atlantic Ridge these offsets of the ridge axis range in length from less than 10 km to approximately 30 km and vary in age offset from 0.5 to 2.0 m.y. The variable morphotectonic geometries associated with these discontinuities indicate that horizontal shear strains are accommodated by both extensional and strike‐slip tectonism and that the geometries are unstable in time. In many cases, there appears to be an evolutionary relationship between transform fault boundaries and nontransform offsets as the result of prolonged differential asymmetric spreading between adjoining ridge segments. The finite element method is used to study the complex stress field associated with these small‐offset discontinuities of ridges with slow (30 mm/y) and fast (100 mm/y) total opening rates. A plane stress plate model examines the variation in the horizontal tectonic stress field produced by offsets with different lengths and changes in the ratio of a ridge‐normal tensile stress resisting plate separation to a shear stress resisting relative plate motion along the discontinuity. The predicted fault patterns based on the calculated stress field are compared with seafloor observations in terms of the morphotectonic patterns and evolution of nontransform offsets. For a slow spreading rate, the analysis shows that all structural geometries observed can be modeled by a range of offset lengths (5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 km) and by a ridge‐normal stress 3 to 5 times greater than the discontinuity shear stress. These findings suggest that nontransform offsets are zones of mechanical weakness relative to the surrounding lithosphere. An offset length between 10 and 20 km is predicted to be the threshold length for maintaining a transform fault geometry. As inferred from ridge axis morphology, there seems to be a strong link between the magnitude of the stress ratio and the time varying magmatic activity along and between ridge segments. While our models are consistent with a weak discontinuity shear stress relative to the ridge‐normal stress to explain the geometries of nontransform offsets of slow‐spreading centers, a weaker ridge‐normal stress to discontinuity shear stress most closely models the development of an overlapping spreading center geometry, the distinctive geometry of nontransform offsets of spreading centers opening at fast rates. This difference is attributed to magma supply along‐axis, relatively continuous for fast‐spreading centers and intermittent for slow‐spreading centers, and a preexisting zone of mechanical weakness linked to the evolution of nontransform offsets from transform faults on slow‐spreading centers.

Kinematics of Feeding Behaviour in Oplurus Cuvieri (Reptilia: Iguanidae)

ABSTRACT The kinematics of prey capture, reduction and transport to the oesophagus by the iguanian lizard Oplurus cuvieri were investigated using high-speed cinematography (100-200 frames s∼’) and cineradiography (60 frames s’1). Thirty feeding sequences from four individuals were analysed. Feeding sequences were divided into four phases: capture, reduction, transport to the oesophagus and cleaning. Quantified kinematic profiles of the head, jaws, hyoid-tongue complex and displacements of the prey to (capture) and within (other phases) the buccal cavity are presented from cinematographic frames. Twenty additional variables, depicting maximal displacements and the timing of events, were calculated from the profiles. Variables documenting gape cycles were used in a first principal component analysis for studying the kinematic relationships between the phases. Markers were placed in the tongue of two individuals for cineradiographic study to illustrate displacements of the tongue. During prey capture, the jaw cycle is divided into slow opening (SO I and SO II), fast opening (FO) and fast closing (FC) stages. During the reduction phase, jaw cycles do not always involve an SO stage and the first reduction cycle never exhibits an SO stage. During transport, the duration of the SO stages is highly variable. During reduction and transport of the prey, the cyclic tongue movements are very similar. Gape opening during cleaning is not divided into two successive stages. We conclude (1) that the capture, reduction and cleaning cycles may be derived from the transport cycle, (2) that the SO stage is determined by tongue displacements in all the phases, (3) that, in the extensive intraoral food processing, related cyclic tongue-jaw displacements are not different, (4) that gape cycles do not always follow the Bramble and Wake model, and (5) that the evolutionary features proposed for Amniota by Reilly and Lauder are present.

