bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the prostacyclin (IP) receptor antagonist RO1138452 on isolated blood vessel and platelet preparations
Authors: Jones R L , Wise H , Clark R , Whiting R L , Bley K R 
Published: August 2006

Background and purpose:The current study examined the utility of the recently described prostacyclin (prostanoid IP) receptor antagonist RO1138452 (2‐(4‐(4‐isopropoxybenzyl)‐phenylamino) imidazoline) as a tool for classifying prostanoid receptors.Experimental approach:pA2 values were determined on isolated smooth muscle and platelet preparations.Key results:RO1138452 antagonized relaxation of human pulmonary artery, guinea‐pig aorta and rabbit mesenteric artery induced by the selective IP agonist cicaprost. Schild plots had slopes close to unity, generating pA2 values of 8.20, 8.39 and 8.12 respectively. Non‐surmountable antagonism was sometimes found with the higher concentrations of RO1138452, attributable to the EP3 contractile action of cicaprost. RO1138452 did not block relaxation of guinea‐pig trachea induced by the EP2‐selective agonist butaprost. In contrast, there was a modest inhibition of butaprost‐induced relaxation of human pulmonary artery by RO1138452, implying activation of both EP2 and IP receptors by butaprost. RO1138452 did not affect relaxation induced by PGE2 (EP4 agonist) and substance P (NK1/endothelium‐dependent agonist) in rabbit mesenteric artery. In human and rat platelet‐rich plasmas, RO1138452 antagonized cicaprost‐induced inhibition of platelet aggregation in a surmountable manner; pA2 values may have been affected by binding of RO1138452 to plasma protein. RO1138452 did not affect the inhibitory actions of PGD2 (DP1 agonist) and NECA (adenosine A2A agonist) in human platelets.Conclusions and implications:The data indicate that RO1138452 is a potent and selective IP receptor antagonist. RO1138452 represents an important addition to our armoury of prostanoid receptor antagonists and a potential clinical agent in situations where prostacyclin has a pathophysiological function.British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 149, 110–120. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706841
Homocysteine stimulates phosphorylation of NADPH oxidase p47phoxand p67phoxsubunits in monocytes via protein kinase Cβ activation
Authors: Siow Yaw L. , Au-Yeung Kathy K. W. , Woo Connie W. H. , O Karmin 
Published: August 2006

Hyperhomocysteinaemia is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases due to atherosclerosis. The development of atherosclerosis involves reactive oxygen species-induced oxidative stress in vascular cells. Our previous study [Wang and O (2001) Biochem. J. 357, 233–240] demonstrated that Hcy (homocysteine) treatment caused a significant elevation of intracellular superoxide anion, leading to increased expression of chemokine receptor in monocytes. NADPH oxidase is primarily responsible for superoxide anion production in monocytes. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of Hcy-induced superoxide anion production in monocytes. Hcy treatment (20–100 μM) caused an activation of NADPH oxidase and an increase in the superoxide anion level in monocytes (THP-1, a human monocytic cell line). Transfection of cells with p47phox siRNA (small interfering RNA) abolished Hcy-induced superoxide anion production, indicating the involvement of NADPH oxidase. Hcy treatment resulted in phosphorylation and subsequently membrane translocation of p47phox and p67phox subunits leading to NADPH oxidase activation. Pretreatment of cells with PKC (protein kinase C) inhibitors Ro-32-0432 (bisindolylmaleimide XI hydrochloride) (selective for PKCα, PKCβ and PKCγ) abolished Hcy-induced phosphorylation of p47phox and p67phox subunits in monocytes. Transfection of cells with antisense PKCβ oligonucleotide, but not antisense PKCα oligonucleotide, completely blocked Hcy-induced phosphorylation of p47phox and p67phox subunits as well as superoxide anion production. Pretreatment of cells with LY333531, a PKCβ inhibitor, abolished Hcy-induced superoxide anion production. Taken together, these results indicate that Hcy-stimulated superoxide anion production in monocytes is regulated through PKC-dependent phosphorylation of p47phox and p67phox subunits of NADPH oxidase. Increased superoxide anion production via NADPH oxidase may play an important role in Hcy-induced inflammatory response during atherogenesis.
Direct comparison of nick-joining activity of the nucleic acid ligases from bacteriophage T4
Authors: Bullard Desmond R. , Bowater Richard P. 
Published: August 2006

