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Biomedical subjects

B M Bennett

Publications and source records attributed to B M Bennett.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Plasma disposition and hemodynamic effects of a single oral dose of isosorbide dinitrate in human males and females.

The goal of the present work was to determine the plasma disposition and hemodynamic effects of isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) in human males and females. Fourteen healthy human volunteers took part in the study; seven males, 21.7 +/- 2.5 y (SD), and seven females, 20.7 +/- 3.4 y. Measurements of forearm blood flow (FBF), vascular conductance (FVC), and venous capacitance (Cv) were obtained by venous occlusion plethysmography, whereas blood pressure was measured by automatic sphygmomanometry. Blood samples were taken through a catheter placed in the antecubital vein at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 360, 480, 720, and 1440 min following a single 10 mg oral dose of ISDN. Plasma concentrations of ISDN and its mononitrate metabolites, isosorbide-2-mononitrate (2-ISMN) and isosorbide-5-mononitrate (5-ISMN), were determined by large bore capillary column gas-liquid chromatography. Hemodynamic measurements were made at corresponding experimental times up to 480 min. No differences were observed in the disposition of ISDN, 2-ISMN or 5-ISMN between the male and female volunteers. In addition, the plasma concentrations of ISDN and its mononitrate metabolites did not consistently correlate with the hemodynamic changes of the individual subjects. Diastolic blood pressure was significantly decreased for a 0.5 h period starting at 30 min, which was the time at which plasma ISDN concentrations peaked, and which preceded the time when the plasma concentrations of 2-ISMN and 5-ISMN were maximal. These observations indicate that, for a single 10 mg oral dose of ISDN, there were no gender-dependent differences in the plasma disposition of the parent drug or its mononitrate metabolites, and the vascular changes responsible for the decrease in diastolic blood pressure in these volunteers occurred in vascular beds other than those of skeletal muscle as represented by forearm blood flow.

Administration, Oral

Inhibition of nitrovasodilator- and acetylcholine-induced relaxation and cyclic GMP accumulation by the cytochrome P-450 substrate, 7-ethoxyresorufin.

We examined the effect of the cytochrome P-450 substrate, 7-ethoxyresorufin (7-ER), and its corresponding product, resorufin, on nitrovasodilator- and endothelium-dependent relaxation of isolated rat aorta. The EC50 value for glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) induced relaxation was increased over 100-fold by 7-ER and less than 3-fold by resorufin. The EC50 value for sodium nitroprusside (SNP) induced relaxation was increased approximately 12-fold by 7-ER, acetylcholine (ACh) induced relaxation was abolished, and relaxation induced by isopropylnorepinephrine was not significantly affected. GTN-, SNP-, and ACh-induced increases in cyclic GMP accumulation were inhibited by 7-ER, as were basal cyclic GMP levels in endothelium-intact, but not endothelium-denuded tissues. 7-ER decreased GTN biotransformation in intact aorta and decreased the regioselective formation of glyceryl-1,2-dinitrate. The activation by GTN and SNP of aortic guanylyl cyclase in broken cell preparations was not affected by 7-ER, indicating that the inhibitory effect of 7-ER is probably not due to a direct interaction with guanylyl cyclase. The inhibitory effect of 7-ER on GTN-induced relaxation was not altered by the addition of superoxide dismutase, suggesting that 7-ER does not act by increasing superoxide anion concentration (which would serve to increase the degradation of nitric oxide (NO) formed during vascular GTN biotransformation). Our data provide further evidence for the role of the cytochrome P-450--cytochrome P-450 reductase system in the biotransformation of GTN to an activator (presumably nitric oxide) of guanylyl cyclase. The data are consistent with a mode of action of 7-ER involving either competitive inhibition of vascular cytochrome P-450 or uncoupling of vascular cytochrome P-450 reductase from cytochrome P-450. The data also suggest that the cytochrome P-450 system facilitates NO release from SNP and that 7-ER has an inhibitory effect on endothelial nitric oxide synthase.

Acetylcholine

Biological effects of rat iso-atrial natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide are indistinguishable from each other.

