Granzyme B (graB) plays a pivotal role in cytotoxic lymphocyte granule-mediated apoptosis through cleavage of intracellular proteins in target cells. Proteinase inhibitor-9 (PI-9) is a potent inhibitor of graB and is highly expressed in cytotoxic lymphocytes. Here, we show by immunohistochemistry that PI-9 is also abundantly expressed in human testicular Sertoli cells and placental syncytial tr...

The microstructures of as-cast and heat-treated Co-Cr-Mo with addition of C, Si and Mn have been investigated with a focus on phase and dissolution of precipitates. The heat treatment temperatures and heating periods employed ranged from 1448 to 1548 K and 0 to 43.2 ks, respectively. The precipitates observed in the as-cast and heat-treated alloys were carbides (M23C6, eta-phase, and pi-phase) ...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the curative effect of albendazole/thalidomide co-therapy on eosinophilic meningitis in BALB/c mice caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis. METHODS Male mice were infected with 50 A. cantonensis larvae and treated with albendazole (5, 10 or 20 mg/kg per day) alone, thalidomide (25, 50 or 100 mg/kg per day) alone, or a combination of albendazole (10 mg/kg per day) and tha...

Snake venom hemorrhagic metalloproteinases (SVMPs) of the PI, PII and PIII classes were compared in terms of tissue localization and their ability to hydrolyze basement membrane components in vivo, as well as by a proteomics analysis of exudates collected in tissue injected with these enzymes. Immunohistochemical analyses of co-localization of these SVMPs with type IV collagen revealed that PII...

BACKGROUND In species across taxa, offspring have means to influence parental investment (PI). PI thus evolves as an interacting phenotype and indirect genetic effects may strongly affect the co-evolutionary dynamics of offspring and parental behaviors. Evolutionary theory focused on explaining how exaggerated offspring solicitation can be understood as resolution of parent-offspring conflict, ...

Since the early 1990s human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) emerged as a global health pandemic, with sub-Saharan Africa the hardest hit. While the successful roll-out of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy provided significant relief to HIV-positive individuals, such treatment can also elicit damaging side-effects. Here especially HIV protease inhibitors (PIs) a...

BACKGROUND Vascular calcification (VC) is prevalent in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. Factors promoting calcification include abnormalities in mineral metabolism, particularly high phosphate levels. Inorganic phosphate (Pi) is a classical inducer of in vitro VC. Recently, an inverse relationship between serum magnesium concentrations and VC has been reported. The present study ...

A novel polyimide (PI)/clay hybrid nanocomposite, designated as PI (PAAS)/CM, has been developed from the poly(amic acid) salt of triethylamine and organomontmorillonite (CM) using a mixture solution of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and methanol (MeOH). For comparison, two other PI/clay hybrids derived from poly(amic acid) and CM in THF/MeOH solution and N,N9-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) solution, denoted ...