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L Farnell

Publications and source records attributed to L Farnell.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Quantal transmission at purinergic synapses: stochastic interaction between ATP and its receptors.

Monte Carlo methods are used to analyze the stochastic interaction between ATP, released in a packet at a bouton, and the underlying patch of purinoceptors. The time-course of the average quantal current recorded with an intracellular electrode in the peripheral and central nervous systems is reconstructed, given the geometry of the synapse and the known kinetics of ATP action. This leads to certain restrictions on the possible numbers of ATP molecules in a quantum and the density of purinoceptors at the synapses. The addition of an ectoenzyme into the synaptic cleft with the known kinetics of ATPase gives rise to a quantal current of appropriate time-course if the number of ATP molecules in a quantum is increased over that in the absence of the ATPase. The stochastic variability in the quantal current is less than 0.1 for a given size quantum.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1995

Quantal transmission at purinergic junctions: stochastic interaction between ATP and its receptors.

The time course of most quantal currents recorded with a small diameter electrode placed over visualized varicosities of sympathetic nerve terminals that secrete ATP was determined: these had a time to reach 90% of peak of 1.3-1.8 ms and a time constant of decay of 12-18 ms; they were unaffected by blocking ectoenzymes or the uptake of adenosine. Monte Carlo methods were used to analyze the stochastic interaction between ATP, released in a packet from a varicosity, and the underlying patch of purinoceptors, to reconstitute the time course of the quantal current. This leads to certain restrictions on the possible number of ATP molecules in a quantum (about 1000) and the density of purinoceptors at the junctions (about 1000 microns-1), given the known geometry of the junction and the kinetics of ATP action. The observed quantal current has a relatively small variability (coefficient of variation < 0.1), and this stochastic property is reproduced for a given quantum of ATP. Potentiation effects (of about 12%) occur if two quanta are released from the same varicosity because the receptor patch is not saturated even by the release of two quanta. The simulations show that quantal currents have a characteristically distinct shape for varicosities with different junctional cleft widths (50-200 nm). Finally, incorporation of an ectoenzyme with the known kinetics of ATPase into the junctional cleft allows for a quantal current of the observed time course, provided the number of ATP molecules in a quantum is increased over the number in the absence of the ATPase.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1994

MULTICOMP: a program for preparing sequence data for phylogenetic analysis.

MULTICOMP is a program that assists in the phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences. It streamlines sequence handling and analysis. Input is from either individual sequence files or a file of aligned sequences. It produces data on variation at DNA and amino acid sequence level and can also convert sequences to data formats suitable for PHYLIP, PAUP and MacClade phylogenetic inference programs. Further, two tree-building programs, NEIGHBOR and DNAPARS, of PHYLIP can be directly run from within it. MULTICOMP performs Sawyer's algorithm for detection of gene conversion. The program facilitates analysis using only part of the data of a data set or using two or more combined data sets.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1975

Conformation of histamine derivatives. 5. Molecular orbital calculation of the H1-receptor "essential" conformation of histamine.

Conformational energies of histamine and 4-methylhistamine monocations are calculated using the EHT molecular orbital procedure; the results are expressed as potential energy surfaces in which bond rotations (theta1 for ring-Cbeta, theta2 for Cbeta-Calpha) are measured along the axes, and energy variation is indicated by contours. Using the classical Boltzmann partition function and Simpson's rule for normalization, corresponding probability surfaces are generated which take account of the potential surface entropy. Comparing the two surfaces provides regions which are within a given probability contour of histamine but outside this contour for 4-methylhistamine. Thus, at the 99% probability level, three conformational regions defined by the bond rotation angles are indicated as possible "H1-essential" conformations of histamine: viz. trans (theta1=290-330 degrees, theta2=150-210 degrees) and gauche (theta1=260-280 degrees, theta2=30-90 degrees and theta1=290-320 degrees, theta2=270-320 degrees). This procedure provides a quantitative basis for comparison with other histamine derivatives and may have a general value for studying relationships between conformation and biological activity of closely related small molecules.

Energy Transfer↗