An improved plastination method for strengthening bamboo culms, without compromising biodegradability.

Biomaterials are increasingly being designed and adapted to a wide range of structural applications, owing to their superior mechanical property-to-weight ratios, low cost, biodegradability, and CO capture. Bamboo, specifically, has an interesting anatomy with long tube-like vessels present in its microstructure, which can be exploited to improve its mechanical properties for structural applications. By filling these vessels with a resin, e.

Surface coatings of ZnO nanoparticles mitigate differentially a host of transcriptional, protein and signalling responses in primary human olfactory cells.

Background: Inhaled nanoparticles have been reported in some instances to translocate from the nostril to the olfactory bulb in exposed rats. In close proximity to the olfactory bulb is the olfactory mucosa, within which resides a niche of multipotent cells. Cells isolated from this area may provide a relevant in vitro system to investigate potential effects of workplace exposure to inhaled zinc oxide nanoparticles.

Development and validation of a single-well cell-based assay for the detection of endogenous phosphoproteins.

We describe a cellular assay for detection of phosphorylation of endogenous proteins, whereby cells are seeded, treated, and assayed for modulation of phosphorylation in a single microplate well. The procedure is coupled to a rapid, one-wash sandwich enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay, enabling results to be obtained within 3-4 h from cell seeding. The assay was tested in two separate cellular systems, namely, HeLa and MCF-7 cells.

G-protein-coupled receptor-mediated MAPK and PI3-kinase signaling is maintained in Chinese hamster ovary cells after γ-irradiation.

To expedite G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) drug screening studies, cell lines amenable to transfection (e.g. CHO cells) have been widely used as cellular models.

An emerging role for kinase screening in GPCR drug discovery.

GPCRs are a large class of cell-surface receptors that are involved in a diverse array of biological processes, including many that are critical to diseases. As a result, GPCRs are a major focus for drug discovery research, and have been highly amenable to therapeutic intervention. However, the successes to date may represent the 'low-hanging fruit' (ie, outcomes that have been easiest to achieve).