Search results for " Smooth"

Cytosolic Ca2+ and Phosphoinositide Hydrolysis Linked to Constitutively Active α1d-Adrenoceptors in Vascular Smooth Muscle

2003

In the present study, we analyzed changes in intracellular Ca2+ levels and inositol phosphate accumulation related to a population of alpha 1d-adrenoceptors in rat aorta resembling constitutively active receptors. Following intracellular Ca2+ store depletion by noradrenaline in Ca2+-free medium and removal of the agonist, restoration of extracellular Ca2+ induced four signals: a biphasic (transient and sustained) increase in [Ca2+]i, inositol phosphate accumulation, and a contractile response in the aorta. The transient increase in Ca2+, the inositol phosphate accumulation, and the contractile response were not observed in aortae incubated with prazosin or BMY 7378 [8-[2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl…

Organ-specificity and diagnostic value of cell-mediated immunity against a liver-specific membrane protein: Studies in hepatic and non-hepatic diseas…

1975

In chronic active hepatitis (CAH, n=58) 70% of the HBsAg negative and 48% of the HBsAg positive cases showed a CMI against human liver specific proteins (HLPI). Using HBsAg as antigen only 12% of the HBsAg negative and 24% of the HBsAg positive cases gave a CMI response. On the basis of HBsAg and autoantibodies in the serum CAH patients could be divided into 4 subgroups. A close correlation between CMI against HLPI, sex, ANA and HL-A-8 could be detected. In a follow-up study of patients with acute virus B hepatitis (n=62) CMI against HBsAg was detected in 60% of the cases in the acute phase of the disease but in 15% only 3-6 months after the onset of the illness (n=40). In patients who deve…

Polyamines and microbiota in bicuspid and tricuspid aortic valve aortopathy

2019

Polyamines are small aliphatic cationic molecules synthesized via a highly regulated pathway and involved in general molecular and cellular phenomena. Both mammalian cells and microorganisms synthesize polyamines, and both sources may contribute to the presence of polyamines in the circulation. The dominant location for microorganisms within the body is the gut. Accordingly, the gut microbiota probably synthesizes most of the polyamines in the circulation in addition to those produced by the mammalian host cells. Polyamines are mandatory for cellular growth and proliferation. Established evidence suggests that the polyamine spermidine prolongs lifespan and improves cardiovascular health in …

An interpolation-based data fusion scheme for enhancing the resolution of thermal image sequences

2014

In several human activities, such as agriculture and forest management, the monitoring of radiometric surface temperature is key. In particular both high spatial resolution and high acquisition rate are desirable but, due to the hardware limitations, these two characteristics are not met by the same sensor. The fusion of remotely sensed data acquired by sensors with different spatial and temporal resolution is a profitable choice to face this issue. When the real-time requirement is relaxed, the data sequence can be processed as a whole, allowing to improve the final result. Within this framework, we propose a novel batch sharpening strategy, relying on interpolation, data fusion and Bayesi…

When Aiyagari meets Piketty: Growth, Inequality and Capital Shares

2021

We incorporate the division of income between capital and labor into analysis on the relationship between inequality and growth. Using historical data, we document that changes in the top 1 % income shares are positively associated with subsequent growth of per capita GDP when the capital share of income is low, whereas under high capital share, the association is negative. We show that these findings are compatible with a theoretical analysis that emphasises how changes in the distribution of income translate into the accumulation of capital and overall economic activity through the interplay between precautionary saving motives and consumption smoothing. We also investigate how accounting…

The Poisson problem: A comparison between two approaches based on SPH method

2012

Abstract In this paper two approaches to solve the Poisson problem are presented and compared. The computational schemes are based on Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics method which is able to perform an integral representation by means of a smoothing kernel function by involving domain particles in the discrete formulation. The first approach is derived by means of the variational formulation of the Poisson problem, while the second one is a direct differential method. Numerical examples on different domain geometries are implemented to verify and compare the proposed approaches; the computational efficiency of the developed methods is also studied.

Different and common intracellular calcium-stores mobilized by noradrenaline and caffeine in vascular smooth muscle.

1992

Noradrenaline (NA) 1 microM and caffeine (CAF) 10 mM induce a contractile response in isolated rat aorta maintained at 37 degrees C either in the presence or absence of extracellular calcium. In Ca-free media the contractile response was reduced and contractile activity of CAF only occurred at 25 degrees C. NA induced a biphasic response in Ca-free medium, with a fast phasic contraction followed by a smaller more sustained contraction. The response induced by CAF consisted of a fast transient contraction which returned to a level below the resting tone. After washing, further addition of NA or CAF evoked no increase in smooth muscle tension. The influence of Mg-depletion in the extracellula…

Effects of different agents on the contractile response elicited by extracellular calcium after depletion of internal calcium stores in rat isolated …

1993

Abstract Noradrenaline, 1 μm, induced a sustained contractile response in rat isolated aorta in the presence and in the absence of extracellular Ca2+. After depleting the noradrenaline-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ stores, an increase in the basal tone of the aorta was observed during the incubation period in the presence of Ca2+ and in the absence of the agonist. We have tested the possible pathways through which Ca2+ enters the cell to refill the previously depleted Ca2+ pools, a process that is accompanied by an increase in tension. The magnitude of this increase does not depend on the presence of Mg2+ in the extracellular medium nor on the temperature, suggesting that it is mediated by a…

Induced smoothing in LASSO regression

The thesis is being carried out with the National research Council at the Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy" of Palermo, where I am a fellow, under the supervision of MD Stefania La Grutta. Our research unit is focused on clinical research in allergic respiratory problems in children. In particular, we are interested in to assess the determinants of impaired lung function in a sample of outpatient asthmatic children aged between 5 and 17 years enrolled from 2011 to 2017. Our dataset is composed by n = 529 children and several covariates regarding host and environmental factors. This thesis focuses on hypothesis testing in lasso regression, when one is interes…

Highly efficient liposome-mediated gene transfer of inducible nitric oxide synthase in vivo and in vitro in vascular smooth muscle cells.

2000

Objective: The efficient introduction of regulatory genes into vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is one of the most promising options for gene therapy of cardiovascular diseases. Cationic liposome-mediated gene transfer may become a favorable transfection technique with regard to patient’s safety for in vivo administration. However, this method until now has its limitation in a low transfection efficiency. Therefore, the present study was designed to improve cationic liposome-mediated transfection of rabbit vascular SMCs in vitro and in vivo, in order to enhance transfection efficiency and present an optimized system which may offer a potential therapeutic benefit for in vivo application.…