julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Alcohol Enhances Oxysterol-Induced Apoptosis in Human Endothelial Cells by a Calcium-Dependent Mechanism
2001-03-01

Abstract —Controversy exists about the net effect of alcohol on atherogenesis. A protective effect is assumed, especially from the tannins and phenolic compounds in red wine, owing to their inhibition of low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. However, increased atherogenesis occurs in subjects with moderate to heavy drinking habits. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of alcohol in combination with oxysterols on the endothelium. Cultured human arterial endothelial cells (HAECs) served as an in vitro model to test the cellular effects of various oxysterols. Oxysterols (7β-hydroxycholesterol, 7-ketocholesterol, and cholesterol-5,6-epoxides), which are assumed to be the most toxic constituents of oxidized LDL, induced apoptosis in HAECs through calcium mobilization followed by activation of caspase-3. Ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, tert -butanol, and red wine all potentiated oxysterol-induced cell death up to 5-fold, paralleled by further induction of caspase-3. The alcohol effect occurred in a dose-dependent manner and reached a plateau at 0.05% concentration. Alcohol itself did not affect endothelial cell viability, nor did other solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide mimic the alcohol effect. So far as the physiologically occurring oxysterols are concerned, this effect was apparent only for oxysterols oxidized at the steran ring. The possibility of alcohol facilitating the uptake of oxysterols into the cell was not supported by the data from an uptake study with radiolabeled compounds. Finally, alcohol in combination with oxysterols did cause a dramatic increase in cytosolic calcium influx. Blockage of calcium influx by the calcium channel blocker aurintricarboxylic acid or the calcium chelator ethylene glycol-bis(β-aminoethyl ether)- N , N , N’ , N’ -tetraacetic acid abrogated the alcohol-mediated enhancement of oxysterol toxicity. We describe for the first time a mechanistic concept explaining possible adverse effects of alcohol in conjunction with physiologically occurring oxysterols on atherogenesis.
Evidence against a Rate-Limiting Role of Proinsulin Processing for Maximal Insulin Secretion in Subjects with Impaired Glucose Tolerance and β-Cell Dysfunction1
2001-03-01

In subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) insulin secretion is impaired. Increased proinsulin/insulin (PI/I) ratios suggest that there is also reduced processing of proinsulin to insulin in this condition. The PI/I ratio in the insulin secretory granule is ideally assessed by plasma measurements in response to acute stimulation of insulin secretion. In the present study we tested the hypothesis that maximal stimulation of insulin secretion results in exhaustion of the proinsulin conversion pathway to insulin. We therefore determined the PI/I ratio in 11 normal glucose-tolerant subjects (NGT) and 11 subjects with IGT in response to glucose (squarewave hyperglycemic clamp, 10 mmol/L), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1; primed-continuous infusion), and arginine given during the continued GLP-1 infusion. In IGT, insulin levels were significantly lower during the first phase (144 ± 20 vs. 397 ± 119 pmol/L; P = 0.02), at the end of the GLP infusion (2142 ± 350 vs. 5430 ± 1091 pmol/L; P = 0.002), and in response to arginine (3983± 375 vs. 8663 ± 1430 pmol/L; P = 0.005). In response to glucose, the minimum PI/I ratio was significantly higher in IGT (3.4 ± 0.6%) than in NGT (1.4 ± 0.5%; P = 0.02), suggesting defective proinsulin processing in this condition. In subjects with IGT, the PI/I ratio decreased significantly after GLP-1 priming (1.7 ± 0.2%; P = 0.02) and after arginine given during GLP-1 (1.4 ± 0.2%; P = 0.007) and was not significantly different from those values in NGT (1.3 ± 0.2% and 1.3 ± 0.2%, respectively; both P = NS). In conclusion, during maximal stimulation of insulin secretion in subjects with IGT, the PI/I ratio in plasma decreased significantly and was not different from that in normal controls. This strongly argues against the hypothesis that defective processing of proinsulin to insulin represents a major component of the β-cell dysfunction in IGT.
Superconducting multiple loop quantum interferometers
2001-03-01

