scholarly journals FUNCTION OF THE TENSOR MUSCLE IN THE CICADA TIBICEN LINNEI

1994 ◽  
Vol 187 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-44
Author(s):  
R Hennig ◽  
T Weber ◽  
T Moore ◽  
F Huber ◽  
H Kleindienst ◽  
...  

The calling song and the disturbance squawk of the cicada Tibicen linnei (Insecta: Homoptera) are described in terms of their physical parameters. The calling song is composed of quiet parts, which are very similar to the disturbance squawk, and loud parts, which are amplitude- and rate-modulated. The role of the tensor muscle acting on the tymbal frame in modulating the sound pulse amplitude was investigated. We demonstrate by tensor nerve recordings, by mechanical mimicking of the tensor muscle action and by electrical stimulation of the tensor nerve, that the contraction of the tensor muscle is responsible for (a) initiating sound production and (b) modulating the sound pulse amplitude. These results allow us to construct a model which suggests that the tensor shifts the tymbal into a mechanical working range that enables sound production and modulation of the sound pulse amplitude.

1996 ◽  
Vol 199 (7) ◽  
pp. 1535-1544
Author(s):  
P Fonseca ◽  
R Hennig

The effect of tensor muscle contraction on sound production by the tymbal was investigated in three species of cicadas (Tettigetta josei, Tettigetta argentata and Tympanistalna gastrica). All species showed a strict time correlation between the activity of the tymbal motoneurone and the discharge of motor units in the tensor nerve during the calling song. Lesion of the tensor nerve abolished the amplitude modulation of the calling song, but this modulation was restored by electrical stimulation of the tensor nerve or by mechanically pushing the tensor sclerite. Electrical stimulation of the tensor nerve at frequencies higher than 30­40 Hz changed the sound amplitude. In Tett. josei and Tett. argentata there was a gradual increase in sound amplitude with increasing frequency of tensor nerve stimulation, while in Tymp. gastrica there was a sudden reduction in sound amplitude at stimulation frequencies higher than 30 Hz. This contrasting effect in Tymp. gastrica was due to a bistable tymbal frame. Changes in sound pulse amplitude were positively correlated with changes in the time lag measured from tymbal motoneurone stimulation to the sound pulse. The tensor muscle acted phasically because electrical stimulation of the tensor nerve during a time window (0­10 ms) before electrical stimulation of the tymbal motoneurone was most effective in eliciting amplitude modulations. In all species, the tensor muscle action visibly changed the shape of the tymbal. Despite the opposite effects of the tensor muscle on sound pulse amplitude observed between Tettigetta and Tympanistalna species, the tensor muscle of both acts by modulating the shape of the tymbal, which changes the force required for the tymbal muscle to buckle the tymbal.


Reproduction ◽  
2000 ◽  
pp. 57-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Garde ◽  
ER Roldan

Spermatozoa undergo exocytosis in response to agonists that induce Ca2+ influx and, in turn, activation of phosphoinositidase C, phospholipase C, phospholipase A2, and cAMP formation. Since the role of cAMP downstream of Ca2+ influx is unknown, this study investigated whether cAMP modulates phospholipase C or phospholipase A2 using a ram sperm model stimulated with A23187 and Ca2+. Exposure to dibutyryl-cAMP, phosphodiesterase inhibitors or forskolin resulted in enhancement of exocytosis. However, the effect was not due to stimulation of phospholipase C or phospholipase A2: in spermatozoa prelabelled with [3H]palmitic acid or [14C]arachidonic acid, these reagents did not enhance [3H]diacylglycerol formation or [14C]arachidonic acid release. Spermatozoa were treated with the phospholipase A2 inhibitor aristolochic acid, and dibutyryl-cAMP to test whether cAMP acts downstream of phospholipase A2. Under these conditions, exocytosis did not occur in response to A23187 and Ca2+. However, inclusion of dibutyryl-cAMP and the phospholipase A2 metabolite lysophosphatidylcholine did result in exocytosis (at an extent similar to that seen when cells were treated with A23187/Ca2+ and without the inhibitor). Inclusion of lysophosphatidylcholine alone, without dibutyryl-cAMP, enhanced exocytosis to a lesser extent, demonstrating that cAMP requires a phospholipase A2 metabolite to stimulate the final stages of exocytosis. These results indicate that cAMP may act downstream of phospholipase A2, exerting a regulatory role in the exocytosis triggered by physiological agonists.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor Lavrov ◽  
Timur Latypov ◽  
Elvira Mukhametova ◽  
Brian Lundstrom ◽  
Paola Sandroni ◽  
...  

