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Showing papers by "University of Graz published in 1996"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, an impressive improvement of the cycling performance of Li-alloy anodes in rechargeable organic electrolyte lithium batteries can be achieved by replacing compact or large particle size metallic host matrices M (e.g. Sn or Sb) with small particle size (micro- or nano-scale) multiphase metallic host materials like SnSnSbn or SnSnAgn.

571 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
N. Foidl, G. Foidl, M. Sanchez, Martin Mittelbach1, S. Hackel1 
TL;DR: The development of Jatropha curcas L. as a possible energy crop in Nicaragua is discussed in this article, where a technical process for the processing of the seeds and the production of the methyl esters from the seed oil is described.

526 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the pseudoscalar exchange interaction splits the multiplets of SU (3) F × SU (2) S × U (6) conf in the spectrum, and the position of these multiplets differs in the baryon sectors with different strangeness.

492 citations


Journal Article
TL;DR: The results suggest that inhibition of sGC by ODQ is NO-competitive and results in an apparently irreversible oxidation of the prosthetic heme group.
Abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) binds with high affinity to the heme of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC), resulting in accumulation of the second messenger cGMP in many biological systems. 1H-[1,2,4]Oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) was recently described as potent and selective inhibitor of sGC, providing an invaluable tool with which to settle the function of the cGMP pathway in NO-mediated signal transduction [Mol. Pharmacol. 48:184-188 (1995)]. The present study investigated the mechanism of ODQ-induced inhibition of purified bovine lung sGC. The drug induced a rightward shift of the concentration-response curves recorded with two different NO donors and a reduction of maximal sGC activity, pointing to a mixed type of inhibition. The time course of NO-stimulated sGC activity determined in the presence of 0.3 microM ODQ showed that the inhibitory effect was time-dependent (half-time approximately 3 min) and virtually complete after about 10 min. The cyclase did not recover from ODQ-induced inhibition upon extensive dilution, pointing to an apparently irreversible inactivation of the enzyme by the quinoxalin. Light absorbance spectroscopy showed that ODQ (0.3 mM) induced a shift of the Soret band of the heme from 431 nm to 393 nm, indicating that ODQ oxidizes the ferrous form of the enzyme to the ferric species, which is though to exhibit only poor NO sensitivity. Together, our results suggest that inhibition of sGC by ODQ is NO-competitive and results in an apparently irreversible oxidation of the prosthetic heme group.

380 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: With the described method the active B1 field can be determined in vivo in 23 cross‐sections in less than 6 min, and the stability and accuracy of the presented method is shown by several phantom and in vivo measurements.
Abstract: The authors describe a method for accurate in vivo multislice imaging of the active component of the B1 field which is based on a previously proposed method, which uses the signal intensity ratio of two images measured with different excitation angles, and a repetition time TR 5 > or = 5 T1. The new method essentially reduces repetition and scan time by means of an additional compensating pulse. The suppression of T1 effects by this pulse are verified with simulations and measurements. Further investigations concerned the influence of slice selective excitation and magnetization transfer in multislice imaging to the B1 field determination. The stability and accuracy of the presented method is shown by several phantom and in vivo measurements. With the described method the active B1 field can be determined in vivo in 23 cross-sections in less than 6 min.

368 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review will be focussed particularly on recent trends in the development of drug-protein binding methods including stereoselective and non-stereoselected aspects using chromatography, capillary electrophoresis and microdialysis as compared to the "conventional approach" using equilibrium dialysis, ultrafiltration or size exclusion chromatography.

332 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper showed that SAA is the most sensitive non-invasive biochemical marker for allograft rejection, and compared the measurement of SAA to CRP could reveal other indications for its specific use.
Abstract: Serum amyloid A (SAA) proteins comprise a family of apolipoproteins synthesized in response to cytokines released by activated monocytes/macrophages. Acute-phase protein concentrations have been advocated as objective biochemical indices of disease activity in a number of different inflammatory processes. Clinical studies in large groups of patients with a variety of disorders confirmed the rapid production and exceptionally wide dynamic range of the SAA response. It is as sensitive a marker for the acute-phase as C-reactive protein (CRP). Recent studies indicate that SAA is the most sensitive non-invasive biochemical marker for allograft rejection. Further studies comparing the measurement of SAA to CRP could reveal other indications for its specific use. These studies are now more feasible given newer assays to measure this acute-phase reactant. Observations that the acute-phase response is tightly coupled to lipoprotein abnormalities and the fact that acute-SAA proteins are mainly associated with plasma lipoproteins of the high density range suggested a possible role of this apolipoprotein (apo SAA) in the development of atherosclerosis. The expression of SAA mRNA in human atherosclerotic lesions and the induction of acute-phase SAA by oxidized low-density lipoproteins strengthen the hypothesis that SAA might play a role in vascular injury and atherogenesis.

