Pulmonary control systems in exercise: update

We examined recent ideas and findings concerned with the regulation of ventilation and gas transport in moderate and heavy exercise. The primary mediation of exercise hyperpnea remains unknown and highly controversial, but two unique approaches to the problem have advanced our understanding of this neurohumoral regulatory scheme. On the one hand, experimental separation of the pulmonary and systemic circulations was used to reveal a vagally mediated ventilatory response that is clearly attributable to CO2 flow to the lung. This mechanism seems to be most effective as a homeostatic regulator of ventilatory control near resting levels of metabolic rate. On the other hand, a descending neurogenic drive to hyperpnea from the locomotor regions of the central nervous system was also demonstrated experimentally. The importance of regulatory feedback by conventional chemoreceptors in determining the precision of the hyperpneic response was emphasized in explaining the wide spectrum of arterial acid-base regulation during exercise in humans and non-human species. Two commonly accepted homeostatic regulators believed to be operative during heavy exercise were questioned, i.e., the compensatory hyperventilatory response and the maintenance of arterial oxygenation. For example, the hyperventilatory response was shown not to require metabolic acidosis; hyperventilation was not always observed at high work rates despite an abundance of chemical stimuli; and arterial hypoxemia occurred at very high metabolic rates in a significant number of highly fit athletes. These data implied that the capabilities of some aspects of even the healthy pulmonary system may be approached-or even exceeded-during heavy exercise.     

The ligand-to-metal charge transfer excited state of [Re(dmpe)3]2+

Photosynthesis Research - The ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) transitions of [Re(dmpe)3]2+ (dmpe?=?bis-1,2-(dimethylphosphino)ethane) were interrogated using UV/Vis absorbance...     

Spectroscopic investigations of peptide 401 from bee venom

The circular dichroism (CD) and ¹H-nmr properties of peptide 401, a bee venom component with 22 amino acid residues and two disulfide bridges, have been studied under a variety of conditions and compared with those of the structurally related octadecapeptide apamin. The major component of the relatively intense CD signal in the 200–230-nm region in both cases probably arises from the rigid asymmetric ring structures of the disulfide bridges. CD spectra are practically unaffected by pH (in the region 1–7), solvent (water, trifluoroethanol, dioxane/water mixtures), concentration of peptide, or additions of salt (guanidinium chloride, KCl). Temperature changes (in the range 20–59°C) have only a modest influence. For both apamin and peptide 401, reduction of the two disulfide bridges results in a dramatic change of the CD spectrum, which acquires the characteristic form of a random coil. Preliminary ¹H-nmr data are presented for both the reduced and the oxidized form. Several resonance peaks could be assigned on the basis of the theoretical random-coil spectrum. In the oxidized forms, six slowly exchangeable amide protons could be found in a spectrum taken at low pH, which are ascribed to intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Each of the four protons of the two histidine residues of peptide 401 appears as two distinct resonance peaks in the oxidized form but not in the reduced form. This is interpreted as arising from conformational heterogeneity of peptide 401.     

Ichthyoplankton entrainment

A 12-month study was carried out to quantify the numbers of fish eggs and larvae taken into Fawley Power Station on Southampton Water. Fourteen species of fish and the eggs of four species were identified. Estimates are given of the total annual entrainment in immediate numbers and adult equivalents. Findings of previous studies are confirmed showing a diurnal effect and that a degree of avoidance of entrainment by larvae is possible. It is concluded that entrainment of early life stages by Fawley Power Station does not significantly adversely affect local fish populations.     

Integration host factor and conjugative transfer of the antibiotic resistance plasmid R100.

Transfer of plasmid R100-1 was reduced 100-fold in the absence of integration host factor.