We present experimental results on the magnetic field B dependent voltage response V(B) of a number of N resistively shunted Josephson junctions connected in parallel by a multiple loop network. For an appropriate distribution of the array loop sizes, such networks constitute superconducting quantum interference filters (SQIFs) with voltage response functions V(B) that are not /spl Phi//sub 0/-periodic. The voltage response of SQIFs is a unique function around a global minimum at B=0 that has a high sensitivity and a low noise level. In contrast to conventional superconducting quantum interference devices, SQIFs can be directly employed as highly sensitive magnetometers allowing the absolute measurement of magnetic fields. The experimental results are in very good agreement with the theoretical predictions on which basis the SQIF has been fabricated, All findings suggest that superconducting quantum interference filters may allow the design of novel superconducting devices.
Clinical features of insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction and the relationship to type 2 diabetes.
2001-03-01

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a heterogeneous disorder characterized by varying degrees of impaired insulin secretion and insulin resistance. The metabolic manifestations of insulin resistance include (1) reduced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, (2) reduced insulin-suppression of endogenous glucose production, and (3) reduced antilipolysis. All of these mechanisms contribute to the hyperglycemis of T2DM, both post-absorptively and postprandially. In addition, insulin resistance is involved in decreaswed insulin-induced vasodilation, dyslipidemia, and platelet hyperaggregability. The pathogenesis of T2DM involves a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Monogenic causes account for only a minority of insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction. Among environmental factors the most important are obesity, reduced physical activity, and age. Obesity-associated insulin resistance is thought to be mediated mainly by FFAs whose clearance is reduced in subjects with T2DM. A number of clinical tests have been developed to assess insulin sensitivity and beta cell function in vivo. The euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp and the hyperglycemic clamp, respectively, represent the gold standard procedures. Recently, indices calculated parameters of the OGTT have been proposed as surrogates for assessing both insulin sensitivity and beta cell function in clinical situations and epidemiologic studies.
Transforming growth factor-beta1-induced Smad signaling, cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in hepatoma cells
2001-03-01

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGFbeta) is involved in the regulation of liver cell proliferation and apoptosis, and escape of hepatoma cells from the growth restraining signals of TGFbeta has been suggested to contribute to tumor development. TGFbeta modulates gene transcription by receptor-mediated activation of Smad proteins which act as transcription factors. TGFbeta-mediated primary signaling responses as well as effects on the cell cycle and apoptosis were investigated in the human hepatoblastoma line HepG2, the rat hepatoma line FTO-2B and the mouse hepatoma line 55.1c. Activation of a Smad (Sma and Mad homolog) response-element-driven luciferase reporter by TGFbeta was very similar in all three cell lines, indicating functionality of the primary TGFbeta signaling pathway. Moreover, TGFbeta-inducible early gene was transiently activated by TGFbeta in all cell lines as shown by RT-PCR. HepG2 cells, however, were completely resistant to TGFbeta-induced growth arrest and apoptosis and 55.1c cells were only slightly susceptible to TGFbeta-induced apoptosis. By contrast, treatment of FTO-2B cells with TGFbeta led to a partial G0/G1 arrest and a strong induction of apoptosis. TGFbeta-induced apoptosis of FTO-2B cells was inhibited by dexamethasone, insulin, phenobarbital and dieldrin. Of these agents, only insulin led to a significant reduction of TGFbeta-stimulated Smad-reporter activity, suggesting that the other compounds interfere with TGFbeta-induced apoptosis downstream of Smad-mediated primary transcriptional responses at a level that may be constitutively altered in apoptosis-resistant hepatoma cell lines.
Dual Role of GdmH in Producer Immunity and Secretion of the Staphylococcal Lantibiotics Gallidermin and Epidermin
2001-03-01

ABSTRACT The biosynthetic gene clusters of the staphylococcal lantibiotics epidermin and gallidermin are distinguished by the presence of the unique genes epiH and gdmH , respectively. They encode accessory factors for the ATP-binding cassette transporters that mediate secretion of the antimicrobial peptides. Here, we show that gdmH also contributes to immunity to gallidermin but not to nisin. gdmH alone affected susceptibility to gallidermin only moderately, but it led to a multiplication of the immunity level mediated by the FEG immunity genes when cloned together with the gdmT gene, suggesting a synergistic activity of the H and FEG systems. gdmH -related genes were identified in the genomes of several bacteria, indicating an involvement in further cellular functions.
Effect of Antipyretic Drugs in Children with Malaria
2001-03-01