331 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: X-ray diffraction analysis of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) capsid (CA) protein shows that each monomer within the dimer consists of seven α-helices, five of which are arranged in a coiled coil-like structure.
Abstract: X-ray diffraction analysis of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) capsid (CA) protein shows that each monomer within the dimer consists of seven alpha-helices, five of which are arranged in a coiled coil-like structure. Sequence assignments were made for two of the helices, and tentative connectivity of the remainder of the protein was confirmed by the recent solution structure of a monomeric N-terminal fragment. The C-terminal third of the protein is mostly disordered in the crystal. The longest helices in the coiled coil-like structure are separated by a long, highly antigenic peptide that includes the binding site of an antibody fragment complexed with CA in the crystal. The site of binding of the Fab, the position of the antigenic loop and the site of cleavage between the matrix protein and CA establish the side of the dimer that would be on the exterior of the retroviral core.

327 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a tentative chiral recognition model is proposed for DNB-amino acids which are resolved into enantiomers with exceptionally high α-values (e.g., DNBLeu with an α-value of about 7).

310 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the parameters and corresponding threshold values defining the quality of RME used as biodiesel according to the latest Austrian standardization (O-NORM) are presented and discussed.

304 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors deal with the continuum formulation of finite strain viscoelasticity and provide its numerical simulation with the finite element method with the main thrust of this paper on the computational side is to show the meaningful time-dependent behaviour and the general applicability of the three-dimensional constitutive model.
Abstract: This article deals with the continuum formulation of finite strain viscoelasticity and provides its numerical simulation with the finite element method. In particular, elastomeric solids which are of essential engineering interest are discussed. In order to simulate the significant different bulk/shear-response of polymeric media the deformation is decomposed into volumetric elastic and isochoric viscoelastic parts. The constitutive equations are presented within the context of internal variable models and a Lagrangian kinematical description is adopted throughout. For sufficiently slow processes the material responds in a rubbery elastic manner which is assumed to be modelled with an Ogden-type strain energy function well-known from rubber elasticity. The stresses and the symmetric consistent tangent moduli are briefly discussed along with a second-order approximation of the constitutive rate equation. The main thrust of this paper on the computational side is to show the meaningful time-dependent behaviour and the general applicability of the three-dimensional constitutive model. By applying assumed enhanced strain elements which are well-suited for (nearly) incompressible problems three representative numerical examples illustrate relaxation and creeping phenomena at large strains and the equilibrium finite elastic response, which is asymptotically obtained.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed a model which calls for enhanced heat flow along the Najd fault system which would have enabled the formation of synextensional plutonism and triggered the exhumation of the metamorphic core complexes.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a hypoplastic constitutive model for the three-dimensional nonlinear stress-strain and dilatant volume change behavior of granular materials is presented.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is suggested that L‐NAME represents a prodrug lacking NOS inhibitory activity unless it is hydrolyzed to L‐NOARG, which is markedly accelerated in tissues such as blood or vascular endothelium.
Abstract: 1. The L-arginine derivatives NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG) and NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) have been widely used to inhibit constitutive NO synthase (NOS) in different biological systems. This work was carried out to investigate whether L-NAME is a direct inhibitor of NOS or requires preceding hydrolytic bioactivation to L-NOARG for inhibition of the enzyme. 2. A bolus of L-NAME and L-NOARG (0.25 micromol) increased coronary perfusion pressure of rat isolated hearts to the same extent (21 +/- 0.8 mmHg; n = 5), but the effect developed more rapidly following addition of L-NOARG than L-NAME (mean half-time: 0.7 vs 4.2 min). The time-dependent onset of the inhibitory effect of L-NAME was paralleled by the appearance of L-NOARG in the coronary effluent. 3. Freshly dissolved L-NAME was a 50 fold less potent inhibitor of purified brain NOS (mean IC50 = 70 microM) than L-NOARG (IC50 = 1.4 microM), but the apparent inhibitory potency of L-NAME approached that of L-NOARG upon prolonged incubation at neutral or alkaline pH. H.p.l.c. analyses revealed that NOS inhibition by L-NAME closely correlated with hydrolysis of the drug to L-NOARG. 4. Freshly dissolved L-NAME contained 2% of L-NOARG and was hydrolyzed with a half-life of 365 +/- 11.2 min in buffer (pH 7.4), 207 +/- 1.7 min in human plasma, and 29 +/- 2.2 min in whole blood (n = 3 in each case). When L-NAME was preincubated in plasma or buffer, inhibition of NOS was proportional to formation of L-NOARG, but in blood the inhibition was much less than expected from the rates of L-NAME hydrolysis. This was explained by accumulation of L-NOARG in blood cells. 5. These results suggest that L-NAME represents a prodrug lacking NOS inhibitory activity unless it is hydrolyzed to L-NOARG. Bioactivation of L-NAME proceeds at moderate rates in physiological buffers, but is markedly accelerated in tissues such as blood or vascular endothelium.

