Adrenocortical metabolism and plasma corticosterone in soman intoxicated rabbits

Summary The organophosphate neurotoxin soman produced impairments in adrenocortical RNA and protein metabolism. Fasciculate and reticular cell RNA and protein contents were supporessed with sublethal to acutely lethal dosages (20, 30 and 40 g/kg, s.c.) during the acute excitatory phase of intoxication and at 6–8 h post injection. All three dosages produced ca 90% inactivation of plasma cholinesterase. A transient elevation of plasma corticosterone occurred with 20 g/kg soman whereas there was a protracted increase with 30 g/kg. Corticosterone was not significantly elevated with 40 g/kg, but death occurred at 13±4 min. Thus, the magnitude and/or nature of soman-induced metabolic impairments does not appear to prevent adrenal activation.Supported by US Army Medical Research and Development Command Contract DAMD 17-81-C-1202.     

Endorcine cells producing regulatory peptides

Summary Recent data on the immunologication of regulatory peptides and related propeptide sequences in endocrine cells and tumours of the gastrointestinal tract pancreas, lung, thyroid, pituitary (ACTH and opioids), adrenals and paraganglia have been revised and discussed. Gastrin, xenopsin, cholecystokinin (CCK), somatostatin, motilin, secretin, GIP (gastric inhibitory beenrevised and discussed. Gastrin, xenopsin, cholecystokinin (CCK), somatostatin, motilin, secretin, GIP (gastric inhibitory polypeptide), neurotensin, glicentin/glucagon-37 and PYY (peptide tyrosine tyrosine) are the main products of gastrointestinal endocrine cells; glucagon, CRF (corticotropin releasing factor), somatostatin, PP (pancreatic polypeptide) and GRF (growth hormone releasing factor), in addition to insulin, are produced in pancreatic islet cells; bombesin-related peptidesare the main markers of pulmonary endocrine cells; calcitonin and CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide) occur in thyroid and extrathyroid C cells; ACTH and endorphins in anterior and intermediate lobe pituitary cells, -MSH and CLIP (corticotropoin-like intermediate lobe peptide) in intermediate lobe cells; met- and leu-enkephalins and related peptides in adrenal medullary and paraganglionic cells as well as in some gut (enterochromaffin) cells; NPY (neuropeptide Y) in adrenalin-type adrenal medullary cells, etc.. Both tissue-appropriate and tissue-inappropriate regulatory peptides are produced by endocrine tumours, with inappropriate peptides mostly produced by malignant tumours.     

Perennial N2 supersaturation in an Antarctic lake

The dry valleys of southern Victoria Land in Antarctica contain several closed basins in which perennially ice-covered lakes are found. One of the most unusual features of these lakes is the occurrence of high O2 concentrations in the water column; values ranging from slightly more than saturation to more than four times saturation have been reported. Recently, we considered a bulk O2 budget for Lake Hoare, Antarctica, which led us to suggest that biological processes alone were not sufficient to explain the observed elevated oxygen levels. Consequently, there must be a non-biological source of O2. We suggested that this source results from the exclusion of O2 during the freezing of aerated meltstream water at the bottom of the ice cover, and predicted that this physical mechanism should also enhance the other atmospheric gases. Here we report the results of a study which, for the first time, documents the supersaturation of N2 in a lake. Dissolved N2 levels of 145% and 163% were determined from samples taken just below the ice cover and at a depth of 12 m, respectively. The relatively importance of biological and abiological sources is reflected in the ratio of N2 concentration to O2 concentration. In Lake Hoare this ratio was 1.20 at ice/water interface and 1.05 at 12 m; considerably different from the ratio in equilibrium with air (approximately 1.8). Based on these results, we have determined that about half of the net O2 production in the lake is the result of biological processes.     

Photoperiodic summation is temperature-dependent inPyrrhocoris apterus (L.) (Heteroptera)

Summary InPyrrhocoris apterus, a low temperature, 15°C, prevented the termination of diapause by long days and, unexpectedly, also the induction of diapause by short days. Both responses were enabled at a higher temperature, 26°C. In contrast to current concepts, it was proved that the summation of photoperiodic signals was temperature-dependent, since the morphogenetic development was prevented by starvation.     

A major metabolite of Δ1-tetrahydrocannabinol reduces its cataleptic effect in mice

Summary The results described here demonstrate that THC-induced catalepsy in mice can be substantially inhibited by the prior administration of ¹-THC-7-oic acid, the major metabolite of THC in most species including humans. This raises the possibility that the intensity and duration of action of THC may depend to a large degree on the levels of this metabolite at the sites of action.We thank the National Institute on Drug Abuse for supporting this project by grants DA-02043 and DA-02052 and for supplying all of the cannabinoids. One of us (S.B.) is also the recipient of a Research Scientist Award from NIDA. We are grateful to Kristen Carlson and Thomas Honeyman for helpful suggestions in preparing this report.     

