In this paper, we introduce the notions of fuzzy $alpha$-Geraghty contraction type mapping and fuzzy $beta$-$varphi$-contractive mapping and establish some interesting results on the existence and uniqueness of fixed points for these two types of mappings in the setting of fuzzy metric spaces and non-Archimedean fuzzy metric spaces. The main results of our work generalize and extend some known ...

The ends of striated muscle tropomyosin (TM) are integral for thin filament cooperativity, determining the cooperative unit size and regulating the affinity of TM for actin. We hypothesized that altering the alpha-TM carboxy terminal overlap end to the beta-TM counterpart would affect the amino-terminal association, which would alter the end-to-end interactions of TM molecules in the thin filam...

1. The effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were studied in vitro on bladder and urethral muscle strips from the rabbit. 5-HT produced dose-dependent contraction in the detrusor and urethra. 2. The 5-HT-induced contraction could be dose-dependently inhibited by the 5-HT3 antagonists MDL 72222, ICS 205-930 and BRL 43694. No effect of ketanserin, methysergide or metitepine was observed on the co...

PURPOSE This study was undertaken to investigate the role of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation and fibroblast-mediated collagen matrix contraction in the presence of mechanical stress. METHODS An in vitro three-dimensional contraction model of human corneal-fibroblast-seeded collagen lattices (FSCLs) in the presence of mechanical stress gene...

5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been implicated in glycogen metabolism in skeletal muscle. However, the physiological relevance of increased AMPK activity during exercise has not been fully clarified. This study was performed to determine the direct effects of acute AMPK activation on muscle glycogen regulation. For this purpose, we used an isolated rat muscle preparation and pharmac...

The effects of the active principles of crude ginger (a traditional Sino-Japanese medicine), the gingerols, on the contractile responses to eicosanoids were compared using isolated mouse and rat blood vessels. Leukotrienes (LT) C4 and D4, a thromboxane (TX) A2 derivative (U-46619), prostaglandins (PG) F2 alpha, PGI2-Na, PGE2, the stable PGI2 derivative TRK-100, and PGD2 induced contraction in l...

Integrins link the extracellular matrix (ECM) with the intracellular cytoskeleton and other cell adhesion-associated signaling proteins to function as mechanotransducers. However, direct quantitative measurements of the cardiomyocyte mechanical state and its relationship to the interactions between specific ECM proteins and integrins are lacking. The purpose of this study was to characterize th...

The anorexigen (+)-fenfluramine was used for treatment of obesity until the association of use with valvular heart disease and primary pulmonary hypertension. (+)-Fenfluramine has been found in Chinese and Korean slimming pills. The hepatic metabolite of (+)-fenfluramine, (+)-norfenfluramine, has affinity for 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)(2A) and 5-HT(2B) receptors. We tested the hypothesis that (...

Contraction of the guinea pig saphenous artery induced by stimulation of perivascular nerves consists of an adrenergic and a purinergic component. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) potentiated the neural responses significantly at low stimulation frequencies but not at high frequencies when the contraction was maximal. After blocking the adrenoceptors with phentolamine, significant potentiation of the purin...