Search results for "RAPA"
showing 10 items of 471 documents
Muscle protein synthesis, mTORC1/MAPK/Hippo signaling, and capillary density are altered by blocking of myostatin and activins
2012
Loss of muscle mass and function occurs in various diseases. Myostatin blocking can attenuate muscle loss, but downstream signaling is not well known. Therefore, to elucidate associated signaling pathways, we used the soluble activin receptor IIb (sActRIIB-Fc) to block myostatin and activins in mice. Within 2 wk, the treatment rapidly increased muscle size as expected but decreased capillary density per area. sActRIIB-Fc increased muscle protein synthesis 1–2 days after the treatment correlating with enhanced mTORC1 signaling (phosphorylated rpS6 and S6K1, r = 0.8). Concurrently, increased REDD1 and eIF2Bε protein contents and phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 and AMPK was observed. In contrast, pr…
EFFECTS OF VANADATE ON RESPONSES OF GUINEA-PIG ISOLATED TRACHEA TO SPASMOGENS
1993
Abstract The effects of vanadate on the contractility of the guinea-pig isolated trachea was examined. Vanadate (0·1 Mm) produced a sustained contraction that was abolished in Ca2+-free EGTA (0·1 Mm)-containing physiological salt solution but was resistant to verapamil (1 μm). Vanadate (0·1 Mm) depressed tracheal responses to CaCl2 (in Ca2+-free depolarizing solution), KCl, acetylcholine, histamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine. For vanadate (10 μm), the inhibition of spasmogenic responses only reached statistical significance for histamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine. Caffeine (1 Mm)-induced spasm (trachea at 20°C in the presence of indomethacin (2·8 μm)) was not affected by vanadate (10 μm-0·1 Mm).…
EFFECTS OF PHORBOL 12,13-DIACETATE AND ITS INFLUENCE ON SPASMOGENIC RESPONSES IN NORMAL AND SENSITIZED GUINEA-PIG TRACHEA
1995
Abstract We have studied the effects of phorbol 12,13-diacetate (PDA) and its influence on a variety of spasmogenic responses in trachea isolated in from normal and sensitized guinea-pigs. Tracheal preparations were denuded of epithelium, treated with indomethacin (2·8 μm), and cooled to 20°C. In these experimental conditions, tracheal strips contracted to PDA (0·1 nm-1 μm). Contractions to PDA (1 μm) were greater in sensitized tissues. In normal trachea, contractions to PDA (0·1 μm) were depressed by H-7, 1-(5-isoquinolinyl-sulphonyl)-2-methylpiperazine, (50 μm), amiloride (10 μm), verapamil (10 μm) and Ca2+-free exposure. Similar effects were obtained in sensitized trachea except that PDA…
The Cover
2014
La scheda descrive un raffinatissimo capezzale ottagonale trapanese, databile al terzo/quarto decennio del XVIII secolo in considerazione dell’evidente gusto tardo-baroccheggiante e delle caratteristiche stilistico-compositive, che si trova oggi in una collezione privata maltese.
Influence of polymer content in Ca-deficient hydroxyapatite–polycaprolactone nanocomposites on the formation of microvessel-like structures
2009
Calcium phosphate (CaP) ceramics are widely used in bone tissue engineering due to their good osteoconductivity. The mechanical properties of CaP can be modified by the addition of small volume fractions of biodegradable polymers such as polycaprolactone (PCL). Nevertheless, it is also important to evaluate how the polymer content influences cell-material or cell-cell interactions because of potential consequences for bone regeneration and vascularization. In this study we assessed the general biocompatibilty of Ca-deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA)-PCL disks containing nominally 11 and 24% polycaprolactone using human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human primary osteoblasts. Confocal mi…
Luminescence of Er/Yb and Tm/Yb doped FAp nanoparticles and ceramics
2015
The nanoparticles of hydroxiapatite and fluorapatite doped with Er/Yb and Tm/Yb were synthesized and characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM and TEM methods. The results of up-conversion luminescence studies were presented for the samples as prepared, annealed at 500°C and at 900-1000 °C. At annealing above 800°C the ceramic state was formed. It is shown that fluorapatite host is more appropriate than hydroxiapatite host for rare ions luminescence and up-conversion processes. The post preparing annealing of nanarticles significantly enhanced the luminescence intensity. The Tm/Yb doped fluorapatite shows intense up-conversion luminescence in 790-800 nm spectral region and is potentially useful for b…
Histological and histomorphometrical analysis of a silica matrix embedded nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite bone substitute using the subcutaneous impla…
2010
The clinical suitability of a bone substitute material is determined by the ability to induce a tissue reaction specific to its composition. The aim of this in vivo study was to analyze the tissue reaction to a silica matrix-embedded, nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite bone substitute. The subcutaneous implantation model in Wistar rats was chosen to assess the effect of silica degradation on the vascularization of the biomaterial and its biodegradation within a time period of 6 months. Already at day 10 after implantation, histomorphometrical analysis showed that the vascularization of the implantation bed reached its peak value compared to all other time points. Both vessel density and vascula…
Simultaneous photonic and excitonic coupling in spherical quantum dot supercrystals
2020
Semiconductor nanocrystals, or quantum dots (QDs), simultaneously benefit from inexpensive low-temperature solution processing and exciting photophysics, making them the ideal candidates for next-generation solar cells and photodetectors. While the working principles of these devices rely on light absorption, QDs intrinsically belong to the Rayleigh regime and display optical behavior limited to electric dipole resonances, resulting in low absorption efficiencies. Increasing the absorption efficiency of QDs, together with their electronic and excitonic coupling to enhance charge carrier mobility, is therefore of critical importance to enable practical applications. Here, we demonstrate a ge…
Effect of hydroxyapatite concentration and size on morpho-mechanical properties of PLA-based randomly oriented and aligned electrospun nanofibrous ma…
2019
The growing demand for nanofibrous biocomposites able to provide peculiar properties requires systematic investigations of processing-structure-property relationships. Understanding the morpho-mechanical properties of an electrospun scaffold as a function of the filler features and mat microstructure can aid in designing these systems. In this work, the reinforcing effect of micrometric and nanometric hydroxyapatite particles in polylactic acid-based electrospun scaffold presenting random and aligned fibers orientation, was evaluated. The particles incorporation was investigated trough Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance. The morphology of the nanofibers …
Bioengineering of the silica-polymerizing enzyme silicatein-alpha for a targeted application to hydroxyapatite.
2009
Since its discovery, numerous biotechnological approaches have aimed to explore the silica-polymerizing catalytic activity of the enzyme silicatein. In vivo, silicatein catalyzes polymerization of amorphous silica nanospheres from soluble precursors. In vitro, it directs the formation of nanostructured biosilica. This is of interest for various applications that strive to benefit from both the advantages of the biological system (i.e., silica synthesis under physiological conditions) and the cell mineralization-stimulating effect of biosilica. However, so far immobilization of silicatein has been hampered by the complex multistep procedure required. In addition, the chemical surface modific…