bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Enhanced inhibition of L‐type calcium currents by troglitazone in streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rat cardiac ventricular myocytes
Authors: Arikawa Masaya , Takahashi Naohiko , Kira Tetsuya , Hara Masahide , Saikawa Tetsunori , Sakata Toshiie 
Published: July 2002

Troglitazone, an insulin‐sensitizing agent shown to improve cardiac function in both experimental animals and patients with diabetes, inhibits voltage‐dependent L‐type Ca2+ currents (ICa,L) in cardiac myocytes, which may underlie its cardioprotective effects. However, inhibition by troglitazone of ICa,L in diabetic cardiac myocytes has not been characterized.
Using whole‐cell voltage‐clamp techniques, ICa,L was measured in ventricular myocytes isolated from 4–6 weeks streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetic rats and age‐matched control rats.
Under control conditions with CsCl internal solution, diabetic myocytes did not differ from control myocytes in membrane capacitance, current density or voltage‐dependent properties of ICa,L.
Troglitazone decreased amplitude of ICa,L in both control and diabetic myocytes in a concentration‐dependent manner. This inhibition was more potent in diabetic than in control myocytes; half‐maximum inhibitory concentrations of troglitazone measured at a holding potential of −50 mV were 4.3 and 9.5 μmol l−1, respectively.
Troglitazone at 5 μmol l−1 did not significantly influence the voltage dependency of steady‐state inactivation or the inactivation time course of ICa,L in either control or diabetic myocytes.
Since troglitazone inhibits ICa,L more effectively in STZ‐induced diabetic ventricular myocytes, this agent may prevent cardiac dysfunction in diabetes.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2002) 136, 803–810. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0704757
Report on the Fourth International Granulocyte Immunology Workshop: progress toward quality assessment
Authors: Lucas Geoffrey , Rogers Susan , De Haas Masja , Porcelijn Leendert , Bux Juergen 
Published: July 2002

BACKGROUND: A formal quality assurance (QA) scheme has been established to facilitate proficiency testing for granulocyte antibodies and antigens. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Fifteen laboratories participated in the Fourth International Granulocyte Immunology Workshop. The main objective of the workshop was to establish a formal QA scheme for granu‐ locyte serology and molecular typing methods. A secondary objective was to determine the relative sensitivities of the granulocyte immunofluorescence test, granulocyte agglutination test, and MoAb immobilization assays using defined antisera and protocols. RESULTS: Laboratories scored between 16.7 and 100 percent (mean, 57.5%) of the maximum available in the serologic part of this QA exercise. There were particular problems in detecting granulocyte‐specific human neutrophil antigen‐1 (HNA‐1a) IgM antibodies and HNA‐2a antibodies in the presence of HNA‐1b antibodies. The granulocyte immunofluorescence test was more sensitive than the granulocyte agglutination test in titration studies, but the latter method more readily identified the presence of HNA‐3a antibodies. HNA genotyping was generally well performed, with nine laboratories obtaining 100‐percent correct results for HNA‐1a, HNA‐1b, and HNA‐1c. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to standardize the detection of granulocyte‐specific antibodies. Laboratories with good performance tended to use two methods for detecting granulocyte‐specific antibodies and an HNA‐typed panel of granulocytes. The use of a method for elucidating mixtures of granulocyte‐ and lymphocyte‐reactive antibodies (e.g., MoAb immobilization assay) and the use of methods for detecting both cytotoxic and noncytotoxic HLA class I antibodies were also associated with a higher than average performance.
FCGR3 variants and expression of human neutrophil antigen‐1a, ‐1b, and ‐1c in the populations of northern Germany and Uganda
Authors: Flesch Brigitte K. , Doose Sandra , Siebert Reiner , Ntambi Elisabeth , Neppert Juergen 
Published: July 2002

