Heart rate variability: two eras of investigation

Changes in membrane potential are a regulatory signal for voltage-gated ion channels including the family of Ca2+ channels. This regulatory role includes the voltage-dependent opening, closing, and inactivation of ion channels and the control of drug access and affinity for discrete channels states. Membrane potential is both a short- and long-term regulatory signal controlling the number and function of these voltage-gated channels. Depolarization of neuronal and neurosecretory cells produces down-regulation of L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. These processes are described and their relevance to physiologic and pathologic processes of neuronal development and neuroprotection are indicated.     

Physiological response of Lactobacillus plantarum to salt and nonelectrolyte stress

In this report, we compared the effects on the growth of Lactobacillus plantarum of raising the medium molarity by high concentrations of KCl or NaCl and iso-osmotic concentrations of nonionic compounds. Analysis of cellular extracts for organic constituents by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that salt-stressed cells do not contain detectable amounts of organic osmolytes, whereas sugar-stressed cells contain sugar (and some sugar-derived) compounds. The cytoplasmic concentrations of lactose and sucrose in growing cells are always similar to the concentrations in the medium. By using the activity of the glycine betaine transport system as a measure of hyperosmotic conditions, we show that, in contrast to KCl and NaCl, high concentrations of sugars (lactose or sucrose) impose only a transient osmotic stress because external and internal sugars equilibrate after some time. Analysis of lactose (and sucrose) uptake also indicates that the corresponding transport systems are neither significantly induced nor activated directly by hyperosmotic conditions. The systems operate by facilitated diffusion and have very high apparent affinity constants for transport (>50 mM for lactose), which explains why low sugar concentrations do not protect against hyperosmotic conditions. We conclude that the more severe growth inhibition by salt stress than by equiosmolal concentrations of sugars reflects the inability of the cells to accumulate K+ (or Na+) to levels high enough to restore turgor as well as deleterious effects of the electrolytes intracellularly.     

The hydrogenation of toluene over nickel loaded Y zeolites

The catalytic activities of a range of hydrogen reduced nickel Y zeolites for the hydrogenation of toluene were measured and correlated with the following catalytic parameters: reaction temperature; reaction time; coke deposition. The role of the alkali metal co-cation (Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺ or Cs⁺) in influencing the overall hydrogenation activity of the supported nickel metal was probed. The effect of poisoning the surface Bronsted acidity by the adsorption of ammonia is discussed. For comparative purposes, data on the hydrogenation of benzene over the same catalysts are included.     

Liquid phase hydrodechlorination of chlorophenols over Pd/C and Pd/Al2O3: a consideration of HCl/catalyst interactions and solution pH effects

The liquid phase hydrodechlorination (HDC) of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) has been studied over 1% (w/w) Pd/C and Pd/Al₂O₃ under conditions of minimal mass transport constraints. The HDC of 2,4-DCP generated HCl and 2-CP as the only intermediate partially dechlorinated product which reacts further to yield phenol; cyclohexanone was formed over Pd/Al₂O₃, but not over Pd/C, prior to complete dechlorination. Pd/Al₂O₃ is characterized (on the basis of TEM analysis) by a narrow distribution of smaller Pd particles to give a surface area weighted mean particle DIAMETER = 2.4 nm that is appreciably lower than the value of 13.2 nm established for Pd/C, where the latter is characterized by a broader distribution of larger (spherical) particles. The addition of NaOH served to increase fractional dechlorination by suppressing HDC inhibition due to the HCl that is generated. Reuse of the catalysts revealed an appreciable deactivation of Pd/C and a limited loss of activity in the case of Pd/Al₂O₃. Deactivation of Pd/C can be linked to a decrease (up to ca. 60%) in the initial BET surface area allied to appreciable leaching (up to ca. 40%) of the starting Pd content through the corrosive action of HCl and, while the average Pd diameter is essentially unaffected, there is evidence of a preferred leaching of larger Pd particles. The stronger metal/support interactions prevalent in Pd/Al₂O₃ results in limited Pd leaching and comparable initial HDC activities during catalyst reuse with/without NaOH addition. Inclusion of HCl in the reaction mixture (pH 5–1.5) resulted in a marked decline in the initial HDC rate associated with Pd/Al₂O₃ and a lesser drop in HDC activity for Pd/C. The difference in response to bulk solution pH variations are discussed in terms of the nature of the reactive species in solution and the amphoteric behavior of the Pd supports.     

Production of human normal adult and fetal hemoglobins in Escherichia coli

A hemoglobin expression system in Escherichia coli is described. In order to produce authentic human hemoglobin, we need to co-express both methionine aminopeptidase and globin genes under the control of a strong promoter. We have constructed three plasmids, pHE2, pHE4 and pHE7, for the expression of human normal adult hemoglobin and a plasmid, pHE9, for the expression of human fetal hemoglobin, in high yields. The globin genes can be derived from either synthetic genes or human globin cDNAs. The extra amino-terminal methionine residues of the expressed globins can be removed by the co-expressed methionine aminopeptidase. The heme is inserted correctly into the expressed alpha- globin from our expression plasmids. A fraction (approximately 25%) of the heme is not inserted correctly into the expressed beta- or gamma- globin. However, the incorrectly inserted hemes can be converted into the correct conformation by carrying out a simple oxidation-reduction process on the purified hemoglobin molecule. We have investigated the functional properties of the expressed hemoglobins by measuring their oxygen-binding properties and their structural features by obtaining their 1H-NMR spectra. Our results show that authentic human normal adult and fetal hemoglobins can be produced from our expression plasmids in E. coli and in high yields. Our expression system allows us to design and to produce any recombinant hemoglobins needed for our research on the structure-function relationship in hemoglobin.      

Gas-phase hydrodechlorination of pentachlorophenol over supported nickel catalysts

The gas-phase hydrodechlorination of pentachlorophenol (PCP) over nickel/silica and nickel/Y zeolite catalysts at 573 K has been studied. Each catalyst was 100% selective in cleaving the C–Cl bonds, leaving the hydroxyl substituent and benzene ring intact. The variation of catalytic activity and selectivity (in terms of partial and full dechlorination) with time-on-stream is illustrated and catalyst deactivation is addressed. Dechlorination efficiency is quantified in terms of dechlorination rate constants, phenol selectivity/yield and the ultimate partitioning of chlorine in the parent organic and product inorganic host. Increasing the nickel loading on silica was found to raise the overall level of dechlorination while the use of a zeolite support introduced spatial constraints that severely limited the extent of dechlorination. Product composition was largely determined by steric effects where resonance stabilisation had little effect. The reaction pathways, with associated pseudo-first-order rate constants, are also presented. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of concentrate feeding pattern in a grass silage/concentrate beef finishing system on performance, selected carcass and meat quality characteristics

Steers were offered grass silage ad libitum and 6.4 kg concentrates daily for 126 days or silage ad libitum for 35 days, followed by concentrates ad libitum (Experiment 1). Steers were offered grass silage ad libitum and 6 kg concentrates daily for 154 days, concentrates ad libitum or grass silage ad libitum for 112 days followed by concentrates ad libitum (Experiment 2). All treatments received the same total concentrate allowance. In Experiment 1, there was no difference in any measurement of meat quality. In Experiment 2, ad libitum concentrate feeding per se, decreased redness and increased shear force of muscle at 2 days post-mortem. Delaying concentrate feeding decreased fat yellowness, decreased shear force at 7 and 14 days post-mortem and increased muscle redness at 14 days post-mortem. Modifications of the beef production system examined had minor effects on beef quality which are unlikely to be of commercial significance.