The orphan nuclear receptor Steroidogenic Factor-1 (SF-1, NR5A1) is a critical regulator of development and homeostasis of the adrenal cortex and gonads. We recently showed that a complex containing E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF31 and the known SF-1 corepressor DAX-1 (NR0B1) interacts with SF-1 on target promoters and represses transcription of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and aromat...

The various molecular weight (MW) regenerated silk fibroins were prepared with different dissolution condition and the effect of MW on the gelation behavior of regenerated aqueous silk fibroin (SF) solution was investigated. The result of gelation time measurement indicated that the gelation of SF aqueous solution was accelerated by the increase of MW and SF concentration. When formic acid was ...

The alloxanized rabbit fed cholesterol develops extreme hyperlipemia and hypercholesteremla and yet develops a lesser degree of atherosclerosis than does the normal animal fed cholesterol. The concentrations of the Sf 12-30 and Sf 20-30 classes of lipoproteins correlate well with athero-sclerosis as finally observed in the alloxanized rabbit, whereas both free and total serum cholesterol correl...

AIM To establish a new and reliable assay for quantification of the soluble fibrin (SF) in combination with that of D-dimer for early diagnosis of venous thromboembolism. METHODS AND SAMPLES The SF assay is based on D-dimer generated after incubation of plasma with tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA). SF and standard D-dimer assays, run in blind, were used to test 119 untreated outpatien...

PURPOSE Thioredoxin (Trx) is a multifunctional endogenous redox regulator that protects cells against various types of cellular or tissue stresses. This study was conducted to test whether sulforaphane (SF), a naturally occurring isothiocyanate that is highly concentrated in broccoli sprouts, induces Trx in retinal tissues and whether pretreatment with SF protects against light-induced retinal ...

Steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) is essential for the development and function of steroidogenic tissues. Stable incorporation of SF-1 into embryonic stem cells (SF-1-ES cells) has been shown to prime the cells for steroidogenesis. When provided with exogenous cholesterol substrate, and after treatment with retinoic acid and cAMP, SF-1-ES cells produce progesterone but do not produce other steroids...

Chloroethylnitrosoureas (CENUs), which are bifunctional alkylating agents widely used in the clinical treatment of cancer, exert anticancer activity by inducing crosslink within a guanine-cytosine DNA base pair. However, the formation of dG-dC crosslinks can be prevented by O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT), ultimately leading to drug resistance. Therefore, the level of AGT expression ...

INTRODUCTION Diagnostic criteria for acute lung injury (ALI) and Acute Respiratory Distress syndrome (ARDS) includes acute onset of disease, chest radiograph demonstrating bilateral pulmonary infiltrates, lack of significant left ventricular dysfunction and Pao2/Fio2 (PF) ratio ≤300 for ALI or ≤200 for ARDS. Recent criteria require invasive arterial sampling. The pulse oximetric saturation Spo2...

Silk fibroin (SF) peptide has been traditionally used as a treatment for flatulence, spasms, and phlegm. In this study, we examined whether SF peptide enhanced the antiinflammatory effect of PEP-1-FK506 binding protein (PEP-1-FK506BP) through comparing the anti-inflammatory activities of SF peptide and/or PEP-1-FK506BP. In the presence or absence of SF peptide, transduction levels of PEP-1-FK50...

Self-assembled silk fibroin (SF)-polyethylenimine (PEI) multilayered films were fabricated on ethanol treated electrospun SF nanofibrous substrates via the electrostatic layer-by-layer (LBL) adsorption. The film coated membranes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectrophotometer (XPS). The SEM images show...