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Serum response factor (SRF) is a transcription factor that controls the expression of cytoskeletal proteins and immediate early genes in different cell types. Here, we found that SRF expression is restricted to endothelial cells (ECs) of small vessels such as capillaries in the mouse embryo. EC-specific Srf deletion led to aneurysms and hemorrhages from 11.5 days of mouse development (E11.5) and l
RhoH is a small GTPase expressed only in the hematopoietic system. With the use of mice with targeted disruption of the RhoH gene, we demonstrated that RhoH is crucial for thymocyte maturation during DN3 to DN4 transition and during positive selection. Furthermore, the differentiation and expansion of DN3 and DN4 thymocytes in vitro were severely impaired. These defects corresponded to defective T
Storage of cholesteryl esters in the cytoplasm of macrophages is one of the earliest and most ubiquitous event observed in the development of arteriosclerosis. Macrophages have an enormous capacity to uptake and store cholesterol in the form of cytosolic cholesteryl ester droplets. These stores are mobilized by the action of a neutral cholesteryl ester hydrolase (NCEH), producing free cholesterol
The hypothesis that spatial-memory specialization affects the size of the hippocampus has become widely accepted among scientists. The hypothesis comes from studies on birds primarily in two families, the Paridae (tits, titmice and chickadees) and the Corvidae (crows, nutcrackers, jays, etc.). Many species in these families store food and rely on spatial memory to relocate the cached items. The hi
Intravenous thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator is the only proven acute therapy for ischemic stroke. This therapy has not been translated into clinical practice in the developing world primarily due to economic constraints. Streptokinase, a lower cost alternative thrombolytic agent, is widely available in developing countries where it is utilized to treat patients with acute coronary s
BACKGROUND: Clinical trials implicate the estrogen receptor (ER) coactivator amplified in breast cancer 1 (AIB1) to be a prognostic and a treatment-predictive factor, although results are not unanimous. We have further investigated this using a controlled randomised trial of tamoxifen versus control. Materials and methods: A total of 564 premenopausal women were entered into a randomised study ind
Objective: in Sweden, acupuncture education is required before midwives can use the method in clinical practice. Courses in acupuncture are usually organised by private individuals or companies, and each health facility decides on the adequacy of the educational package. Therefore, there is no overall standard or quality control for free-standing courses of acupuncture education for midwives. The
The central nervous system (CNS) monitors modifications in metabolic parameters or hormone levels and elicits adaptive responses such as food intake regulation. Particularly, within the hypothalamus, leptin modulates the activity of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons which are critical regulators of energy balance. Consistent with a pivotal role of the melanocortin system in the control of energy
The central role of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) in the remodelling process of the human skeleton has been identified in numerous experimental and clinical studies. BMPs appear to be key agents in the osteoblastic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, and more recent evidence implicates them with the cells of the osteoclastic lineage. BMP-2, BMP-4, BMP-6 and BMP-7 have been studied in t
The aim was to investigate the relative importance of cervical proprioception compared to vestibular input for head movements on trunk. Subjects with bilateral vestibulopathy (n = 11) were compared to healthy controls (n = 15). We studied their ability to move the head accurately to reproduce four specified target positions in the horizontal yaw plane (neutral head position, 10 degrees target, 30
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a very aggressive disease, lacking effective therapeutic approaches and leaving PDAC patients with a poor prognosis. The life expectancy of PDAC patients has not experienced a significant change in the last few decades with a five-year survival rate of only 8%. To address this unmet need, novel pharmacological targets must be identified for clinical inter
Hemodynamic force analysis has been proposed as a novel tool for early detection of subclinical systolic dysfunction in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Here we investigated the ability of hemodynamic forces to discriminate between healthy subjects and heart failure patients with varying degrees of systolic dysfunction. We studied 34 controls, 16 HFpEF patients, and 25 heart
Life-long production of blood from hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) is a process of strict modulation. Intrinsic and extrinsic signals govern fate options like self-renewal – a cardinal feature of HSC. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) have an established role in embryonic hematopoiesis, but less is known about its functions in adulthood. Previously, SMAD-mediated BMP signaling has been proven dispe
Cerebral oedema develops after anoxic brain injury. In two models of asphyxial and asystolic cardiac arrest without resuscitation, we found that oedema develops shortly after anoxia secondary to terminal depolarizations and the abnormal entry of CSF. Oedema severity correlated with the availability of CSF with the age-dependent increase in CSF volume worsening the severity of oedema. Oedema was id
