bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Copper transport by lobster hepatopancreatic epithelial cells separated by centrifugal elutriation: measurements with the fluorescent dye Phen Green
Authors: Chavez-Crooker P. , Garrido N. , Ahearn G. A.
Published: April 2021

The hepatopancreas of the American lobster (Homarus americanus) possesses four types of epithelial cells arranged along blind-ended tubules. At the distal tips of these tubules, stem cells termed E-cells differentiate into three other cell types, R-cells, F-cells and B-cells, each of which have different absorptive and secretory roles in the biology of the overall organ. This investigation uses centrifugal elutriation to separate the individual hepatopancreatic epithelial cell types of Homarus americanus and to investigate their plasma membrane copper transport properties using the copper-sensitive fluorescent dye Phen Green. Results show highly dissimilar endogenous concentrations of copper in each cell type and within the vacuoles (vesicles) released from these cells during the centrifugation process ([copper] in vacuoles>E-cells>R-cells>F-cells≈B-cells). All four cell types were able to absorb copper from external concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 8 μmol l−1, but considerable differences in transport rates occurred between the cell types. External calcium (0–10 mmol l−1 ) stimulated the uptake of external copper in a saturable fashion, suggesting the occurrence of carrier-mediated metal uptake. Addition of the Ca2+ channel blocker verapamil (30 μmol l−1 ) to the external medium reduced the uptake rate of copper by all four cell types, but to different extents in each type of cell. External zinc (0–1000 nmol l−1 ) was a competitive inhibitor of copper influx in E- and R-cells, suggesting that the two metals shared the same binding and transport mechanism. A model is proposed which suggests that copper may enter all hepatopancreatic epithelial cell types by a divalent cation antiport process that exchanges intracellular Ca2+ (or other cations) with either external copper or zinc. Verapamil-sensitive Ca2+ channels may allow access of external calcium to cytoplasmic exchange sites on the antiporter or to activator sites on the same transport protein. The results suggest that elutriation is an excellent technique for the separation of complex invertebrate organ systems into their separate cell types and for analyzing the physiological properties of each cell type in isolation.
Boxfishes (Teleostei: Ostraciidae) as a model system for fishes swimming with many fins: kinematics
Authors: Hove J. R. , O’Bryan L. M. , Gordon M. S. , Webb P. W. , Weihs D.
Published: April 2021

Swimming movements in boxfishes were much more complex and varied than classical descriptions indicated. At low to moderate rectilinear swimming speeds (<5 TL s−1, where TL is total body length), they were entirely median- and paired-fin swimmers, apparently using their caudal fins for steering. The pectoral and median paired fins generate both the thrust needed for forward motion and the continuously varied, interacting forces required for the maintenance of rectilinearity. It was only at higher swimming speeds (above 5 TL s−1 ), when burst- and-coast swimming was used, that they became primarily body and caudal-fin swimmers. Despite their unwieldy appearance and often asynchronous fin beats, boxfish swam in a stable manner. Swimming boxfish used three gaits. Fin-beat asymmetry and a relatively non-linear swimming trajectory characterized the first gait (0–1 TL s−1 ). The beginning of the second gait (1–3 TL s−1 ) was characterized by varying fin-beat frequencies and amplitudes as well as synchrony in pectoral fin motions. The remainder of the second gait (3–5 TL s−1 ) was characterized by constant fin-beat amplitudes, varying fin-beat frequencies and increasing pectoral fin-beat asynchrony. The third gait (>5 TL s−1 ) was characterized by the use of a caudal burst- and-coast variant. Adduction was always faster than abduction in the pectoral fins. There were no measurable refractory periods between successive phases of the fin movement cycles. Dorsal and anal fin movements were synchronized at speeds greater than 2.5 TL s−1, but were often out of phase with pectoral fin movements.
Physiological and biochemical correlates of brood size and energy expenditure in tree swallows
Authors: Burness Gary P. , Ydenberg Ronald C. , Hochachka Peter W.
Published: April 2021

Intra-population variation in many fitness-related traits (e.g. clutch size) is often attributed to variation in individual parental quality. One possible component of quality is the level at which each individual can expend energy while provisioning dependent young. We used breeding tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) to test whether adults with large, natural-sized broods and/or nestlings in good nutritional condition had relatively high daily energy expenditures (DEEs). Adults with high DEEs were predicted to have large internal organs and high metabolic capacities. We first measured the growth rate of nestlings in natural broods of five, six and seven over a 4-day period and then measured parental DEE using doubly labelled water. Adults were then dissected for analyses of body composition and to determine maximum enzyme activities in the pectoral muscle. Although the total mass gain of large broods was greater than that of small broods, parental DEE was independent of brood size. We hypothesize that adults matched their clutch size (and consequently, brood size) to their individual foraging efficiencies. When statistically controlling for the effects of brood size, in one of two years there was a positive correlation between DEE and brood mass. This suggests that among individuals rearing the same-sized broods there were reproductive benefits of a relatively high DEE. There was no correlation between either brood size or DEE and the mass of any internal organ or the metabolic capacity of the pectoral muscle.
Branchial Co2 receptors and cardiorespiratory adjustments during hypercarbia in Pacific spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias)
Authors: Mckendry J. E. , Milsom W. K. , Perry S. F.
Published: April 2021

Adult Pacific spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) were exposed to acute (approximately 20 min) hypercarbia while we monitored arterial blood pressure, systemic vascular resistance (RS), cardiac output and frequency (fH) as well as ventilatory amplitude (VAMP) and frequency (fV). Separate series of experiments were conducted on control, atropinized (100 nmol kg−1 ) and branchially denervated fish to investigate putative CO2-chemoreceptive sites on the gills and their link to the autonomic nervous system and cardiorespiratory reflexes.

