Reactivation of contraction in detergent-lysed teleost retinal cones.

Teleost retinal cones contract in the light and elongate in the dark. In the green sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus, the necklike myoid region of the cone contracts from as much as 120 micrometers (midnight dark-adapted) to 6 micrometers in fully light-adapted state. When dark-adapted fish are exposed to light (1.4 lux), cone myoids contract with a linear rate of 1.5 +/- 0.1 micrometers/min. We report here that detergent-lysed motile models of teleost retinal cones exhibit calcium- and ATP-dependent reactivated contraction, with morphology and rate comparable to that observed in vivo. For reactivation studies isolated dark-adapted retinas were lysed with nonionic detergent Brij-58 (0.1-1.0%). In reactivation medium containing 10(-5) M free calcium and 4 mM ATP, the lysed cones contracted with normal morphology at in vivo rates (1.4 +/- 1 micrometer/min). Little contraction was observed if ATP or detergent was deleted from the medium or if free calcium levels were less than 10(-8) M. Ultrastructural examination of cone models lysed with 1% Brij-58 revealed that, in spite of extensive extraction of the cytoplasmic matrix, cytoskeletal components (thin filaments, intermediate filaments, microtubules) were still present. Thus we have produced extensively extracted motile models of teleost retinal cones which undergo calcium- and ATP-dependent reactivated contraction with normal morphology at physiological rate

Induction of dark-adaptive retinomotor movement (cell elongation) in teleost retinal cones by cyclic adenosine 3,5-monophosphate.

In the teleost retina, the photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) undergo extensive movements (called retinomotor movements) in response to changes in light conditions and to an endogenous circadian rhythm. Photoreceptor movements serve to reposition the light-receptive outer segments and are effected by changes in inner segment length. Melanin granule movements within the RPE cells provide a movable melanin screen for rod outer segments. In the dark (night), cones elongate, rods contract, and pigment granules aggregate to the base of the RPE cell; in the light (day), these movements are reversed. We report here that treatments that elevate cytoplasmic cyclic adenosine 3,5-monophosphate (cAMP) provoke retinomotor movements characteristic of nighttime dark adaptation, even in bright light at midday. To illustrate this response, we present a quantitative description of the effects of cyclic nucleotides on cone length in the green sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus. Cone elongation is induced when light-adapted retinas are exposed to exogenous cAMP analogues accompanied by phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors (either by intraocular injection or in retinal organ culture). Cone movements is not affected by cyclic GMP analogies. Dose-response studies indicate that the extent, but not the rate, of cone elongation is proportional to the concentration of exogenous cAMP and analogue presented. As has been reported for other species, we find that levels of cAMP are significantly higher in dark- than in light-adapted green sunfish retinas. On the basis of these observations, we suggest that cAMP plays a role in the light and circadian regulation of teleost cone length

QICS work package 1: migration and trapping of CO2 from a reservoir to the seabed or land surface

Natural CO2 seeps can be used as analogues for studies into surface flux and impact resulting from leaking engineered geological CO2 reservoirs. However their long-lived nature often means that the local environment has either adapted or evolvedaround the seepage site. The ‘Quantifying Impact of carbon storage’ (QICS) experiment provides the solution to this issue by releasing CO2 into an environment previously untouched by CO2. Work Package 1 (WP1) of the QICS project is primarily concerned with the migration of CO2 in the subsurface and how to relate the results of the relatively shallow experiment to a full storage scale setting in the UK North Sea. The main objectives of WP1 are to investigate potential leakage pathways from the reservoir to the surface, determine possible leakage rates and assess the potential volumes of leaked CO2 that can reach the surface environment

Volumetric pattern analysis of airborne antennas

By blending together the roll and elevation plane high frequency solutions, a very efficient technique was developed for the volumetric pattern analysis of antennas mounted on the fuselage of a generalized aircraft. The fuselage is simulated by an infinitely long, perfectly conducting, elliptic cylinder in cross-section and a composite elliptic cylinder in profile. The wings, nose section, stabilizers, and landing gear doors may be modeled by finite flat or bent plates. Good agreement with accurate scale model measurements was obtained for a variety of airborne antenna problems

