BACKGROUND Pathogenesis of mucosal microorganisms depends on adherence to the tissues they colonize and infect. For Candida albicans, cell surface hydrophobicity may play a significant role in tissue binding ability. METHODS A continuous cell line of vaginal epithelial cells (VEC) was grown in keratinocyte serum-free medium (KSFM) with supplements and harvested by trypsinization. VEC were com...

In this study, we introduce a new type of surface curves called $D$-type curve. This curve is defined by the property that the unit Darboux vector $vec{W}_{0} $ of a surface curve $vec{r}(s)$ and unit surface normal $vec{n} $ along the curve $vec{r}(s)$ satisfy the condition $leftlangle vec{n} ,vec{W}_{0} rightrangle =text{constant}$. We point out that a $D$-type curve is a geodesic curve or an...

This document consists of details to which the original submission article has made references. These include a list of symbols, some matrix identities and calculus rules, a list of VarPro derivatives, symmetry analysis of the un-regularized VarPro Gauss-Newton matrix and MTSS computation details. Symbol Meaning Rp×q The space of real matrices of size p× q S The space of symmetric real matrices...

BACKGROUND Patients with endovascular stent implantation for the treatment of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction are often left with incomplete relief of the obstruction and significant pulmonary regurgitation. A noninvasive and reproducible method for monitoring such patients is desirable. MRI in the presence of a stent, however, has to overcome the problem of potential metallic artif...

The oxidation of Nb-silicide-based alloys is improved with Al, Cr, Ge or Sn addition(s). Depending on addition(s) and its(their) concentration(s), alloyed C14-AB₂ Laves and A15-A₃X phases can be stable in the microstructures of the alloys. In both phases, A is the transition metal(s), and B and X respectively can be Cr, Al, Ge, Si or Sn, and Al, Ge, Si or Sn. The alloying, creep and hardness of...

BACKGROUND The development of diabetic angiopathy is associated with profound vascular endothelial cells (VEC) dysfunction and apoptosis. Glycated low density lipoproteins (gly-LDL) continuously produced in the setting of diabetic patients play an important role in causing VEC dysfunction and apoptosis. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains largely elusive. Protein L-isoaspartyl m...

Type I interferon (IFN) medications cause various adverse reactions, including vascular diseases. Although an association between chemokines and vascular diseases has also been reported, the relationship between type I IFN and chemokines in vascular endothelial cells (VEC) remains unclear. To provide clues to pathogenesis of the diseases, we analysed the effects of type I IFN on chemokine produ...

Introduction T-VEC, an intralesionally-delivered oncolytic immunotherapy, is a herpes simplex virus-1 engineered to selectively replicate in tumors and stimulate an antitumor immune response through expression of GMCSF. T-VEC has the ability to lyse various cancer cell types in vitro[1]. A Phase III study of T-VEC injected into skin, subcutaneous, or lymph node tumors versus subcutaneous GM-CSF...