Rat brain natriuretic peptide (rBNP) and iso-atrial natriuretic peptide (iso-rANP) were discovered independently by two research laboratories. They are considered to be members of the B-type natriuretic peptides. Except for the Gln/Leu substitution at position 44, the amino acid sequence of iso-rANP is identical with that of the C-terminal 45 amino acids of rat pro-BNP and with the 5-kDa cardiac peptide from rat atria. To determine whether this amino acid substitution can modify the known biological effects of rBNP and iso-rANP, the present investigation examined the cardiovascular and renal responses, vasorelaxant effect, receptor binding characteristics, and cyclic GMP production by the two peptides in relation to that of rat atrial natriuretic peptide (rANP). Results indicate that rBNP and iso-rANP are indistinguishable from each other in terms of these known biological activities of atrial natriuretic peptide. We therefore conclude that rBNP and iso-rANP are identical peptides and that the amino acid substitution at position 44 represents a polymorphic form of the rat B-type natriuretic peptide.

Amino Acids

Hepatic cytochrome P-450-mediated activation of rat aortic guanylyl cyclase by glyceryl trinitrate.

Previous studies have demonstrated hepatic cytochrome P-450-dependent biotransformation of organic nitrates. We assessed whether this biotransformation resulted in the formation of an activator of guanylyl cyclase using the 100,000 x g supernatant of rat aorta as a source of crude enzyme. Incubation of aortic supernatant with rat hepatic microsomes and glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) resulted in concentration-dependent increases in guanylyl cyclase activity provided that the incubations were performed anaerobically and that reduced nicotinamide adenine phosphate was added. Cysteine-dependent activation of guanylyl cyclase by GTN was greater under anaerobic compared to aerobic conditions. Guanylyl cyclase activation by GTN was increased using hepatic microsomes from phenobarbital-treated but not beta-naphthoflavone (BNF)-treated rats and was decreased when microsomes from cimetidine-treated rats were used. The hepatic microsome-dependent activation of guanylyl cyclase by GTN was inhibited by in vitro treatment of microsomes with carbon monoxide, SKF 525A, metyrapone and cimetidine, but not by ranitidine. The sensitivity of isolated rat aorta to the relaxant effects of GTN was increased under low oxygen conditions or when aortae were obtained from phenobarbital- or beta-naphthoflavone-treated rats. Treatment of rats with cimetidine did not affect GTN-induced relaxation. The vascular biotransformation of GTN was increased greater than 3-fold when performed anaerobically, and this increase was prevented by pretreatment of the tissues with carbon monoxide. Together, these data provide strong evidence for the involvement of hepatic cytochromes P-450 in the formation from GTN of an activator of guanylyl cyclase (presumably NO or some closely related compound), and suggest that at least a portion of the vascular biotransformation of GTN is mediated by hemoproteins.

Animals

Unity of perception.

Perceptual scientists have recently enjoyed success in constructing mathematical theories for specific perceptual capacities, capacities such as stereovision, auditory localization, and color perception. Analysis of these theories suggests that they all share a common mathematical structure. If this is true, the elucidation of this structure, the study of its properties, the derivation of its consequences, and the empirical testing of its predictions are promising directions for perceptual research. We consider a candidate for the common structure, a candidate called an "observer". Observers, in essence, perform inferences; each observer has a characteristic class of perceptual premises, a characteristic class of perceptual conclusions, and its own functional relationship between these premises and conclusions. If observers indeed capture the structure common to perceptual capacities, then each capacity, regardless of its modality or manner of instantiation, can be described as some observer. In this paper we develop the definition of an observer. We first consider two examples of perceptual capacities: the measurement of visual motion, and the perception of depth from visual motion. In each case, we review a formal theory of the capacity and abstract its structural essence. From this essence we construct the definition of observer. We then exercise the definition in discussions of transduction, perceptual illusions, perceptual uncertainty, regularization theory, the cognitive penetrability of perception, and the theory neutrality of observation.

Attention

Pharmacokinetic-hemodynamic studies of the enantiomers of isoidide dinitrate in conscious rats.

