We present the synthesis of dual-responsive (pH and temperature) magnetic core-shell nanoparticles utilizing the grafting-from approach. First, oleic acid stabilized superparamagnetic maghemite (γ-Fe(2)O(3)) nanoparticles (NPs), prepared by thermal decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl, were surface-functionalized with ATRP initiating sites bearing a dopamine anchor group via ligand exchange. Sub...

To express the antimicrobial peptide cecropin D in Pichia pastoris and determine the activity of the expressed product, four oligonucleotide fragments were synthesized in accordance with the available cecropin D sequences and a codon bias suitable for Pichia pastoris. Sequence fragments were phosphorylated, annealed, linked and cloned into the expression vector pGAPZαA and the yeast α-mating fa...

BACKGROUND Thrombolysis is conventionally regarded as dissolution of the fibrin matrix of thrombi by plasmin, but the structure of clots in vivo includes additional constituents (proteins, phospholipids) that modulate their solubilization. OBJECTIVE We examined the presence of free fatty acids in thrombi and their effects on distinct stages of fibrinolysis (plasminogen activation, plasmin act...

The conventional, low flux (LF) dialyser allows the removal of small molecular solutes like urea and creatinine. The removal of middle molecules (molecular weight between 500D and 60,000 D, which is nearly the size of albumin) is relatively low. Cystatin C has attractive characteristics as a representative middle molecule. Objective: To determine per dialysis Cys C reduction ratio (RR) in low f...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE We tested the hypothesis that fibrin structure/function is unfavorably altered in patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke. METHODS Ex vivo plasma fibrin clot permeability, turbidimetry, and efficiency of fibrinolysis were determined in 89 patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) and a history of first-ever stroke, 58 patients with first-ever stroke and no PFO, and 120...

In vivo, lactoperoxidase produces hypothiocyanite (OSCN(-)) from thiocyanate (SCN(-)) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2); in vitro, iodide (I(-)) can be oxidized into hypoiodite (OI(-)) by this enzyme. The aim of this study was to compare in vitro the anti-Candida effect of iodide versus thiocyanate used as lactoperoxidase substrate to prevent Candida biofilms development. Candida albi...

Biotechnology and pharmaceutical research have created a number of new and potentially life-saving drugs. Many of these drugs are formulated as injectable products. Some drug products do not survive autoclaving or other means of terminal sterilization. An aseptic filling process is typically used to sterilize such products, but it is less reliable than autoclaving, making detection of unsterile...

The novel water-dispersible nanoparticles from the double hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(acrylic acid) (PAA-b-PEO-b-PAA) triblock copolymer and oppositely charged surfactant dodecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (DTAB) were prepared by mixing the individual aqueous solutions. The structure of the nanoparticles was investigated as a function of the degree of neutralizat...

Recently, an alternative pathway for factor XI activation has been described in which factor XI is activated by thrombin. Patients with a factor XI deficiency bleed mostly from tissues with high local fibrinolytic activity. Therefore, the role of thrombin-mediated factor XI activation in both fibrin formation and fibrinolysis was studied in a plasma system. clotting was induced by the addition ...

Detection of microalbuminuria is important in the management of diabetic patients since it is predictive of development of proteinuria and nephropathy. Two sensitive and specific in-house ELISAs for microalbuminuria were established and validated. One of the ELISAs was based on antigen coating while the other employed antibody coating. Recovery and linearity experiments gave acceptable results ...