Aqueous humor oxygen tension of the in vivo rabbit eye was estimated by a relatively atraumatic procedure. The anterior corneal surface of the eye was first scraped free of its epithelial layer. A polarographic oxygen electrode was then used to measure the oxygen tension at the bare stromal surface. Aqueous humor oxygen tension can be estimated from this measured steady-state stromal surface ox...

To study the effects of mechanical constraints on the Ca2+ affinity of cardiac troponin C, we analyzed the tension and aequorin light (AL) responses to sinusoidal length changes (5-10% of the initial muscle length) in aequorin-injected, tetanized cardiac muscles. The amplitude of the quasi-sinusoidal tension and AL responses decreased with increasing length-perturbation frequency from 0.5 to 1 ...

We use computer simulations and a simple free energy model to study the response of a bilayer membrane to the application of a negative (compressive) mechanical tension. Such a tension destabilizes the long wavelength undulation modes of giant vesicles, but it can be sustained when small membranes and vesicles are considered. Our negative tension simulation results reveal two regimes-(i) a weak...

BACKGROUND Tension pneumothorax is a life-threatening occurrence that is infrequently the consequence of spontaneous pneumothorax. The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for the development of tension pneumothorax and its effect on clinical outcomes. METHODS We reviewed patients who were admitted with spontaneous pneumothorax between August 1, 2003 and December 31, 2011. Elect...

Background: Metabolic derangements in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are likely to affect skeletal muscle contractile functions adversely. Levo-carnitine improves muscle contractile functions in healthy humans and rats and corrects metabolic derangements in T2DM. Therefore, it is likely to improve muscle contractile functions in T2DM as well. This study was designed to determine the effect of ...

When neurons undergo dramatic shape and volume changes, how is surface area adjusted appropriately? The membrane tension hypothesis-namely that high tensions favor recruitment of membrane to the surface whereas low tensions favor retrieval-provides a simple conceptual framework for surface area homeostasis. With membrane tension and area in a feedback loop, tension extremes may be averted even ...