Bacterial bioluminescence in chlorophthalmid deep-sea fish: A possible interrelationship between the light organ and the eyes

Summary A small perianal light organ was found on a ventral part of the body of Chlorophthalmus spp. Simple tests, histological preparations and bacterial culture of the luminous contents clearly indicated that the luminous substance consists of symbiotic bacteria. The unique eyes of Chlorophthalmus spp. suggests a possible interrelationship between the eyes and the newly observed light organ.I thank Drs T. Tamura, E. J. Denton, O. Munk, M. Okiyama, K. Suzuki, M. Oguri, T. Tonoue and Mr H. Niwa for their constant guidances and their invaluable helps. This study was started by the stimulative conversation with Dr Yata Haneda. I would like to present the paper to him for the celebration of the perfect recovery of his health.     

Luciferase a light source for the silica-based optical waveguides (spicules) in the demosponge Suberites domuncula

Two classes of sponges (animal phylum Porifera) possess a siliceous skeleton which is composed of spicules. Studying the optical fiber-mechanical properties of large spicules from hexactinellid sponges (> 5 cm) it was demonstrated that they are effective light-collecting optical fibers. Here, we report that the demosponge Suberites domuncula is provided with a biosensor system composed of the (organic) light producing luciferase and the (inorganic) light transducing silica spicules. The light transmission feature of these smaller spicules (200 μm) has been demonstrated and the ability of sponge tissue to generate light has been proven. Screening for a luciferase gene in S. domuncula was successful; the recombinant luciferase was prepared and shown to be bioactive. The luciferase protein is abundantly present in the close neighborhood of the spicules. The expression of the luciferase gene is under the control of light. Received 14 August 2008; received after revision 09 November 2008; accepted 26 November 2008     

Solid phase synthesis and some pharmacological properties of 8-glutamine-oxytocin: a possible intermediate in the evolution of the neurohypophysial hormones

Zusammenfassung Die erstmalige Synthese des Peptidhormons 8-Glutamin-Oxytocin wird beschrieben. Das synthetische Peptid ist mit einem anderen Peptid des Dornhaies von noch ungeklärter Struktur nicht identisch.

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(a) This work was supported in part by a Studentship (to J.W.M.B.) and a Grant (to M.M.) from the Medical Research Council of Canada, an award (to T.C.W.) from the Banting Research Foundation, a National Science Foundation Grant No. GB 4932 and a General Research Support Grant to Columbia University from the National Institutes of Health. (b) An abstract of this work was presented at the 5th Annual Meeting of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies, July, 1968; M.Manning, T. C.Wuu, J. W. M.Baxter and W. H.Sawyers, FEBS 1968 Meeting, Prague, Abstr.824, p. 206.     

Encephalitogenic protein: Aβ-pleated sheet conformation (102–120) yields a possible molecular form of a serotonin receptor

Zusammenfassung Es besteht die Annahme (Carnegie 1970), dass das basische Gehirnprotein als Rezeptor für Serotonin wirkt, und es wird der Vorschlag für molekularbiologische Reaktionen von Serotonin-Rezeptoren gemacht.

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Acknowledgments. We are most grateful to Dr.D. Urry for advice on protein conformation, to Dr.P. R. Carnegie for helpful discussions and the Ealing Corporation for the generous loan of molecular models.     

Slow conduction in the atrioventricular node of the cat: A possible explanation

Zusammenfassung Nachweis, dass bei Erhöhung des Membranpotentials im AV-Knoten der Katze eine raschere Erregungsausbreitung erzielt werden kann.

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This work was supported by a research grant from the Japanese Ministry of Education.     

GABA in the caudate nucleus: A possible synaptic transmitter of interneurons

Summary Microiontophoretic application of GABA and its antagonist, picrotoxin, altered focal potentials evoked in the caudate nucleus by stimulation near the recording site to a much greater extent than potentials elicited by stimulation of afferent pathways, suggesting that GABA is a transmitter of interneurons in this nucleus.This study was supported by funds from the Veterans Administration and by NIH research grant No. 06820.We thank Kathleen Downes and Clifford Smathers for their assistance.     

Pineal function in the sheep: evidence for a possible mechanism mediating seasonal reproductive activity

Summary The 24-h profiles of plasma melatonin in the intact ewe in natural light indicate that a bimodal pattern of secretion is frequently present in oestrus, whereas a single dark-phase peak is characteristic of anoestrus. Based on these findings, a mechanism for the possible pineal-mediated control of seasonal breeding is proposed.This work was supported by the Medical Research Council and the Agricultural Research Council of Great Britain. Preliminary results from this study were reported in the proceedings of the 1st meeting of the European Pineal Study Group; J. Arendt, Prog. Brain Res.52, 249 (1979).We are grateful for the excellent technical assistance of A. Marston and J. Bradtke.     

