Hcp (hemolysin-coregulated protein) is considered a vital component of the functional T6SS (Type VI Secretion System), which is a newly discovered secretion system. Our laboratory has previously sequenced the whole genome of porcine extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) strain PCN033, and identified an integrated T6SS encoding three different hcp family genes. In this study, we first ident...

Secretion systems require high-fidelity mechanisms to discriminate substrates among the vast cytoplasmic pool of proteins. Factors mediating substrate recognition by the type VI secretion system (T6SS) of Gram-negative bacteria, a widespread pathway that translocates effector proteins into target bacterial cells, have not been defined. We report that haemolysin coregulated protein (Hcp), a ring...

AIMS To show that heparin cryoprecipitation (HCP), an in vitro method of plasma purification, reduces the levels of in vivo modified proteins and non-traditional risk factors from plasma of atherosclerotic hemodialysis (HD) patients. METHODS HCP was applied to plasma obtained from HD patients and controls, forming a precipitate--cryogel. Levels of fibrinogen, albumin, CRP, TNF-alpha, IL-6, ad...

BACKGROUND Healthcare personnel (HCP) is exposed to bloodborne pathogens through occupational risk factors. The objective of this study was to compare the incidence of needlestick injuries (NSIs) before and after the introduction of safety devices in all departments of our hospital. METHODS Data was extracted from mandatory needlestick report forms of the hospital's Occupational Health Servic...

Hydrocortisone has long been the treatment of choice for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). However, treatment with this medication remains problematic. Patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency CAH have significant diurnal variation in the secretion of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP). When considering treatment strategies, this variation must be considered along with the pharmacokinetic and ph...

Description of Procedure or Service Iontophoresis is a method of transdermal local drug delivery using electrical current. A charged, ionic drug is placed on the skin with an electrode of the same charge, allowing direct current to drive the drug into the skin. Ultrasound transdermal delivery involves the use of ultrasonic energy to enhance delivery of solutes either simultaneously or via pre-t...

BACKGROUND Herba Cistanches (Roucongrong) is effective in treating Shenxu Zheng ('kidney-deficiency syndrome'). However, the mechanisms and systemic metabolic responses to the herbal intervention are unclear. METHODS Using GC-MS-based metabolic profiling, we investigated the metabolic responses to Herba Cistanches intervention in a rat model of the hydrocortisone-induced 'kidney-deficiency sy...

The permeability coefficients obtained by means of an infinite dose diffusion cell system with nude mouse skin in vitro were compared to the ether-water partition coefficients of the following compounds: glucose, urea, glycerol, thiourea, alkanols (methanol to octanol), hydrocortisone and hydrocortisone 21-n-alkyl esters (-acetate to -heptanoate). The permeability coefficients ranged from 1.0 x...

Functional neuroimaging studies argue that sensory deficits in hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP) are related to deviant somatosensory processing in the ipsilesional primary somatosensory cortex (S1). A separate body of structural neuroimaging literature argues that these deficits are due to structural damage of the ascending sensory tracts (AST). The relationship between the functional and struct...

Background Social capital is "features of social organizations-networks, norms, and as trust that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit". People with high social capital have lower mortality and better health outcomes. Although utilization of social networks has grown, social capital continues to be a complex concept in relation to health promotion. This study examined 1) a...