We present an X-ray observation of the active giant β Cet, performedwith the LowEnergy Concentrator Spectrometer (LECS) on-board the SAX satellite. The resulting X-ray spectrum is well fit by an optically-thin plasma model with two discrete temperatures, and the inferred coronal metallicity is compatible both with the abundances derived from a re-analysis of the ASCA SIS spectrum of the same ob...

Both podocalyxin (PODX) and β-catenin (β-cat) signaling reportedly play important roles in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) progression. In this study, we for the first time explored crosstalk between PODX and β-cat signaling in GBM cells, and assessed its impact on GBM cell invasion and proliferation. Stable overexpression of PODX in LN-229 and U-118 MG human GBM cells increased the soluble/intra...

GM1 gangliosidosis and Morquio B disease are autosomal recessive diseases caused by the defect in the lysosomal β-galactosidase (β-Gal), frequently related to misfolding and subsequent endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation. Pharmacological chaperone (PC) therapy is a newly developed molecular therapeutic approach by using small molecule ligands of the mutant enzyme that are able to promo...

PURPOSE To measure visual acuity and metamorphopsia in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and to explore their relationship with macular lesions. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, a total of 32 normal subjects (32 eyes) and 35 AMD patients (35 eyes) were recruited. They were categorized into 4 groups: normal, dry AMD, non-active wet AMD, and active wet AMD. Best-correct...

Chitinolytic β-N-acetyl-D-hexosaminidase is a branch of the GH20 (glycoside hydrolase family 20) β-N-acetyl-D-hexosaminidases that is only distributed in insects and micro-organisms, and is therefore a potential target for the action of insecticides. PUGNAc [O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucopyransylidene)-amino-N-phenylcarbamate] was initially identified as an inhibitor against GH20 β-N-acetyl-D-h...

The innate immune factors controlling Candida albicans are mostly unknown. Vulvovaginal candidiasis is common in women and affects approximately 70-75% of all women at least once. Despite the propensity of Candida to colonize the vagina, transmission of Candida albicans following sexual intercourse is very rare. This prompted us to investigate whether the post coital vaginal milieu contained fa...

BACKGROUND Social support can be a critical component of how a woman adjusts to infertility, yet few studies have investigated its impact on infertility-related coping and stress. We examined relationships between social support contexts and infertility stress domains, and tested if they were mediated by infertility-related coping strategies in a sample of infertile women. METHODS The Multidi...

Safety and quality of food have become a challenge for the food industry looking to replace synthetic preservatives with natural agents. In this context, cinnamon leaf essential oil (CLO) showed to be potent antioxidant and antimicrobial agent; however, its active compounds are highly reactive volatiles and grant strong odors and flavors when used as food additive. With this in mind, the object...

since most of the studies on chemical compounds of dermatophytes have shown the existence of a relationship between their pathogenisity and proteolytec enzymes. activities of 19 different enzymes in viable mycelia and cytoplasmic extracts of t.rubrum (cetr), t.mentagrophytes (cetm) and t.verrucosum (cetv) were investigated by the api-zym system. the results showed that viable mycelia of t.rubrm...