Search

The high-resolution global distribution of anthropogenic heat release (AHR), which is generated by human energy consumption, is estimated by means of applying satellite remote sensing. Additionally, it was considered into a global climate model and the possible climatic effect of AHR is examined in this study. AHR is geographically concentrated and fundamentally correlates with economic activity in global scale. The current mean AHR flux on the global scale is approximately 0.03 W m−2; however, the flux reaches a level high enough to influence the regional climate in concentrated urban areas. Global climate model results indicate that AHR may disrupt the normal atmospheric circulation and could have an obvious effect on the surface temperature at middle and high latitudes in summer and winter over the Northern Hemisphere. The climatic effect of AHR differs in various seasons: the global mean surface temperature could increase by approximately 0.02 K in boreal summer and by 0.10 K in boreal winter. With the continued development of the global economy and urbanization, the climatic effect of AHR will become increasingly pronounced. The climatic effect of AHR should not be merely confined to the regional climate, AHR is a tiny but essential factor in global climate and long-term climate change that should not be ignored.

Aim ‘Predict, resect and discard’ strategies for diminutive and small colonic polyps are considered to be cost effective for treating colorectal cancers. The aim of this study was to determine, retrospectively, the histological features of colonic polyps resected by endoscopic procedures or surgery using an updated database. Method We retrospectively analysed the clinicopathological features of colorectal polyps, less than 20 mm in size, which were removed by endoscopy from January 2009 to November 2011 at the National Cancer Center Hospital (NCCH) in Tokyo, Japan. Results Less than 1% of diminutive polyps (≤ 5 mm) were classified as mucosal high-grade neoplasia (Category 4), and no submucosal invasion by carcinoma (Category 5) lesions were noted. However, 3% of small polyps (6–9 mm) were classified as Category 5; of these, 6% were submucosal deep invasive cancers. Morphologically, depressed components were observed more frequently in carcinomas than in adenomas in both small and large polyps (10–20 mm). Conclusion In light of the ‘predict, resect and discard’ strategies for small polyps, we should pay attention to the possible clinical malignancy of small and large polyps. We recommend that these strategies should be applied selectively and that they should be informed by accurate endoscopic evaluations.

We aimed to clarify if Campylobacter lari exerts a cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) effect on HeLa cells. Campylobacter cell lysates (CCLys) from C. jejuni 81–176 and urease-positive thermophilic Campylobacter (UPTC) CF89-12 and UPTC NCTC12893 isolates were shown to exert a CDT effect on HeLa cells with morphological changes examined by Giemsa staining and microscopy. However, Campylobacter lari JCM2530T isolate showed no effect. In addition, Campylobacter cell culture supernatant wash gave low or absent toxic effects with both C. jejuni and C. lari organisms. When western blot analysis was carried out to clarify if there was a CDTB effect in the CCLys and soluble fractions from Campylobacter isolates, which had a CDT effect on HeLa cells or did not have any effect, anti-recombinant CjCDTB antibodies identified an immunoreactively positive signal at around approximately 25 kDa on all the C. lari isolates examined, as well as the C. jejuni 81116 strain. Thus, all the Campylobacter isolates including those without any CDT effect were shown to express CDTB at the translational level. (© 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) can be applied to transistors, mass sensors, and dust detectors. Suspended GNRs which connect terminals in electronic devices like bridges can be treated as edge-constrained GNRs. In this paper, edge-constrained GNRs of various sizes and initial strains are studied using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. To induce strain in GNRs, bond lengths between carbon atoms of the initial configurations of GNR models are varied. The bond length of the energetically stable GNRs is estimated at 1.47 A. At this bond length, GNRs obviously change the tendencies of their energies, amplitudes, and deformations. The relationships between the out-of-plane deformations and the sizes of GNRs, and between the out-of-plane deformations and strains of GNRs are studied. Under compressive strain, the out-of-plane deformation of GNRs is dominantly caused by buckling. The amplitude of the buckling decreases as GNRs elongate. On the other hand, under tensile strain, the out-of-plane deformation of GNRs is caused by ripples and thermal vibrations. The ripples show regular patterns. It is suggested we can control the amplitudes of the out-of-plane deformations and ripple patterns of GNRs by adjusting their strain.

