The effect of the antifungal drug bifonazole on Ca2+ homeostasis in Madin Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells was investigated. Cell suspensions were loaded with the Ca2+-sensitive dye fura-2, and the ...fluorescence changes were measured with a spectrofluorophotometer. At concentrations between 10-80 microM bifonazole increased cytosolic free Ca2+ levels (Ca2+i) in a concentration-dependent manner. The Ca2+ signals were partly inhibited by removing extracellular Ca2+. Bifonazole (40 microM) released Ca2+ from the store sensitive to 1 microM thapsigargin, an endopolasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump inhibitor. Bifonazole (40 microM) per se induced capacitative Ca2+ entry while reduced 1 microM thapsigargin-induced capacitative Ca2+ entry. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate may be involved in bifonazole-induced Ca2+ release because inhibiting phospholipase C with 2 microM U73122 partly reduced the bifonazole response. Together, bifonazole increased Ca2+i in renal tubular cells by inducing intracellular Ca2+ release and extracellular Ca2+ influx.
The effect of continuous exposure to diluted diesel exhaust on the pulmonary retention of inhaled diesel particles was studied in male Fischer 344 rats. Test animals were first exposed to clean air ...or diluted diesel exhaust in exposure chambers at nominal particulate concentrations of 250 micrograms/m3 or 6 mg/m3 for 20 hr/day, 7 days/week, for periods lasting from 7 to 112 days, followed by a nose-only exposure to 14C-tagged diesel particles for 45 min. At preselected time intervals after the radioactive exposure, the 14C-activities in the lungs of groups of four animals were measured to determine the clearance of the 14C-diesel particles up to 1 year. The pulmonary retention of the radioactive diesel particles was greater in animals which had been preexposed to diesel exhaust. The slower alveolar clearance of particle-laden macrophages and leukocytes can be described by a normal biphasic clearance model. Since some of the macrophages were found sequestered as aggregates in the pulmonary region, a slow-clearing residual component was included in a modified lung retention model. When these residual fractions were determined and excluded from the active particulate transport within the lungs, normal alveolar clearance rates were calculated for the animals with a preexposure diesel particulate dose less than 0.8 mg. Slower clearance was observed at a dose of 6.5 mg and no clearance was evident at a dose of 11.8 mg in their lungs.
Immunological studies of forty-three patients with cystic fibrosis showed that positive prick tests to at least one common allergen were obtained in 70%, to multiple allergens in 28% and to A. ...fumigatus in 50%. Specific IgE antibodies against these allergens were found in the appropriate subjects. In spite of this evidence of type 1, IgE, sensitization none of the patients had a history of infantile eczema. Intracutaneous tests with A. fumigatus extract gave types 1 and 3 reactions in sixteen patients (37%), only seven of whom were among the sixteen (37%) who gave positive precipitin tests. Raised levels of total serum IgG and IgA were found as compared with healthy controls and asthmatic subjects. No differences were found in total serum IgM and IgD levels. The high incidence of allergy to A. fumigatus in cystic fibrosis is confirmed.
A 0.9V Microcontroller for Portable Applications Wild, Andreas; Quigley, John; Feddeler, James ...
ESSCIRC '96: Proceedings of the 22nd European Solid-State Circuits Conference,
1996-Sept.
Conference Proceeding
A 0.9V to 1.6V, 1MHz, 8 bit microcontroller based on the 68HC08 architecture is presented. In addition to standard digital microcontroller functions, the chip features RAM, ROM, PLL clock synthesis, ...and LCD drive capabilities operating from the voltage supply range of a single AA or AAA battery.
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