The genome of bacteriophage T4 encodes three polynucleotide ligases, which seal the backbone of nucleic acids during infection of host bacteria. The T4Dnl (T4 DNA ligase) and two RNA ligases [T4Rnl1 (T4 RNA ligase 1) and T4Rnl2] join a diverse array of substrates, including nicks that are present in double-stranded nucleic acids, albeit with different efficiencies. To unravel the biochemical and functional relationship between these proteins, a systematic analysis of their substrate specificity was performed using recombinant proteins. The ability of each protein to ligate 20 bp double-stranded oligonucleotides containing a single-strand break was determined. Between 4 and 37 °C, all proteins ligated substrates containing various combinations of DNA and RNA. The RNA ligases ligated a more diverse set of substrates than T4Dnl and, generally, T4Rnl1 had 50–1000-fold lower activity than T4Rnl2. In assays using identical conditions, optimal ligation of all substrates was at pH 8 for T4Dnl and T4Rnl1 and pH 7 for T4Rnl2, demonstrating that the protein dictates the pH optimum for ligation. All proteins ligated a substrate containing DNA as the unbroken strand, with the nucleotides at the nick of the broken strand being RNA at the 3′-hydroxy group and DNA at the 5′-phosphate. Since this RNA–DNA hybrid was joined at a similar maximal rate by T4Dnl and T4Rnl2 at 37 °C, we consider the possibility that this could be an unexpected physiological substrate used during some pathways of ‘DNA repair’.
Genetic diversity of pummelo (Citrus grandis Osbeck) and its relatives based on simple sequence repeat markers
Authors: Yong Liu , De-Chun Liu , Bo Wu , Zhong-Hai Sun 
Published: August 2006

AbstractGenetic diversity in 122 accessions of pummelo (Citrus grandis Osbeck) and its related varieties was assessed using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Thirty-one pairs of SSR informative primers generated a total of 335 alleles. The average number of alleles per locus was 9.85. The value of allelic polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.1939 to 0.9073, with an average of 0.7085 per primer. The 122 accessions of pummelo and its related varieties could be clustered into seven groups by the unweighted pair-group method arithmetic average (UPGMA), in which the 110 pummelo accessions could be divided into 18 subgroups at similarity coefficient of 0.712. These subgroups were mainly composed of the Shatian pummelo variety group, the Wendan variety group and many of the hybrid pummelo groups. The classification method can be used in targeting many varieties in order to widen the genetic background of pummelo.
Establishment of a highly efficient regeneration system for in vitro culture of young wheat spikes
Authors: Lin-Shu Zhao , Lu-Xiang Liu , Jing Wang , Qi-Cheng Zheng , Hui-Jun Guo , Shi-Rong Zhao , Wen-Hua Chen 
Published: August 2006

AbstractThis study used three winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes (H6756, H311 and SP8581) to compare the effects of sampling time, callus induction media, differentiation media and rooting media on in vitro culture of young spikes in wheat. In all these three genotypes, the frequencies of green plantlet differentiation were high when their young spikes were cultured between the stages of protective glume primordium formation and pistil and stamen primordium formation, but low at other stages. The optimum medium for callus induction was Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium+2 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). The optimum green plantlet differentiation medium was MS medium. Some abnormal plantlets regenerated from calli. When these plantlets were transferred to another differentiation medium [MS+1.0 mg/l 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA)+0.2 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA)], shoot formation and elongation were induced. This allowed 90.91% of them to develop into normal green plantlets. The optimum rooting medium was 1/2MS+0.2 mg/l 3-Indolylacetonitrile (IAA)+80 g/l sucrose. An efficient regeneration system for young spike culture of wheat was set up based on such methods. Using this wheat-regeneration system, young spikes and immature embryos of 17 genotypes of wheat were in vitro cultured to study and compare the callus induction frequencies and green plantlet differentiation frequencies. The results of two successive years showed that in 15 out of the 17 genotypes (88.24%) the green plantlet differentiation frequencies were higher than those of immature embryos by 6.2–65.1%. These results showed that the regeneration system established in this trial for young spike culture of wheat was effective.
Applications of microsatellite markers in studies of genetics and breeding of fish
Authors: Xiao-Gu Zhang , Jin-Gou Tong , Bang-Xi Xiong 
Published: August 2006

