Effects of dilevalol (R,R-labetalol) compared with nifedipine on heart rate, blood pressure and muscle blood flow at rest and on exercise in hypertensive patients.

1. Dilevalol (R,R-labetalol) is a non-selective beta-adrenoceptor antagonist with beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist activity. Its effects after 1 month's administration on heart rate, blood pressure and muscle blood flow were studied in a double-blind crossover comparison with nifedipine in 16 hypertensive patients.

Construction of site-specific mutants of E5A protein of HPV-11 using the polymerase chain reaction and a single mutant primer.

The method of Perrin and Gilliland (1990) was modified to create site-specific mutants. The polymerase chain reaction and a single mutant primer are needed to carry out site-specific mutagenesis. Using this method, removal of the excess primers and nucleotides from the initial amplification is not necessary.

Characterization and analysis of human papillomaviruses of skin warts.

We analysed human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in 61 tissue specimens of skin warts of Taiwanese patients by DNA hybridization. The prevalence of HPV infection was 69% by Southern blot hybridization. The typing of HPVs was performed by dot blot hybridization under highly stringent conditions with each probe separately.

Double-blind comparison of captopril with nifedipine in hypertension complicated by intermittent claudication.

In a double-blind, crossover trial 12 patients with hypertension and peripheral arterial disease were randomized to three months' treatment with captopril 25-50 mg twice daily or nifedipine SR 20-40 mg twice daily. While both treatments were equally effective at lowering blood pressure, postexercise calf blood flow availability was greater during treatment with captopril (P less than 0.04).

A Golgi-related structure remains after the brefeldin A-induced formation of an ER-Golgi hybrid compartment.

Brefeldin A (BFA) has previously been shown to block protein transport from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), to cause the redistribution of Golgi components to the ER, and to change profoundly the morphology of the Golgi apparatus. In order to quantitate the effects of this drug on the morphology of the ER and the Golgi apparatus in HeLa cells, the numerical, surface and volume densities of these organelles were determined by stereological means. We found that in cells treated with BFA (5 micrograms/ml) clusters of vesicles and tubules, often located near transitional elements of the ER, replaced the Golgi apparatus.

O-glycosylation of intact and truncated ribophorins in brefeldin A-treated cells: newly synthesized intact ribophorins are only transiently accessible to the relocated glycosyltransferases.

Ribophorins I and II are type I transmembrane glycoproteins of the ER that are segregated to the rough domains of this organelle. Both ribophorins appear to be part of the translocation apparatus for nascent polypeptides that is associated with membrane-bound ribosomes and participate in the formation of a proteinaceous network within the ER membrane that also includes other components of the translocation apparatus. The ribophorins are both highly stable proteins that lack O-linked sugars but each contains one high mannose N-linked oligosaccharide that remains endo H sensitive throughout their lifetimes.

Electromagnetic scattering of two-dimensional surface-relief dielectric gratings.

We employed the rigorous vector coupled-wave theory [J. Opt. Soc.

The involvement of active DNA synthesis in camptothecin-induced G2 arrest: altered regulation of p34cdc2/cyclin B.

Cell cycle arrest in G2 phase is a common response to a variety of DNA-damaging agents. The coupling between DNA damage and G2 arrest was studied in synchronized HeLa cells using camptothecin, a highly specific inhibitor of topoisomerase I that damages DNA through the formation of reversible topoisomerase I-DNA cleavable complexes. Brief camptothecin treatment of early S-phase HeLa cells caused arrest at G2 phase and abolished the activation of p34cdc2 protein kinase.

Carboxy terminally truncated forms of ribophorin I are degraded in pre-Golgi compartments by a calcium-dependent process.

