BACKGROUND Anti-thyroid antibodies (ATA), even if not associated with thyroid dysfunction, are suspected to cause poorer outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF). METHODS We retrospectively analyzed: (a) the prevalence of ATA in euthyroid infertile women, (b) IVF outcome in euthyroid, ATA+ patients, and (c) the effect of adjuvant treatments (levothyroxine alone or associated with acetylsalicyl...

The Poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether-block-poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (mPEG-PLGA) nanoparticles carrying acetyltanshinone IIA (ATA), a novel anti-breast cancer agent, were prepared by ultrasonic emulsion method to enhance the bioavailability and reduce the toxicity. Systematic optimization of encapsulation process was achieved using an orthogonal design. Drug efficacy analysis showed that A...

BACKGROUND Influenza viruses cause serious infections that can be prevented or treated using vaccines or antiviral agents, respectively. While vaccines are effective, they have a number of limitations, and influenza strains resistant to currently available anti-influenza drugs are increasingly isolated. This necessitates the exploration of novel anti-influenza therapies. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL...

Aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) is a potent inhibitor of many enzymes needed for cell and virus replication, such as polymerases, helicases, nucleases, and topoisomerases. This study examines how ATA interacts with the helicase encoded by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and reveals that ATA interferes with both nucleic acid and ATP binding to the enzyme. We show that ATA directly binds HCV helicase t...

Solutions of commercial aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) inhibit ristocetin- or shear stress-induced, von Willebrand factor (vWF)-mediated platelet aggregation by interacting with vWF and blocking its attachment to platelet membrane glycoprotein Ib. ATA has also been shown to prevent cyclic platelet clumping in a dog model of coronary artery thrombosis. Because these ATA solutions are actually a h...

BACKGROUND The Maze procedure restores normal sinus rhythm in the majority of patients. However, atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATA) are a common early complication after the operation. The purpose of this study was to define the incidence and natural history of ATA after the Maze procedure. METHODS Complete medical records from 200 patients who underwent the Maze procedures (I, II, and III) from 1...

In this paper, a novel intelligent optimization algorithm Artificial Tribe Algorithm (ATA) is presented based on the analyses of the principle and uniform framework of the Bionic Intelligent Optimization Algorithms (BIOA). ATA simulates the existent skills of the natural tribes, and actualizes the optimization purpose through the propagation and migration behaviors of the tribes. The main facto...