Search results for "Wester"
showing 10 items of 1157 documents
Raloxifene increases the capacity of serum to promote prostacyclin release in human endothelial cells: implication of COX-1 and COX-2.
2004
OBJECTIVE Prostacyclin is a potent vasodilator synthesized by two isoforms of cyclooxygenase in endothelium. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of serum from postmenopausal women treated with raloxifene on prostacyclin production by human umbilical vein endothelial cells and on cyclooxygenases-1 and -2. DESIGN Serum was collected from 21 women receiving 60 mg/day of raloxifene, at baseline and at 3 and 6 months. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were exposed to serum for 24 hours, and prostacyclin production was evaluated in supernatants. Selective inhibitors of cyclooxygenases-1 and -2 (SC-560 and NS-398) were used to investigate the relative contribution of each enzy…
Self-assessment: a study of progress in Europe's leading organizations in quality management practices
1996
Reports a European study on the use of quality management self‐assessment. Data have been obtained from 117 organizations who, in general, have some experiences of self‐assessment methods. Among the main findings were the identification of the steps which are considered to be a key influence on the success of the self‐assessment process and what have been the main learning points. Points out that organizations are using self‐assessment mainly to identify strengths and weaknesses and also to facilitate internal and external learning in terms of transfer of best practice and ideas.
Characterization of aging-associated up-regulation of constitutive nuclear factor-kappa B binding activity.
2001
Changes occur in gene expression during aging in vivo and in replicative senescence in vitro, suggesting that aging can affect gene regulation. We have recently observed age-related changes in ubiquitously expressed, oxidative stress-responsive nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) pathway during aging. Here we report a significant age-related increase in nuclear NF-kappa B binding activity together with increased protein levels of p52 and p65 components in rat liver. An additional, higher molecular weight protein band seen in their western blots suggests that their post-translational modification (but not phosphorylation) occurs in liver, which might affect their nuclear localization and bin…
Changes associated with aging and replicative senescence in the regulation of transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B.
1996
Both the aging of animals and the senescence of cultured cells involve an altered pattern of gene expression, suggesting changes in transcription factor regulation. We studied age-related changes in transcription factors nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B, activator protein factor-1 (AP-1) and Sp-1 by using electrophoretic mobility shift binding assays; we also analysed changes in the protein components of NF-kappa B complex with Western blot assays. Nuclear and cytoplasmic extracts were prepared from heart, liver, kidney and brain of young adult and old NMRI mice and Wistar rats as well as from presenescent, senescent and simian virus 40-immortalized human WI-38 fibroblasts. Aging of both mice an…
Age-related changes in the regulation of transcription factor NF-kappa B in rat brain.
1997
Aging process involves an increase in stress at cellular level. We studied whether aging affects the regulation of stress responsive transcription factor NF-kappa B in brain samples of Wistar rats. Hippocampus, cerebellum, and temporal and frontal lobes of cortex were studied. We observed a significant up-regulation in the constitutive, nucleus-located NF-kappa B binding activity in 30-month-old Wistar rats compared to young and 18-month-old rats. The increase was most prominent in cerebellum and in frontal cortex, but age-related changes did not occur in hippocampus. Inducible, cytoplasmic NF-kappa B binding activity was not affected by aging in any of the samples studied. Western blot ass…
Rejuvenative Efficacy and NF-κB Pathway-Dependent Mechanism of Human Platelet Lysate on Skin Aging
2021
Background: Skin aging is an irreversible process associated with poor self-regenerative capability. Human platelet lysate (hPL) contains rich amounts of growth factors, benefiting tissue regeneration. To explore the anti-aging efficacy and mechanism of hPL on skin, this study employed nude mice and human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) to perform in vitro and in vivo assays. Methods: Flow cytometry and ELISA were conducted for quality control of hPL. In vivo, skin texture grading, histopathological observation, immunofluorescence analysis, and SOD and MDA assays were conducted to determine the effects of hPL on epidermis and dermis of aged skin. In vitro, senescence-associated-beta-galactosidase…
One precursor, three apolipoproteins: The relationship between two crustacean lipoproteins, the large discoidal lipoprotein and the high density lipo…
2014
The novel discoidal lipoprotein (dLp) recently detected in the crayfish, differs from other crustacean lipoproteins in its large size, apoprotein composition and high lipid binding capacity, We identified the dLp sequence by transcriptome analyses of the hepatopancreas and mass spectrometry. Further de novo assembly of the NGS data followed by BLAST searches using the sequence of the high density lipoprotein/1-glucan binding protein (HDL-BGBP) of Astacus leptodactylus as query revealed a putative precursor molecule with an open reading frame of 14.7 kb and a deduced primary structure of 4889 amino acids. The presence of an N-terminal lipid bind- ing domain and a DUF 1943 domain suggests the…
Characterization ofBacillus thuringiensisserovarbolivia(serotype H63), a novel serovar isolated from the Bolivian high valleys
1999
The type strain Bacillus thuringiensis var. bolivia (serotype H63), isolated from the Bolivian high valleys, has been characterized at different levels. Its parasporal crystal has an unusual shape and it is composed of a protein of 155 kDa which shows two bands of 75 and 80 kDa after activation. Analysis by PCR shows the presence of cry1 genes, and amplification with specific primers gave products for cry1 E, cry1 D, cry4 A and cry4 B with sizes different to those expected. Immunoblotting tests showed positive reaction for Cry1 E, Cry3 A, Cry4 A and Cry11 A crystal proteins. The plasmid pattern revealed two large and two small plasmids. Toxicity tests were performed against 14 insects and a…
Electrophoretic analysis of heterogeneous lipopolysaccharides from various strains of Vibrio vulnificus biotypes 1 and 2 by silver staining and immun…
1992
Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of 11 strains of Vibrio vulnificus biotypes 1 and 2, isolated from an eel farm, and of 10 reference strains, were examined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis coupled with silver staining and immunoblotting. LPS samples were obtained from whole-cell lysates, outer membrane fragments, and extracellular products. By silver staining, only a diffuse band of low-molecular weight could be visualized in all cases except for a biotype 1 strain isolated from water. However, immunoblotting with antisera obtained against strains of biotypes 1 and 2 from eels allowed visualization of multiple O-polysaccharide chains. All biotype 2 strains, independently of their origins,…
Isolation and characterization of a fish F-type lectin from gilt head bream (Sparus aurata) serum.
2007
A novel fucose-binding lectin, designated SauFBP32, was purified by affinity chromatography on fucose-agarose, from the serum of the gilt head bream Sparus aurata. Electrophoretic mobility of the subunit revealed apparent molecular weights of 35 and 30 kDa under reducing and non-reducing conditions, respectively. Size exclusion analysis suggests that the native lectin is a monomer under the selected experimental conditions. Agglutinating activity towards rabbit erythrocytes was not significantly modified by addition of calcium or EDTA; activity was optimal at 37 degrees C, retained partial activity by treatment at 70 degrees C, and was fully inactivated at 90 degrees C. On western blot anal…