U-21,963, a New Antibiotic: II. Isolation and Characterization

The isolation and characterization of antibiotic U-21,963 are discussed. This compound is a highly unsaturated monobasic acid with the molecular formula C(9)H(7)NO(3). The molecular weight is 177. It is dextrorotatory, [alpha](D) = +138 degrees , and has a pK(a) of 5.1. The ultraviolet absorption spectrum, which showed a maximum at 223 mmu (epsilon = 15,115), indicates unsaturation alpha-beta to the carboxyl group, and the infrared spectrum suggests the presence of an acetylenic group. Explosive decomposition of U-21,963 at 97 C conforms with the latter. U-21,963 is relatively insoluble in water, but readily soluble in ethyl alcohol, acetone, and halogenated hydrocarbons.     

Pulmonary gas exchange in panting dogs

Pulmonary gas exchange during panting was studied in seven conscious dogs (32 kg mean body wt) provided with a chronic tracheostomy and an exteriorized carotid artery loop. The animals were acutely exposed to moderately elevated ambient temperature (27.5 degrees C, 65% relative humidity) for 2 h. O2 and CO2 in the tracheostomy tube were continuously monitored by mass spectrometry using a special sample-hold phase-locked sampling technique. PO2 and PCO2 were determined in blood samples obtained from the carotid artery. During the exposure to heat, central body temperature remained unchanged (38.6 +/- 0.6 degrees C) while all animals rapidly switched to steady shallow panting at frequencies close to the resonant frequency of the respiratory system. During panting, the following values were measured (means +/- SD): breathing frequency, 313 +/- 19 breaths/min; tidal volume, 167 +/- 21 ml; total ventilation, 52 +/- 9 l/min; effective alveolar ventilation, 5.5 +/- 1.3 l/min; PaO2, 106.2 +/- 5.9 Torr; PaCO2, 27.2 +/- 3.9 Torr; end-tidal-arterial PO2 difference [(PE' - Pa)O2], 26.0 +/- 5.3 Torr; and arterial-end-tidal PCO2 difference, [(Pa - PE')CO2], 14.9 +/- 2.5 Torr. On the basis of the classical ideal alveolar air approach, parallel dead-space ventilation accounted for 54% of alveolar ventilation and 66% of the (PE' - Pa)O2 difference. But the steepness of the CO2 and O2 expirogram plotted against expired volume suggested a contribution of series in homogeneity due to incomplete gas mixing.     

Extraction of melodies in behavioural sequences

A method is proposed that extracts a set of phrases, or “melodies”, from a behavioural sequence, using a technique for extracting and compressing chains based on Information Theory. These melodies are validated by reference to a statistical criterion. An application of this method to the analysis of the behavioural sequences of two groups of mice, the first observed during the day, the second during the night, is described. The advantages and the limitations of the method are discussed.