Early events in myofibrillogenesis and innervation of skeletal, sound-generating muscle in a teleost fish

The plainfin midshipman, Porichthys notatus, generates acoustic communication signals through the rapid contraction of a pair of vocal (sonic) muscles attached to the walls of the swimbladder. Light and electron microscopic methods were used to study two aspects of sonic muscle ontogeny: 1) the development and transformation of myotubes into muscle fibers and 2) innervation, including the formation of sonic neuromuscular junctions and the myelination of sonic motor axons. Sonic motor axons are associated with sonic mesenchyme during its initial migration away from occipital somites. However, myofibrillogenesis, the formation of neuromuscular junctions, and axon myelination do not occur until sonic mesenchyme reaches its final destination (i.e., the swimbladder). A continuum of developing myotubes is present rather than two temporally distinct populations of primary and secondary myotubes as observed for skeletal muscles in mammalian and avian species. Potential reasons for the lack of primary and secondary myotubes are considered, including the functional homogeneity of the sonic motor system and the sonic muscle's unique architecture, namely its direct attachment to the wall of the swimbladder.     

Carrageenin granuloma in the plaice (Pleuronectes platessa); a histopathological study of chronic inflammation in a teleost fish

The protein component of tissue thromboplastib (Factor III) from human brain was purified by extraction of a microsomal fraction with sodium deoxycholate, gel filtration of the extract on Sephadex G-100 and preparative polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate. The product, apoprotein III, was homogeneous by anayltical polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, and it induced monospecific antibodies in rabbits and goat as shown by immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoresis. Amino acid- and carbohydrate-analysis data for apoprotein III are presented. The carbohydrate moiety of the protein consists of fucose, mannose, galactose, N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylneuraminate, amounting to a total content of 6.3g/100g. The apoprotein alone had no procoagulant activity. When Factor III was reconstituted by combining the pure apoprotein with a purified lipid fraction from the deoxycholate extract of crude Factor III, a high and optimal procoagulant activity was obtained at a phospholipid/protein ratio of 1.1g/g. Phosphatidylethanolamine alone had a weak but significant ability to restore activity, whereas phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine separately had almost none. Two-component mixtures were on average more effective, and three-component mixtures far more effective, than the single phospholipids. The inclusion of a small amount of phosphatidylserine was very important for high activity.     

The pupil response of a teleost fish, Porichthys notatus: description and comparison to other species

The pupil response of Porichthys notatus to different intensities of illumination is described and compared to that of P. myriaster, Cephaloscyllium ventroisum, and a human. While the fully dark adapted pupil is round, at the highest light intensities it consists of only two small, almost independent, apertures with a total area 4.9% of that observed in the fully dilated animal. The response is at least partially consensual and occurs, albeit at a much reduced rate, in isolated eyes. P. notatus also displays retinomotor movements comparable to those seen in most teleosts, suggesting that, contrary to most previous assumptions, pupillary responses and retinomotor migrations are not mutually exclusive.     

Purification and characterization of urotensin II from the brain of a teleost (trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss) and an elasmobranch (skate, Raja rhina)

Peptides related to urotensin II have been isolated in pure form from an extract of whole brain of a teleost, the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and of an elasmobranch, the longnose skate (Raja rhina). The primary structure of the trout peptide [Gly-Gly-Asn-Ser-Glu-Cys-Phe-Trp-Lys-Tyr-Cys-Val] is similar to that of urotensin II peptides isolated from the urophyses of other teleost fish. For example, trout urotensin II contains only one amino acid substitution (Thr4-->Ser) compared with urotensin II beta 1 isolated from the urophysis of the carp. The primary structure of the skate peptide [Asn-Asn-Phe-Ser-Asp-Cys-Phe-Trp-Lys-Tyr-Cys-Val] is the same as urotensin II isolated from the caudal spinal cord region of the dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula. The data provide chemical evidence to support the conclusion of earlier morphological studies [Yulis, C. R., and Lederis, K. (1988) Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 70, 301-311) that certain species of fish possess an extensive extraurophyseal distribution of urotensin II-immunoreactive neurons.     

