We demonstrated previously that membrane depolarization and excitatory receptor agonists such as noradrenaline induce Ca2+-dependent Rho activation in VSM (vascular smooth muscle), resulting in MP (myosin phosphatase) inhibition through the mechanisms involving Rho kinase-mediated phosphorylation of its regulatory subunit MYPT1. In the present study, we show in de-endothelialized VSM strips tha...

This paper addresses the issue of motion-based description of video contents within the framework of the future MPEG7 standard. A family of velocity-based similarity measures (VSM) is first defined, involving a generic distance function which can be specified according to the query type. VSM computation complexity, spatio-temporal alignment problems and translational and homogenous motion compo...

In this paper we explore the Viable System Model (VSM) as a basis for design of a component framework. The goal is to address complex application requirements by increasing the level of abstraction and through principled consistency in a component architecture. We develop a scenario around a Smart Lecture Room. This provides a hardware and software setting to illustrate how the VSM is used to d...

The mechanisms of nitric oxide (NO)-mediated inhibition of vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cell proliferation are still obscure. Cyclins A and E in association with cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (cdk2) serve as positive regulators for mammalian cell cycle progression through the G1/S checkpoint of the cell cycle and subsequent cell proliferation. Therefore, we have tested the effect of adenovirus-medi...

Microtubules are important cytoskeletal elements that have been shown to play a major role in many cellular processes because of their mechanical properties and/or their participation in various cell signaling pathways. We tested the hypothesis that depolymerization of microtubules would alter vascular smooth muscle (VSM) tone and hence contractile function. In our studies, isolated cremaster a...

Value stream mapping (VSM) is one of the several Lean practices, which has recently attracted interest in the software engineering community. In other contexts (such as military, health and production), VSM has achieved considerable improvements in processes and products. The goal is to capitalize on these benefits in the software intensive product development context. The primary contribution ...

In the industries with high capital investment, the manufacturer has to spend a big amount of money for purchasing equipment. To overcome this imposed pressure the investor should utilize all the resources very efficiently for higher productivity and need to meet the customer’s ever increasing demands. This paper reviews both value stream mapping (VSM) and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) ...

AIM To characterize the buffering function of the pulmonary artery in vivo and to determine the role of vascular smooth muscle (VSM) activation in vessel wall elasticity. MATERIAL AND METHOD Pulmonary artery pressure and diameter were measured in 9 anesthetized sheep. Pulmonary artery hypertension was induced by mechanical occlusion of the pulmonary artery and by phenylephrine infusion (5 mic...

BACKGROUND Rats fed high fat (HFD) or high sucrose (HSD) diets develop increased adiposity as well as impaired vasodilatory responsiveness stemming from oxidative stress. Moreover, HFD rats become hypertensive compared to either control (Chow) or HSD fed rats, suggesting elevated vascular tone. We hypothesized that rats with increased adiposity and oxidative stress demonstrate augmented pressur...

RATIONALE Myogenic tone, an important regulator of vascular resistance, is dependent on vascular smooth muscle (VSM) depolarization, can be modulated by endothelial factors, and is increased in several models of hypertension. Intermittent hypoxia (IH) elevates blood pressure and causes endothelial dysfunction. Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S), a recently described endothelium-derived vasodilator, is pr...