ABSTRACT
It was found that, depending on their frequency, mechanical vibrations (MVs) can either stimulate (4 Hz) or inhibit (50 Hz) the growth and the division of the lon mutant of Escherichia coli K-12. Similar effects were observed when the MV-treated nutrient medium was inoculated with untreated mutant cells. MVs enhanced the motility of mutant cells and the fragmentation of filament cells always present in the populations of lon mutants.
Subject(s)
Escherichia coli Proteins , Escherichia coli/physiology , Protease La , ATP-Dependent Proteases , Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial , Heat-Shock Proteins/genetics , Mutation , Serine Endopeptidases/genetics , Stress, MechanicalABSTRACT
The effect of mechanical vibrations (MV) electrical conductivity of water and optical density of aqueous DNA solution. Distilled water was treated with MV of several frequencies from 3 to 5000 Hz with an intensity of 90 dB for 30 minutes. Different sensitivities of water specific electrical conductivity (SEC) were determined (the value of distilled water SEC was 209 +/- 2 microS/m). The greatest decrease of SEC (by 15.7%) under the influence of MV was observed at the frequency of 4 Hz. There was no effect at frequencies higher than 100 Hz. The treatment of DNA water solutions with MV of frequencies 4 and 10 Hz decreased its optical density by 4.2 +/- 1.1 and 4.8 +/- 1.2% correspondingly in comparison with control. In cases of treatment with frequencies of 20 and 50 Hz no effect was observed. The mechanism of MV effect on water can be connected with the changes of system structural characteristics. It is confirmed by experiments with DNA solution, where the decrease of optical density (at 260 nm) under MV treatment is conditioned with the increase of the probability of hydrogen binding formation between the bases.
Subject(s)
DNA/chemistry , Sound , Water/chemistry , Chemical Phenomena , Chemistry, Physical , Electric Conductivity , Solutions , Time FactorsABSTRACT
It was shown that the static magnetic field (SMF) and electromagnetic field (EMF) caused inhibition of the cell division in Escherichia coli K-12 lon mutant. The low-frequency EMF 4 Hz led to the 20% survival, but EMF at 50 Hz increased the survival of cells up to 53%. After exposure to magnetic field cells lost capacity for division and grow as filaments, unable to form the colonies on the solid media.
Subject(s)
Escherichia coli/radiation effects , Magnetics , Mutation/radiation effects , Cell Division/radiation effects , Electromagnetic Fields , Escherichia coli/cytology , Escherichia coli/growth & development , Radiation Tolerance , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The effect of perfusate on the contractile activity of an isolated internally perfused heart of Helix pomatia was studied. The changes in heart activity induced by the switching of the perfusate stream were more pronounced in a potassium-free solution when the Na+, K(+)-pump was inactivated. It was found that the decrease in the amplitude of contractions of snail heart by acetylcholine (5.10(-9) M) depends on the treatment of perfusate (Ringer solution) by mechanical vibrations (4, 10, 20, and 50 Hz; 90 dB). In the solution treated with 4 Hz mechanical vibrations, the inhibiting effect of acetylcholine decreased. A similar effect was observed after inactivating the Na+, K(+)-pump by ouabain (10(-4) M). Upon treating the solution by 10, 20, and 50 Hz mechanical vibrations, these changes were not observed. Based on the data, it is suggested that the water medium of the cell can serve as a target through which mechanical vibration can affect the cascade of cell metabolic processes.