Journal Article
H Esterbauer1
TL;DR: The measurement of pentane and ethane in the exhaled air by gas chromatography is the only available non-invasive method.

Journal Article
TL;DR: Clinically silent ischemic lesions and previous hemorrhages are a common finding on MR images of patients with primary intracerebral hematoma and may serve as evidence of diffuse microangiopathy with a possible increased risk for cerebral hemorrhage.
Abstract: PURPOSE To determine whether arteriolar vessel wall degeneration in primary intracerebral hematomas might be associated with ischemic brain lesions and clinically silent (apparently intracerebral) previous hemorrhages. METHODS The MR images of 120 consecutive patients (mean age, 60 years; age range, 22 to 84 years) with their first stroke caused by a primary intracerebral hematoma were reviewed retrospectively for coexisting ischemic damage and previous bleeds. RESULTS Early confluent to confluent white matter hyperintensities, lacunes, or infarction were present in 83 (69%) of the patients, and 39 (33%) had had previous hemorrhages consisting of microbleeds or old hematomas. Extensive white matter hyperintensities and lacunes were most frequent in patients with thalamic primary intracerebral hematomas. There was no relationship between the frequency of old hemorrhages and the location of subsequent primary intracerebral hematomas. CONCLUSION Clinically silent ischemic lesions and previous hemorrhages are a common finding on MR images of patients with primary intracerebral hematoma. They may therefore serve as evidence of diffuse microangiopathy with a possible increased risk for cerebral hemorrhage.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: If postmenopausal women receiving estrogen perform better on demanding cognitive tests than women without estrogen replacement and if this beneficial effect on cognition is caused by estrogen‐related prevention of silent ischemic brain damage is investigated.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To determine if postmenopausal women receiving estrogen perform better on demanding cognitive tests than women without estrogen replacement and if this beneficial effect on cognition is caused by estrogen-related prevention of silent ischemic brain damage. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study comparing postmenopausal estrogen users and non-users. SETTING: Austrian Stroke Prevention Study PARTICIPANTS: A total of 70 women currently using estrogen and 140 women who have never used estrogen from a subset of 222 postmenopausal women without neuropsychiatric or general disease undergoing extensive diagnostic work-up in a large-scale stroke prevention study among randomly selected community members. MEASUREMENTS: Neuropsychological test scores and focal brain abnormalities as well as size of ventricles and cortical sulci as assessed by 1.5 Tesla MRI. RESULTS: Estrogen users performed better than non-users on almost all neuropsychological tests administered. When ANCOVA was used to correct for slight differences between groups in age, length of education, mean arterial blood pressure and self-reported activation, values of P < .05 were noted on tasks assessing conceptualization, attention, and visuopractical skills. After adjustment for multiple comparisons, the differences in conceptualization and visuopractical skills remained significant. MRI showed a lower rate and extent of white matter hyperintensities and a significantly smaller total white matter hyperintensity area in women treated with estrogen (P = .043). The total white matter hyperintensity area was inversely related to the duration of estrogen replacement therapy (P = .040). However, there was no difference in neuropsychological performance between estrogen users with and without white matter abnormalities, and this was also supported by the lack of an association between cognitive test results and the extent of white matter disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated an association between estrogen replacement therapy and better cognitive functioning and a lower rate of clinically unsuspected ischemic brain damage in postmenopausal women. J Am Geriatr Soc 44:1307–1313, 1996.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is indicated that cutaneous specific manifestations of B-CLL present with characteristic histologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular patterns and is likely that prognosis in these patients is probably not affected by skin involvement.
Abstract: The clinical and histopathologic features of specific skin infiltrates in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) have rarely been reported in detail. In this study we analyzed the clinical, histopathologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular features of 84 skin lesions from 42 patients (M:F = 1.3:1; mean age, 66.0 years; range, 42-83 years) with specific cutaneous manifestations of B-CLL. The duration of B-CLL before skin manifestations varied from 0 to 142 months (mean, 39 months). In seven patients (16.7%), skin lesions represented the first sign of disease. Clinical presentations included localized or generalized erythematous papules, plaques, nodules, and large tumors. Ulceration was uncommon. In six patients lesions were confined at the sites of scars from previous herpes zoster (four patients) or herpes simplex (two patients) eruptions. Histologically, three main patterns were recognized: (a) patchy perivascular and periadnexal, (b) nodular-diffuse, and (c) band-like. Cytomorphologically, small monomorphous lymphocytes predominated. Proliferation centers were observed in only four specimens. In two patients presenting with tumors, a high content of large cells with feature of centroblasts and immunoblasts was found (Richter's syndrome). Immunohistologic analyses were performed on