The pharyngeal tooth remains of crucian and common carp from the Tinaluoshan site of the Hemudu Cultural Stage, Zhejiang Province, China, were analysed. The body-lengths (BLs) of the fish were estimated from tooth size and plotted as bar diagrams. Based on these, we infer that Neolithic dwellers used gill nets to efficiently catch fish of a specific size during the breeding season. The BL distribution of common carp there is similar to those from Jomon sites in Japan, and we therefore infer that the technology for controlling water for rice cultivation in paddy fields had not yet been developed. The abundance of tooth remains of crucian carp unearthed at the Tianluoshan site is reminiscent of similar finds in Western Japan, and we thus infer that the culture trait of utilizing crucian carp as a major protein resource was distributed from the Yangtze River basin to Western Japan. Analysis of pharyngeal tooth remains of carp at various Japanese archaeological sites shows that freshwater fishing was conducted quite differently before and after the establishment of paddy fields. With this fact in mind, one of the present authors tried to model the development of freshwater fishing, with reference to the relation of fishing to rice cultivation (Nakajima, 2010). In Phase I, artisanal fishing became an active and technically developed endeavour, and people began to cultivate rice at fishing site. In Phase II, people began to cultivate rice purposefully in irrigated paddy fields while also fishing there. Comparing the present results of the pharyngeal tooth remains from the Tianluoshan site with those from the Jomon Period, we see that the Tianluoshan site was in the same stage as the end of Phase I in Japan, which rice cultivation was done as a supplementary activity at fishing site. Copyright (c) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Onishi H, Arakawa S, Nakajima T, Izumi Y. Levels of specific immunoglobulin G to the forsythia detaching factor of Tannerella forsythia in gingival crevicular fluid are related to the periodontal status. J Periodont Res 2010; 45: 672–680. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Background and Objective: Forsythia detaching factor (FDF) is a putative virulence factor of Tannerella forsythia that induces detachment of adherent cells and interleukin-8 production in human fibroblasts. The objective of the present study was to clarify the relationship between anti-FDF IgG levels in gingival crevicular fluid and the clinical status in patients with periodontitis and in healthy subjects. Material and Methods: Gingival crevicular fluid and subgingival plaque samples were obtained from both the diseased and healthy sites of 37 patients with periodontitis and from 30 healthy subjects. Anti-FDF IgG levels were evaluated, and both the fdf gene and T. forsythia 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) were detected using the PCR. Results: Anti-FDF IgG levels (of both diseased and healthy sites) of patients with periodontitis were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects. Among the patients with periodontitis, anti-FDF IgG levels of healthy sites were significantly higher than those of diseased sites and the levels showed negative correlations with probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level. Among the patients with periodontitis, T. forsythia 16S rRNA was detected in 18 of 37 diseased sites and in 5 of 29 healthy sites, and the fdf gene was detected in 19 of 37 diseased sites and in 7 of 29 healthy sites. By contrast, no healthy subjects were positive for T. forsythia 16S rRNA or the fdf gene. Conclusion: These data suggest that anti-FDF IgG levels in gingival crevicular fluid are related to the periodontal status.

PROBLEM This study addressed the ability of genistein to reverse the loss of T-cell signaling components, induced by estrogen deficiency associated with aging. METHOD OF STUDY Using Jurkat 6.1 T cells, genistein regulation of CD3zeta, JAK3, and NFkappaB was analysed by Western immunoblotting at 4 or 40 pg/mL (post- and pre-menopausal levels, respectively) estradiol (E(2)). Corresponding gene expressions were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). For functionality, levels of IL-2 were correlated with its transcription by RT-PCR. RESULTS At 4 pg/mL E(2), signaling proteins were decreased compared with 40 pg/mL: CD3zeta, 1.58-fold; JAK3, 1.75-fold; and NFkappaB, 1.73-fold (P < 0.001). Genistein, at 0.5 and 5.0 microm, added to 4 pg/mL E(2) induced their expression to 40 pg/mL levels. While significantly diminished IL-2 mRNA levels were observed at 4 pg/mL E(2), genistein induced IL-2 mRNA to 40 pg/mL levels. CONCLUSION Genistein restores CD3zeta, NFkappaB and JAK3 proteins and mRNAs at post-meonopausal estrogen levels, in vitro, with no significant effect at pre-menopausal estrogen levels.

