Autosomal STR-analysis is the standard method of DNA-typing in casework. However, there are forensic sample types that may contain a large fraction of female DNA and a minimal fraction of male DNA. The male fraction may not be successfully amplified using autosomal STR-analysis because it “drowns” in the female fraction. However, the analysis of male-specific YSTR markers may circumvent this obstacle. ...

Enterococcus are a group of bacteria growing on different environmental condition behaving as a commensal as well as opportunistic pathogen. Among the enterococci, Enterococcus faecium is recently emerged as a nosocomial multi-resistance pathogen especially in the severely ill and immunocompromised patients causing a wide range of diseases like endocarditis, bacteraemia and urinary tract infections. ...

Background: Tryptophan side chains can influence the binding of amphipathic peptides to biological membranes. <p>Results: The cytotoxic activity of model helical amphipathic peptides was markedly influenced by the positions of tryptophan residues in the sequence. <p>Conclusion: Tryptophan residues located adjacent to a hydrophobic helical portion created the most potent cytotoxic peptides. <p> ...

Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether changes in the tissue expression of human epididymisspecific protein 4 (HE4) could predict therapy resistance and relapse after progestin hormone therapy for medium- and low-risk endometrial hyperplasia.<p> <p>Methods: Endometrial biopsies were obtained from women participating in a multicentre RCT performed according to the ...

Morbidity and mortality from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and heart failure (HF) remain significant in Europe and are increasing worldwide. Patients with IHD or HF might benefit from novel therapeutic strategies, such as cellbased therapies. We recently discussed the therapeutic potential of cell-based therapies and provided recommendations on how to improve the therapeutic translation of these ...

Autophagy is an evolutionary conserved process by which eukaryotic cells undergo self-digestion of cytoplasmic components. Here we report that a novel Drosophila immunophilin, which we have named Zonda, is critically required for starvation-induced autophagy. We show that Zonda operates at early stages of the process, specifically for Vps34-mediated phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI3P) deposition. ...

Fenestrations are pores within liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) that enable the transfer of substrates (particularly insulin and lipoproteins) between blood and hepatocytes. With increasing age, there are marked reductions in fenestrations, referred to as pseudocapillarization. Currently, fenestrations are thought to be regulated by vascular endothelial growth factor and nitric oxide (NO) ...

Despite advances in myocardial reperfusion therapies, acute myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury and consequent ischaemic heart failure represent the number one cause of morbidity and mortality in industrialized societies. Although different therapeutic interventions have been shown beneficial in preclinical settings, an effective cardioprotective or regenerative therapy has yet to be successfully ...

Background. Pulmonary complications are common in acute liver failure (ALF). The role of the lungs in the uptake of harmful soluble endogenous macromolecules was evaluated in a porcine model of ALF induced by hepatic devascularization (n = 8) vs. controls (n = 8). In additional experiments, pulmonary uptake was investigated in healthy pigs. Fluorochrome-labeled modified albumin (MA) was applied to ...

American Association for Cancer Research was founded in 1907 by a group of 11 physicians and scientists interested in cancer research in the Washington, DC. Today, the AACR is the largest professional organization in the world with a membership of 37 000 researchers from 108 countries. This year, AAR Annual Meeting was organized from the 1th to 5th of April in the birthplace of the organization. I ...