Probing Atmospheric Electric Fields in Thunderstorms through Radio Emission from Cosmic-Ray-Induced Air Showers.

We present measurements of radio emission from cosmic ray air showers that took place during thunderstorms. The intensity and polarization patterns of these air showers are radically different from those measured during fair-weather conditions. With the use of a simple two-layer model for the atmospheric electric field, these patterns can be well reproduced by state-of-the-art simulation codes. This in turn provides a novel way to study atmospheric electric fields.

[Pancreatic hormone amylin and integrity of the gastric mucosa]. / Pancreakticheskii gormon amilin i tselostnost' slizistoi obolochki zheludka.

The paper presents experimental findings of some possible mechanisms of protective antiulcerous action of amyline. Amyline is the second beta-cell pancreatic hormone, which has been just recently discovered. The authors have studied the effects of amyline on gastric secretion, mast cell functions, mesenteric lymphatic microvascular contractility, i.e. on individual aggressive and protective factors of the gastric mucosa. Amyline has been found to inhibit basal acid gastric secretion and the secretion stimulated by vagal irritation. The peptide reduces the secretory activities of mast cells. Amyline given to animals increases the heparin saturation index of mast cells and decreases the degranulation index. Amyline-induced stabilization of mast cells appears to followed by the decreased release of histamine and other damaging substances. The stimulating effect of amyline on the contractile activity of mesenteric lymphatic vessels was recorded in rats. Amyline increases both the frequency and amplitude of their contractions. The increased lymph flow that is closely associated with microcirculation promotes the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Therefore, the protective antiulcerous properties of amyline reduce the action of aggressive agents on the gastric mucosa and stimulate protective ones.

[Effects of pancreatic polypeptide amylin on ulceration and acid gastric secretion]. / Vozdeistvie pankreaticheskogo polipeptida amilina na iazvoobrazovanie i kisluiu zheludochnuiu sekretsiiu.

The effects of the pancreatic polypeptide amyline on ulceration and acid gastric secretion were studied in rat experiments. Pyloric ligation was used as a model of ulceration. Amyline administration caused significantly less gastric mucosal damage in response to pyloric ligation. The severity of gastric mucosal damage averaged 47 +/- 13 mm2 in the control group and 25 +/- 11 mm2 (p < 0.005). The rate of acid gastric secretion in the animals whose pylorus had been ligated as judged by the pH of gastric content was significantly higher than that in the controls (2.87 +/- 0.22 and 2.34 +/- 0.17 (p = 0.05). It is concluded that amyline has a noticeable effect on the gastric mucosa. It is suggested that suppressed acid gastric secretion, i.e. reduced influence of aggressive agents on the gastric mucosa, is a mechanism of antiulcerative action of the peptide.