Binding of 11-cis retinaldehyde to the partially purified cellular retinaldehyde binding protein from bovine retinal pigment epithelium

Summary 11-cis retinaldehyde binding analysis was performed on a bovine retinal pigment epithelium preparation of cellular retinaldehyde binding protein (CRALBP), whose purity degree was estimated as 75%. Equilibrium binding studies were carried out measuring the replacement of tritium-labeled with unlabeled 11-cis retinaldehyde at 25°C. Analysis of the experimental data both by a direct curve-fitting procedure utilizing a non linear least square regression analysis and by a conventional Scatchard plot revealed a single non-interacting binding site with an apparent equilibrium constant of 0.9×10^–7 M.A binding stoichiometry of approximately 1 mol of 11-cis retinaldehyde/mol of binding protein can be calculated from the experimental data. Competition studies carried out in the presence of unlabeled trans and cis isomers of Vitamin A derivatives confirm the high degree of specificity of the 11-cis retinaldehyde binding.     

利用时域间断伽辽金算法 求解Tellegen介质中的电磁波

目前,利用时域间断伽辽金方法（DGTD）求解各类介质中的电磁传播问题时,通常考虑求解普通介质本构关系的麦克斯韦方程组。 然而,具有非互易性本构关系的Tellegen介质中的电磁传播非常复杂,且少有研究。基于Tellegen介质的本构关系,推导出了一种适用于该介质的时域间断伽辽金系统矩阵离散方案,准确模拟了平面波在Tellegen介质中的时域传播特性。利用所提出的算法,计算了空气与Tellegen介质的分层空间模型,分析了Tellegen介质对电磁波极化偏转角度的影响;同时,针对不同电磁参数的Tellegen介质,计算了反射波与透射波的电场偏转角度,并将时域间断伽辽金方案计算的结果与文献［1］以及解析解进行了对比,验证了该方法的有效性与可行性。     

负斜桩顶部水平受拉响应及p-y曲线特征试验研究

为研究倾斜桩的水平受拉响应特征,在模型砂土中设置0°、10°、20°倾斜桩及桩底嵌岩20°倾斜桩,桩顶施加水平拉力,拉力方向与倾斜方向相反,测试4根模型桩的水平位移、应变片与土压力盒应变,获得桩身水平位移、弯矩、土抗力和p-y曲线特征随倾斜角和桩底约束条件的变化规律. 结果表明：1）桩顶水平受拉时,随着倾斜角的增加,负斜桩顶部水平位移逐渐增大,弯矩峰值随之增大,而土抗力峰值逐渐减小,土抗力峰值点位置逐渐降低,单桩的水平承载力随之降低,抗弯能力减小;2）随着桩底约束程度的提高,负斜桩顶部水平位移减小,桩身弯矩峰值、土抗力峰值减小,单桩水平承载力增大,抗弯能力增强;3）水平荷载作用下,本模型的负斜桩破坏模式为“转动+弯曲”,转动点位置随倾斜角的减小或桩底约束程度的提高而下降;4）0°～20°负斜主动桩p-y曲线可采用p/pub= α（y/y50） β进行拟合,倾斜角与桩底约束程度对α影响不大,倾斜角对β值变化幅度影响较小,β值变化幅度随桩底约束程度提高而降低.     

缀板加强冷弯薄壁C形钢受压极限承载力研究

为研究缀板加强冷弯薄壁C形钢受压构件的受力性能,采用ANSYS软件建立其非线性有限元模型,并与试验破坏特征、极限承载力进行对比,验证建模方法的正确性. 研究缀板间距及偏心距对缀板加强冷弯薄壁C形钢在轴压及单向偏心受压作用下的极限承载力及屈曲模态的影响规律. 结果表明：随缀板间距减小,C形钢的屈曲变形由畸变屈曲逐步转为局部屈曲,轴心受压及偏心受压构件极限承载力逐渐增高;随偏心距增大,偏心受压构件的极限承载力逐渐降低;建议缀板加强冷弯薄壁C形钢轴压、偏压构件的缀板间距分别取λ/3、λ/4（λ为屈曲半波长度）. 基于缀板加强冷弯薄壁C形钢的受力特点及直接强度法,提出缀板加强冷弯薄壁C形钢构件轴压及偏压极限承载力的修正公式,并验证了公式的准确性.