OBJECTIVE Major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related A (MICA) is a stress-inducible glycoprotein that can be shed as a soluble protein. This study was conducted to determine the expression of MICA in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and examine the clinical relevance of soluble MICA (sMICA) in this disease. METHODS Immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR analyses were performed to assess...

BACKGROUND/AIMS The genome-wide association study has shown that MHC class I chain-related A (MICA) genetic variants were associated with hepatitis C virus (HCC) related hepatocellular carcinoma. The impact of the genetic variants and its serum levels on post-treatment cohort is elusive. METHODS MICA rs2596542 genotype and serum MICA (sMICA) levels were evaluated in 705 patients receiving ant...

The orientation and extent of adsorption of pyridine on a gold electrode is known to depend on applied potential and is well characterized. By use of the electrochemical surface forces apparatus, we measured the potential dependence of the double-layer interactions and adhesive forces between a gold electrode and a mica surface for different pyridine concentrations. We observed that, unlike mic...

We calculate spin-dependent cross sections for the scattering from mica of hypothetical weakly interacting dark-matter particles such as neutralinos. The most abundant odd-A isotopes in mica, 27 Al and 39 K, require different shell-model treatments. The calculated cross sections will allow the interpretation of ongoing experiments that look for tracks due to the interaction of dark-matter parti...

Mica is the substrate of choice for microscopic visualization of a wide variety of intricate nanostructures. Unfortunately, the lack of a facile strategy for its modification has prevented the on-mica assembly of nanostructures. Herein, we disclose a convenient catechol-based linker that enables various surface-bound metal-free click reactions, and an easy modification of mica with DNA nanostru...

BACKGROUND Chagas disease, caused by the flagellate parasite Trypanosoma cruzi affects 8-10 million people in Latin America. The mechanisms that underlie the development of complications of chronic Chagas disease, characterized primarily by pathology of the heart and digestive system, are not currently understood. To identify possible host genetic factors that may influence the clinical course ...

-A complete conversion series for mica/smectites was found in a hydrothermal alteration envelope around Kuroko-type ore deposits at the Shinzan area, Akita Prefecture, Northeast Japan. The minerals are an alteration product of volcanic glass of Miocene age and are commonly associated with zeolites and silica minerals. Degrees of ordering of interstratification of the minerals change discontinuo...

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To date, the lack of efficient in vitro systems supporting HBV infection and replication has been a major limitation of HBV research. Although primary human hepatocytes support the complete HBV life cycle, their limited availability and difficulties with gene transduction remain problematic. Here, we u...

The simple molecular structure, relatively high stability, and color variation with molecular packing structure make the streptopolymethine dyes an ideal candidate for the study of surface effects on the nucleation and growth of organic crystals at a liquid/solid interface. In situ optical and atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments were conducted on amorphous glass and crystalline muscovite ...

Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells have shown promising activity against gastric cancer in vitro and in vivo. Previous studies showed that cell signaling through MHC I-related Chain A (MICA)-Natural killer group 2, member D (NKG2D) results in CIK cell activation leading to cytolytic activities against tumor cells. In this study, we investigate the MICA status in patients with gastric carcinoma...