Subject(s)
Heart/physiology , Myocardial Contraction/physiology , Acetylcholine/pharmacology , Animals , Heart/drug effects , Helix, Snails/physiology , In Vitro Techniques , Perfusion , Physical Stimulation , Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase/physiologyABSTRACT
Platelet G protein subunits (G alpha i2, G alpha q and Gbeta) were measured in 15 non-treated depressed patients (recurrent major depression) and 15 age- and sex-matched healthy controls by using the Western immunoblot method. The depression severity was measured by the AMDP depression rating scale before start of treatment. The AMDP score ranged between 12 and 44. Patients were then treated with different antidepressant drugs (ATD) for 1 month, after which G protein and depression were reassessed. Results indicated that drug-free depressed patients displayed increased levels of G proteins subunits, in comparison to healthy controls. Antidepressant drug administration resulted in decrease of depression severity but only seven patients showed a net response to drugs (AMDP depression score less than 12). These drug-responding patients have also reduced G protein levels, while patients without significant improvement continued to display either the same levels of G proteins or higher, whatever the class of the drug administered. These results suggest that depression is associated to increase in G protein subunit levels and that the clinical outcome seemed to be the determining factor in further decrease occurring in G protein levels.
Subject(s)
Blood Platelets/metabolism , Depressive Disorder/blood , GTP-Binding Proteins/blood , Adult , Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation/therapeutic use , Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic/therapeutic use , Blotting, Western , Clomipramine/therapeutic use , Depressive Disorder/drug therapy , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Female , Humans , Imipramine/therapeutic use , Male , Middle Aged , Paroxetine/therapeutic use , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
In previous reports, we have observed that blood magnesium was significantly higher in drug-free patients with major depression when compared to healthy controls. This was especially true for erythrocyte magnesium. Furthermore, the most severely depressed patients had the highest intracellular magnesium content, showing that intracellular magnesium rate was related to the intensity of symptoms. We report here the results of blood magnesium measured in 88 major depressed patients as compared to 61 controls. We show that the mean erythrocyte and also plasma magnesium contents are both increased in these patients. We observe that about 40% of male and female patients have a very significant increase (25%) in intracellular magnesium content as compared to controls. However, about 60% of the hospitalised depressed patients have normal values. None of the controls has high erythrocyte magnesium. This is less evident concerning the plasma magnesium. No differences are observed between patients when classified according to the intensity of moral pain or anxiety. In contrast, the patients with mild to high psychomotor retardation score, which is an index of hypoexcitability, have significant higher erythrocyte magnesium values compared with other patients. The results of male patients without psychomotor retardation do not differ from control values. Our study suggests that central hypoexcitability might be related to an increase in intracellular magnesium observed at the peripheral level, keeping in mind that hyperexcitability, as observed in various conditions such as stress and cardiovascular disorders, is frequently associated, in contrast, with a decrease in blood magnesium.
ABSTRACT
The cooling of hen incubated eggs to 28 degrees C brings to disconnection of oxidative phosphorylation in brain on the 12th day of development. The addition of DNP (5 x 10(-5) M) takes off the cooling effect.
Subject(s)
Body Temperature Regulation/physiology , Brain/physiology , Cold Temperature , Oxidative Phosphorylation , 2,4-Dinitrophenol , Adenosine Triphosphatases/drug effects , Adenosine Triphosphatases/metabolism , Animals , Body Temperature Regulation/drug effects , Brain/drug effects , Brain/embryology , Chick Embryo , Dinitrophenols/pharmacology , Mitochondria/drug effects , Mitochondria/physiology , Oxidative Phosphorylation/drug effects , Uncoupling Agents/pharmacologyABSTRACT
Studies have been made of the effects of short-term cooling of eggs at the second part of the incubation period on the intensity of oxidative phosphorylation and peroxidative oxidation of lipids in the mitochondria of skeletal muscles and heart from the developing chicks. It was shown that the intensity of respiration and phosphorylation increases in both tissues, being more significant in skeletal muscles. It is suggested that activation of peroxidative oxidation of lipids at the background of the increasing oxygen consumption and phosphate esterification during adaptation of animals to changes in the environment is one of the mechanisms accounting for the compensatory changes in fatty acid composition of lipids.