Modulation of nerve membrane sodium channel activation by deltamethrin

Deltamethrin is a highly potent pyrethroid insecticide that causes hypersensitivity, tremors, and paralysis in mammals. It is known to modify the sodium channel in such a way as to prolong the tail current associated with step repolarization following a depolarizing pulse. Using the axial-wire voltage-clamp technique with the giant axon of the squid Loligo pealei, we have demonstrated that deltamethrin also greatly slows the opening of the sodium channel. This was first observed as a decrease, by as much as 80%, in the peak sodium current flowing during a short, 10 ms depolarization. Current flowing through these slowly opening deltamethrin modified sodium channels was observed during the first depolarizing pulse after deltamethrin exposure and developed with a time constant of 320 ms. This supports the idea that deltamethrin can modify sodium channels when they are in the closed or resting state. Further, evidence of this hypothesis was provided by experiments using 0.1 and 10 μM deltamethrin and measuring the tail current amplitude after depolarizing pulses of varying duration (1–1200 ms). The mean time constant for the increase in tail current amplitude was almost concentration independent; 253 ms at 0.1 μM and 193 ms at 10 μM. We conclude that deltamethrin modifies the activation kinetics of sodium channels in such a way as to slow opening and that this modification occurs predominantly when channels are in the closed or resting state.

Calcium currents in the A7r5 smooth muscle-derived cell line. An allosteric model for calcium channel activation and dihydropyridine agonist action.

We have investigated the gating kinetics of calcium channels in the A7r5 cell line at the level of single channels and whole cell currents, in the absence and presence of dihydropyridine (DHP) calcium channel agonists. Although latencies to first opening and macroscopic currents are strongly voltage dependent, analysis of amplitude histograms indicates that the primary open-closed transition is voltage independent. This suggests that the molecular mechanisms for voltage sensing and channel opening are distinct, but coupled. We propose a modified Monod-Wyman-Changeux (MWC) model for channel activation, where movement of a voltage sensor is analogous to ligand binding, and the closed and open channels correspond to inactive (T) and active (R) states. This model can account for the activation kinetics of the calcium channel, and is consistent with the existence of four homologous domains in the main subunit of the calcium channel protein. DHP agonists slow deactivation kinetics, shift the activation curve to more negative potentials with an increase in slope, induce intermingled fast and slow channel openings, and reduce the latency to first opening. These effects are predicted by the MWC model if we make the simple assumption that DHP agonists act as allosteric effectors to stabilize the open states of the channel.

Mechanisms affecting long conduction time plasma opening switches

Experimental evidence suggests that long conduction time (≥ (R18)1 μs) plasma opening switches open more slowly than expected on the basis of magnetic forces, and perhaps even on the basis of plasma erosion. We propose that the slow opening is associated with charge exchange with and/or electron ionization of neutral particles produced in the switch gap during and/or prior to the power pulse. The possibility of such mechanisms bears on the choice of switch plasma and on surface conditioning procedures in the development of fast opening switch technology.

Inward Rectifying K+ Channels in the Plasma Membrane of Arabidopsis thaliana

Ion channels in the plasma membrane of protoplasts isolated from cultured cells of Arabidopsis thaliana were studied by means of the patch-clamp technique applied in the whole-cell configuration. In some protoplasts, depolarizing pulses and, in other protoplasts, hyperpolarizing pulses elicited time-dependent currents; both kinds of current were only rarely observed in the same protoplast. The hyperpolarization-activated inward rectifying currents, the focus of this paper, appeared to be due to the relatively slow opening of channels (activation time constant = 150 to 300 milliseconds), which closed at positive potentials. The reversal potential of this current, measured in the presence of different ion concentrations (symmetrical or asymmetrical K(+) and Cl(-) or gluconate), was always close to the electrochemical equilibrium potential of K(+). The currents were inhibited by 10 millimolar tetraethylammonium, a K(+) channel blocker. These data show that the hyperpolarization-activated currents flow through K(+) channels, which can provide a pathway for the passive diffusion of K(+) down its electrochemical gradient.