In untreated fish, moderate hypercarbia (water CO2 partial pressure; mmHg) (1 mmHg= 0.133 kPa) elicited significant increases in VAMP (of approximately 92 %) and fV (of approximately 18 %) as well as decreases in fH (of approximately 64 %), (approximately 29 %) and arterial blood pressure (of approximately 11 %); RS did not change significantly.

Denervation of the branchial branches of cranial nerves IX and X to the pseudobranch and each gill arch eliminated all cardiorespiratory responses to hypercarbia. Prior administration of the muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine also abolished the hypercarbia-induced ventilatory responses and virtually eliminated all CO2-elicited cardiovascular adjustments. Although the atropinized dogfish displayed a hypercarbic bradycardia, the magnitude of the response was significantly attenuated (36±6 % decrease in fH in controls versus 9±2 % decrease in atropinized fish; means ± S.E.M.).

Thus, the results of the present study reveal the presence of gill CO2 chemoreceptors in dogfish that are linked to numerous cardiorespiratory reflexes. In addition, because all cardiorespiratory responses to hypercarbia were abolished or attenuated by atropine, the CO2 chemoreception process and/or one or more downstream elements probably involve cholinergic (muscarinic) neurotransmission.
Sarcomere Length Operating Range of Vertebrate Muscles During Movement
Authors: Burkholder Thomas J. , Lieber Richard L.
Published: April 2021

The force generated by skeletal muscle varies with sarcomere length and velocity. An understanding of the sarcomere length changes that occur during movement provides insights into the physiological importance of this relationship and may provide insights into the design of certain muscle/joint combinations. The purpose of this review is to summarize and analyze the available literature regarding published sarcomere length operating ranges reported for various species. Our secondary purpose is to apply analytical techniques to determine whether generalizations can be made regarding the ‘normal’ sarcomere length operating range of skeletal muscle. The analysis suggests that many muscles operate over a narrow range of sarcomere lengths, covering 94±13 % of optimal sarcomere length. Sarcomere length measurements are found to be systematically influenced by the rigor state and methods used to make these measurements.
Ventilatory Modes And Mechanics Of The Hedgehog Skate (Leucoraja Erinacea): Testing The Continuous Flow Model
Authors: Summers Adam P. , Ferry-Graham Lara A.
Published: April 2021

The movement of water across the gills of non-ram-ventilating fishes involves the action of two pumps: a pressure pump that pushes water across the gills from the oropharyngeal to the parabranchial cavity, and a suction pump that draws water across the gills from the oropharyngeal into the parabranchial cavity. Together, the two are thought to keep water flowing continuously antero-posteriorly through the head of the respiring animal. However, there is evidence that the pressure and suction pumps do not always work in perfect phase in elasmobranch fishes, leading to periods of higher pressure in the parabranchial than in the oropharyngeal cavity. We investigated the existence and consequence of such pressure reversals in the hedgehog skate Leucoraja erinacea using pressure transducers, sonomicrometry and flow visualization including internal visualization using endoscopy. We noted four patterns of respiration in the experimental skates distinguished by the flow pattern at the three openings into the respiratory system: (1) in through the spiracle only, (2) in through the mouth + spiracle, (3) in through the mouth only, and (4) the mouth held open throughout the respiratory cycle. The first two were by far the dominant modes recorded from experimental animals. We determined that pressure reversals exist in the hedgehog skate, and that the gill bars adducted during such pressure reversals. Direct observation confirmed that these pressure reversals do correspond to pulsatile flow across the gills. During mouth+spiracle ventilation the flow completely reversed direction, flowing from the parabranchial chambers back across the gills and into the oropharyngeal cavity. Finally, we addressed the utility of sonomicrometry as a technique for determining kinematics in aquatic animals. Despite some problems involving errors inherent to the system design, we found the technique useful for complementing such techniques as pressure measurements and endoscopy.
Reduction in the Rates of Protein and Amino Acid Catabolism to Slow Down the Accumulation of Endogenous Ammonia: A Strategy Potentially Adopted by Mudskippers (Periophthalmodon Schlosseri and Boleophthalmus Boddaerti) During Aerial Exposure in Constant Darkness
Authors: Lim Cheng B. , Chew Shit F. , Anderson Paul M. , Ip Yuen K.
Published: April 2021

