Suppression of natural killer cell activity in mouse spleen lymphocytes by several dopamine receptor antagonists

Glomerular diseases are associated with changes in glomerular membrane permeability properties that alter filtration rate of plasma water and barrier function of the capillary wall. To estimate intrinsic permeability properties that regulate transmembrane transport of water and macromolecules, theoretical analysis of renal clearance of tracer molecules can be used. The development of adequate theoretical models is required to achieve sufficient accuracy to simulate complicated biological processes. Current research in this area is aimed at improving and validating the presently available models in order to characterize the nature of permeability changes associated with pathological conditions. This is a key step in understanding the pathophysiological nature of glomerular diseases and in the development of effective treatments.     

Phosphatidylserine specific binding protein in rat brain: purification and characterization

A calcium-independent phosphatidylserine specific binding protein detected on liposome blotting analysis was purified from rat brain and revealed to be identical to myristoylated, alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS). MARCKS specifically binds to phosphatidylserine but not phosphatidylcholine. The binding of MARCKS to phosphatidylserine was abolished on protein kinase C-dependent phosphorylation. Since bacterially expressed MARCKS also specifically binds to phosphatidylserine, myristoylation of the N-terminal glycine seems not to be essential for the binding of MARCKS to phosphatidylserine. These data suggest that phosphatidylserine is a membranous target molecule of MARCKS.     

Impact of Backup Power in Optimizing Deployment Cost of Hybrid Optical Wireless Broadband Access Network (HOWBAN) with Survivability

Wireless Personal Communications - The dependence on broadband to enhance the economy and environment sustainability is imposing immense urgency to provide ubiquitous wireless broadband access...     

INFLUENCE OF EXTRUSION ON DAMPING CAMCITIES OF AS-SPRAY DEPOSITED HIGH SILICON ALLOY ZA27 MODIFIED BY CERIUM

1.IntroductionThedampingcapacityofamaterialreferst0itsabilitytoc0nvertmechanicalvibrationenergyint0thermalenergy.Theapplication0fhighdampingmaterialsmayeliminatetheneedforspeciaienergyabs01bers0rdamperst0attenuateundesirablen0iseandmechan-icalvibrati0n.However,m0st0fthefrequentlyusedmetalsandaJl0ysusuallyexhibitalowdampingcapacity,whicharelimitedintheirapplicati0nandperf0rmanceindynamicstructures[l].Accordingly,materialresearchershavesoughtt0improvethedampingcapacityofmetalsandall0ysasseri0us…     

Kinematics of cervical spine discectomy with and without bone grafting: quantitative evaluation of late fusion in a sheep model

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the kinematic response of late fusion results for cervical spine discectomies with and without bone grafting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen Barbados Black Belly sheep underwent sham operations (Group A, n = 5), C2-C3 discectomies only (Group B, n = 5), and C2-C3 discectomies with autologous iliac bone grafting (Group C, n = 5). Ten months after surgery, the animals were killed. Fresh ligamentous spines (C1-C5) were subjected to the relevantly applied loads through a loading frame attached to the C1. Each vertebra (from C2 to C4) was attached with a set of three infrared light-emitting diodes to record the spatial location relating to each load application using a Selspot II system (Selcom Selective Electronics, Inc., Valdese, NC). The load-deformation data of the C2-C3 and C3-C4 motion segments were recorded and analyzed for the three groups. RESULTS: At the C2-C3 motion segment, the results indicated that Group B displayed larger motion ranges of rotation and lateral bending loads than did the other two groups. Significantly larger motion ranges of rotation loads were found in Group B than in Group C (P<0.05, for both comparisons). In contrast, Group C had the smallest motion ranges of flexion, lateral bending, and rotation loads. At the C3-C4 motion segment, both groups that had undergone discectomies had a significantly larger motion range of flexion load compared with Group A (P<0.05, for both comparisons). A significant increase in the motion range of right axial rotation was found in Group B (P<0.05), but not in Group C, compared with Group A. Group B exhibited larger motion ranges responding to all six tested loads than did Group C. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that anterior fusion after C2-C3 cervical discectomies, regardless of the presence or absence of bone grafting, decreases the motion range of flexion load at the C2-C3 motion segment, and contrary data were seen at the C3-C4 motion segment. For axial rotation loads, discectomies without bone grafting resulted in increased motion ranges of both C2-C3 and C3-C4 motion segments whereas discectomies with bone grafting did not. The data may have clinical relevance regarding the role of bone grafting in cases of cervical spine disease.