Differential effects of the serotonin receptors on cultured rat cerebral cortical neurons

Effects of serotonin (5-HT) on cerebral cortical neurons were examined by patch clamp techniques. 5-HT produced a variety of responses such as outward (19/73 patches/neurons), slow inward (15/73 patches/neurons), fast inward (8/73 patches/neurons), and mixed currents (initially fast inward deflection followed by an outward response: 2/73 patches/neurons), with a latency of 12 sec, 15 sec, 0 sec, and 0 sec respectively, at a holding potential of −60 mV in whole-cell patches. The fast inward currents were again evoked by a selective 5-HT3 receptor agonist, 1-(m-chlorophenyl)-biguanide hydrochloride (CPBG). In the cell-attached patch clamp configuration, 5-HT inside the patch pipette elicited single channel currents with slope conductances of 42 pS and 132 pS (4/42 patches/neurons). CPBG inside the patch pipette evoked inward single channel currents with a lower slope conductance of 41 pS (3/23 patches/neurons). In contrast, application of 5-HT or a 5-HT₂ receptor agonist, α-methyl-5-hydroxytryptamine-maleate, outside the patch pipette induced outward single channel currents with a major slope conductance of 140 pS (8/30 patches/neurons) or 135 pS (6/20 patches/neurons), respectively. These results indicate that the outward and fast inward currents may be mediated respectively by the 5-HT₂ receptor, which is coupled to a G-protein, and by the 5-HT₃ receptor, which contains the non-selective cation channel, and that the mixed type may be caused by both the 5-HT₂ and 5-HT₃ receptors. Received 27 September 1996; received after revision 4 November 1996; accepted 7 November 1996     

Effect of hydrogen peroxide on the binding of Merocyanine 540 to human erythrocytes

The fluorescent dye Merocyanine 540 (MC540) is often used as a probe to monitor the molecular packing of phospholipids in the outer leaflet of biomembranes. In a previous study we showed that the increased staining of erythrocytes with a perturbed membrane structure was mainly due to an increase in the fluorescence yield of cell-bound MC540, rather than to an increase of the number of bound molecules. Erythrocytes and ghosts exposed to continuous fluxes of H₂O₂ exhibited pronounced lipid peroxidation. Further, red blood cells subjected to this form of oxidative stress also showed increased staining with MC540. It appeared that this was caused by a strong increase in binding of MC540, together with a slight red shift of the fluorescence emission maximum and a small increase in the fluorescence yield of bound MC540. The changed MC540 binding characteristics were not observed when lipid peroxidation was suppressed by the presence of the antioxidant BHT in the incubation medium. However, open ghosts exposed to H₂O₂ showed no increase of MC540 binding, excluding a direct involvement of lipid peroxidation. Measurement of fluorescence emission spectra and gel filtration studies showed that MC540 can bind to H₂O₂-exposed hemoglobin. Experiments with erythrocytes lysed in hypotonic medium after exposure to H₂O₂ revealed that peroxidation of lipids with H₂O₂ induced a non-specific permeabilization of the plasma membrane to MC540, thereby allowing MC540 to bind to the oxidatively denatured, more hydrophobic hemoglobin. These results indicate that conclusions about packing of phospholipids in the outer leaflet of the membrane based on increased MC540-staining should be drawn with care. Received 27 September 1996; received after revision 5 November 1996; accepted 27 November 1996     

Spectrum characteristics and pump wavelengths of Nd3+-doped double-clad fiber

Conclusion The optimum wavelength of Nd³⁺-doped double-clad fiber laser or amplifier made in China is near 830 nm. The efficiency of Nd³⁺-doped double-clad fiber devices pumped by 820-nm laser is low due to ESA. In order to increase the photochemical stability of the outer cladding, the material of the outer cladding must be advanced.     

卟吩质子化过程结构变化的理论研究

用ＡＭ１ＭＯ方法计算了质子化卟吩的构型，并通过结构分析、电荷布局分析和前线轨道分析，讨论了其质子化过程的构型变化及Ｒａｍａｎ光谱变化的原因。     

Two classes of metabolites fromTheonella swinhoei are localized in distinct populations of bacterial symbionts

The marine spongeTheonella swinhoei (lithistid Family Theonellidae, Order Astrophorida) has yielded many important, bioactive natural products, most of which share structural features with bacterial natural products. The presence of microbial symbionts inT. swinhoei has been reported, and it was originally suggested that the cytotoxic macrolide swinholide A and many of the bioactive cyclic peptides fromT. swinhoei were all produced by symbiotic cyanobacteria. By transmission electron microscopy, we found four distinct cell populations to be consistently present inT. swinhoei: eukaryotic sponge cells, unicellular heterotrophic bacteria, unicellular cyanobacteria and filamentous heterotrophic bacteria. Purification and chemical analyses of each cell type showed the macrolide swinholide A to be limited to the mixed population of unicellular heterotrophic bacteria, and an anti-fungal cyclic peptide occurred only in the filamentous heterotrophic bacteria. Contrary to prior speculation, no major metabolites were located in the cyanobacteria or sponge cells.     

The prey consumption and prey preference of the larvae of the mosquitoCulex (Lutzia) raptor on the larvae ofCulex quinquefasciatus

The maximum consumption of the larvae of the pest and vector mosquitoCulex quinquefasciatus by the predatory mosquitoCulex (Lutzia) raptor was studied at various instars of both the predator and the prey. The prey preferences of the predator when given lavae of different instars were also investigated. The IVth instar of the predator consumed the maximum number of Ist instar and the maximum biomass of IVth instar larvae of the prey. Instars I and II of the predator preferred the Ist of the prey; instars III and IV of the predator preferred instars II and III of the prey respectively.The predator consumed an average of 157.1 larvae during its whole larval period, when each instar of the predator was given its preferred instar of the prey.     

矿石与材料发光光谱学

本书属于矿物物理领域，重点是矿物的发光光谱。本书使用的实验手段主要是激光激发矿物质和对其发射和散射结果进行时间分辨的探测。全书共11章。第1章简介，介绍了主要科学术语的定义以及激光诱导时间分辨技术和稳态发光等内容；第2章理论背景，解释了激发能的吸收、辐射跃迁等发光中的主要过程；第3章实验方法，描述了实验设备的主要部分;     

气体水合物研究进展

本书是2003年春季美国化学工程协会召开的“气体水合物讨论会”的论文集，共收录16篇论文。气体水合物是一种非常特殊的化学组成，它是由水分子（主体分子）包裹着气体分子（客体分子）在低温高压条件下形成的一种无化学键的晶体物质。通常的气体水合物是甲烷水合物，在常温常压下，甲烷水合物中包含的甲烷气体是甲烷水化物本身的180倍。作为一种替补能源，气体水合物的研究已经越来越受到人们的重视。