Background and Objective: Tannerella forsythia is a periodontal pathogen. Recently, we have reported that the cytopathic component of T. forsythia contains two distinct factors. One arrests the cell cycle at the G2 phase and the other, named forsythia detaching factor, detaches adhesion-dependent immortalized human cells. In this study, we investigated the biological function of forsythia detaching factor using human normal fibroblasts. Material and Methods: A recombinant forsythia detaching factor, reported previously, was used. TIG-3 cells, cultured in the absence or presence of forsythia detaching factor, were lysed and the supernatant was analyzed by western blotting with polyclonal forsythia detaching factor antibodies. The cells were subsequently fractionated to isolate the cytoplasmic, mitochondrial and remaining fractions. In order to measure the activity of mitochondria using nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-linked reductase, the water-soluble tetrazolium method was used. The mitochondrial oxidative membrane potential was estimated by measuring the oxidization-dependent fluorogenic conversion of dihydrotetramethylrosamine using flow cytometry. The concentration of interleukin-8 in the culture supernatant was assayed using a Human IL-8 ELISA kit. Results: Forsythia detaching factor-treated cells detached from the substratum and aggregated from 3 to 24 h. Then, the detached cells resumed adhesion and proliferated after 48 h. The western blot analysis revealed that most forsythia detaching factor trans-located into the mitochondrial fraction. Forsythia detaching factor suppressed the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-linked reductase activity in a dose-dependent manner and consequently increased the mitochondrial oxidative membrane potential. The production of interleukin-8 was reinforced in forsythia detaching factor-treated cells at 72 h through an increase of the mitochondrial oxidative membrane potential. Conclusion: The forsythia detaching factor might be involved in the virulence of T. forsythia through induction of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-8.

Summary Both human mast cells and basophils have metachromatic granules and high-affinity IgE receptors (FcɛRI) and play important roles in allergic inflammation. However, comprehensive roles and global molecular expression profiles of these two cell types are largely unknown. We review the recent literature regarding the roles of basophils and mast cells and analyse the whole gene expression (transcriptome) of various cell types using a public database. We found that mast cell samples from different tissues preferentially express a unique set of transcripts distinct from those preferentially expressed by granulocytes including basophils. We also found that basophils strongly express mRNA for cytokines whose receptors mast cells express at high levels. Similarly, mast cells preferentially express chemokines whose receptors basophils express at high levels. Hence mast cells and basophils may play a complementary role in allergic inflammation. Disconnecting the mutual activation of these cell types may be expected to lead to future therapies against allergic diseases.

The chitinase secreting strain KPM-012A of Alcaligenes paradoxus was isolated from tomato leaves and vitally entrapped in sodium alginate gel beads to provide a new method for biocontrol of phytophagous ladybird beetles Epilachna vigintioctopunctata. First, the peritrophic membrane was dissected from the adult ladybird beetles that ingested the suspension of KPM-012A after starvation to observe degradation of the midgut surface by the bacteria under electron microscopy. The peritrophic membrane around the bacteria was degraded, suggesting the release of chitinase from the ingested bacteria. Large amounts of chitinase were successfully released from KPM-012A-entrapped calcium alginate beads. This chitinase release from the microbial beads was sustained for 1 week and was sufficient to digest the peritrophic membrane. Daily supply of tomato leaves treated with the microbial beads caused considerable suppression of leaf feeding and oviposition by the adult ladybird beetles, indicating that this method is effective for decreasing population of insect pests in the subsequent generation. Thus, the present study provided an experimental basis for the biocontrol measures of herbivorous insect pests by the chitinolytic bacteria entrapped in alginate beads.

The present authors studied a 55-year-old-patient homozygous for the SCA6 gene who experienced frequent attacks of positional vertigo at 37 years of age with subsequent staggering gait and night blindness. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), as well as cerebellar ataxia and vertical antidirectional nystagmus, were detected. The subject's parents were first cousins, and two of his three male cousins, whose parents were also first cousins, had RP without ataxia or nystagmus. The numbers of CAG repeats in the expanded alleles of the SCA6 gene found by molecular analysis were 21 and 21. The genetic results were negative for SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, SCA7 and dentatorubral pallidoluysian atrophy. The retinal degeneration in this patient is most likely to be secondary to a genetic disorder of autosomal or X-linked recessive inheritance rather than SCA6. Other reported cases of patients homozygous for the SCA6 gene are also reviewed.