AbstractThe microsatellite, or short sequence repeat (SSR), is a powerful genetic marker, useful in many areas of fish genetics and breeding. Polymorphic microsatellite loci have been frequently applied to the analysis of genetic diversity, population genetic structure, and genomic mapping. These co-dominant markers have also been applied to the classification and systematics, parentage identification, germplasm conservation, and breeding programme of food fish.
A nested PCR-based method for detection ofStreptococcus agalactiae16S rRNA in milk and its application
Authors: Yu-Ping Jia , Dong-Shun Zhou , Hong-Kun Zhao , Ren-Zhong Wan , Wen-Qiang Liu , Jing-Dong Hu 
Published: August 2006

AbstractBovine mastitis caused byStreptococcus agalactiaeis mainly subclinical and therefore can be diagnosed only in the laboratory. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method for specific, sensitive and rapid detection ofS. agalactiaein raw milk was developed. The general streptococci primers, which anneal to conserved areas within the 16S rRNA subunit gene, were used as positive controls. The specificity ofS. agalactiaeprimers is based on various areas within conserved areas of the 16S rRNA genes ofS. agalactiae. Results have indicated that the method enables the detection of 1 CFU/ml ofS. agalactiaein raw milk after enrichment, followed by DNA extraction using a rapid and simple procedure developed for this purpose, and specific PCR reaction. The method developed can be used efficiently in the early infectious status investigation ofS. agalactiaein the dairy herd and in prevention and control ofS. agalactiaespread in a herd.
Language impairments in sign language: breakthroughs and puzzles
Authors: Morgan Gary , Herman Rosalind , Woll Bencie 
Published: August 2006

AbstractBackground: Specific language impairment has previously solely been documented for children acquiring spoken languages, despite informal reports of deaf children with possible sign language disorder. The paper reports the case of a deaf child exposed to British Sign Language (BSL) from birth, who has significant developmental deficits in the comprehension and production of BSL grammar based on formal assessment and linguistic analyses of his sign communication in comparison with age‐matched unimpaired signers.Results: It is shown that linguistic difficulties with BSL verb morphology underlie the child's poor performance compared with same‐age native signers.Conclusions: The appearance of linguistic impairments in sign and spoken languages in comparable domains supports cross‐linguistic and modality free theories of specific language impairment.
Indices of Surgical Site Infection Risk and Prediction of Other Adverse Outcomes During Hospitalization
Authors: Delgado-Rodríguez Miguel , Palma Silvia , Gómez-Ortega Antonio , Martínez-Gallego Gabriel , Medina-Cuadros Marcelino 
Published: August 2006

Objective.To assess which adverse postsurgical outcomes are best predicted by the Study on the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control (SENIC) index and the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance system (NNIS) index.Design.Prospective cohort study.Setting.The service of general surgery at a tertiary care hospital.Patients.A consecutive series of patients hospitalized for more than 1 day (n = 2,989).Results.The outcome best predicted by the SENIC and NNIS indices was assessed by estimating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The areas under the ROC curves for nosocomial infection and in-hospital death were higher for the NNIS index than they were for the SENIC index (P<.05). The NNIS index predicted in-hospital death better than it predicted surgical site infection (area under the ROC curve ± SE, 0.836 ± 0.022 vs 0.689 ± 0.017; P = .001).Conclusions.The NNIS index is superior to the SENIC index for all adverse postsurgical outcomes. Its ability to predict in-hospital mortality is clearly better than its ability to predict surgical site infection.
Impact of Postdischarge Surveillance on Surgical Site Infection Rates for Several Surgical Procedures Results From the Nosocomial Surveillance Network in The Netherlands
Authors: Manniën Judith , Wille Jan C. , Snoeren Ruud L. M. M. , van den Hof Susan 
Published: August 2006

