Effect of feedback from peripheral movements on neuron activity in the aplysia abdominal ganglion

We have made reasonably comprehensive measurements of action potential activity in the Aplysia californica abdominal ganglion to determine the amount of feedback the central nervous system (CNS) receives from a movement which it initiates. Voltage-sensitive dye measurements of action potential activity of cells in the ganglion were made during the gill-withdrawal reflex elicited by siphon stimulation. We compared recordings in two situations which differed dramatically in the amount the gill moved. In the control sea water, the gill withdrawal was normal; in low-Ca2+, high-Mg2+ sea water, the gill movement was blocked. Both the timing and the number of spikes of the individual neurons were similar in the two situations. Histograms of the summed spike activity versus time and histograms of the number of active neurons versus time in the two conditions were also similar. Finally, two numerical measures of trial-to-trial differences, a paired t-test and a measure we named fractional similarity, did not indicate larger differences between two trials in the different sea waters than two trials in the same sea water. Feedback from sensory neurons activated by the gill movement itself does not make a large contribution to the spike activity in the abdominal ganglion. Apparently the Aplysia CNS issues the command for the withdrawal and does not make adjustments for the magnitude of the actual withdrawal. It may not even receive the information necessary for such adjustments to be made. A second motivation for these experiments was to test whether removing the feedback might simplify the neuronal activity that occurs during the gill-withdrawal reflex. This did not occur.     

固载杂多酸催化剂气相催化合成乙酸丁酯的研究

在气固相反应体系中研究了酸处理膨润士固载的具有 Keggin结构的四种杂多酸在乙酸丁酯合成中的催化性能。实验结果表明 :同一载体负载不同杂多酸催化活性相似 ;不同载体负载的同一种杂多酸的催化活性与催化剂的表面酸性呈顺变关系。同时考察了反应温度 ,空速 ,酸 /醇比对催化活性的影响。在酸 /醇比为 1 ,温度为 1 2 0℃ ,空速为 3～ 5h- 1时 ,正丁醇和乙酸有较高的转化率 ,选择性接近 1 0 0 %。     

Numerical simulation and error analysis for thermal diffusivity measurements using laser-induced thermal grating technique

The laser-induced thermal grating technique has been used to determine the thermal diffusivity of liquids and liquid mixtures. But the dynamic behaviour of the transient thermal grating has not yet been thoroughly investigated, and the systematic errors, which result from the departures from one-dimensional heat conduction, have scarcely been studied quantitatively. In this paper. a three-dimensional numerical simulation and results of the transient thermal grating technique are presented, which enable a good understanding of the dynamic behaviour of the transient thermal grating. The results of this simulation are important for the proper design of the experimental setup to keep the systematic errors for the diffusivity measurement small. Based on the simulation method, the systematic errors were analyzed quantitatively. Here, the following effects were studied: (I) sample thickness, (2) intersection angle, (3) absorption, (4) Gaussian beam intensity distribution and focusing of heating laser beam, and (5) heating pulse duration and laser power. This error analysis makes it possible to specify the criteria for optimum measuring conditions, to correct the measured thermal-diffusivity values for systematic errors, and to estimate the accuracy of the measurements.     

An infrared spectroscopic study of the mechanism of chloromethane conversion to higher hydrocarbons on HZSM5 catalyst

