Temperature regulation in the Balkan spadefoot ( Karaman, 1928) at the beginning of nocturnal activity.

On land, the amphibians interact with the environment in a complex way-even small changes in the physiological conditions may significantly impact the behaviour and . In ectothermic tetrapods, the transition from inactive to active phase may be related to important changes in their thermal status. We studied the thermal ecology of adult Balkan spadefoots ( Karaman, 1928) in northeastern Bulgaria.

Chemical alterations of pine wood saccharides during heat sterilisation.

Alterations in saccharides during heat sterilisation of pine wood (Pinus sylvestris L.) were investigated. The mass loss, extractives, lignin, cellulose, holocellulose and hemicelluloses were determined.

Release of terpenes from fir wood during its long-term use and in thermal treatment.

Building structures made from fir wood are often attacked by wood-destroying insects for which the terpenes it contains serve as attractants. One of the possibilities for extending the lifetime of structures is to use older wood with a lower content of terpenes and/or thermally modified wood. The study evaluated the levels of terpenes in naturally aged fir wood (108, 146, 279, 287 and 390 years) and their decrease by thermal treatment (the temperature of 60 °C and 120 °C, treatment duration of 10 h).

Influence of the lipid composition on the organization of skin lipid model mixtures: an infrared spectroscopy investigation.

The polymorphism of the lipids of the stratum corneum (SC), the top layer of the epidermis, has a fundamental impact on the permeability properties of the skin barrier. In this work, we have examined by infrared spectroscopy the thermal behavior of model mixtures involving ceramide, palmitic acid and cholesterol, the three main components of the SC lipids, to gain a refined description of the participation of the various lipid species in the different phases observed as a function of temperature. The results show that below 40 degrees C ceramide, cholesterol and palmitic acid exist mainly in crystalline domains and the lipidic species show very limited miscibility.

Participation of nitric oxide in the nicotine-induced relaxation of the cat lower esophageal sphincter.

The participation of nitric oxide in the relaxation of the cat lower esophageal sphincter muscle strip in response to electrical field stimulation or administration of nicotine was studied. The nicotine-induced relaxation was mediated via a neuronal pathway, since it was inhibited by administration of hexamethonium or tetrodotoxin. Inhibition of nitric oxide biosynthesis by N-nitro-L-arginine decreased the relaxation induced by nicotine (50 microM) or field stimulation.