Our objective was to determine the pharmacokinetic properties of the D- and L-enantiomers of isoidide dinitrate (IIDN) in relation to their hemodynamic effects. Conscious male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered a bolus i.v. dose of 2 mg.kg-1 D- or IIDN and simultaneous blood samples and blood pressure recordings were taken at various times. The elimination half-life of D-IIDN was significantly shorter than that of L-IIDN (10 vs. 16 min) owing to a larger Vd area of the L-enantiomer (5.8 vs. 3.8 L.kg-1). The plasma clearance of either enantiomer was approximately 250 mL.min-1.kg-1, a value equal to plasma cardiac output. The pharmacokinetic data indicates that IIDN is distributed extensively and that significant extrahepatic biotransformation of the drug occurs. After intravenous administration of D-IIDN, there was an initial decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 29% compared with 15% for L-IIDN (p less than 0.05). For L-IIDN, the decrease in MAP was short lived (less than 2 min), while for D-IIDN, MAP remained significantly decreased for up to 60 min. The oral bioavailability of both enantiomers was low (ca. 7%). However, decreases in MAP occurred after oral administration of D-IIDN, suggesting that the mononitrate metabolite of IIDN was pharmacologically active. We conclude that, despite a faster rate of elimination from the central compartment, D-IIDN exhibits a greater vasodilator effect in the intact animal compared to L-IIDN. This is consistent with previous observations of a 10-fold greater potency of D-IIDN for relaxation of isolated vascular smooth muscle.

Administration, Oral

Assay of glyceryl trinitrate, isosorbide dinitrate, and their metabolites in plasma by large-bore capillary column gas-liquid chromatography.

Two large-bore capillary columns, one with dimethyl polysiloxane (HP-1) as the stationary phase and the other with phenyl (50 per cent) methyl (50 per cent) polysiloxane (DB-17), were used to develop gas-liquid chromatographic (GLC) assays for measuring isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN), glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), and their metabolites. ISDN, isosorbide-2-mononitrate (2-ISMN), and isosorbide-5-mononitrate (5-ISMN) in plasma, ranging in concentration from 1 to 300 nM, and GTN, glyceryl-1,2-dinitrate (1,2-GDN), and glyceryl-1,3-dinitrate (1,3-GDN), ranging in concentration from 3 to 60 nM in plasma, were analysed on both columns. GLC analysis yielded baseline resolution of the analytes. The method using the dimethyl polysiloxane column gave a lower limit of detectability for GTN of 0.75 nM (signal/noise (s/n) = 2), and the procedure using the phenyl-methyl column provided a lower limit of detectability for ISDN of 81 pM (s/n = 2). The large-bore column GLC procedures exhibited shorter retention times for both ISDN and GTN than those previously reported for capillary-column assays. The chromatographic resolution of analytes and column efficiency of the large-bore capillary columns were comparable to the results previously found using capillary-column GC. The assays for ISDN and GTN have been shown to be appropriate for pharmacokinetic studies in volunteers and patients. We determined that the HP-1 column is appropriate for the analysis of GTN and metabolites, and the DB-17 column is suitable for analysis of ISDN and its metabolites. We conclude that the use of large-bore capillary columns provides rapid and reliable GLC assays for organic nitrates.

Chromatography, Gas

Effect of magnesium ions on red cell membrane properties.

Spectrin forms aggregates in solution when incubated at relatively high concentrations (several millimolar) of divalent cations. According to the evidence of electron microscopy, aggregates of globular appearance and rather uniform size are cooperatively formed from spectrin dimers, no intermediate structures being seen. Inter-dimer chemical cross-linking of spectrin in intact red cell membranes is enhanced if magnesium ions at a concentration of 0.5 mM or more are present. On the other hand, the elimination of magnesium from the interior of intact cells causes no significant change in shear elastic modulus, measured by micropipette assays, nor is there any dependence of membrane filtration rate on intracellular free magnesium concentration in the range 0-1 mM. Magnesium-depleted cells are, however, converted into echinocytes within a short period, in which control cells, exposed to ionophore and external magnesium ions, remain completely discoid. Magnesium-depleted cells also undergo structural changes on heating below the temperature at which vesiculation sets in. These reveal themselves by the transformation of the cells to a unique characteristic shape, by grossly reduced filtrability, and by extensive agglutination of the cells when treated with a bifunctional reagent. Magnesium ions thus regulate the stability, but not to any measurable extent the gross elasticity, of the red cell membrane.

Cross-Linking Reagents

Cytochrome P-450 mediated biotransformation of organic nitrates.

