A series of bithiophene derivatives bearing an intramolecular monosilanylene or disilanylene bridge between the β,β‘-positions were synthesized, and their properties were investigated. UV spectral and cyclic voltammetric analyses of the silicon-bridged bithiophenes indicated that they have lower lying LUMOs, relative to those for bithiophene and methylene bridged bithiophenes, probably due to σ*−π* interaction between the silicon atom(s) and bithiophene π-orbitals, in good agreement with the results of theoretical calculations using simplified model compounds based on RHF/6-31G. The silicon-bridged bithiophenes exhibit high electron-transporting properties, and triple-layer-type electroluminescent (EL) devices, using the silicon-bridged bithiophenes, tris(8-quinolinolato)aluminum(III) complex (Alq), and N,N‘-diphenyl-N,N‘-di-m-tolylbiphenyl-4,4‘-diamine (TPD) as the electron-transporting, emitting, and hole-transporting layers, respectively, emitted strong EL.

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Dithienosiloles (DTSs) bearing conjugated aryl substituents on the thiophene rings (1 and 2) were prepared and their optical, electrochemical, and electron-transporting properties were investigated in comparison with those of simple DTSs having no conjugated substituents on the thiophene rings (4-6). UV absorption bands of 1 and 2 are red shifted from those of 4-6 by 40-80 nm, reflecting the expanded π-conjugation, whereas the first oxidation peaks in the cyclic voltammograms of 1 and 2 appear at potentials a little lower or almost the same energies relative to those of 4-6, depending on the nature of the substituents. The electron-transporting properties of 1 and 2 were evaluated by the performance of electroluminescent (EL) devices having vapor-deposited DTS, Alq, and TPD layers, as the electrontransport, emitter, and hole-transport, respectively. The results indicated that introduction of aryl substituents to DTSs led to inferior performance of the devices in most cases, while the device with 1c bearing trimethylsilylpyridyl substituents exhibited high efficiency of current-luminance energy conversion and emitted a green light with a maximum luminance of 16 000 cd/m 2 . A trap-controlled electron transporting model is proposed to explain their performance. OM0103254 (14)

Rat liver was perfused with Ringer solution through the portal vein by use of a perfusion system which was designed to switch from standard Ringer solution to hypertonic or hypotonic Ringer solution. Neural responses to the osmotic change in the perfusion solutions were analyzed. They showed that two different types of osmosensitive afferent fibers exist in the hepatic vagus; one is characterized by increasing the frequency of spike discharges responding to higher osmotic pressure, while the other shows the same response to lower osmotic pressure. Behavioral changes caused by hepatic vagotomy were also observed. Though no differences could be detected in routine behavior (e.g., daily intakes of food and water, body-weight increase) between the vagotomized and the sham-operated rats, the former lost the ability to adjust urine concentration immediately in response to osmotic changes in the internal environment. These results provide evidence for the hypothesis that hepatic osmoreceptors exist in the rat.

Area Postrema: The influence on feeding behavior caused by ablation of the area postrema (AP) in rodents indicates the participation of this structure in the control of ingestion. Two types of glucose responsive neurons were identified in the AP: one is characterized by increasing the discharge rate in response to glucose (glucoreceptor type) and the other by decreasing the discharge rates in response to glucose (glucose sensitive type). These glucose responsive neurons may participate in glycemic homeostasis. Nucleus of Solitary Tract:The glucose responsive neurons exist within the caudal portion of nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), a relay station in visceral afferents. Two types similar to the A P were also recognized. It is confirmed that hepatic glucose sensitive afferents terminate on some of the glucose sensitive neurons. This convergence may serve as a fail-safe mechanism. In addition, the NTS involving complex neural networks of excitatory a n d inhibitory interneurons may be concerned with integration of glycemic information. Dorsal Motor Nucleus of Vagus: Some neurons within the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) were identified as the glucose responsive ones. Both types were also recognized. It is confirmed by antidromic activation that these glucose responsive DMV neurons send their axons toward the gastric or coeliac branch that innervates either the stomach, 5):7358-7403.

Transcription factors (TFs) determine the transcription activity of target genes and play a central role in controlling the transcription in response to various environmental stresses. Three dimensional genome structures such as local loops play a fundamental role in the regulation of transcription, although the link between such structures and the regulation of TF binding to cis-regulatory elements remains to be elucidated. Here, we show that during transcriptional activation of the fission yeast fbp1 gene, binding of Rst2 (a critical C2H2 zinc-finger TF) is mediated by a local loop structure. During fbp1 activation, Rst2 is first recruited to upstream-activating sequence 1 (UAS1), then it subsequently binds to UAS2 (a critical cis-regulatory site located approximately 600 base pairs downstream of UAS1) through a loop structure that brings UAS1 and UAS2 into spatially close proximity. Tup11/12 (the Tup-family corepressors) suppress direct binding of Rst2 to UAS2, but this suppression is counteracted by the recruitment of Rst2 at UAS1 and following delivery to UAS2 through a loop structure. These data demonstrate a previously unappreciated mechanism for the recruitment and expansion of TF-DNA interactions within a promoter mediated by local three-dimensional genome structures and for timely TF-binding via counteractive regulation by the Tup-family corepressors.

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The 32-channel SQUID system described here is used for diagnosing heart disease by measuring the x and y components of the cardiac magnetic field. To detect a magnetic field parallel to the body surface, it uses a compact hybrid superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) gradiometer consisting of a planar pickup coil (fabricated using thin-film techniques) and a square double-washer dc-SQUID having large voltage-flux transfer function. The SQUIDs are operated in a flux-locked mode using simple readout circuits connected directly to the preamplifier without additional positive feedback. The system is installed in a magnetically shielded room in a hospital. A low noise characteristics lower than 10 ft/√ Hz in a white noise is obtained in the hospital. Examples of tangential magnetocardiogram (MCG) measurements presented here show that the MCG obtained using this gradiometer makes it easy to visually estimate the electrophysiological behavior of the heart.