Search

Two types of electric heating actuators used of SiCCVD fiber reinforced aluminum composite were successfully developed, which could be used at elevated temperature. The experimental results reveal that the temperature of the actuators increases with the increase of the given electric power. The maximum temperature was found to be higher the 150 and 200°C for 1-side electric heating actuator and 2-side electric heating actuator, respectively, when the electric power of about 10 W were given. It is found that the electric resistance of the actuators decreases obviously with the increase of temperature. A critical temperature was found to exist for the change of the displacement and curvature. The displacement and curvature almost remained unchanged when the temperature of the actuators was lower than the critical temperature. After that, the displacement and curvature increase with the rise of the actuator temperature. Because the 1-side and 2-side actuators have different response characteristics of the displacement and generated force, it is expected that the two types of actuators may be used in different areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: SN-38, a metabolite of irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11), is considered to play a key role in the development of diarrhea as well as in the antitumor activity of CPT-11. We have previously found that the inhibition of beta-glucuronidase, which hydrolyzes detoxified SN-38 (SN-38 glucuronide) to reform SN-38, in the lumen by eliminating the intestinal microflora with antibiotics, markedly ameliorates the intestinal toxicity of CPT-11 in rats. In this study we compared the disposition of CPT-11 and its metabolites in rats treated with and without antibiotics.Methods: Rats were given drinking water containing 1 mg/ml penicillin and 2 mg/ml streptomycin from 5 days before the administration of CPT-11 (60 mg/kg i.v.) and throughout the experiment. CPT-11, SN-38 glucuronide and SN-38 concentrations in the blood, intestinal tissues and intestinal luminal contents were determined by HPLC.Results: Antibiotics had little or no effect on the pharmacokinetics of CPT-11, SN-38 glucuronide or SN-38 in the blood, or in the tissues or contents of the small intestine, which has less beta-glucuronidase activity in its luminal contents. In contrast, antibiotics markedly reduced the AUC1-24 h of SN-38 (by about 85%) in the large intestine tissue without changing that of CPT-11, and this was accompanied by a complete inhibition of the deconjugation of SN-38 glucuronide in the luminal contents.Conclusions: These results suggest that SN-38, which results from the hydrolysis of SN-38 glucuronide by beta-glucuronidase in the intestinal microflora, contributes considerably to the distribution of SN-38 in the large intestine tissue, and that inhibition of the beta-glucuronidase activity by antibiotics results in decreased accumulation of SN-38 in the large intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substance P (SP) and analogs, including 5 nucleoside (ARA or HRA)-peptides, were examined for antidiuretic activity in ethanolized rats. The activity was potent in the analogs embodying the C-terminal hexapeptide, weak in the nucleoside-pentapeptide, and negligible in the nucleoside-tetrapeptide. In addition, the activity was increased by acylation of the hexapeptide. The antidiuretic potencies were also compared with the hypotensive potencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]