This study was designed to elucidate the strategies adopted by mudskippers to handle endogenous ammonia during aerial exposure in constant darkness. Under these conditions, specimens exhibited minimal locomotory activity, and the ammonia and urea excretion rates in both Periophthalmodon schlosseri and Boleophthalmus boddaerti decreased significantly. As a consequence, ammonia accumulation occurred in the tissues of both species of mudskipper. A significant increase in urea levels was found in the liver of P. schlosseri after 24 h of aerial exposure, but no similar increase was seen in the tissues of B. boddaerti. It is unlikely that these two species of mudskipper detoxified ammonia to urea during aerial exposure since B. boddaerti does not possess a complete ornithine–urea cycle (OUC) and, although all the OUC enzymes were present in P. schlosseri, the activity of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase present in the liver mitochondria was too low to render the OUC functional for ammonia detoxification. Peritoneal injection of 15 NH4Cl into P. schlosseri showed that this mudskipper was capable of incorporating some of the labelled ammonia into urea in its liver. However, aerial exposure did not affect this capability and did not induce detoxification of the accumulated ammonia to urea. Mudskippers exposed to terrestrial conditions and constant darkness did, however, show significant decreases in the total free amino acid content in the liver and blood, in the case of P. schlosseri and in the muscle of B. boddaerti. No changes in the alanine or glutamine content of the muscle were found in either species. Analyses of the balance between the reduction in nitrogenous excretion and the increase in nitrogenous accumulation further revealed that these two species of mudskipper were capable of reducing their protein and amino acid catabolic rates. Such adaptations constitute the most efficient way to avoid the build-up of internal ammonia, and would render unnecessary the detoxification of ammonia through energetically expensive pathways. This finding may be the first report of a teleost fish showing a reduction in proteolysis and amino acid catabolism in response to aerial exposure.
Effects of Serotonin, Dopamine and Ergometrine on Locomotion in the Pulmonate Mollusc Helix Lucorum
Authors: Pavlova Galina A.
Published: April 2021

The terrestrial snail Helix lucorum crawls using waves of muscular contraction (pedal waves) that spread along the sole of its foot. Crawling speed depends on wave generation frequency (step frequency) and the distance the snail moves forwards during each wave (step length). In a previous study, video recordings of a crawling snail showed that its sole length varied over a wide range and was directly correlated with mollusc speed. Speed depended on step length, which was directly related to sole length, rather than on step frequency, which remained rather constant. In the present study, the effects of dopamine, ergometrine (a blocker of dopamine receptors in molluscs) and serotonin injection on the linear relationship between sole length and locomotor speed in Helix lucorum were studied. In crawling snails, dopamine caused sole contraction, and locomotion slowed down or ceased. Ergometrine stimulated locomotion, which resembled rapid crawling with an extended sole, as observed under normal conditions. Serotonin stimulated locomotion and accelerated crawling significantly without causing changes in sole length. The acceleration of locomotion induced by serotonin injection was due to pedal wave (step) elongation. It is proposed that, during each locomotor episode, dopamine controls snail speed by regulating sole length, which determines the amplitude of contraction of the muscle cells involved in pedal waves and, as a result, step length; serotonin determines the basic step length and shifts the linear relationship between sole length and mollusc speed upwards along the axis of mollusc speed. The efficiency of the serotonergic system depends on the physiological state of the mollusc (e.g. that characteristic of summer or winter).
Rapid Cold-Hardening of Drosophila Melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae) During Ecologically Based Thermoperiodic Cycles
Authors: Kelty Jonathan D. , Lee Richard E.
Published: April 2021

In contrast to most studies of rapid cold-hardening, in which abrupt transfers to low temperatures are used to induce an acclimatory response, the primary objectives of this study were to determine (i) whether rapid cold-hardening was induced during the cooling phase of an ecologically based thermoperiod, (ii) whether the protection afforded was lost during warming or contributed to increased cold-tolerance during subsequent cycles and (iii) whether the major thermally inducible stress protein (Hsp70) or carbohydrate cryoprotectants contributed to the protection afforded by rapid cold-hardening. During the cooling phase of a single ecologically based thermoperiod, the tolerance of Drosophila melanogaster to 1 h at −7 °C increased from 5±5 % survival to 62.5±7.3 % (means ± S.E.M., N=40–60), while their critical thermal minima (CTmin) decreased by 1.9 °C. Cold hardiness increased with the number of thermoperiods to which flies were exposed; i.e. flies exposed to six thermoperiods were more cold-tolerant than those exposed to two. Endogenous levels of Hsp70 and carbohydrate cryoprotectants were unchanged in rapidly cold-hardened adults compared with controls held at a constant 23 °C. In nature, rapid cold-hardening probably affords subtle benefits during short-term cooling, such as allowing D. melanogaster to remain active at lower temperatures than they otherwise could.
Passerinesversusnonpasserines: so far, no statistical differences in the scaling of avian energetics
Authors: Rezende Enrico L. , Swanson David L. , Novoa F. Fernando , Bozinovic Francisco
Published: April 2021

We analyzed and compared the scaling of both basal and maximal thermogenic metabolic rates in passerine and nonpasserine birds using conventional and phylogenetic methods. In spite of the presumed adaptive importance of both metabolic traits, few studies concerning both their relationships and their ecological and evolutionary constraints have been conducted. We found no statistical differences in the scaling of maximal metabolic rate between passerines and nonpasserines; hence, we suggest the use of a single allometric regression for this trait in birds. In addition, basal and maximal metabolic rates were indeed correlated after removing the effects of body mass and phylogeny. The apparent generality of this correlation within both birds and mammals reinforces the need for general ecological and physiological explanations for the evolution of endothermy.
Unsteady aerodynamic force generation by a model fruit fly wing in flapping motion
Authors: Sun Mao , Tang Jian
Published: April 2021

A computational fluid-dynamic analysis was conducted to study the unsteady aerodynamics of a model fruit fly wing. The wing performs an idealized flapping motion that emulates the wing motion of a fruit fly in normal hovering flight. The Navier–Stokes equations are solved numerically. The solution provides the flow and pressure fields, from which the aerodynamic forces and vorticity wake structure are obtained. Insights into the unsteady aerodynamic force generation process are gained from the force and flow-structure information.

