bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
C‐type natriuretic peptide and endothelium‐dependent hyperpolarization in the guinea‐pig carotid artery
Authors: Leuranguer V , Vanhoutte P M , Verbeuren T , Félétou M 
Published: October 2007

Background and purpose:C‐type natriuretic peptide (CNP) has been proposed to make a fundamental contribution in arterial endothelium‐dependent hyperpolarization to acetylcholine. The present study was designed to address this hypothesis in the guinea‐pig carotid artery.Experimental approach:The membrane potential of vascular smooth muscle cells was recorded in isolated arteries with intracellular microelectrodes.Key results:Acetylcholine induced endothelium‐dependent hyperpolarizations in the presence or absence ofNG‐nitro‐L‐arginine, indomethacin and/or thiorphan, inhibitors of NO‐synthases, cyclooxygenases or neutral endopeptidase, respectively. Acetycholine hyperpolarized smooth muscle cells in resting arteries and produced repolarizations in phenylephrine‐stimulated arteries. CNP produced hyperpolarizations with variable amplitude. They were observed only in the presence of inhibitors of NO‐synthases and cyclooxygenases and were endothelium‐independent, maintained in phenylephrine‐depolarized carotid arteries, and not affected by the additional presence of thiorphan. In arteries with endothelium, the hyperpolarizations produced by CNP were always significantly smaller than those induced by acetylcholine. Upon repeated administration, a significant tachyphylaxis of the hyperpolarizing effect of CNP was observed, while consecutive administration of acetycholine produced sustained responses. The hyperpolarizations evoked by acetylcholine were abolished by the combination of apamin plus charybdotoxin, but unaffected by glibenclamide or tertiapin. In contrast, CNP‐induced hyperpolarizations were abolished by glibenclamide and unaffected by the combination of apamin plus charybdotoxin.Conclusions and implications:In the isolated carotid artery of the guinea‐pig, CNP activates KATPand is a weak hyperpolarizing agent. In this artery, the contribution of CNP to EDHF‐mediated responses is unlikely.British Journal of Pharmacology(2008)153, 57–65; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0707476; published online 1 October 2007
Phosphodiesterase‐5A and neutral endopeptidase activities in human adipocytes do not control atrial natriuretic peptide‐mediated lipolysis
Authors: Moro C , Klimcakova E , Lafontan M , Berlan M , Galitzky J 
Published: October 2007

Background and purpose:Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) stimulates lipolysis in human adipocyte through a cGMP signalling pathway, the regulation of which is poorly known. Since phosphodiesterases (PDE) and neutral endopeptidase (NEP) play a major role in the regulation of the biological effects of natriuretic peptides in the cardiovascular and renal systems, we investigated whether these mechanisms could regulate cGMP signalling and ANP‐mediated lipolysis in human adipocytes.Experimental approach:The presence of cGMP‐specific PDE and NEP in differentiated pre‐adipocytes and in mature adipocytes was evaluated by real‐time qPCR and Western blot. The effect of non‐selective and selective inhibition of these enzymes on ANP‐mediated cGMP signalling and lipolysis was determined in isolated mature adipocytes.Key results:PDE‐5A was expressed in both pre‐adipocytes and adipocytes. PDE‐5A mRNA and protein levels decreased as pre‐adipocytes differentiated (10 days). PDE‐5A is rapidly activated in response to ANP stimulation and lowers intracellular cGMP levels. Its selective inhibition by sildenafil partly prevented the decline in cGMP levels. However, no changes in baseline‐ and ANP‐mediated lipolysis were observed under PDE‐5 blockade using various inhibitors. In addition, NEP mRNA and protein levels gradually increased during the time‐course of pre‐adipocyte differentiation. Thiorphan, a selective NEP inhibitor, completely abolished NEP activity in human adipocyte membranes but did not modify ANP‐mediated lipolysis.Conclusions and implications:Functional PDE‐5A and NEP activities were present in human adipocytes, however these enzymes did not play a major role in the regulation of ANP‐mediated lipolysis.British Journal of Pharmacology (2007) 152, 1102–1110; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0707485; published online 1 October 2007
Assessment of orthostatic fluid shifts with strain gauge plethysmography
Authors: Thijs Roland D. , Bruijnzeels Maaike , Kamper Adriaan M. , van Dijk Arjan D. , van Dijk J. Gert 
Published: October 2007

