Immunomodulatory Effects of the Tobacco Defensin NaD1.

Defensins are important components of the innate plant immune system, exhibiting antimicrobial activity against phytopathogens, as well as against fungi pathogenic to humans. Along with antifungal activity, plant defensins are also capable of influencing various immune processes, but not much is known about these effects. In this study, we investigated the immunomodulatory effects of the tobacco defensin NaD1, which possesses a pronounced antifungal activity.

Assay variables and early clinical evaluation of low-angle light scattering for platelet function analysis.

Introduction: The recently developed platelet aggregation technique based on low-angle light scattering (LaSca) in diluted platelet-rich plasma (PRP) requires only a small sample volume and provides information about platelet aggregation and shape change. This study aimed to investigate the influence of preanalytical and analytical variables and to validate the method in a real-life pediatric hematology hospital setting.

Methods: Platelet aggregation was induced by ADP in diluted PRP in the presence of 2 mM calcium at 23 °C.

Sub-acute Inhalation Exposure to Aluminum Oxide Nanoparticles and its Effects on Wistar Rats as Opposed to the Micro-sized Chemical Analog.

Introduction: Aluminum oxide nanoparticles (AlO NPs) are widely used in various productions. Simultaneously, many research works report the toxic effects of this nanomaterial. Given that, there is a growing risk of negative effects produced by AlO NPs on public health.

Flow cytometry for comprehensive assessment of platelet functional activity in response to ADP stimulation.

Objectives: Flow cytometry with adenosine diphosphate (ADP) allows to characterize molecular changes of platelet function caused by this physiologically important activation, but the methodology has not been thoroughly investigated, standardized and characterized yet. We analyzed the influence of several major variables and chose optimal conditions for platelet function assessment.

Methods: For activation, 2.

Comparison of Conformations and Interactions with Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors for -Produced and Synthetic Three-Finger Protein SLURP-1.

SLURP-1 is a three-finger human protein targeting nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). The recombinant forms of SLURP-1 produced in differ in added fusion fragments and in activity. The closest in sequence to the naturally occurring SLURP-1 is the recombinant rSLURP-1, differing by only one additional N-terminal Met residue.