Effects of dopaminergic drugs on locomotor activity in teleost fish of the genus Oreochromis (Cichlidae): involvement of the telencephalon

Airpuffs are often used as blink reflex eliciting stimuli, but the airpuff makes an abrupt noise when it leaves the tube. The present study investigated the effects of the tactile and acoustic components of airpuffs on the blink reflex in 18 human subjects. Subjects received airpuffs to the temple at 10.3, 20.7 and 31.0 kPa in a within-subjects design. The airpuff-associated noise was attenuated (Airpuff + Attenuated noise) or airpuffs were presented without noise-attenuation (Airpuff+ Unattenuated noise) in two conditions. In the third condition, the airpuff was directed away from the temple to eliminate the tactile component of the airpuff (Noise alone). Reflexes were larger, more probable and faster to the Airpuff+ Unattenuated noise compared to the Airpuff+ Attenuated noise. This indicates that there is an excitatory influence from the acoustic component of the airpuff. The findings suggest that researchers should reduce the acoustic component of airpuffs in studies that use airpuffs as reflex eliciting stimuli.     

Reproductive steroids during maturation in a primitive teleost, the Pacific herring (Clupea harengus pallasi)

Concentrations of reproductive steroids were measured in the plasma of captive Pacific herring, Clupea harengus pallasi, (1) prior to ovulation and milt production, (2) during the periovulatory and newly milt-producing period, (3) during a "ripe" holding period after ovulation and during milt production, and (4) before and after spawning. 17alpha,20beta-Dihydroxyprogesterone (17,20beta-P), despite being present only in low concentrations in the unconjugated (free) form (<10 ng/ml), is likely to be the maturation inducing steroid in females and was associated with the initiation of milt production in males since its levels are elevated coincidentally with these events. Glucuronated 17,20beta-P, free 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17-P), and free and glucuronated 3alpha, 17alpha-dihydroxy-5beta-pregnan-20-one (3alpha,17-P-5beta) were present in high concentrations (140-250 ng/ml) in periovulatory females and newly milt-producing males. This steroid pattern suggests that the low levels of 17,20beta-P are due to glucuronation and competitive conversion of its precursor, 17-P, to free and glucuronated 3alpha, 17-P-5beta. Glucuronated testosterone was the principal steroid in preovulatory and premilt-producing fish (200-350 ng/ml), coincident with similar levels of glucuronated 11-ketotestosterone in males. After ovulation females did not spawn synchronously until 2 months later, which may be partially due to reduced environmental cues in the captive situation, while male fish released milt sporadically throughout the ripe holding period. Steroidal indicators of readiness to spawn in females or males were not detected. Rather, levels of all steroids gradually decreased in ripe holding fish (<30 ng/ml) to reach even lower levels (<1 ng/ml) after spawning. We suggest that "runniness" of gametes is a distinctive characteristic of females that are ready to spawn, but that this may result from relaxation of sphincter muscles rather than being an additional maturational step.     

Patterns of superficial fibre formation in the European pearlfish (Rutilus frisii meidingeri) provide a general template for slow muscle development in teleost fish

The debate about the pattern of muscle formation in teleost fish has recently been heightened in the literature. Here we examine superficial muscle development in the pearlfish, a cyprinid endemic to a small area of Central Europe, and uninfluenced by economic interest and breeding. Using light and electron microscopy, histochemistry and immunohistochemistry techniques, we report that: (1) Superficial fibre precursors originate close to the notochord, are part of the same cell population as the so-called muscle pioneer cells, and are transferred laterally to end up at the surface of the myotome. (2) Superficial fibre maturation is exceptionally rapid. Structural and enzymatic functionality is attained at a time when prospective deep fibres have not passed beyond the early myotube state. This strong contrast weakens as the embryo develops. (3) Apart from the muscle pioneers, the superficial fibres appear to be capable of functioning before they receive any direct innervation, implying that signals are transferred to these fibres via cell-to-cell junctions. We suggest that the capability of rapid superficial fibre maturation is a rather general feature among teleosts and may aid pre-hatch survival under a variable environment. Our results indicate that muscle formation in teleost fish may follow a common basic pattern that is open to considerable ontogenetic and phylogenetic modification in response to habitat conditions.     