PROBLEM: To assess the modulation of T-cell CD3-zeta chain expression by a factor in the sera of women, prior to egg retrieval and 14 days after an in vitro fertilization (IVF) and to delineate the mechanism of this modulation. METHOD OF STUDY: In this prospective study, blood samples were obtained from 17 patients during an IVF cycle, prior to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and 14 days after embryo return. Serum was incubated with cultured T-lymphocytes (Jurkat cells) for 96 hr and expression of CD3-zeta chain was evaluated. RESULTS: Eight patients had a positive serum hCG titer 14 days after retrieval, while nine patients had a negative hCG titer. Serum from pregnant patients significantly suppressed CD3-zeta chain expression as compared with their sample prior to retrieval (85.6 ± 6.2%), while subjects not becoming pregnant failed to suppress zeta expression (99.1 ± 0.9%, P

SrS:Cu, F thin-film electroluminescent (TFEL) devices were prepared by electron beam evaporation and their luminescent properties were investigated. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of SrS:Cu,F phosphors were measured under excitation with 325 nm of He-Cd laser at room temperature. It was shown that the PL spectra for Cu concentration of 0.3 at% showed a strong blue emission with the peak at about 470 nm. A standard double insulator structure was employed for EL device fabrication using Y 2 O 3 as first and second insulators, and ZnS was employed as buffer layer. TFEL devices prepared with rapid thermal annealing at 900 °C showed the same blue emission as the PL spectrum. The maximum luminance of 82 cd/m 2 and CIE coordinates of (x = 0.13, y = 0.22) could be obtained for devices with Cu content of 0.3 at% driven by 1 kHz pulses.

When the soil contains a substantial amount of pH-dependent charges, pH strongly influences hydraulic conductivity. Adverse effects of acid rain and chemicals on soils have been observed, but few studies have focused on hydraulic conductivity change due to pH. Changes to the saturated hydraulic conductivity (K) of allophanic andisol (volcanic ash soil), which has a substantial amount of pH-dependent charges, during dilute acid leaching were examined in this study. K was determined at a constant hydraulic gradient in soil columns. Influent solutions of HNO 3 and H 2 SO 4 were prepared at pH 3 and 4. Tensiometer pressure potential and pH distribution in the soil columns were measured. Clay dispersion was measured by optical transmission and soil buffer capacity was evaluated from acid titration curves. K decreased during HNO 3 leaching but increased during H 2 SO 4 leaching. Because of the high buffer capacity of the soil, the influence of acid leaching on the soil structure was significant only at the soil surface. Soil dispersion was observed only in HNO 3 solution. No dispersion was observed in H 2 SO 4 solution because of the strong specific adsorption of SO 2- 4 . The swelling and dispersion of the soil at the surface layer caused the decrease in K during HNO 3 leaching, while these processes were prevented in H 2 SO 4 leaching.

In order to improve the electrical and optical properties of CdOSnO2 films, ZnO-doped CdOSnO2 films are deposited by r.f. magnetron sputtering from a sintered oxide target with various substrate temperatures. Amorphous films are grown at substrate temperatures from 323 to 573 K. Above 673 K, as-deposited films show the crystalline structure of a spinel-type compound, (Zn, Cd, Sn)2SnO4. The electrical resistivity Q of a film sputtered from target 10-3 or 20–10 at room temperature has the lowest electrical resistivity about 3 × 10−3 Ω cm. All as-deposited films show transitivity higher than 80% in the visible range. The low side absorption edge is decreased with increase of ZnO content.