Two COOH terminally truncated variants of ribophorin I (RI), a type I transmembrane glycoprotein of 583 amino acids that is segregated to the rough portions of the ER and is associated with the protein-translocating apparatus of this organelle, were expressed in permanent HeLa cell transformants. Both variants, one membrane anchored but lacking part of the cytoplasmic domain (RL467) and the other consisting of the luminal 332 NH2-terminal amino acids (RI332), were retained intracellularly but, in contrast to the endogenous long lived, full length ribophorin I (t 1/2 = 25 h), were rapidly degraded (t 1/2 less than 50 min) by a nonlysosomal mechanism. The absence of a measurable lag phase in the degradation of both truncated ribophorins indicates that their turnover begins in the ER itself.

Analysis of polarization dynamics by singularity decomposition method.

The driving point immittance (impedance or admittance) function is commonly used in electrical characterization of polarized materials and interfaces. The immittance function typically attenuates following a power function dependence on frequency. This fact has been recognized as a macroscopic dynamical property manifested by strongly interacting dielectric, viscoelastic and magnetic materials and interfaces between different conducting substances.

Comparison and reproducibility of transthoracic bioimpedance and dual beam Doppler ultrasound measurement of cardiac function in healthy volunteers.

1. We compared the ease of use and reproducibility of two noninvasive methods, transthoracic electrical bioimpedance (TEB) (BoMed NCCOM3-R7) and non-imaging dual beam Doppler ultrasound (Quantascope--Vital Science), in cardiac output (CO) and stroke volume (SV) measurement in healthy volunteers at rest and during physiological stress, both short term and from day to day. 2.

Fractal dynamics of polarized bioelectrodes.

This study is concerned with mathematical modelling of the fundamental relationship which exists between the current density and the overpotential across the metal-solution interface in the linear range using methods of system theory enhanced by 'fractal' concepts. A primer for both 1/f-type scaling and 'anomalous' relaxation/dispersion concepts is provided followed by a brief review of the research history pertinent to the metal electrode polarization dynamics. Next, the 'fractal relaxation systems' approach is introduced to characterize systems which attenuate with a fractional power-low dependence on frequency through a 'scaling exponent'.

Transcription-driven supercoiling of DNA: direct biochemical evidence from in vitro studies.

The translocation of an RNA polymerase elongation complex along double helical DNA has been proposed to generate positive supercoiling waves ahead of and negative supercoiling waves behind the transcription ensemble. This twin supercoiled domain model has been tested in vitro. In the presence of prokaryotic DNA topoisomerase I, which selectively removes negative supercoils, transcription from a single promoter results in rapid and extensive positive supercoiling of the DNA template.

Placebo-controlled comparison of captopril, atenolol, labetalol, and pindolol in hypertension complicated by intermittent claudication.

In a six month placebo-controlled cross-over trial twenty patients with hypertension and peripheral arterial disease were randomised to captopril 25 mg twice daily, atenolol 100 mg once daily, labetalol 200 mg twice daily, or pindolol 10 mg twice daily for one month. Although all treatments were equally effective at lowering blood pressure, pain-free and maximum walking distances on a treadmill were decreased by atenolol, labetalol, and pindolol, but not by captopril. Post-exercise calf blood flow availability was impaired by atenolol, labetalol, and pindolol, but not by captopril.

Haemodynamic effects of atenolol, labetalol, pindolol and captopril: a comparison in hypertensive patients with special reference to changes in limb blood flow, heart rate and left ventricular function.

1 To compare the haemodynamic effects of secondary characteristics of beta-adrenoceptor blockers with an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor forty patients with previously untreated mild to moderate hypertension were prescribed either atenolol 50-100 mg day-1, labetalol 200-800 mg day-1, pindolol 10-30 mg day-1 or captopril 25-100 mg day-1 and observed for 6 months. 2 Over this period: (a) All four drugs produced similar reductions in blood pressure at rest (P less than or equal to 0.01) and after exercise (P less than or equal to 0.

Thermodynamic and phase characterization of phosphatidylethanolamine and ganglioside GD1a mixtures.