Biplexiform ganglion cells, characterized by dendrites in both outer and inner plexiform layers, are regular, mosaic-forming elements of teleost fish retinae

Biplexiform ganglion cells were labelled by retrograde transport of HRP in five species of marine fish from the neoteleost acanthopterygian orders Perciformes and Scorpaeniformes. Their forms and spatial distributions were studied in retinal flatmounts and thick sections. Biplexiform ganglion cells possessed sparsely branched, often varicose, dendrites that ramified through the inner nuclear layer (INL) to reach the outer plexiform layer (OPL), as well as conventional arborizations in the most sclerad part of the inner plexiform layer (IPL). Their somata were of above-average size and were displaced into the vitread border of the INL. Mean soma areas ranged from 99 +/- 6 microns2 in Bathymaster derjugini (Perciformes) to 241 +/- 12 microns2 in Hexagrammos stelleri (Scorpaeniformes), but were similar in each species to those of the outer-stratified alpha-like ganglion cells, whose dendritic trees occupied the same IPL sublamina. In the best-labelled specimens, biplexiform cells formed clear mosaics with spacings and degrees of regularity much like those of other large ganglion cells, but spatially independent of them. Biplexiform mosaics were plotted in three species, and analyzed by nearest-neighbor distance and spatial correlogram methods. The exclusion radius, an estimate of minimum mosaic spacing, ranged from 113 microns in Hexagrammos stelleri, through 150 microns in Ernogrammus hexagrammus (Perciformes), to 240 microns in Myoxocephalus stelleri (Scorpaeniformes). A spatial cross-correlogram analysis of the distributions of biplexiform and outer-stratified alpha-like cells in Hexagrammos demonstrated the spatial independence of their mosaics. Similar cells were previously observed not only in the freshwater cichlid Oreochromis spilurus (Perciformes) but also in the goldfish Carassius auratus (Cypriniformes) which, being an ostariophysan teleost, is only distantly related. Thus, biplexiform ganglion cells may be regular elements of all teleost fish retinae. Their functional role remains unknown.     

Sex steroid levels in Porichthys notatus, a fish with alternative reproductive tactics, and a review of the hormonal bases for male dimorphism among teleost fishes

Plasma levels of 11-ketotestosterone, 11-beta-OH-testosterone, testosterone, and 17-beta-estradiol were measured in reproductive Porichthys notatus, a teleost fish with two male morphs and alternative reproductive tactics. The two male types had contrasting androgen profiles. 11-Ketotestosterone was the predominant androgen in the Type I male morph which acoustically courts females, excavates nests, and guards eggs. Yet testosterone was predominant in the plasma of the Type II male morph which neither courts females nor nests, but instead parasitizes Type I males with sneak or satellite spawning tactics. The Type I-Type II male divergence in reproductive tactics and androgen levels is paralleled by dimorphisms in the vocal system, in body size, and in relative testis size. A review of endocrine data from six different species with male dimorphism shows consistent differences between morphotypes and a striking pattern: 11-ketotestosterone levels are uniformly elevated in each "courting male" morphotype relative to its "noncourting" conspecific. This cross-species pattern may reflect the behavioral, gonadal, or morphological differences which characterize the two morphotypes. At this point, the morphological interpretation is favored.     

Perception and generalization of frequency contours by a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).

