Protective effect of gadolinium chloride on early warm ischemia/reperfusion injury in rat bile duct during liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Activation of Kupffer cell (KC) is acknowledged as a key event in the initiation and perpetuation of bile duct warm ischemia/reperfusion injury. The inhibitory effect of gadolinium chloride (GdCl(3)) on KC activation shows potential as a protective intervention in liver injury, but there is less research with regard to bile duct injury. METHODS: Sixty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats (200-250 g) were randomly divided into three experimental groups: a sham group (n = 15), a control group (n = 25), and a GdCl(3) group (n = 25). Specimen was collected at 0.5, 2, 6, 12 and 24 h after operation. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin (TBIL) of serum were measured. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Capase-3 activity and soluble Fas (sFas) were detected. The pathologic changes of bile duct were observed. Immunochemistry for bile duct Fas was performed. Apoptosis of bile duct cells was evaluated by the terminal UDP nick end labeling assay. RESULTS: GdCl(3) significantly decreased the levels of ALT, ALP and TBIL at 2, 6, 12, and 24 h, and increased serum sFas at 2, 6 and 12 h (P<0.05). TNF-α was lower in the GdCl(3) group than in the control group at 2, 6, 12 and 24 h (P<0.05). Preadministration of GdCl(3) significantly reduced the Caspase-3 activity and bile duct cell apoptosis at 2, 6, 12 and 24 h. After operation for 2, 6 and 12 h, the expression of Fas protein was lower in the GdCl(3) group than in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: GdCl(3) plays an important role in suppressing bile duct cell apoptosis, including decreasing ALT, ALP, TBIL and TNF-α; suppressing Fas-FasL-Caspase signal transduction during transplantation

Crystallinity and phase separation induced morphological modulation for efficient ternary all-polymer solar cells

All-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) have attracted enormous attention and achieved significant progress in recent years due to their long-term stability and excellent film stretchability. However, the problem of morphology control in bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) films due to highly entangled polymeric chains hinders the further improvement of device performance. In this work, we obtained fine-tuned photoactive layer morphology through reconstructed microstructure induced by steric effects to realize an improved device performance in ternary all-PSCs. The large tetrahexylphenyl substituents on the backbone of naphthalene diimide–indacenodithienothiophene based copolymer acceptor BL-102 bring forth the steric-hindrance effect and influence intermolecular interactions. Therefore, the copolymer BL-102 delivers the property of suppressed self-aggregation, causing reconstructed crystalline features and morphology in blending films. The ternary devices tended to reduce the excessive phase separation by suppressing the aggregation of original polymers but to promote intermixing behaviors. Therefore, the optimal BHJ film manifested a well-formed bi-continuous interpenetrating nanoscale network with a larger π–π stacking coherence length and ordered face-on molecular orientation. Hence, a faster electron transfer (ET) and hole transfer (HT) process combined with balanced charge carrier mobilities can be achieved to enhance the overall device performance. This work provides an effective method to regulate the photoactive layer morphology of all-PSCs through structurally steric hindrance effects and demonstrate the significance of ternary-blending strategy induced nanoscale morphology modulation for fabricating highly efficient all-PSCs

Apoptosis of bile duct cells in the three experimental groups at different time points.

<p>Quantitative analysis of TUNEL-stained cell was conducted by apoptosis index (AI).</p>*<p>Significant increase compared with the sham group;</p>‡<p>significant reduction compared with the control group.</p

The Caspase-3 activity in the three experimental groups at different time points.

<p><i>P</i><0.05 was considered significant.</p>*<p>Significant increase compared with the sham group;</p>‡<p>significant reduction compared with the control group.</p

Intense intermittent radiation at the plasma frequency on EAST

Intense intermittent radiation has been observed regularly in EAST by using a Michelson interfer-ometer and a Q-band radiometer system. The radiation bursts are related to a fast process with characterization time of a few microseconds. An electron density window exists for the occurrence of the bursts, and the upper electron density threshold is dependent of the toroidal magnetic field. The frequency of the emission f is at the plasma frequency, and the frequency bandwidth Δ f is very narrow (∼1.5 MHz FWHM, Δ f / f ∼ 3 × 10−5). Fine structure of the spectrum with multi-peaks have been observed, and the frequency interval is around 3 MHz. Numerical simulation results of cavity modes indicate that the frequencies of these modes are close to the central plasma frequency, and the departure from the central plasma frequency becomes larger for higher order modes

Comparison of pathomorphology in different groups.

<p>In control and GdCl₃ groups, the main injury of bile duct was at 6 hour after surgery. Pretreatment with GdCl₃ may attenuate the bile duct injury during the ischemia/reperfusion.</p

Time course of changes in the TNF-α and sFas levels.

<p>TNF-α was significantly increased and reached a peak at 12 h in both ischemia/reperfusion groups. TNF-α was significantly lower in the GdCl₃ group than in the control group except at 0.5 h, while serum sFas level was increased in animals with ischemia/reperfusion injury. Preadminstration of GdCl₃ led to a significant increase in sFas level between 2 and 12 h after operation.</p

Current status of ECE system on EAST tokamak

The electron cyclotron emission (ECE) diagnostic on the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST) has had a major upgrade since 2020, when EAST heating system also went through a significant upgrade, including one NBI system changed from counter-current to co-current (moving from port F to port D), and the antenna and the installation port of LHW and ICRF system have also been changed. The quasi-optical (QO) antenna of P port ECE system has been redesigned, the main purpose of which is to add one oblique ECE view. The angle with respect to perpendicular to the magnetic field is about 10°, which will facillitate measurement of the electron velocity distribution altered by LHW system. The ellipsoidal mirror has also been moved close to the plasma, about 70 cm away from the plasma center, and the poloidal beam waist radius in the plasma has been optimised to be less than 3 cm. The CECE system has also been moved from port G to port C. The frequency coverage of the CECE system has been upgraded to 104-132 GHz by adding one radio frequency (RF) module. Also in the intermediate frequency (IF) module, 8 narrow-band filters have been added to improve the spacial coverage of the system. On port F, a new superheterodyne radiometer with narrow-band filters in IF module has been installed. It consists of eight channels, the radial coverage is about 8 cm, the main purpose of this new system is to study the fine structure of magnetic island

Immunohistochemical detection of Fas in the sham and ischemia/reperfusion groups.

<p>Paraffin-embedded sections from the sham (A), GdCl₃ (B), and control groups (C) at 6 h following ischemia/reperfusion were reacted with anti-Fas serum. Arrows indicate Fas-positive cells (magnification ×400).</p

Serum transaminases concentrations in different groups at different time points.

<p>Serum levels of ALT, ALP and TBIL were dramatic increased at the early stage of warm ischemia/reperfusion injury. Serum transaminases concentrations were decreased by preadminstration of GdCl₃. ^*Significant increase compared with the sham group (<i>P</i><0.05); ^‡statistically significant difference between the GdCl₃ and control groups (<i>P</i><0.05). Error bars represent standard deviations.</p