In the present study we evaluated the use of SGP (strain gauge plethysmography) for the assessment of orthostatic fluid shifts during HUT (head-up tilting). Subjects wore a parachute harness fixed to the tilt table to avoid muscle tension in the lower limbs during HUT. Twenty-two healthy subjects (nine women) were tilted for 5 min. Changes in calf volume, as measured by SGP, surface EMG (electromyography), heart rate and blood pressure were measured continuously. Ten subjects underwent a second tilt test during which circulation in one leg was occluded with a pressure cuff at 250 mmHg. During HUT with occlusion, calf volume in the non-occluded leg increased by 1.9±0.3% (mean±S.E.M.) and 0.2±0.2% in the occluded leg (P&lt;0.001). During HUT without occlusion a significant correlation (r=0.9) was found between measurements in the left and right leg with a mean difference of 0.03±0.1%. HUT did not cause significant changes in surface EMG measurements. An unexpected gender effect was observed: calf volume increased significantly more in men than in women. Men were significantly taller, but the haemodynamic response to HUT did not differ between both genders. The gender effect on orthostatic increases in calf volume remained significant after adjustment for heart-to-calf distance. SGP during HUT with a parachute harness is a new promising method to assess orthostatic fluid shifts. The gender differences in orthostatic pooling in the calf may be explained by a higher calf compliance in men together with a greater hydrostatic pressure due to a greater height in men.
Status of New Zealand fresh-water eel stocks and management initiatives
Authors: Jellyman Don J. 
Published: October 2007

Abstract
Jellyman, D. J. 2007. Status of New Zealand fresh-water eel stocks and management initiatives. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 1379–1386. New Zealand has two main species of fresh-water eel, shortfin (Anguilla australis), which is shared with Southeast Australia, and the endemic longfin eel (A. dieffenbachii). Both species are subject to extensive commercial and customary fishing. The shortfin is the smaller and shorter lived, with typical generation times for females ranging from 15 to 30 years; generation times for longfin females are double this. The distribution and the abundance of both species have been compromised by habitat modifications, shortfins, the more lowland species, being affected by wetland loss, and longfins by weirs and dams. Although there are few concerns about the status of shortfins, there is increasing evidence of overexploitation of longfins, including reduced recruitment, reduction in catch rates, reduction in abundance and average size, and a regional reduction in the proportion of females. Eels are managed under the quota management system, although individual and regional quotas are set from catch histories because biological parameters are inadequate. Maori, New Zealand's indigenous people, have been allocated 20% of commercial quota, with additional quota set for customary take. The annual commercial catch of eels has halved over the past decade, and is now ∼700–800 t, shortfins comprising 66% of catches. Recent management developments have included enhancement of upstream waters with juvenile eels, consolidation of processing into fewer but larger units, setting aside of additional reserve areas to increase escapement of silver eels, increased management involvement of Maori, and development of regional management strategies.
Did population collapse influence individual fecundity of Northwest Atlantic cod?
Authors: Stares J. C. , Rideout R. M. , Morgan M. J. , Brattey J. 
Published: October 2007

Abstract
Stares, J. C., Rideout, R. M., Morgan, M. J., and Brattey, J. 2007. Did population collapse influence individual fecundity of Northwest Atlantic cod? – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64:1338 –1347. We examined the influence of population collapse on individual potential fecundity and total population egg production (TEP) of three northwest Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) populations: northern cod (Divisions 2J3KL), southern Grand Bank cod (NAFO Divisions 3NO), and southern Newfoundland cod (Subdivision 3Ps). Fecundity at length increased in conjunction with population collapse for two (3NO, 3Ps) of the three populations. Subsequent moderate population recovery between the 1990s and 2000s in 3Ps was accompanied by a decrease in fecundity at length. A large decrease in fecundity at length for 3NO during the same time period, despite little or no population recovery, coupled with the fact that there was no obvious difference in fish condition between the two time periods, suggested that density-independent factors could be contributing to the changes in fecundity. Use of pre-collapse fecundity–length relationships to estimate TEP in the post-collapse period resulted in underestimation of TEP by as much as 30% in 3NO and 46% in 3Ps, whereas in 2J3KL, TEP was overestimated by as much as 18%. Although the results do not fully support the hypothesis of an inverse relationship between population size and fecundity, they do demonstrate the variable nature of cod fecundity which, if not accounted for, can lead to erroneous perceptions of stock reproductive potential.
Surface Abrasion of Hulled and Hulless Barley: Physical Characterization of the Milled Fractions
Authors: Flores Rolando A. , Hicks Kevin B. , Wilson Jhanel 
Published: October 2007

