Effects of Glycogen on Ceramide Production in Cultured Human Keratinocytes via Acid Sphingomyelinase Activation.

Glycogen is a highly branched storage polysaccharide found mainly in the liver and the muscles. Glycogen is also present in the skin, but its functional role is poorly understood. Recently, it has been reported that glycogen plays an important role in intracellular signal transduction.

Effects of Phosphoryl Oligosaccharides of Calcium (POs-Ca) on Mycelial Growth and Fruiting Body Development of the Edible Mushroom, .

Phosphoryl oligosaccharides of calcium (POs-Ca) is a calcium salt of phosphoryl maltooligosaccharides made from potato starch. POs-Ca is highly water-soluble and can supply both the calcium ion and acidic oligosaccharides in an aqueous solution. In this study, we investigated the effects of POs-Ca on the mycelial growth and fruiting body yield of , which is one of the most widely cultivated edible mushrooms in the world.

The Influence of Host Body Size and Food Guild On Prevalence and Mean Intensity of Chewing Lice (Phthiraptera) On Birds In Southern China.

Chewing lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) are abundant ectoparasites of birds and mammals. They are adapted to life in the plumage or pelage of their hosts and virtually never leave the host during their life cycle. Most species are highly host specific.

Relationship between self-reported and performance-based tests in assessment of patients with total hip arthroplasty.

Purpose: The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between self-reported and performance-based tests in the assessment of patients with total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Methods: Ninety four patients (35 males, 59 females) were included in the study with mean age 57.1 ± 14.

Protein Quality Assessment on Saliva Samples for Biobanking Purposes.

Biobank saliva sample quality depends on specific criteria applied to collection, processing, and storage. In spite of the growing interest in saliva as a diagnostic fluid, few biobanks currently store large collections of such samples. The development of a standard operating procedure (SOP) for saliva collection and quality control is fundamental for the establishment of a new saliva biobank, which stores samples to be made available to the saliva research community.

Who Do Batswana Men Prefer: Male or Female Health Providers?

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services are rarely designed specifically to meet men's needs. There is a general consensus among clinicians that males need access to SRH services. Studies have reported that men are often hesitant to go to health facilities because they feel uncomfortable being served by female providers.

Draft Genome Sequences of Two Species of "Difficult-to-Identify" Human-Pathogenic Corynebacteria: Implications for Better Identification Tests.

Non-diphtheriae Corynebacterium species have been increasingly recognized as the causative agents of infections in humans. Differential identification of these bacteria in the clinical microbiology laboratory by the most commonly used biochemical tests is challenging, and normally requires additional molecular methods. Herein, we present the annotated draft genome sequences of two isolates of "difficult-to-identify" human-pathogenic corynebacterial species: C.

Prognostic significance of Cbx4 expression and its beneficial effect for transarterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Our recent investigations showed that polycomb chromobox 4 (Cbx4) promotes angiogenesis and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through its sumoylating action on hypoxia-inducible factor-1α protein. Here, we attempt to identify the prognostic significances of Cbx4 by a retrospective analyses in 727 cases of HCC patients with and without postoperative transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or transarterial embolization (TAE). Binary logistic regression tests indicated that Cbx4 is correlated with histological grading, tumor-node-metastasis stage, microvessel density, distant metastasis and hematogenous metastasis of HCC.

Adenanthin targets peroxiredoxin I/II to kill hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Adenanthin, a natural diterpenoid isolated from the leaves of Isodon adenanthus, has recently been reported to induce leukemic cell differentiation by targeting peroxiredoxins (Prx) I and II. On the other hand, increasing lines of evidence propose that these Prx proteins would become potential targets to screen drugs for the prevention and treatment of solid tumors. Therefore, it is of significance to explore the potential activities of adenanthin on solid tumor cells.

Different Risk Factors Between Disruptive Behavior Disorders and ADHD in Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986.

Objective: To examine different risk factors between disruptive behavior disorders (DBD) and ADHD or combined DBD and ADHD.

Method: The study population was derived from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986. Psychiatric diagnoses were defined from the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL) interview.

Light physical activity determined by a motion sensor decreases insulin resistance, improves lipid homeostasis and reduces visceral fat in high-risk subjects: PreDiabEx study RCT.

Objective: To examine physical activity (PA) thresholds affecting glucose, insulin and lipid concentrations and body fat composition in high-risk patients for type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Intervention: A total of 113 subjects of both genders having abnormal glucose levels in the oral glucose tolerance test were contacted. A total of 78 subjects with age 58.

Jmjd3 is essential for the epigenetic modulation of microglia phenotypes in the immune pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.

Classical activation (M1 phenotype) and alternative activation (M2 phenotype) are the two polars of microglial activation states that can produce either detrimental or beneficial effects in the central nervous system (CNS). Harnessing the beneficial properties of microglia cells by modulating their polarization states provides great potential for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the epigenetic mechanism that regulates microglia polarization remains elusive.

Heat-related thermal sensation, comfort and symptoms in a northern population: the National FINRISK 2007 study.

Background: The occurrence of subjective symptoms related to heat strain in the general population is unknown. The present study aimed to describe the temperatures considered to be comfortable or hot and the prevalence of heat-related complaints and symptoms in the Finnish population.

Methods: Four thousand and seven men and women aged 25-74 years, participants of the National FINRISK 2007 study, answered a questionnaire inquiring about the ambient temperatures considered to be hot and the upper limit of comfortable and about heat-related complaints and symptoms.

How do changes in body mass index in infancy and childhood associate with cardiometabolic profile in adulthood? Findings from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 Study.

Background/objective: Postnatal growth patterns leading to obesity may have adverse influences on future cardiometabolic health. This study evaluated age and body mass index (BMI) at infant BMI peak (BMIP) and childhood BMI rebound (BMIR) in relation to adult cardiometabolic outcomes in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966.

Methods: BMI at various ages was calculated from frequent height and weight measurements obtained from child health and welfare clinical records.