The Mid-atlantic Ridge (31°S–34°30′S): Temporal and spatial variations of accretionary processes

The ridge located between 31° S and 34°30′S is spreading at a rate of 35 mm yr−1, a transitional velocity between the very slow (≤20 mm yr−1) opening rates of the North Atlantic and Southwest Indian Oceans, and the intermediate rates (60 mm yr−1) of the northern limb of the East Pacific Rise, and the Galapagos and Juan de Fuca Ridges. A synthesis of multi-narrow beam, magnetics and gravity data document that in this area the ridge represents a dynamically evolving system. Here the ridge is partitioned into an ensemble of six distinct segments of variable lengths (12 to 100 km) by two transform faults (first-order discontinuities) and three small offset (< 30 km) discontinuities (second-order discontinuities) that behave non-rigidly creating complex and heterogeneous morphotectonic patterns that are not parallel to flow lines. The offset magnitudes of both the first and second-order discontinuities change in response to differential asymmetric spreading. In addition, along the fossil trace of second-order discontinuities, the lengths of abyssal hills located to either side of a discordant zone are observed to lengthen and shorten creating a saw-toothed pattern. Although the spreading rate remains the same along the length of the ridge studied, the morphology of the spreading segments varies from a deep median valley with characteristics analogous to the rift segments of the North Atlantic to a gently rifted axial bulge that is indistinguishable from the shape and relief of the intermediate rate spreading centers of the East Pacific Rise (i.e., 21°N). Like other carefully surveyed ridge segments at slow and fast rates of accretion, the along-axis profiles of each ridge segment are distinctly convex upwards, and exhibit along-strike changes in relief of 500m to 1500 between the shallowest portion of the segment (approximate center) and the segment ends. Such spatial variations create marked along-axis changes in the morphology and relief of each segment. A relatively low mantle Bouguer anomaly is known to be associated with the ridge segment characterized by a gently rifted axial bulge and is interpreted to indicate the presence of focused mantle upwelling (Kuo and Forsyth, 1988). Moreover, the terrain at the ends of each segment are known to be highly magnetized compared to the centers of each segment (Carbotte et al, 1990). Taken together, these data clearly establish that these profound spatial variations in ridge segment properties between adjoining segments, and along and across each segment, indicate that the upper mantle processes responsible for the formation of this contrasting architecture are not solely related to passive upwelling of the asthenosphere beneath the ridge axis. Rather, there must be differences in the thermal and mechanical structure of the crust and upper mantle between and along the ridge segments to explain these spatial variations in axial topography, crustal structure and magnetization. These results are consistent with the results of investigations from other parts of the ridge and suggest that the emplacement of magma is highly focused along segments and positioned beneath the depth minimum of a given segment. The profound differences between segments indicate that the processes governing the behavior of upwelling mantle are decoupled and the variations in the patterns of axis flanking morphology and rate of accretion indicate that processes controlling upwelling and melt production vary markedly in time as well. At this spreading rate and in this area, the accretionary processes are clearly three-dimensional. In addition, the morphology of a ridge segment is not governed so much by opening rate as by the thermal structure of the mantle which underlies the segment.

Properties of calcium channels in cardiac muscle and vascular smooth muscle

The voltage-dependent slow channels in the myocardial cell membrane are the major pathway by which Ca2+ ions enter the cell during excitation for initiation and regulation of the force of contraction of cardiac muscle. The slow channels have some special properties, including functional dependence on metabolic energy, selective blockade by acidosis, and regulation by the intracellular cyclic nucleotide levels. Because of these special properties of the slow channels, Ca2+ influx into the myocardial cell can be controlled by extrinsic factors (such as autonomic nerve stimulation or circulating hormones) and by intrinsic factors (such as cellular pH or ATP level). The slow Ca2+ channels of the heart are regulated by cAMP in a stimulatory fashion. Elevation of cAMP produces a very rapid increase in number of slow channels available for voltage activation during excitation. The probability of a slow channel opening and the mean open time of the channel are increased. Therefore, any agent that increases the cAMP level of the myocardial cell will tend to potentiate ISi, Ca2+ influx, and contraction. The myocardial slow Ca2+ channels are also regulated by cGMP, in a manner that is opposite to that of cAMP. The effect of cGMP is presumably mediated by means of phosphorylation of a protein, as for example, a regulatory protein (inhibitory-type) associated with the slow channel. Preliminary data suggest that calmodulin also may play a role in regulation of the myocardial slow Ca2+ channels, possibly mediated by the Ca2(+)-calmodulin-protein kinase and phosphorylation of some regulatory-type of protein. Thus, it appears that the slow Ca2+ channel is a complex structure, including perhaps several associated regulatory proteins, which can be regulated by a number of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. VSM cells contain two types of Ca2+ channels: slow (L-type) Ca2+ channels and fast (T-type) Ca2+ channels. Although regulation of voltage-dependent Ca2+ slow channels of VSM cells have not been fully clarified yet, we have made some progress towards answering this question. Slow (L-type, high-threshold) Ca2+ channels may be modified by phosphorylation of the channel protein or an associated regulatory protein. In contrast to cardiac muscle where cAMP and cGMP have antagonistic effects on Ca2+ slow channel activity, in VSM, cAMP and cGMP have similar effects, namely inhibition of the Ca2+ slow channels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

THE EVOLUTION OF TETRAPOD FEEDING BEHAVIOR: KINEMATIC HOMOLOGIES IN PREY TRANSPORT.