A comparison of medetomidine and its active enantiomer dexmedetomidine when administered with ketamine in mice

Medetomidine-ketamine (MK) and dexmedetomidine-ketamine (DK) are widely used to provide general anaesthesia in laboratory animals, but have not been compared directly in many of these species, including rodents. This study aimed to compare the onset and depth of anaesthesia, and changes in vital signs, after intraperitoneal (IP) or subcutaneous (SC) administration of ketamine (75 mg kg-1) combined with medetomidine (1 mg kg-1) or dexmedetomidine (0.5 mg kg-1) using a randomised semi-crossover design with >= 48 hours between treatments in 10 male and 10 female mice. Each mouse was anaesthetised twice using the same administration route (IP or SC): once with each drug-ketamine combination. Anaesthetised mice were monitored on a heating pad without supplemental oxygen for 89 minutes; atipamezole was administered for reversal. The times that the righting reflex was lost post-injection and returned post-reversal were analysed using general linear models. Tail-pinch and pedal reflexes were examined using binomial generalized linear models. Pulse rate (PR), respiratory rate (fr), and arterial haemoglobin saturation (SpO2) were compared using generalized additive mixed models. There were no significant differences among treatments for the times taken for loss and return of the righting reflex, or response of the tail-pinch reflex. The pedal withdrawal reflex was abolished more frequently with MK than DK over time (P = 0.021). The response of PR and SpO2 were similar among treatments, but fr was significantly higher with MK than DK (P <= 0.0005). Markedly low SpO2 concentrations occurred within 5 minutes post-injection (83.8 +/- 6.7 %) in all treatment groups and were most severe after 89 minutes lapsed (66.7 +/- 7.5 %). No statistical differences were detected in regards to administration route (P <= 0.94). This study failed to demonstrate clinical advantages of the enantiomer dexmedetomidine over medetomidine when combined with ketamine to produce general anaesthesia in mice. At the doses administered, deep surgical anaesthesia was not consistently produced with either combination; therefore, anaesthetic depth must be assessed before performing surgical procedures. Supplemental oxygen should always be provided during anaesthesia to prevent hypoxaemia

EC62-130 Chemicals that Control Weeds

EXTENSION CIRCULAR 62-130: This circular is about different chemicals that control weeds. It is set up as a fold-out chart of multiple types of weeds and their herbicides

Hedging and Financial Fragilities in Fixed Exchange Rate Regimes.

Currency crises that coincide with banking crises tend to share four elements. First, governments provide guarantees to domestic and foreign bank creditors. Second, banks do not hedge their exchange rate risk. Third, there is a lending boom before the crises. Finally, when the currency/banking collapse occurs interest rates rise and there is a persistent decline in output. This paper proposes an explanation for these regularities.BANKS ; EXCHANGE RATE ; FINANCIAL MARKET

Multiple Sample Cryostat for the Determination of Superconductor Properties

Cryostats which are currently used to characterize the properties of superconductors between 4 K and 100 K are primarily single sample devices. The purpose of this paper is to present an instrument design which can hold up to five (5) one cm. diameter samples at a stable temperature (+ /-0.1K) within the above range specified while measurements of the sample properties are made

Magnetic shielding of long paraboloid structures in the inhomogeneous magnetic field

Abstract: Shielding efficacy of the high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnetic shields depends on the superconductor properties and on the orientation of the external magnetic field. For precise magnetic field measurements in areas with changing direction of magnetic noise it is important to reduce both the parallel and perpendicular components of the magnetic field. We have designed and fabricated magnetic shields of 25 cm long paraboloid shape with closed sides from second-generation HTS tapes. We have characterized HTS shields in DC and variable frequency AC magnetic fields at 77 K above a copper electromagnet acting as the source of inhomogeneous magnetic noise. The HTS magnetic shields reduce the magnetic field noise penetration and enhance the sensitivity of magnetic field sensors. The measurements were performed with the magnetic shield placed between the noise source and the sensor. 2D finite element analysis using Comsol model was generated and the results were compared with the experimental data of magnetic field dependences of the shielding factor (SF)