A single adult female bottlenose dolphin was tested in a series of perceptual studies. On each trial, 4 sine-wave tones were presented that contained a falling frequency contour or some other contour. There were several frequency-transposed exemplars of each contour type in each experiment. The dolphin discriminated contours at a level significantly greater than chance in all experiments. In the 1st 2 experiments, the dolphin demonstrated only modest transfer to novel stimuli and a sensitivity to the absolute frequency of stimuli. In the 3rd experiment, there was no effect of the absolute frequency of stimuli; in the 4th experiment, the dolphin successfully transferred the discrimination to novel stimuli drawn from the octave above the previously heard range. These results demonstrate dolphins' capability to perceive frequency contours, which may underlie the recognition of conspecific whistles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social learning by orangutans (Pongo abelii and Pongo pygmaeus) in a simulated food-processing task

Increasing evidence for behavioral differences between populations of primates has created a resurgence of interest in examining mechanisms of information transfer between individuals. The authors examined the social transmission of information in 15 captive orangutans (Pongo abelii and Pongo pygmaeus) using a simulated food-processing task. Experimental subjects were shown 1 of 2 methods for removing a suite of defenses on an "artificial fruit." Control subjects were given no prior exposure before interacting with the fruit. Observing a model provided a functional advantage in the task, as significantly more experimental than control subjects opened the fruit. Within the experimental groups, the authors found a trend toward differences in the actual behaviors used to remove 1 of the defenses. Results support observations from the wild implying horizontal transfer of information in orangutans and show that a number of social learning processes are likely to be involved in the transfer of knowledge in this species.     

Hemispheric asymmetries in the perception of rapid (timbral) and slow (nontimbral) amplitude fluctuations of complex tones.

Hemispheric asymmetries for processing rapid (timbral) and slow (nontimbral) amplitude fluctuations of complex tones were investigated in 32 right-handed nonmusicians. Two monaural matching-to-sample tests with contralateral white noise and attention directed to 1 ear were used, 1 with tones presenting slow fluctuations of amplitude and 1 with tones presenting rapid fluctuations of amplitude perceived as different timbres. Stimuli were generated by altering the amplitude envelope of a steady state complex tone. Dependent variables were reaction time and accuracy. The results suggest an important role for the right hemisphere in the perception of temporal variations of intensity of sounds both when these variations are rapid and perceived as timbral qualities and when they are slow and perceived as changes of loudness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Isolation and structural characterization of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP)-like peptide from the brain of a teleost, stargazer, Uranoscopus japonicus

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a novel neuropeptide consisting of 38-residue (PACAP 1-38) and a truncated form with 27 residues (PACAP 1-27) that plays several roles in tetrapods. We isolated a highly purified PACAP-like peptide from the brain of a teleost, the stargazer, by extracting of acetone-dried powder with acetic acid followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on gel-filtration, cation-exchange, and reverse-phase columns. Purification was monitored by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blotting analysis using an anti-PACAP 1-27 antiserum. The PACAP-like peptide thus obtained had a molecular mass of 4,623, determined by mass spectrometry, and its amino acid sequence showed 89 and 87% identity with those of ovine and frog PACAPs, respectively. These results indicate that a PACAP-like peptide, which is a highly homologous with tetrapod PACAP, is present in the teleost brain.     

Evaluation of tricuspid regurgitation by the ultrasonic pulsed Doppler technique from a transcutaneous approach (author's transl)

