After an initial period of unsuccessful work at solving a problem, a subject might either continue to work uninterruptedly or put the problem temporarily aside, returning to it later. The elusive laboratory phenomenon called "incubation" refers to superior performance for those subjects who return to the problem after a delay rather than working continuously on the problem. The forgetting-fixat...

Because the mechanisms of Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric injury are incompletely understood, we examined the hypothesis that H. pylori induces matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) secretion, with potential to disrupt gastric stroma. We further tested the role of CagA, an H. pylori virulence factor, in MMP-1 secretion. Co-incubation of AGS cells with Tx30a, an H. pylori strain lacking the cag...

Abtract Oligonucleotides (ODNs) of the PyNTTTTGT class directly stimulate B lymphocytes and plasmacytoid dendritic cells of the immune system of primates. Here we investigated the ability of the PyNTTTTGT ODN prototype IMT504 to regulate the expression of surface molecules and apoptosis in human B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells. The surface molecules CD25, CD40, CD80 and CD86 were up-...

Oligonucleotides (ODNs) of the PyNTTTTGT class directly stimulate B lymphocytes and plasmacytoid dendritic cells of the immune system of primates. Here we investigated the ability of the PyNTTTTGT ODN prototype IMT504 to regulate the expression of surface molecules and apoptosis in human B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells. The surface molecules CD25, CD40, CD80 and CD86 were up-regulate...

The mechanism by which phagocytosed mast cell granules (MCGs) inhibit macrophage superoxide production has not been defined. In this study, rat peritoneal macrophages were co-incubated with either isolated intact MCGs or MCG-sonicate, and their respiratory burst capacity and morphology were studied. Co-incubation of macrophages with either intact MCGs or MCG-sonicate resulted in a dose-dependen...

Past publications have highlighted the influence of postdialysis plasma pH on the measured fraction unbound in plasma (fup). There is disparity in the industry as to which of two main methods is more suitable for controlling postdialysis plasma pH: the use of either a stronger buffer or a CO(2) atmosphere for the incubation. In the current study, it has been found that 10% CO(2) could be too hi...

The purpose of this investigation was to reveal the physiological bone remodeling mechanism by means of cellular interaction phenomenon between osteoblasts (OB) and bone marrow cells (BM) in vitro. When OB (1•~105 cells) originated from newborn mouse calvariaand BM (1•~106 cells) obtained from 4 weeks old mouse long bones were co-cultivated by using millicell as a separator in a CO2 incubator f...

BACKGROUND Voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC), a channel protein, exists in the outer mitochondrial membrane of somatic cells and is involved in multiple physiological and pathophysiological processes. Up until now, little has been known about VDAC in male germ cells. In the present study, the relationship between VDAC and human sperm motility was explored. METHODS Highly motile human spe...

Carbon monoxide (CO) is one of the most toxic agents in clinical and forensic practices. Diagnosis of CO poisoning is a challenging task and needs a high level of suspicion. Carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) level is considered the only established marker for diagnosis. The current work aims to determine the levels of COHb in blood samples collected from CO poisoned patients on admission and to re-esti...