One of the major features of the aquatic-to-terrestrial transition in vertebrate evolution was the change in the mechanism used to transport prey from the jaws to the throat. Primarily, vertebrates use hydraulic transport, but the transition to terrestrial life was accompanied by modifications of the hyobranchial apparatus that permit tongue-based transport. Despite an extensive data base on amniote feeding systems and mechanisms of intraoral prey transport, few data are available on the mechanism of prey transport in anamniote tetrapods. Transport cycles of four Ambystoma tigrinum (Amphibia) feeding on worms and crickets were filmed at 150 flames per second to produce quantitative profiles of the intraoral transport cycles for the two prey types. During the transport cycle the head and body remain stationary relative to the background: transport in Ambystoma tigrinum thus does not involve inertial movements of the head or body. Prey type had little effect on the kinematics of prey transport. The process of prey transport may be divided into four phases: preparatory, fast opening, closing, and recovery. The preparatory phase itself is divided into two parts: an extended segment that may include slight slow opening and a static phase prior to mouth opening where no change in gape occurs. The kinematic profile of transport in terrestrial salamanders is extremely similar to that used by fishes during hydraulic (aquatic) prey transport. We hypothesize that the distinct recovery and preparatory phases in the transport cycle of anamniote tetrapods are together homologous to the slow opening phases of the amniote cycle, and that during the evolution of terrestrial prey processing systems the primitive extended preparatory phase has become greatly compressed and incorporated into the amniote gape cycle.

Kinetics and mechanism of the hydrolysis of cis-β-carbonato(3,7-diazanonane-1,9-diamine)cobalt(III) and cis-β-carbonato(4,7-diazadecane-1,10-diamine)cobalt(III) cations in acidic aqueous solution

The acid-catalysed hydrolyses of the complex cations cis-β-[CoL(CO3)]+[L = 3,7-diazanonane-1,9-diamine (L1) or 4,7-diazadecane-1,10-diamine (L2)] have been studied over the ranges 30.0 ⩽θ⩽ 40.0 °C and 1 ⩽ pH ⩽ 5 (for L2, 1 ⩽ pH ⩽ 2) at an ionic strength of 0.5 mol dm–3. The kinetic results exhibit a rate law of the form –d(ln [complex])/dt=k0+k1[H+] where the values of k0(25 °C), k1(25 °C), ΔH‡0, ΔS‡0, ΔH‡1, and ΔS‡1 are 1.0 × 10–4 s–1, 0.17 dm3 mol–1 s–1, 95 ± 15 kJ mol–1, –4 ± 4 J K–1 mol–1, 37 ± 2 kJ mol–1, and –137 ± 20 J K–1 mol–1 for the L1 complex and 3.9 × 10–5 s–1, 2.7 × 10–2 dm3 mol–1 s–1, 72 ± 10 kJ mol–1, –84 ± 25 J K–1 mol–1, 72 ± 4 kJ mol–1, and –34 ± 8 J K–1 mol–1 for the L2 complex. The acid-catalysed reactions are subject to a deuterium solvent isotope effect, consistent with a mechanism involving a rapid protonation equilibrium followed by slow ring opening of the carbonate ring. The diaqua product of the acid hydrolysis of the L2 complex undergoes cis-to-trans isomerization at rates comparable to the hydrolysis reaction under certain conditions. The values of kiso at 25 °C (I= 0.5 mol dm–3 HClO4) and corresponding activation parameters, ΔH‡ and ΔS‡, are 1.1 ± 0.05 s–1, 115.8 ± 2.5 kJ mol–1, and 67 ± 21 J K–1 mol–1 respectively.