1. Intracellular mechanism(s) for controlling the opening of muscarinic K+ channels in the absence of an applied muscarinic agonist were studied in rabbit atrium by applying the patch clamp technique to isolated single myocytes. 2. In the cell-attached patch configuration, currents due to the activity of both the muscarinic K+ channel and the inward rectifying K+ channel were recorded. However, while the inward rectifying K+ channel currents were observed in only ten patches of 211 examined, spontaneous opening (i.e. in the absence of a muscarinic agonist) of the muscarinic K+ channel currents was observed in all patches examined in these atrial cells. 3. The single-channel currents due to spontaneous opening of muscarinic K+ channels were identified on the basis of their very similar conductance and gating properties to the unitary events which have been recorded when 0.5 microM-acetylcholine is included in the pipette and 10 microM-GTP is present in the internal side of the patch membrane. 4. Although the spontaneous opening of the muscarinic K+ channels disappeared soon after excision of the patch membrane, this type of channel activity reappeared following application of ATP and MgCl2 to the internal side of the torn-off patch, as expected from previous publications. 5. The K+ channel activity induced by the ATP and Mg2+ (measured as the product of the number of channels, N, times the probability of opening, Po) was strongly dependent upon concentration of free Mg2+; it was half-maximal at 2.2 x 10(-4) M [Mg2+]i. However, after the muscarinic K+ channels had been activated by 100 microM-guanosine 5'-O-3-thiotriphosphate (GTP gamma S) together with ATP and Mg2+, an increase in the Mg2+ concentration from 5.5 x 10(-5) to 2 x 10(-3) M failed to enhance this channel activity. 6. Pertussis toxin, which is known to uncouple muscarinic receptors from associated G-proteins (G(i) or G(o)), failed to inhibit the ATP- and Mg(2+)-induced activation of this K+ channel in the absence agonists. 7. In experiments made to test whether the Mg(2+)-ATP requirement results from an obligatory phosphorylation reaction, ATP was replaced with adenylyl-imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP), an analogue of ATP which is resistant to hydrolysis. This K+ channel activity was not present when ATP was replaced with AMP-PNP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

People in the western part of Japan, where the cyprinid fish fauna is very rich, have utilised these fish as a protein resource since the Jomon Period. Abundant cyprinid fish remains have been recovered from archeological sites in western Japan dating from both the Jomon (ca. 12,000 BC–300 BC) and subsequent Yayoi (ca 300 BC–AD 300) times. They captured larger cyprinids, especially Cyprinus carpio and Carassius spp., coming inshore for spawning and processed them as a food stock. One can easily imagine that people who captured cyprinids during the spawning season might also have begun to cultivate those fish sometime during prehistory, but until now there has been no evidence of fish cultivation in ancient Japan. We examined cyprinid pharyngeal tooth remains recovered from an archeological site of the Yayoi Period, the Asahi site in the Nobi Plain near Nagoya. The common carp Cyprinus carpio accounted for more than two-thirds of the recovered pharyngeal tooth remains. There are two peaks in the body length distribution, estimated from tooth size, of common carp from this site, one at 350–450 mm and the other, higher peak at 50–150 mm. We believe that the smaller fish of 50–150 mm in body length were cultivated, because it is very difficult to capture common carp of this size in substantial numbers in the field. We propose that fish cultivation started as a by-product of the artificial control of water levels in the paddy fields used for rice agriculture, which were characteristic of the Yayoi Period in Japan. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

SUMMARY With the development of a sensitive radioimmunoassay for inhibin, luteal phase inhibin levels have been noted to parallel progesterone levels and be acutely dependent upon luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulation. To define the midluteal secretory pattern of immunoreactive inhibin and its relationships with LH and progesterone, blood samples were obtained from five normal women every 20 min for a period of 24 h. Individual data series of LH, progesterone and inhibin were analysed for pulsatile secretion using an adaptive-threshold method. Inhibin levels exhibited a relatively frequent, low-amplitude pulsatile secretory pattern (14.6 ± 6.9 pulses/24 h (mean ± SE), amplitude = 17% of the mean inhibin level). In contrast, LH levels demonstrated an infrequent high amplitude secretory pattern (6.2 ± 0.7 pulses/24 h, amplitude = 139% of the mean LH level). The average progesterone pulse frequency and amplitude were intermediate to LH and inhibin (9.2 ± 1.2 pulses/24 h, amplitude = 36% of the mean progesterone level). In addition, each individual's hormone data were analysed for coincident pulsatile secretion and cross-correlations were performed on the data, with one hormone pattern shifted relative to another by 20-min time intervals. None of the individual inhibin data series showed significant pulse coincidence when compared to the LH or progesterone data series. The cross-correlation analysis, however, revealed a significant (P < 0.05) relationship in general trends between the inhibin and LH data series, and the inhibin and progesterone data series in three subjects. These findings suggest that (1) inhibin exhibits a relatively frequent low-amplitude pulsatile secretory pattern in comparison to LH and progesterone in the midluteal phase of the menstrual cycle, and (2) while the secretion of these three hormones is interrelated, there is not a strong coupling between secretory pulses of inhibin and either LH or progesterone pulses.