paraffin-embedded specimens in 40 biopsies from 20 patients and on cryostat sections in 17 biopsies from 11 patients. Neoplastic B lymphocytes in all cases showed an aberrant phenotype (paraffin sections: CD20+/CD5+/CD43+; cryostat sections: CD19+/CD5+; immunoglobulin light-chain restriction). Proliferation markers (Ki67, PCNA, MIB1) stained 5 to 80% of cells (mean, 25%; median, 20%). Polymerase chain reaction performed in nine cases on paraffin-embedded tissues using consensus primers for immunoglobulin heavy-chain genes showed a monoclonal population of B lymphocytes in all cases. Several discrete bands in addition to the prominent ones were noted in five cases, indicating the additional presence of B lymphocytes whose immunoglobulin genes were not monoclonally but oligoclonally rearranged. Follow-up data could be obtained from 31 patients. The two patients with Richter's syndrome died after 5 and 8 months, respectively. The 5-year survival of patients with small-cell cutaneous B-CLL was 66.6%. Our study indicates that cutaneous specific manifestations of B-CLL present with characteristic histologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular patterns. Prognosis in these patients is probably not affected by skin involvement.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results demonstrate that the prosthetic heme group of neuronal NO synthase is requisite for dimerization of enzyme subunits and for the binding of amino acid substrate and tetrahydrobiopterin.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Findings of monoaminergic systems disturbances in AD are confirmed and findings of dopaminergic deficit for AD are emphasized, suggesting that in pharmacotherapy of AD, attempts to restore deficits of the transmitter systems should be directed to the Monoaminergic, in particular the dopamine system.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Both reductase activities of the FabI protein are inhibited by physiologically relevant concentrations of palmitoyl-CoA, which might be important in regulating endogenous fatty acid biosynthesis in E. coli in the presence of exogenous fatty acids.
Abstract: Reduction of enoyl -acyl-carrier-protein (ACP) substrates by enoyl-ACP reductase is a key regulatory step in fatty acid elongation of Escherichia coli. Two enoyl-ACP reductase activities have been described in E. coli, one specific for NADH, the other for NADPH as cofactor. Because of their distinct enzymatic properties, these activities were ascribed to two different proteins. The NADH-dependent enoyl-ACP reductase of E. coli has previously been identified as the FabI protein, which is the target of a group of antibacterial compounds, the diazaborines. We now demonstrate that both enoyl-ACP reductase activities reside in FabI. In crude cell extracts of FabI-overproducing strains, both NADH-dependent and NADPHdependent enoyl-ACP reductase activities are increased. Mutations in the fabl gene that lead either to temperature-sensitive growth or diazaborine resistance result in the reduction of both activities. When FabI is purified in pH 6.5 buffers, the protein exhibits NADH-dependent and NADPH-dependent reductase activities. Both enzymatic activities are inhibited by diazaborine. The NADPH-dependent enoyl-ACP reductase activity, however, turned out to be approximately eight times more resistant to diazaborine. The difference in sensitivity indicates that binding of either NADPH or NADH to FabI results in distinct changes in the configuration of the protein or, alternatively, it is different due to the different charge of the cofactors. These effects might be responsible for the differences in the enzymatic properties. Both reductase activities of the FabI protein are inhibited by physiologically relevant concentrations of palmitoyl-CoA, which might be important in regulating endogenous fatty acid biosynthesis in E. coli in the presence of exogenous fatty acids.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is concluded that the homolytic cleavage of GSNO is efficiently catalyzed by Cu+ and that the GS-*Cu+ complex is catalytically inactive.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A correlation between the time-averaged fluid wall shear stress and intimal thickening found in the animal experiment can be observed, whereas the pronounced formation of DAIH at the suture line seems to be mainly dependent on wall mechanical factors such as intramural stress and strain.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The characterization of several monoclonal antibodies which recognize 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) modified proteins revealed that the two antibodies are highly selective for HNE bound to histidine with only some cross reaction to H NE bound to lysine and cysteine.
Abstract: A promising approach to study lipid peroxidation pathology is antibodies recognizing aldehydes which react with and became bound to amino acid side chains of proteins. We present in this study the characterization of several monoclonal antibodies which recognize 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) modified proteins. Six out of 20 antibodies recognizing HNE modified BSA were able to detect HNE-protein adducts in peroxidized liver microsomes. Two of these antibodies were selected and characterized. Both antibodies could also detect HNE-protein adducts in oxidized low density lipoprotein. They exhibit no detectable cross reaction with proteins modified by malonaldehyde, nonanal, nonenal and 4-hydroxyhexenal. Protein bound 4-hydroxyoctenal and 4-hydroxydecenal were recognized to some extent. Further characterization revealed that the two antibodies are highly selective for HNE bound to histidine with only some cross reaction to HNE bound to lysine and cysteine. Preliminary quantitative ELISA-analysis showed that oxidized ...