BACKGROUND: Human neutrophil antigen‐1c (HNA‐1c) (SH) has been described as the third alloantigen of the Fc receptor type IIIb (FcγRIIIb) for IgG beside the known alloantigens HNA‐1a (NA1) and HNA‐1b (NA2). Controversy exists on the assignment of the HNA‐1c coding gene to the FCGR3B locus and on a possible linkage between the HNA‐1c and HNA‐1a coding genes. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Two hundred sixty northern German blood donors and 43 individuals from Uganda were typed for FCGR3B*1 (NA1), FCGR3B*2 (NA2), and FCGR3B*3 (SH) by allele‐specific PCR. In a subset of FCGR3B*3‐positive probands, PCR‐amplified FCGR3 fragments were subcloned and sequenced. Transmission of FCGR3B*3 was analyzed in family studies. A possible correlation with the FcγRIIIb alloantigen expression was investigated by flow cytometry. RESULTS: In the northern German population, FCGR3B*3 was found exclusively in individuals carrying FCGR3B*1 independent of the existence of FCGR3B*2 at a frequency of 5 percent. In the individuals from Uganda, each possible combination of FCGR3B*1, FCGR3B*2, and FCGR3B*3 was detected. FCGR3B*3 frequency was 34.9 percent. Within both populations, some individuals carried each of the three genotypes. DNA sequencing revealed new FCGR3 variants caused by single nucleotide exchanges at the typical polymorphic positions. In one individual, six different FCGR3 variants were detected. CONCLUSION: The coincidence of the three known FCGR3B alleles varies within the population of Germany and Uganda. Three simultaneous FCGR3B forms may be explained by two gene loci, but the basis of the high number of different variants in some individuals still remains unclear. Possible explanations may be a hypermutation mechanism or a number of FCGR3 higher than expected hitherto.
Effects of Gabapentin and Carbamazepine on the EEG and Cognition in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Salinsky Martin C. , Binder Lawrence M. , Oken Barry S. , Storzbach Daniel , Aron Carey R. , Dodrill Carl B. 
Published: July 2002

Summary:  Purpose: Antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy can be associated with neurotoxic side effects including cognitive dysfunction. Objective methods for detection of neurotoxicity in individual patients would be useful. We studied the effects of gabapentin (GBP) and carbamazepine (CBZ) on neurophysiologic and cognitive/behavioral measures in healthy volunteers.Methods: In a 12‐week, randomized, double‐blind, parallel‐group study of CBZ and GBP in healthy volunteers, 23 subjects completed the protocol. All achieved the target dose of 1,200 mg CBZ or 3,600 mg GBP. A structured EEG for quantitative analysis and a cognitive test battery were administered before AED therapy and again after 12 weeks of therapy. Test–retest differences were compared with those of 72 untreated control subjects.Results: Both CBZ and GBP significantly decreased the peak frequency of the posterior (alpha) rhythm, with CBZ exerting a greater effect. Ten CBZ and six GBP subjects exceeded the 95% confidence interval (CI) for an individual. Cognitive tests revealed AED vs. control group effects for two of seven measures (Digit Symbol, Stroop) and all subjective measures. However, few subjects exceeded the 95% CI for any objective test. Differences between CBZ and GBP were not significant. Greater EEG slowing was associated with greater subjective neurotoxicity and poorer test–retest performance on a cognitive test summary measure.Conclusions: Prolonged CBZ and GBP therapy induced EEG slowing that correlated with cognitive complaints and often exceeded the confidence interval for individual subjects. Quantitative EEG measures may be useful in the objective determination of AED‐related neurotoxicity.
Low‐frequency Electric Cortical Stimulation Has an Inhibitory Effect on Epileptic Focus in Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Authors: Yamamoto Junichi , Ikeda Akio , Satow Takeshi , Takeshita Kazuhide , Takayama Motohiro , Matsuhashi Masao , Matsumoto Riki , Ohara Shinji , Mikuni Nobuhiro , Takahashi Jun , Miyamoto Susumu , Taki Waro , Hashimoto Nobuo , Rothwell John C. , Shibasaki Hiroshi 
Published: July 2002