Background Mondor's disease (MD) is considered an inflammatory condition of superficial vasculitis that develops mainly in the anterolateral thoracoabdominal wall. The pathogenesis of the disease has been controversial, however, because of the lack of histopathologic methods for differentiating between the small vein and the lymphatic vessel. Aim To objectively examine the origin of vascular lesions in MD, we investigated the endothelial cells of their blood and lymphatic vessels. Methods Immunohistochemical examinations were carried out on specimens involving vascular lesions from 16 patients with MD, using antibodies against von Willebrand factor and human lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1, which specifically discriminate between lymphatic and blood vessels. Results The histopathologic findings clearly showed thrombophlebitis in 14 patients, a lesion originating in the lymphatic vessel in one patient, and sclerosis that consisted of the artery together with veins in another. Conclusion This study suggests that almost all cases of MD are due to thrombophlebitis, with a small minority due to lymphangitis or other conditions. We believe this study will contribute to the better recognition of the factual changes in the condition designated MD.

Effects of incident photon field coherence on resonant light scattering have been investigated. In order to obtain the scattering intensity and the photon counting rate, an expression for the reduced density matrix for the scattered field has been derived. The expression involves the first-order correlation function of the incident field. The relation between the line shape of the scattered light and the bandwidth of the incident field has been clarified. Model calculations of the photon counting rate have been performed in the case of an incident field without first-order coherence. In our treatment, the transverse and longitudinal relaxation constants have been taken into account by using the impact approximation.

The instabilities, especially the singlet instabilities, of the conventional Hartree–Fock (HF) solutions for a variety of alternant and nonalternant hydrocarbons, some of which have been known to show lattice instabilities (bond-length alterations), are examined. The HF solutions for nonalternant hydrocarbons in the pentalene series larger than heptalene and [4n + 2]-annulenes larger than C22H22 are found to be singlet unstable and there appear new solutions lower in energy than the conventional HF solutions and characterized by charge-density waves exhibiting bond-order alterations. It is found that such symmetry-breaking solutions are energetically further stabilized by distorting the nuclear framework so that it may match up with the distribution of bond-order matrix elements of the charge-density wave, which means that in conjugated systems the singlet instability of the HF solution is always accompanied with the lattice instability. Further, it is shown that in conjugated systems, even when the HF solution is singlet stable, if it is not sufficiently stable as, for example, in pentalene and heptalene, there is every possibility for the occurrence of lattice instability. It is also shown that the singlet instability as well as the lattice instability arises from the existence of a sufficiently low-lying singlet excited state.

The electrical conductivity, the magnetic susceptibility, and the thermoelectric power of liquid Tlx(AgTlS2)1-x alloys are measured as a function of composition in the temperature range from the melting point to 900 °C. The behaviour of these electronic properties is qualitatively the same as the previous result of liquid Tlx(AgTlTe2)1-x alloys except for the differences mentioned below. A main difference is that the value of conductivity minimum at x ≈ 2/3 for the sulfide system is considerably smaller than that for the telluride system. Corresponding to the conductivity result, the thermoelectric power becomes as large as 250 μ V/K around this composition. Secondly, for x ≈ 2/3, the conductivity is almost independent of composition in the sulfide alloys, whereas the conductivity of the telluride alloys depends strongly on composition. Furthermore, the anomalous change of electronic properties around x ≈ 2/3 becomes less rapid in sulfide alloys compared with the case of telluride alloys. Discussions on the electron localization for liquid Tlx(AgTlS2)1-x are made in terms of current electron transport theories for liquid semiconductors using the present data. Die elektrische Leitfahigkeit, die magnetische Suszeptibilitat und die Thermospannung von flussigen Tlx(AgTlS2)1-x-Legierungen werden in Abhangigkeit von der Zusammensetzung im Temperaturbereich vom Schmelzpunkt bis zu 900 °C gemessen. Das Verhalten dieser elektronischen Eigenschaften ist qualitativ das gleiche wie bei den fruheren Ergebnissen an flussigenTlx(AgTlTe2)1-x -Legierungen mit Ausnahme des unten erwahnten Unterschieds. Ein Hauptunterschied ist, das der Wert des Leitfahigkeitsminimums bei x ≈ 2/3 fur das Sulfid-System betrachtlich kleiner ist als der fur das Tellurid-System. Entsprechend dem Leitfahigkeitsergebnis wird die Thermospannung bei dieser Zusammensetzung 250 μ V/K. Zweitens, fur x ≈ 2/3 ist die Leitfahigkeit fur die Sulfidlegierung fast unabhangig von der Zusammensetzung, wahrend die Telluridlegierungen eine Leitfahigkeit haben, die stark von der Zusammensetzung abhangt. Daruber hinaus wird die anomale Anderung der elektronischen Eigenschaften bei x ≈ 2/3 in Sulfidlegierungen weniger schnell, verglichen mit Telluridlegierungen. Diskussionen uber die Elektronenlokalisierung fur flussiges Tlx(AgTlS2)1-x werden mit den ublichen Elektronentransportheorien fur flussige Halbleiter mit den dargelegten Werten gefuhrt.