A comparison of different antipyretics in children with malaria showed a small effect of naproxen, but not of metamizol, on the reduction of fever peaks. Antipyretic treatment had no effect on fever clearance and therefore should be used cautiously in the treatment of malaria.
Experimental Investigations of Oxygenated Gasoline Dissolution
2001-03-01

Oxygenated compounds such as ethanol and MTBE are added to gasoline in many countries to increase the octane rating and to reduce the carbon monoxide and ozone levels in the air. In Brazil, due to economic reasons, gasoline has had up to 26% ethanol added. The leakage or spillage of such gasolines, referred to as oxygenated gasolines, could induce a cosolvent flushing effect in the contaminated soil as a result of the high solubility of oxygenated compounds in water. This paper focuses on the experimental measurements of the enhanced concentration and the dissolution of 12 organic compounds with increasing percentages of ethanol in the gasoline phase. The validity of Raoult's law and the log-linear cosolvency model to estimate the aqueous concentration of the hydrocarbons from unamended and from oxygenated gasolines is verified. Column tests showed that ethanol is leached out of residual gasoline after a short time, leaving an ethanol-free residual phase.
Outer Membrane Channels and Active Transporters for the Uptake of Antibiotics
2001-03-01

The targets of antibiotics reside in the periplasm, the cytoplasmic membrane, and the cytoplasm of bacteria. To gain access to these targets, the antibiotics have to cross the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria and the cytoplasmic membrane of all bacteria if the antibiotics enter the cytoplasm. Most antibiotics seem to reach their targets by diffusion. Some antibiotics are actively transported across the cytoplasmic membrane via substrate transport systems. These antibiotics
Neural correlates of duplex perception: a whole-head magnetencephalography study
2001-03-01

Simultaneous experience of the same acoustic stimulus in two distinct phenomenological modes, e.g. as a speech-like and as a non-speech event, is referred to as duplex perception (DP). The most widely investigated DP paradigm splits each of the stop consonant-vowel (CV) syllables /ga/ and /da/ into an isolated formant transient (chirp) and the remaining sound structure (base). The present study recorded mismatch fields in response to a series of dichotically applied base and chirp components using whole-head magnetencephalography (MEG). Preattentive mismatch fields showed larger amplitudes in response to contralateral deviants. During attention to the fused percept /da/, the left ear deviants chirps elicited an enhanced and posteriorly shifted dipole field over the ipsilateral hemisphere. These data provide first neurophysiological evidence that the integration of acoustic stimulus elements into a coherent syllable representation constitutes a distinct stage of left-hemisphere speech sound encoding.
The Taxonomic Status of Leptodactylus geminus Barrio, 1973
2001-03-01

The advertisement calls of Leptodactylus geminus, Leptodactylus gracilis, Leptodactylus plaumanni, and Leptodactylus fuscus are analyzed and compared with published reports. Based on calling data and examination of type material, Leptodactylus geminus is synonymized with L, plaumanni. To differentiate between the sibling species L. gracilis and L. plaumanni, fieldwork is needed, including recording of advertisement calls. Reliable identification of red specimens is not possible based on morphology and coloration alone.
Methyl pyruvate initiates membrane depolarization and insulin release by metabolic factors other than ATP
2001-03-01