Summary:  Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of low‐frequency electric cortical stimulation on epileptic focus in humans.Methods: We stimulated the epileptic focus in a patient with medically intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) by means of subdural electrodes and evaluated the change in the number of interictal epileptiform discharges. We used biphasic electric current of 0.3‐ms duration presented at 0.9‐Hz frequency for 250 s, comparing stimulus intensity of 7.5, 2, and 0.5 mA.Results: Interictal epileptiform discharges at the ictal focus occurred less frequently after the stimulation with the intensity of 0.5 mA. With the intensity of 7.5 mA and 2.0 mA, however, habitual auras were elicited by the stimulation, and afterdischarges were seen on the cortical EEG.Conclusions: Low‐frequency, low‐intensity electric cortical stimulation could produce inhibitory effects on epileptic activity. At the same time, however, a caution for possible induction of EEG seizures is needed, even when applying low‐frequency electric stimulation.
Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitor Sulthiame Reduces Intracellular pH and Epileptiform Activity of Hippocampal CA3 Neurons
Authors: Leniger Tobias , Wiemann Martin , Bingmann Dieter , Widman Guido , Hufnagel Andreas , Bonnet Udo 
Published: July 2002

Summary:  Purpose: Sulthiame is a carbonic anhydrase (CA) inhibitor with an anticonvulsant effect in the treatment of benign and symptomatic focal epilepsy in children. The aim of the study was to elucidate the mode of action of sulthiame with respect to possible changes of intracellular pH (pHi) that might develop along with sulthiame's anticonvulsant properties.Methods: The effects of sulthiame (a) on pHi of 2′,7‐bis(2‐carboxyethyl)‐5(6)‐carboxyfluorescein‐acetoxymetyl ester (BCECF‐AM) loaded CA3 neurones as well as (b) on epileptiform activity (induced by 50 μM 4‐aminopyridine) were compared with those of the CA inhibitors acetazolamide and benzolamide.Results: In the majority of neurons, sulthiame (1.0–1.5 mM; n = 8) as well as the membrane permeant acetazolamide (0.5–1.0 mM; n = 6) reversibly decreased pHi by 0.18 ± 0.05 (SD) and 0.17 ± 0.10 (SD) pH units, respectively, within 10 min. The poor membrane permeant benzolamide (1.0–2.0 mM) had no influence on pHi (n = 8). Sulthiame (1.0–2.5 mM) and acetazolamide (1.0–2.0 mM) reversibly reduced the frequency of action potentials and epileptiform bursts after 10–15 min (n = 9, n = 7), whereas benzolamide (1.0–2.0 mM) had no effect (n = 6).Conclusions: The results suggest that sulthiame acts as a membrane‐permeant CA inhibitor whose beneficial effect on epileptiform activity results at least in part from a modest intracellular acidosis of central neurons.
Electrochemical potentials during radiofrequency energy delivery: a new method to control catheter ablation of arrhythmias
Authors: Erdogan Ali , Carlsson Joerg , Grumbrecht Stephan , Kostin Sawa , Schulte Britta , Schlapp Michael , Neuzner Joerg , Pitschner Heinz F. 
Published: July 2002

Abstract

Aims
Thermal injury of subendocardial tissue leads to a release of electrolytes and free radicals from the intracellular site creating a change in electrochemical potential (eP) between the distal and the proximal catheter tip electrodes. The aim of the study was to verify the detection of ablation-induced release of electrolytes and free radicals and to assess the suitability of control-line energy delivery at ablation by measuringeP .

Methods and Results
In vitro tests under constant flow conditions were performed in a 10 l bath of physiological saline solution or bovine blood. Endomyocardial preparations of fresh bovine hearts were used. Closed-loop temperature-controlled, irrigated and closed-loop eP -controlled ablations were performed.In vivo animal investigations were performed in six anaesthetized and ventilated pigs. The existence of the eP was established in the tank model and was confirmed in animal investigations. High correlations were found between eP and catheter tip temperature (r=0·87) and between maximum eP and induced lesion size (r=0·85). Also a high correlation (r=0·85, P&lt; 0·001) was found between eP and lesion volume.

