The osmotic coefficient of B-DNA in water may, in moderately dilute solutions, deviate as much as 100 % from predictions based on a simple ’counterion condensation’ theory. We determine the results for osmotic properties via a cell model description of the ionic atmosphere near a cylindrical polyelectrolyte. The cell model predictions for the osmotic properties disagree with predictions based o...

Osmotic stress activates the biosynthesis of the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) through a pathway that is rate limited by the carotenoid cleavage enzyme 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED). To understand the signal transduction mechanism underlying the activation of ABA biosynthesis, we performed a forward genetic screen to isolate mutants defective in osmotic stress regulation of the NC...

The mechanical behavior of compressible clay soils may be strongly influenced by physicochemical effects when concentrated pore fluids are introduced to the soil. Conceptual models have been used to explain the influence of pore fluid chemistry on the mechanical behavior of clays in a qualitative way. In this paper an alternate macroscopic description of the osmotic volume change behavior of a ...

Osmotic homeostasis is one of the most aggressively defended physiological parameters in vertebrates. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying osmotic regulation are poorly understood. The transient receptor potential channel, vanilloid subfamily (TRPV4), is an osmotically activated ion channel that is expressed in circumventricular organs in the mammalian CNS, which is an important site of...

Asymmetric membrane capsules are a type of osmotic drug delivery systems. They are nondisintegrating capsules, which utilize osmotic pressure to drive the drug outwards for controlled delivery. Preceded by systems such as elementary osmotic pump, controlled porosity osmotic pump, single composition osmotic tablet this system has the advantage of simple and easy fabrication as it obviates the ne...

in vitro antioxidant and erythrocyte protecting activities by aqueous extract of ficus thonningii leaves on blood cells were studied in acetaminophen treated rats. the extract was safe at limit dose of 5000 mg kg-1body weight. the extract demonstrated dose dependent antihemolytic effect at dose levels between 50 and 200 mg kg-1 body weight. the lowest antihemolytic effect was observed at dose l...

Big gap between experimental filtration resistance of cake layer formed on membrane surface and the hydraulic resistance calculated through the Carman-Kozeny equation, suggested the existence of a new membrane fouling mechanism: osmotic pressure during cake layer filtration in SMBR system. An osmotic pressure model based on chemical potential difference was then proposed. Simulation of the mode...

In this study, we investigated the effects of arachidonic acid, a PLA2-produced lipid metabolite, on the lysosomal permeability, osmotic sensitivity and stability. Through the measurements of lysosomal beta-hexosaminidase free activity, membrane potential, intralysosomal pH, and lysosomal latency loss in hypotonic sucrose medium, we established that arachidonic acid could increase the lysosomal...

We investigate the osmotic equilibrium between a bulk polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution and DNA tightly packed in a spherical capsid. We base our analysis on the equations of thermodynamic equilibrium in terms of osmotic pressure. The equality between external osmotic pressure of PEG and osmotic pressure of tightly packed DNA gives us the DNA encapsidation curves. In this way we directly conne...

The classical thermodynamic treatment of osmotic pressure is quite sufficient to describe equilibrium situations and compute most quantities of interest without reference to any molecular model (see, for example, Finkelstein, 1987). However, one's intuition is always aided by molecular models, and a microscopic picture can be quite useful when thinking about osmotic flow in unfamiliar situation...