Failure of opioids to affect excitation and contraction in isolated ventricular heart muscle

Summary The opioid agonists morphine (selective for -receptors) and ethylketocyclazocine (selective for kappa-receptors), at concentrations evoking strong effects in neuronal structures, did not significantly affect the configuration of the intracellularly recorded action potential and the force of contraction in ventricular heart muscle isolated from guinea pigs, rabbits and man. These results suggest that any changes of heart functions in vivo in response to opioid-like drugs are probably not mediated postsynaptically at the myocardial cell membrane but rather presynaptically, influencing the release of noradrenaline and/or acetylcholine from the nerve terminals.     

The life span of the biosphere revisited

A decade ago, Lovelock and Whitfield raised the question of how much longer the biosphere can survive on Earth. They pointed out that, despite the current fossil-fuel induced increase in the atmospheric CO2 concentration, the long-term trend should be in the opposite direction: as increased solar luminosity warms the Earth, silicate rocks should weather more readily, causing atmospheric CO2 to decrease. In their model, atmospheric CO2 falls below the critical level for C3 photosynthesis, 150 parts per million (p.p.m.), in only 100 Myr, and this is assumed to mark the demise of the biosphere as a whole. Here, we re-examine this problem using a more elaborate model that includes a more accurate treatment of the greenhouse effect of CO2, a biologically mediated weathering parameterization, and the realization that C4 photosynthesis can persist to much lower concentrations of atmospheric CO2(<10 p.p.m.). We find that a C4-plant-based biosphere could survive for at least another 0.9 Gyr to 1.5 Gyr after the present time, depending respectively on whether CO2 or temperature is the limiting factor. Within an additional 1 Gyr, Earth may lose its water to space, thereby following the path of its sister planet, Venus.     

C1 inhibitor hinge region mutations produce dysfunction by different mechanisms.

Heterozygosity for a mutant dysfunctional C1 inhibitor protein, a member of the serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin) superfamily, results in type II hereditary angioneurotic oedema. We identified a "hinge" region mutation in C1 inhibitor with a Val to Glu replacement at P14 Val-432. Recombinant C1 inhibitors P10 Ala-->Thr and P14Val-->Glu did not form stable complexes with fluid phase C1s or kallikrein. The P14 Val-->Glu mutant, however, was cleaved to a 96K form by C1s, while the P10 Ala-->Thr mutant was not. The recombinant P10 mutant also did not complex with C1s, kallikrein or beta-factor Xlla-Sepharose. The two mutations, therefore, result in dysfunction by different mechanisms: in one (P14 Val-->Glu), the inhibitor is converted to a substrate, while in the other (P10 Ala-->Thr), interaction with target protease is blocked.     

Evaluation of the hepatotoxicological effects of a drug in an in vivo/in vitro model

Both in vivo and in vitro models have certain disadvantages for the study of the chronic hepatotoxicity of drugs. The aim of this work was to evaluate a new approach based on an in vivo/in vitro model. After chronic in vivo treatment of rats with Vincamine and Vindeburnol (an eburnamenine derivative which exhibits hepatotoxic properties in man) liver cells were isolated, and functional and metabolic disorders (metabolic utilization of fructose and protein biosynthesis) were studied to determine injury. The results showed no modification of blood parameters, but a direct relationship between the dose of Vindeburnol administered in vivo and the metabolic disorders observed in vitro, evidencing the high sensitivity and reliability of this model.     

NCO-新型干洗剂的研究

本文论述了以近代物理方法和化学分析手段剖析美国“三羊牌”去污精结构组成,结合干洗剂基础理论研究,立足国情进行合成、配方、筛选,研制出新型干洗剂NCO—O1、NCO—06,其性能相当于进口样品,应用面广。     

The median procedure for n-trees

Let (X,d) be a metric space The functionM:X ^k 2 ^x defined by is the minimum } is called themedian procedure and has been found useful in various applications involving the notion of consensus Here we present axioms that characterizeM whenX is a certain class of trees (hierarchical classifications), andd is the symmetric difference metricWe would like to thank the referees and Editor for helpful comments     

Juvenile hormone titre and regulation in the cockroachDiploptera punctata

Summary Titres of juvenile hormone (JH) have been determined in both hemolymph and whole body extracts of femaleDiploptera punctata during the first gonotrophic cycle using a method employing gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for qualitative and quantitative analysis. JH III is the sole JH found in both adult and last instarD. punctata. Maximum values of 1500 ng/ml (6M) were observed at the middle of the gonotrophic cycle, when basal oocyte growth rate was greatest. Changes in rates of JH release in vitro by corpora allata paralleled closely the changes in JH titre, suggesting that biosynthesis is a major regulator of titre. JH levels per animal were calculated from observed JH titres, and at certain time points in the gonotrophic cycle JH levels obtained from analysis of whole bodies were significantly greater than those predicted from hemolymph titres. These results suggest the existence of a nonhemolymph JH pool inD. punctata. Decay in JH titre after allatectomy of 5 day females has also been studied. Following a rapid initial decline, the rate of decay slowed appreciably 4 h post-operation. Thus, use of a first-order rate constant to estimate half-life of JH significantly underestimated the longevity of the hormone. The apparent persistence of JH following allatectomy may be due to the existence of a nonhemolymph JH pool.     

Earthshaker: A mobile rescue robot for emergencies and disasters through teleoperation and autonomous navigation

To deal with emergencies and disasters without rescue workers being exposed to dangerous environments, this paper presents a mobile rescue robot, Earthshaker. As a combination of a tracked chassis and a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, as well as miscellaneous sensors and controllers, Earthshaker is capable of traversing diverse terrains and fulfilling dexterous manipulation. Specifically, Earthshaker has a unique swing arm—dozer blade structure that can help clear up cumbersome obstacles and stabilize the robot on stairs, a multimodal teleoperation system that can adapt to different transmission conditions, a depth camera-aided robotic arm and gripper that can realize semiautonomous manipulation and a LiDAR aided base that can achieve autonomous navigation in unknown areas. It was these special systems that supported Earthshaker to win the first Advanced Technology & Engineering Challenge (A-TEC) championships, standing out of 40 robots from the world and showing the efficacy of system integration and the advanced control philosophy behind it.     

鄂尔多斯盆地长7储层致密油水平井CO2补充能量与吞吐参数优化

长7储层是鄂尔多斯盆地主要的致密区块,近一半的致密油分布其中。针对长7储层开采渗透率低、开采难度大、依靠弹性开采产能较低、能量衰竭较快等问题,通过数值模拟的方法,构建水平井分段压裂数值模拟模型,首先对比不同吞吐方式对油田产能的影响,优选出CO₂吞吐为首选的补充能量方式。其次对井网形式、井网参数及吞吐参数进行优化研究。最终优选出合适的吞吐方案,达到提高生产效率的目的。结果表明,该储层的最优注采吞吐参数为：周期注入量为2 673 t、注入压力为21 MPa、注入速度为90 t/d、焖井时间为10 d。研究对鄂尔多斯盆地长7储层提高采收率具有一定的参考意义。