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Oct 1996-Diabetes
TL;DR: It is suggested that prolonged exposure to pathologically high D-glucose concentration results in enhanced formation of O2−, possibly due to metal-mediated oxidation of D- glucose within the cells, and enhances agonist-stimulated Ca2+/EDRF signaling via a yet unknown mechanism.
Abstract: Pretreatment of porcine aortic endothelial cells with high D-glucose results in enhanced endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) formation (39%) due to increased endothelial Ca2+ release (57%) and Ca2+ entry (97%) to bradykinin. This study was designed to investigate the intracellular mechanisms by which high D-glucose affects endothelial Ca2+/EDRF response. The aldose-reductase inhibitors, sorbinil and zopolrestat, failed to diminish high D-glucose-mediated alterations in Ca2+/EDRF response, suggesting that aldose-reductase does not contribute to high D-glucose-initiated changes in Ca2+/EDRF signaling. Pretreatment of cells with the nonmetabolizing D-glucose analog, 3-O-methylglucopyranose (3-OMG), mimicked the effect of high D-glucose on Ca2+ release (41%) and Ca2+ entry (114%) to bradykinin, associated with elevated EDRF formation (26%). High D-glucose and 3-OMG increased superoxide anion (O2-) formation (133 and 293%, respectively), which was insensitive to inhibitors of cyclooxygenase (5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid [ETYA], indomethacin), lipoxygenase (ETYA, gossypol, nordihydroguaiaretic acid [NDGA]), cytochrome P450 (NDGA, econazole, miconazole), and nitric oxide (NO) synthase (L-omega N-nitroarginine), while it was diminished by desferal, a metal chelator. The gamma-glutamyl-cysteine-synthase inhibitor, buthioninesulfoximine (BSO), also increased formation of O2- by 365% and mimicked the effect of high D-glucose on Ca2+/EDRF signaling. The effects of high D-glucose, 3-OMG, and BSO were abolished by co-incubation with superoxide dismutase. Like high D-glucose, pretreatment with the O2(-)-generating system, xanthine oxidase/hypoxanthine, elevated bradykinin-stimulated Ca2+ release (+10%), Ca2+ entry (+75%), and EDRF (+73%). We suggest that prolonged exposure to pathologically high D-glucose concentration results in enhanced formation of O2-, possibly due to metal-mediated oxidation of D-glucose within the cells. This overshoot of O2- enhances agonist-stimulated Ca2+/EDRF signaling via a yet unknown mechanism.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The data suggest that cytokines may be involved in reduced male fertility, as cytokine levels were significantly elevated in seminal plasma exhibiting bacterial or mycoplasmal infections of the urogenital tract.
Abstract: Cytokines released by various cell subsets in the male urogenital tract are capable of markedly influencing sperm function and fertility. We determined the cytokine content in the seminal plasma of patients with unexplained infertility and correlated the results with urogenital infections and sperm parameters. Routine sperm parameters, bacterial culture of seminal plasma and blood follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone were obtained from 14 infertile males and 8 healthy control subjects. Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) levels in the seminal plasma were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF alpha levels in the seminal plasma were negatively correlated with the number of progressively motile sperm, but there was no correlation with total sperm counts, viability, pH, morphological alterations, type of abnormality, and hormone parameters. Cytokine levels were significantly elevated in seminal plasma exhibiting bacterial or mycoplasmal infections of the urogenital tract. Urogenital infections lead to an release of inflammatory cytokines, most probably by immunocompetent cells of the lymphocyte/macrophage origin. Cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, and/or TNF alpha might influence sperm motility via direct or indirect effects, resulting in reduced mucosa penetration properties. Therefore, our data suggest that cytokines may be involved in reduced male fertility.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1 alpha accentuates intestinal SEMF augmentation of enterocyte responsiveness to Ca(2+)-dependent CI-secretagogues, an important mediator of SEMF-enterocyte interaction.
