BACKGROUND/AIMS Thalassaemia accompanied with iron-overload is common in Hong Kong. Iron-overload induced cardiomyopathy is the commonest cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with β-thalassaemia. Chronic iron-overload due to blood transfusion can cause cardiac failure. Decreased antioxidant defence and increased ROS production may lead to oxidative stress and cell injury. Iron-overload ...

We used the common fish pathogen Ichthyophthirius multifiliis as a model for studying interactions between parasitic ciliates and their vertebrate hosts. Although highly pathogenic, Ichthyophthirius can elicit a strong protective immune response in fish after exposure to controlled infections. To investigate the mechanisms underlying host resistance, a series of passive immunization experiments...

In this study, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) two-dimensional (2D) wind direction and wind speed sensor consisting of a square heating source and four thermopiles was manufactured using the heat detection method. The heating source and thermopiles of the manufactured sensor must be exposed to air to detect wind speed and wind direction. Therefore, there are concerns that the sensor coul...

lead to miss the diagnosis of PNX. A double lung point can be detected in PNX secondary to trauma when pulmonary contusions can cause pleural adhesion or, less frequently, even in spontaneous PNX of young adults.” Volpicelli 2013 Sonographic signs of complex pneumothorax “Double lung point: when for some reason, the air of a pneumothorax is not free to float inside the pleural space, a minimal ...

objective: glut4 is a type of glucose transporter and plays a central role in whole-body metabolism of carbohydrates. the muscle is the major site of glut4 and cell line models, to explore glut4 behaviors under new therapeutic approach, such as herbal components, should be evaluated. here, c2c12 cell line is evaluated for glut4 translocation from intracellular compartment into the cell membrane...

the focus of this study was antimicrobial membrane-activity of actinomycetes isolated from soils of iran. in this work, soil samples were collected from desert and farming zones of northern and central iran. a total number of 45 actinomycetes were isolated from the soil samples. in the primary screening performed to evaluate antimicrobial activity, isolated microorganisms were analyzed in terms...

The retina of the human eye is extremely vulnerable to oxidative damage. Previous studies have demonstrated that oxidative stress is the predominant mechanism associated with the pathogenesis of age‑related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and retinitis pigmentosa. MTP‑131, a novel mitochondria‑targeted peptide, has been demonstrated to specifically concentrate in the inner ...

OBJECTIVE Alterations in sphingolipid and ceramide metabolism have been associated with various diseases, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) converts the membrane lipid sphingomyelin to ceramide, thereby affecting membrane composition and domain formation. We investigated the ways in which the Asm knockout (Smpd1-/-) genotype affects diet-induced NAF...

The synthetic oral cleansing and teeth whitening products like mouthwashes exert adverse effects on teeth, gums and mucous membrane of oral cavity and their extensive use is being criticized. Determining the effect of frequent use of mouthwashes, human cheek cells and their DNA have been studied. Five mouthwash brands were tested and their effects were examined on membrane and DNA of human chee...

The bioactivity of polyphenols is closely linked to their ability to interact with biological membranes. The study evaluates the in vitro effect of quercetin and epigallocatechin on the membrane anisotropy and transmembrane potential of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from 26 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients compared to 25 age matched controls. The in vitro assays were anal...