Biophoton emission fromDaphnia magna: A possible factor in the self-regulation of swarming

Summary The formation of swarms by planktonic organisms was first described almost 100 years ago, but the mechanisms governing the development of patterns in population size and density are still not understood. In this study, we investigated one biophysical factor that may play an important role in swarm-formation. Spontaneous ultraweak photon emission in the visible range has been well documented for living cells, tissues and individuals in the plant and animal kingdom, including humans. We demonstrate here that the intensity of light emitted by the planktonic crustaceanDaphnia magna is a function of population density in relation to body size. The effects are discussed on the basis of the theory of Dicke^1,2, and it is suggested that biophoton emission may be a basic factor in the self-regulation of swarm density.     

Pancreatic polypeptide: A possible role in the regulation of food intake in the mouse. Hypothesis

Summary Pancreatic polypeptide (PP) is a recently identified hormone produced by pancreatic endocrine cells. The islets of genetically obese mice (ob/ob, C57 BL/6J), which are suspected to lack a circulating satiety factor, contain relatively few of the PP-producing cells. Administration of bovine pancreatic polypeptide (bPP) reduces food intake and suppresses body weight gain in the hyperphagic obese mice. It is postulated that PP participates in the regulation of food intake in a manner as yet undefined.This work was supported by grant No. 3.553.75 from Swiss National Science Foundation. We thank Mrs M. Eissler and Mr R. Cuche for their valuable help.     

Analogical reflection as a source for the science of life: Kant and the possibility of the biological sciences

In contrast to the previously widespread view that Kant's work was largely in dialogue with the physical sciences, recent scholarship has highlighted Kant's interest in and contributions to the life sciences. Scholars are now investigating the extent to which Kant appealed to and incorporated insights from the life sciences and considering the ways he may have contributed to a new conception of living beings. The scholarship remains, however, divided in its interest: historians of science are concerned with the content of Kant's claims, and the ways in which they may or may not have contributed to the emerging science of life, while historians of philosophy focus on the systematic justifications for Kant's claims, e.g., the methodological and theoretical underpinnings of Kant's statement that living beings are mechanically inexplicable. My aim in this paper is to bring together these two strands of scholarship into dialogue by showing how Kant's methodological concerns (specifically, his notion of reflective judgment) contributed to his conception of living beings and to the ontological concern with life as a distinctive object of study. I argue that although Kant's explicit statement was that biology could not be a science, his implicit and more fundamental claim was that the study of living beings necessitates a distinctive mode of thought, a mode that is essentially analogical. I consider the implications of this view, and argue that it is by developing a new methodology for grasping organized beings that Kant makes his most important contribution to the new science of life.     

The structural relationship of phorbol and cortisol: A possible mechanism for the tumor promoting activity of phorbol

Summary The crucial functional groups of phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) are superimposable with those of the glucocorticoid cortisol in a unique manner which suggests a mechanism for PMA activity, i.e. the alkylation of a cortisol receptor.     

高k栅MOSFET栅–源/漏寄生电容的半解析模型

文章针对高k栅MOSFET的栅介质层及其侧壁掩蔽层提出了一个二维定解问题,求出了二维电势和电荷分布.文章根据栅极电荷与栅源及栅漏电压关系,提出了MOSFET的栅极和源极/漏极之间的寄生电容的模型,用半解析法计算了这些寄生电容,得到了寄生电容与几何尺寸之间的关系.文章的计算结果表明改变栅极电介质常数可以得到一个寄生电容的最小值,计算结果与CST仿真结果能够很好地符合.     

A magnetic pulse leads to a temporary deflection in the orientation of migratory birds

Migratory Australian Silvereyes were treated with a strong magnetic pulse designed to alter the magnetization of the small magnetite particles that are found in birds' heads. Prior to the treatment, the birds preferred the northeasterly migratory direction. The pulse initially resulted in a 90° clockwise shift of orientation; however, within about a week, the birds seemed to return to their original headings. These findings, which seem to suggest an involvement of magnetite in migratory orientation, are in contrast with previous findings which indicated that it is a light-dependent process. They are discussed in view of the current concepts on magnetoreception and on the role of magnetic information in avian orientation.