Considerable lift can be produced when the majority of the wing rotation is conducted near the end of a stroke or wing rotation precedes stroke reversal (rotation advanced), and the mean lift coefficient can be more than twice the quasi-steady value. Three mechanisms are responsible for the large lift: the rapid acceleration of the wing at the beginning of a stroke, the absence of stall during the stroke and the fast pitching-up rotation of the wing near the end of the stroke.

When half the wing rotation is conducted near the end of a stroke and half at the beginning of the next stroke (symmetrical rotation), the lift at the beginning and near the end of a stroke becomes smaller because the effects of the first and third mechanisms above are reduced. The mean lift coefficient is smaller than that of the rotation-advanced case, but is still 80 % larger than the quasi-steady value. When the majority of the rotation is delayed until the beginning of the next stroke (rotation delayed), the lift at the beginning and near the end of a stroke becomes very small or even negative because the effect of the first mechanism above is cancelled and the third mechanism does not apply in this case. The mean lift coefficient is much smaller than in the other two cases.
Estimates of circulation and gait change based on a three-dimensional kinematic analysis of flight in cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus)and ringed turtle-doves (Streptopelia risoria)
Authors: Hedrick Tyson L. , Tobalske Bret W. , Biewener Andrew A.
Published: April 2021

Birds and bats are known to employ two different gaits in flapping flight,a vortex-ring gait in slow flight and a continuous-vortex gait in fast flight. We studied the use of these gaits over a wide range of speeds (1-17 ms-1) and transitions between gaits in cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) and ringed turtle-doves (Streptopelia risoria)trained to fly in a recently built, variable-speed wind tunnel. Gait use was investigated via a combination of three-dimensional kinematics and quasi-steady aerodynamic modeling of bound circulation on the distal and proximal portions of the wing. Estimates of lift from our circulation model were sufficient to support body weight at all but the slowest speeds (1 and 3 ms-1). From comparisons of aerodynamic impulse derived from our circulation analysis with the impulse estimated from whole-body acceleration,it appeared that our quasi-steady aerodynamic analysis was most accurate at intermediate speeds (5-11 ms-1). Despite differences in wing shape and wing loading, both species shifted from a vortex-ring to a continuous-vortex gait at 7 ms-1. We found that the shift from a vortex-ring to a continuous-vortex gait (i) was associated with a phase delay in the peak angle of attack of the proximal wing section from downstroke into upstroke and (ii) depended on sufficient forward velocity to provide airflow over the wing during the upstroke similar to that during the downstroke. Our kinematic estimates indicated significant variation in the magnitude of circulation over the course the wingbeat cycle when either species used a continuous-vortex gait. This variation was great enough to suggest that both species shifted to a ladder-wake gait as they approached the maximum flight speed (cockatiels 15 ms-1, doves 17 ms-1) that they would sustain in the wind tunnel. This shift in flight gait appeared to reflect the need to minimize drag and produce forward thrust in order to fly at high speed. The ladder-wake gait was also employed in forward and vertical acceleration at medium and fast flight speeds.
Temporal determinants of long-term retention of olfactory memory in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus
Authors: Matsumoto Yukihisa , Mizunami Makoto
Published: April 2021

Temporal determinants of olfactory long-term memory retention in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus were studied. Elementary appetitive and aversive conditioning procedures, as well as a differential conditioning procedure, were applied. In appetitive conditioning, peppermint odour was paired with a water reward. In aversive conditioning, vanilla odour was paired with saline solution. In differential conditioning, an appetitive conditioning trial was followed by an aversive conditioning trial. The odour preference of crickets was tested before and 2 h, 1 day and 4 days after training by allowing the crickets to choose between peppermint or vanilla sources. Differential conditioning or appetitive conditioning alone led to long-lasting memory retention with no significant decay from 2 h to 4 days after training,but retention after aversive conditioning was absent 1 day after training. Studies using differential conditioning have shown (i) that four trials are sufficient to cause a saturated level of acquisition, (ii) that conditioning is successful when the conditioned stimulus is presented immediately or 5 s before the onset of presentation of the unconditioned stimulus, (iii) that the optimal interval between trials is 2-5 min, and (iv) that anaesthetic treatment with CO2 given immediately after training results in memory disruption but that anaesthetic-resistant memory develops fully 20 min after training. This study demonstrates that a differential conditioning procedure is particularly effective for the formation of long-term memory.
Fertilization in the sea
Authors: Riffell Jeffrey A. , Krug Patrick J. , Zimmer Richard K.
Published: April 2021

Chemical communication between sperm and egg is a key factor mediating sexual reproduction. Dissolved signal molecules that cause sperm to orient and accelerate towards an egg could play pivotal roles in fertilization success,but such compounds are largely undescribed. This investigation considered the behavioral responses of red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) sperm to soluble factors released into sea water by conspecific eggs. Sperm in proximity to individual live eggs swam significantly faster and oriented towards the egg surface. Bioassay-guided fractionation was employed to isolate the chemoattractant, yielding a single pure, fully active compound after reversed-phase and size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography. Chemical characterization by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicated that the free amino acid L-tryptophan was the natural sperm attractant in H. rufescens.

