Spatiotemporal formation of a single liquid-like condensate and amyloid fibrils of α-synuclein by optical trapping at solution surface.

Liquid-like protein condensates have recently attracted much attention due to their critical roles in biological phenomena. They typically show high fluidity and reversibility for exhibiting biological functions, while occasionally serving as sites for the formation of amyloid fibrils. To comprehend the properties of protein condensates that underlie biological function and pathogenesis, it is crucial to study them at the single-condensate level; however, this is currently challenging due to a lack of applicable methods.

Di-Calcium Phosphate and Phytosphingosine as an Innovative Acid-Resistant Treatment to Occlude Dentine Tubules.

The present investigation evaluated the ability of an experimental di-calcium phosphate (DCP) desensitising agent used alone or combined with phytosphingosine (PHS) to occlude dentine tubules and resist a citric acid (CA) or artificial saliva (AS) challenge. Three groups of human dentine specimens (DS) were treated with the following: (1) PHS alone, (2) DCP or (3) a combination of PHS and DCP. Dentine hydraulic conductance of DS was evaluated using a digital flow sensor at 6.

Incidence of Non-Traumatic Subconjunctival Hemorrhage in a Nationwide Study in Taiwan from 2000 to 2011.

Objective: To determine the nationwide incidence of non-traumatic subconjunctival hemorrhage (NTSCH) in Taiwan from 2000-2011 and to analyze the risk factors for NTSCH using a case-control analysis.

Methods: This is a population-based cohort administrative database study. Randomly selected 1,000,000 residents from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database in 2000 and followed for 12 years to determine the population incidence of NTSCH.

Ultraviolet-A irradiation upregulated urokinase-type plasminogen activator in pterygium fibroblasts through ERK and JNK pathways.

Purpose: Effects of ultraviolet (UV) B on the pterygium and its cells have been studied previously, whereas little is known on the effects of UVA. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is a protease involved in tissue remodeling and cell migration, and its levels are increased in pterygium. The purpose of our study was to investigate the effects of UVA on the expression of uPA in cultured pterygium fibroblasts.

Overexpression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator in pterygia and pterygium fibroblasts.

Purpose: Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is a protease involved in tissue remodeling and cell migration. Little is known about the expression of uPA in pterygium. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of uPA mRNA and activities in various stages of surgically excised pterygia specimens and cultured pterygium fibroblasts and to compare them with normal conjunctival tissues and fibroblasts.

Increased expression of gelatinase (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in pterygia and pterygium fibroblasts with disease progression and activation of protein kinase C.

Purpose: To study the expression of matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 mRNA and activities in various stages of surgically excised pterygium specimens and cultured pterygium fibroblasts and to study the effects of activation of protein kinase C (PKC) on the expression of these MMPs in pterygium fibroblasts.

Methods: MMP-2 and MMP-9 mRNA expression and activities in 15 pterygium tissues and cultured pterygium fibroblasts were measured by RT-PCR and zymography. Five normal conjunctiva specimens and fibroblasts were tested as the controls.

Wave-front reconstruction without twin-image blurring by two arbitrary step digital holograms.

We discuss a novel approach for numerical wave-front reconstruction which utilizes arbitrary phase step digital holography. Our experimental results demonstrate that only two digital holograms and a simple estimation procedure are required for twin-image suppression, and for numerical reconstruction. One advantage of this approach is its simplicity.

Numerical suppression of zero-order image in digital holography.

This work describes a novel approach that adopts numerical operation to suppress the zero-order images of reconstruction in digital holography. The entire process needs only one digital hologram and keeps under control the intensity ratio of the object wave to reference wave in recording procedure. Also the performance of numerical suppression is simple and effective by subtracting the numerical generated intensity of the object and reference waves from the digital hologram.

Massive expansion of EBV+ monoclonal T cells with CD5 down regulation in EBV-associated haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) comprises primary and secondary forms; the secondary form is most commonly triggered by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV; EBV-HLH). Patients with EBV-HLH usually exhibit oligoclonal or monoclonal T cell proliferation, which may mimic T cell lymphoproliferative disorder (T-LPD). This article reports on EBV-HLH in a 17-month-old girl with an extreme surge of reactive T lymphocytosis (absolute count 167x10(9)/l) with CD5 down regulation.