The role of mitochondria in stimulus-secretion coupling of pancreatic beta-cells was examined using methyl pyruvate (MP). MP stimulated insulin secretion in the absence of glucose, with maximal effect at 5 mM. K+ (30 mM) alone, or in combination with diazoxide (100 microM), failed to enhance MP-induced secretion. Diazoxide (100 microM) inhibited MP-induced insulin secretion. MP depolarized the beta-cell in a concentration-dependent manner (5-20 mM). The sustained depolarization induced by 20 mM MP was not influenced by 100 microM diazoxide, but the continuous spiking activity was suppressed by 500 microM diazoxide. Pyruvate failed to initiate insulin release (5-20 mM) or to depolarize the membrane potential. ATP production in isolated beta-cell mitochondria was detected as accumulation of ATP in the medium during incubation in the presence of malate or glutamate in combination with pyruvate or MP. There was no difference in ATP production induced by pyruvate/malate or MP/malate in isolated beta-cell mitochondria. ATP production by MP/glutamate was higher than that induced by pyruvate/glutamate, but it was much lower than that induced by alpha-ketoisocaproate/glutamate. Pyruvate (5 mM) or MP (5 mM) had no effect on the ATP/ADP ratio in whole islets, whereas glucose (20 mM) significantly increased the whole islet ATP/ADP ratio. It is concluded that MP-induced beta-cell membrane depolarization or insulin release does not relate directly to mitochondrial ATP production. Instead MP may exert a direct extramitochondrial effect, or it may stimulate beta-cell mitochondria to produce coupling factors different from ATP to initiate insulin release.
Intravenous regional anaesthesia for treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis with botulinum toxin type A
2001-03-01

Journal Article Intravenous regional anaesthesia for treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis with botulinum toxin type A Get access B. Vollert, B. Vollert Departments of Dermatology and Anaesthesiology, University of Tuebingen, Liebermeisterstr. 25, 72076 Tuebingen, GermanyE‐mail: barbara.vollert@uni‐tuebingen.de Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar H‐J. Blaheta, H‐J. Blaheta Departments of Dermatology and Anaesthesiology, University of Tuebingen, Liebermeisterstr. 25, 72076 Tuebingen, GermanyE‐mail: barbara.vollert@uni‐tuebingen.de Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar E. Moehrle, E. Moehrle Departments of Dermatology and Anaesthesiology, University of Tuebingen, Liebermeisterstr. 25, 72076 Tuebingen, GermanyE‐mail: barbara.vollert@uni‐tuebingen.de Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar M. Juenger, M. Juenger Departments of Dermatology and Anaesthesiology, University of Tuebingen, Liebermeisterstr. 25, 72076 Tuebingen, GermanyE‐mail: barbara.vollert@uni‐tuebingen.de Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar G. Rassner G. Rassner Departments of Dermatology and Anaesthesiology, University of Tuebingen, Liebermeisterstr. 25, 72076 Tuebingen, GermanyE‐mail: barbara.vollert@uni‐tuebingen.de Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar British Journal of Dermatology, Volume 144, Issue 3, 1 March 2001, Pages 632–633, https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2133.2001.04104.x Published: 01 March 2001
Target cell-restricted triggering of the CD95 (APO-1/Fas) death receptor with bispecific antibody fragments.
2001-03-01

Like many other cell surface receptors, the CD95 (APO-1/Fas) molecule needs to be cross-linked by its physiological ligand or by immobilized or multimeric antibodies to mediate biological activity, that is, induction of apoptotic cell death. Monomeric CD95 antibodies of the IgG2a or IgG1 subtype block rather than induce apoptosis. We report here that such antibodies, hybridized to a second antibody directed against a different target antigen on the same cell, effectively induce apoptosis of the cells if the expression of the target antigen exceeds a certain threshold level. It appears that this effect is due to bicellular binding of bispecific antibodies resulting in mutual cross-linking of the CD95 death receptor and the target antigen. Using bispecific reagents, it may therefore be possible to restrict the activation of death receptors to a given target site, e.g., a tumor. In general terms, our findings illustrate a principle according to which the triggering of a cell surface receptor may be confined to a given target cell using bispecific reagents with target X cell surface receptor specificity.
Characterization of the amino acids essential for the photo- and radioprotective effects of a Bowman–Birk protease inhibitor-derived nonapeptide
2001-03-01

The Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor has been reported to exert photo- and radioprotective activity. This effect was assigned to a cyclic nonapeptide sequence which is known to contain the amino acids responsible for the anti-chymotryptic activity of the BBI. The present study indicated that linearization of the nonapeptide resulted in a significant loss of anti-proteolytic activity, whereas the photo- and radioprotective capacity persisted. Substitution of the amino acids Leu or Ser of the nonapeptide, essential for the anti-proteolytic activity, with different amino acids, indicated that rather the hydrophobic features of the amino acids in this position than charge are critical to retain the photo- and radioprotective effect. These results suggest the existence of a bifunctional peptide sequence with anti-proteolytic and photo-/radioprotective capacity. However, the lack of correlation between the photo-/radioprotective activity and the anti-proteolytic activity within the peptides generated by modification of the linear nonapeptide argues for the existence of two closely colocalized domains within the nonapeptide responsible for photo-/radioprotection and protease inhibition.
Voltage-flux-characteristics of asymmetric dc SQUIDs
2001-03-01

