1. In the present study we have examined the sensitivity of A and ASC amino-acid-carrier activities in rat liver plasmamembrane vesicles to the thiol-group modifying reagents N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) and iodoacetamide (IA). To this end, the different Na+-dependent entities involved in alanine transport were assessed. 2. NEM inactivated Na+-dependent alanine transport as a result of the inhibition...

Ascorbate (Asc) plays a key role in reductive activation of carcinogenic chromium(VI) in vivo. In addition to much higher rates (t(1/2) = 1 min for 1 mM Asc), its reactions at physiological conditions differ from other reducers by low yields of Cr(V) intermediates. Human cells in culture are severely Asc deficient, which results in distorted metabolism and potentially abnormal responses to Cr(V...

Empathy is the lens through which we view others' emotion expressions, and respond to them. In this study, empathy and facial emotion recognition were investigated in adults with autism spectrum conditions (ASC; N=314), parents of a child with ASC (N=297) and IQ-matched controls (N=184). Participants completed a self-report measure of empathy (the Empathy Quotient [EQ]) and a modified version o...

Adipose-derived stromal/mesenchymal stem cells (ASC) have gained interest as promising tools for delivering cancer therapy. Adipose tissue can be obtained readily in amounts sufficient for ASC isolation, which can be expanded rapidly, allowing its use at low passage numbers, and can be transduced by viral and nonviral means. Our goal was to examine the potential of ASC to deliver cytokine gene ...

BACKGROUND People with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) report heightened olfaction. Previous sensory experiments in people with ASC have reported hypersensitivity across visual, tactile, and auditory domains, but not olfaction. The aims of the present study were to investigate olfactory sensitivity in ASC, and to test the association of sensitivity to autistic traits. METHODS We recruited 17...

The sphinganine-analog mycotoxins (SAMs) fumonisin B1 and AAL toxins are inhibitors of eukaryotic sphinganine N-acyltransferase in vitro. Treatment of eukaryotes with SAMs generally results in an accumulation of sphingoid base precursors and a depletion of complex sphingolipids. The asc,asc genotypes of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and Nicotiana umbratica are sensitive to SAMs and host of t...

BACKGROUND AND AIM Low-volume polyethylene glycol with ascorbic acid (PEG-Asc) use is reported to be as safe and effective as traditional 4-L polyethylene glycol use. However, PEG-Asc produces bubbles, which cause problems during colonoscopy. Data on the effects of using antifoaming agents such as simethicone with PEG-Asc are lacking. The aim of this CONSORT-prospective, randomized, observer-bl...

BACKGROUND Recent studies with bone marrow (BM)-derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSC) in transplant recipients demonstrate that treatment with MSC is safe and clinically feasible. While BM is currently the preferred source of MSC, adipose tissue is emerging as an alternative. To develop efficient therapies, there is a need for preclinical efficacy studies in transplantation. We used a unique ...

The Cytyc ThinPrep Imaging System was FDA approved based on a multi-institutional clinical trial, in which the HSIL+ prevalence rate was 0.7%. This study determines the effectiveness of the Imager in clinical practice at an academic medical center with a historical HSIL+ rate of 0.25%. Cytological interpretations were compared for two 12-month periods pre- and post-Imager implementation. Data w...

Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by abnormal social cognition. A core feature of ASC is disrupted Theory of Mind (ToM), our ability to take the mental perspective of others. ASC is also associated with alexithymia, a trait characterized by altered emotional interoception and empathy. Here, we applied structural MRI covariance analysis to assess whe...