Small-conductance chloride channels activated by calcium on cultured endocrine cells from mammalian pars intermedia.

Porcine intermediate lobe (IL) endocrine cells maintained in primary culture have been studied using patch-clamp derived configurations to record unitary activity on outside-out vesicles. Solutions were devised so as to record Cl current in isolation and to fix cytoplasmic Ca concentration [Ca]i between 0.1 microM and 3 microM. Between [Ca]i 0.5 and 1 microM, the chloride permeability was restricted to single events with a small amplitude, that varied linearly with the membrane potential. Mean slope conductance of this chloride channel was 2.5 pS. Single channel analysis yielded two mean open time values of 10 and 55 ms at -80 mV. Relaxations of chloride currents on outside-out patches was examined at different [Ca]i. Relaxation was negligible at 0.15 microM [Ca]i, whereas at higher [Ca]i, the current exhibited relaxation in response to voltage jumps the kinetic of which could be fitted by two exponentials. At 0.5 microM [Ca]i, the fast relaxation time constant was shown to be voltage insensitive with a value of about 10 ms. The slow relaxation time constant had a mean value of 75 ms at -60 mV and increased with membrane depolarization with a twofold change over 120 mV. Another voltage effect was to favour the slow opening mode at the more depolarized potentials: the ratio of fast to slow relaxations being 5:1 at -60 mV as compared to 1:1 at +80 mV). Finally the estimated probability of opening (po) linearly increased with voltage. po displayed a bell-shaped dependence on [Ca]i, so that full activation of the channels was not achieved.

Opto-electronic analyses of masticatory mandibular movements and velocities in the rat

High-speed, high-resolution data (frontal plane) were collected from 6 Sprague-Dawley rats by opto-electronic mandibular tracking (OMT), followed by microcomputer analysis of individual chew cycles. Mastication comprised rapidly alternating, unilateral cycles with variable degrees of lateral translation. There was no evidence of bilateral mastication (simultaneous chewing on both left and right sides). Analysis revealed significant ( p ⩽ 0.01) differences between whole-cycle, slow-open (SO) phase, fast-open (FO) phase, fast-close (FC) phase, and slow-close (SC) phase duration, height, width, and velocity during mastication of standardized foods (pellets and slurry). Regression analysis between millimetres of vertical/horizontal movement ( Y) and vertical/horizontal velocity ( X) revealed differences during these mastications. Whole-cycle and SO-phase regression equations had the greatest disparity between pellet and slurry chewing for both vertical and horizontal movements. Correlation coefficient analysis between movement and velocity data indicated that (1) vertical correlations were smaller than horizontal ones, (2) slurry correlations were greater than pellet ones except for whole cycles, (3) FO phase had the largest movement/velocity correlation during both pellet and slurry mastication, and, that (4) SC phase had the smallest movement/velocity correlation. Vertical and horizontal movements during pellet FC phase were significantly ( p ⩽ 0.01) greater than slurry ones; both vertical and horizontal movements during pellet SC phase were significantly ( p ⩽ 0.01) less than slurry ones. This phase-isostasy was also detected during vertical movements in SO and FO phases. These findings, when combined with information concerning muscle-spindle activity, suggest that vertical masticatory movements of the mandible are under less neuromuscular control than horizontal ones.

The role of calcium ions in the closing of K channels.

The effects of external Ca ion on K channel properties were studied in squid giant axons. Increasing the Ca concentration from 20 to 100 mM slowed K channel opening, and was kinetically equivalent to decreasing the depolarizing step by approximately 25 mV. The same Ca increase had a much smaller effect on closing kinetics, equivalent to making the membrane potential more negative by approximately mV. With regard to the conductance-voltage curve, this Ca increase was about equivalent to decreasing the depolarizing step by approximately 10 mV. The presence of K or Rb in the bath slowed closing kinetics and made the time course more complex: there were pronounced slow components in Rb and, to a lesser extent, in K. Increasing the Ca concentration strongly antagonized the slowing caused by Rb or K. Thus, Ca has a strong effect on closing kinetics only in the presence of these monovalent cations. Rb and K do not significantly alter opening kinetics, nor do they alter Ca's ability to slow opening kinetics. High Ca slightly affects the instantaneous I-V curve by selectively depressing inward current at negative voltages. The results imply that Ca has two actions on K channels, and in only one, the action on closing, does it compete with monovalent cations. We propose (a) that opening kinetics are slowed by binding of Ca to negatively charged parts of the gating apparatus that are at the external surface of the channel protein when the channel is closed; monovalent cations do not compete effectively in this action; (b) Ca (or possibly Mg) normally occupies closed channels and has a latching effect. External K or Rb competes with Ca for channel occupancy. Channels close sluggishly when occupied by a monovalent cation and tend to reopen. Thus, slow closing results from occupancy by K or Rb instead of Ca. The data are well fit by a model based on these ideas.

