bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Benchmarking barometers for products and processes
Authors: Malec Henry A. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractOver recent years, benchmarking has become an established industrial, service and business practice. Many companies have extended benchmarking to benchmarking partnerships and benchmarking roundtables. In the U.S.A., benchmarking results are required to be detailed in the application for the National Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award.A benchmarking tool, Benchmarking Barometers, was developed originally for benchmarking organizations or functions. This paper presents applications of benchmarking barometers to products and processes after a brief introduction to benchmarking.
Stereoscopic depth perception of isoluminant color random—dot stereograms
Authors: Isono Haruo , Yasuda Minoru 
Published: July 2007

AbstractIt has been reported that there is no stereoscopic depth perception under isoluminant color random‐dot stereograms (RDS), and that color information does not contribute to human depth perception. This paper describes the results of experiments on stereoscopic depth perception of isoluminant color RDS, obtained by using the prototype flickerless field‐sequential stereoscopic television system developed by the present authors. The results of the experiments show that stereoscopic depth perception clearly does exist even in isoluminant color RDS. It was also found that the binocular fusion area on color RDS is about two‐thirds that on black/white stimuli, and that the temporal‐frequency limits of binocular disparity for the isoluminant color RDS is about 3 Hz, while that for black/white stimuli are 4 to 5 Hz. These results suggest that not only does the luminance channel contribute to human depth perception, but also the chromatic channels.
Absurdity and Creation in the Work of Sadeq Hedayat
Authors: Lashgari Deirdre 
Published: July 2007

Two impulses, the desire to create and the desire to withdraw into oblivion and death, lie at the heart of Sadeq Hedayat's character. He was painfully sensitive to human weaknesses, loneliness, and suffering in a world that seemed all the darker through his eyes because the values against which he measured it were so demanding. He expected more of and for humanity than could be attained. A part of him sought to reject a life doomed to such imperfection, to draw back from the searing pain of a consciousness without hope.Yet it is also through this pain of consciousness that the creative act arises. This second force, the impulse to objectify the vision of Absurdity by transforming it into art, provided for Hedayat a somewhat precarious counterbalance to the impulse of negation. For creation, however tentative, constitutes a challenge to the forces of darkness. In the very act of depicting a universe without meaning, the artist implicitly contributes meaning of his own.
Historiography of the Iranian Revolutionary Movement, 1977–79
Authors: Kurzman Charles 
Published: July 2007

More than Fifty Books, and More than 100 Academic Articles, Have appeared in English alone dealing in significant part with the Iranian revolutionary movement. This impressive output, published in just 15 years, does not reflect a similarly copious wealth of source materials. In fact, the study of the Iranian revolutionary movement is largely, one might argue, sound and fury, a lot of grand theorizing lacking a solid empirical basis. No work on the Iranian revolution has made systematic use of all forms of primary evidence that are currently available, though some are more thorough than others.This paper discusses Western historiography of the Iranian revolutionary movement of 1977–79, which led to the fall of the Pahlavi regime in February 1979. It does not attempt to cover works on the post-revolutionary period, after the fall of the shah. In addition, it does not deal specifically with individual secondary works on the Iranian revolution.
Nation Building, History Writing and Competition over the Legacy of Kyiv Rus in Ukraine
Authors: Kuzio Taras 
Published: July 2007

This article surveys the history of Kyiv Rus within the realm of nation building, identity and historical myths. It argues that Ukraine's elites believe that Western, Russian and Soviet schools of history on Kyiv Rus (and Ukraine) are incompatible with nation and state building.Two schools—Ukrainophile and East Slavic—compete within Ukraine. Nevertheless, the former has been promoted as the dominant school by ruling elites, many of whom date from the Soviet Ukrainian SSR and might personally favour the East Slavic framework. As Stepanenko states, Hrushevsky “is factually theorizing the most convincing version of Ukrainian history.”
Cultural partnership: The old fire station arts centre, Oxford
Authors: Stott Martin 
Published: July 2007