Investigation of the reaction mechanism of chloromethane on ZSM5 is a new topic. In this work an in situ FTIR technique was employed to study the conversion processes of chloromethane, the active sites on HZSM5, and the desorption state of surface species. The catalytic conversion of chloromethane to higher hydrocarbons was also studied. It is demonstrated that chloromethane can be reversibly adsorbed on acidic sites of HZSM5 at room temperature. At 100°C chloromethane is irreversibly and dissociatively adsorbed on the strong acidic sites of HZSM5, on which surface methoxyl is formed as proved by infrared characteristic C-H stretchings of-CH₃ at 2960 and 2870 cm^–1. Alkoxyls are produced and adsorbed on the catalyst surface as characterized by the infrared absorption bands of -CH₂-groups at 1460 and 2930 cm^–1. At 100°C the adsorbed methoxyl and alkoxyls are the main surface species, and a small amount of aromatics might exist as detected by a characteristic absorption band at 1510 cm^–1. Between 100 and 200°C the adsorbed surface methoxyl and alkoxyls are converted to aromatics, and the occupied OH groups partially appear. At temperature higher than 300°C the adsorbed aromatics are thermally desorbed into the gas phase. Aromatics and alkanes are the main products in catalytic conversion. These results reveal that the formation of aromatics from methoxyl and alkoxyls is easier than the desorption of aromatics from HZSM5 catalyst. An alkoxyl mechanism is proposed for the conversion of chloromethane on HZSM5 based upon the experimental results and the three assumptions: (a) The primary C-C bond is formed from surface methoxyl groups via the methoxyl group polarization and C-H bond weakening, (b) The adsorbed alkoxyls are converted to aromatics via hydrogen transfer and bond rearrangement similar to the conventional carbenium ion mechanism for the aromatization of olefins and alkanes on HZSM5. The hydrogen atoms from the aromatization stimulate the desorption of alkoxyls to alkanes. (c) At temperature higher than 300°C surface reactions and desorption of adsorbed species take place simultaneously, determining the product distribution in the catalytic conversion.     

IBM—PC系列机中的定时功能

本文介绍 IBM-PC 系列机中的定时信息。进而介绍利用这些信息实现各类长、短定时间隔的编程技巧,并以实例说明之。     

残余应力对55SiMnVB弹簧钢疲劳性能的影响

研究了５５ＳｉＭｎＶＢ弹簧钢板疲劳断口特征及裂扩展过程。结果表明，喷丸强化在表层产生的残余压应力可明显提高疲劳抗力，增强裂纹闭合效应，降低裂纹扩展速度。     

Invasive group A streptococcal disease in Taiwan is not associated with the presence of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin genes

We reviewed the clinical features of 44 patients with invasive group A streptococcal (GAS) disease who were treated at two teaching hospitals in southern Taiwan from 1991 to 1994. Genes encoding streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin types A (speA), B (speB), C (speC), and F (speF) and serotypes of M1, M6, and M12 were determined by polymerase chain reaction to target specific sequences in the 44 isolates recovered from these patients and in 28 isolates recovered from upper respiratory sites in 28 additional patients during the study period. The protease activity of these isolates was tested by using the casein plate method. Of the 44 patients with invasive diseases, 25 (57%) had no obvious underlying diseases, and 14 (32%) had preexisting neoplastic diseases or had previously used steroids. Twenty-five patients (57%) presented with cellulitis or necrotizing fasciitis, 24 (55%) had bacteremia, and eight (18%) had streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS). Eight patients (18%) died of invasive GAS disease; seven had STSS, and seven had underlying diseases. All eight patients died within 48 hours after hospitalization. The presence of speA, speC, or speF was not implicated in any particular clinical syndrome in patients with invasive GAS disease. High-level protease activity and the M1 serotype of the isolates were significantly associated with the clinical signs of STSS and with mortality. M1 serotype and protease activity, as well as host immune status, might play significant roles in the pathogenesis of invasive GAS disease in Taiwan.     

ST/b and DBA/2 mice differ in brain alpha-bungarotoxin binding and alpha 7 nicotinic receptor subunit mRNA levels: a quantitative autoradiographic analysis

Inbred mouse strains vary in sensitivity to a number of behavioral and physiological effects produced by nicotine. Differences in sensitivity to nicotine are correlated with variance in the number of brain nicotinic receptors as measured in regionally dissected brain tissue. The studies reported here used quantitative autoradiography and in-situ hybridization methods to measure regional levels of alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha BTX) binding and alpha 7 mRNA levels. Two inbred mouse strains, ST/b and DBA/2, were compared because these strains differ maximally in sensitivity to nicotine-induced seizures and in alpha BTX binding measured in regional brain homogenates. The binding of alpha BTX was significantly greater in the St/b strain in 42 of 127 brain regions that were analyzed, and a trend towards increased binding was seen in many additional brain regions. The most consistent strain differences were found in hippocampal, thalamic and pontine nuclei. Strain differences in alpha 7 mRNA levels were also detected, but these were not as widespread as were the alpha BTX binding differences. The alpha 7 mRNA levels were significantly correlated with alpha BTX binding in both mouse strains which suggests that the strain differences in binding are related, in part, to the levels of alpha 7 mRNA.