Objective.To compare the number of surgical site infections (SSIs) registered after hospital discharge with respect to various surgical procedures and to identify the procedures for which postdischarge surveillance (PDS) is most important.Design.Prospective SSI surveillance with voluntary PDS. Recommended methods for PDS in the Dutch national nosocomial surveillance network are addition of a special registration card to the outpatient medical record, on which the surgeon notes clinical symptoms and whether a patient developed an SSI according to the definitions; an alternative method is examination of the outpatient medical record.Setting.Hospitals participating in the Dutch national nosocomial surveillance network between 1996 and 2004.Results.We collected data on 131,798 surgical procedures performed in 64 of the 98 Dutch hospitals. PDS was performed according to one of the recommended methods for 31,134 operations (24%) and according to another active method for 32,589 operations (25%), and passive PDS was performed for 68,075 operations (52%). Relatively more SSIs were recorded after discharge for cases in which PDS was performed according to a recommended method (43%), compared with cases in which another active PDS method was used (30%) and cases in which passive PDS was used (25%). The highest rate of SSI after discharge was found for appendectomy (79% of operations), followed by knee prosthesis surgery (64%), mastectomy (61%), femoropopliteal or femorotibial bypass (53%), and abdominal hysterectomy (53%).Conclusions.For certain surgical procedures, most SSIs develop after discharge. SSI rates will be underestimated if no PDS is performed. We believe we have found a feasible and sensitive method for PDS that, if patients routinely return to the hospital for a postdischarge follow-up visit, might be suitable for use internationally.
Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding Contact Precautions Among Iranian Physicians
Authors: Askarian Mehrdad , Shiraly Ramin , Aramesh Kiarash , McLaws Mary-Louise 
Published: August 2006

Objective.To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Iranian physicians regarding contact isolation precautions.Design.Data were collected between May and November 2002 using a cross-sectional survey design.Setting.Teaching hospitals in Shiraz, Iran.Participants.A total of 155 physicians: 78 attending clinicians and 77 resident physician surgeons or internists.Results.The mean scores for knowledge and attitude were acceptable, with 71% of physicians scoring the maximum for knowledge and 65% achieving the maximum scores for attitude, whereas the mean score for practice was low, with only 26% achieving the maximum score. A good level of knowledge be associated with a good attitude (odds ratio [OR], 68.4 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 20.0-285.6]; P< .001), good practices were associated with good knowledge (OR, 22.5 [95% CI, 7.1-91.3]; P< .001), and a good attitude was associated with good practice (OR, 20.0 [95% CI, 5.7-105.2]; P<.001).Conclusion.Although strong associations were found among knowledge, attitude, and practice, the level of compliance with precautions was not nearly as high as it should be.
Dynamics of root growth stimulation in Nicotiana tabacum in increasing light intensity
Authors: NAGEL KERSTIN A. , SCHURR ULRICH , WALTER ACHIM 
Published: August 2006

ABSTRACTLight intensity is crucial for plant growth. In this study, the hypothesis was tested whether a sudden increase in light intensity leads to an immediate increase of root growth. Seedlings of Nicotiana tabacum grown in agar‐filled Petri dishes were subjected to light intensities of 60 and 300 µmol m−2 s−1, respectively. Seedling biomass, sucrose, glucose and fructose concentration as well as primary root growth increased significantly with light intensity. The dynamics of the increase in root growth were analysed here in more detail. In transition experiments from low to high light intensities, root growth increased by a factor of four within 4 d, reaching the steady‐state level measured in plants that were cultivated in high‐light conditions. The distribution of relative elemental growth rates along the root growth zone retained a constant shape throughout this transition. During the first three hours after light increase, strong growth fluctuations were repeatedly observed with the velocity of the root tip cycling in a sinusoidal pattern between 120 and 180 µm h−1. These dynamic patterns are discussed in the context of hydraulic and photosynthetic acclimation to the altered conditions. Experiments with externally applied sucrose and with transgenic plants having reduced capacities for sucrose synthesis indicated clearly that increasing light intensity rapidly enhanced root growth by elevating sucrose export from shoot to root.
Silicon deposition in the root reduces sodium uptake in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings by reducing bypass flow
Authors: GONG H. J. , RANDALL D. P. , FLOWERS T. J. 
Published: August 2006

