We reported previously that the absorption of cholesterol and long-chain cholesteryl esters by rabbit small-intestinal brush border membranes (BBMV) is protein-mediated (Thurnhofer, H., and H. Hauser. 1990. Biochemistry. 29:2142-2148; Compassi, S., M. Werder, D. Boffelli, F. E. Weber, H. Hauser, and G. Schulthess. 1995. Biochemistry. 34: 16473-16482). Evidence is presented for similar cholester...

PURPOSE To compare the efficacy of an oscillating-rotating power toothbrush with a novel brush head incorporating angled CrissCross bristles (Oral-B Pro 7000 SmartSeries and Oral-B CrossAction brush head) versus a marketed sonic toothbrush (Colgate ProClinical A1500 with the Triple Clean brush head) in the reduction of gingivitis and plaque over a 6-week period. METHODS This was a single cent...

The brush border of intestinal epithelial cells consists of an array of tightly packed microvilli. Within each microvillus is a bundle of 20-30 actin filaments. The basal ends of the filament bundles are embedded in and interconected by a filamentous meshwork, the terminal web, which lies directly beneath the microvilli. When calcium and ATP are added to isolated brush borders that have been tr...

Using molecular dynamics simulations, we study the lubricating properties of neutral and charged bottle-brush coatings as a function of the compression and shear stresses and brush grafting density. Our simulations have shown that in charged bottle-brush systems under shear there is a layer with excess counterions located in the middle between brush-bearing surfaces. The main deformation mode o...

BACKGROUND Entrapped anorectal foreign bodies are being encountered more frequently in clinical practice. Although entrapped foreign bodies are most often related to sexual behavior, they can also result from ingestion or sexual assault. METHODS Between 1999 and 2009, 15 patients with foreign bodies in the rectum were diagnosed and treated, at Izmir Training and Research Hospital, in Izmir. I...

Designable media can control properties of nanocomposite materials by spatially organizing nanoparticles. Here we theoretically study particle organization by ultrathin polymer films of grafted chains ("brushes"). Polymer-soluble nanoparticles smaller than a brush-determined threshold disperse in the film to a depth scaling inversely with particle volume. In the polymer-insoluble case, aggregat...

We investigate the mechanical properties of ultra-thin layers of polystyrene/poly (2-vinylpyridine) (PS/P2VP) block copolymers by means of a Surface Forces Apparatus adapted to operate as a rheometer at the molecular level. Two systems are studied: "brush/wall" and "brush/brush". A comparison of the normal force curves shows that when brushes are compressed against each other, they contract rat...

The brush border of intestinal epithelial cells consists of a tightly packed array of microvilli, each of which contains a core of actin filaments. It has been postulated that microvillar movements are mediated by myosin interactions in the terminal web with the basal ends of these actin cores (Mooseker, M.S. 1976. J. Cell. Biol. 71:417-433). We report here that two predictions of this model ar...

The nature of the cytoplasmic coat present on the apical invaginations of the kidney proximal tubule cell was investigated by immuneoverlay and immunocytochemistry of renal brush borders with anticlathrin antibodies. When kidney cortex was prepared for electron microscopy using methods that enhance visualization of clathrin coats, the apical invaginations at the base of the brush border microvi...

Ingestion of batteries by children became more frequent in recent years, due to the increasing accessibility of electronic toys and devices to children. We report a fatal evolution of battery ingestion in a 2-month-old boy.Lithium battery ingestion is a serious condition with high risk of life-threatening complications in childhood and it can be fatal especially in extreme age, under 6 months. ...