The aggregation behavior of a novel histidine derivative surfactant N-dodecanoyl-L-histidine (DHis) in aqueous solution was investigated. By mixing with cationic/anionic surfactant, an interesting phase transition over time from transparent homogeneous solution to jelly and finally to fibrous floccules was observed with aggregates growth taken place in the systems. Making use of the growing fib...

OBJECTIVE To prospectively evaluate whether the development of fibroatheromas exhibiting features of potential instability can be detected and predicted by serial invasive imaging. METHODS AND RESULTS Multivessel intravascular ultrasound and near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) were performed in diabetic/hypercholesterolemic pigs 3, 6, and 9 months after induction. Animals were euthanized at 9 m...

In order to examine their suitability for studies on coronary atherosclerosis, we evaluated the features of coronary atherosclerotic plaques in myocardial infarction-prone Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHLMI) rabbits, a spontaneous animal model for coronary atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction. Coronary segments of the hearts of 187 WHHLMI rabbits (10-29 months old) were sectioned se...

Fibrous dysplasia (FD) is an osseous growth dis-order, producing immature bone and characte-rized by the replacement of normal bone with fibro-osseous connective tissue. It is a bone dys-plasia that has the potential to cause significant cosmetic and functional disturbances, particularly in the craniofacial skeleton. Cra-niofacial fibrous dysplasia is one of the three types of polyostotic fibro...

objective(s): to improve water stability of electrospun chitosan/ polyethylene oxide (peo) nanofibers, genipin, a biocompatible and nontoxic agent, was used to crosslink chitosan based nanofibers.  materials and methods: different amounts of genipin were added to the chitosan/peo solutions, chitosan/peo weight ratio 90/10 in 80 % acetic acid, and the solutions were then electrospun to form nano...

Legionella pneumophila grows in human alveolar macrophages and resides within a phagosome that initially lacks proteins associated with the endocytic pathway. Required for targeting to this unique location is the Dot/Icm complex, which is highly similar to conjugative DNA transfer apparatuses. Here, we show that exposure to three distinct inducing conditions resulted in the formation of a fibro...

BACKGROUND The fibrous cap of the atherosclerotic lesion is believed to be critical to stability because disruption of the cap is the final event leading to plaque rupture. We have, therefore, used expression arrays to define the phenotype of the cap and other plaque components. METHODS AND RESULTS To identify unique expression programs able to distinguish the smooth muscle of the cap from ot...

BACKGROUND A precise understanding of the mechanism of human neointimal stenoses and atherosclerotic fibrous plaques, which give rise to thromboses in vital arteries, requires a suitable animal model that would mimic the same characteristics well. We developed a rabbit model of neointimal stenosis and fibrotic plaque rupture in the carotid artery to visualize the lesion progress and to characte...

introduction: solitary fibrous tumor is a rare, mesenchymal neoplasm that has been reported in numerous sites. occurrence in the parotid gland is exceedingly rare.   case report: a 53-year-old man with a 2 cm solitary fibrous tumor of the left parotid gland, that was observed clinically and operatively and thought to be a neoplasm arising from stensen's duct, is described. a pre-operative ...