The vascular biotransformation of organic nitrates appears to be a prerequisite for their action as vasodilators. In the current study, we assessed the involvement of cytochrome P-450 in the denitration of glyceryl trinitrate and the enantiomers of isoidide dinitrate. Denitration of organic nitrates by the microsomal fraction of rat liver was NADPH dependent and followed apparent first-order kinetics. Under aerobic conditions, the t1/2 of D-isoidide dinitrate was significantly shorter than that of L-isoidide dinitrate (11.9 vs. 14.1 min, p less than or equal to 0.05), which is consistent with the greater potency of the D-enantiomer for vasodilation. Under anaerobic conditions, the denitration of glyceryl trinitrate was very rapid (t1/2 approximately 30 s). Organic nitrate biotransformation was inhibited by carbon monoxide, SKF 525A, and dioxygen. This suggests that the biotransformation of organic nitrates can occur through the direct interaction with the heme moiety of cytochrome P-450. The biotransformation of glyceryl trinitrate was catalyzed preferentially by those isoenzymes induced by phenobarbital. The biotransformation of glyceryl trinitrate was regioselective for 1,3-glyceryl dinitrate formation except in phenobarbital-induced microsomes under aerobic conditions, in which preferential formation of 1,2-glyceryl dinitrate occurred. These data suggest that cytochrome P-450 is involved in the biotransformation of organic nitrates and raises the possibility that vascular cytochrome P-450 may play a role in the mechanism-based biotransformation of organic nitrates, the result of which is vascular smooth muscle relaxation.

Animals

Differential biotransformation of the enantiomers of isoidide dinitrate in isolated rat aorta.

Previous studies have demonstrated that the D-enantiomer of isoidide dinitrate (IIDN) is 10-fold more potent than the L-enantiomer for relaxation and cyclic GMP accumulation in isolated rat aorta. To test whether preferential biotransformation of D-IIDN to a species that activates guanylate cyclase is the basis for this observed enantioselectivity, paired segments of rat aorta were exposed to D- and L-IIDN and the tissue accumulation of the parent compound and the formation of their respective metabolites (D- and L-isoidide mononitrate, IIMN) were determined. The extent of relaxation of rat aorta following exposure to 2 microM D-IIDN was greater than that by L-IIDN over a 5-minute time course, and this was associated with a higher rate of D-IIDN biotransformation to D-IIMN at all time points. In addition, the rate of D-IIDN biotransformation was greater than that of L-IIDN at most IIDN concentrations tested. By contrast, the amount of D- and L-IIDN in the tissue was the same at all time points and concentrations tested, indicating that selective uptake of D-IIDN into blood vessels did not occur. When tissues were made tolerant to organic nitrate-induced relaxation by treatment with a high concentration of glyceryl trinitrate, the biotransformation of both D- and L-IIDN was attenuated. This suggests that mechanism-based biotransformation may be affected during tolerance development. Furthermore, the association of preferential D-IIDN biotransformation with its greater potency for vasodilation and cyclic GMP accumulation suggests than an enantioselective site for biotransformation is an important component of organic nitrate-induced vasodilation.

Animals

Structure from two orthographic views of rigid motion.

We study the inference of rigid three-dimensional interpretations for the structure and motion of four or more moving points from but two orthographic views of the points. We develop an algorithm to determine whether image data are compatible with a rigid interpretation. As a corollary of this result we find that the measure of false targets (roughly, nonrigid objects that appear rigid) is zero. We find that if the two views have at least one rigid interpretation, then in fact there is a canonical one-parameter family of rigid interpretations; we show how to compute this family, and we describe precisely how the rigid interpretations vary within it. Since only two views are used, this analysis is relevant also to stereo vision.

Algorithms

Relationship between biotransformation of glyceryl trinitrate and cyclic GMP accumulation in various cultured cell lines.

We assessed glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) biotransformation and cyclic GMP accumulation in cultured rat lung fibroblasts (RLF), porcine kidney epithelial (PK1), bovine aortic endothelial (BAE) and bovine aortic smooth muscle (BASM) cells. Biotransformation of 0.1 microM GTN was linear over 30 min and the percentage of glyceryl dinitrate (GDN)/10(6) cells for BAE, BASM, RLF and PK1 at 30 min was 3.1, 2.3, 5.8 and 21.7%, respectively. At low GTN concentration (0.01-0.1 microM) there was a highly selective formation of 1,2-GDN, whereas at higher GTN concentration (greater than 1 microM) this selectivity was lost. Cyclic GMP accumulation did not occur in BAE or BASM at any GTN concentration, whereas for RLF and PK1 it was highly correlated to the rate of GDN formation. Upon re-exposure to GTN after treatment of RLF or PK1 cells for 3 hr with 0.1 mM GTN, there was an almost complete loss of the cyclic GMP response, GTN biotransformation was attenuated markedly and the selective formation of 1,2-GDN at low GTN concentration was absent. However, when GTN-treated cells were incubated for 18 hr in GTN-free media, there was a recovery of the cyclic GMP response, GTN biotransformation and selective 1,2-GDN formation toward control values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Patterns of isosorbide dinitrate and glyceryl trinitrate metabolites formed by selected segments of the rabbit gastrointestinal tract.

