A single pre-training glucose injection induces memory facilitation in rodents performing various tasks: contribution of acidic fibroblast growth factor

Effects of a pre-training intraperitoneal glucose injection on learning and memory were tested using two tasks: passive avoidance and Morris water maze. In the former task, mice that had received glucose 2 h prior (but not 1, 3, or 5 h prior) to a trial that combined acquisition with passive avoidance of foot shock showed a significantly increased retention latency when tested 24 h later. Thus, this effect was time-dependent, and it was also found to be dose-dependent by further experiment. In contrast, 2-deoxy-D-glucose and fructose had no such effect. In the Morris water maze task, glucose injection 2 or 3 h before a block of trials enhanced the spatial memory performance of mice. These glucose-induced memory-facilitation effects were abolished by an intracerebroventricular injection of anti-acidic fibroblast growth factor antibody 30 min before the glucose injection, suggesting a critical role for endogenous acidic fibroblast growth factor in this facilitatory effect. Furthermore, continuous intracerebroventricular infusion of acidic fibroblast growth factor in rats significantly increased retention latency (when tested repeatedly on successive days using a passive avoidance task). Our earlier studies demonstrated that brain acidic fibroblast growth factor is produced in the ependymal cells of the cerebroventricular system, and is released into the cerebrospinal fluid following either a meal or a (intraperitoneal or intracerebroventricular) glucose injection. This released acidic fibroblast growth factor also diffuses into the brain parenchyma, and is taken up by neurons in the hippocampus, hypothalamus, and elsewhere in the brain some 2 h after the meal or glucose injection. These and the present findings indicate (i) that pre-training glucose injection improves memory performance, and (ii) that acidic fibroblast growth factor, especially by its action within the hippocampus, is involved in this enhancement process.     

A block-oriented RAM with half-sized DRAM cell and quasi-foldeddata-line architecture

The authors describe a block-oriented random-access memory (BORAM) based on a series-connected cell concept and a quasi-folded data-line architecture. The series-connected cell concept allows a nearly half-sized DRAM cell even when using the same fabrication process as for conventional DRAMs. The low-noise quasi-folded data-line architecture allows the data-line capacitance to be one eighth the conventional value at the minimum, or the number of cells per amplifier to be 64 times the conventional number at the maximum. In addition, this architecture provides a more relaxed layout for the READ/WRITE circuits. The operation of four series-connected cells is observed successfully through a test device which includes a voltage-to-current conversion circuit, a current-mirror amplifier, and a 0.76-μm² crown-shaped stack-capacitor (STC) cell     

Effect of Potassium Concentration on the Grain Orientation in Bismuth Sodium Potassium Titanate

Bi_0.5(Na_{1- x} K _x )_0.5TiO₃ (BNKT) bulk ceramics with a preferred <100> orientation were prepared using the reactive templated grain-growth method with platelike Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ particles as templates for BNKT. The potassium concentration ( x value) had a large effect on the degree of orientation, and highly oriented ceramics were obtained for the specimens with x = 0.10 and x = 0.15, whereas the specimen with x = 0.00 had a small degree of orientation. Increased potassium concentration from x = 0.00 to x = 0.15 decreased the grain-growth rate and changed the grain shape from irregular to cubic. These factors were responsible for the increased degree of orientation.     

Crystallographic and electrical properties of platinum film grown by chemical vapor deposition using (methylcyclopentadienyl)trimethylplatinum

Platinum thin films grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using a liquid precursor of (methylcyclopentadienyl)trimethylplatinum were characterized in terms of crystallographic nature, morphology, contaminants, and their influence on electrical properties. The lattice constant of these CVD films (3.91–3.92 Å) is smaller than that of bulk platinum. A high oxygen contaminant is observed, irrespective of the oxygen ratio during growth. A film grown at low oxygen content consists of randomly oriented micro-grains and contains a large amount of carbon contaminants. When the film is grown under oxidative conditions, it shows a 111-textured cylindrical morphology with increasing thickness. The electric resistivity is higher than the bulk standard, and it increases with decreasing oxygen ratio during the film growth. These results indicate that the carbon contaminant causes the randomly oriented micro-grains and contributes to the high residual resistivity.     

A 310 mmφ torsional type antenna for gravitational experiments at low temperature

A torsional type antenna with a diameter of 310 mm, which is the maximum size of an extruded aluminium alloy bar commercially available, is developed for gravitational experiments at low temperature. The antenna shows a very long relaxation time of an externally excited oscillation; τ = 1.78 × 10⁵s corresponding to Q = 3.30 × 10⁷ at liquid helium temperature. The decay characteristic is studied over a few relaxation periods to confirm a single exponential decay at small oscillation amplitude. An amplitude dependent loss is observed above a certain oscillation level at low temperature. The dynamic character of the antenna is studied between room temperature and liquid helium temperature.     

