Taurine ameliorates alcoholic steatohepatitis via enhancing self-antioxidant capacity and alcohol metabolism

Chronic alcohol consumption or alcohol abuse is the main cause of alcoholic steatohepatitis or further cirrhosis. This study was to exam if the antioxidant capacity and alcohol metabolism in livers of chronic alcohol-fed rats were improved by supplementing taurine (Tau). Rats were randomly divided into four groups with five times per week of treatment: 1) isocaloric solution; 2) 3 g alcohol/kg BW/day; 3) 3 g alcohol/kg BW/day + 1 g taurine (Tau)/kg BW/day; and 4) 3 g alcohol/kg BW/day + 2 g Tau/kg BW/day. A 6-week alcohol consumption resulted in lower (p < 0.05) body weight gain and self-antioxidant capacities, as well as increased (p < 0.05) liver size, serum/hepatic lipids, and AST and ALT values. However, alcohol-fed rats co-treated with Tau have decreased (p < 0.05) liver lipid levels via increasing fecal lipid output and cholesterol metabolism. Besides, co-treatment of Tau also enhanced (p < 0.05) self-antioxidant capacities and alcohol metabolism in livers via enhancing GSH contents, CAT, GSH-Px, ADH, and ALDH activities, but decreasing MDA contents. In a histological examination of rat liver, microvesicular steatosis and necrotic cells were observed in alcohol-fed rats without Tau while largely suppressed microvesicular steatosis and no necrotic cells were observed in alcohol-fed rat supplemented with Tau. Therefore, Tau could be an effective hepatoprotective agent against alcohol-induced damage via enhancing self-antioxidant capacity and alcohol metabolism.     

香菇子实体中单核苷类成分研究

以离子交换柱层析为主要手段从香菇子实体的水提物中分离得到6个单核苷类化合物,经EI-MS、~1H-NMR和~(13)C-NMR鉴定分析,这6个化合物分别是:尿苷、尿嘧啶、鸟苷、香菇嘌呤、腺苷和腺嘌呤,其中腺嘌呤为首次从香菇中分离得到,香菇嘌呤的核磁数据首次得到全面归属。     

An Innovative Customized Biomimetic Hydrogel for Drug Screening Application Potential: Biocompatibility and Cell Invasion Ability

The ability of Pluronic F127 (PF127) conjugated with tetrapeptide Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp (GRGD) as a sequence of Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide to form the investigated potential hydrogel (hereafter referred to as 3DG bioformer (3BE)) to produce spheroid, biocompatibility, and cell invasion ability, was assessed in this study. The fibroblast cell line (NIH 3T3), osteoblast cell line (MG-63), and human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) were cultured in the 3BE hydrogel and commercial product (Matrigel) for comparison. The morphology of spheroid formation was evaluated via optical microscopy. The cell viability was observed through cell counting Kit-8 assay, and cell invasion was investigated via Boyden chamber assay. Analytical results indicated that 3BE exhibited lower spheroid formation than Matrigel. However, the 3BE appeared biocompatible to NIH 3T3, MG-63, and MCF-7 cells. Moreover, cell invasion ability and cell survival rate after invasion through the 3BE was displayed to be comparable to Matrigel. Thus, these findings demonstrate that the 3BE hydrogel has a great potential as an alternative to a three-dimensional cell culture for drug screening applications.     

Preparation of ZnO-coated TiO2 electrodes using dip coating and their applications in dye-sensitized solar cells

This study investigates the applicability of a ZnO-coated TiO₂ working electrode in a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). This working electrode was designed and fabricated by the following procedures: (1) two consecutive TiCl₄ treatments were performed when preparing the TiO₂ electrode, one prior to and the other following the spin printing of the TiO₂ colloid on a FTO-glass (Fluorine doped tin oxide, SnO₂:F) substrate; (2) a simple dip coating method was used to fabricate a ZnO-coated TiO₂ electrode by immersing a FTO-glass substrate with a TiO₂ film in a solution of zinc acetate dehydrate [Zn(CH₃COO)₂?2H₂O] and ethanol. This working electrode was then immersed in a solution of N-719 (Ruthenium) dye at a temperature of 70 °C for a preset duration. Finally, the DSSC was assembled, and the short-circuit photocurrent, the open-circuit photovoltage, and the power conversion efficiency of DSSC were measured using an I–V measurement system. The effects of the concentration of Zn(CH₃COO)₂?2H₂O, the duration of dipping, and the dye loading on the power conversion efficiency of a DSSC were also examined. Most importantly, this study shows that the power conversion efficiency of the DSSC with a ZnO-coated TiO₂ electrode (6.62%) substantially exceeds that of the conventional DSSC with a TiO₂ electrode (5.45%) due to the effects of a ZnO barrier and the TiCl₄ treatment.     

Recent Developments in Shaped Charge Technology

Shaped-charge principles, including analytical work, computer-code simulations, and experimental results, are reviewed. It is assumed that the reader has a basic understanding of the functioning of shaped charges, and emphasizes developments in recent years. The survey is divided into four sections: Liner Collapse, Jet Formation, Jet Breakup, and Target Penetration. Only traditional shaped charges are covered; kinetic-energy penetrators and self-forging-fragment warheads are not included. Ninety-nine references are cited.     

The Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitor Linagliptin Ameliorates Endothelial Inflammation and Microvascular Thrombosis in a Sepsis Mouse Model

The pathophysiology of sepsis involves inflammation and hypercoagulability, which lead to microvascular thrombosis and compromised organ perfusion. Dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitors, e.g., linagliptin, are commonly used anti-diabetic drugs known to exert anti-inflammatory effects. However, whether these drugs confer an anti-thrombotic effect that preserves organ perfusion in sepsis remains to be investigated. In the present study, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with linagliptin to examine its anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic effects under tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α treatment. To validate findings from in vitro experiments and provide in vivo evidence for the identified mechanism, a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced systemic inflammatory response syndrome was used, and pulmonary microcirculatory thrombosis was measured. In TNF-α-treated HUVECs and LPS-injected mice, linagliptin suppressed expressions of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) via a nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)–dependent pathway. Linagliptin attenuated tissue factor expression via the Akt/endothelial nitric oxide synthase pathway. In LPS-injected mice, linagliptin pretreatment significantly reduced thrombosis in the pulmonary microcirculation. These anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic effects were independent of blood glucose level. Together the present results suggest that linagliptin exerts protective effects against endothelial inflammation and microvascular thrombosis in a mouse model of sepsis.     

Generalizing Hamming+k data hiding by overlapped pixels

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Matrix coding based data hiding (MCDH) using linear codes (syndrome coding) is an efficient coding method for steganographic schemes to improve their embedding...