ABSTRACTAbrasion techniques were used to remove the hull and pericarp layers of barley kernels to obtain a smaller kernel enriched in endosperm. The objective of this study was to evaluate the fractions produced by two alternative abrading systems on four barley cultivars for potential use in fuel ethanol processes that feature an upstream (of the fermentation) dry fractionation system. Four barley cultivars, two hulled (Thoroughbred and Nomini) and two hulless (Doyce and Merlin), were scarified and whitened at 22 scarification times and three milling degrees (settings 2, 4, and 6), respectively. Three different abrasive surfaces (36, 40, and 50 grit) were used in the scarifier to determine the material removal ratio for each barley cultivar. Material balances and color analyses were conducted for all of the fractions produced. Three fractions were produced with the whitener at each milling degree: broken kernels, fine fractions >323 μm, and fine fractions <323 μm. Setting #2 seems to be the milling level that releases most of the hull in the hulled barley with the whitener. After 50 sec of scarification, rougher surfaces produced more fine material (<1,410 μm diameter) and consequently less coarse material (>1,410 μm diameter). A lower grit (36 grit) abrasive surface induced faster hull removal in hulled barley. Color parameters L* and b* were good indicators of the fine and coarse fractions produced by abrasive methods because they indicate the kernel layer removed and were modeled as a function of the fraction of the material produced. The information obtained in this study has application in designing processes capable of removing and recovering hull and pericarp layers of barley kernels and thereby producing smaller kernels or kernel pieces containing mainly endosperm tissue.
Protein Digestibility of Selected Legumes Treated with Ultrasound and High Hydrostatic Pressure During Soaking
Authors: Han In Hwa , Swanson Barry G. , Baik Byung‐Kee 
Published: October 2007

ABSTRACTIn vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) of lentils, chickpeas, peas, and soybeans treated with ultrasound or high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) during soaking and then heated for 30 min at 98°C was determined using the three‐enzyme method (trypsin, chymotrypsin, and peptidase). The IVPD of raw legumes ranged from 72% for soybeans to 83% for dry green peas. The increase in the IVPD after soaking was observed in lentils but not in other legumes. Heating increased the IVPD of the tested legumes by 2–13%. While the effects of applying ultrasound or HHP on IVPD of legumes were mostly inconsistent or insignificant, soaking under HHP for 1 hr and subsequent heating at 98°C for 30 min increased IVPD of legumes. Compared with raw legumes, the soluble protein concentrates exhibited 2–4% higher IVPD, while insoluble proteins exhibited 0.2–1.5% lower IVPD. SDS‐PAGE of legume proteins before enzyme digestion exhibited 8–18 protein bands from 20 kDa to 100 kDa representing isolated soluble proteins and from 20 kDa to 100 kDa representing insoluble proteins. After enzyme digestion, soluble proteins exhibited 2–6 minor protein bands with molecular weights <30 kDa, while insoluble proteins of lentils, chickpeas, and peas exhibited one major protein band at ≈52 kDa and two or three minor protein bands with molecular weights <30 kDa. The major insoluble proteins observed as electrophoresis bands after enzyme digestion may be responsible for the reduced protein digestibility of legume proteins.
Physicochemical Properties of Rice Starch Modified by Hydrothermal Treatments
Authors: Shih F. , King J. , Daigle K. , An H.‐J. , Ali R. 
Published: October 2007