AbstractElectrical stimulation of the cerebral cortex (ESCC) has been used to treat intractable neuropathic pain for nearly two decades, however, no standardized approach for this technique has been developed. In order to optimize targeting and validate the effect of ESCC before placing the permanent grid, we introduced initial assessment with trial stimulation, using a temporary grid of subdural electrodes. In this retrospective study we evaluate the role of electrode location on cerebral cortex in control of neuropathic pain and the role of trial stimulation in target-optimization for ESCC. Location of the temporary grid electrodes and location of permanent electrodes were evaluated in correlation with the long-term efficacy of ESCC. The results of this study demonstrate that the long-term effect of subdural pre-motor cortex stimulation is at least the same or higher compare to effect of subdural motor or combined pre-motor and motor cortex stimulation. These results also demonstrate that the initial trial stimulation helps to optimize permanent electrode positions in relation to the optimal functional target that is critical in cases when brain shift is expected. Proposed methodology and novel results open a new direction for development of neuromodulation techniques to control chronic neuropathic pain.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Brian Heubel ◽  
Anja Nohe

The osteogenic effects of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) were delineated in 1965 when Urist et al. showed that BMPs could induce ectopic bone formation. In subsequent decades, the effects of BMPs on bone formation and maintenance were established. BMPs induce proliferation in osteoprogenitor cells and increase mineralization activity in osteoblasts. The role of BMPs in bone homeostasis and repair led to the approval of BMP2 by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) to increase the bone formation in the treated area. However, the use of BMP2 for treatment of degenerative bone diseases such as osteoporosis is still uncertain as patients treated with BMP2 results in the stimulation of not only osteoblast mineralization, but also osteoclast absorption, leading to early bone graft subsidence. The increase in absorption activity is the result of direct stimulation of osteoclasts by BMP2 working synergistically with the RANK signaling pathway. The dual effect of BMPs on bone resorption and mineralization highlights the essential role of BMP-signaling in bone homeostasis, making it a putative therapeutic target for diseases like osteoporosis. Before the BMP pathway can be utilized in the treatment of osteoporosis a better understanding of how BMP-signaling regulates osteoclasts must be established.


2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (14) ◽  
pp. 3698-3703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaofan Jin ◽  
Ingmar H. Riedel-Kruse

Bacterial biofilms represent a promising opportunity for engineering of microbial communities. However, our ability to control spatial structure in biofilms remains limited. Here we engineerEscherichia coliwith a light-activated transcriptional promoter (pDawn) to optically regulate expression of an adhesin gene (Ag43). When illuminated with patterned blue light, long-term viable biofilms with spatial resolution down to 25 μm can be formed on a variety of substrates and inside enclosed culture chambers without the need for surface pretreatment. A biophysical model suggests that the patterning mechanism involves stimulation of transiently surface-adsorbed cells, lending evidence to a previously proposed role of adhesin expression during natural biofilm maturation. Overall, this tool—termed “Biofilm Lithography”—has distinct advantages over existing cell-depositing/patterning methods and provides the ability to grow structured biofilms, with applications toward an improved understanding of natural biofilm communities, as well as the engineering of living biomaterials and bottom–up approaches to microbial consortia design.


2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Hailfinger ◽  
Klaus Schulze-Osthoff

Abstract Psoriasis is a frequent autoimmune-related skin disease, which involves various cell types such as T cells, keratinocytes and dendritic cells. Genetic variations, such as mutations of CARD14, can promote the development of the disease. CARD14 mutations as well as the stimulation of immune and cytokine receptors activate the paracaspase MALT1, a potent activator of the transcription factors NF-κB and AP-1. The disease-promoting role of MALT1 for psoriasis is mediated by both its protease activity as well as its molecular scaffold function. Here, we review the importance of MALT1-mediated signaling and its therapeutic implications in psoriasis.


Author(s):  
Han‐Qing Liu ◽  
Xiang‐Bin Lu ◽  
Zi‐Han Li ◽  
Chang‐Yan Tian ◽  
Jie Song

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document