RESULTS. Compared with the control, increased accumulations of type I and type III collagens were detected by immunohistochemistry in fibrotic conjunctiva of patients with OCP. Weak and sparse expression of HSP47 was detected in the epithelial cells and stromal fibroblasts in control conjunctival tissues. In contrast to the control, the expression of HSP47 was markedly increased in the stromal ...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the influence of breast feeding, use of the oral contraceptive pill (OCP), and parity on rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS One hundred and seventy six women with RA were compared with 145 control subjects; all had at least one child. RA patients were classified as having severe (n = 82) or mild disease (n = 89) according to clinical joint evaluation, radiological sco...

Intense sunlight is dangerous for photosynthetic organisms. Cyanobacteria, like plants, protect themselves from light-induced stress by dissipating excess absorbed energy as heat. Recently, it was discovered that a soluble orange carotenoid protein, the OCP, is essential for this photoprotective mechanism. Here we show that the OCP is also a member of the family of photoactive proteins; it is a...

Despite the success of the Iranian family planning programme, the number of unwanted pregnancies remains high. To investigate whether health workers in Tabriz are providing correct information and counselling about OCP use, the current study was planned to examine the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of OCP providers. A sample of 150 health-care workers in health houses and 150 communi...

We investigate the principle of the open circuit potential (OCP) change upon a particle collision event based on mixed potential theory and confirmed by a mimic experiment in which we studied the changes in the OCP when two different electrodes (Pt and Au) are brought into contact in a solution that contains some irreversible redox couples. A micrometer-sized Au ultramicroelectrode, when connec...

PURPOSE Submucosal fibrosis due to excessive accumulation of collagens is an important histologic feature in the pathogenesis of ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP). Heat shock protein 47 (HSP47), a collagen-binding protein, plays an important role in the biosynthesis of procollagens. In the present study, we examined the role of HSP47 in conjunctival scarring in patients with OCP. METHODS Bi...

BACKGROUND Previous studies have provided conflicting results regarding the effect of drospirenone-containing oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) on the risk of venous and arterial thrombosis. OBJECTIVES To conduct a systematic review to assess the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke in individuals taking drospirenone-containing OCPs. SEARCH STRATEGY We ...

We investigated the effects of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA; 60 microg/day/100 g b.wt.) on the impairment induced by maternal obstructive cholestasis during pregnancy (OCP) in the rat placenta-maternal liver tandem excretory pathway. A blunted catheter was implanted in the common bile duct on day 14 of pregnancy, and the tip was cut on day 21. [(14)C]Glycocholate (GC) was then administered throug...