ABSTRACTRice starches of long grain and waxy cultivars were annealed (ANN) in excess water at 50°C for 4 hr. They were also modified under heat‐moisture treatment (HMT) conditions at 110°C with various moisture contents (20, 30, and 40%) for 8 hr. The modified products were analyzed by rapid‐viscosity analysis (RVA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Generally, these hydrothermal treatments altered the pasting and gelling properties of rice starch, resulting in lower viscosity peak heights, lower setbacks, and greater swelling consistency. The modified starch showed increased gelatinization temperatures and narrower gelatinization temperature ranges on ANN or broader ones on HMT. The effects were more pronounced for HMT than for ANN. Also, the typical A‐type XRD pattern for rice starch remained unchanged after ANN or HMT at low moisture contents, and the amorphous content increased after HMT at 40% moisture content.
Equipment Setup for Fluorescence Imaging with One-Nanometer Accuracy (FIONA)
Authors: Selvin Paul R. , Lougheed Tyler , Tonks Hoffman Melinda , Park Hyokeun , Balci Hamza , Blehm Benjamin H. , Toprak Erdal 
Published: October 2007

INTRODUCTIONFIONA, short for fluorescence imaging with one-nanometer accuracy, is a simple method for achieving localization of single (or single groups of) fluorophores with nanometer accuracy in the xy plane. This article describes procedures for setting up the equipment necessary for FIONA and achieving total internal reflection (TIR).
DAPI Staining of Drosophila Embryos
Authors: Rothwell Wendy F. , Sullivan William 
Published: October 2007

INTRODUCTIONDrosophila embryos can be stained with specific fluorescent probes or antibodies through either direct or indirect immunofluorescence. In particular, several effective probes exist for visualizing DNA. 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) is a commonly used DNA-binding dye. Because it is specific for double-stranded DNA, no prior RNase treatment is required. While the embryo staining method described here uses DAPI, other fluorescent DNA probes can be processed similarly.
Temperature Gradient Capillary Electrophoresis (TGCE) Assay
Authors: Hsia An-Ping , Chen Hsin D. , Schnable Patrick S. 
Published: October 2007

INTRODUCTIONThis protocol describes the use of temperature gradient capillary electrophoresis (TGCE) to test for polymorphisms between two DNA fragments. Polymorphisms may be detected within an individual or between individuals depending on the experimental design. In this assay, alleles of interest and a “reference” allele are PCR-amplified with high-fidelity Taq polymerase, and the resulting amplicons are then mixed in a 1:1 ratio. This mixture is denatured and reannealed to allow formation of homoduplexes (in the absence of polymorphisms between the allele of interest and the reference allele) and heteroduplexes (in the presence of polymorphisms). The Reveal System (SpectruMedix), which can analyze four 96-well plates at a time, is then used for electrophoresis and detection, and the data are scored and viewed with Revelation software.
Confocal Microscopy: Principles and Practice
Authors: Fine Alan 
Published: October 2007

INTRODUCTIONThe confocal microscope is an invaluable tool for high-resolution fluorescence microscopy, and few biological research centers are without at least one such instrument. Much of the interest in confocal microscopy stems from the reliance on fluorescent probes in contemporary biology. Fluorescent-labeled antibodies and ligands are essential tools for localizing specific molecules. Intracellular or membrane-bound fluorescent dyes are widely used to follow morphological changes in cells, and retrograde-transported fluorescent markers have been used to identify living neurons with particular projections for subsequent electrophysiologic or structural study. Voltage- and ion-sensitive indicator dyes have been used to observe patterns of electrical activity in large networks of neurons and in structures too small to be monitored with classic electrode techniques. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) permits the visualization of specific proteins, including engineered functional probes, in essentially unperturbed living tissue. This article outlines the basic principles of confocal microscopy, relevant practical considerations, and various approaches to its implementation, principally from the perspective of visualizing rapid, small-scale phenomena in living tissue.
Principles of Total Internal Reflection Microscopy (TIRFM): Figure 1.
Authors: Zenisek David , Perrais David 
Published: October 2007

