BACKGROUND Drop drying is a key factor in a wide range of technical applications, including spotted microarrays. The applied nL liquid volume provides specific reaction conditions for the immobilization of probe molecules to a chemically modified surface. RESULTS We investigated the influence of nL and μL liquid drop volumes on the process of probe immobilization and compare the results obtai...

Bio-nanopatterning of surfaces is a very active interdisciplinary field of research at the interface between biotechnology and nanotechnology. Precise patterning of biomolecules on surfaces with nanometre resolution has great potential in many medical and biological applications ranging from molecular diagnostics to advanced platforms for fundamental studies of molecular and cell biology. Bio-n...

Samples prepared for single-particle electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) necessarily have a very high surface-to-volume ratio during the short period of time between thinning and vitrification. During this time, there is an obvious risk that macromolecules of interest may adsorb to the air-water interface with a preferred orientation, or that they may even become partially or fully unfolded at t...

The influence of immobilization stress on testicular germ cell apoptosis was investigated in rats. A transient increase in serum corticosterone and a transient decrease in serum testosterone were observed during each period of immobilization stress. Twenty-four hours after the last immobilization session, the testicular weight and serum concentrations of corticosterone and testosterone were the...

It has been shown that many diseases are linked to abnormalities of the erythrocyte membrane. This study observed the changes in erythrocyte membrane fluidity during an immobilization period of 21 days. The right hindlimbs of male adult New Zealand white rabbits were immobilized for 21 days. Blood samples were collected and heparinized prior to immobilization and on days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 21 of ...

Bed rest has been an established treatment in the past prescribed for critically illness or convalescing patients, in order to preserve their body metabolic resource, to prevent serious complications and to support their rapid path to recovery. However, it has been reported that prolonged bed rest can have detrimental consequences that may delay or prevent the recovery from clinical illness. In...

Objectives: Immobilization effects on antioxidant enzymes activities, red-ox variables and rheological parameters of erythrocytes were studied. Background: It is not clear to which extent immobilization-induced oxidative stress may affect erythrocyte rheology. Method: Hematological and red-ox variables, erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes activities, and rheologic parameters of erythrocytes were an...

Immobilization is the method of entrapping/attaching the microbial or plant cells in a suitable matrix. Different methods such as encapsulation, gel entrapment, covalent bonding, cross linking and adsorption is carried out to prepare immobilized cells. When compared to enzyme immobilization, cell immobilization is regarded as a convenient method because of its low cost and improved stability. T...

Immobilization is often associated with decreased muscle elasticity. This condition is known as muscle contracture; however, the mechanism remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to clarify the mechanism governing muscle contracture in rat soleus muscle by identifying changes in ankle joint mobility, insoluble collagen concentration and type I and type III collagen isoforms following 1- ...