TWIK2 ion channels (K2P6.1, encoded by a gene named Kcnk6) belong to the family of two-pore domain potassium channels. TWIK2 is also considered as a “silent” channel because of its inability to produce measurable currents in heterologous expression systems and its intracellular retention. It is expressed in different mammalian tissues including lymphoid organs and the vascular syste...

This paper investigates the degree of market orientation of participants in the fresh produce marketing channel in Zimbabwe and the extent to which it is influenced by environmental uncertainty. The results generally support previous research that has shown that market orientation is positively related to perceived environmental uncertainty. There was a generally high degree of market orientati...

one of my best friends, who helped to get me through it all. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I want to thank my advisor, Prof. Alenka Zajic, for her support and dedication to my research. Without her continued interest in my development as a student and researcher, this thesis would not have been possible. I also want to thank my committee members for their instruction and contributions to the improvement...

The family of voltage-gated calcium channels serves as the key transducers of cell surface membrane potential changes into local intracellular calcium transients that initiate many different physiological events. There are 10 members of the voltage-gated calcium channel family that have been characterized in mammals, and they serve distinct roles in cellular signal transduction. This article pr...

The Group Allocation Multihop Multiple Access (GAMMA) protocol is presented; this protocol schedules data traffic over a multihop, multi-channel, wireless network. GAMMA provides excellent performance and remains stable under all network load levels by dividing the channel into cycles; each cycle is composed of a combination of contention and data slots. Every station in the network has a uniqu...

Inwardly rectifying K(+) (Kir) channels are important regulators of resting membrane potential and cell excitability. The activity of Kir channels is critically dependent on the integrity of channel interactions with phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP(2)). Here we identify and characterize channel-PIP(2) interactions that are conserved among Kir family members. We find basic residues th...

Cardiac pacemaking is controlled by a mixed Na(+)/K(+) current named I(f), which is activated by hyperpolarized membrane potentials. Recently, a family of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated cation (HCN) channels has been cloned. The members of this family exhibit the general features of I(f) channels. This review describes the molecular diversity of the HCN channel family and t...

Advanced delivery and cross-channel return are new phenomena in Omni-channel marketing. This paper studies a dual-channel supply chain system composed of one online retailer, physical store, their ordinary manufacturer. It intends to explore the pricing decisions retailers under four scenarios concerning question whether deliver goods advance use return. We analyze impact operation costs stores...

Screwed connections are commonly used in fabricating built-up cold-formed steel (CFS) members. However, the knowledge and understanding of their behaviour design limited. This research study investigated shear capacity screwed CFS It included a series tests between two single channel members as back-to-back members, failing by tilting bearing. Tests were conducted at both ambient elevated tempe...