Abstract: Because interleukin-1 (IL-1) is an important mediator in the inflamed intestine, its effects on enterocyte-subepithelial myofibroblast (SEMF) interaction were investigated in vitro. Acutely juxtaposing T84 cells with 18Co or P2JF SEMF preincubated with IL-1 alpha significantly enhanced T84 short-circuit current (Isc) responsiveness to secretagogues in comparison to SEMF not activated by IL-1 alpha. The sensitivity of T84 cell Isc to Ca(2+)-dependent, but not adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate-dependent, secretagogues was augmented by IL-1 alpha-treated SEMF. These effects of IL-1 alpha are directly correlated with SEMF prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production. Both IL-1 alpha augmentation of Cl secretagogue responsiveness and PGE2 formation were inhibited by IL-1 receptor antagonist. Within 5 h, IL-1 alpha stimulated a 10-fold increase in cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 steady-state mRNA levels in 18Co cells. In contrast, COX-1 message levels increased more slowly to two- to threefold above control levels after 24 h incubation. These results demonstrate that the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1 alpha accentuates intestinal SEMF augmentation of enterocyte responsiveness to Ca(2+)-dependent CI-secretagogues. PGE2 is an important mediator of SEMF-enterocyte interaction. The effects of IL-1 alpha on SEMF PGE2 productions are, at least in part, due to stimulation of COX gene expression.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a survey of all current Austrian car-sharing members is used to identify the characteristics significant of members and a procedure is proposed to quantify urban local market segment potentials and is applied to two residential areas.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a general formulation of thin incompressible membranes and the behavior of soft biotissues using the finite element method is presented, in particular the underlying hyperelastic model is chosen to examine the highly non-linear constitutive relation of blood vessels.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Concerns are raised about the validity of cerebral rSo2 data in adults obtained by the INVOS 3100 system after six of 18 of the dead subjects had values above the lowest values found in the healthy adults.
Abstract: Near-infrared spectroscopy is a technique used to monitor cerebral oxygenation. To validate the method, we measured regional oxygen saturation (rSo2) in the brains of 18 dead subjects (mean age, 74.4 +/- 14.6 years) 19.8 +/- 18.2 h (range, 1-73) after cessation of systemic circulation, and in 15 healthy probands (mean age, 34.2 +/- 8.7 years) with an INVOS 3100 cerebral oximeter. The mean (+/-SD) rSo2 in the dead subjects was 51.0 +/- 26.8% [range, 6-88%; left, 48.4 +/- 28.0% (n = 21); right, 54.4 +/- 25.7% (n = 16)]. The mean rSo2 in the control group was 68.4 +/- 5.2% (range, 60-76%; left, 68.1 +/- 5.0%; right, 68.7 +/- 5.6%). After removal of the brain at autopsy in five of the dead subjects, the rSo2 was 73.4 +/- 13.3% (15 measurements). Six of 18 of the dead subjects had values above the lowest values found in the healthy adults (> or = 60%). These findings raise concerns about the validity of cerebral rSo2 data in adults obtained by the INVOS 3100 system.