bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Relationship between protein kinase C alterations and nitric oxide overproduction in cirrhotic rat aortas
Authors: Tazi KA , Barrière E , Moreau R , Poirel O , Lebrec D. , Tazi Khalid A. , Barrière Eric , Moreau Richard , Poirel Odile , Lebrec Didier 
Published: July 2002

Abstract:  Background: Although nitric oxide (NO) overproduction and protein kinase C (PKC) alterations may play a role in systemic haemodynamic changes in cirrhotic rat aortas, the relationship between NO synthase (NOS) hyperactivation and PKC hypoactivation is unknown. Therefore, the relationships between NOS and PKC activities were studied in cirrhotic rat aortas.Methods: The effects of NOS inhibition by Nw‐nitro‐L‐arginine (LNNA) on the contractile response to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), a PKC activator, were studied. The effects of NOS inhibition and those of S‐nitroso‐N acetyl‐DL‐penicillamine (SNAP), an NO donor, on PKC activity were also evaluated. The effects of PKC activation and inhibition on total NOS and inducible NOS (iNOS) activities were measured. Nitric oxide synthase inhibition caused an increase in PMA‐induced contraction and an increase in PKC activity in cirrhotic rat aortas. S‐nitroso‐N acetyl‐DL‐penicillamine induced downregulation of PKC activity. Total basal aortic NOS activity was significantly higher in cirrhotic rats than in control rats and activation of PKC by PMA induced a decrease in total aortic NOS activity. Protein kinase C downregulation caused an increase in both total aortic NOS and iNOS activities only in control rats, whereas only iNOS activity increased in cirrhotic rats.Conclusion: In cirrhotic rat aortas, NO overproduction plays a role in the decreased PKC activation that leads to reduced aortic contraction. Overactivation of aortic NOS in cirrhotic rats may be because of , in part, the reduced PKC activity.
Pressor and pulmonary responses to ET‐1(1–31) in guinea‐pigs
Authors: Honoré Jean‐Claude , Plante Mirco , Bkaily Ghassan , Rae Giles A , D'Orléans‐Juste Pedro 
Published: July 2002

Endothelin‐1(1–31) (ET‐1(1–31); 0.25 to 4 nmol kg−1; i.v.) induced, in the guinea‐pig, graded increases in MAP and an indomethacin‐sensitive enhancement of pulmonary insufflation pressure (PIP). At all doses, ET‐1(1–31) induced a monophasic pressor response, except at 4 nmol kg−1, which caused a rapid and transient response (first phase: over first 10 min after injection) followed by a more slowly‐developing and sustained (second phase: between 10 and 45 min after injection) increase in MAP. ET‐1(1–31) was 4 to 10 fold less potent than ET‐1 on PIP responses.
Phosphoramidon (5 and 10 mg kg−1) reduced both pressor and PIP effects of ET‐1(1–31). Thiorphan (0.25 and 2.5 mg kg−1) did not affect the pressor responses to ET‐1(1–31) although its PIP effects were markedly reduced by the NEP inhibitor. A selective endothelin‐converting enzyme (ECE) inhibitor, CGS 35066 (1 mg kg−1), significantly reduced the second phase pressor response and increase in PIP triggered by ET‐1(1–31).
The second (but not the first) pressor phase of ET‐1(1–31) (4 nmol kg−1) was markedly reduced by BQ‐123 (selective ETA antagonist), whereas the increase of PIP was significantly reduced by BQ‐788 (selective ETB antagonist). Co‐administration of BQ‐123 plus BQ‐788 abolished ET‐1(1–31)‐induced increase in PIP, but blockade of the second pressor phase afforded by BQ‐123 was now reversed.
In guinea‐pig isolated perfused lungs, ET‐1(1–31) (50 nM) induced the release of prostacyclin and thromboxane A2, which was inhibited by BQ‐788 (5 nM) or thiorphan (25 μM), but not BQ‐123 (1 μM).
These results suggest that ET‐1(1–31) enhances MAP. Its sustained, but not transient, pressor effects are mediated via ETA receptor activation. Furthermore, ET‐1(1–31) increases airway resistance in vivo and triggers prostacyclin and thromboxane A2 release from perfused lungs predominantly via ETB receptor activation. ET‐1(1–31) failed to display any selectivity of action towards either ETA or ETB receptors in these models.
We suggest that, in order to raise MAP, ET‐1(1–31) requires conversion to ET‐1, predominantly by ECE and to a lesser extent neutral endopeptidase 24.11, whereas the reverse holds true regarding its pharmacological effects in airways.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2002) 136, 819–828. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0704782
Expression and pharmacological profile of the human organic cation transporters hOCT1, hOCT2 and hOCT3
Authors: Hayer‐Zillgen Martina , Brüss Michael , Bönisch Heinz 
Published: July 2002

