The small intestinal epithelium is a highly dynamic system continuously renewed by a process involving cell proliferation and differentiation. The intestinal epithelium constitutes a permeability barrier regulating the vectorial transport of ions, water, and solutes. Morphological changes during cell differentiation, as well as changes in the activity of brush-border enzymes and the expression ...

Variations in apparent diffusion coefficient of water (ADC) and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability after ischemia have been suggested, though the correlation between ADC alterations and BBB opening remains to be studied. We hypothesized that there are correlations between the alteration of ADC and BBB permeability. Rats were subjected to 2 h of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion and...

Dermatan and chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) comprise over 90% of the GAG content in ligament. Studies of their mechanical contribution to soft tissues have reported conflicting results. Measuring the transient compressive response and biphasic material parameters of the tissue may elucidate the contributions of GAGs to the viscoelastic response to deformation. The hypotheses of t...

Skin penetration of benzoic acid and its 4-alkyl substituents (methyl, ethyl, n-propyl and n-butyl) through excised guinea pig dorsal skin was examined, and effects of removal of stratum corneum, delipidization and addition of the penetration enhancers, ethanol and l-menthol plus ethanol, were observed. Permeability coefficients, which increased with the increase in their alkyl chain lengths, d...

OBJECTIVE Increased vascular permeability due to alteration of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) is one of the major complications in early diabetes. The aim of the present study was to determine whether diabetes alters the cellular expression and distribution of the adherens junction protein vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin in retinal endothelial cells and if this alteration is mediated by pro...

The MEKK3/MEK5/ERK5 signaling axis is required for cardiovascular development in vivo. We analyzed the physiological role of ERK5 in cardiac endothelial cells and the consequence of activation of this kinase by the statin class of HMG Co-A reductase inhibitor drugs. We utilized human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs) and altered ERK5 expression using siRNA mediated gene silencing...

Nickel Aluminum Bronze (NAB) is a material with marine environment applications. Under certain conditions the material can undergo selective phase corrosion (SPC), which involves the removal of particular elements resulting in a loss of material strength. Additional changes in material properties include a change in conductivity and permeability in comparison with the parent material. Transient...

Introduction Biomedical polyurethanes generally possess good biocompatibility and mechanical properties but, due to the low Tg and relatively high concentration of soft segments, are relatively permeable to air and water vapor. The ‘traditional’ approach to the permeability problem is to modify the chemistry of the copolymer, particularly that of the soft segment. For example, replacement of po...

Williams, Julian P., Martin R. Weiser, Taine T. V. Pechet, Les Kobzik, Francis D. Moore, Jr., and Herbert B. Hechtman. a1-Acid glycoprotein reduces local and remote injuries after intestinal ischemia in the rat. Am. J. Physiol. 273 (Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 36): G1031–G1035, 1997.— The aim of this study was to look at the role of a1-acid glycoprotein as a natural anti-inflammatory agent wit...

We have shown that propranolol reduces oxygen binding by hemoglobin in intact red cells by increasing the selective permeability of the red cell membrane resulting in an exodus of potassium, chloride, and water. The latter effects result in a new distribution of hydrogen ion between cell and plasma, and thereby a reduction in red cell pH. The reduction in pH can fully explain the change in hemo...