1. The effects of isoprenaline (ISO) on the calcium current (ICa) and delayed rectifier K+ current (IK) were examined using a tight-seal whole-cell voltage-clamp technique in single cells from bull-frog atrium to examine the ionic mechanism(s) of catecholamine-induced action potential shape changes. 2. The effects of ISO on the action potential were dose-dependent. Very low doses (5 x 10(-9) M) prolonged the action potential. Higher doses (10(-6) M) of ISO increased the plateau height, but shortened the action potential by accelerating the early repolarization phase. 3. ISO increased IK and ICa in a dose-dependent fashion. Both of these effects were blocked by a beta-receptor antagonist, propranolol (3 x 10(-7) M). In contrast IK1, the inwardly rectifying K+ current, was not changed significantly by ISO. 4. The ISO-induced increase in IK was observed in the presence of CdCl2 (3 x 10(-4) M), indicating that this effect is not due to a Ca2(+)-activated potassium current. 5. The reversal potential of IK in normal Ringer solution (-83 +/- 2 mV) was not significantly changed by ISO. Thus, stimulation of the Na(+)-K+ pump and a consequent hyperpolarizing shift in EK are not responsible for the increase in IK. 6. In the presence of ISO (10(-6) M) the steady-state activation curve (n infinity) for IK was consistently shifted to more negative values (by approximately 10 mV). The activation and deactivation kinetics of IK were also changed by ISO: activation was accelerated, deactivation was slowed. These ISO-induced changes in IK result in an increase in IK at voltages corresponding to the plateau of the action potential. 7. ISO (10(-6) M) increased ICa dramatically, approximately 6-fold at 0 mV. At the same time, the time constant of ICa inactivation decreased significantly (34 +/- 4 ms control; 23 +/- 4 ms ISO). 8. These results confirm that low doses of sympathetic agonists acting via beta-receptors increase ICa. Relatively high doses of beta-receptor agonists increase both ICa and IK, but these two effects appear to be generated by different biophysical mechanisms. 9. These dose-dependent changes in ICa and IK can explain the observed ISO-induced changes in action potential shape. At doses of approximately 10(-8) M ICa is increased, resulting in a more depolarized plateau and small lengthening of the action potential.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

SUMMARY Homocarnosine, homoanserine, 3-methylhistidine, and 1-methylhistidine have been isolated from bovine brain. The first three compounds were crystallized and compared with the synthetic compounds. The synthesis of homoanserine nitrate is described.

A study was made of the relation between the cathode overpotentials and structures of two kinds of graphite fluorides, (CF)/SUB n/ and (C/sub 2/F)/SUB n/ in nonaqueous lithium battery. The overpotential of (CF)/SUB n/ electrode decreased with increasing interlayer spacing and decreasing thickness of the crystallite along the C axis. However, it was found that the overpotential of (C/sub 2/F)/SUB n/ electrode primarily depended on the amount of the defects which would be present in the form of polynuclear aromatic carbon rings in (C/sub 2/F)/SUB n/. The defects in (C/sub 2/F)/SUB n/ would give the short circuiting paths for the transfer of a lithium ion in diffusion layer. The higher discharge potential of (C/sub 2/F)/SUB n/ than that of (CF)/SUB n/ was mainly attributed to the effect of the defects contained in (C/sub 2/F)/SUB n/.