Purpose of review We have summarized recently published glomerular parietal epithelial cell (PEC) research, focusing on their roles in glomerular development and physiology, and in certain glomerular diseases. The rationale is that PECs have been largely ignored until the recent availability of cell lineage tracing studies, human and murine PEC culture systems, and potential therapeutic interve...

We report the photoelectrochemical (PEC) oxidation of methanol on a rationally designed graphene-TiO2 nanorod array (G-TNR) photoanode. A PEC methanol fuel cell was constructed by coupling the G-TNR photoanode with a cathode. This study raises a conceptual fuel cell that realizes the synergistic energy conversion of chemical energy and solar energy.

The role of the mononuclear-macrophage system in the production of transcobalamm II (TCII), the vitamin B12 transport protein that delivers the vitamin to the tissues, was investigated in mice. Of all the organs examined for TCII content in unstimulated mice, highest TCll levels were found in the bone marrow. A considerable amount of TCll was present in peripheral blood monocytes. Small amounts...

Area PEc, a high order association area, is located in the dorsocaudal portion of the superior parietal cortex. PEc neurons encode visual motion signals, especially the direction of stimulus motion. The present study tested if PEc neurons also process visual correlates of self-motion. The extracellular activity of single neurons in response to optic flow stimuli was recorded in two monkeys (Mac...

Inhibition of adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity is frequently used to measure µ-opioid receptor (MOR) activation. We sought to develop a simple, rapid assay of AC activity in whole cells that could be used to study MOR signaling. Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing human MOR (CHO-MOR cells) were grown in 96-well plates and loaded with membrane potential-sensitive fluorescent dye. CHO-MOR cells ...

The sun is the primary energy source of our planet and potentially can supply all societies with more than just their basic energy needs. Demand of electric energy can be satisfied with photovoltaics, however the global demand for fuels is even higher. The direct way to produce the solar fuel hydrogen is by water splitting in photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells, an artificial mimic of photosynthes...

Polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) nanoparticles for delivering model protein drug ovalbumin were prepared from two polysaccharide polymers, alginate and chitosan. The parameters influencing the complex formation were characterised using colloid titration in combination with dynamic light scattering. The polyelectrolyte interactions and morphology of the formed complexes were verified by differentia...

Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and fluorescence spectroscopy have been used to characterize the polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) formed when potassium indigo tetrasulfonate (ITS) interacts with poly diallydimethylammonium chloride (PDADMAC) through columbic attraction in the presence of the reducing agent sodium bisulfite, NaHSO3. The PDADMAC facilitates both the reduction of the ITS and the stab...

Low vitamin D (VD) status may increase prostate cancer risk but experimental evidence for this relationship is modest. We tested whether low VD status or VD receptor (VDR) deletion influences prostate epithelial cell (PEC) biology using intact mice, castrated mice, or castrated mice treated with testosterone propionate (TP, 2.5 mg/kg BW). PEC proliferation (Ki-67 staining) and apoptosis (TUNEL ...

BACKGROUND Out-of-hospital emergency care is at an early stage of development in Armenia, with the current emergency medical services (EMS) system having emergency physicians (EPs) work on ambulances along with nurses. While efforts are underway by the Ministry of Health and other organizations to reform the EMS system, little data exists on the status of pediatric emergency care (PEC) in the c...