Influence of the polyamines spermine and spermidine on yeast tRNAPhe as revealed from its imino proton NMR spectrum.

A comparison of imino proton NMR spectra of yeast tRNAPhe recorded at various solution conditions indicates, that polyamines have a limited effect on the structure of this tRNA molecule. Polyamines are found to catalyse the solvent exchange of several imino protons in yeast tRNAPhe not only of non hydrogen bonded imino protons, but also of imino protons of the GU and of some AU and tertiary base pairs. It is concluded that at low levels of catalysing components the exchange rates of the latter protons are not determined by the base pair lifetime. In the presence of high levels of spermidine the solvent exchange rates of imino protons of several base pairs in the molecule were assessed as a function of the temperature. Apparent activation energies derived from these rates were found to be less than 80 kJ/mol, which is indicative for (transient) independent opening of the corresponding base pairs. In the acceptor helix the GU base pair acts as a dynamic dislocation. The AU base pairs at one side of the GU base pair exhibit faster transient opening than the GC base pairs on the other side of this wobble pair. The base pairs m2GC10 and GC11 from the D stem and GC28 from the anticodon stem show relatively slow opening up to high temperatures. Model studies suggest that 1-methyladenosine, an element of tRNA itself, catalyses imino proton solvent exchange in a way similar to polyamines.

Dynamics of expiration and gas trapping in rabbits during mechanical ventilation at rapid rates.

Mechanical ventilation at rapid rates may cause gas trapping by decreasing the time available for expiration. The volume of gas trapped within the lungs depends not only on the expiratory time, but also on the rate of emptying of the lungs. Because newborn infants are frequently ventilated at rapid rates, we examined the factors determining the rate of lung emptying, and thereby the development of gas trapping, at ventilatory rates of 40 to 120 breath/min in anesthetized and paralyzed rabbits. We found that flow and volume were related nonlinearly during the first segment of expiration, and linearly during the second segment. Only the second segment could therefore be described with a single time constant. The expiratory resistance of the respiratory system and endotracheal tube was up to 4.5 times greater than the inspiratory resistance, a finding explained by the higher transmural airway pressures during inspiration and by the dynamic effects of the increase in cross-sectional airway area at the junction of endotracheal tube and trachea. This high expiratory resistance lengthened the time constant of the second segment of expiration which, combined with the delay caused by the slow opening of the exhalation valve during the first segment, promoted gas trapping when the expiratory time was shortened.

Clinical, radiographic, and electromyographic study of patients with internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint

Fifteen patients with internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) were examined clinically, radiographically, and electromyographically. Electromyographic recordings were also obtained from 11 subjects without signs or symptoms associated with their TMJs or masticatory musculature. All the patients with internal derangement demonstrated interferences on the ipsilateral side. This was interpreted as the result of disc displacement producing a reduced joint space and, consequently, a decreased vertical dimension on the symptomatic side. Slow opening and closing mandibular movements without clenching could be performed by healthy persons without noticeable EMG activity in the temporalis and masseter muscles. In association with disc displacement, electromyographic activity of the temporalis and masseter muscles occurred when the condyle slid over the posterior band of the disc and could be interpreted as an arthrokinetic reflex caused by distraction. Continuous muscle activity could be provoked by TMJ disc displacement and ceased when the disc position was normalized on mouth opening, only to occur again every time the disc became displaced on mouth closure. Anterior disc displacement without reduction (closed lock) could cause spastic activity in the temporalis muscle on the affected side. Spastic activity of the masseter and temporalis muscles occurring on the same side as a joint with anterior disc displacement hinders or inhibits the condylar movement necessary to achieve reduction.