Eggs released L-tryptophan at concentrations that triggered both activation and chemotaxis in sperm, exhibiting significant activity at levels as low as 10-8 mol l-1. The D-isomer of tryptophan was inactive,showing that the sperm response was stereospecific. Serotonin, a potent neuromodulator and tryptophan metabolite, had no effect on sperm swim speeds or on orientation. In experimental treatments involving an elevated, uniform concentration of tryptophan (10-7 mol l-1) or the addition of tryptophanase, an enzyme that selectively digests tryptophan,sperm failed to navigate towards live eggs. A natural gradient of L-tryptophan was therefore necessary and sufficient to promote recruitment of sperm to the surface of eggs in red abalone.
A three-dimensional computational study of the aerodynamic mechanisms of insect flight
Authors: Ramamurti Ravi , Sandberg William C.
Published: April 2021

A finite element flow solver was employed to compute unsteady flow past a three-dimensional Drosophila wing undergoing flapping motion. The computed thrust and drag forces agreed well with results from a previous experimental study. A grid-refinement study was performed to validate the computational results, and a grid-independent solution was achieved. The effect of phasing between the translational and rotational motions was studied by varying the rotational motion prior to the stroke reversal. It was observed that, when the wing rotation is advanced with respect to the stroke reversal,the peak in the thrust forces is higher than when the wing rotation is in phase with the stroke reversal and that the peak thrust is reduced further when the wing rotation is delayed. As suggested by previous authors, we observe that the rotational mechanism is important and that the combined translational and rotational mechanisms are necessary to describe accurately the force time histories and unsteady aerodynamics of flapping wings.
Jumping and kicking in the false stick insectProsarthria teretrirostris: kinematics and motor control
Authors: Burrows Malcolm , Wolf Harald
Published: April 2021

The false stick insect Prosarthria teretrirostris looks and behaves like a real stick insect but can jump and kick rapidly and powerfully like a locust, to which it is more closely related. It has an elongated body with slender hind legs that are some 2.5 times longer than the front and middle legs. A male with a body 67 mm long and weighing 0.28 g can jump 90 cm with a take-off angle of 40° and velocity of 2.5 ms-1,requiring an energy expenditure of 850 μJ. The body is accelerated at 165 ms-2 for only 30 ms. The larger and heavier females (mean body length 104 mm and weighing 1.5 g) can jump on average a distance of 49 cm.

During jumping, the tibiae of the hind legs are extended in 30 ms with maximum rotational velocities of 11.5° per ms, but during kicking, when there is no body weight to support, extension is complete in 7 ms with rotational velocities as high as 48° per ms. The short time available to accelerate the body indicates that the movements are not powered by direct muscle contractions and that there must be storage of elastic energy in advance. The motor patterns responsible for generating the necessary forces in the hind legs for jumping and kicking are similar and consist of three phases;an initial flexion of the tibia is followed by a co-contraction of the small flexor and large extensor tibiae muscles lasting several hundred milliseconds while the tibia remains fully flexed. Finally, the flexor motor neurons stop spiking so that the tibia is able to extend rapidly. The small semi-lunar processes at the femoro-tibial joints are not distorted, so that they cannot act as energy stores. Some 7% of the energy is stored transiently by bending the thin tibiae during the initial acceleration phase of a jump and releasing it just before take-off.

The jumping and kicking mechanisms of Prosarthria teretrirostrishave features in common with those used by locusts but also have their own characteristics. The evolution of jumping in Orthoptera is discussed in this context.
The locust tegula: kinematic parameters and activity pattern during the wing stroke
Authors: Fischer Hanno , Wolf Harald , Büschges Ansgar
Published: April 2021

The tegula is a complex, knob-shaped sense organ associated with the base of the locust wing. Despite a detailed knowledge of its role in flight motor control, little is known about the relationship between the stroke parameters of the wing, movement of the tegula organ and the pattern of tegula activity. In this study, therefore, the kinematic parameters of the fore- and hindwings were investigated with respect to the tegula activity pattern during tethered flight. The following results were obtained. (i) The tegula moves through a complex three-dimensional trajectory during the wing stroke, involving inclination and rotation about its longitudinal axis. (ii) The kinematic parameters of tegula movement are phase-locked to the wing stroke and vary in conjunction with wing stroke parameters such as amplitude and cycle period.(iii) In accordance with these phase-locked kinematics, both the onset of tegula activity with respect to the downstroke (latency) and the discharge of the organ (burst duration and amplitude) vary in conjunction with downstroke movement and cycle period, resulting in an (almost) constant phase of tegula activation during the stroke cycle. (iv) The pattern of tegula activity during flight is largely independent of stroke amplitude. (v) The latency, burst duration and amplitude of tegula activity are strongly related to the angular velocity of the wing during the downstroke, with latency reaching a steady minimum value at higher angular velocities. The data suggest that the tegula encodes the timing and velocity of the downstroke and that it may be involved in the control of the stroke's angular velocity.
The heart ofCiona intestinalis: eicosanoid-generating capacity and the effects of precursor fatty acids and eicosanoids on heart rate
Authors: Pope Edward C. , Rowley Andrew F.
Published: April 2021