Organic cation transporters (OCTs) are involved in the elimination of monoamines and cationic xenobiotics. To examine whether some cell lines express several different OCTs, we investigated seven human cell lines for the mRNA expression pattern of the human (h) transporters hOCT1, hOCT2 and hOCT3. hOCT1 mRNA was found in all cell lines, six additionally expressed hOCT3 and only two cell lines contained all three hOCTs.
Among the three OCTs only for the OCT3 (also designated as ‘uptake2’ or ‘extraneuronal monoamine transporter’) ‘selective’ inhibitors are described in the literature. The affinities of the OCT3 inhibitors for the other two OCTs are largely unknown. Therefore, we compared the potencies of eight compounds as inhibitors of hOCT‐mediated uptake of the organic cation [3H]‐1‐methyl‐4‐phenylpyridinium ([3H]‐MPP+) in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells stably expressing hOCT1, hOCT2 or hOCT3. Decynium‐22 inhibited hOCT3 with 10 fold higher potency than hOCT1 and hOCT2. Corticosterone was about 100 fold more potent as inhibitor of hOCT3 than of hOCT1 or hOCT2, and O‐methylisoprenaline (OMI) inhibited almost exclusively hOCT3. Progesterone and β‐Oestradiol preferentially inhibited hOCT3 and hOCT1, whereas prazosin was a potent inhibitor of hOCT1 and hOCT3. Phenoxybenzamine (PbA) inhibited with about equal apparent potency all three hOCTs, whereas the PbA derivative SKF550 ((9‐fluorenyl)‐N‐methyl‐β‐chloroethylamine) preferentially inhibited hOCT3 and hOCT2.
PbA reversibly inhibited hOCT1 and irreversibly hOCT2 and hOCT3; SKF550 also irreversibly inhibited hOCT3 but hOCT2 in a reversible manner.
These compounds enable a functional discrimination of the three hOCTs: hOCT1 is selectively inhibited by prazosin, reversibly inhibited by PbA and it is not sensitive to inhibition by SKF550 and OMI; hOCT2 is reversibly inhibited by SKF550, irreversibly by PbA and not by prazosin, β‐oestradiol and OMI, whereas hOCT3 is selectively inhibited by corticosterone, OMI and decynium22.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2002) 136, 829–836. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0704785
FcεRI cross‐linking‐induced actin assembly mediates calcium signalling in RBL‐2H3 mast cells
Authors: Oka Tatsuya , Sato Koichi , Hori Masatoshi , Ozaki Hiroshi , Karaki Hideaki 
Published: July 2002

To determine the role of actin assembly in the Ca2+ signalling of mast cells activated by cross‐linking of FcεRI, we examined the effects of cytochalasin D, an inhibitor of actin polymerization.
In the RBL‐2H3 cells, F‐actin content was increased by sensitization with anti‐dinitrophenol (DNP) IgE. In these cells, cytochalasin D induced oscillatory increases in cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i); these increase were inhibited by jasplakinolide, a stabilizer of actin filaments.
In the IgE‐sensitized RBL‐2H3 cells, DNP‐human serum albumin (DNP‐HSA) augmented actin assembly. DNP‐HSA also increased the production of IP3, [Ca2+]i and degranulation. Cytochalasin D enhanced all of these DNP‐HSA‐induced effects.
In a Ca2+‐free solution, DNP‐HSA induced a transient increase in [Ca2+]i, and this increase was accelerated by cytochalasin D. After cessation of the DNP‐HSA‐induced Ca2+ release, the re‐addition of Ca2+ induced a sustained increase in [Ca2+]i through capacitative Ca2+ entry (CCE), and this increase was enhanced by cytochalasin D.
The effect of cytochalasin D in enhancing the CCE activity was prevented by xestospongin C.
In contrast, neither the Ca2+ release nor the CCE activation that was induced by thapsigargin was affected by cytochalasin D.
These results suggest that actin de‐polymerization stimulates the FcεRI‐mediated signalling to augment the release of Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum in RBL‐2H3 cells.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2002) 136, 837–846. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0704788
Investigation of neurotransmission in vas deferens from α2A/D‐adrenoceptor knockout mice
Authors: Cleary Linda , Vandeputte Catherine , Docherty James R 
Published: July 2002