Summary This article explains the creation of a partnership between Oxford City Council and Apollo Leisure pic to develop with others a live music and arts centre in Oxford. It puts the development in the context of the City Council's arts and cultural policies and their economic impact. It explains the nature of the partnership, including the finances, management and programming, and the benefits the parties see in the partnership. It also addresses wider policy issues.
VEGF Trap Abolishes Shear Stress‐ and Overload‐Dependent Angiogenesis in Skeletal Muscle
Authors: WILLIAMS JAMES L. , CARTLAND DAVID , RUDGE JOHN S. , EGGINTON STUART 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTObjective: To determine which elements of the angiogenic process are controlled by VEGF under physiological conditions.Methods: VEGF Trap was administered at 10 mg · kg−1 by subcutaneous injection twice weekly to mice, which were subject to one of two established angiogenic stimuli: (1) increasing blood flow by administration of prazosin (50 mg L−1); (2) muscle overload by extirpation of a synergist. Angiogenesis was determined by calculating capillary to fiber ratio (C:F), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining localized to capillaries or the interstitium used to measure cell proliferation. Characteristic ultrastructural changes were quantified using electron microscopy.Results: Administration of VEGF Trap abolished the increases in C:F seen in both models, and prevented growth of luminal filopodia and large vacuole formation. Overload‐induced proliferation associated with capillaries was reduced, along with endothelial cell number abluminal sprouts and basement membrane breakage. However, interstitial proliferation remained high, along with the increased capillary association of pericytes and fibroblasts.Conclusions: VEGF is required for both models of angiogenesis, although some morphological changes lie upstream, or are independent of, VEGF involvement. The abolition of angiogenesis in a model unaffected by NO inhibition shows that NO is not required for all VEGF‐dependent angiogenesis in vivo.
Microcirculation and the Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Wiernsperger N. , Nivoit P. , De Aguiar L. G. Kraemer , Bouskela E. 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTThe present review, to the authors' knowledge, is the first to specifically address the relationships between microcirculation and metabolic syndrome, a cluster of metabolic and cardiovascular modifications highly prevalent in the general population. Its close link to overweight and insulin resistance makes it the main cause of the worldwide burden of type 2 diabetes. However, metabolic syndrome is also observed in many other diseases, particularly, but not exclusively, those where insulin resistance is a main feature. Analysis of the literature reveals that this clinical situation is invariably linked to microvascular disturbances, such as abnormalities in arteriolar reactivity, capillary recruitment, permeability, and hemorheology. A particularly interesting observation is that these defects in small vessel structure and function are seen very early in life or disease. Very importantly, they further suggest that microcirculatory abnormalities may be not only secondary but also causal to the development and/or aggravation of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Mechanisms responsible for these modifications remain largely unknown, but insulin's vascular effects in the microvascular network, detailed in this review, are at least one example of such connections. The existing data point to a clear, at least bidirectional, relationship between microcirculation and metabolic syndrome. Additional studies should determine the level of reciprocal causality.
Restriction endonuclease analysis of a Spodoptera litura nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) isolate
Authors: Das Rakha H. , Prasad Y. Durga 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe DNA of a nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) propagated in the larvae of S. litura was analysed with AluI, ApaI, BamHI, BglII, BstEII, BstNI, ClaI, EcoRI, EcoRV, HindIII, HinfI, KpnI, MspI, PstI, PvuII, SalI, Sau3AI, SmaI, TaqI, XbaI, and XhoI. The unique restriction endonuclease profiles of the virus indicate it to be a distinct NPV isolate. The size of the viral genome was estimated to 132 kbp; the genome was mapped with HindIII and PstI.
Stabilisation and partial purification of Triton X‐100 solubilised trihydroxycoprostanoyl‐coa synthetase from rat liver
Authors: Van Veldhoven Paul P. , Asselberghs Stanny , Eyssen Hendrik J. , Mannaerts Guy P. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe stability of rat hepatic trihydroxycoprostanoyl‐CoA syntethase was studied in its native membrane environment and after solubilisation by Triton X‐100, and compared to that of choloyl‐CoA synthetase. The lability of both delipidated enzymes could be suppressed by high concentrations of polyols such as sucrose and glucose. Addition of phospholipids to the assay mixtures was necessary to restore the activity of the stabilized enzymes. For further chromatographic separations, the addition of the hydrotrope Triton H‐66 to the glucose‐stabilized Triton X‐100 solubilised synthetases improved their recovery on different matrices. Gel filtration revealed a native molecular mass of the Triton X‐100/Triton H‐66/protein micelles of 212 and 207 kDa for choloyl‐CoA synthetase and trihydroxycoprostanoyl‐CoA synthetase respectively.
Expression of jumper ant (Myrmecia pilosula) venom allergens: Post‐translational processing of allergen gene products
Authors: Donovan G. R. , Street M. D. , Tetaz T. , Smith A. I. , Alewood D. , Alewood P. , Sutherland S. K. , Baldo B. A. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractN‐terminal analyses of electrophoretically‐separated allergenic polypeptides of the venom of the jumper ant M. pilosula showed that five out of the six allergenic polypeptides identified are homologous with the cloned major allergen Myr p I and may be derived from a single precursor polypeptide. The sixth polypeptide is homologous with a second cloned major allergen, Myr p II which is expressed as a single precursor polypeptide but exists in its native form as a disulphide bond‐linked complex.
Cloning of a cDNA encoding a developmentally regulated 22 kDa polypeptide from tobacco leaf plasma membrane
Authors: Gantet Pascal , Masson Florence , Domergue Odile , Marquis‐Mention Monique , Bauw Guy , Inze Dirk , Rossignol Michel , de la Serve Bernard Teyssendier 
Published: July 2007