Eicosanoids are a group of oxygenated fatty-acid derivatives formed from C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids including arachidonic and eicosapentaenoic acids. In mammals, these compounds have been shown to be key molecules in several physiological processes including regulation of the vascular system. This study determined whether eicosanoids or their precursors are involved in the regulation of heart rate in the sea squirt Ciona intestinalis. Eicosanoid generation by both heart and blood cells was measured. The major lipoxygenase products formed were both derivatives of eicosapentaenoic acid,namely 8- and 12-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acids (8-HEPE and 12-HEPE). Smaller amounts of 8,15-dihydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (8,15-diHEPE) were also formed. The cyclo-oxygenase product prostaglandin E was also found in small amounts in the heart. Isolated hearts were exposed either to these fatty acid precursors or to 8-HEPE, 12-HEPE or prostaglandin E3, and the effect on heart rate was recorded. Both eicosapentaenoic and arachidonic acids stimulated the heart rate at concentrations between 50 and 200 μmoll-1. 12-HEPE(5 μmoll-1) and prostaglandin E3 (50μmoll-1) caused a modest increase in heart rate, while 8-HEPE had no significant effects at any of the time periods studied (≤180 min). Overall, the results show that arachidonic and eicosapentaenoic acids have limited effects on heart rate and only at concentrations unlikely to be routinely liberated in vivo. Similarly, the eicosanoids tested had a minor stimulatory activity on heart rate. The potential mechanisms for this stimulation are discussed. Overall, these results suggest that such compounds are of limited importance in regulating the heart and vascular system of sea squirts.
Intracellular ion activities in Malpighian tubule cells ofRhodnius prolixus: evaluation of Na+-K+-2Cl-cotransport across the basolateral membrane
Authors: Ianowski Juan P. , Christensen Robert J. , O'Donnell Michael J.
Published: April 2021

Intracellular ion activities (aion) and basolateral membrane potential (Vbl) were measured in Malpighian tubule cells of Rhodnius prolixus using double-barrelled ion-selective microelectrodes. In saline containing 103mmoll-1Na+, 6mmoll-1 K+ and 93mmoll-1Cl-, intracellular ion activities in unstimulated upper Malpighian tubules were 21, 86 and 32mmoll-1, respectively. In serotonin-stimulated tubules, aCl was unchanged, whereas aNa increased to 33mmoll-1 and aK declined to 71mmoll-1. Vbl was -59mV and -63mV for unstimulated and stimulated tubules, respectively. Calculated electrochemical potentials(Δμ/F) favour passive movement of Na+ into the cell and passive movement of Cl- out of the cell in both unstimulated and serotonin-stimulated tubules. Passive movement of K+ out of the cell is favoured in unstimulated tubules. In stimulated tubules, Δμ/F for K+ is close to 0 mV.

The thermodynamic feasibilities of Na+-K+-2Cl-, Na+-Cl-and K+-Cl- cotransporters were evaluated by calculating the net electrochemical potential (Δμnet/F) for each transporter. Our results show that a Na+-K+-2Cl- or a Na+-Cl- cotransporter but not a K+-Cl- cotransporter would permit the movement of ions into the cell in stimulated tubules. The effects of Ba2+ and ouabain on Vbl and rates of fluid and ion secretion show that net entry of K+ through ion channels or the Na+/K+-ATPase can be ruled out in stimulated tubules. Maintenance of intracellular Cl- activity was dependent upon the presence of both Na+ and K+ in the bathing saline. Bumetanide reduced the fluxes of both Na+ and K+. Taken together, the results support the involvement of a basolateral Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransporter in serotonin-stimulated fluid secretion by Rhodnius prolixus Malpighian tubules.
Fertilization ecology of egg coats: physicalversuschemical contributions to fertilization success of free-spawned eggs
Authors: Podolsky Robert D.
Published: April 2021

Free-spawned eggs are typically enclosed within accessory structures that are shed early in development. Most research on the role of these structures in fertilization has focused on chemical constituents and their influence on sperm—egg interaction. Here I test an alternative hypothesis that accessory structures play an important physical role in fertilization by increasing the size and buoyancy of the egg, making it a better target for sperm. In the sand dollar Dendraster excentricus, the jelly coat increases egg target size sixfold. At nonsaturating sperm concentrations,fertilization declined consistently following jelly coat removal by two independent methods. Regression analysis using a standard fertilization kinetics model found that 54-73% of this decline on average was predicted by changes in the rate of sperm—egg collision, resulting from changes in egg target size and density. Sperm swimming speed, a key parameter in the model, did not vary as a function of sperm concentration or exposure to egg-water. The organic cost of jelly is a fraction of that of the ovum,providing an efficient means of extending target size beyond the ovum size that is optimal for larval or juvenile development. These results support the hypothesis that physical attributes of jelly coats can account for a significant portion of their contribution to fertilization, and may help to explain why coats and other accessory structures are often substantially larger than expected from the nature of chemical interactions between egg and sperm.
Hydrodynamics of caudal fin locomotion by chub mackerel,Scomber japonicus(Scombridae)
Authors: Nauen Jennifer C. , Lauder George V.
Published: April 2021

