To thoroughly review the uses of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) related to the process of reproduction and also assess new, non-traditional theories. Review of the international literature and research studies. hCG and its receptor, LH/CGR, are expressed in numerous sites of the reproductive tract, both in gonadal and extra-goanadal tissues, promoting oocyte maturation, fertilization, impla...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate facility rankings in achieving <7% A1C levels based on the complexity of glycemic treatment regimens using threshold and continuous measures. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted a retrospective administrative data analysis of Veterans Health Administration Medical Centers in 2003-2004. Eligible patients were identified using National Committee for Quality Assurance ...

Photosynthesis occurs in mesophyll cells of specialized organs such as leaves. The rigid cell wall encapsulating photosynthetic cells controls the expansion and distribution of cells within photosynthetic tissues. The relationship between photosynthesis and plant growth is affected by leaf area. However, the underlying genetic mechanisms affecting carbon partitioning to different aspects of lea...

Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are integrated circuits (ICs) designed to implement, or be programmed with, any user circuit. This unique ability makes FPGA extremely popular; however, it also introduces a significant amount of area and delay overhead to the circuit. Fortunately, FPGA are typically manufactured in a process that is two to three generations ahead of the one used by applic...

Equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) is a unique molecule that elicits the response characteristics of both follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in other species. Previous studies from this laboratory had demonstrated that recombinant eCG (rec-eCG) from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells exhibited both FSH- and LH-like activity in rat granulosa and Leydig cells. In t...

Protein-energy wasting (PEW) is common in hemodialysis (HD) patients. A recent study demonstrated that a high level of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) may be associated with PEW in those patients. This prospective study aimed to assess the association of NT-proBNP with body composition and muscle loss. A cohort of prevalent HD patients (n = 238) was examined. Blood samples...

The cupA gene cluster of Pseudomonas aeruginosa encodes components and assembly factors of a putative fimbrial structure that enable this opportunistic pathogen to form biofilms on abiotic surfaces. In P. aeruginosa the control of cupA gene expression is complex, with the H-NS-like MvaT protein functioning to repress phase-variable (on/off) expression of the operon. Here we identify four positi...

Increased Na+ ions negatively affect soil physicochemical characteristics. We ran a pot incubation experiment for 2 months and leaching another to monitor the effects of nano-gypsum (NG, <100 nm) in low affordable doses on improving saline-sodic Treatments included control (CK), conventional gypsum (CG; ≤ 0.5 mm) at 100% CG requirement (8.9 t ha−1: CGR), three NG (240, 480 960 kg ha−1 = 2.7%, 5...

Imatinib is a tyrosine-kinase inhibitor that binds to ABL proteins and induces cytogenetic remissions in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). In these patients measuring response by molecular techniques is clearly required. We determined the cytogenetic and molecular response (CgR, MR) to imatinib in 191 patients with late chronic-phase Philadelphia-positive (Ph+) CML, previously treat...