Subject(s)
Chickens/metabolism , Cold Temperature , Lipid Peroxidation/physiology , Muscles/metabolism , Myocardium/metabolism , Oxidative Phosphorylation , Animals , Chick Embryo , Malondialdehyde/metabolism , Mitochondria, Heart/metabolism , Mitochondria, Muscle/metabolism , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The short-term cooling of hen eggs under incubation was studied for its effect on the dynamics of the activity of cytochrome oxidase (CO) and anion ATPase in the brain and liver of 15- and 20-day hen embryos and 5-day chickens. The temperature fall in the embryonal period was established to stimulate the activity of bicarbonate-dependent ATPase in the brain and to suppress it in the liver tissue. The CO activity was also subjected to similar alterations.
Subject(s)
Adenosine Triphosphatases/metabolism , Chickens/growth & development , Electron Transport Complex IV/metabolism , Temperature , Animals , Brain/enzymology , Chick Embryo , Mitochondria/enzymology , Mitochondria, Liver/enzymologyABSTRACT
The effect of a short-term cooling of the incubated eggs has been investigated on the intensity of oxidative phosphorylation and the activity of ATPase in mitochondria from muscles and liver of chick embryos and chicks. It was found that the decrease of temperature increases oxygen consumption in muscle mitochondria decreasing esterification of inorganic phosphate. As a consequence, the value of P/O decreases. The activity of ATPase significantly increases. Uncoupling between oxidation and phosphorylation in liver mitochondria takes place more slowly. It is suggested that these changes account for realization of thermoregulation.
Subject(s)
Body Temperature Regulation , Chick Embryo/physiology , Adenosine Triphosphatases/metabolism , Animals , Cold Temperature , Mitochondria, Liver/enzymology , Mitochondria, Muscle/enzymology , Oxidative Phosphorylation , Oxygen Consumption , Time FactorsSubject(s)
Femoral Fractures/therapy , Adolescent , Adult , Casts, Surgical , Combined Modality Therapy , Fracture Fixation, Internal , Humans , Preoperative Care , Time Factors , TractionABSTRACT
When adding alpha-ketoglutarate and glutamate the intensity of respiration by the myocardium mitochondria increases gradually from the 15th day of embryonic development till the chicken hatching out. In the presence of succinate respiration of mitochondria of 15- and 20-day embryos and 5-day chickens is almost the same and decreases noticeably in adult chickens. When the above-mentioned substrates are added the value of P/O gradually decreases during the chicken development.
Subject(s)
Mitochondria, Heart/metabolism , Oxidative Phosphorylation , Oxygen Consumption , Animals , Chick Embryo , Chickens , Glutamates/metabolism , Heart/embryology , Ketoglutaric Acids/metabolismSubject(s)
Bone Marrow/pathology , Leukocytes , Seizures/blood , Animals , Leukocyte Count , Rabbits , Seizures/pathologySubject(s)
Leukemia/epidemiology , Acute Disease , Adolescent , Adult , Armenia , Child , Child, Preschool , Chronic Disease , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Middle Aged , Periodicity , Urban PopulationABSTRACT
ATP-ase activity and the effect of cations (Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+) and DNP on its activity have been studied in avian brain homogenates and mitochondrial and supernatant fractions (microsomes + hyaloplasma). Highest levels of Na+ + K+ -stimulated ATP-ase activity has been shown in avian brain crude mitochondrial fraction, next in supernatant and lowest in homogenates. Following three-fold freezing and thawing, enzyme activity in homogenates and mitochondrial fractions increases considerably and decreases in the supernatant. Highest Mg2+ -stimulated ATP-ase activity is found in avian brain homogenates, next in mitochondrial fractions and supernatants. Mg2+ -stimulated ATP-ase activity is not changed considerably following three-fold freezing and thawing of brain preparations. Highest Ca2+ -stimulated ATP-ase activity has been observed in the supernatant fraction and its activity is considerably reduced following freezing and thawing. Avian brain mitochondrial fractions have high DNP-stimulated ATP-ase activity. Following freezing and thawing of brain preparations DNP-stimulated ATP-ase activity is not changed considerably. The results obtained indicate that in avian brain homogenates and other preparations, cation and DNP-stimulated ATP-ase have different activities. Three-fold freezing and thawing of brain tissue preparations affect these activities differentially.