Silk fibroin (SF) is a protein with bulky hydrophobic domains and can be easily purified as sericin-free silk-based biomaterial. Silk fibroin modified chitosan nanoparticle (SF-CSNP), a biocompatible material, has been widely used as a potential drug delivery system. Our current investigation studied the bio-effects of the SF-CSNP uptake by liver cells. In this experiment, the characterizations...

The relation between serum and synovial fluid (SF) C reactive protein (CRP) concentrations was investigated in a variety of arthritides, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, and osteoarthritis. SF CRP levels were significantly reduced compared with serum levels in the inflammatory arthritides, but there was good correlation between serum and SF values. S...

The objective of this proof-of-concept study was to develop a platform for controlled drug delivery based on silk fibroin (SF) and to explore the feasibility of using SF in oral drug delivery. The SF-containing matrixes were prepared via spray-drying and film casting, and the release profile of the model drug naproxen sodium was evaluated. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared...

PURPOSE Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) possesses mitogenic, motogenic, and morphogenic properties and has recently been implicated in various retinal diseases. The role of HGF/SF in proliferative vitreoretinal disease was investigated. METHODS Sections of epiretinal membranes were stained immunohistochemically for cytokeratins, to identify HRPE cells, and for HGF/SF receptor...

The orphan nuclear receptor, steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1), plays an important role in the development of the adrenal gland and in sexual differentiation. SF-1 regulates the transcription of variety of genes, including several steroidogenic enzymes, Müllerian inhibiting substance, and gonadotropin genes. In this report, we sought to identify domains in SF-1 that are required for transactivation...

Silica fume (SF) is an important component for manufacturing high performance concrete (HPC), owing to its superb pozzolanic reactivity and physical filling effects. However, application of SF in concrete may cause potential hazards issues. Although using SF in slurry form can somehow reduce the potential biotoxicity, the long-term stability and status of the SF particles within cementitious ma...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE This study evaluated assessments of physical functioning and social functioning using the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) and Short Form-36 (SF-36) to characterize health-related quality of life for patients after stroke. METHODS The SIS and SF-36 were administered to 278 stroke subjects approximately 90 days after stroke. The SIS-16 and SF-36 Physical Functioning (PF) domain...

CONTEXT Human NR5A1/SF-1 mutations cause 46,XY disorder of sex development (DSD) with broad phenotypic variability, and rarely cause adrenal insufficiency although SF-1 is an important transcription factor for many genes involved in steroidogenesis. In addition, the Sf-1 knockout mouse develops obesity with age. Obesity might be mediated through Sf-1 regulating activity of brain-derived neurotr...