Physiological functions and regulation of K+ and Cl- channels in single smooth muscle cells

Solution- and solid-state c.d. spectra, as well as surface energetics values, were collected for a series of peptides derived from human salivary proline-rich glycoprotein (PRG). The acronyms and sequences for these peptides are as follows: PRG9-2 = NH2-G(1)-P(2)-CONH2, PRG9-3 = NH2-G(1)-P(2)-P(3)-CONH2, PRG9-4 = NH2-G(1)-P(2)-P(3)-P(4)-CONH2, PRG9-5 = NH2-G(1)-P(2)-P(3)-P(4)-H(5)-CONH2, PRG9-6 = NH2-G(1)-P(2)-P(3)-P(4)-H(5)-P(6)-CONH2, PRG9-7 = NH2-G(1)-P(2)-P(3)-P(4)-H(5)-P(6)-G(7)-CONH2, PRG9-8 = NH2-G(1)-P(2)-P(3)-P(4)-H(5)-P(6)-G(7)-K(8)-CONH2, and PRG9-9 = NH2-G(1)-P(2)-P(3)-P(4)-H(5)-P(6)-G(7)-K(8)-P(9)-CONH2. The presence of stable poly-L-proline II-like 'mini' helices in the solution state was found to be dependent on peptide chain length, pH, salt, and organic solvent type. Other conformational features such as kinks and beta-/gamma-turns were also found in the larger peptides. Solid-state peptide conformations were not necessarily related to their solution-state counterparts. Poly-L-proline II-like 'mini' helices, kinks, and beta-/gamma-turns were similarly found in the various substrate-bound PRG9 peptides. Surface energetics parameters suggested specific orientations for PRG9 peptides and their constituent acids and homopolymers.     

Dural caroticocavernous fistula with both ophthalmic arteries arising from middle meningeal arteries

A 60-year-old woman presented with a dural caroticocavernous fistula (CCF) in whom both by ophthalmic arteries arose from the middle meningeal arteries instead of from the internal carotid arteries. Transarterial embolisation of the CCF was contraindicated because of the risk of blindness. Transvenous coil embolisation was therefore performed. Bilateral origin of the ophthalmic artery from the middle meningeal artery is extremely rare.     

Direct observation of time-dependent space charge profiles in XLPEcable under high electric fields

Space charge distribution was measured, applying an electric field of >1 MV/cm to 3 mm thick XLPE cable insulation. Improving the conventional pulse electro-acoustic method, a new method was developed to measure space charge when applying HV to cables. Under high field, hetero charges were formed soon after voltage application, followed by an injection from the cathode. Then intermittent injections of charge packets from the anode took place. The space charge distribution kept changing without becoming stabilized. A simulation was done assuming hysteresis of the injection characteristics. The observed intermittent injection near the anode was qualitatively reproduced using computer simulation     

High repetition rate, wide-aperture KrF lasers for subpicosecondamplification

A high repetition rate, wide-aperture KrF laser with a magnetic switch has been developed. A dynamic response and a core loss of several magnetic materials were measured, resulting in a loss as low as 0.45 J/pulse for a voltage risetime of ~100 ns. A maximum output energy of 2.5 J in 20 ns (FWHM) was obtained with a total efficiency of 2.5% at 20 Hz. The cross section of the output beam was 65×50 mm². Spectral, spatial, and temporal profiles of gain and absorption coefficients were also measured, resulting in a peak gain of 8.5%/cm. An output energy of 410 mJ was extracted in 280 fs with two beams by using this laser as an amplifier     

Development of cable fault location method using fiber optic distributed temperature sensor

When ground-fault problems occur on a cable line, immediate fault location and restoration are required. Therefore, various new methods to locate the fault point instantaneously have been investigated to replace such conventional methods as the Murray loop method and the pulse radar method [1]. These methods require a long time to locate the fault point. One possible fault location method is to sense the temperature rise following a ground fault using a fiber optic distributed temperature sensor. Application of this method was found feasible through sensing the temperature rise at a ground-fault test using a thermocouple as a temperature sensor with test cables [4]. A power/optical composite cable was prepared experimentally and after verifying its thermal mechanical performance, the temperature rise at an incidence of a fault was determined and the anticipated performance was demonstrated in a ground-fault test. This article describes the outline of the test.     

Model analysis of enzyme monolayer- and bilayer-modified electrodes: the steady-state response.

The steady-state sensor responses of enzyme monolayer- and heterobilayer-modified electrodes were theoretically analyzed with a simple model. Parameters used here are the surface coverage and rate constants of the enzyme, the concentrations and diffusion coefficients of the substrate and mediator, the rate constant of the electrode process, the thickness of the diffusion layer, and the distance between the enzyme and electrode. The sensor response was divided into three factors; the efficiencies of substrate and mediator supply to the enzyme, the enzyme/electrode charge-transfer efficiency, and the potential rate of enzymatic reaction where the supply efficiencies are unity. Contributions of the parameters to these factors or the total sensor response are described by simple formulas. The experimental observations are successfully interpreted in terms of these theoretical results.     

Coherence-Based 3-D and Spectral Imaging and Laser-Scanning Microscopy

The basics of three-dimensional (3-D) and spectral imaging techniques that are based on the detection of coherence functions and other related techniques are reviewed. The principle of the 3-D source retrieval is based on understanding the propagation law of optical random field through the free space. The 3-D and spectral information are retrieved from the cross-spectral density function of optical random field or numerical calculation of the inverse propagation of the cross-spectral density. We will first introduce the coherence-based spectral tomography techniques with low-coherence light sources. These techniques limit their scheme of coherence detection only along the optical axis and some of them achieve simultaneously the high resolution and high speed of detection taking advantage of an imaging lens. We then provided explanations of the principle of 3-D source retrieval that is based on the propagation law of optical random field through the free space along with the introduction of the numerical holography and computed tomography techniques. We will lastly show 3-D spectral imaging schemes with the concurrent laser-scanning cross-sectioning techniques: one is the confocal laser scanning microscopy and the other is the two-photon laser-scanning fluorescence microscopy.     

Temperature Dependence of the Raman Spectrum in Lithium Oxide Single Crystal

Temperature dependence of the Raman spectrum of lithium oxide single crystal has been measured over a temperature range of 80 to 1073 K. The frequency shift and the line width of the Raman spectrum in lithium oxide were about 531 and 4.5 cm^-1 at 80 K, respectively. At 1073 K, the frequency shift and the line width attained the values of 464 and 112 cm^-1, respectively. The strong temperature dependence of the frequency shift and line width was compared with data from some crystals with a fluorite structure.     

REM sleep deprivation potentiates the effects of imipramine and desipramine but not that of clomipramine in the forced swimming test

The human amnestic syndrome associated with lesions of the hippocampus and amygdala is characterized by a selective impairment of recent (explicit, episodic) memory. Benzodiazepine (BZ) treated normal subjects demonstrate similar, marked impairments in episodic memory, but in addition, BZ also induces sedation and inattention. Thus, the amnestic effects of BZ may be secondary to drug-induced sedation. However, when subjects were pretreated with the specific BZ receptor antagonist, flumazenil, the sedative and attentional effects of diazepam were blocked, but a marked impairment in episodic memory still occurred. This demonstrates that, using neuropharmacological methods, it is possible to produce a dissociation of memory impairment from inattention and sedation. Such distinct patterns of cognitive dysfunction may serve as models for clinical cognitive syndromes.