AbstractA polypeptide doublet (P18‐P19, ca 22 kDa, pI 4.5) has been shown to accumulate in tobacco leaf plasma membrane in a development‐dependent way, under constant environmental conditions. P18 and P19 were purified by 2D‐PAGE and microsequenced. Microsequences revealed only small differences between the two polypeptides. A PCR‐based cloning strategy identified a cDNA displaying a 591 bp ORF. The encoded polypeptide contained P19 specific microsequences. It was expressed in E. coli and a specific rabbit antiserum was raised. Western‐blots confirmed its identification as P19. The accumulation pattern of hybridizable mRNA around the floral induction period was similar to that of P18 and P19. Searching of databases revealed no significant hits except unidentified plant ESTs. P18 and P19 are proposed as the first example of plant‐specific and developmentally regulated plasma membrane proteins.
Seizures induced by α‐guanidinoglutaric acid, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, are controlled by l‐arginine
Authors: Habu Hitoshi , Yokoi Isao , Kabuto Hideaki , Willmore L. James , Mori Akitane 
Published: July 2007

AbstractWe evaluated the effect of manipulation of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis on epileptiform discharges recorded from immobilized rats during intracerebro‐ventricular injection of α‐guanidinoglutaric acid (GGA), an endogenous convulsant and a NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor, alone or in combined with a NOS substrate, l‐arginine (ARG). GGA alone, or combined with 50 mM ARG, resulted in prolonged electrographical seizures while co‐injection of either 100 or 200 mM of ARG with GGA caused significantly protection. These data show that ARG inhibited epileptiform discharges in a dose‐dependent fashion, suggesting that the discharges initiated by inhibition of NOS with the intrinsic convulsant GGA are abated by increasing the concentration of the NOS substrate ARG.
Subunit structure of Ca dependent soluble goat hepatic lectin: Evidence that it has antigenic structural relationship with soluble 14K lectin family
Authors: Ali Najma , Ola Shamsul , Bhat Rashid 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe subunit structure of soluble goat hepatic lectin was studied by determining molecular weight under nondenaturing conditions by gel filtration and denaturing conditions by SDS PAGE. Affinity purified lectin was subjected to HPLC on asahipack column equilibrated with 10 mM Tris‐HCl pH 7.5, containing 1mM CaCl2 1mM 2‐mercaptoethanol and 0.1M NaCl. The lectin was eluted under single peak at retention time of 12 min. corresponding to molecular weight of 38Kd. On SDS‐PAGE in the presence and absence of 2‐mercaptoethanol protein moved as single band with Rm 0.45, which corresponds to molecular weight of 20 Kd. The results suggest that soluble goat hepatic lectin is a dimmer of identical subunits which are linked together by noncovalent interactions. The interaction of monoclonal antibodies raised against soluble goat hepatic lectin (MGHL/20) with hemagglutinin from different species as sheep, human, rat, bovine and chicken was studied in PBS by solid phase binding assay. MGHL/20 showed 29‐89% binding with these lectin. However no binding was found with Ca++ dependent membrane bound lectin. These results indicate that soluble goat hepatic lectin possesses antigenic structural relationship with soluble 14 K lectin family.
A comparison of Epidermal Growth Factor receptor‐mediated mitogenic signaling in response to Transforming Growth Factor α and Epidermal Growth Factor in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes
Authors: Lipeski Lauren E. , Boylan Joan M. , Gruppuso Philip A. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractWe compared the ability of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and Transforming Growth Factor α (TGFα) to transduce a mitogenic signal via their common receptor, the EGF receptor, in primary cultures of fetal rat hepatocytes. Mitogenic potency, measured as DNA synthesis, was similar in response to EGF and TGF α although signal initiation, measured as EGF receptor tyrosine phosphorylation, was more than 3‐fold higher in response to EGF compared to TGFα. Downstream signal transduction events including Shc tyrosine phosphorylation, Shc/Grb2 complex formation and MAP kinase activation were similar in response to EGF and TGFα, thus indicating a dissociation between potency for receptor activation versus signal propagation. These data suggest that TGFα may preferentially activate an EGF receptor population linked to the Ras/MAP kinase pathway. In contrast, EGF shows no such selectivity, thereby reducing the mitogenic potency of EGF relative to its ability to activate the EGF receptor.
Fluorescence study on ligand induced conformational changes of human erythrocyte glucose transporter
Authors: Xie W. S. , Yue J. C. , Tu Y. P. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe nanosecond time‐resolved fluorescence and fluorescence lifetime quenching have been used to detect the conformational changes of human erythrocyte glucose transporter induced by its ligands. Results show that D‐glucose can decrease the fluorescence lifetimes, while L‐glucose exhibits no effect. The fluorescence lifetime quenching results also show that in the presence of D‐glucose, the quenching efficiency of hypocrellin B (a hydrophobic quencher obtained from a parasitic fungus, growing in Yunnan, China) is lower than in the presence of L‐glucose. It can be deduced that the conformational changes of human erythrocyte glucose transporter induced by D‐glucose are different from those induced by L‐glucose.
Correlation between human vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and protein kinase Cα‐expression: Effect of d‐α‐tocopherol
Authors: Marilley Dominique , Mosieniak Grazina , Boscoboinik Daniel , Azzi Angelo 
Published: July 2007

AbstractPopulation doublings of four different human aortic vascular smooth muscle cell strains correlate with the amount of protein kinase Cα present in these cells. d‐α‐Tocopherol inhibits, at different extents, protein kinase C activity in all cells studied. Furthermore, the extent of inhibition positively correlates with the amount of protein kinase Cα expression and not with that of the other isoforms. It is suggested that, in human aortic smooth muscle cells, protein kinase Cα modulates cell proliferation and serves as a target for d‐α‐tocopherol inhibition.
Investigation of the effect of anti‐neoplastic drugs, cyclophosphamide, cisplatin and methotrexate on the turnover kinetics of human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase
Authors: Kamal Mohammad A. , Nasim Faizul H. , Al‐Jafari Abdulaziz A. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe present work addresses the effects of three antineoplastic drugs [cyclophosphamide (CP), cisplatin (CDDP) and methotrexate (MTX) which are in current use for the treatment of various tumors] on turnover kinetics of human erythrocyte membrane‐bound acetylcholinesterase (AcChoEase, EC 3.1.1.7). It was found that CP and MTX significantly decreased kcat and ksp, whereas CDDP decreased only the kcat value, (ksp was non‐significantly affected). In light of these findings, the CP, CDDP and MTX needs particular attention in tumor therapy and their effects on turnover number must be considered at the time of administering these drugs to cancer patients.
Spontaneously hypertensive rats: Eicosa‐8,11,14‐trienoic acid metabolism and arachidonic acid biosynthesis
Authors: de Catalfo Graciela E. Hurtado , Dumm Irma N.T. de Gómez 
Published: July 2007

