Proapoptotic phosphorothioate oligonucleotides such as G3139 (an 18-mer) induce Bcl-2-independent apoptosis, perhaps partly via direct interaction with VDAC and reduction of metabolite flow across the mitochondrial outer membrane. Here, we analyzed the interactions at the molecular level. Ten micromolar G3139 induces rapid flickering of the VDAC conductance and, occasionally, a complete conduct...

Cassegrain Reflector Antenna Design consists of various effects caused by blockage and its effect on overall performance. The design for minimum blockage condition results in geometry that offers lower amount of blockage and increased spillover past the subreflector. To avoid this, optimized design of the antenna results in geometry that offers lower amount of spillover past the edges of the ma...

Atlanto-Occipital Joint Blockage not Mentioned As so often when the subject of dizziness is concerned, this article too is lacking an important etiology of dizziness (1). A blockage of the atlanto-occipital joint causes unfocused dizziness, which in older people may well be accompanied by unstable gait, and, additionally, often headache and sensations of eye flashes on the affected side. This c...

The crystalline biofilms of Proteus mirabilis can seriously complicate the care of patients undergoing long-term indwelling urinary catheterisation. Expression of bacterial urease causes a significant increase in urinary pH, leading to the supersaturation and precipitation of struvite and apatite crystals. These crystals become lodged within the biofilm, resulting in the blockage of urine flow ...

Aiming for an adoptive natural killer (NK) cell therapy, we have developed a novel protocol to expand NK cells from peripheral blood. With this protocol using anti-human CD16 antibody and interleukin (IL)-2, NK (CD3-CD56+) cells could be expanded about 4000-fold with over 70% purity during a 21-day culture. The expanded NK (exNK) cells were shown to be highly cytotoxic to multiple myeloma (MM) ...

A long-standing problem in the application of solid-state nanopores is the lack of the precise control over the geometry of artificially formed pores compared to the well-defined geometry in their biological counterpart, that is, protein nanopores. To date, experimentally investigated solid-state nanopores have been shown to adopt an approximately circular shape. In this Letter, we investigate ...

BACKGROUND As a non-injection route for immunotherapy, local nasal immunotherapy has been examined in allergic rhinitis patients. However, it is unclear how the immunotherapy affects sneezing, biphasic nasal blockage and nasal hyperresponsiveness. Thus, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of nasal immunotherapy on the symptoms of guinea pig allergic rhinitis. Additionally, we also evaluated wh...

Background: Middle ear cleft space starts from Eustachian tube, and includes middle ear, aditus & mastoid antrum. It develops from 1st visceral pouch. Blockage of middle ear cleft, particularly the aditus can result from a number of reasons. Tympanosclerosis creates obstruction in aeration of middle ear and mastoid antrum. Aims & Objective: To study effect of tympanosclerosis on blockage of mid...

OBJECTIVES To describe middle ear ventilation route blockage, relieved during middle ear endoscopic surgery, and to analyze its association with mastoid hypopneumatization/sclerotization. STUDY DESIGN Prospective case series with intraoperative analyses, and with a case-control computed tomographic scan comparison. METHODS Intraoperative findings during endoscopic middle ear surgery are des...