Severity of tricuspid regurgitation was assessed by using a combined system of the ultrasonic pulsed Doppler technique and two-dimensional echocardiography from a transcutaneous approach. The study group comprised 47 patients with various heart diseases, who were clinically presumed to have tricuspid regurgitation, and 10 healthy subjects. 1) Pansystolic abnormal flow signal was detected in an area from the tricuspid valve into the right atrial cavity in 43 patients including 8 patients without definitive signs of tricuspid regurgitation. Such abnormal flow had never been detected in healthy subjects and was considered to represent tricuspid regurgitant flow. Tricuspid regurgitant flow usually exhibited a wide band spectrum of velocity component indicating a disturbed flow. In 4 patients with clinical signs of severe tricuspid regurgitation, a laminar flow was detected in the right atrial cavity, which was considered to indicate a regurgitant jet in the central part of tricuspid regurgitant flow. 2) The area where tricuspid regurgitant flow was detected was interpreted as revealing the main direction and spread of tricuspid regurgitant flow. Based on this finding, severity of TR was classified into 4 grades by the assessment on the basis of the distance reached by tricuspid regurgitant flow in the right atrium. Severity of tricuspid regurgitation was also classified into 4 grades by right ventriculography. The grade of tricuspid regurgitation assessed by Doppler technique was nearly consistent with that assessed by right ventriculography. Severity of tricuspid regurgitation was also classified into 4 grades on the basis of the extent of the area where the regurgitant flow spread, and nearly the same results were obtained as those described above. 3) Thus, the combined use of Doppler flowmetry and two-dimensional echocardiography proved to be useful for detecting tricuspid regurgitant flow and assessing the severity of tricuspid regurgitation.     

Object representation in the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): integration of visual and echoic information

A dolphin performed a 3-alternative matching-to-sample task in different modality conditions (visual/echoic, both vision and echolocation: visual, vision only; echoic, echolocation only). In Experiment 1, training occurred in the dual-modality (visual/echoic) condition. Choice accuracy in tests of all conditions was above chance without further training. In Experiment 2, unfamiliar objects with complementary similarity relations in vision and echolocation were presented in single-modality conditions until accuracy was about 70%. When tested in the visual/echoic condition, accuracy immediately rose (95%), suggesting integration across modalities. In Experiment 3, conditions varied between presentation of sample and alternatives. The dolphin successfully matched familiar objects in the cross-modal conditions. These data suggest that the dolphin has an object-based representational system.     

Detection of human papillomavirus infection by the nucleic acid hybridization method (a multicenter study)

The human papillomaviruses (HPV) are regarded as one of the important agents of cervical carcinoma. A multicentre study was organized to determine the prevalence of HPV in the fertile female population in Hungary. Parallel with the clinical sample collection, a questionnaire interview was performed to acquire data on the life style, socioeconomic status, sexual practice, etc. 1200 women were examined colposcopically and cervix samples were collected for cytology and the detection of HPV DNA. 17.4% of the samples were HPV-infected. 3.9% of the patients had acquired low-risk, and 10.1% 10.2% high-risk HPV types; 3.4% of the women were at the same time infected with both low-risk and high-risk HPV types. Simultaneously performance of cytology and the HPV hybrid capture assay contribute to recognise and treat the precancerous status and risk factors.     

The American Urological Association symptom index for benign prostatic hyperplasia as a function of age, volume and ultrasonic appearance of the prostate

PURPOSE: Our study was conducted to reveal quantitatively the relative effects of age and ultrasonic appearance of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) on urinary symptoms as evaluated by the American Urological Association (AUA) symptom index score. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 929 examinees (732 with a normal prostate and 197 with BPH) on a mass screening program for prostatic diseases using transrectal ultrasonography in Japan, the AUA symptom score was compared to age, prostatic volume and presumed circle area ratio using simple and multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: Simple regression analysis demonstrated the symptom score to correlate significantly with age (R = 0.162, p < 0.0001), prostatic volume (R = 0.072, p = 0.0281) and presumed circle area ratio (R = 0.150, p < 0.0001). However, multiple regression analysis demonstrated that age and presumed circle area ratio were significant independent determinants of the total symptom score. Among 7 symptoms included in the AUA symptom index weak stream and hesitancy scores were not influenced by age, prostatic volume or presumed circle area ratio. CONCLUSIONS: As a parameter representing the degree of BPH in terms of the severity of urinary symptoms, presumed circle area ratio was preferable to prostatic volume. Regression analyses confirmed again that the AUA symptom index was influenced considerably by age and was not specific to BPH.