ABSTRACTSodium chloride reduces the growth of rice seedlings, which accumulate excessive concentrations of sodium and chloride ions in their leaves. In this paper, we describe how silicon decreases transpirational bypass flow and ion concentrations in the xylem sap in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings growing under NaCl stress. Salt (50 mM NaCl) reduced the growth of shoots and roots: adding silicate (3 mM) to the saline culture solution improved the growth of the shoots, but not roots. The improvement of shoot growth in the presence of silicate was correlated with reduced sodium concentration in the shoot. The net transport rate of Na from the root to shoot (expressed per unit of root mass) was also decreased by added silicate. There was, however, no effect of silicate on the net transport of potassium. Furthermore, in salt‐stressed plants, silicate did not decrease the transpiration, and even increased it in seedlings pre‐treated with silicate for 7 d prior to salt treatment, indicating that the reduction of sodium uptake by silicate was not simply through a reduction in volume flow from root to shoot. Experiments using trisodium‐8‐hydroxy‐1,3,6‐pyrenetrisulphonic acid (PTS), an apoplastic tracer, showed that silicate dramatically decreased transpirational bypass flow in rice (from about 4.2 to 0.8%), while the apparent sodium concentration in the xylem, which was estimated indirectly from the flux data, decreased from 6.2 to 2.8 mM. Direct measurements of the concentration of sodium in xylem sap sampled using Philaenus spumarius confirmed that the apparent reduction was not a consequence of sodium recycling. X‐ray microanalysis showed that silicon was deposited in the outer part of the root and in the endodermis, being more obvious in the latter than in the former. The results suggest that silicon deposition in the exodermis and endodermis reduced sodium uptake in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings under NaCl stress through a reduction in apoplastic transport across the root.
The Occupational Performance History Interview in community mental health case management: Consumer and occupational therapist perspectives
Authors: Ennals Priscilla , Fossey Ellie 
Published: August 2006

Background/aim:  This study aimed to explore the use of the Occupational Performance History Interview from the perspectives of mental health consumers and occupational therapist case managers in community mental health settings. Methods:  This qualitative study, based on naturalistic inquiry, involved 10 participants: four occupational therapists who interviewed six mental health consumers, using the Occupational Performance History Interview. All participants participated in follow‐up interviews or in focus groups to gain an understanding of their perspectives of this experience. Transcribed data were analysed using the constant comparative method. Results:  Consumer participants valued telling their occupational stories. Occupational therapist participants described the interview as supporting them to be more occupationally focused within their case management roles. Conclusion:  The findings suggest that the Occupational Performance History Interview can potentially enhance client‐centred and occupationally focused practice in community mental health case management.
Note on Longevity and Aggregate Savings
Authors: Sheshinski Eytan 
Published: August 2006

AbstractIn a recent paper in this journal, Bloom, Canning and Graham (2003) model the effect of changes in longevity on individual savings. They proceed to present empirical findings about the relation between longevity and aggregate savings. There is a missing link between their empirics and theory: the changes in the populations age density distribution due to increased longevity. This note provides such an aggregation analysis within a simple model with uncertain survival, endogenous life‐cycle consumption and retirement age. It is shown that, with continuous annuitization, an increase in expected longevity raises aggregate steady‐state savings. The magnitude of this effect depends on the economy's age‐specific distribution and on the elasticity of optimum retirement to changes in longevity.
Conflict and the Social Contract*
Authors: Bester Helmut , Wärneryd Karl 
Published: August 2006

AbstractWe consider social contracts for resolving conflicts between two agents who are uncertain about each other's fighting potential. Applications include international conflict, litigation and elections. Even though only a peaceful agreement avoids a loss of resources, if this loss is small enough, then any contract must assign a positive probability of conflict. We show how the likelihood of conflict outbreak depends on the distribution of power between the agents and their information about each other.
Career Concerns, Monetary Incentives and Job Design*
Authors: Kaarbøe Oddvar M. , Olsen Trond E. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractWe study optimal incentive contracts when commitments are limited, and agents have multiple tasks and career concerns. The agent's career concerns are determined by the outside market. We show that the principal might want to give the strongest explicit incentives to agents far from retirement to account for the fact that career concerns might induce behavior in conflict with the principal's preferences. Furthermore, we show that maximized welfare might be decreasing in the strength of career concerns, that optimal incentives can be positively correlated with various measures of uncertainty, and that career incentives have strong implications for optimal job design.