By employing diphenylhexatriene steady-state fluorescence anisotropy, pyrenedecanoic acid excimer formation, and high sensitivity scanning calorimetry we have demonstrated that the liposomes containing phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and various mole fractions of ganglioside GD1a had a gel-liquid crystalline phase transition between 15 and 25 degrees C. Calorimetric measurements indicated that these phase transitions were broad and centered between 17 and 21 degrees C. The enthalpy change of the transition was linearly dependent on the ganglioside concentration up to 10.

Kinetic studies of Sendai virus-target membrane interactions: independent analysis of binding and fusion.

Fusion between Sendai virus and liposomes containing phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and different mole fractions of ganglioside GD1a has been investigated. At different times after mixing the virus and liposomes, the mixture was diluted with a sucrose solution and centrifuged in an airfuge to separate the free and virus-associated liposomes. Since the HN protein of the virus was sensitive to the reducing reagent, inclusion of dithiothreitol in the sucrose solution dissociated the bound but not the fused liposomes.

The reproducibility of limb blood flow measurements in human volunteers at rest and after exercise by using mercury-in-Silastic strain gauge plethysmography under standardized conditions.

A study to assess the reproducibility of limb blood flow measurements by venous occlusion plethysmography using mercury-in-Silastic strain gauges was performed in six normal volunteers under standardized conditions. Using this technique forearm and calf blood flow were measured at rest and between 2 and 3 min after submaximal exercise on six separate occasions over a 1 month period. The mean coefficient of variation for resting forearm blood flow was 10.

Ratings of Perceived Exertion, Heart Rate, and Power Output in Predicting Maximal Oxygen Uptake During Submaximal Cycle Ergometry.

In brief: Sixty-two subjects completed a four- stage submaximal cycle ergometer test to volitional fatigue. The purpose was to determine if estimates of V O2 max could be improved by using ratings of perceived exertion singly or in combination with easily obtainable physiological measures during submaximal cycle ergometry. While these procedures may not be acceptable for scientific purposes, clinicians could use them to estimate the aerobic power of their patients and athletes.

Isolation and characterization of the human apolipoprotein A-II gene. Electron microscopic analysis of RNA:DNA hybrids, nucleotide sequence, identification of a polymorphic MspI site, and general structural organization of apolipoprotein genes.

Three cloned apolipoprotein A-II genes were isolated from a human genomic cosmid library constructed in our laboratory. An approximately 3-kilobase HindIII insert containing the entire gene was analyzed by RNA:DNA hybridization and electron microscopy. The apo-A-II gene was found to consist of 4 exons and 3 intervening sequences (IVS), and the lengths of each exon and IVS were estimated by direct observation of the hybrids.

The structure of the human apolipoprotein C-II gene. Electron microscopic analysis of RNA:DNA hybrids, complete nucleotide sequence, and identification of 5' homologous sequences among apolipoprotein genes.

Cloned human apo-C-II cDNA was used as a hybridization probe to identify the human apo-C-II gene in a genomic library constructed in our laboratory. The isolated apo-C-II DNA was studied both by electron microscopy and by direct sequence analysis. Ultrastructural morphological analysis of RNA-DNA hybrids revealed that the apo-C-II gene had complex structures because of regions of inverted complementary sequences in and around the gene forming stem-and-loop structures which interfere with the formation of stable RNA:DNA hybrids.

Interference effects in the picture-word stroop task.

Line drawings of common objects with an embedded three-or four-letter word or scrambled word were presented either to the right or left visual field. Subjects were to name the line drawing of a common object as fast and as accurately as possible. Reaction times and response accuracy were recorded and analyzed.

Sendai virus induced leakage of liposomes containing gangliosides.

Sendai virus induced liposome leakage has been studied by using liposomes containing a self-quenching fluorescent dye, calcein. The liposomes used in this study were prepared by a freeze and thaw method and were composed of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidylethanolamine (1:2.60:1.