We have investigated pre‐ and post‐junctional responsiveness in vas deferens from wild‐type and α2A/D‐adrenoceptor knockout mice. The response to a single stimulus was not significantly different between wild‐type and knock‐out mice. The isometric contraction to 10 Hz stimulation for 4 s was significantly larger in vas deferens from knockout as compared with wild‐type.
The maximum potentiation of 10 Hz stimulation‐evoked contractions by yohimbine was to 206.2±38.0% of control in wild‐type but to 135.8±13.6% of control in knockout. The α2A/D‐adrenoceptor selective antagonist BRL 44408 significantly increased the 10 Hz stimulation‐evoked contraction in wild‐type but not knockout, and the reverse was true for the α2C‐adrenoceptor selective antagonist spiroxatrine. The α2B‐adrenoceptor antagonist imiloxan had no effect on the evoked contraction except at high concentrations, and only in wild‐type. Following cocaine (3 μM) and BRL 44408 (1 μM), 10 Hz responses were similar in shape and maximum between wild‐type and knock‐out.
The α2‐adrenoceptor agonist xylazine virtually abolished the early component of the contraction to 10 Hz stimulation in the presence of nifedipine (10 μM) in vas deferens from knockout mice in a way consistent with a change of receptor subtype but without clear evidence for a reduced receptor number. However, the late component of the contraction to 10 Hz stimulation was significantly potentiated by xylazine in tissues from knock‐out mice.
It is concluded that, although non‐α2A/D‐adrenoceptors replace α2D‐adrenoceptors in this knockout, the α2‐adrenoceptor agonist and antagonist data are contradictory. The antagonist data suggest a major loss of prejunctional α2‐adrenoceptors, but this is not necessarily supported by the agonist data.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2002) 136, 857–864. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0704791
The ecology and management of the Saiga antelope in Kazakhstan
Authors: Bekenov A. B. , Grachev Iu. A. , Milner‐Gulland E. J. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractThe ecology and management of the Saiga antelope Saiga tatarica tatarica, a nomadic herding species of the desert, semi‐desert and steppe ecosystems of Central Asia, are reviewed. The range area and population size of the Saiga in Kazakhstan have changed substantially since they were first described, declining rapidly through the nineteenth century to a low point in the 1920s, followed by recovery until the 1950s and subsequent stabilization. A detailed description is given of the Saiga’s habitat and the differences between the winter and summer pastures. The species feeds mainly on grasses, although herbs and shrubs are seasonally important. The migratory patterns of the species divide into directional seasonal migrations and less structured local movements. Group sizes are largest in the calving season and during the autumn migration. Harems are formed in early December. Fertility rates are high, with females giving birth in their first year of life, and routinely twinning thereafter. However, mortality rates are also high in years of drought and harsh winters. The major factors limiting populations include climate, parasites and diseases, predators, and anthropogenic factors. The major human influences are commercial hunting and poaching. Agriculture and habitat alteration are less important currently, although they were probably responsible for the division of the Kazakhstan population into three separate populations. The species was well managed in the Soviet period, with strong institutional structures. However, a new political era requires a re‐evaluation of the Saiga’s needs, in the face of a growing threat from poaching.
In vitro safety profile of G–CSF‐mobilized whole blood after storage for 7 days in an infusable‐grade L15 medium
Authors: De Kreuk Arne M. , Jonkhoff Andries R. , Zevenbergen Adri , Wilhelm Abraham J. , Van Oostveen Johan W. , Schuurhuis Gerrit J. , Huijgens Peter C. 
Published: July 2002

