Cell-Specific Dual Role of Caveolin-1 in Pulmonary Hypertension

A wide variety of cardiopulmonary and systemic diseases are known to lead to pulmonary hypertension (PH). A number of signaling pathways have been implicated in PH; however, the precise mechanism/s leading to PH is not yet clearly understood. Caveolin-1, a membrane scaffolding protein found in a number of cells including endothelial and smooth muscle cells, has been implicated in PH. Loss of endothelial caveolin-1 is reported in clinical and experimental forms of PH. Caveolin-1, also known as a tumor-suppressor factor, interacts with a number of transducing molecules that reside in or are recruited to caveolae, and it inhibits cell proliferative pathways. Not surprisingly, the rescue of endothelial caveolin-1 has been found not only to inhibit the activation of proliferative pathways but also to attenuate PH. Recently, it has emerged that during the progression of PH, enhanced expression of caveolin-1 occurs in smooth muscle cells, where it facilitates cell proliferation, thus contributing to worsening of the disease. This paper summarizes the cell-specific dual role of caveolin-1 in PH

Endothelial Dysfunction and Disruption in Pulmonary Hypertension

A number of systemic diseases lead to pulmonary hypertension (PH), a serious disorder with a high morbidity and mortality rate. Irrespective of the underlying disease, endothelial dysfunction or disruption plays a key role in the initiation and progression of PH. Endothelial dysfunction and disruption result in impaired vascular relaxation response, activation of proliferative pathways leading to medial hypertrophy and PH. Endothelial cells (EC) play a crucial role in regulating vascular tone and maintaining homeostasis. Caveolin-1, a 21-22 kD membrane protein, interacts with a number of transducing factors and maintains them in a negative conformation. Disruption of EC results in endothelial caveolin-1 loss and reciprocal activation of proliferative pathways leading to PH, and the accompanying loss of PECAM1 and vascular endothelial cadherin results in barrier dysfunction. These changes lead to the irreversibility of PH. Hypoxia-induced PH is not accompanied by endothelial disruption or caveolin-1 loss but is associated with caveolin-1 dysfunction and the activation of proliferative pathways. Removal of hypoxic exposure results in the reversal of the disease. Thus, EC integrity is an important factor that determines irreversibility vs. reversibility of PH. This chapter will discuss normal EC function and the differences encountered in PH following EC disruption and EC dysfunction

Planning and Implementing a Graduate Online Team Taught Marketing Course

Online courses have become an important educational delivery tool for institutions of higher learning throughout the world. While popular among students and administrators, many faculty members have expressed concerns with online courses. Therefore, this paper highlights online team teaching as a potential solution to concerns harbored by faculty members. In particular, we discuss the planning, coordination, and implementation of a graduate online team taught marketing course and offer an instructional example to alleviate some of the issues with online teaching. Importantly, this paper explores online team teaching from the perspective of marketing faculty and outlines positive educator outcomes associated with the development of a team taught marketing course. This paper illustrates that online team teaching can substantially reduce the concerns harbored by faculty teaching online courses through advanced planning, proper coordination among the faculty members, and input from the involved faculty, administrators and technical staff

Determinants of medical tourism destination selection process

Even though American health care providers have incessantly raised their prices, medical insurers have managed to achieve (greater) profitability covering fewer services for a smaller number of clientele every year. Against this backdrop, there has been a sharp increase in the number of people seeking health care in foreign countries. Using prospect theory, this study finds medical tourism consideration to be driven by domestic medical costs, patient privacy concerns, medical restrictions, and foreign destination desirability. The latter is in turn influenced by tourist attractions and service quality assurance in addition to domestic medical costs. The findings and their implications and limitations are also discussed

STUDENT COURSE PERCEPTIONS: A PERCEIVED-EASE-OF-USE--PERCEIVED-USEFULNESS FRAMEWORK

This study focuses on students\u27 perceptions about a hybrid marketing course, delivered in independent face-to- face and online formats, at a southwestern U.S. university. Based on the Perceived-Ease-of-Use (PEOU) -- Perceived Usefulness (PU) framework, it examines the associations of PEOU and PU with each of two constructs viz., Comparative Evaluation and Communication with the Instructor. The research throws light on hitherto unexplored dimensions of students\u27 course and teacher perceptions. In addition, from a marketing perspective, educators can utilize the findings to make their instruction more effective for their customers. Finally, data analyses supporting the hypotheses, academic and research implications as well as ideas for future directions are presented

Development of fast dispersing tablets of nebivolol: experimental and computational approaches to study formulation characteristics

Otimizou-se e avaliou-se formulação de comprimidos de dispersão rápida (CDR) de nebivolol, usando planejamento de grade simplex (PGS). Estudou-se a influência do tipo e da concentração de três desintegrantes viz, Ac-Di-Sol, Primojel e Poliplasdona XL, na dureza, friabilidade e tempo de desintegração do comprimido. O gráfico de superfície de resposta e as equações polinomiais foram utilizados para avaliar a influência do polímero nas propriedades do comprimido. Os resultados foram analisados estatisticamente por ANOVA, considerando-se p < 0,05 como estatisticamente significativo. Os resultados revelam que a integridade das fibras e o grau de substituição ótimo no Primojel e Ac-Di-Sol são os principais responsáveis pela dureza do comprimido. O uso de Poliplasdona em maior porcentagem na formulação pode produzir friabilidade elevada. O aumento de Ac-Di-Sol aumenta o tempo de desintegração, mas o aumento da concentração de Primojel na formulação diminui o tempo de desintegração. Isto é, também, evidente no modelo de tempo de desintegração com alto valor de "F" de 14,69 e "p" de 0,0031 (< 0,05). A razão poderia ser que o Primojel tem maiores propriedades de intumescimento e ótima capacidade de hidratação, favorecendo a desintegração rápida do comprimido. Em conclusão, a cuidadosa seleção de um desintegrante para CDR poderia aprimorar suas propriedades. O uso do PGS para o desenvolvimento da formulação poderia simplificar o processo de formulação e reduzir o custo de produção.Formulation of FDT (fast dispersing tablets) of nebivolol was optimized and evaluated using simplex lattice design (SLD). The influence of type and concentration of three disintegrants viz., Ac-Di-Sol, Primojel and Polyplasdone XL on hardness, friability and disintegration time of tablet was studied. Response surface plot and the polynomial equations were used to evaluate influence of polymer on the tablet properties. Results were statistically analyzed using ANOVA, and a p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results reveal that fibrous integrity and optimal degree of substitution in Primojel and Ac-Di-Sol are mainly responsible for the hardness of the tablet. Use of Polyplasdone in higher percentage in tablet formulation may result in high friability. Increase in concentration of Ac-Di-Sol increases the disintegration time but increased concentration of Primojel in the tablet formulation decreases the disintegration time. This is also evident from model terms for disintegration time with a high 'F' value of 14.69 and 'p' value of 0.0031