A number of non-invasive approaches have been developed over the years to provide an objective means of evaluating and diagnosing skin melanoma. However, the current gold-standard in melanoma diagnosis is the examination of a skin lesion by the trained eye of a physician followed by histological examination of an invasive excisional biopsy of the skin specimen. Diagnosis of melanoma by simple v...

Palmitoyl carnitine chloride (PCC) has been shown to be an effective enhancer of intestinal transport of hydrophilic molecules. The exact mechanism by which the epithelial barrier function is decreased is not clear. In an attempt to elucidate the mechanism of action of PCC, we studied the relationship among absorption enhancement, cell viability and tight junction protein localization in the hu...

HYPOTHESIS We designed a study to determine the role of mastoid mucosal biofilm in chronic otitis media (COM). BACKGROUND Biofilm formation has been found in several chronic airway infections. COM is associated with chronic, recalcitrant infection of the mastoid mucosa, and surgery often is required. METHODS COM patients were divided into 2 groups: one with chronic suppurative otitis media ...

Microspatial arrangements of sulfate-reducing microorganisms (SRM) in surface microbial mats (~1.5 mm) forming open marine stromatolites were investigated. Previous research revealed three different mat types associated with these stromatolites, each with a unique petrographic signature. Here we focused on comparing "non-lithifying" (Type-1) and "lithifying" (Type-2) mats. Our results revealed ...

We report that the phase and self-assembly transition in an aqueous surfactant two-phase (ASTP) system can be induced by a small amount of glycerol. The ASTP was formed from a cationic Gemini surfactant, C12C6C12(Et), and an anionic surfactant, sodium laureate (SL), in a borax solution. Upon addition of 0.3–2 vol% glycerol to the system, the ASTP system underwent a striking phase transition: th...