Similar to atherosclerosis, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB, a major growth factor for vascular smooth muscle cells, is produced in arterial walls to repair arteries after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). On review of a series of research articles that focus on defensive host responses to SAH, PDGF-BB is identified as a spasmogen, based on the following findings: (1) foreign substances i...

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) participate in basement membrane degradation, a critical step in invasion of cancer cells. We have previously shown that MMP inhibition of pancreatic cancers improves survival and decreases MMP production in vivo. The purpose of this study was to determine whether BB-94 was better than cytotoxic therapy and would increase the efficacy of cytotoxic therapy (gemci...

The effect of yoghurt and soya yoghurt containing Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12 or B. longum Bb-46 on Ehrlich ascites tumour cell proliferation was investigated in vitro and in vivo. Tumour cells were incubated with B. lactis Bb-12 or B. longum Bb-46 cultivated in de Mann Rogosa Sharpe (MRS) broth medium, or with their centrifuged supernatant fractions or sediments, for 2 h at 37 degrees C. Trea...

OBJECTIVE To assess corticomotor (CM) excitability of the antagonist biceps brachii (BB) post-stroke in preparation for pronator contraction. In healthy subjects, we previously demonstrated that prior to pronator contraction CM excitability of the antagonist BB was suppressed. METHODS Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to assess pre-contraction changes in motor evoked potential ...

Oryza meyeriana is highly resistant to rice bacterial blight (BB) and this resistance trait has been transferred to cultivated rice (O. sativa) using asymmetric somatic hybridization. However, no resistance genes have yet been cloned. In the present study, a progeny of the somatic hybridization with high BB resistance was crossed with a rice cultivar with high BB susceptibility to develop an F2...

This study investigated whether cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (c-tDCS) of left primary motor cortex (M1) modulates excitability of ipsilateral propriospinal premotoneurons (PNs) in healthy humans. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the right motor cortex was used to obtain motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from the left biceps brachii (BB) while participants maintained c...

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) B-chain or PDGF beta-receptor-deficient mice lack mesangial cells. To explore potential mechanisms for failure of PDGF A-chain to rescue mesangial cell phenotype, we investigated the biological effects and signaling pathways of PDGF AA and PDGF BB in metanephric mesenchymal (MM) cells isolated from rat kidney. PDGF AA caused modest cell migration but had no...

BACKGROUND The role of the adrenergic system on ventricular remodeling induced by cigarette smoking is unknown. OBJECTIVES To investigate the influence of propranolol on ventricular remodeling induced by exposure to tobacco smoke. METHODS Rats were divided into three groups: 1) C, n=10--control group; 2) F, n=10--animals exposed to tobacco smoke; 3) BB, n=10--animals receiving propranolol a...

Impaired wound healing results in significant morbidity for the surgical patient. The genetically diabetic (C57BL/KsJ-db/db) mouse is obese, hyperglycemic, insulin-resistant, and exhibits markedly impaired wound healing. Previous studies have demonstrated that the fibroblast mitogens, BB homodimer of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB) or basic fibroblast growth factor, plus insulin-like g...

PURPOSE To calculate the hit probabilities by alpha-particles emitted by radon progeny for basal and secretory cell nuclei in the epithelium of the human tracheobronchial tree. MATERIALS AND METHODS The equilibrium activities on the surface of airway tubes were calculated using the ICRP66 model. The stopping-power and ranges of alpha-particles in tissue were adopted from ICRU49. A semi-analyt...