We present a detailed analysis of voltage-flux V(Phi)-characteristics for asymmetric dc SQUIDs with various kinds of asymmetries. For finite asymmetry alpha_I in the critical currents of the two Josephson junctions, the minima in the V(Phi)-characteristics for bias currents of opposite polarity are shifted along the flux axis by Delta_Phi = (alpha_I)*(beta_L) relative to each other; beta_L is the screening parameter. This simple relation allows the determination of alpha_I in our experiments on YBa_2Cu_3O_(7-x} dc SQUIDs and comparison with theory. Extensive numerical simulations within a wide range of beta_L and noise parameter Gamma reveal a systematic dependence of the transfer function V_Phi on alpha_I and alpha_R (junction resistance asymmetry). As for the symmetric dc SQUID, V_Phi factorizes into g(Gamma*beta_L)*f(alpha_I,beta_L), where now f also depends on alpha_I. For \\beta_L below five we find mostly a decrease of V_Phi with increasing alpha_I, which however can only partially account for the frequently observed discrepancy in V_Phi between theory and experiment for high-T_c dc SQUIDs.
Antialiasing of Environment Maps
2001-03-01

Environment maps, like texture maps or any other maps consisting of discretely stored data have to be properly filtered, if they are being resampled in the process of rendering an image. For environment maps, this is especially important, as the sampling rate is subject to extreme changes due to the curvature of the reflecting surfaces. However, for the same reason, the antialiasing is especially difficult to perform, as the sampling rate has to be determined for each pixel. We introduce a method to perform this calculation and determine the parameters for anisotropic filtering of the environment map. Instead of the BRDF, we employ roughness pyramids to account for the properties of the reflecting surface. The principles that are used to perform this antialiasing can be applied for antialiasing reflected textures in general e.g. in ray tracing.
Interactions of synaptic and intrinsic electroresponsiveness determine corticothalamic activation dynamics
2001-03-01

The interaction between cortical input frequency and intrinsic thalamic neuron (TN) properties were investigated using intracellular recordings from mice TNs in thalamocortical (TC) slices. Excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) of corticothalamic (CT) origin were recorded at TN membrane potentials (Vm) held, by current clamp means, between −59 and −55 mV to avoid low-threshold calcium currents (IT) activation. EPSPs elicited in ventrobasal neurons (n = 25) by stimulation in the internal capsule showed constant latency, relatively fast rise time (2.9 ± 0.56 ms) and short duration (26.6 ± 9.11 ms). EPSPs evoked by threshold stimulation (n = 10) showed similar characteristics (mean rise time, 2.74 ± 0.42 ms; mean duration, 30 ± 8.00 ms). The time course of CT synaptic facilitation was determined using pairs of stimuli. Paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) of CT EPSPs peaked at 25–30 ms stimulus intervals and decayed exponentially with an average time constant of 130 ms (n = 50). Application of the NMDA receptor blocker APV (25 μM, n = 4) did not modify PPF for any interstimulus interval studied but suppressed frequency facilitation evoked by trains of CT stimuli. We compared the number of spikes per stimulus (Fs) evoked in TNs by repetitive CT stimulation over a range of frequencies at different Vm. At hyperpolarized Vm (below −65 mV) and frequencies of stimulation ≥ 10 Hz, Fs decreased along the train while at depolarized Vm (above −59 mV) Fs increased along the train. Decremental patterns resulted from the activation of IT while facilitatory patterns emerged from superposition of synaptic and intrinsic mechanisms. At hyperpolarized Vm, steady-state Fs was maximal for frequencies ≤ 2 Hz, intermediate for frequencies between 2 and 10 Hz and zero at ≥ 10 Hz. At depolarized Vm, steady-state Fs increased with increasing frequencies (from 1 to 40 Hz).We conclude that the CT–TN junctions are tuned to establish stable thalamocortical resonant dynamics.