Conclusions
Control of energy delivery during RF ablation by the measurement ofeP is feasible. In comparison with temperature controlled RF ablation, ablation guided by eP -measurement revealed a superior correlation with induced lesion size. Especially during cooled radiofrequency catheter ablation eP is the only parameter for control of energy delivery.
Insecticide use and organophosphate resistance in the coffee leaf miner Leucoptera coffeella (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae)
Authors: Fragoso D.B. , Guedes R.N.C. , Picanço M.C. , Zambolim L. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractIncreasing rates of insecticide use against the coffee leaf miner Leucoptera coffeella (Guérin-Méneville) and field reports on insecticide resistance led to an investigation of the possible occurrence of resistance of this species to some of the oldest insecticides used against it in Brazil: chlorpyrifos, disulfoton, ethion and methyl parathion. Insect populations were collected from ten sites in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil and these populations were subjected to discriminating concentrations established from insecticide LC99s estimated for a susceptible standard population. Eight of the field-collected populations showed resistance to disulfoton, five showed resistance to ethion, four showed resistance to methyl parathion, and one showed resistance to chlorpyrifos. The frequency of resistant individuals in each population ranged from 10 to 93% for disulfoton, 53 to 75% for ethion, 23 to 76% for methyl parathion, and the frequency of resistant individuals in the chlorpyrifos resistant population was 35%. A higher frequency of individuals resistant to chlorpyrifos, disulfoton and ethion was associated with greater use of insecticides, especially other organophosphates. This finding suggests that cross-selection, mainly between organophosphates, played a major role in the evolution of insecticide resistance in Brazilian populations of L. coffeella. Results from insecticide bioassays with synergists (diethyl maleate, piperonyl butoxide and triphenyl phosphate) suggested that cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenases may play a major role in resistance with minor involvement of esterases and glutathione S-transferases.
Tunnel specificity and forager movement in subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae)
Authors: Evans T.A. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractThe movement of foragers of two species of Australian, subterranean, mound-building termites, Coptotermes lacteus (Froggatt) (Rhinotermitidae) and Nasutitermes exitiosus (Hill) (Termitidae), was investigated in their natural habitat using artificial feeding sites along trenches dug to mimic natural forager tunnels that radiate out from the central mound-nests. Termites were dyed by self-feeding on cardboard soaked with histological fat-stains on one or two trenches and then termites were collected from other feeding sites at two and four weeks after the fat-stains were placed. At two and four weeks after marking commenced, 60–75% of marked termites were found in trenches containing the marked paper, and 2–16% were found in trenches on the opposite side of the nest. The proportion of marked termites in a sample was three to eight times greater in the trenches containing the marked paper relative to other trenches. Although difficulties with fat-stains used as markers might explain some of the observed patterns, it is evident that C. lacteus and N. exitiosus foragers do not move randomly between feeding sites in their natural habitat.
The chemical organization of signaling interactions
Authors: Bhalla Upinder S. 
Published: July 2002

Abstract
Motivation: Cellular chemical signaling pathways form complex networks that are beginning to be studied at the level of chemical kinetics and databases of reactions. Chemical reaction details are traditionally represented as lists of reactions and rates. This does not map readily to the block diagram representation familiar to biologists, and obscures the functional organization of signaling networks. This study examines motifs in signaling chemistry and reports common features that may help to formalize such a mapping between pathway block diagrams and the chemistry. The same motifs may facilitate data representation and provide functional abstraction of the chemistry.
Results: I classified 74 interactions between 25 signaling pathways in terms of shared chemical motifs. All interactions in this dataset consist of a few communicating molecules from one set of pathways, and a replicating set of reactions and molecules from another. Each unique combination of interacting pathways duplicates the chemical reaction scheme of this replicating set, but involves different rate constants. Signaling pathways can therefore be described in an object-oriented manner as sets of core reactions with well-defined interfaces between pathways. This generalization lends itself to designing simulators and databases for signaling networks.
Availability: Software and example models are freely available from http://www.ncbs.res.in/~bhalla/examples/EGFR_example.html
Contact: bhalla@ncbs.res.in
* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Expression Profiling of Reciprocal Maize Hybrids Divergent for Cold Germination and Desiccation Tolerance
Authors: Kollipara Krishna P. , Saab Imad N. , Wych Robert D. , Lauer Michael J. , Singletary George W. 
Published: July 2002