As members of the derived teleost fish clade Scombridae, mackerel exhibit high-performance aquatic locomotion via oscillation of the homocercal forked caudal fin. We present the first quantitative flow visualization of the wake of a scombrid fish, chub mackerel Scomber japonicus (20-26cm fork length, FL), swimming steadily in a recirculating flow tank at cruising speeds of 1.2 and 2.2FLs-1. Thrust was calculated from wake measurements made separately in the horizontal (frontal) plane and vertical (parasagittal) planes using digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV)and compared with drag measurements obtained by towing the same specimens of S. japonicus post mortem.

Patterns of flow indicated that the wake consisted of a series of linked elliptical vortex rings, each with central jet flow. The length of the minor axis (height) of the vortex rings was approximately equal to caudal fin span;the length of the major ring axis was dependent on swimming speed and was up to twice the magnitude of ring height. Profiles of wake velocity components were similar to theoretical profiles of vortex rings.

Lift, thrust and lateral forces were calculated from DPIV measurements. At 1.2FLs-1, lift forces measured relative to the Xaxis were low in magnitude (-1±1mN, mean ± S.D., N=20)but oriented at a mean angle of 6° to the body axis. Reaction forces tend to rotate the fish about its center of mass, tipping the head down. Thus, the homocercal caudal fin of S. japonicus functions asymmetrically in the vertical plane. Pitching moments may be balanced anteriorly via lift generation by the pectoral fins. Thrust estimates for the two smallest fish based on DPIV analysis were not significantly different from drag measurements made by towing those same animals. At a speed of 1.2FLs-1,thrust magnitude was 11±6mN (mean ± S.D, N=40). Lateral force magnitudes were approximately double thrust magnitudes (22±6mN,mean ± S.D., N=20), resulting in a mean mechanical performance ratio (thrust/total force) of 0.32 at 1.2FLs-1. An increase in speed by a factor of 1.8 resulted in a mean increase in thrust by a factor of 4.4, a mean increase in lateral forces by a factor of 3, no change in the magnitude of lift produced and an increase in mean mechanical performance to 0.42. The relatively high lateral forces generated during swimming may be a necessary consequence of force production viapropagated waves of bending.
The face that sank the Essex: potential function of the spermaceti organ in aggression
Authors: Carrier David R. , Deban Stephen M. , Otterstrom Jason
Published: April 2021

`Forehead to forehead I meet thee, this third time, Moby Dick!' [Ahab (Melville, 1851)]

Herman Melville's fictional portrayal of the sinking of the Pequodwas inspired by instances in which large sperm whales sank whaling ships by ramming the ships with their heads. Observations of aggression in species of the four major clades of cetacean and the artiodactyl outgroup suggest that head-butting during male—male aggression is a basal behavior for cetaceans. We hypothesize that the ability of sperm whales to destroy stout wooden ships, 3-5 times their body mass, is a product of specialization for male—male aggression. Specifically, we suggest that the greatly enlarged and derived melon of sperm whales, the spermaceti organ, evolved as a battering ram to injure an opponent. To address this hypothesis, we examined the correlation between relative melon size and the level of sexual dimorphism in body size among cetaceans. We also modeled impacts between two equal-sized sperm whales to determine whether it is physically possible for the spermaceti organ to function as an effective battering ram. We found (i) that the evolution of relative melon size in cetaceans is positively correlated with the evolution of sexual dimorphism in body size and (ii) that the spermaceti organ of a charging sperm whale has enough momentum to seriously injure an opponent. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that the spermaceti organ has evolved to be a weapon used in male—male aggression.
Extrabranchial chemoreceptors involved in respiratory reflexes in the neotropical fishColossoma macropomum(the tambaqui)
Authors: Milsom William K. , Reid Stephen G. , Rantin F. Tadeu , Sundin Lena
Published: April 2021

In a previous study, complete denervation of the gills in the tambaqui Colossoma macropomum did not eliminate the increase in breathing amplitude seen during exposure of this species to hypoxia. The present study was designed to examine other sites of putative O2-sensitive receptors that could be involved in this reflex action. Superfusion of the exposed brain of decerebrate, spinalectomized fish did not reveal the presence of central chemoreceptors responsive to hyperoxic, hypoxic, hypercarbic,acidic or alkaline solutions. Subsequent central transection of cranial nerve IX and X, removing not only all innervation of the gills but also sensory input from the lateral-line, cardiac and visceral branches of the vagus nerve,did not eliminate the increase in breathing amplitude that remained following peripheral gill denervation alone. Administration of exogenous catecholamines(10 and 100 nmol kg-1 adrenaline) to fish with intact brains and minimal surgical preparation reduced both respiratory frequency and amplitude,suggesting that humoral release of adrenaline also could not be responsible for the increase in breathing amplitude that remained following gill denervation. Denervation of the mandibular branches of cranial nerve V and the opercular and palatine branches of cranial nerve VII in gill-denervated fish(either peripheral gill denervation or central section of cranial nerves IX and X), however, did eliminate the response. Thus, our data suggest that hypoxic and hyperoxic ventilatory responses as well as ventilatory responses to internal and external injections of NaCN in the tambaqui arise from O2-sensitive receptors in the orobranchial cavity innervated by cranial nerves V and VII and O2-sensitive receptors on the gills innervated by cranial nerves IX and X.

