In this study, lactic acid production by repeated batch fermentation using cell entrapped methods was compared. Barium alginate beads, agar gel and polyurethane foam cubes were employed as carriers to immobilize Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei for the purpose of L (+)-lactic acid production. Increasing concentrations of lactic acid during fermentation were better tolerated by barium alginate e...

BACKGROUND Signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (Stat1) potently regulates gene expression after stimulation by certain cytokines involved in tumorigenesis and host defenses. The present study investigated a novel role for Stat1 in foam cell formation and atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS Inhibition of Stat1 activity by a Stat1-specific DNA "decoy" oligomer transfected into d...

Foam cell formation is the most important process in atherosclerosis, and low density lipoprotein oxidation by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is the key step in the conversion of macrophages to foam cells. This study reveals the control mechanism of the gene for NADPH oxidase 1 (Nox1), which produces ROS in the formation of foam cells by stimulating TLR4. Treatment of macrophages by the TLR4 ago...

Allicin is considered anti-atherosclerotic due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which makes it an important drug for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. However, the effects of allicin on foam cells are unclear. Thus, in this study, we examined the effects of allicin on lipid accumulation via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ)/liver X receptor α (...

open-celled foams are capable to allow the passage of fluids through their structure, because of interconnections between the open cells or bubbles and therefore these structures can be used as a membrane and filter. in thiswork, we have studied the production of polystyrene open-celled microcellular foam by using co2 as blowing agent. to achieve such structures, it is necessary to control the ...

Atherosclerosis is characterized by a chronic inflammatory disease, and chemokines play an important role in both initiation and progression of atherosclerosis development. Leukotactin-1 (Lkn-1/CCL15), a new member of the human CC chemokine family, is a potent chemoattractant for leukocytes. Our previous study has demonstrated that Lkn-1/CCL15 plays a role in the initiation of atherosclerosis, ...

The atherosclerotic lesion is characterized by the presence of cholesterol-loaded foam cells. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells do not normally store cholesteryl esters because low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors are suppressed by exposure of these cells to LDL cholesterol. We transfected LDL receptor cDNA linked to the simian virus 40 early promoter into CHO cells (CHO 29) and found that L...

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was used to model viscoelastic effects in the compression of polyurethane (PU) foam. Modelling of the impact compression of foam cubes predicted that a compressed region propagated through the sample, causing step increases in the stress traces. Modelling of head impacts on gymnastic ‘crash’ mats, made of PU chip foam, revealed that the majority, but not all, of th...