BACKGROUND: G–CSF‐mobilized whole blood (WB) is a cost‐reducing and simple alternative for peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation. Recently, it was demonstrated that mobilized WB supplemented with Leibovitz's L15 medium permitted prolonged preservation of clonogenic cells at ambient temperature. In this study, an infusable‐grade L15 medium (IG‐L15) was developed, and the safety profile of mobilized WB after 7 days of storage was investigated. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: IG‐L15 was manufactured in a closed system under good manufacturing practice conditions. Proinflammatory cytokine levels and hemolysis in mobilized WB were determined after 7 days of storage in different containers and were compared with current clinical mobilized WB values after 1 to 3 days of storage at 4°C. RESULTS: IG‐L15 and L15 maintained clonogenic cells equally. In the samples of mobilized WB that were returned to the patient, cytokine levels were not elevated in comparison with freshly collected mobilized WB. By using IG‐L15 in polystyrene‐coated cell culture bags, median (range) levels of 9.4 (2.2‐69.8) pg per mL (IL‐1β), 31.6 (6.1‐146.5) pg per mL (TNF‐α), 76.9 (15.5‐934.9) pg per mL (IL‐6), and 7195 (104‐205,600) pg per mL (IL‐8) were found after 7 days. Higher cytokine levels were found with L15 and different containers. He‐ molysis was less than 0.5 g per dL in all cases. CONCLUSION: The storage of mobilized WB for 7 days in IG‐L15 at ambient temperature is possible with adequate preservation of clonogenic cells, but cytokine levels may require plasma removal before return.
Carbamazepine versus Valproate Monotherapy for Epilepsy: A Meta‐analysis
Authors: Marson Anthony G. , Williamson Paula R. , Clough Helen , Hutton Jane L. , Chadwick David W. , On Behalf Of The Epilepsy Monotherapy Trial Group  
Published: July 2002

Summary:  Purpose: To provide an overview of the evidence comparing carbamazepine (CBZ) and valproate (VPA) monotherapy for epilepsy, investigating whether existing data support the current practice of preferring CBZ for partial‐onset and VPA for generalized‐onset seizures.Methods: We performed meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials by using individual patient data. Our strategy included searches of (a) Medline, 1966–2000; (b) The Cochrane Library 2000, issue 4; and (c) the pharmaceutical industry. Outcome measures were time to discontinuation of allocated treatment, time to 12‐month remission, and time to first seizure after randomization. Results are expressed as hazard ratios (HRs; 95% CI), where HR>1 indicates that an event is more likely with VPA. A test for an interaction between treatment and seizure type (partial vs. generalized onset) also was undertaken.Results: Data were available for 1,265 patients from five trials. Overall results (HR, 95% CI) were Time to treatment discontinuation, 0.97 (0.79–1.18); 12‐Month remission, 0.87 (0.74–1.02); and First seizure, 1.09 (0.96–1.25), suggesting no overall difference for these outcomes. The test for an interaction between Treatment and Seizure type was significant for time to first seizure, but for no other outcome. The age distribution of adults classified as having generalized seizures indicated that significant numbers of patients may have had their seizures misclassified.Conclusions: We found some evidence to support the preference of CBZ for partial‐onset seizures, but no evidence to support the preference of VPA for generalized‐onset seizures. Confidence intervals are too wide to infer equivalence. Misclassification of patients may have confounded our results and has important implications for future trials.
Protocols, practices, and the reproduction of technique in molecular biology*
Authors: Lynch Michael 
Published: July 2002

ABSTRACTProtocols are one of the main organizational resources in molecular biology. They are written instructions that specify ingredients, equipment, and sequences of steps for making technical preparations. Some protocols are published in widely used manuals, while others are hand‐written variants used by particular laboratories and individual technicians. It is widely understood, both in molecular biology and in social studies of science, that protocols do not describe exactly what practitioners do in the laboratory workplace. In social studies of science, the difference between protocols and the actual practices of doing them often is used to set up ironic contrasts between ‘messy’ laboratory practices and the appearance of technical order. Alternatively, in ethnomethodological studies of work, the difference is examined as a constitutive feature, both of the livedwork of doing technical projects, and of the administrative work of regulating and evaluating such projects. The present article takes its point of departure from ethnomethodology, and begins with a discussion of local problems with performing molecular biology protocols on specific occasions. The discussion then moves to particular cases in criminal law in which defense attorneys crossexamine forensic technicians and lab administrators. In these interrogations, the distinction between protocols and actual practices animates the dialogue and becomes consequential for judgments in the case at hand. The article concludes with a discussion of administrative science: the work of treating protocols and paper trails as proxies for actual ‘scientific’ practices.
Improvisational choreography in teleservice work*
Authors: Whalen Jack , Whalen Marilyn , Henderson Kathryn 
Published: July 2002