Our results also revealed the presence of receptors in the gills that account for all of the increase in ventilation amplitude and part of the increase in ventilation frequency during hyperoxic hypercarbia, a group or groups of receptors, which may be external to the orobranchial cavity (but not in the central nervous system), that contribute to the increase in ventilation frequency seen in response to hyperoxic hypercarbia and the possible presence of CO2-sensitive receptors that inhibit ventilation frequency,possibly in the olfactory epithelium.
A molecular, morphometric and mechanical comparison of the structural elements of byssus fromMytilus edulisandMytilus galloprovincialis
Authors: Lucas Jared M. , Vaccaro Eleonora , Waite J. Herbert
Published: April 2021

Marine mussels are renowned for their ability to produce an extra-organismic tendon-like structure that can withstand the wave forces associated with the intertidal habitat. Initial characterization of byssal properties has focused on Mytilus edulis, with few detailed comparisons with other mussels. M. galloprovincialis, a closely related species, provides an opportunity for a thorough comparison. Three full-length cDNA clones encoding the byssal collagens, precollagen D(preCol-D), preCol-NG and preCol-P, were isolated from M. galloprovincialis. Comparisons with M. edulis preCol-D,preCol-NG and preCol-P reveal a 91.3 %, 88.6 % and 90.1 % identity with the cDNA and an 89.0 %, 88.1 % and 89.0 % identity with the deduced protein sequences, respectively. Key elements are maintained between the species: in particular, modeled bends in the collagen helix due to breaks in the Gly-X-Y pattern and the location of cysteine and putative 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) residues. A potentially important difference between the two is that, in all cases, M. galloprovincialis byssal collagens contain additional histidine residues in their flanking domains. The significance of this may lie in the ability of M. galloprovincialisto utilize more metal chelate cross-links, which have been implicated in byssal thread stability.

M. edulis threads are typically twice the length and diameter of M. galloprovincialis threads and appear to contain nearly 10 % more collagen. These differences are maintained even when the different thread portions are compared. Despite differences in a number of parameters, most notably that whole M. galloprovincialis threads are stiffer, threads whether whole or separated into proximal and distal portions, have similar mechanical behaviors. It is apparent from this comparison that M. galloprovincialis and M. edulis are seemingly interchangeable models for byssal research.
Delayed depolarization of the cog-wheel valve and pulmonary-to-systemic shunting in alligators
Authors: Syme Douglas A. , Gamperl Kurt , Jones David R.
Published: April 2021

Alligators and other crocodilians have a cog-wheel valve located within the subpulmonary conus, and active closure of this valve during each heart beat can markedly and phasically increase resistance in the pulmonary outflow tract. If this increased resistance causes right ventricular pressure to rise above that in the systemic circuit, right ventricular blood can flow into the left aorta and systemic circulation, an event known as pulmonary-to-systemic shunting. To understand better how this valve is controlled, anaesthetized American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) were used to examine the relationships between depolarization of the right ventricle,depolarization/contraction of the cog-wheel valve muscle and the resultant right ventricular, pulmonary artery and systemic pressures. Depolarization swept across the right ventricle from the apex towards the base (near where the cog-wheel valve muscle is located) at a velocity of 91±23 cm s-1 (mean ± S.E.M., N=3). The cog-wheel valve electrocardiogram (ECG) (and thus contraction of the valve) trailed the right ventricular ECG by 248±28 ms (N=3), which was equivalent to 6-35 % of a cardiac cycle. This long interval between right ventricular and valve depolarization suggests a nodal delay at the junction between the base of the right ventricle and the cog-wheel valve. The delay before valve closure determined when the abrupt secondary rise in right ventricular pressure occurred during systole and is likely to strongly influence the amount of blood entering the pulmonary artery and thus to directly control the degree of shunting. Left vagal stimulation (10-50 Hz) reduced the conduction delay between the right ventricle and cog-wheel valve by approximately 20 % and reduced the integrated cog-wheel ECG by 10-20 %. Direct application of acetylcholine (1-2 mg) also reduced the integrated cog-wheel ECG by 10-100 %;however, its effect on the conduction delay was highly variable (-40 to +60%). When the cog-wheel valve muscle was killed by the application of ethanol,the cog-wheel ECG was absent, right ventricular and pulmonary pressures remained low and tracked one another, the secondary rise in right ventricular pressure was abolished and shunting did not occur. This study provides additional, direct evidence that phasic contraction of the cog-wheel valve muscle controls shunting, that nervous and cholinergic stimulation can alter the delay and strength of valve depolarization and that this can affect the propensity to shunt.