Homogenates of selected segments of the rabbit gastrointestinal tract (GIT) were studied for their ability to biotransform isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) and glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) to their mono- and di-nitrate metabolites, respectively. In addition, preferential formation of certain metabolites was investigated by examination of the patterns of metabolites formed by the various homogenates. After a 30-min incubation of ISDN with GIT homogenates (pH 7.4, 37 degrees C), the percent disappearance of ISDN and the ratio of isosorbide-2-mononitrate (2-ISMN) to isosorbide-5-mononitrate (5-ISMN) were as follows: stomach, 32%, 0.8; duodenum, 65%, 0.1; jejunum, 59%, 0.2; ileum, 38% , 1.2; cecum, 33%, 2.7; and colon, 32%, 3.4. After a 5-min incubation of GTN with GIT homogenates, the percent disappearance of GTN and the ratio of glyceryl-1,3-dinitrate (1,3-GDN) to glyceryl-1,2-dinitrate (1,2-GDN) were as follows: duodenum, 54%, 0.65; ileum, 73%, 0.68; and colon, 61%, 0.17. Incubation of 2 x 10(-7) M ISDN with mucosal and muscularis homogenates of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum resulted in significant losses of ISDN with an equimolar formation of the mononitrate metabolites. Most of the metabolic activity for ISDN resided in the mucosal layer of each section. The ratio of 2-ISMN to 5-ISMN varied in each section (stomach to colon) and cross section (mucosal versus muscularis) of the GIT. We conclude that the metabolism of ISDN and GTN by the GIT may contribute to the high clearance of these organic nitrates, and the low oral bioavailability of ISDN. Also, multiple mechanisms appear to be involved in the biotransformation of ISDN and GTN in the rabbit GIT.

Animals

Effect of in vitro organic nitrate tolerance on relaxation, cyclic GMP accumulation, and guanylate cyclase activation by glyceryl trinitrate and the enantiomers of isoidide dinitrate.

Previously, it was shown that the D enantiomer of isoidide dinitrate was 10-fold more potent than the L enantiomer and 10-fold less potent than glyceryl trinitrate for stimulating cyclic GMP accumulation and relaxation of isolated rat aorta. In the present study, these organic nitrates were tested for their ability to induce tolerance to organic nitrate-induced relaxation, cyclic GMP accumulation, and guanylate cyclase activation in rat aorta in vitro. To compensate for the differences in vasodilator potency, tolerance was induced by incubating isolated rat aorta with concentrations of organic nitrates 1,000-fold greater than the EC50 for relaxation. Under these conditions, the EC50 for relaxation was increased significantly for each organic nitrate and to a similar degree on subsequent reexposure. These data suggest that the potential for inducing in vitro tolerance to relaxation was the same for the three organic nitrates tested. When activation of soluble guanylate cyclase by these compounds was assessed, the enantiomers of isoidide dinitrate were equipotent, but less potent than glyceryl trinitrate, suggesting that the site of enantioselectivity is not guanylate cyclase itself. In blood vessels made tolerant to organic nitrates by pretreatment with glyceryl trinitrate, vasodilator activity, cyclic GMP accumulation, and guanylate cyclase activation were attenuated on reexposure to each organic nitrate. In addition, differences in the potency of the three organic nitrates and the enantioselectivity of isoidide dinitrate for relaxation were abolished in tolerant tissue, whereas the potency difference between glyceryl trinitrate and isoidide dinitrate for activation of guanylate cyclase was unchanged.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Atrial natriuretic peptide, oxytocin, and vasopressin increase guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate in LLC-PK1 kidney epithelial cells.