ABSTRACTThis naturalistic study of the ordinary work practice of sales representatives employed by the call centre of a large office‐equipment company focuses on the actions of those sales reps during their calls with customers. We show how this work performance is organized through an improvisational choreography of action involving not only the turn‐by‐turn interchange with customers on the telephone but also the concurrent utilization of a variety of tools and artefacts. While ‘improvise’ and ‘choreograph’ may appear to be conceptually incongruent, our analysis demonstrates that even though these teleservice workers recurrently fabricate their actions out of materials and means that are conveniently on hand, the convenience is often carefully arranged to afford such extemporaneous composition. Finally, we conclude from this analysis that the traditional topics of ‘work routines’ and ‘routinization’ need to be respecified in order to take into account how any ‘routine’ is a contingently produced result (and in this centre, a craft‐like performance).
Global analysis of tandem aromatic octapeptide repeats:
The significance of the aromatic–glycine motif
Authors: Gazit Ehud 
Published: July 2002

Abstract
Motivation: Tandem peptide repeats play a key role in self-assembly and aggregation processes. A notable example is the occurrence of tandem peptide repeats in prionic proteins and their role in the aggregation process that leads to the formation of the prion. One of the structural characteristics that is evident from the comparison of mammalian and yeast prion proteins is the presence of aromatic residues in their tandem repeats. These residues are accompanied by glycine residues before and/or after the aromatic amino acid. Such aromatic–glycine conjugates are also present in the tandem repeats of the large family of the bacterial ice nucleation proteins. To study the significance of such aromatic–glycine occurrences, a global analysis of all the aromatic octapeptide repeats in the Swiss-Prot and TrEMBL databases was conducted. The search pattern was formulated to compare the number of conjugates of each of the 20 natural amino acids before or after the different aromatic residues.
Results: The presence of aromatic-glycine conjugates appears to be significantly higher than aromatic conjugates to any other amino acid. Furthermore, all the six various combination of glycine occurrences before or after the three aromatic residues are present. No such pattern was observed for any other amino acid. The significance of the findings is being discussed in the context of the physicochemical properties of aromatic–glycine conjugates and its possible role in the facilitation of aggregates formation.
Contact: ehudg@post.tau.ac.il
Synonymous–non-synonymous mutation rates between sequences
containing ambiguous nucleotides (Syn-SCAN)
Authors: Gonzales Matthew J. , Dugan Jonathan M. , Shafer Robert W. 
Published: July 2002

Abstract
Summary: Direct PCR sequencing on genetic material containing allelic mixtures results in sequences containing ambiguous nucleotides. Because codons exhibiting allelic mixtures present evidence of evolutionary pressure, it is important to include this information in the assessment of codon synonymy. We developed a program, ‘Synonymous–Nonsynonymous Mutation Rates between Sequences Containing Ambiguous Nucleotides’ (Syn-SCAN), that calculates synonymous and non-synonymous substitution rates using a model that includes allelic mixtures.
Availability: Syn-SCAN is implemented on the web and can be downloaded from http://hivdb.stanford.edu
Contact: rshafer@cmgm.stanford.edu
* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
TangleSolve: topological analysis of site-specific recombination
Authors: Saka Yuki , Vázquez Mariel 
Published: July 2002

Abstract
Summary: TangleSolve is a program for analysing site-specific recombination using the tangle model. The program offers an easy-to-use graphical user interface and a visualization tool. Biologists working in topological enzymology can use this program to compute and visualize site-specific recombination mechanisms that accommodate their experimental data. TangleSolve can also prove useful as a teaching aid for mathematical biology and computational molecular biology courses.
Availability: http://bio.math.berkeley.edu/TangleSolve/
Contact: mariel@math.berkeley.edu
* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
A bioinformatic strategy to rapidly characterize cDNA libraries
Authors: Ostermeier G. Charles , Dix David J. , Krawetz Stephen A. 
Published: July 2002

Abstract
Motivation: Complementary DNA libraries can define the genetic constituents of specific cells and/or tissues. Their sequencing will illuminate the transcriptome but it is a monumental task requiring considerable resources.
Results: We have employed a computational search in conjunction with a microarray-based strategy to alleviate the impediments of deriving a consensus of records that describe testis gene expression. This strategy identified 5681 unique testes-expressed genes of which 3265 were previously portrayed in the UniGene database. Interestingly, a total of 2416 novel testes-expressed genes were identified. This clearly demonstrates that microarrays can be used to rapidly discover a large number of new transcripts.
Contact: steve@compbio.med.wayne.edu
* To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Charlotte B. Failing Professor, 253 C.S. Mott Center, 275 East Hancock, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.