Abstract
Recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from B73 × M017 were screened for cold germination (CG) and desiccation tolerance (DT) phenotypes. Reciprocal F1 hybrids were made between divergent RILs, and hybrids that showed differential phenotypes (parent-of-origin effect) for CG or DT were selected for profiling mRNA and protein expression. mRNA and proteins were extracted from embryo axes of seed germinated for 11 d at 12.5°C in the dark and developing embryos at 40% seed moisture (R5 stage) for CG and DT, respectively. GeneCalling analysis, an open-ended mRNA profiling method, identified 336 of 32,496 and 656 of 32,940 cDNA fragments that showed ≥1.5-fold change in expression between the reciprocal F1 hybrids for CG and DT, respectively. Protein expression map (PEM) analysis, an open-ended two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, identified 117 of 2,641 and 205 of 1,876 detected proteins to be differentially expressed with ≥1.5-fold change between the reciprocal F1 hybrids in CG and DT samples, respectively. A subset of these proteins was identified by tandem mass spectrometry followed by database query of the spectra. The differentially expressed genes/proteins were classified into various functional groups including carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, ion transporters, stress and defense response, polyamine metabolism, chaperonins, cytoskeleton associated, etc. Phenotypic analysis of seed from self-pollinated ears of the reciprocal F1 hybrids displayed small differences compared with the reciprocal hybrids themselves, suggesting a negligible effect of cytoplasmic factors on CG and DT traits. The results provide leads to improving our understanding of the genes involved in stress response during seed maturation and germination.
Influence of the Diadinoxanthin Pool Size on Photoprotection in the Marine Planktonic Diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum
Authors: Lavaud Johann , Rousseau Bernard , van Gorkom Hans J. , Etienne Anne-Lise 
Published: July 2002

Abstract
The pool size of the xanthophyll cycle pigment diadinoxanthin (DD) in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum depends on illumination conditions during culture. Intermittent light caused a doubling of the DD pool without significant change in other pigment contents and photosynthetic parameters, including the photosystem II (PSII) antenna size. On exposure to high-light intensity, extensive de-epoxidation of DD to diatoxanthin (DT) rapidly caused a very strong quenching of the maximum chlorophyll fluorescence yield (F m, PSII reaction centers closed), which was fully reversed in the dark. The non-photochemical quenching of the minimum fluorescence yield (F o, PSII centers open) decreased the quantum efficiency of PSII proportionally. For bothF m and F o, the non-photochemical quenching expressed asF/F′ − 1 (with F′ the quenched level) was proportional to the DT concentration. However, the quenching of F o relative to that ofF m was much stronger than random quenching in a homogeneous antenna could explain, showing that the rate of photochemical excitation trapping was limited by energy transfer to the reaction center rather than by charge separation. The cells can increase not only the amount of DT they can produce, but also its efficiency in competing with the PSII reaction center for excitation. The combined effect allowed intermittent light grown cells to down-regulate PSII by 90% and virtually eliminated photoinhibition by saturating light. The unusually rapid and effective photoprotection by the xanthophyll cycle in diatoms may help to explain their dominance in turbulent waters.
Remodeling of DNA Methylation and Phenotypic and Transcriptional Changes in Synthetic Arabidopsis Allotetraploids
Authors: Madlung Andreas , Masuelli Ricardo W. , Watson Brian , Reynolds Steve H. , Davison Jerry , Comai Luca 
Published: July 2002

Abstract
The joining of different genomes in allotetraploids played a major role in plant evolution, but the molecular implications of this event are poorly understood. In synthetic allotetraploids of Arabidopsis and Cardaminopsis arenosa, we previously demonstrated the occurrence of frequent gene silencing. To explore the involvement of epigenetic phenomena, we investigated the occurrence and effects of DNA methylation changes. Changes in DNA methylation patterns were more frequent in synthetic allotetraploids than in the parents. Treatment with 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine, an inhibitor of DNA methyltransferase, resulted in the development of altered morphologies in the synthetic allotetraploids, but not in the parents. We profiled mRNAs in control and 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine-treated parents and allotetraploids by amplified fragment length polymorphism-cDNA. We show that DNA demethylation induced and repressed two different transcriptomes. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that synthetic allotetraploids have compromised mechanisms of epigenetic gene regulation.