Nutrient digestion and absorption after blood feeding are important events for Lutzomyia longipalpis, which uses these nutrients to produce eggs. In this context, the pH inside the digestive tract is an important physiological feature as it can markedly influence the digestive process as well as interfere with Leishmania development in infected phlebotomines. It was described previously that un...

In this issue of Neuron, Beppu et al. (2014) demonstrate that glial acidification during ischemia contributes to neurotoxicity. Using a suite of in vivo optogenetic tools, the authors are able to exacerbate or attenuate neuronal damage during ischemia with glial acidification or alkalization, respectively.

A high rate of 2.23 mmol h(-1) g(-1) (quantum efficiency of 6.67% at 400 nm) for visible light driven photocatalytic H2 evolution can be achieved with g-C3N4 by alkalization of the solution to a pH of 13.3, due to accelerated transfer of photoholes to the sacrificial donor.

THE IMPROVEMENT OF RAMIE FIBER PROPERTIES AS COMPOSITE MATERIALS USING ALKALIZATION TREATMENT: NaOH CONCENTRATION. Ramie fiber is a plant that has good quality and potential as constituent of composite materials. In this study, ramie surface modification was conducted through alkalization with various at 0%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9% concentrations using magnetic stirrer speed 200 rpm 70οC for 5 h...

The therapeutic efficacy of irinotecan (CPT-11), a DNA topoisomerase inhibitor, is often limited by the induction of severe late-onset diarrhea. This prodrug and its active metabolite, 7-ethyl-10-hydroxy-camptothecin (SN-38), have a labile alpha-hydroxy-lactone ring that undergoes pH-dependent reversible hydrolysis. At physiological pH and higher, equilibrium favors the less toxic carboxylate f...

Signaling events during abscisic acid (ABA) or methyl jasmonate (MJ)-induced stomatal closure were examined in Arabidopsis wild type, ABA-insensitive (ost1-2), and MJ-insensitive mutants (jar1-1) in order to examine a crosstalk between ABA and MJ signal transduction. Some of the experiments were performed on epidermal strips of Pisum sativum. Stomata of jar1-1 mutant plants are insensitive to M...

BACKGROUND Human skin surface has a physiologically acidic pH (pHss). In cases of increased pHss, the acidity of the skin can be restored by topical formulations. We tested a pH 5 oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion for pHss regeneration and stabilization. METHODS We performed 2 experiments with 10 female study subjects in each. In both experiments, 2D imaging with luminescent sensor foils was used t...

Population growth increases the threat to global food security. Kazakhstan, a major agricultural nation, has made significant contributions world security; however, wide gap exists between its yield and that of other crop-producing countries. Increasing productivity in Kazakhstan through enhancing utilization natural endowments under existing cropland conditions would help alleviate pressure. T...