Synthesis and pharmacological characterization of novel 6-fluorochroman derivatives as potential 5-HT1A receptor antagonists

A series of novel 6-fluorochroman derivatives was prepared and evaluated as antagonists for the 5-HT1A receptor. N-2-[[(6-Fluorochroman-8-yl)oxy]ethyl]-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)butylami ne (3; J. Med. Chem. 1997, 40, 1252-1257) was chosen as a lead, and structural modifications were done on the aliphatic portion of the chroman ring, the tether linking the middle amine and the terminal aromatic ring, the aromatic ring, and lastly the amine. Radioligand binding assays proved that the majority of the novel compounds behaved as good to excellent ligands at the 5-HT1A receptor, some of which were selective with respect to alpha1-adrenergic and D2-dopaminergic receptors. The antagonist activity of the compounds was assessed in the forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase assays in CHO cells expressing the human 5-HT1A receptors. Among the modifications attempted, introduction of an oxo or an optically active hydroxy moiety at the chroman C-4 position was effective in ameliorating the receptor selectivity. Six analogues were selected through the in vitro screens and further evaluated for their in vivo activities. A 4-oxochroman derivative (31n), having a terminal 1, 3-benzodioxole ring, demonstrated antagonist activities toward 8-OH-DPAT-induced behavioral and electrophysiological responses in rats.     

High-frequency power transmission and selective distribution among loads by using distributed constant lines

A widely used high-frequency induction heating system usually consists of a high-frequency power source and a load circuit to be heated. Since such a system can heat only one load circuit, heating two or more loads requires that other sytems be devised. Several problems result, including the need for many power sources, switches, and high-frequency power transmission lines. To solve these problems, the authors propose a new system that can selectively supply two induction heating circuits with high-frequency power. This system is composed of a high-frequency voltage-type inverter, a parallel resonant load circuit, and a series resonant load circuit, which are connected in series by distributed constant lines of specific length. Analysis of the operating characteristics of the system confirms that the system can supply the loads with high-frequency power selectively and efficiently, with minimum interference between loads. The authors have compared theoretical simulation waveforms with actual waveforms observed on experimental equipment with output ratings of 1 to 2 MHz and 1 kW. As a result, experimental data agree well with theoretical data. This paper describes an operating principle and operating conditions of the system, and verifies that the theory we discuss is reasonable.     

Preferential localization of monoamine oxidase type A activity in neurons of the locus coeruleus and type B activity in neurons of the dorsal raphe nucleus of the rat: a detailed enzyme histochemical study

Using enzyme histochemistry for monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity, we have examined whether MAO type A or type B or both are localized in neurons of the locus coeruleus (LC) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) of the rat. After pretreatment with various concentrations of the MAO type A inhibitor clorgyline or the type B inhibitor deprenyl, non-fixed frozen sections of the brain were histochemically stained for MAO activity with tyramine as a common substrate for the two types. MAO activity of the stained neuron was determined by measuring optical density of the staining. Percentage inhibition of the control MAO activity was plotted against increasing concentrations of the inhibitors. MAO activity of LC neurons was inhibited by low concentrations of clorgyline with a monophasic dose-response curve but not with a biphasic curve. Higher concentrations of deprenyl were needed to inhibit of LC neurons. MAO activity of DR neurons was inhibited by low concentrations of deprenyl with a monophasic dose-response curve. Clorgyline inhibited the MAO activity of DR neurons at only higher concentrations. When the sections without inhibitor pretreatment were incubated with the type A preferential substrate serotonin, the MAO activity was strongly stained in LC neurons but very weakly in DR neurons. With the type B preferential substrate beta-phenylethylamine, the staining was intense in DR neurons while very faint in LC neurons. These findings suggest that (i) almost all the MAO activity in LC neurons is of type A, and (ii) the MAO activity in DR neurons is predominantly of type B.     

New noise rejection techniques on pulse-by-pulse basis for on-linepartial discharge measurement of turbine generators

On-line partial discharge tests for turbine generators are useful for recognizing abnormal or deteriorated stator winding insulation without a machine outage. One problem related to such a test is additional installation of sensors. We propose that wires of a resistance temperature detector (RTD) embedded in a stator slot are applied as a partial discharge sensor in the form of an RF coupler. The other problem is electrical noise that is a pulse similar to partial discharge in frequency characteristic and has higher amplitude than partial discharge. The sensors in two steam turbine generators showed enough sensitivity and broad frequency bandwidth to facilitate the elimination of noise from the partial discharge measurement. Two new techniques of noise rejection on a pulse-by-pulse basis are investigated with the multiple sensors. One is founded on the correlation between pulse height in two frequency bands. The other is based on the correlation between pulse height from the two partial discharge sensors. It was found that each noise rejection technique was successful in a trial testing