The effect of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), arginine vasopressin (AVP), and oxytocin (OT) on cAMP and cGMP accumulation was investigated in LLC-PK1 kidney epithelial cells. The addition of ANP, AVP, and OT to intact cells produced a time- and concentration-dependent increase in cGMP accumulation. ANP produced a 1.7-fold increase in cGMP at 10 pM and a maximal 28-fold increase in cGMP at 1 microM. ANP had no effect on basal or AVP-induced stimulation of cAMP accumulation. OT was 10-fold more potent than AVP at increasing cGMP levels, producing a 2.1-fold increase in cGMP at 0.1 nM, whereas AVP was 100-fold more potent at increasing cAMP levels. At a concentration of 1 microM, AVP and OT produced a maximal 12 to 14-fold increase in cGMP, while OT and AVP produced 50- and 90-fold increase in cAMP, respectively. The selective OT agonist [Thr4, Gly7]oxytocin was very effective at increasing cGMP, but not at increasing cAMP levels. The V2-vasopressin agonist [deamino-Pen1,Val4, D-Arg8]vasopressin did not increase cGMP levels, but produced a 20-fold increase in cAMP levels. The addition of ANP together with either AVP or OT produced an additive increase in cGMP content. Simultaneous addition of AVP and OT did not lead to a greater increase in cAMP or cGMP levels. These results suggest that the AVP- and OT-induced increase in cGMP is mediated by OT receptors, whereas the increase in cAMP is probably mediated by vasopressin receptors. ANP increased the activity of particulate guanylate cyclase by 6-fold, while AVP and OT has no effect on particulate guanylate cyclase activity. The relatively selective inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase, methylene blue, had no effect on the ANP-induced increase in cGMP content in intact cells, but produced a 50% inhibition of the increase in cGMP by AVP and OT. Methylene blue did not alter the stimulation of cAMP by AVP or OT. These results demonstrate that ANP, AVP, and OT increase cGMP in LLC-PK1 kidney epithelial cells. The increase in cGMP by ANP is mediated by particulate guanylate cyclase, whereas AVP and OT probably increase cGMP by interacting with OT receptors coupled to soluble guanylate cyclase.

Animals

Glyceryl trinitrate-induced desensitization of guanylate cyclase in cultured rat lung fibroblasts.

Cultured rat lung fibroblasts were used to explore desensitization of guanylate cyclase to nitrovasodilators. The effect of pretreatment with glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) on the concentration-response curves of GTN and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) for cyclic GMP accumulation in intact cells and activation of guanylate cyclase in broken cell preparations was measured. Pretreatment of cells with 1 microM GTN for 3 h decreased cyclic GMP accumulation induced by GTN but had no effect on SNP-induced cyclic GMP accumulation. Pretreatment of cells with 100 microM GTN decreased the efficacy of GTN and SNP for cyclic GMP elevation by 89% and 40%, respectively. In contrast to results obtained with GTN, SNP slightly desensitized cyclic GMP accumulation induced by GTN and SNP. Pretreatment of cells with 100 nM atrial natriuretic peptide resulted in a 44% decrease in cyclic GMP accumulation induced by subsequent exposure to 10 nM atrial natriuretic peptide but had no effect on cyclic GMP elevation induced by nitrovasodilators. In experiments with crude preparations of soluble guanylate cyclase from cells pretreated with 1 mM GTN, activation of the enzyme by GTN and SNP was inhibited almost completely. Tolerance to GTN in intact cells could not be reversed by subsequent incubation with thiols such as cysteine, N-acetylcysteine or glutathione. However, overnight incubation of GTN-tolerant cells in media without added thiols resulted in complete recovery of responsiveness to GTN. Recovery of GTN-induced cyclic GMP accumulation was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by cycloheximide, suggesting that reversal of organic nitrate tolerance requires de novo synthesis of gyanylate cyclase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine

Minimum points and views for the recovery of three-dimensional structure.

Mathematical analyses of motion perception have established minimum combinations of points and distinct views that are sufficient to recover three-dimensional (3D) structure from two-dimensional (2D) images, using such regularities as rigid motion, fixed axis of rotation, and constant angular velocity. To determine whether human subjects could recover 3D information at these theoretical levels, we presented subjects with pairs of displays and asked them to determine whether they represented the same or different 3D structures. Number of points was varied between two and five; number of views was varied between two and six; and the motion was fixed axis with constant angular velocity, fixed axis with variable velocity, or variable axis with variable velocity. Accuracy increased with views, decreased with points, and was greater with fixed-axis motion. Subjects performed above chance levels even when motion was eliminated, indicating that they exploited regularities in addition to those in the theoretical analyses.

Depth Perception