AbstractDelta 9, Δ 6 and Δ5 desaturation activity and the thioesterification of eicosa‐8,11,14‐trienoic acid (DGLA) were measured in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) compared to normotensive controls (WKY). SHR exhibited lower levels in the long‐chain fatty acyl‐CoA (LCFA) synthetase and in Δ6 and Δ5 desaturase activities in liver. The enzymatic activity changes were reflected on the fatty acid composition of liver microsomes. In testis, the thioesterification of DGLA and its conversion to arachidonic acid (AA), at the Δ5 desaturation step were also depressed in SHR. We conclude that, in SHR, the alteration in polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolism may influence the synthesis of AA‐derived eicosanoids involved in the control of blood pressure regulation.
The effect of n‐3 pufa rich diet upon macrophage and lymphocyte metabolism and function
Authors: Rosa L.F.B.P. Costa , Safi D. A. , Guimarães A. R. P. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractA large body of evidence from experimental studies has documented that n‐3 fatty acids can modify a variety of cell functions and disease states. As lymphocytes and macrophages are important cells for the development of the inflammatory and non‐inflammatory immune response and are known to utilize high rates of glucose and glutamine, we have evaluated the effect of n‐3 PUFA rich diet on the metabolisation of glucose and glutamine these cells, as well as the effect of one such diet upon the proliferative response of lymphocytes and the phagocytic capacity and hydrogen peroxide production by macrophages. The diet provoked an increase in the flux of glucose through the Krebs cycle in macrophages as well as a reduction in G6PDh and glutaminase activity in these cells. Lymphocytes from n‐3 PUFA rich diet‐fed rats showed a reduction in glucose and glutamine decarboxylation. Taken together the data show that, at least in part, the functional changes observed in macrophages and lymphocytes from n‐3 PUFA‐rich diet fed rats are related to the effect of this diet upon glucose and glutamine metabolism, leading to immunosupression
Short‐term effects of dietary fats on the lipid composition and desaturase activities of rat liver microsomes
Authors: Girón M. D. , Lara A. , Suárez M. D. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractDiets supplemented with 10% coconut, olive or sunflower oil were given to rats at weaning. After two, four and six days, the lipid composition and desaturase activities of liver microsomes were measured. The percentage of oleic acid and δ9‐desaturase activity were increased in animals fed an olive oil diet while animals given sunflower oil showed the highest content of linoleic and polyunsaturated n‐6 fatty acids. On day 6, olive oil‐fed rats had the highest levels of 22:6 n‐3 in the phosphatidylethanolamine fraction. Saturated fatty acids were similar among dietary groups, despite the marked differences in the saturated fatty acid content of the three oils. Polyunsaturated n‐6 and n‐3 fatty acids decreased during the six days of feeding with coconut oil. Our results show that liver microsome membranes respond to different dietary fatty acids sources by changes in enzyme activities and relative content of some fatty acids after a period of dietary manipulation as brief as 6 days.
The primary structure of rat ribosomal protein L6
Authors: Chan Yuen‐Ling , Wool Ira G. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe amino acid sequence of the rat 60S ribosomal subunit protein L6 was deduced from the sequence of nucleotides in a recombinant cDNA and confirmed by determination of amino acid sequences in the protein. Ribosomal protein L6 has 296 amino acids (the NH2‐terminal methionine is removed after translation of mRNA); the molecular weight is 33,417. Hybridization of the cDNA to digests of nuclear DNA suggests that there are 7 to 10 copies of the L6 gene. The mRNA for the protein is about 1,100 nucleotides in length. Rat L6 is related to ribosomal proteins from other eukaryotes and to histone H1.
The interactions of alpha 2HS glycoprotein with metalloproteinases
Authors: Ochieng Josiah , Green Brenda 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe objective of the present analyses was to determine whether matrix metalloproteinases interact with alpha 2HS glycoprotein, the human homologue of bovine fetuin. Alpha 2HS glycoprotein was incubated with metalloproteinases at 1:1 and 1:10 molar ratios. The serum glycoprotein was completely degraded by gelatinase‐A and matrilysin at the higher enzyme concentration after an overnight incubation at 37°C. The data show that gelatinase‐A, matrilysin and gelatinase‐B do interact with alpha 2HS glycoprotein and that gelatinase‐B associates most tightly with the serum glycoprotein.