INTRODUCTIONTotal internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) is a powerful technique for studying events that occur near a cell surface. The technique allows selective imaging of fluorescent molecules that are closest to a high refractive index substance such as glass. TIRFM has been used to study (1) exocytosis of single synaptic vesicles stained with FM1-43 in living goldfish retinal bipolar neurons and (2) exocytosis of single dense core granules stained with neuropeptide Y-enhanced green fluorescent protein (NPY-EGFP) in living bovine chromaffin cells. This article describes the basic theory behind TIRFM and provides an overview for setting up a TIRFM system.
Fluorescence Imaging with One-Nanometer Accuracy (FIONA): Figure 1.
Authors: Selvin Paul R. , Lougheed Tyler , Tonks Hoffman Melinda , Park Hyokeun , Balci Hamza , Blehm Benjamin H. , Toprak Erdal 
Published: October 2007

INTRODUCTIONFluorescence imaging with one-nanometer accuracy (FIONA) is a technique for localizing a single dye, or a single group of dyes, to within ~1-nm accuracy. This high degree of precision is achieved using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, deoxygenation agents, and a high quantum yield, low-noise detector. There are several variations of FIONA, including some capable of better than 10-nm resolution. One such variant is single-molecule high-resolution imaging with photobleaching (SHRIMP), which requires only one type of dye, e.g., two green fluorescent proteins (GFPs), or two rhodamines. However, SHRIMP can only achieve high resolution on static systems. Single-molecule high-resolution colocalization (SHREC), on the other hand, is a FIONA variant that is capable of high resolution with dynamic systems. Defocused orientation and positional imaging (DOPI) enables the three-dimensional orientation to be determined, and either by itself or in combination with FIONA can localize the dye-bound molecules to within a few nanometers. Finally, bright-field imaging with one-nanometer accuracy (bFIONA) achieves the temporal and spectral localization of FIONA but with bright-field microscopy, thus avoiding the use of fluorescence.
Political Involvement and the Development of Political Attitudes
Authors: Jarlov Carsten , Togeby Lise 
Published: October 2007

Political socialization research so far has focused primarily on the direction of attitudes among children and youngsters. The preconditions for the development of political attitudes among these age groups have been neglected. In theoretical discussions cognitive development has been offered as a major prerequisite. In the article it is posited that political involvement is a second major prerequisite.The effects of political involvement are examined with respect to four aspects of political attitudes among Danish school children: the ability to express attitudes, the correlation between indicators of a particular attitude, the stability of attitudes, and the correlation between different attitudes. Except for the stability of attitudes, results are clear. Political involvement is related to the formation of attitudes. The effect of political involvement is stronger than the effect of any of the traditional socio‐economic variables ordinarily considered in socialization research.
State and Capital in Sweden: The Importance of Corporatist Arrangements
Authors: Rothstein Bo 
Published: October 2007

In what way does corporatist representation change the behaviour of participating organizations? The classical question is whether the interest organizations' representatives are captured or not. Sweden is one of the countries in which the class‐based interest organizations are heavily represented in the central public administration. The importance of corporatist arrangement in this area in Sweden is due to the fact that the task of implementing government policy is largely given to semi‐independent directorates. Since the early 1970s, the major business organization in Sweden has been strongly demanding cuts in public spending. As it is represented in some of the most important, and expanding, public agencies of the Swedish welfare state, it could be expected that their representatives would demand a decrease in the agencies' yearly budget proposals. During a ten‐year period (1974–1983), there is no sign of such behaviour of the business organization's representatives in these corporatist institutions. On the contrary, business in Sweden can be said to have been more generous with the taxpayers' money than both Social Democratic and bourgeois governments have found possible. Assuming that both its general demand for cuts in public spending and its specific action in the corporatist institutions are rational, it is discussed how this seemingly contradictory behaviour of Swedish business can be explained.The starting point for the debate about corporatism is the organizations' increasing influence on the state. The Confederation's standpoint is that this influence has now reached such a level that there is need for a change On various occasions. representatives of other interest organizations have also emphasized the importance of keeping a clear‐cut distinction between the area of political responsibility and the area of the organizations' responsibility. In political issues it is the politicians' duty to weigh up the different judgments and standpoints and to come to a common public interest. The interest organizations' task is to pursue their special interests. These interest organizations should not take part in decisions in the political sector. I f this were to happen the special interests would have too much influence on the political decisions.